What Were Mobile Toilets Called in the Past?
Mobile toilets in the past were referred to by different names depending on the era and context, with common terms including 'guanfang' (imperial chamber pot) and 'tanyu' (spittoon).
During the Qing Dynasty, the mobile commode used exclusively by the royal family was known as 'guanfang'. This was a more advanced form of mobile toilet, typically exquisitely crafted from high-quality materials to meet the needs of royal family members. Its design not only considered practicality but also incorporated comfort and aesthetics, reflecting the noble status and unique lifestyle of the royal family at the time. For example, the 'guanfang' used by Empress Dowager Cixi was made of sandalwood and sculpted into the shape of a large gecko. The gecko's belly was a movable device serving as a container for feces, its four legs were the legs of the 'guanfang', its tail curled up with the tip folded back to intersect with the tail handle, forming an 8-shaped rear handle, and its slightly open mouth was a place to store toilet paper. The overall design was ingenious and luxurious.
In ancient China, there was also a widely used portable mobile toilet called 'tanyu'. Initially designed to catch spit, its function gradually expanded over time to also serve as a chamber pot, bedpan, urinal, children's toilet, etc. Tanyu were made of various materials such as ceramics and metal, and were typically round or square in shape, of moderate size, and easy to carry and place. In some households, tanyu were placed in bedrooms or living rooms, providing convenience for people to use at night or when it was inconvenient to go to an outdoor toilet.
Furthermore, in earlier times, Han Chinese would use a 10-20 centimeter long bamboo strip to scrape themselves clean after defecating. This tool was called a 'cechou'. However, cechou was more of a cleaning tool rather than a strict mobile toilet itself. It reflected the wisdom and habits of people in terms of hygiene and cleanliness at the time, serving as a simple and practical cleaning method in the absence of modern sanitary facilities.
