In 221 BC the First Emperor renamed the Chinese common people to 黔首 “black-headed ones”. Why was this?
Chinese, Japanese, English, and French language sources were surveyed.
- Baidu Baike: The First Emperor declared an “age of water”. Water is associated with the color black, so the common people were wearing black headscarves.
- René Guénon: Black is associated with “anonymity”, but also with the Center and stillness, i.e. the “Middle Country”, and therefore with the purity of the “non-manifested”. (Note: Guénon was laboring under the false impression that it was the entire people, not the common folk, who were called “black heads”. Black is associated with north in China.) [source: Symbols of Sa. Sc.]
- Wu Kun (吳崐, 1552-1620): The hair of the common people was black.[source: 黄帝内经素问吴注]
- E.S.B.: Perhaps the hair of the nobility was not black.
- Daijisen: Because they didn’t have any hats.