In the late Middle Ages, European thought was caught in the tension between reality and fantasy, abstinence and indulgence. Spice, as an exotic product from long-distance trade, is particularly spiritual in western European social life. Western Europeans' concept of spices well reflects their views on religion, society, human nature and even the world. Spices are often lost in the swamp of economic history because they are classified into the field of economy or cooking, which greatly reduces the magical charm of spices and is inconsistent with historical facts. Therefore, it is a promising new way to explain the long-term fascination of Europeans with spices from the perspective of human nature, that is, the concept of spices.
First, the concept of European spices appeared in ancient Greece, which is mutually causal and mutually reinforcing with spice trade and spice consumption. The concept of spice in western European society includes several seemingly contradictory but complementary aspects.
On the one hand, in European cultural traditions, spices are mystified: on earth, precious spices are symbols of wealth and status owned by western European nobles and become a means to show off their wealth; In the spiritual field, spices are closely related to Christian belief and Eden, so they are sacred and noble; Spice comes from the mysterious East, and its growing place is always full of poisonous snakes and monsters. Precious spices are hard to get, but the East is also rich and prosperous because it is close to Eden.
On the other hand, spices have a strong erotic color since ancient times, or are they the dreams of gluttons? Promised land? Common food in; With the spread of spice consumption to a wider social class, the middle class has become a big consumer. Spice has aroused strong criticism from religious and secular people and become a symbol of desire, greed, glitz, arrogance and stupidity.
2. Spice becomes a symbol of nobility. Demand is inversely proportional to price, which is a basic economic law: the more expensive things can show the wealth and status of consumers. Having unnecessary luxuries can bring a stronger sense of spiritual pleasure than having daily necessities. A person has the ability to easily consume the wealth that other members of society miss so much. Even by today's living and value standards, this way of showing privilege is not surprising.
Pursuing fashionable and expensive goods is an eternal social phenomenon, except for eternal luxury goods such as gold, silver and jewelry. Luxury goods of different periods, regions and cultural identities are different.
Before the17th century, Europeans were crazy about peppers and spices for a long time, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and ginger. The whole society pursues spices because it reflects the identity and status of consumers to a certain extent. Long-distance trade and specific historical environment made spices a luxury in medieval western Europe. It has the characteristics of preciousness, scarcity, rarity, non-necessity and mystery. It is a symbol of social wealth and status, and it is also a means for nobles to show themselves. It has been sublimated into a cultural symbol with rich symbolic significance.
An old English proverb? He doesn't have pepper? This means that people are insignificant little people, and owning spices represents a person's noble status.
3. The enjoyment of spices is the patent of aristocrats and rich people. According to the biography of Pope Gregory I (reigned from 590 to 604), on the first day of each month, the Pope distributed grain, wine, vegetables, cheese and so on. To the poor who seek alms outside St. Peter's Cathedral, to the nobles, spices and other luxuries. This intentional discrimination conforms to the strict hierarchical concept of medieval society. Spices belong to the upper class as well as nobles.
The enjoyment of spices is the patent of the nobility and the rich. For most of the Middle Ages, clergy and nobles only accounted for 65,438+0% of the population, urban residents accounted for 5%, and the rest were poor farmers. The obsession with spices is not an isolated social phenomenon, but a part of a new way of life. Until16th century, Thomas Meng, a British businessman, still believed that it would cost money to consume spices. However, is the proper use of these items (spices) commensurate with the wealth and dignity of the kingdom? .
Spice was a luxury in the Middle Ages. Anthropologist Jane Schneider pointed out that in order to fully understand the meaning of a luxury, we must grasp two aspects: one is its unique attributes, and the other is its application in culture. Tradition Both of them are closely related to their status.
In the concept of medieval people, expensive spices belonged to the social law of the rich? Powerful people? The function of symbols is fully reflected in its use in the social life of medieval western Europe, including diet, medicine, religious life and so on. Banquets in upper-class society are the most typical occasions that embody the nature of spice nobility. Banquet is an open social behavior to a certain extent, which has etiquette and social significance. What are the precious dishes and ceremonies at the banquet? No ranking, ranking? Social role.
In the field of medicine, most people who can use spices for health care and medical treatment are aristocrats or rich people, and the poor can only use local herbs. What is the coronation ceremony of a king or emperor? Sacred right? Its symbol is also the full embodiment of its political power. This ceremony is often accompanied by activities such as burning balsam and painting holy oil. Even after death, kings and nobles have to show their social status at funerals, so they often bury them with spices.
Like other valuables, spices were collected by aristocrats and wealthy citizens at that time. Usually, there is a special spice cabinet. Because spices are very expensive, cabinets are often locked. St isidore wrote:? The waves of the Ionian Sea convey the fragrance of the Arabian altar and the Indus River. Cinnamon, myrrh, Indian leaves and cinnamon, balsam, incense, calamus and Anatolian crocus are all stored in the spice cabinets of royal dignitaries and rich people. ?
/kloc-at the beginning of the 4th century, Jenny, the widow of French King Charles IV, put a lot of spices in her cupboard: at least 6 pounds of pepper, 13.5 pounds of cinnamon and 5 pounds? Food of heaven? , clove 3.5 kg, saffron 1.25 kg, long pepper 0.5 kg, nutmeg skin a little, ginger 23.5 kg. At the end of 14, Mr. Helye wrote in his wedding planning book that the person in charge of kitchen affairs should supervise the purchase, transportation and preservation of spices together with the chef and lock the spices in a cupboard.
6. Spice is also a means to show off wealth. However, the ultimate performance of showing off wealth is boasting, consumption or collection, not discarding. 1 1 In the middle of the century, Cardinal Peter Damian wrote: A blasphemer sprinkled pepper on chickens according to his custom. In addition, if creditors are willing to forgive debtors' debts, burning IOUs with spices is a fashion and a means to show off their wealth. /kloc-At the beginning of the 5th century, the mayor of London burned the king's IOUs on a fire that lit cinnamon and cloves in order to please his debtor, King Henry V of England.
1530, Charles V went to augsburg to visit his creditor Jacob vogel. Bankers burned the emperor's IOUs in the fire that lit cinnamon, and the price of cinnamon used to burn IOUs was higher than the amount of those debts.