More comfortable pillows were made of stalks of plants, leaves, and flowers all rolled up. However, most Chinese people in the olden days looked down on soft pillows, because they felt that softness resulted in a loss of vitality. Just as in furniture designing, most Westerners make "comfort" in life a prior consideration. But, in China, especially in ancient times, furniture made of hardwoods, even with inlaid seats of marble was, besides its original function, taken as proper furnishings to "rectify" people's personality and behavior.
The Changchou Fu Chih (annals of Fukien Province's Changchou Prefecture, which covered seven counties during the Ching Dynasty, 1644-1911) states: "In ancient times, people used wood to make pillows. Nowadays, pillows are woven of thin bamboo slips and then painted. Those of the superior quality should reveal the beautiful scenery of Lungyien County. Another type of pillow, usually used by travelers, has two handles and is covered with leather...."
According to the Ku Chin Tu Shu Chi Cheng (compiled and published by Imperial order of the Ching Dynasty), in olden times, materials for pillows included medicinal herbs, stones, books, wood, roof tiles, pottery, and porcelain.
To make a medicinal pillow, the Pao Sheng Yao Lu (an ancient book about health) suggests grinding 13 designated medicinal plants, including plant pith, calamus, etc. and mixing them together, then wrapping the trituration in a raw silk bag. In order to maintain its fragrance, the bag may be placed in an outer bag of a thinner silk, shaped like a pillow. Wrapped tight, the cushion should be kept in a box shaped like a pillow when not used for sleeping, to maintain the efficacy of the herbs.
Kao Lien, during the Ming Dynasty, wrote in his Tsun Sheng Pa Chien (a book offering a formula for healthy living, mainly as a pastime) that a medicinal pillow was only to be used on the fifth day of May and the seventh day of July. Made of red cedar, his wood pillow was approximately one yard and three inches long and four inches high (in ancient Chinese measurement). The wood pillow had to be made with exquisite craftsmanship so that the fragrance of the herb medicines would not be lost. On one side, 120 holes, each as large as a grain of millet, were pierced in three rows. Then, the holes were filled with a trituration of 32 medicinal herbs, and the pillow wrapped in a cloth bag. After sleeping on this specially made pillow for one hundred days, Kao said, one would regain his general health. After one year, all of his ailments would be fully cured. And after four years, white hairs would turn dark and lost teeth grow back. Additionally, hearing would become keener and sight sharper.
Also included in the Tsun Sheng Pa Chien is a description of the book pillow—in old China, scrolls. It is said that a pillow of this kind was favored by the legendary Yao, who grouped three scrolls. He believed especially, that sleeping on the Tai Ching Tien Lu (the Heavenly Chart), the Nan Chi Shou Shu (The Book of Long Life), or the Peng Lai Hsien Chi (Register of the Immortals) would inspire pure and elegant dreams.
Tien Hsi of the Sung Dynasty wrote a descriptive essay interspersed with verse to praise the dried chrysanthemum pillow, ".... As I gently stroked the pillow stuffed with dried chrysanthemums, the fragrance of the flower brushed my face lightly. I fell asleep imperceptibly. The next morning, I was brimming with ideas and thoughts .... "
In Hsi Ching Tsa Chi (authored by Wu Chun, of the Liang Dynasty, 464-569, a miscellany concerning the periods before and after Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty), the following event was mentioned: One day, while Li Kuang (a famous general of the Han Dynasty who made significant contributions to the quelling of the Huns) and his brothers were hunting on the north side of Mt. Ming, they saw a tiger. With a single arrow, Li killed the animal. They then cut its head off and made a pillow of it as a token to make other fierce beasts submissive.
Kai Yuan Tien Pao Yi Shih mentions a strange pillow offered by a vassal state. Authored by Wang Jen-yu of the Later Five Dynasties, 907-959, as a recording of legends about Emperor Hsuantzung of the Tang Dynasty, the book states: "In a simple and plain design, the pillow had the color of agate and a feeling of jade. While sleeping on it, one would dream of the natural beauty of lakes and mountains. The Emperor named it the Youhsien pillow (a pillow enabling one to roam in a fairyland, forgetting all worldly affairs). Later, the magic pillow was given to his prime minister, Yang Kuo-chung."
