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Perfume of Love in Ancient China

2007/04/27
As time goes by, some people may begin to question the authenticity of life in the so-called “good old days.” Just as old pictures fade and lose their original colour and charm, scenes of life so vividly described in our ancient literary and art works may also fade into apparent insignificance, seemingly becoming totally dissociated from the lives of today’s readers.

When reading Perfume of Love in Ancient China by Meng Hui, one feels like seeing faded photos refreshed with Technicolor, or seeing old movie classics re-launched with digital technologies. With more than a hundred precious illustrations, we are assured that the book clearly portrays traditional scenes of life in ancient China, especially the exquisite scenes where people used perfume and fragrant plants to add spice and beauty to their lives. According to the book, ancient Chinese women used to put flower-scented powders in their underclothes to enchant lovers. They also gracefully wrapped magnolia petals with flour before deep-frying them to make springtime desserts.

A portrait of a lovely Chinese woman of antiquity graces the book’s cover. The woman’s plump, round body and brightly rouged face obviously contrasts with the modern, wan and slim conception of beauty. In one chapter the author patiently explains the details of cosmetics used in ancient China, that is, how people steamed flowers for perfume, how women hid small fragrant purses in their sleeves to create a pleasing body aroma, and how spices were imported from Africa and elsewhere in Asia as an aristocratic luxury.

Meng Hui used to work in Beijing Art Museum. She has published many books about traditional Chinese art and history. In all her books Meng tries to document the past world of ancient China, especially the beautiful lifestyles of ancient Chinese women.

“All these perfumes of love in ancient China were real,” she writes in the book. “So were the feelings and desires cloaked in their fragrance.”



 
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