Study On Trousseau From The Period Of Wei Jin And The Northern And Southern Dynasties To The Song Dynasties And Yuan Dynasties

The ancient women’s toiletries and accessories are generally placed in a trousseau.Trousseau is thought to first appear in the Spring and Autumn Period and is extended to the Ming and Qing Dynasties,which gradually develops from a small box to a large size furniture. It has great changes both in shape and in decoration as is compared to the beginning.This paper intends to study the shape,decoration and contained objects of trousseau from the period of Wei Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Song Dynasties and Yuan Dynasties.In addition to the introduction, this paper is divided into four chapters.The introduction part firstly explains the background and significance of the research of the trousseau. Secondly, this section defines the trousseau of this paper as instruments of placing toiletries and accessories of ancient women. Finally, this section confirms the contents and methods of this paper according to the current academic research status of the trousseau.The first chapter studies the shape, decoration and contained objects of the trousseau before the period of Wei Jin and the Northern and Southern Dynasties. The shape of trousseau of this period had great changes. It developed from one layer to two layers, and its cover bulged gradually.The oval-shaped trousseau first appeared in the Qin Dynasty and populated in the Han Dynasty. In terms of decoration, trousseau of the early Warring States period was painted in black outside and in red inside. For technical reasons, trousseau of that time was decorated with simple decorative patterns. During the Warring States period, trousseau started to be painted with complex patterns.During the Qin Dynasty, the plum blossom patterns and patterns of dot appeared.During the Han Dynasty, decorative patterns were divided into pattern of geometric shape, pattern of shooting,pattern of moire, and scene patterns. With the passage of times, contained objects of trousseau became more abundant,which influenced the shape of trousseau.The second chapter studies living style, shape of furniture, decorative patterns of furniture and furniture manufacturing materials of the period of Wei and Jin Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties,in order to realize the background of trousseau of this period. During this period, the height of furniture transferred from low to high because of change of traditional way of living.The furniture material in this period has also changed because of the development of china.During this period, furniture were usually decorated with plant patterns.The third chapter studies shapes,decorative patterns and contained objects of trousseau of the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the Song and Yuan Dynasties.The shape of trousseau in the Wei and JinDynasty changed a lot,and the height of trousseau became similar to the diameter. During this time,the folding of the mouth casket and open casket started to appear.The cover of trousseau transferred from the steeple to spherical shaped cover top,and flat and three foot coexisted.During this period,decorative patterns were mainly related to Buddhism, and lotus, honeysuckle, flying and twine flowers became the basic patterns gradually. To the Sui, Tang and Five Dynasties, the material of trousseau changed a lot,and trousseau made of china became to appear.Trousseau of the Song Dynasty consisted of open, straight mouth and wide mouth, and foot and flat coexisted.Trousseau of this period developed into a set of 3 layer, 4 layer or the 5 layer structure, with the height increased. In addition, trousseau with drawers became popular. Trousseau of the Yuan Dynasty was similar to the Song Dynasty.The fourth chapter summarizes changes of trousseau from the Wei and Jin Dynasties to the song and Yuan Dynasties, and thus reflecting the cosmetics culture of this period. The Wei and Jin Dynasties showed a novelty cosmetics culture, a new scene full of free imagination. The cosmetics culture of the Tang Dynasty was the most abundant in ancient Chinese history, one of the most splendid chapter of grace. But to the late Tang Dynasty, female ornaments gradually changed to the calamity,which was a kind of morbid beauty completely different to the period of the Han, Wei Dynasties and the Song Dynasty.Aesthetic of cosmetic in the Song Dynasty changes a lot. This period advocated "Rhyme",and women always prick up themselves simply.