How did people keep warm before cotton was introduced to China?

Author: Duan Yuechu

Throughout human history, resisting the cold has always been an important issue for survival. When we focus on ancient times, especially before cotton was widely used to keep warm, people showed amazing wisdom to survive the cold winter.

The World Before Cotton: Ancient Winter Protection Background

In ancient times, cotton was planted in Mexico very early, but the planting area was very limited in the early days. Before the Song Dynasty, cotton had not become a mainstream cold-proof material in many regions, especially in ancient Chinese society. At that time, people faced the test of severe cold, and people in different regions developed their own unique ways to keep warm.

Animal fur: Nature’s gift and its use

Animal fur is one of the earliest materials used by ancient humans to keep warm. The use of fur is particularly common among the nomadic peoples in the north. They are good at hunting, and sheepskin, fox fur, mink fur, etc. are extremely precious resources for keeping warm. The herders will carefully process these furs and make them into various warm clothes. For example, sheepskin coats are a common choice. The thick wool on the inside of the sheepskin can effectively block the cold air. For the aristocracy, more precious furs such as fox fur and mink fur are made into gorgeous cloaks or fur coats. These not only have excellent warmth retention properties, but also show status.

In the ancient Central Plains, although people's lifestyle was different from that of nomadic people, they also used animal fur. Especially in wealthy families, there would be precious fur products. Moreover, in the army, some generals would also use fur to keep warm in the lining of their armor to cope with the cold battlefield environment. However, due to the relatively limited hunting resources in the Central Plains, the amount of animal fur obtained was not as good as in nomadic areas, so it was not a cold-resistant material that the public generally relied on.

Linen and kudzu fabrics: basic warmth protection

Hemp and kudzu were widely planted plants in ancient times, and their fibers were used to make clothes. Although the thermal insulation performance of hemp and kudzu fabrics is far inferior to that of cotton and fur, they were also an important means for people to keep warm at that time. In summer, people wore hemp and kudzu clothes mainly for breathability and coolness, while in winter, people would thicken these fabrics. For example, by stacking multiple layers to increase the warmth effect. The ancient working people would weave hemp and kudzu fibers more tightly to reduce air circulation, thereby resisting the cold to a certain extent. Moreover, in terms of production technology, they would use some special methods, such as filling some soft hay and other materials in the interlayer of clothing to enhance the warmth performance.

However, the disadvantages of hemp and kudzu fabrics are also obvious. Their warmth retention performance will be greatly reduced in humid environments, and their texture is relatively rough, making them less comfortable to wear than later cotton products. But in ancient times when resources were limited, this was the main choice for most civilians to keep warm in winter.

Silk fabrics: the warm choice of the nobility

Silk is a great invention of ancient China. It was also used to keep people warm, especially among the nobility. Silk fabrics are usually light, but they have a good warming effect. In ancient times, silk production technology was exquisite, and people would make silk into various winter clothes. For example, some soft feathers or down were filled into silk to make clothes similar to modern down jackets. This kind of silk product filled with light and soft materials has good warming properties while retaining the gorgeous texture of silk itself.

Moreover, the material characteristics of silk itself make it feel warm and comfortable when close to the skin. For the rich and powerful, they would wear multiple layers of silk clothing in winter, using the air layers between the silk to keep warm. These silk clothes were often embroidered with exquisite patterns, making them both practical and beautiful cold-proof clothing. However, due to the high cost of silk production, it was difficult for ordinary people to enjoy this high-end cold-proof material.

Buildings and heating facilities: cold-weather strategies starting from the environment

In addition to clothing measures to keep warm, ancient people also had unique methods for living environment and heating facilities. In terms of architecture, most houses in northern China are designed with thick walls and small windows. Thick walls can effectively block the cold air outside and play a role in heat preservation. Small windows reduce the loss of indoor heat. Moreover, the orientation of the house will also take into account the exposure to winter sunlight to make full use of solar energy for heating.

In terms of heating facilities, the kang is a common one in the north. People light a fire under the kang to keep the kang surface warm. The family can rest and eat on the kang to spend the cold night. In the palace and wealthy families, there are more sophisticated heating equipment, such as charcoal braziers. These charcoal braziers are exquisitely made, and some are also decorated with exquisite decorations. The burning charcoal inside can provide warmth for the room, and people sit around the charcoal braziers to keep warm. At the same time, in some large palace buildings, there are heating facilities such as ground dragons. By laying pipes underground, the hot air circulates indoors, making the entire palace warm like spring.

Other ways to help keep warm: everyday wisdom

Ancient people also used some other auxiliary means to keep warm. For example, before the winter came, people would store a lot of food, because food would generate heat during digestion to help the body resist the cold. In addition, people would place some warm items indoors, such as thick straw curtains, felt blankets, etc., to reduce heat loss. When sleeping, people would use straw mattresses and thick quilts. Although the thermal insulation performance of these quilts was not as good as the later quilts, they could also play a certain role in keeping warm. In addition, ancient people would also use some hot drinks to keep warm, such as drinking hot water, hot soup, etc., to produce a warm feeling from the inside of the body.

The inheritance and enlightenment of ancient methods of keeping warm

Although these ancient methods of keeping out the cold may seem a bit crude in modern society, they are the crystallization of human wisdom in surviving in harsh environments. They reflect the efforts made by people from different regions and different classes to cope with the cold. From these methods, we can see the ingenious use of natural resources and the spirit of continuous exploration by humans. These ancient methods of keeping out the cold also provide certain inspiration for our modern fields such as thermal insulation technology and clothing design, allowing us to cherish the warmth and comfort brought by modern technology more, and at the same time, we are full of respect for the wisdom of the ancients. When studying ancient history and culture, these details of keeping out the cold also open a window for us to understand the life of ancient society, allowing us to see how people survived tenaciously in the cold winter in that era without quilts.

In short, ancient people successfully survived the cold winter through various means without quilts. These methods are precious treasures in human history and are worthy of our in-depth study and remembrance.