The "decorations" you overlooked in costume dramas actually have a lot of knowledge!

Nowadays, a variety of film and television dramas emerge in an endless stream, becoming a must-have "electronic pickled mustard" for people to eat with meals. Among them, costume themes have attracted widespread attention due to their distinct cultural recognition and unique aesthetic style, and are an important channel for the public to understand Chinese traditional culture. A classic good drama is always exquisite to the smallest details, which not only tests the acting skills of the actors, but also the costumes and props also occupy an important position.

Looking at the history of film and television works, many costume dramas have drawn nourishment from intangible cultural heritage elements and oriental aesthetics, and have put a lot of effort into props. A careful observation will reveal that the seemingly inconspicuous ornaments, tea sets, wine sets, flower vases, etc. in the play may have been carefully thought out; every meal, every day life, not only shows the style of an era, but also contains a unique aesthetic of life.

The 1987 version of "Dream of Red Mansions", adapted from the classic literary masterpiece, carries the childhood memories of many people. This drama fully shows the extravagant aristocratic atmosphere and also gives a glimpse into the appearance of Chinese feudal society in the 18th century. In the upper-class mansions where money is spent like water, rare treasures can be seen everywhere. For example, the seemingly ordinary flower pot used to hold daffodils is a three-legged daffodil pot with grape purple glaze and drum nails from the early Ming Dynasty. The daffodil pot, also known as the "drum nail pot", is a Jun kiln flower pot, and most of the whole flower pots are only glazed with a single color of sky blue or purple. But this Jun kiln daffodil pot, with sky blue and grape purple colors blending naturally, is bright and beautiful. It is the best among similar Jun porcelains. The gorgeous glaze is like the sunset, and the fine glaze is like a quiet lake. It can be said to be a flower pot that is both practical and ornamental. Even garlic put in it will make it look noble.

Speaking of flower vases, let's take a look at the two "wall bottles" hanging on the wall behind Jia Zheng. The novel mentions: "Grandma Liu lifted the curtain and went in. She looked up and saw that the walls on all sides were exquisite and transparent, and the piano, sword, bottle and stove were all attached to the wall." This "wall bottle" is one of many types of bottles, designed to be hung on the wall or in the sedan chair, also known as sedan chair bottle or hanging bottle. Its shape is like a complete vase split in the middle, with a flat side against the wall and perforated, which can be tied to the wall for indoor decoration. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, wall bottles were very popular. The book "Zunsheng Bajian" in the 19th year of Wanli commented on wall bottles as follows: "Flowers are arranged in all seasons, people are accompanied by flowers, the fragrance fills the bed, and the spirit is refreshed and happy when lying down, both in winter and summer." It can be seen that it was deeply loved by the literati at that time. There is a flower meaning here, lying down to enjoy the fragrance in the room, leaving a little leisure time to taste tea and arrange flowers, and living life like a poem is also a romantic thing.

Back to the costume drama "The Legend of Zhen Huan" filmed in recent years, it has received high praise for its ups and downs of the plot, delicate character portrayal and excellent production. Since it is about the court life during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, it is naturally a place where rare treasures gather. When Zhen Huan and her maid Liu Zhu were talking, the prototype of the porcelain bottle on the table in the distance was a sky blue glaze pierced ear folded square bottle. This pierced ear bottle has a majestic shape, imitated from bronze ware, with a quiet blue and a simple shape, which really captures the beauty of hardness and softness. The whole body of the bottle is covered with sky blue glaze, which is evenly moisturized and has a soft and pure beauty. "Sky blue glaze" is a high-temperature colored glaze, named because its color is like the blue of a clear sky. It is a new glaze color created during the Kangxi period. The firing of Yongzheng sky blue glaze porcelain has been further developed on the basis of Kangxi, forming two different shades of glaze, deep like a clear sky after rain, and light like moon white.

In addition to decorations, some daily necessities in life also reveal the rich atmosphere of the palace. When Lady Qi drank brown rice and barley soup, she used an exquisite blue and white cup. The prototype of this cup is the blue and white lotus pattern hand-pressing cup of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. It is painted with imported cobalt material Sumaliqing. The bluish-white glaze is shiny and the lines of the pattern are vivid and natural. The body of the hand-pressing cup is thinner at the rim, and the body gradually thickens along the rim. This cup type is designed to keep the temperature of the tea, following the Jianzhan of the Song Dynasty. The center of gravity of the cup is at the bottom, and the slightly outward rim just fits the edge of the hand. When holding it, it gives people a heavy feeling of pressure on the hand, so it is called a "hand-pressing cup." Gu Tai of the late Ming Dynasty made special mention of it in "Bowu Yaolan": "If I had made a hand-pressed cup during the Yongle period, it would have a flat mouth and a bent waist, sand feet and a smooth bottom... The outside of the cup would be deep green blue, the style would be exquisite, it would be handed down for a long time, and the price would be very high." Drinking soup from such an expensive cup would make even the hard-to-swallow brown rice and coix seeds seem to taste sweet.

Another drama worth mentioning is Nirvana in Fire. The screen of this drama is excellent, and every frame of the ink painting-like scene can be used as a computer desktop. It is a rare masterpiece. When Prince Yu was resting in the mansion, the prototype of the incense burner behind him was a gilded silver bamboo-jointed copper incense burner, one on each side, implying his noble status as a prince. This bronze incense burner has a silver-gilded base, a gilded dragon body, and a cover that resembles stacked mountains and misty clouds. From the inscription on the outside of the incense burner, it can be seen that this incense burner was a daily utensil of the Weiyang Palace of the Western Han Dynasty. It is also the highest-specification and most exquisite Boshan incense burner that can be dated. In the Wei and Jin Dynasties, there were many "Boshan incense burner fu", and incense and Boshan incense burners were used as symbols of the superior life of the upper class.

Most of these ceramic jars and copper bottles have been around for thousands of years, but they are still stunning today. The essence of traditional handicrafts lies in the spirit of perseverance. Such "meticulous craftsmanship" is in sharp contrast to the fast pace of today's society where people are eager for quick results. Rushing too fast and pursuing immediate benefits will not lead to long-term success. Whether it is a film or television drama or a vessel or object, it can only become a classic if it can withstand the polishing of time.