The paper industry in the Tang Dynasty was highly developed, and paper was widely used in society. Some craftsmen apply tung oil on paper to make rainproof oil paper umbrellas, which serve as a supplement to silk umbrellas. Who knew it would be very popular. For a while, the scene of people holding paper umbrellas in the rain could be seen everywhere in Chang'an. Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty explicitly stipulated that commoners were not allowed to use Luo umbrellas and could only use paper umbrellas. During the Qing Dynasty, the common people in Guangdong, Fujian, and other places produced a large number of black cloth umbrellas and sold them abroad.
In other countries around the world, umbrellas have also been a symbol of solemnity and majesty. The king of Thailand is a layman, with a golden Roman umbrella standing behind him. The title of the Burmese monarch is King of Umbrellas. Every time the Emperor of Japan travels, there is always an umbrella bearer accompanying him respectfully. These umbrellas each have their own national characteristics.
Umbrellas were introduced to Japan from China during the Tang Dynasty. In 781 AD, on the streets of Chang'an (now Xi'an, Shaanxi Province) in the capital city, it suddenly rained. The streets were filled with people carrying umbrellas, except for a Japanese monk who came to study in China without an umbrella. He touched his wet bald head as if he understood something. When he returned to China, he bought many umbrellas and tried every means to bring them to Japan, giving them to relatives and friends. From then on, umbrellas became popular in Japan.
In 1747, the British merchant Hanwei went to Guangzhou, China to handle goods. He saw people walking in the rain with black cloth umbrellas and thought it was good. I brought an umbrella back to London before returning home. In 1750, when he opened his umbrella to shelter from the rain under the clock tower in London, passersby mocked him as a monster and said, "Ha, a man who disregards the will of heaven and hides under a monster without coming out is too impolite." Some people also accused him of being disrespectful to God and should be punished. Hanwei ignored it and carried an umbrella on the streets every day, promoting the benefits of using an umbrella.
Umbrellas first appeared in New York, USA in the late 18th century, when there was chaos on the streets. The women shouted loudly, thinking that this monster, which could stretch out and shrink, could scare people half to death. The mischievous child followed behind, constantly throwing stones at the person holding the umbrella
From this, it can be seen that obtaining social recognition for an invention and being accepted by people for a product is not a simple, easy, or effortless task, and sometimes it requires going through many misunderstandings and twists and turns.
Decades later, the Pope of Rome became interested in umbrellas. He used the name of God as an umbrella to wash away unjust accusations. The Pope's appearance is accompanied by a dedicated person holding an umbrella to show his solemnity and solemnity.
Umbrellas are not only tools used by people, but also collectibles.
There is a man named Yosef Hamm in France who is famous for collecting various umbrellas from around the world. He has a collection of parasols used by European nobles nine centuries ago, as well as paper umbrellas produced in Hangzhou, China, and various floral umbrellas made in Japan. The smallest umbrella among them is only 3.5 centimeters long; The largest umbrella has a diameter of 12 meters and can hold up to half the size of a basketball court.
Nowadays, the function of umbrellas is widely recognized by people, and they have become a must-have item for daily travel and outings. With the development of the umbrella manufacturing industry, umbrellas with unique features such as radio equipped umbrellas, scented umbrellas, illuminated umbrellas, anti riot tear gas umbrellas, blind pathfinder umbrellas, etc. have emerged one after another, bringing many conveniences and fun to people's lives.
With the advancement of the times, there are more and more varieties of umbrellas, and their uses are becoming more and more diverse. Automatic umbrellas and folding umbrellas are no longer uncommon, and handleless umbrellas have returned to the "lotus leaf on the top of the head" shape, worn on the heads of children and female cyclists. Radio umbrellas, solar umbrellas, blind umbrellas, riot umbrellas, and so on have also emerged one after another. In the city of Venus, Vermont, the United States, people use a light foam plexiglass that is stronger than steel and can transmit light as the umbrella surface, and use crisscross metal to make a large skeleton. A huge motor is used to operate the world's largest umbrella, which is 67 meters high and covers an area of 4000 square meters. This umbrella has become a tourist attraction in the United States. From the riddle of "a bamboo stick on the back of the door, supporting a room" to the praise of "the wind and the sun are beautiful, success leads to retreat, and in the midst of wind and rain, standing up", it not only summarizes the function of umbrellas but also praises the style of umbrellas. The Linglong flower umbrella has opened the rainy season in Jiangnan.