Suche
Mein Konto
History of Skin Care Part 5: Imperial China: From the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, 618-1644
Longing for the Pale By the time the Tang Dynasty emerged, the women of the imperial court had turned skin care and cosmetic treatments into a fine art form. Borrowing artistic techniques from Buddhism that had spread throughout the country, women transformed themselves into gilded statues, complete with smooth porcelain skin and facial appliqués. A pale complexion became increasingly important as court women reached new and greater heights in temporarily and permanently lightening their skin. Since pre-imperial times, Chinese women have desired pale skin. As agriculture became more important to culture and economy, tanned skin became associated with a working class of farmers and...
History of Skin Care Part 5: Imperial China: From the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty, 618-1644
Longing for the pale
By the time the Tang Dynasty emerged, the women of the imperial court had turned skin care and cosmetic treatments into a high art form. Borrowing artistic techniques from Buddhism that had spread throughout the country, women transformed themselves into gilded statues, complete with smooth porcelain skin and facial appliqués. A pale complexion became increasingly important as court women reached new and greater heights in temporarily and permanently lightening their skin.
Since pre-imperial times, Chinese women have desired pale skin. As agriculture became increasingly important to culture and economy, tanned skin became associated with a working class of farmers and fishermen. While noble women initially wanted a whiter complexion to show that they didn't have to work, a powdered face and smooth skin soon became a fashion statement. During the Tang Dynasty, courtesans began taking more extreme measures to lighten the skin on their faces. While they continued to press white powders from lead, they also used special gels and lotions made from natural ingredients to remove pigment and permanently bleach their skin. One of the most popular gels was made from songyi mushrooms, an ingredient still used in many skin lightening products today.
The seven steps to beauty
Even in the age of lead powders and pigment-altering creams, the Chinese approach to skin care was still holistic. Nutrition, health and circulation were still considered necessary to maintain a beautiful complexion and many lotions were developed using medicinal herbs popular in traditional medicine. While skin care was previously confined to the bedroom, many Tang Dynasty women carried small containers of lotions and other cosmetics so they could touch up their faces at will.
However, this is not to say that Tang Dynasty courtesans applied their makeup in public. Her makeup was actually applied in seven separate steps every morning. The first step was to powder the face with a thick white foundation. The second step was applying blush to the cheeks. The third step was to gild the forehead with golden ochre. The ocher was painted in complex patterns modeled on the gold gilding of Buddhist statues. The fourth step was to trace the eyebrows. The fifth step was to paint the lips bright red. The sixth step was to dot the cheeks. The seventh and final step was to glue a flower applique between the eyes. (Learn more about the Seven Steps to Beauty here: http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2004/e200411/p60.htm)
The art of appliqué
Although facial appliques first gained widespread popularity during the Tang Dynasty, they remained popular throughout the many centuries of Imperial China. As described in the seven steps of cosmetic application, there were actually several different types of applications. Although the spotted cheek had been around since the early days of the imperial court, by this time it had lost all vestiges of practical use and was used exclusively for fashion. In fact, it was very rare that the dots were even round. While one of the most popular designs was a crescent moon on the cheek, these so-called dots could take the form of a variety of shapes, from flowers to insects. The floral applique placed between the eyes had a similar number of variations. It could be made of paper, gold foil or shells and the patterns ranged from flowers to fans, from dragonflies to ox horns.
Although not exactly appliqué, traced eyebrows continued to be an important part of facial adornment. At this time the designs were much more elaborate than during the Qin or Han dynasties. While the various shapes were generally patterned after objects found in nature, the shapes themselves were far removed from the natural shape of an eyebrow. Willow leaf eyebrows were one of the most popular designs, with round, olive-shaped eyebrows not far behind. The Emperor Xuanzong even commissioned a book called Shi Mei Tu, which outlined ten different eyebrow patterns. (You can read more about facial appliques and eyebrow patterns here: http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/e2004/e200411/p60.htm)
From lead powder to skin bleaching products to olive-shaped eyebrows, many of Imperial China's skin care techniques and cosmetic approaches seem foreign in today's world. However, her holistic approach to skincare and whimsical makeup show that Imperial China still has much to offer the modern world.