In ancient China, there was no glass, only simple enough paper. How does the homeowner prevent being peeped by outsiders?

Recently, several costume dramas have been released one after another. Whether it is the traditional costume drama "Daming Fenghua" or the air science fiction drama "Joy of Life", it is a feast for everyone.

Because the settings in the play are all ancient, there is a question in the play that puzzles me. There have been such episodes in the play. Some people want to blow smoke into the room or eavesdrop and peek. They often poke a small hole in the paper window with their fingers and observe the situation through this small hole.

This makes me curious. Are all ancient windows really made of paper? How did the ancients prevent their windows from revealing privacy?

What were the ancient windows made of?

In order to increase the brightness and air permeability of houses, ancient people would open several windows in their houses.

But they usually put up windows, which can resist some cold winds, prevent dust from entering in winter, and reduce the stimulation of light.

In ancient times, people chose to cover windows with furs such as animal skins, but over time, people found that the permeability and light transmittance of animal furs were poor and the effect was not good. And the wear and tear after weathering is also very serious.

Cheap woven mats have become people's second choice. Although the straw mat has poor cold protection function, it has good air permeability. Later, silks and satins appeared, and ancient people began to seal windows with silks or fabrics, but these silks were more expensive and could not be bought by ordinary people.

In the Han Dynasty, with the progress of science and technology, paper was invented. People think that paper is really good and has good light transmittance, so they stick paper on windows.

Of course, the paper at that time was not as thin as that in film and television dramas. The clever ancients specially treated these papers, brushed them with tung oil, dried them and stuck them on the window, which was both wind-proof and rain-proof.

Some areas will stick a layer of linen on the oiled paper to increase the durability of the paper.

How do paper windows protect the privacy of homeowners?

Although the windows are made of paper, this kind of paper is different from the paper we see now, but after special treatment, it can prevent wind and rain.

Of course, if someone really wants to pry into the privacy of the homeowner, you can make a wall and others can see it. What do you mean? Walls have ears? Under normal circumstances, the poor in ancient times were all poor, and there was nothing to remember.

In terms of folk customs, the ancient folk customs were simple, and they didn't close the door at night, so no one would maliciously peek at others. If there is such a person, even the window can't stop him.

Wealthy families, although they will paste windows with tung oil paper, will use glazed tiles or Ming tiles to show their status. Glazed tiles are made of high-quality ore raw materials, which are crushed and fired. Mingwa is not a real tile, but a powder polished with shells and horns.

These two materials are more popular with wealthy families because of their bright colors and brilliance. Finally, but if someone really wants to break in, this paper window can't stop them.

Of course, the road is one foot high and the magic is ten feet high. People of any identity have their own ways to protect their privacy.

How did ancient people protect their privacy?

First, hire a janitor. As we have seen in movies and TV plays, all the rich people sit in front of the door and watch the door. What's more, there will be servants patrolling back and forth at night to ensure the safety of the house. As for poor families, although they can't afford a concierge, it is still possible to have a dog. It is enough for ordinary people to protect their privacy by using a dog to look after the nursing home for them.

Second, the layout of the house is complicated. The house where ancient people lived had three entrances and three exits, and the yard was very big. There are not only east and west wings, but also various cloisters interspersed among them. The layout is very complicated. Most people froze as soon as they entered this big house. Even if they want to peek, they may not find the right place.

Third, policy and ideological education. In ancient times, it was deeply influenced by Confucian ethics. See no evil, don't listen to evil, don't talk evil, don't move evil? Our teaching is deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. Besides, there are very strict laws and regulations, and you shouldn't peek at others at will. Therefore, it is the gentleman who disdains this, and the villain dares not.

When did the glass window appear?

According to historical records, this kind of glass was a novelty from the west during the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. At first, this glass was very thin when it was first introduced. It's only for painters, it's very rare.

In the later years of Kangxi, the Qing government introduced western glass manufacturing technology and set up a special glass factory in Guangzhou. At that time, the glass used in the palace was produced by factories in Guangzhou.

It was also from this time that the windows of the Qing Palace began to adopt the form of glass, which was also the earliest glass window.

Glass windows are not only durable, but also good in lighting, and they are widely praised and loved as soon as they appear. After that, it was widely circulated and its popularity increased greatly.

So far, the window material we choose is still glass, which shows its advantages!

So after some consultation, I finally came to the conclusion that paper windows are not as fragile as those shown in film and television works, and they can also bring some comfort and security to the lives of the ancients.

But if you want to really protect your privacy from infringement, other means are also essential. Thus, the wisdom of the ancients cannot be underestimated. Papery windows can be circulated for a hundred years, which naturally has its advantages.