The History of Umbrellas你所不知道的十个雨伞趣事

UMBRELLAS - 10 INTERESTING FACTS YOU NEVER KNEW!

Derived from the Latin word Umbra, which means shade. The first umbrellas were for protection from the sun and were possibly inspired from the canopy of a tree, which would offer a cool shade from the heat of the day. The origins of the umbrella are most probably China in 11th century B.C. although ancient sculptures have been found in Nineveh, Persepolis and Thebes (Egypt) depicting the use of umbrellas. There is also evidence of Umbrellas or Parasols being used at the same period in India. The first umbrellas were most probably a converted branch of a tree (for example giant Banana Leaves) or a hat on a stick, which gave rise to the umbrella, as we know it today.

The word Parasol was derived from the Latin words papare, which means to prepare, and sol, which means sun. Generally a parasol is now regarded as a sunshade and umbrella as a rain protector, but this distinction only evolved during the late 18th century. Before then umbrellas and parasols both offered protection against the sun, but that parasols were carried over the person it shaded rather than an umbrella, which was carried by the person it shaded. However, there is some evidence of Romans using umbrellas to protect a person from the rain, but the idea never caught on, as it was the Greeks who popularised the idea of umbrellas being used as a sunshade.

The first umbrellas (or more correctly parasols) were associated with rank and there is early evidence of this is Egypt around 1200 B.C. It was a sign of nobility for a person to have fair skin and the parasol's protection against the sun was widely chosen by royalty to ensure the skin would not tan. In Assyria it was the King's privilege and no one but he could carry an umbrella. The status symbol of an umbrella was certainly evident in other parts of the world at this time, not so much for their size, but for the number of tiers as this implied both wealth and power. Records show that the Emperor of China's parasol had four tiers and the King of Siam’s seven or nine, each having an elaborate fringe and tassels. Ancient writings found in Ava in Burma, described the ruler as "King of the White Elephants" and " Lord of the twenty-Four Parasols". In African, the umbrella is still regarded as emblem of rank.

 The umbrella was also considered a symbol in early religious beliefs to be connected with the Gods of fertility and harvest, death and rebirth. Nut, the mother goddess of ancient Egypt was sometimes compared to an umbrella, with her body arching over the whole of Earth. Nut's son Osiris and God of the Lower World was also associated with the umbrella and bringer of rain. Similarities of this legend can be found with the Hindu God Vishnu, who in his fifth incarnation brought back the rain-giving umbrella of Varuna from Hell. The Greeks and Romans incorporated such stories with their respective Gods Dionysius and Bacchus, both of whom gave rain. But it was the Greeks who developed the umbrella's widespread use by women, which originated from the worship of Dionysius where a parasol was carried over the statue of the God at Festivals. Very soon this trait was used for other Gods and Goddesses, including Pallas Athena and Athenian women had parasols held over them at feasts in her honour. This led to the parasol being associated as an accessory for women

During the middle ages the umbrellas popularity declined from use, although it was still used in ceremonial regalia for the Pope, which some say originated from the brown and white parasol given to Pope Sylvester I by Emperor, Constantine the Great. The striped canopy of an umbrella depicted in the papal colours of Red and Gold above the cross keys of St Peter was used on a papal badge. Known as an ombrellino, it is still worn by the Cardinal Camerlengo as acting head of the Catholic Church during an interregnum in the papacy. By the 15th Century, as the power of the church weakened, high-ranking nobility and church dignitaries used different coloured ombrellinos and this most likely gave rise to the use of an umbrella as a fashion accessory.

 .It was the influence of the Church that resulted the spread of Umbrellas across Europe. The trend started in Italy and can be traced back to the 12th Century when Pope Alexander III granted the Doge of Venice the right to have a parasol carried over him. This continued until 1797 when Napoleon Bonaparte abolished the Venetian Republic. But it was the French Women who popularised the use of an umbrella during 17th Century and by 18th Century; the use of an Umbrella had spread across the whole of Europe. Umbrellas were by now commonplace and many intricate fashion designs began to appear, but the use of the umbrella was still as a sunshade.

