Contrary to modern times, why did the ancients, who respected the right, walk on the left?

First of all, what we have to understand is that in ancient times, the left was respected or the right was respected, this is actually changing, and the era of right was in the Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties.

In fact, the tradition of respecting the right is not suitable in some aspects, such as when riding and walking. In the daily travel of the ancients, if there are several people riding together, then the person on the left must be an older person, or a person with a higher status, and on the right is some guards or people with a lower status, because at that time, although the right was respected, but because the carriage was on the left side when walking, so for the sake of safety, then it is relatively safe to sit on the left, so the person with a relatively high status is sitting on the left. Then another point is that in ancient times, people rode horses with their left foot first, and then stepped on with their right foot, so this also leads to the left side of the road when you get on the horse.

Finally, it is about a posture of the soldier, the soldier is holding the ** in his right hand, and then the left hand is generally holding a shield, so in order to be a habitual way of fighting on the battlefield, it is also necessary to lean on the left side of the road.

Therefore, we can see that going left is actually related to the way of travel at that time, but because it is still respected by the right, when entering and exiting some palaces or more solemn places, it will still be different from the usual way of travel.

I don't think there's much of a problem with this, it's just the formation of habits and conventions, just like the UK is also driving on the left. And at that time, the carriage was the safest to walk on the left. In fact, it is formed by living habits.

This is just a walking habit of the ancients. In ancient times, guests were very noble, and the host used to wait on the left side when greeting them, which was later called "Zuo Ying".

There is such a situation, it is not immutable in ancient times, "to respect the left" or "to respect the right". Zhou, Qin, Han Dynasty, is "the right for the respect", from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the two Song Dynasty, gradually formed the "left respect for the right inferiority" system, and the Yuan Dynasty and the provisions of "the right for respect", to the Ming and Qing dynasties and changed to "to the left for respect".

In fact, I don't think there is any such thing as respecting the left and respecting the left, these are just personal habits, and it is not that you are noble when you walk from that side.

It's not that everyone has to be on the right anymore, so you might see people lining up to go to the right. I think it depends on a person's behavior and habits, some people like to be on the right, and some people like to be on the left.

This should be a matter of habit, although the right is respected, but it is inconvenient to walk on the right, and there is no natural comfort for walking on the left. So choose to go left.

In ancient times, when traveling and taking a car, if it was a daily trip and multiple people were riding together, then the person sitting on the left must be the elder. This is also done to ensure the safety of the elderly.

After the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the successive dynasties either respected the right or the left, and the host greeted the guests and was accustomed to waiting on the left side of the road, which was called the left greeting in history. All in all, the ancients used to walk on the left.

In ancient times, "respecting the left" or "respecting the right" was not immutable. Zhou, Qin, Han Dynasty, is "the right for the respect", from the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the two Song Dynasty, gradually formed the "left respect for the right inferiority" system, and the Yuan Dynasty and the provisions of "the right for respect", to the Ming and Qing dynasties and changed to "to the left for respect".

However, there is one place where the tradition of "respecting the right" does not apply: when riding and walking. In ancient times, people traveled by car, and if it was a daily trip, several people rode together, then the person sitting on the left must be the elder. If it is a chariot, then the one on the left must also be an officer, and the one on the right is the guard.

At that time, the army was still on the right, and the right was originally respected, so why did the officer sit on the left? The answer is simple: to be on the safe side.

Because in ancient times, chariots drove on the left, so it was relatively safe to sit on the left side of the battlefield.

In ancient China, whether it was "left" or "right" was not immutable, and there were different regulations in different periods and eras.

1. During the Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties, China respected the "right", so the royal family and nobles were called "right" relatives, and the family was called "right" or "right surname". The right is inferior to the left in the construction of residences, the wealthy families must live on the right side of the urban area, and the common people live on the left side of the urban area.

2. In ancient times, officialdom had different levels of dignity and inferiority, and the lack of wheels was very strict. The high official is the upper position, and the lower official is the lower position. The ancients were still right, and the right was respected, and "moving to the left" meant degrading officials.

3. As for the social occasion, its seat is respected by the left. Because the ancients sat in the north and faced south, the left was east and the right was west, so the "left" was respected. According to "Historical Records: The Biography of Wei Gongzi", Xinling Jun held a banquet in order to welcome the Hou Sheng.

And "ride from the car, empty left", and go to meet him in person.

4. From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Sui and Tang dynasties and the Two Song Dynasties, China has gradually formed a system of left respect and right inferiority. During this period, the left servant shot higher than the right servant, and the left prime minister was higher than the right prime minister. After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty by the Mongols, the old system was changed, and the right prime minister at that time was above the left prime minister.

Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, and the restoration and reform of the left was respected, and this system was used for more than 500 years in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nowadays, classical plays are staged on the drama stage, and guests and elders always sit on the left side of the host and juniors, which reflects the etiquette of advocating "left" in the Ming Dynasty.

In ancient China, the left or right was not set in stone. There are different regulations in different periods, eras, and in different fields and occasions. From the pre-Qin to the Western Han Dynasty, the overall right is respected.

Among them, the pre-Qin and Qin dynasties focused on respecting the left, and the Western Han Dynasty focused more on respecting the right. From the Eastern Han Dynasty to the Tang and Song dynasties, a system of respecting the left was gradually formed. After the establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, it was stipulated that the right should be respected.

The Ming and Qing dynasties, with the left as the respect, this system has been used for more than 500 years for the Ming and Qing dynasties.

In ancient times, officialdom was very strict and very strict. The high official is the upper position, and the lower official is the lower position. The ancients were still right, and the right was respected, and "moving to the left" meant degrading officials.

As for social occasions, the seating is on the left. Because the ancients sat in the north and faced south, the left was east and the right was west, so the "left" was respected.