Original title: What are the "black stripes" on women's heads in the late Qing Dynasty?

A few days ago, I posted a group of old photos recording the evolution of women's clothing in the late Qing Dynasty. A careful netizen commented, "The black stripes on their heads are so strange." Ta "black cloth" as the saying goes is actually a "scratch" in the history of clothing, which may have been seen by many people in museums.

1880, female group photo.

1907, the woman on the Shanghai rickshaw.

Frontal towel, a towel worn by women in front of their foreheads, is also called forehead belt, headband, hair band and so on. , decorated with embroidery or jade beads. It appeared in the Han Dynasty and was popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It has three functions: one is to tie the hair, the other is to decorate, and the third is to prevent cold. Originated from cold protection and prevailing in aesthetics.

1900, Henan female.

In ancient times, both men and women used trowels. For example, in the poem "Painting the East Corner" by Li He in the Tang Dynasty, there is a saying: "The water splashes on the forehead, and the flag comes to welcome the tide at night." In Song Jun, instructors use red embroidery to wipe their foreheads, and arrow-recruiting classes use purple embroidery to wipe their foreheads. Until the Qing dynasty, men shaved their heads and braided their hair without a trowel.

1900, three women took a group photo.

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, women, regardless of rank, master and servant, often had foreheads, especially in the north. During this period, there were many forms of wiping off the forehead: covering the forehead with cloth strips; Sew colorful brocade into a diamond shape and tie it on your forehead; Cut into strips with gauze and cover them between the eyebrows; Pierce the jewelry with black silk and hang it on your forehead; Woven with silk rope, it is tied around the forehead and behind the head when used.

Minister of postal services Tang and his wife Zheng took a group photo as a souvenir. Zheng is the second mate, Korean.

1900, female, Yantai, Shandong. The trowel used in winter has other characteristics, generally made of thick materials such as velvet and fur; Some are made of silk and satin, and the outside is decorated with colored embroidery; Women in rich families are also decorated with pearls and jade, with metal buttons at both ends, which are wrapped around their foreheads and tied behind their heads.

During the period of 1906- 19 12, women took a group photo.

The length of the trowel is generally 40-50 cm, with 1 1 cm at the widest point and 2.5 cm at the narrowest point. There are also many shapes: shuttle shape with equal width or middle width and narrow ends; Waves upturned on both sides; Dumbbell-shaped, slender in the middle, slightly wider on both sides, gradually tapering; A figure of eight with narrow middle and wide sides.

During the period of 1906- 19 12, upper-class women.

There are many patterns embroidered on the forehead in Qing Dynasty, expressing the expectation of a better life. For example, embroidered bats represent good luck, embroidered phoenix represents good luck, and embroidered peony represents rich flowers. There are also many auspicious words decorated with blessings, blessings, longevity and happiness.

He Miaoling was the wife of Wu, the right assistant minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the late Qing Dynasty. She was dressed as a maid and carrying a trowel.

1900 or so, a couple in Beijing.

The use of write-offs has lasted for a long time in the history of China. After the demise of the Qing Dynasty, although women's hairstyles have changed greatly, the amount of haircuts has continued. Until the beginning of 2 1 century, I still saw grandma's old man holding a trowel in rural Shandong.