 
Umbrellas did not appear in England until the Restoration Period. This was most probably because the Puritan regime saw umbrellas as a frivolous object, which prevented the heaven-sent rain from wetting a person. Catherine of Braganza was said to have introduced umbrellas to England when she married Charles II. She brought with her a parasol of Portuguese design and although there is no evidence to suggest umbrellas where used by other lady courtiers due to the King's disapproval of Portuguese fashion, ladies were beginning to be seen in London after 1676 with dainty parasols to shade them from the sun. In 1682, the ambassador from the King of Batam presented Prince Rupert with Two Great Umbrellas, and although most probably a coincidence, within a few months Prince Rupert was Dead and the Kingdom of Batam was in decline. For a long time after, the King of Batam’s Umbrellas became a byword in England and this incident may have given rise to the superstition that it was unlucky to open an umbrella indoors

 It was time during the period 1685 - 1705 that the idea of a waterproof umbrella was established. Known at first as an umbrellow, from the French word ombrelle, which in itself was derived from ombrellino, the inclemency of the English weather ensured the umbrella’s success. This new use was popularised by the coffee houses where umbrellas were kept to shelter customers from the rain when walking to their carriages. However, despite their cumbersome design, umbrellas were still used by women as men were ridiculed if they borrowed one. During the mid 18th Century, it was the philanthropist Jonas Hanway who pioneered the use of an umbrella in Britain and the first man to commonly use an umbrella. He is often mistakenly recognised for its invention and introduction to London. However, Hanway’s umbrella was most like French and he was very rarely seen without it, claiming the umbrella was to protect his cloths from the sun and the rain. Hanway created a sensation at the time and was often fair game to rogues who were egged on by coachmen seeing their living at risk from his umbrella. However, the idea soon caught on and umbrellas were known for sometime as Hanways. It was during this period that the distinction between a parasol that gave protection from the sun and an umbrella from the rain came into being.
 

John Beale registered the first a patent in 1786 with the idea of a circular coned canopy supported by ribs attached to a central shaft. With the popularisation of umbrellas in the 19th Century, inventions and patents on umbrellas started to increase in number to over 40 per year from 1860 to the turn of the century. The global market for umbrellas was spurred on by the industrial revolution; with Great Britain leading the way in an export drive to her new colonies around the world including America. The idea of a parasol being an accessory of costume of the 17th and 18th Century with intricate lace or brocade designs, ebony or bone shafts and handles made of precious metals with jewels, became a fashion item of the 19th Century. In 1843 Henry Holland, introduced steel ribs partly due to the increase in the cost of whalebone, but it was the invention by Samuel Fox in 1852 of the "U" shaped Paragon steel rib, which is still used today, that revolutionised the umbrella. 

 In the 20th Century, the umbrella became a functional item with the sole purpose of offering shelter from the rain, and in the 1930’s the lady's parasol fell from fashion, as the tanned skin became vogue. Between the World Wars, it became very fashionable for Gentlemen to have a black umbrella with a silk and/or cotton canopy and crook handle and the stereotype of the City Gent lived on after World War II. Post war lives were transformed by the onslaught of technology. The need for more practical umbrellas became greater and by the 1950’s the telescopic folding umbrella heralded the way. Although Marius, a Parisian trader, invented the first folding umbrellas in 1709, his inventions never caught on because of their clumsy design and it was the launch in USA in the 1930’s of the "Growy Umbrella" with the idea of folding ribs that ensured the success of the telescopic folding umbrella. In the 1947 the PVC transparent umbrella was invented, but it was not until 1960’s that it became fashionable. There has been a recent interest in PVC umbrellas, but environmental concerns on the use of PVC has dampened the appeal that the umbrella had during the Swinging Sixties. 1n the 1950’s Nylon canopies started to replace oiled cotton canvas and the new stronger material was an immediate success. Nylon canopies do not rot or cause mildew and since the man-made fibres were easier to print on, by the late 1970’s it paved the way for the Golf umbrella, developed from the Gig umbrella, as the ideal promotional product for companies to advertise on.

清朝官员顶戴颜色代表的级别

一品、二品红；三品四品蓝，五品一下白

一品——红珊瑚顶戴（纯红），九蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服仙鹤，武官补服麒麟。准乘八人抬绿呢大轿。

二品——红起花珊瑚顶戴（杂红），九蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服锦鸡。武官补服狮。准乘八人抬绿呢大轿。

三品——蓝宝石及蓝色明玻璃顶戴（亮蓝），九蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服孔雀。武官补服豹，准乘八人抬绿呢大轿。

四品——青金石及蓝色涅玻璃顶戴（暗蓝），八蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服雪雀。武官补服虎，准乘四人抬蓝呢轿。

五品——水晶及白色明玻璃顶戴（白），八蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服白鹇。武官补服熊，准乘四人抬蓝呢轿。

