Why did the ancients set silver at 16, two at 1 kg, and chopsticks at 7 inches and 6 cents?
In fact, in the past most of the time, half a catty was almost the same as eight taels, not just that simple. It should be said that half a catty is eight taels, which is different from the weight standard we use now. As far as the current standards are concerned, a catty is twelve taels, and half a catty is five taels.
This standard has not been formulated for a long time, only 60 years ago. Before that, the standard was that one catty was equal to sixteen taels. 16 A Liang Jin standard has been implemented for quite a long time. According to the unified measurement time of Qin Shihuang, it should have a history of more than two thousand years.
Of course, before this, the standard of 16 taels per catty may have existed, but it was not popularized and was only used in one or some vassal countries.
After Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties, history entered the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. According to the relatively recognized time, the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period lasted for 550 years, which can be said to be quite long. Moreover, during this period, Zhou Tianzi was no longer the co-owner of the world, and each vassal state sought its own development, each with its own standards, which was quite chaotic.
In the process of political reform, Shang Yang carried out a systematic reform of weights and measures, but because it was still the period of the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, this standard of weights and measures could only be popularized in Qin, but not in other countries.
Later, Qin Shihuang destroyed the six countries and unified the world. A big problem is that the standards in different regions are different, which is quite troublesome to govern, and people will also have a lot of trouble in their daily lives.
Under such circumstances, Qin Shihuang demanded a unified measurement standard all over the world, as well as the so-called
Cars are on the same track, books are in the same language and homotopy. ?
It was during this period that there was a unified standard for weights and measures in the world.
It is said that an episode happened in the process of unified measurement. The standard of coins and length is relatively easy to decide, but Reese made a mistake when making a unified weight standard. I don't know what kind of standards should be formulated to be more convenient in practical application.
If you can't think of it, you don't want to. Reese decided to ask Qin Shihuang for instructions. Qin Shihuang did not give Reese a clear answer. He just needs to give an order and doesn't need to do anything else. Otherwise, what is the use of those officials?
But Qin Shihuang left Reese with four characters:
Fairness in the world
. This is the criterion for formulating various standards. Reese has long known that it is obvious that such an answer is similar to not giving. But after staring for a long time, Reese suddenly had a brainwave, counted the strokes of these four words, and set the standard with the number of strokes, so there was a standard of 16 Liang per catty.
This story is just a story, and it should be a story that does not exist for a long time. There may not have been in ancient times, and even if there was, it is estimated that it was made up. The formulation of weights and measures is not a trivial matter. What's the difference between Reese's method and grasping method? Obviously, this is impossible to pass.
Of course, there is also a saying that the wooden scale in the pre-Qin period was made by Lu Ban using the lever principle, and it was engraved with 13 stars, so there was a standard of thirteen taels per catty. In the unified measurement, Qin Shihuang added three more stars, namely Fu Lushou Star, in order to pay attention to honesty, and the standard was 16 Liang per catty.
In fact, we don't think this story is true. In fact, in the process of unifying weights and measures, it was not created by people, because the standards of weights and measures have been used for a long time before, but every place is different. Therefore, in the process of unification, it is only necessary to synthesize all the standards and choose the simplest and most convenient one.
If it happens that two or more standards are simple and convenient and difficult to choose, then we can make some modifications according to these standards, and so on.
Compared with the standard of weight, the standard of length is different in each period. Although the big rule is the same, that is, one foot equals ten inches equals 100%, the specific centimeter conversion in each period is different.
For example, in the pre-Qin period, one foot was about 23. 1 cm, and then it began to get bigger. It almost became 30.7 cm in the Tang Dynasty, 3 1. 1 in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and now it is 33.3 cm. Therefore, each period is different. We often say that a seven-foot man is eight feet tall, and each period is different.
Having said that, we have to mention a very common tableware on our table, namely chopsticks. The length of our chopsticks now is generally seven inches and six minutes. Of course, this is a universal standard, not just this standard. So was this standard also established in ancient times?
Chopsticks have a long history, at least 3000 years. In historical records, there are records of ivory chopsticks in Shang Zhouwang, and copper chopsticks have been unearthed in Yin Ruins, so at least in Shang Dynasty, chopsticks already existed. Judging from the unearthed situation, some chopsticks in the pre-Qin period were about 20 cm long.
In the Han Dynasty, there were 17 cm chopsticks, which were relatively short. The length of chopsticks can reach 30 cm in Sui and Tang Dynasties, and almost 25 cm in Song and Yuan Dynasties, which is an average. In fact, the short chopsticks can reach 15cm, and the long ones are all over 30 cm.
Judging from these data, ancient chopsticks were different in length, even in the same period, there was no standard length. As for the length of chopsticks, seven inches and six minutes may always exist, but it is by no means a single existence. This length of chopsticks is probably the most comfortable length to use, which coincides with the way people use their hands and chopsticks.
There is also a saying why chopsticks are seven inches and six feet. It is said that seven inches and six feet represents the secular desire of human beings. In the process of invention and creation, the ancients often added thinking about human beings, nature and the world, so everything can find an implicit simple philosophy.
Take this chopstick as an example. Its length is seven inches and six feet, which means that people have secular desires, and people should learn to control their emotions in life, instead of being slaves to them. Moreover, chopsticks have another feature, one end is square and the other end is round, which is consistent with the ancient view that the sky is round. Although this view was later proved to be wrong, it did not prevent people from thinking about the world.
Of course, the saying that chopsticks are seven inches and six feet is just a side door. In fact, in the design process of chopsticks, the most important requirement is applicability, so that people can hold dishes when eating, and the length range of chopsticks designed according to this standard.