Empress Dowager Cixi lived a luxurious life and paid special attention to health care. Besides beauty beauty, Empress Dowager Cixi took special care of her jade feet in her daily life, because soaking her feet is much more useful than taking many medicines.
The Empress
Washing the feet of Empress Dowager Cixi was definitely a great event at that time. What is the pressure?
First of all, Empress Dowager Cixi must use a flat footbath to wash her feet. And because Empress Dowager Cixi likes silver pots, the craftsmen in the palace all use large pieces of silver, which are connected by rivets according to the specified size. There is a wooden tire in the middle of the silver basin, and the edge is rolled out, flat and barrel-shaped, making a special footbath. In addition to showing the noble status of Cixi, washing feet with a silver basin is said to have another advantage, that is, it can prevent viruses and detoxify.
foot basin
Empress Dowager Cixi must wash her feet once a day. Every time she washes her feet, she will prepare two footbaths, one for medicine and the other for water. Moreover, the imperial doctor in the palace should send medicine in advance to send the foot-washing medicine considered in advance to the bedroom of Empress Dowager Cixi.
As for the foot washing water, of course, it will not be ordinary hot water, but a special prescription tailored by the imperial doctor to Empress Dowager Cixi every day. When it is hot in summer, cook it with Hangzhou chrysanthemum, then air it and wash it, so that Cixi will be dazzled, her eyes will be bright and her teeth will be white, and her armpits will not suffer from heatstroke. When it's cold in winter, wash your feet with papaya. The purpose is to promote blood circulation, remove blood stasis, relieve limbs, and reach the point where the whole body is as warm as spring.
The process of Empress Dowager Cixi washing her feet is like this. First, four ladies-in-waiting should be in place. When Empress Dowager Cixi sits in a chair, two ladies-in-waiting will come up to wash her feet. Wash Cixi's feet for the first time with a basin full of potions. When soaking for about a quarter of an hour, wash it repeatedly in a basin filled with clear water next to it. Rub your feet lightly, not too lightly or too heavily.
Another important step after washing your feet is to cut your nails, that is, scissors. The maid-in-waiting who washes her feet will gently say "scissors, please" and the maid-in-waiting will turn to Cixi. Only after Cixi agreed to say, "Use it, it's still in its original place" did the maid-in-waiting dare to take out the scissors and hand them to the maid-in-waiting who washed her feet.
nailclippers
Formal manicure is also two maids. One point a portable Yang Jiaodeng, kneeling on one leg, holding a lamp, and the other kneeling on one leg, and then carefully cut Cixi's feet in her arms. This time is the most pleasant time of Cixi's day.
Empress Dowager Cixi also has a special habit of washing feet, that is, someone must accompany her to chat. So the remaining two maids were responsible for chatting with Empress Dowager Cixi. Of course, the maid can chat with our Empress Dowager Cixi, and all she talks about is constantly praising Empress Dowager Cixi to satisfy her vanity. Empress Dowager Cixi likes to wash her feet while chatting with two maids. This is a big forest. There are all kinds of birds. You need company when you wash your feet. I can't help it Empress Dowager Cixi has that condition. Who call somebody else is the queen mother!
Therefore, Empress Dowager Cixi not only pays attention to washing feet, but also enjoys it. As always, it is extravagant and hateful.