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Chinese Shubi
Changzhou
Shubi in history
Changzhou is Shubi's hometown. In Sui
Dynasty (581-618 AD), the Jinghang Grand
Canal crossed through Changzhou city. At that time, all streets and alleys
on both banks of the canal were jammed with comb workshops, and won titles of
Mushu Street (Wooden Comb Street) and Biji Alley (Fine-toothed Comb Alley).
Standing on Wenheng Bridge with a right moon above and the Flower Street and
Biji Alley below, one might enjoy the reflection of moonlight and lamps in the
waves, and hear an ensemble of water, voices, steps , sculls and bamboo being
split. The ancients named it the "Wenheng across the moon and comb shops
lighting," and listed it as the first one of eight sights in the west suburbs of
Changzhou.
In the region of Qianlong
Emperor (1711-1799) during the Qing
Dynasty, almost every family in Changzhou made Shubi. In the Guangxu age, in
July of every lunar calendar year, Suzhou
Weaving Office would order 60 pieces of Changzhou boxwood combs and 60 pieces of
first-class, fine-toothed combs with plum backs and eburnean teeth. Then, in
October, together with six dragon
robes and 600 royal flowers, they would be sent to the Forbidden
City and presented to the emperor. This was the origin of royal combs. It
was said that Queen Mother Cixi especially cherished combs from
Changzhou.
After the Republican Revolution of 1911, the demand for
fined-toothed combs rapidly increased as more and more people began to cut their
braids. At that time, a kind of small fined-toothed comb named " Liuhai Shubi"
was very popular. Many people hung it from their pocket, and it became a fashion
style.
Later, the Changzhou comb and fined-toothed comb were gradually introduced to
the world. In 1915 they won the silver award in Panama International Exposition,
and in 1926 won the gold award at the Philadelphia International Exposition in
the United States.
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