What is the long white brush in the eunuch's hand made of?
Also known as dusting, dusting and dusting tail, it is a tool or vessel that attaches animal hair (such as ponytail and swimming tail) or filiform linen to the front end of the handle, which is generally used to clean dust traces or drive away mosquitoes and flies.
Dust blowing originated in the Han Dynasty and was first used to repel mosquitoes and sweep ash, which was deeply loved by literati in the Han and Wei Dynasties. In Taoist culture, blowing dust is a common object of Taoist priests, and some martial arts schools regard blowing dust as a weapon. After Buddhism was introduced into China, blowing dust was accepted as a tool by Han Buddhism, symbolizing getting rid of troubles.
But the eunuch's dusting is neither a weapon nor something to help health and ward off evil spirits. In a huge palace, eunuchs exist to do rough work for his master, and their dust removal is mainly used to clean the dust everywhere in the palace.
Especially the eunuch who followed the emperor, wherever the emperor went, the eunuch would sweep the stool where the emperor wanted to sit with dust before letting the emperor sit. However, this dust stroke later became a symbol of the power of some big eunuchs.
Extended data
The difference between eunuch and Taoist in dust removal;
1, with different functions
Eunuchs are used to sweep away dust traces or drive away mosquitoes and flies, and dusting is a common object of Taoist priests, and some martial arts schools even regard dusting as a weapon.
2. Different meanings
Eunuch's dusting is to sweep away the worldly dust, while Taoist's dusting is to sweep away the inner dust, earthly troubles and otherworldly meaning.
3. Different uses
Eunuch dust removal is to clean the stool that the emperor wants to sit on and then let the emperor sit on it. Dust removal is also something that Taoist priests carry with them when they travel, which has ornamental value.
Baidu encyclopedia-blowing dust