Chapter 44: Transforming Great Qin Starting from Tables, Chairs and Benches
“Master, what are these things?”
Guo Dian stood next to Li Nian, looking curiously at the things that the guards moved into the Liuying Palace. .
These are the tables, chairs and benches made by Li Nianrang Shaofu craftsmen.
It is a common thing for later generations, but for people of Guo Dian's era, it is a rare thing that has never been seen before.
Li Nian introduced to Guo Dian: "This is called a 'chair', this is called a 'stool', this is called a 'table', and this is called a 'sofa'. Sofas, chairs and stools are all used for 'sitting' Objects, like this."
Pull a chair over and show Guo Dian.
Heaven and Earth Conscience, he has been in Daqin for more than half a month, and he finally sat on the chair again.
Sure enough, it is more comfortable to sit like this!
“As for the stool, just sit on it directly. Do you want to try it too?”
Li Nian pointed to a chair and motioned to Guo Dian to feel it too.
Guo Dian said hurriedly: "How dare Guo use the things that the young master uses!"
Li Niandao: "In my hometown, almost every household has tables, chairs, and benches. There is nothing special about the things used in daily life. I let you sit. It’s to let you feel the difference between sitting like this and sitting in a squat position. After you finish sitting, talk about your feelings.” Tell me how you feel." Li Nian ordered a few more guards and maids.
Seeing that these people wanted to refuse, Li Nian said directly: "This is an order, do you want to disobey it?"
Guo Dian, the guards, and the maids had no choice but to sit down on benches, sofas, and chairs as Li Nian said.
Li Nian pointed to the table again and said: "This is a 'table', which can be used for writing, working, dining, playing, etc. in later generations. Compared with the current Jihe table, it is taller and suitable for high stool, so use it You can't sit down."
Guo Dian looked at the table and said, "Sir, can a table be equipped with several chairs?"
Li Nian smiled and said, "Yes, it's up to me. In my hometown, there is no meal-sharing system. People sit around the table on stools or chairs, and everyone can chat while eating. From a hygienic point of view, sharing meals is better, but eating as a family around the table is conducive to family bonding.”
“The table is used for writing, so it should be nice to see, but the table can also be used for fun. In my free time, I will teach you a game called 'Mahjong' at my house. This game is very simple, and teaching is included. Yes!”
As a Shu native, how can you not play mahjong?
Of course we must carry forward this national quintessence to the Qin Dynasty and give the people of this era a bit of entertainment shock for later generations.
Hearing Li Nian's words, Guo Dian and others quickly stood up and saluted: "Thank you, Master!"
Li Nian waved his hands: "Sit down and continue to feel. This sofa can't be said. It's a sofa, which can only be regarded as an elongated wooden seat. In my hometown, the sofa is a kind of decoration. The cushioned multi-seat chairs are more comfortable to sit on than the wooden chairs you are sitting on now.”
“Chairs can not only be made of wood, but can also be made of other things, such as woven rattan, and there are many styles of chairs. There are species like today, and there are also chairs that rock on which you can lie on..."
Listening to Li Nian's story, Guo Dian and others were very curious about what the rattan chair and the rocking chair that the young master mentioned looked like.
A palace maid took courage and asked cautiously: "Master, won't that chair fall if it shakes?"
Li Nian smiled and said: "When I have someone make it, you guys You can tell at a glance, right, sitting on the chair. How does it feel on the stool and sofa? How does it compare with sitting on the bench?”
Li Nian not only wants to make his own life comfortable, but also wants to promote it to the whole Daqin. It's also a matter of convenience.
Guo Diandao: "Back to the young master, sitting on this chair feels more comfortable and convenient than sitting on the chair. When sitting on the chair, you must put your knees on the ground, your calves on the ground, and your buttocks on your calves and heels. If the posture is improper, your legs will Ma, but sitting in this chair, only You just need to sit up, and you can sit down and get up." The palace maid who just asked if she would fall off the recliner nodded: "I remember that when I first learned to sit in the posture, I couldn't sit, and my legs were sore and numb every day. Awesome.”
