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Pillows are our sleep companions. A soft pillow is always appreciated for good night's sleep. But, do you know that people in ancient civilizations like Mesopotamia, China, and Egypt used pillows made out of stone, yes "stone." Old Arabic history reveals that people in that region used bricks under their heads to sleep. It proves another point that the human body is very flexible and can adapt and adjust to its environment even during sleep. I can bet that these people from ancient times would be unable to sleep on pillows soft and fluffy like the ones we use every night. The ancient people also had pillows carved out of precious stones which was the symbol of aristocracy and glamour.
At that time the ceramic pillows required extreme dexterity and skill to create. During the reign of the Tang and Song dynasties in ancient China, the artistic value of the ceramic pillows was at their peak and it is regarded as an ancient treasure of Chinese culture by modern anthropologists and archeologists.
Ceramic Pillows had Cooling Properties
Ancient Pillows made out of ceramics also were the source of coolness in the hot days of summer. In the Southern parts of China, the hot summer days used to naturally create a boom in the sale of products to cool the bed. Ceramic pillows were one of them which were believed to keep the eyes healthy also. A poem was written by a Chinese poet Zhang Lei "Thanks to Master Huang for the Green Porcelain Pillow" relating to the Southern Song dynasty thanks to an old friend as he mentions that he was given the pillow made of Gong and it was strong and blue. He uses it to keep cool in the scorching summer heat while he rested. The poem depicts the ability of the ceramic pillows to wade off the summer heat.
They Meant Good Fortune in China
The ancient Yuan and Song dynasties ruling period marked the time in ancient China when ceramic pillows became very popular and were found in almost all the households and places where people spent nights like brothels and inns. The decoration on these pillows reflected the culture and customs of the time and region. Ceramic pillows in which different motifs were depicted like babies and lotus-flowers. Such pillows were good luck charms and were gifted to newlywed couples by their parents with wishes of a happy married life and lots of off-springs.
Playing children's themes is very prominent in ancient Chinese culture during the period of the Song dynasty. A ceramic pillow of that time displaying an infant sleeping on one side with a lotus leaf in one hand had been sold for $13000 in 2016 at a British action named Christie's.
The playing children and other motifs carved on the ceramic pillows like butterflies and flowers also carried auspicious meanings in ancient China.
Pillow Protection from Evil Spirits
Animals in ancient China such as the legendary and arguably imaginary creature Dragon were thought to repel evil spirits when they were carved on pillows. It is debatable that weather the ancient Chinese knew about the human subconscious mind, and when someone sleeps his subconscious mind is active and open to suggestions. And somehow the animals carved on the pillows strengthened their belief against psychological ailments and disorders.
It is known that around the 2nd century BC the Chinese artisans mastered the skill of carving exquisitely shaped animals on ceramic pillows during the period of Qin and Han dynasties. Later on near to the end of the 5th century BC till early 9th century BC in the times of Sui and Tang dynasties ceramic pillow makers were also in business.
Carved Lions were very popular in ceramic pillows during the rule of the Song-Jin Period. The lion was particularly held in the beliefs of ancient Chinese people to ward off evil spirits as it carries spiritual energy in abundance. The ancient Chinese also acknowledged the ferocity and the strength of the animal and counted as a trait that worked in their favor against the evil forces of nature. The ceramic named Cizhou kilns by the Chinese was the most popular at that time.
The royal family and the aristocrats of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1279) used dragon-shaped ceramic pillows crafted in Jingdezhen.
The Diversity of Ceramic Pillows' Shapes and Sizes
The ceramic pillow making reached its climax in the period of Song and Jin dynasties. Like custom shaped pillows of this modern age new forms, shapes and sizes were introduced in the Chinese markets of that time. The round shapes and oval, the bean and fan shapes along with the unique polygon and petal shapes were made to attract buyers of that time. The palace museum in Beijing holds a big collection of pillows like these. Some of them appear in auctions like Christie's.
Diversity of Craftsmanship
The pillows no matter how small and large sizes always reflected hand craftsmanship. Artisans and craftsmen of China used different tools and techniques to embellish the pillows with landscapes, famous paintings, animals, and a multitude of other figures. The artists of that time painted poems, calligraphy, and quotes from legendary poets, philosophers and religious figures like Confucius and Mahatma Buddha. The lessons from Taoism were also depicted on the ceramic pillows to make them stand out.
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