The "Chinese fever" in European history

Many Chinese products are now mimicking Western products. However, few people know that around the 17th century, Europe also prevailed in imitating Chinese products.

Counterfeit goods marked "Made in China"

As early as in the 1st century BC, many Chinese products were introduced to Europe via the “Silk Road.” Compared with the level of backward technological skills in Europe at that time, Chinese products were truly “ingenious”, whether it was silk, porcelain, lacquer ware, and others. Crafts have opened up the eyes of the West.

According to records, Caesar once wore a gown made of Chinese silk to see a play. As a result, it caused a huge stir in Rome. As one of the important terminus of the Silk Road, Venice has basically achieved unprecedented prosperity just because of the silk trade.

European craftsmen soon learned the skills of sericulture and began to imitate Chinese silk. Until the 16th century, some famous silk bases have appeared in Italy and France. Because of the influence of “China’s fever”, Europeans also admired China’s silk production. Although the quality of silk in Europe has been equal to that of Chinese goods, Chinese patterns are still heavily used, such as dragons, phoenixes, flowers, birds, etc., and “Made in China” must be specifically marked to guarantee sales. In order to better imitate, the silk artist of the silk factory in European countries has a copy of “China Map”.

A porcelain can be exchanged for several slaves

Prior to the entry of Chinese porcelain into Europe, the daily utensils used by Westerners were mainly pottery, woodware, and metal. Therefore, the light and beautiful porcelain was introduced to Europe and was immediately sought after by all. The initial number of porcelain was unusually rare, and it was often given as the most precious gift to the king and the nobility. The ordinary people were simply not seen.

At the end of the Maritime Silk Road in Egypt and Arabia, the price of a single piece of porcelain is equivalent to the price of several slaves. The production of porcelain is also a secret in Europe, when Portuguese traders speculated that the raw materials for porcelain were shells, egg shells and plaster.

Because of the priceiness, Europeans in the 16th century even thought that porcelain had a supernatural magic. They were convinced that porcelain would crack if poison were to be contained in Chinese porcelain. By the middle of the 16th century, following the Portuguese’s return to China from a large number of Chinese porcelain, the collection of Chinese porcelain became a trend of European upper classes.

In Portugal, the earliest trade with China, the bracelets of the queen and the princess were all Chinese porcelain. The gifts that the king of Portugal gave to the king of Italy were often Chinese porcelain, and the Queen also commissioned people to set a tableware with their own portrait in China. Active soldier. In 1662 Britain's Charles II married the Portuguese royal family. The Portuguese princess brought a porcelain dowry.

European court filled with Chinese elements

"China fever" has been stretched to the Queen's court. At the beginning of the 18th century, British writer Daniel Defoe described: “The Queen himself likes to wear Chinese clothes. Our house is full of Chinese elements.”

The Chinese element became synonymous with taste and status in Europe at that time. Inside the court is a decorative cloth with Chinese motifs. Chinese porcelain is regarded as a play. Only in the courts of major countries such as Spain and France can we see more porcelain. The noble ladies in the palace shook the Chinese-style fan and Chinese palanquins appeared on the streets of Paris.

Aristocratic families also use porcelain to subdue exquisite and show their status. The women were all made in China, and the high-heeled shoes with Chinese silk fabrics under the skirts were the most popular Chinese style patterns on the uppers.

In 1670, King Louis XIV of France suddenly whimpered and built a "Chinese Palace" in Versailles. The decoration of all Chinese palaces is a dazzling "Chinese style" and can be described as a complete collection of Chinese products in cottages. The palace's cornices and the four corners of the palace are adorned with beautiful tiles. The interior of China's blue-and-white porcelain pattern is a white background with a blue pattern. Chinese porcelain vases, silk curtains and gold tassels are placed everywhere.