Page 30 - Sphere No.28 (Mar 2011)

Then & Now The Heat is On
During the cold winter months, it’s the extremities – particularly our hands – that
get cold first. Over the centuries, we’ve come up with some ingenious ways to cope.
Then... Legend has it that the first hand-held heater was invented during the Sui
Dynasty when the Emperor was visiting Jiang Su Province and complained of the
winter cold. His servants asked local craftsmen to fashion a small copper and
porcelain heater that could be filled with hot coals and that the Emperor could
hold in his hands. The Emperor loved the tiny heater and would often hold it
hidden in the large sleeves of his ceremonial robes, a fad that soon caught
on with other dignitaries.
Now... Today’s hand-held heaters are more efficient, if less
aesthetically pleasing. Most are battery-operated, come with different
temperature modes – Standard/Advanced/Turbo – and have a
“constant temperature” safety control so that there is no danger
whatsoever of them becoming too hot. At 50g, they also weigh a lot
less than the Emperor’s version and they’re tiny enough to fit into
even the less generous modern sleeve, though are more often
kept in the pocket. L80 x W46 x H20mm
L99 x W161.4 x H124.7mm
credit: National Palace Museum, Taiwan.
28 Sphere