六品——砗磲及白色涅玻璃顶戴（白），八蟒五爪蟒袍，文官补服鹭鸶。武官补服彪，准乘四人抬蓝呢轿。

七品——素金顶戴（白），五蟒四爪蟒袍，文官补服鸂鶒，武官补服犀牛。

八品——起花金顶戴（白），五蟒四爪蟒袍，文官补服练雀。武官补服犀牛

九品——镂花金顶戴（白），五蟒四爪蟒袍，文官补服练雀。武官补服海马

未入流——镂花金顶戴（白），王蟒四爪蟒袍，黄鹂补服。

监察御史、按察使等监察、司法官员的顶戴、蟒袍均按正常品级，但补服的图形却一律绣獬豸，以示司法公正。

正一品：
文职京官：太师、太傅、太保、殿阁大学士
文职外官：无
武职京官：领侍卫内大臣、掌銮仪卫事大臣
武职外官：无

从一品：
文职京官：少师、少傅、少保、太子太师、太子太傅、太子太保、
协办大学士、各部院尚书、督察院左右督御史
文职外官：无
武职京官：提督九门步军巡捕五营统领、内大臣
武职外官：将军、都统、提督

正二品：
文职京官：太子少师、太子少傅、太子少保、各部院左右侍郎、内务府总管
文职外官：各省总督
武职京官：左右翼前锋营统领、八旗护军统领、銮仪使
武职外官：副都统、总兵

从二品：
文职京官：内阁学士、翰林院掌院学士
文职外官：巡抚、布政使司布政使
武职京官：散秩大臣
武职外官：副将

正三品：
文职京官：督察院左右督御史、宗人府丞、通政使司通政使、大理寺卿、
詹事府詹事、太常寺卿
文职外官：顺天府府尹、奉天府府尹、按察使司按察使
武职京官：一等侍卫、火器营翼长、健锐营翼长、前锋参领、护军参领、
骁骑参领、王府长史
武职外官：城守尉、参将、指挥使

从三品：
文职京官：光禄寺卿、太仆寺卿
文职外官：都转盐运使司运使
武职京官：包衣护军参领、包衣骁骑参领、王府一等护卫
武职外官：游击、五旗参领、协领、宣慰使、指挥同知

正四品：
文职京官：通政使司副使、大理寺少卿、詹事府少詹事、太常寺少卿、
太仆寺少卿、鸿胪寺卿、督察院六科掌院给事中
京职外官：顺天府丞、奉天府丞、各省守巡道员、
武职京官：二等侍卫、云麾使、副护军参领、副前锋参领、副骁骑参领、
太仆寺马厂驼厂总管、贝勒府司仪长、侍卫领班
武职外官：防守尉、佐领、都司、指挥佥事、宣慰使司同知

从四品：
文职京官：内阁侍读学士、翰林院侍读学士、翰林院侍讲学士、国子监祭酒
文职外官：知府、土知府、盐运使司运同
武职京官：城门领、包衣副护军参领、包衣副骁骑参领、包衣佐领、
四品典仪、二等护卫
武职外官：宣抚使、宣慰使司副使

正五品：
文职京官：左右春坊庶子、通政司参议、光禄寺少卿、给事中、
宗人府理事官、各部郎中、太医院院使
文职外官：同知、土同知、直隶州知州
武职京官：三等侍卫、治仪正、步军副尉、步军校、监守信礮官、分管佐领
武职外官：关口守御、防御、守备、宣慰使司佥事、宣抚使司同知、千户

从五品：
文职京官：翰林院侍读、翰林院侍讲、鸿胪寺少卿、司经局洗马、
宗人府副理事、御使、各部员外郎
文职外官：各州知州、土知州、盐运司副使、盐课提举司提举
武职京官：四等侍卫、委署前锋参领、委署护军参领、委署鸟枪护军参领、
委署前锋侍卫、下五旗包衣参领、五品典仪、印物章京、
三等护卫
武职外官：守御所千总、河营协办守备、安抚使、招讨使、宣抚使司副使、
副千户

正六品：
文职京官：内阁侍读、左右春坊中允、国子监司业、堂主事、主事、
都察院都事、经历、大理寺左右寺丞、宗人府经历、
太常寺满汉寺丞、钦天监监判、钦天监汉春夏中秋冬五官正、
神乐署署正、僧录司左右善事、道录司左右正一
文职外官：京府通判、京县知县、通判、土通判
武职京官：兰翎侍卫、整仪尉、亲军校、前锋校、护军校、鸟枪护军校、
骁骑校、委署步军校
武职外官：门千总、营千总、宣抚使司佥事、安抚使司同知、副招讨使、
长官使、长官、百户

