The function of ancient warning pillows is to warn oneself not to sleep too much.
A police pillow is a type of pillow. Generally speaking, in ancient times, there was a round pillow made of wood, which was actually a small round piece of wood. When people fell asleep, their heads would easily fall off when they turned over, so they would wake up. This round pillow is called a round pillow. Alarm pillow, also known as wake-up pillow. In ancient times, it was commonly used by scholars who studied hard.
Records in ancient books: Pillows made of logs will stir when you are asleep, making it easier to wake up. "Book of Rites·Shaoyi" "Yin, mat, pillow, a few, and 粲" Zhengxuan of the Han Dynasty noted: "粲, a police pillow." Kong Yingda said: "Yunying is also a police pillow, and it is called ying outside the sutra pillow." , Ying means Yingfa, so it is a police pillow. "
"Zizhi Tongjian·The fifth year of King Zhenming of Houliang Dynasty": "Liu has been in the army since he was young, and he has not slept at night. A small log pillow, or a big bell, is often used when sleeping, and it is called a "police pillow." "Lenglu Miscellaneous Knowledge: Police Pillow" by Lu Yizhen of the Qing Dynasty: "King Qian Wusu used police pillows. Pillow, Sima Wen Gong also used the police pillow to promote the king's virtuous ministers, who are diligent and upright. "
Sima Guang's police pillow is an inspiration: According to legend, when Sima Guang, a historian in the Song Dynasty, wrote "Zi Zhi Tong Jian", he held a candle every day. Until late at night, and early in the morning, I was at my desk writing, just like one day for nineteen years. Afraid of oversleeping due to sleepiness, he slept on a smooth log pillow. As soon as he turned over, his head would stiffen and he would be awakened and continue to work at his desk, hence the name "Alarm Pillow."
Inspirational Story of Sima Guang Police Pillow
Sima Guang was smart and eager to learn when he was young. He often worried that his knowledge was not as good as others, so no matter what he learned, he had to spend more time than others. twice the effort. He read with some children, and the other children could barely recite it after reading for a while, and then they went out to play together.
Only Sima Guang is still sitting in the study, reading seriously. And every time at this time, Sima Guang locked himself in the study room, and did not go out to play until he had mastered the memorization of the book. When he grew up, Sima Guang still adhered to this practice of diligent study.
I once made a pillow out of wood and named it "Alarm Pillow". Because the pillow is round, when a person turns over, the pillow will fall to the ground. Be alert. Therefore, every time Sima Guang heard a noise in the middle of the night, he would get up immediately, light a candle and read. Due to his diligence and studious, Sima Guang finally became a famous scholar.