Origin of the umbrella, China Umbrella Museum

The origin of the umbrella is a problem that cannot be clearly stated at present. In ancient China, there were many legends and documents about the invention of umbrellas, as well as some archaeological materials for us to explore. Although these materials still do not give an accurate answer, they can open our infinite imagination. We show our speculative views here and let the audience and friends make their own judgments. Perhaps one day, it is your point of view that unlocks the mystery of the origin of Chinese umbrella and becomes the final conclusion of everyone’s approval.

Lotus leaf revelation
In daily life, when we suddenly encounter rain, it is natural to use large leaves on the head to keep out the rain. One of the simplest observations about the origin of umbrellas is that umbrellas were invented by such events. There are two different sayings in folk legends. One way of saying that 4,000 years ago, a child had a large lotus leaf on his head, walking in the rain, and the raindrops rolled down from the convex side of the convex lotus leaf, inspiring people to invent the umbrella; another way of saying that more than 3,000 years ago When Zhou Wuwang took the soldiers to fight, he encountered heat. When passing through the lotus pond, the soldiers picked the lotus leaves to cover the hot sun. Some soldiers said: If you can bring the lotus leaf at any time, it will be fine. This sentence touched Zhou Wuwang, who ordered the craftsmen to develop and transform, and invented the umbrella.

Will move the pavilion
In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wei Qingzhi granted the invention of the umbrella to the Luban couple in “The Poet’s Jade”. Lu Ban lived in the Spring and Autumn Warring States Period and was the contemporaries of Confucius. He was also the most famous craftsman in ancient China. Legend has it that when he was working in the country, his wife, Yun, sent food to and from the city every day. When it rained, it was often drenched. Luban built some pavilions along the way, and it was raining in the pavilion. However, the rain changes in summer, and the fixed pavilion can’t really solve the problem. One day, Yun’s whimsy, “If you have a small pavilion with you, you’ll be fine.” Luban listened to the daughter-in-law’s words. According to the pavilion, he cut a piece of cloth, put on the skeleton of the activity, and put on the handle. The “umbrella” came out like this.

Solemn canopy
From a historical point of view, the earliest use for sunshade and rain shelter is a tool that cannot be opened and closed. According to legend, it first appeared in the war between the Yellow Emperor and Chiyou. At the end of the spring and early summer, the wind is dusty and the sun is burning. The Yellow Emperor ordered the “canopy” to cover the sun and block the wind and sand in the chariot to see the other side’s battle. Later, the Yellow Emperor won, and people thought it was the result of the blessing of “Hua Gai”, which was regarded as a symbol of honor and power. The canopy is a long cloth with a long stick under the lid of the circular cloth. It cannot be folded or stretched. The umbrella was invented on this basis.

bamboo rain hat with long handle
Some ancient documents have documented that umbrellas have been developed on the basis of shackles.bamboo rain hat is a kind of sunshade hat made of bamboo or brown skin. It has a long history in China. The “Historical Records of the Five Emperors” has the legend of Dai Yuyu. When Xu Guang wrote “Historical Records”, he wrote: “There is a long-handed person who says it is awkward.” In the Tang Dynasty, Yan Shigu explained in more detail when he wrote “Emergency”: “Hey, hey, all are so rainy. There is a big, there is a hand, and the hand is in the line, that is, it is awkward; This is what it means.” In this case, the cockroach is the big cock with the handle installed. Apart from the material and the retracting function, the shape is not much different from today’s umbrella.

Ancient car umbrella
From the archaeological data, the closest thing to the umbrella we use today is the hood on the chariot. So some people think that the umbrella originated from the umbrella. The shape of the umbrella in the Warring States period is very close to that of the later generations. However, there is no umbrella in this period. The umbrella bow (the rib) is directly inserted into the upper end of the handle, and the ring cover is cut into a wedge shape. The eye is used to hold an umbrella bow. The body weight of the umbrella is large. The main materials of the skeleton are wood, lacquer and bronze. The surface material of the umbrella cannot be tested. It may be silk, cloth or animal skin.

China Umbrella Museum
The China Umbrella Museum is located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The misty rain Jiangnan derives a unique umbrella culture. The aesthetics of the umbrella, the poetry of the umbrella and the symbolic meaning of the umbrella accompany this historical development wheel, and a unique cultural track is crushed.

The China Umbrella Museum is a world-first umbrella theme museum that combines umbrella culture, umbrella history, umbrella stories, umbrella crafts and umbrella art represented by China.

The exhibition area of ​​the China Umbrella Museum is 2411m2, and the temporary exhibition hall has a construction area of ​​527m2. Located in the historical and cultural district of the West Bridge of Gongyi Bridge, with the arched bridge as the landmark, the Hangzhou Arts and Crafts Museum, the Chinese Knives and Sword Museum, the Chinese Fan Museum, and the Handicraft Living Exhibition Hall form a museum full of rich history and culture. The community has become a new cultural landscape in the north of Hangzhou. Walking through the museums is a journey of nostalgia and love with a memory of the canal.

The umbrella is fascinated by the rain. The Chinese Umbrella Museum and the rain are inseparable. The virtual rain scene and small water mist of the multimedia interpretations are used as renderings. The entire venue is dominated by white-walled gray tiles, which reminds people of Dai Wangshu’s pen. In the long and lonely rain alley, the girl with a paper umbrella alone.

The museum also has an interactive area where you can assemble parts for the umbrella, draw umbrellas and repair umbrellas.