Nowadays, air conditioning and electric fans help people beat the summer heat. But in ancient times, without such appliances, how did people find relief? Some cultural items collected at the Palace Museum in Beijing can help us figure out how Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) royal families, who lived inside the Forbidden City, spent their summer days.
現代人用空調、電扇等消暑，但古時候沒有這些，人們又是如何抵擋暑熱的呢？這期樂學我們就借北京故宮博物院里的若干文物，講一講清朝時紫禁城里的消夏良方。

【清宮消夏之"吃"】

Summer food and drinks in the royal court were mainly various kinds of melons and fruits, as well as tribute tea from around the country. When the emperors met officials, read books or memorials, they drank green tea, scented tea or milk tea. These drinks are refreshing and offer respite from the summer heat.
皇家在夏季的主要食物和飲品是各色瓜果，以及各地進奉的上等好茶?；实劢右娙撼蓟蚶碚x書時，或飲綠茶、或飲花茶、或飲奶子茶，既提神，又解暑。

Iceboxes made of wood were widely used in the Qing royal court. Due to the weak conductivity of heat, lead or tin was put inside the box to extend the hours for preserving the natural ice. Many historical materials record emperors, empresses and imperial concubines using such a box to keep food like melons and fruits cool on hot summer days.
清代宮廷已經普遍使用木制"冰箱"，其采用導熱性較弱的鉛或錫為里，以延長天然冰的使用時間。史書多有記載，清朝的皇帝皇后及后妃用"冰箱"儲存瓜果，讓其在炎炎夏日變得清涼可口。

[冰鎮酸梅湯是慈禧最愛]
據慈禧的侄孫、曾于1900年隨從護衛慈禧躲避八國聯軍逃到西安的葉赫那拉·岳超寫于1962年的回憶文章《庚子辛丑隨鑾紀實》說："辛丑在陜度夏，慈禧要吃冰鎮酸梅湯，關中天氣溫熱，向無存冰，御膳房計無所出。"所以當地人建議，到太白山里的巖洞取千年不化之冰，供御膳房使用。

圖為清宮舊藏掐絲琺瑯冰箱

【清宮消夏之"穿"】
Clothing for Qing Dynasty emperors was complicated and can be categorized according to different purposes, such as ritual clothes, auspicious clothes, traveling clothes and rain suits. And according to season, there were winter clothes and summer clothes.
清代皇帝的服裝極為繁復，根據穿著用途有禮服、吉服、常服、行服和雨服等之分。根據季節則有冬夏之分。

Summer costumes for the royals were mainly made of fabrics like yarn and silk. The materials are permeable, which keep the wearer cool.
皇室成員夏季服裝的面料以紗和絹為主，穿上透氣性好，涼爽宜人。

[皇家衣櫥一年才兩換]
按照清代宮廷制度，季節變化時皇帝、后妃和王公百官們會統一更換服裝。春、秋兩季換裝于每年三月和九月進行。通常禮部會從這兩個月中的初五、十五、二十五三天內擇吉日，并提前一個月上報，經御批，再由宮中傳發公文到各衙門，統一按季更服，可使朝中服裝整肅，避免混亂。

【清宮消夏之"住"】
Many features of the architecture in the Forbidden City helped relieve summer heat. The Zhizhai window, or hung and removable window, was a great invention. The upper part can be pulled up for ventilation, while the lower part can be removed to allow more light in.
為了避暑，紫禁城建筑上采取的降溫措施很多，如宮殿的支摘窗就是一種很不錯的發明，它上部可以支起通風，下部可以摘下透光。

The royal family could even enjoy an air-conditioned room in ancient times. As the iceboxes often had air holes, it could be used to cool the temperature of the room.
此外，清朝皇室已經開始享用"空調屋"——就是在"冰箱"上鉆孔，讓室溫下降。

[乾隆修花園頤養天年]
乾隆三十七年(1772年)，乾隆皇帝為自己退位后當太上皇享用而專修了一個花園，占地6400平方米，前后五進院落檐宇相連，建筑形式多樣，裝修極為考究。它位于紫禁城東北部，現"珍寶館"內。花園內亭臺殿閣錯落有致，山石林木點綴其間，自然質樸，清新雅逸。在古華軒下小憩聽風，倦怠定會一掃而光。

【清宮消夏之"用"】
The fan was another necessity for royals on summer days. Fans at the royal court varied widely. Exquisitely made, they were more than a tool for cooling people down; they were extraordinary works of art.
皇家還有一種消暑神器不得不提，那就是扇子。清代宮廷中的扇子，多種多樣，用料上乘講究，除了帶給人們清風徐來的實際功用，儼然已是藝術品。

[雍正親下旨指導做風扇]
雍正皇帝是個工作狂，同時還一心向佛生活儉樸，但也許是雍正比較怕熱，他在制作風扇這個問題上一再和內務府交換意見，對它們的形狀、質地、顏色、配飾以及擺放位置都有具體的要求。"爾等做的風扇甚好。朕想人在屋內推扇，天氣暑熱，氣味不好。不如將后檐墻拆開，繩子從床下透出墻外轉動，做一架?！僮鲆患芊旁谖髋w門北邊，繩子從隔斷門內透出。欽此。"

圖為《孝慎成皇后觀蓮圖軸》

Vocabulary?
yarn: 紗(n.)
permeable: 可滲透的(adj.)
auspicious: 吉利的(adj.)

（中國日報雙語手機報 彭娜）