History of European bathing culture

Author: Slammer
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-06-01
Features:
Showering is for cleansing the body? For relaxing the mind? Or for all the pleasures associated with the body? Throughout the long course of history, bathing, like other human behaviors, has accumulated a rich cultural connotation. People regarded bathing as a ritual, a part of daily life, and even a taboo. As the past fades with the passage of time, we linger among the surviving images, and the once-common practice of bathing has evolved into a long story, one about life and also about art.
In ancient times, people bathed before facing the day and observed fasting and bathing rituals to worship the gods, which was a solemn ceremony. Even Confucius' esteemed student Zengzi praised bathing as a supreme state of life: "In early spring, when the spring robes are ready, with five or six adults and six or seven boys, they bathe in the Yi River, feel the breeze at the Dance of Wu, and return singing."
In ancient Greek life, people alternated between the tension of exercise and the relaxation of bathing, discovering the unparalleled beauty of the human body. In the luxurious baths of ancient Rome, bathing was a way for Romans to celebrate life. Amidst the debauchery and nightly feasts, the magnificent architectural art stood as a testament to the timeless saying, "Grandeur is Roman."