Seven Castles

Umbrella

                                      

September 14, 2006

 

The word "umbrella" is from the Latin word "umbra" for shade or shadow. An umbrella, made by stretching a fabric or other material over a wire frame, is a device used to keep rain off a person. Umbrellas carried by hand are now usually used as rain shields, although their first use was for shielding from the sun; however, as suntans became more sociably acceptable, this usage declined.

 

An umbrella made for protection from the sun is called a parasol ("para" means stop and "sol" sun). These are often fixed to one point and often used with patio tables or other outdoor furniture, or on the beach for shelter from the sun.

 

An older source on the umbrella comes from an ancient book of Chinese ceremonies, called The Rites of Zhou, dating 2400 years ago, which directs that upon the imperial cars the dais should be placed. However, the collapsible and internally supported umbrella is commonly credited as being invented in ancient China, roughly 1,700 years ago. The Chinese character for umbrella is a pictograph resembling the modern umbrella in design. However, the tradition existing in China is that it originated in standards and banners waving in the air, hence the use of the umbrella was often linked to high ranking, though not necessarily royalty in China. Twenty-four umbrellas were carried before the Emperor when he went out hunting. In this case the umbrella served as a defense against rain rather than sun. The Chinese design was later bought to Japan via Korea and also introduced to Persia and the West via the Silk Road. The Chinese and Japanese traditional parasol, often used near temples, to this day remains similar to the original design in ancient times.

 

Umbrella is also a weapon. Exiled Bulgarian dissident writer Georgi Markov was assassinated in England by a suspected secret agent of the Bulgarian intelligence service using a specially tipped umbrella designed to deliver a small round pellet containing the deadly poison.

 

Since the 1930s, Hangzhou has been famous throughout China for making silk umbrellas from Hangzhou silk and Zhejiang bamboo. "Paradise" is one of the top brands. The silk umbrellas are elegant and beautiful. Red as the dawn, green as spring water, or blue as the clear sky, these silk umbrellas can be made in a rainbow of colors and designs. Some umbrellas are hand painted with landscapes or other beautiful, fanciful designs and can be very valuable.

 

【作者: zhangliping】【访问统计:】【2006年09月14日 星期四 06:41】【 加入博采】【打印】