If you kneel and sit for a long time without mastering the method, of course you will feel sore and numb. Even if you squat on the toilet for a long time, you will feel that your legs are not your own when you stand up, let alone sitting on your knees?
The palace lady said: "This chair is not only comfortable to sit on, but you don't need to learn how to sit on it. Does everyone in the master's hometown sit like this?"
Li Niandao: "In my hometown, there are very few people. Can sit in the posture, usually on a stool or chair , I have never learned the posture of sitting in the posture since I was a child, so I am not used to it, so I asked the Shaofu craftsmen to make tables and chairs."
At this moment, a guard came in and reported to Li Nian: "Master. , Dr. Su Xu is here!”
As soon as he heard that Li Nian's daily class time had arrived, Guo Dian and all the maids and guards quickly stood up and waited for Su Xu to come in.
Although Li Nian can speak Daqin Yayan, there is still a gap between being able to speak it and speaking it very fluently.
So he was still studying with Su Xu, but from that day on, Su Xu no longer guided him to prefer Confucianism, and he just took classes honestly.
As soon as Su Xu came in, Li Nian saluted: "I have met Master Su!"
Su Xu returned the courtesy: "I have met the young master!"
Seeing the tables, chairs, benches and sofas in the hall, Su Xu asked curiously: "Master, what are these?"
Li Niandao: "They are some things from my hometown. Master Su, why don't you use these things to teach today?"< br>
Su Xu looked at the tables, chairs, benches, and sofas again. He had never seen these things in all his years of life, but this one said they were from his hometown.
Where is this guy from? Are they barbarians or not barbarians? How can these things be used to teach?
Soon, Su Xu understood what Li Nian meant. These things were not used for teaching, but for him to sit on this thing called a "chair" and teach at the "table" .
Just sitting on the chair next to the table, Su Xu felt the benefits of the table and chair. The chair was comfortable and the table could hold more things. His professor was sitting next to him at the same table, which was perfect for teaching.
The combination of this table and chair is more conducive to writing, and it is also convenient to get up and do other things. If you sit in the posture, let alone sitting down, getting up is not as convenient as sitting on a chair. It is just that compared with sitting in the posture, sitting The chair seemed a little inelegant.
This kind of item is actually found in this hometown. It is by no means the barbarian land he had imagined.
This made Su Xu even more puzzled about Li Nian's origin. He was not like a person from the Qin Dynasty, nor a person from the Six Kingdoms, nor a barbarian, so where did he come from?
At the end of the day's teaching, Li Nian asked Su Xu: "What do you think of these tables and chairs, Master Su?"
Su Xu thought for a while and truthfully stated his feelings: "It is more convenient and comfortable to sit on the back of a few tables. Su also wants to prepare one at home."
Li Nian smiled and said: "Professor Su Shi For me, I can't repay you. Why don't I give Master Su a set? ."
Su Xu thought for a while and did not refuse: "In that case, Su thanked the young master!"
Li Nian asked Su Xu, Guo Dian and others to sit on the tables and chairs, and also wanted to ask them. I feel that I want to arouse the interest of the First Emperor.
If you want to promote these things in Daqin, is there any better channel than the official one represented by the First Emperor?
In Zhangtai Palace, after listening to the report from the chamberlain, he glanced at a set of tables, chairs and benches placed in the palace. Ying Zheng said: "He wants to tell me through these people's feelings that these 'tables, chairs and benches' are useful and let me promote them." He That’s clever!”
He has tried the desk and chair, and it is indeed better than just sitting at the desk, so He also said: "Although this is a small matter, it is indeed more convenient. I asked the young master to make ten more sets of tables and chairs and send them to the palace. They will be useful to me."
He planned to let the ministers experience using the tables during the court meeting. With the experience of chairs, tables and chairs were first popularized in the palace of the Qin Dynasty and among the ministers. With the palace and ministers taking the lead, the people would follow suit.
Li Nian brought the first large-scale, influential and formal change to Daqin, starting with tables, chairs and benches!
(End of this chapter)