How emperors and nobles kept warm without down quilts during winter in ancient China

Before electricity, central heating, and down quilts, winter in ancient China was not simply a season but a test of class. Cold was shared by everyone, but warmth was usually not. During the Han dynasty (206 BC-220), emperors used specially designed “Warm Chambers” to protect themselves from the winter cold. The walls were plastered with a mixture of mud and Sichuan peppercorns, thought to preserve heat while resisting dampness and insects; curtains and screens helped keep out draughts. These...