Perhaps the most bizarre pillow was the "necropillow." The Pen Tsao Kang Mu (an ancient book which lists some 1,000 plants and 1,000 animals of medicinal value; it was edited by Li Shih-chen, during the Ming Dynasty) offers three stories as evidence that the "necropillow" was able to cure certain "diseases:"
There was an old woman who was paralyzed from the neck down. Sung physician Hsu Ssu-po diagnosed her illness as "corpse sickness." He prescribed nectar of a dead man's pillow, boiled and administered orally, as a medicine. After drinking the boiled water, the woman recovered completely from the illness.
A 15-year-old boy had a swollen belly and intense yellow complexion. He had tried many medicines, but his condition got worse and worse, so his parents turned to physician Hsu Ssu-po. The doctor diagnosed the illness as tapeworm disease and also suggested that the patient drink the boiled water from a dead man's pillow. As the doctor expected, the boy got well after drinking the nectar several times.
A man named Shen Seng-yi had eye trouble and was hounded by ghosts. Doctor Hsu said, "It is because your liver has been infiltrated by evil spirits. Try to boil a dead man's pillow and drink the water. And don't forget to return the pillow to where you obtained it." Shen followed the doctor's prescription and got well.
Chu Yien of the Ching Dynasty wrote in his Tao Shou (Talks on Pottery), "Porcelain pillows from old kilns, usually two feet five inches long and six inches wide, can be used for sleeping. However, those only one foot in length are from old tombs. People should avoid using them.... "
Before porcelain pillows became popular in ancient China, the Chinese used to sleep on stone, roof tile, or pottery pillows. The porcelain pillow may have originated after the Han (206 B.C.-220 A.D.) and Wei (220-264) Dynasties. Although the accuracy of this dating still needs to be verified, the Tang Dynasty is believed to mark the end of its popularity, because of a comment in a short story entitled Chen Chung Chi (An Evanescent Dream from a Magic Pillow), by Shen Chi-chi of the Tang Dynasty:
During the seventh reigning year of Emperor Hsuantzung (713-755) of the Tang Dynasty, an old monk versed in the magic arts met a man in his prime at a tavern. The latter complained, "An intellectual like myself should already have achieved distinction, enjoyed high prestige, and climbed to a high position. But, I am only a farmer!"
After speaking, the young man felt sleepy. The old monk then took out a pillow from his bag, passed it to the young man, and said, "Sleep on it and I will make your wish come true." The pillow was made of blue porcelain and had two holes. As the young man lowered his head toward the pillow, he saw one of the holes grow bigger and bigger.... He then walked into the hole and, to his disbelief, returned to his home.
In the dream, he experienced all sorts of bitter and sweet aspects of life. He woke up to find himself in the tavern with the old monk beside him. Said the latter, "The life of honor and wealth you have been trying to pursue, is only a dream!"
Ancient Chinese people believed, as recorded in Tao Shou, that sleeping on a porcelain pillow would assure one's eyes were clear and bright, so that even when old, one could still read books with small characters. The book noted that the porcelain pillow was popular at court.
The ancient Chinese also believed, without a shadow of doubt, that the porcelain pillow could ward off evils, assure that women would give birth to boys, and lengthen people's lives.
Porcelain pillows are not solid, and all have at least one hole. In some more exquisite pillows, the hole is in the shape of an octagonal coin or other design. One of the functions of the hole is to help dissipate firing heat so the clay pillow will maintain its shape in the kiln. Valuables could be hidden in the pillow through the hole.
The hollow pillows could also be filled with white jasmine flowers, gardenias, tuberoses, or fragrant leaves or herbs. One slept facing the hole side of the pillow; the fragrance would lead to sweet dreams.
Most pillows used today are rectangular. In olden days, they often looked like a cashew or crescent moon. Some rectangular pillows had a sunken surface on one side. The most peculiar ones were shaped like bottles or animals. One such pillow was made in the shape of a cat lying flat on the ground. A Sung porcelain pillow, presently in a collection in the United States, is in the image of an infant, lying on its back on a base. A curved lotus leaf is supported by the palms of the infant.
Some finely made porcelain pillows of ancient limes are decorated with paintings of landscapes, birds, plants, human figures, scenes from famous Chinese dramas, or geometrical markings. They are considered valuable aids in judging the comparable value of Chinese pottery paintings.
After the processes of mold making, baking, blazing, and firing again, can a hard, cool porcelain pillow provide a comfortable rest? Modern people who are accustomed to sleeping on soft pillows, may, perhaps, dislike the hard porcelain pillow. However, the ancients who slept on the hard pillows might complain about soft pillows. Besides, the porcelain pillow of the earlier days was "custom made"— its arched surface comfortably filling the curvature from the back side of the head to the neck.