According to the Chinese solar terms, it’s Major Heat now, when most parts of China experience the hottest days of the year. During the scorching summer, we modern people can enjoy cold drinks in an air-conditioned room to escape the heat. But how did ancient people cool down without these modern-day technologies?

　　按照中国的节气，现在正值大暑。中国的大部分地区都进入了一年中最热的时期。在炎炎夏日，现代人可以在空调房里吹冷气喝冷饮来避暑，没有现代科技技术的古人又是如何避暑的呢?

　　Icehouse and ice ticket

　　冰室和冰票

　　As early as Pre-Qin Dynasty (2100-221 BC), people used natural ice to keep food fresh and make cold drinks. According to the record in the Confucian classic Zhou Rites, the Zhou royal court had a specialized department called the "ice administration" which had 80 employees. The department collected natural ice blocks each December, and then transported them to the ice house for storage.

　　其实古人自有妙招，早在先秦时期人们就已经开始使用冰块保鲜，制冷。据《周礼》记载，当时周王室专门成立了相应的机构管理“冰政”，此部门的编制不小，共有80名“职工”。一般从每年冬天的12月起，工人开始采取天然冰块，运至冰窖中储存。

　　Some senior officials were awarded ice cubes by the Zhou royal court, which was a big honor during that time. The system of granting ice lasted until the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. During the Qing Dynasty, "ice tickets" were distributed to officials instead of sending the ice directly to them.

　　周王室还会将冰块赏赐给身边人，但也不是什么人都能享受的。这种赏冰制度一直沿袭到了明清。到了清朝，开始给官员们发“冰票”而非直接赐冰。

　　Ice container

　　冰鉴

　　The most commonly used cooling utensil is called "Jian", which is a big container filled with ice. It was made of ceramic in early Chinese history, and was later made of copper. The "Jian" can be seen as an ancient rrigerator, which can be used to make cold drinks. Put the vessel holding food inside the "Jian", close the lid, and the drinks would become cold after a while.

　　古人日常使用的冷藏器具叫“鉴”。鉴，实是一种大盆，早期是陶质，春秋中期以后流行青铜鉴，又称“冰鉴”。“冰鉴”可以说就是古代的冰箱，用来冷藏饮品。使用时，将盛满饮料或食物的器皿放进去，四周围满冰块，合上盖子，不多时“冷饮”就可制成。

　　Hiding food in the well

　　水井

　　During the Qin (221-207 BC) and Han (202 BC-AD 220) dynasties, for common people, the most common way to cool off is by using their wells.

　　在秦汉时期，对寻常老百姓来说消暑的最常用方式就是使用水井降温。

　　Some families put an urn in the well as a cold closet, or put food in a basket and lowered the basket into the well with a rope. Actually, ancient people don’t need cold beverages, as well water was the best drink in summer.

　　在井中置一口大瓮，作为放置食品的“冷藏室”;或将食品置于篮子中，然后用绳索系于井中保存。实际上，古人也不需要什么冷饮，井水就是最好的饮品。

　　Herbal drinks

　　草药饮品

　　During the Qing Dynasty, taking Chinese herbal medicine was popular in Beijing. According to historical records, during the scorching summer, some people prerred to drink ice water, some boiled perilla leaves, and liquorice as summer soup to keep off the heat. Ancient people also loved to make lotus seed soup in summer which was said to have the benit of strengthening the body.

　　到了清朝，京师开始流行喝由中草药熬成的饮料。据史书记载，在炎热的夏天，不少人喜欢喝由紫苏叶，甘草熬成的冰水驱暑气。莲子汤也是古人的心头好，据说莲子汤还能强身健体。

　　Bed-mat for summer

　　凉席

　　Ancient people wove vines, reeds, or bamboo into bed-mats for summer which are cool to sleep on.

　　古人会用藤条，芦苇或是竹子编成凉席，减少热意。

　　Porcelain pillow

　　瓷枕

　　The surface of a porcelain pillow is a layer of glaze, which feels pleasantly cool. It is said that the Emperor Qianlong in Qing Dynasty liked his porcelain pillow a lot.

　　瓷枕的表面为一层釉，触感冰凉。传闻，清乾隆帝对瓷枕甚为喜欢。

　　Dragon fur curtain

　　龙皮帐

　　The dragon fur curtain was used during ancient times to block the hot waves in the summer, and keep interiors pleasantly cool. It was not really made of dragon fur, since there are no such creatures as dragons, so some say it was made of the skin of large boas. Surrounded by large and cold boa skins, the place would feel like an air-conditioned room. However, the skin was precious and difficult to obtain, so only the royal court was able to use it.

　　古人用龙皮帐遮挡外面的热气。并不是真的由龙皮制成，因为世上本就没有龙这种生物。所以有人说应该是由蟒蛇皮制成的。巨大，冰凉的蛇皮将床围起来，感觉就像是在空调房中一样。然而，蟒蛇皮非常珍贵且不易得所以只有皇室才有机会享用。

　　Bamboo lady

　　竹美人

　　Ancient people in the southern parts of China prerred to use a cylinder-shaped bamboo ware, which is hollow in the middle and has grid mesh on the surface. It uses the principle of cross ventilation to cool people down, and can be hugged, or used to hold up your feet.

　　在古代中国的南方某些地区，人们会使用一种圆筒状的竹器，中间向内凹，表面呈网格状。这款神器利用对流通风的原理降暑，可供人抱，或是搭脚。

　　Fan

　　扇子

　　Last but not least, the most commonly used tool to cool down in the summer is the humble fan, and is still used nowadays. Fans were made of different materials, such as bird’s feathers, bamboo, or fur.

　　最后，当然是最常见的扇子了。别看它其貌不扬，但是直到今天还在使用。扇子的材质多样，有羽扇，竹扇，还有毛扇。

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