Underwear has become an essential item for men. The journey of its creation and development has gone through many interesting milestones, closely linked to the evolution of human consciousness.
So what did ancient Chinese people wear before underwear was invented? Let’s dive into the long river of history and uncover the mysteries of the era.
A Time of “Barefoot”
We currently live in a civilized and open era, where during hot summer days, people tend to wear as little as possible. However, no matter how little one wears, men will still wear underwear underneath.
But we can hardly imagine that in ancient feudal times, both men and women would go outside without any clothing.
As society developed, people began weaving leaves into skirts and small clothes to cover important parts of the body.
During the Western Han Dynasty, the prototype of “leaf pants” began to emerge. (Illustrative image)
Historical records indicate that people in ancient times did not wear underwear, exposing their lower bodies while moving. It wasn’t until the Western Han Dynasty that the prototype of the “leaf pants” began to appear to cover the lower body. However, the design of this clothing was quite peculiar; it was a pair of pants that extended below the knee, called “leaf pants,” which covered the calves and were tied around the waist with two strings.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Privacy was Truly Protected
During the Eastern Han Dynasty, a type of garment to cover sensitive areas was invented. This was a piece of clean fabric tied around the waist to cover the groin.
In the Eastern Han Dynasty, a garment to cover sensitive areas was invented, but this type of clothing symbolized poverty. (Illustrative image)
This garment resembled our modern-day underwear, yet it was a symbol of poverty. It was worn by farmers, laborers, and workers performing heavy tasks for convenience. Nobles, who did not need to work, essentially did not wear this.
Pants Became the Most Popular Underwear in Ancient Times
By the time of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the feudal ideology was very strong, and it was not permissible to display body parts freely. Therefore, underwear became indispensable during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, and the corset was invented.
Triangular underwear in its modern sense was invented by Americans in 1935. The first sale of underwear occurred on January 19, 1935, by Coopers Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. They called it “Jockey” because it served a similar protective function as the garments worn by jockeys. In this introduction, 30,000 pairs were sold within just three months. In North America, “Jockey” is a commonly used term to refer to underwear.