从六品：
文职京官：左右春坊赞善、翰林院修撰、光禄寺署正、
钦天监满洲蒙古五官正、汉军秋官正、和声署正、
僧录司左右阐教、道录司左右演法
文职外官：布政司经历、理问、允判、直隶州州同、州同、土州同
武职京官：内务府六品兰翎长、六品典仪
武职外官：卫千总、安抚使司副使

正七品：
文职京官：翰林院编修、大理寺左右评事、太常寺博士、国子监监丞、
内阁典籍、通政司经历、知事、太常寺典籍、太仆寺主薄、
部寺司库、兵马司副指挥、太常寺满洲读祝官、赞礼郎、
鸿胪寺满洲鸣赞
文职外官：京县县丞、顺天府满洲教授、训导、知县、按察司经历、教授
武职京官：城门史、太仆寺马厂协领
武职外官：把总、安抚使司佥事、长官司副长官

从七品：
文职京官：翰林院检讨、銮仪卫经历、中书科中书、内阁中书、詹事府主薄、
光禄寺署丞、典薄、国子监博士、助教、钦天监灵台郎、
祀祭署奉祀、和声署署丞
京职外官：京府经历、布政司都事、盐运司经历、直隶州州判、州判、
土州判
武职京官：七品典仪
武职外官：盛京游牧副尉

正八品：
文职京官：司务、五经博士、国子监学正、学录、钦天监主薄、太医院御医、
太常寺协律郎、僧录司左右讲经、道录寺左右至灵
文职外官：布政司库大使、盐运司库大使、盐道库大使、盐课司大使、
盐引批验所大使、按察司知事、府经历、县丞、士县丞、
四氏学录、州学正、教谕
武职京官：无
武职外官：外委千总

从八品：
文职京官：翰林院典薄、国子监典薄、鸿胪寺主薄、钦天监挚壶正、
祀祭署祀丞、神乐署署丞、僧录司左右觉义、道录司左右至义
文职外官：布政司照磨、盐运司知事、训导
武职京官：八品典仪、委署亲军校、委署前锋校、委署护军校、委署骁骑校
武职外官：无

正九品：
文职京官：礼部四译会同馆大使、钦天监监侯、司书、太常寺汉赞礼郎
文职外官：按察司照磨、府知事、同知知事、通判知事、县主薄
武职京官：各营兰翎长
武职外官：外委把总

从九品：
文职京官：翰林院侍诏、满洲孔目、礼部四译会同官序班、国子监典籍、
鸿胪寺汉鸣赞、序班、刑部司狱、钦天监司晨、博士、
太医院吏目、太常寺司乐、工部司匠
文职外官；府厅照磨、州吏目、道库大使、宣课司大使、府税课司大使、
司府厅司狱、司府厅仓大使、巡检、土巡检
武职京官：太仆寺马厂委署协领
武职外官：额外外委

未入流：
文职京官：翰林院孔目、都察院库使、礼部铸印局大使、兵马司吏目、
崇文门副使
文职外官：典史、土典史、关大使、府检校、长官司吏目、茶引批验所大使、
盐茶大使、驿丞、土驿丞、河泊所所官、牐官、道县仓大使
武职京官：无
武职外官：百长、土舍、土目

清朝以马上得天下，服饰也体现了这种观点。
整个臣子如同一匹马：
1.袖子是马蹄袖，跪下，双手伏地，如同一匹马状。
2.朝珠就是马缰绳。
3.补子就是马鞍。

明代开始官服用补子，大抵是在洪武廿六年以后，文官用禽，武官用兽，以示差别，这是明代官服中最有特色的装束。清代底定中国之后一直沿用，但形制上有些区别。明代补子织在大襟袍上，所以补子前后都是整块。清代补子是缝在对襟褂上的，因此补子前片都在中间剖开，成两个半块。明代补子以素色为多，底子大多为红色，上用金线盘成各种图案；五彩绣补较少见。清代补子大多用彩色，底子颜色很深，有绀色、黑色和深红等。明代补子四周，一般不用边饰。清代补子都装饰有花边。明代有些文官(如四、五、七、八、九品)的补子，常织绣一对禽鸟。而清代的补子都绣织单只禽鸟。清代命妇礼服也缀有补子，所绣纹饰，视其夫或子的品级而定。武官之母、妻则不用兽纹，只用鸟纹，且尺寸略小，长宽约24厘米左右。