A button is a round piece with an eyelet, sewn on one side of the garment, and the round piece passes through the eyelet on the other side of the garment to fasten the garment. It is often accompanied by human life clothing supplies. According to archaeological discoveries, as early as 4000 BC, the Persians could already make buttons from small processed stones. The ancient Egyptians also made gold and silver into buttons and sewed them around the collar as embellishments. The ancient Greeks fastened their tunics with buttons and loops on the shoulders. However, the decorative function of buttons at this time was greater than the practical value. It was not until the 13th century that people invented the button hole that the function of buttons was greatly improved. In addition, clothes were generally cut according to the shape of the human body at that time, so the function of buttons became very important and the popularity was difficult to stop. In this way, buttons were also divided into high and low, just like people's origins, rich and powerful people all sew valuable buttons made of gold, silver or ivory on their clothes to show their wealth and rank. Even when they enter the gate of heaven, they should leave the buttons engraved with their names as inheritance to future generations. However, ordinary people do not have this ability. They can only sew the cheapest things from animal bones or wood, and they do not have to consider what contribution they will make to their brothers and sisters, because they also need to make up for the hardships of life with wisdom and the miracle of creative labor.

China's Zhou Dynasty has begun to adopt the coat under the petticoat system. Both men and women wear two pieces of clothing under their jackets. Etiquette requirements are also quite strict. There are officials who are in charge of making formal dresses. When civil and military officials make formal ceremonies, they must wear formal dresses. At that time, the use of clothing was relatively standardized, and the clothing system was quite complete. The word "new" appeared in books such as "Zhou Li" and "Book of Rites" in the Zhou Dynasty, which reflected the etiquette of the Zhou Dynasty. According to my current collection of Western Zhou Dynasty bronze Yin Wen buttons and archaeological discoveries in China, buttons were used during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Among the cultural relics of the Warring States period unearthed from Shizhai Mountain in Jinning, Yunnan Province, buttons of round, oval, animal head and irregular shapes have been made of blue, apple green and light gray turquoise. Each one has one or two holes. Some engraved patterns, chic shape, gorgeous and colorful, with a wonderful wax luster. There are still simple buttons made of small stones, shellfish slices, animal horns, walnuts and coconut shells in the button collection. This shows that people in the Western Zhou Dynasty, there have been people using buttons.

In the 14th century, the Chinese spread buttons to Europe, which was an exciting festival for Europeans who were still disheveled. At that time, it was an honor and a privilege to be able to tie the unclothed robe quite neatly. From then on, men stopped fiddling with less obedient and disrespectful cloth belts, and their manners followed suit. In order to show their wealth, some dignitaries use precious gold and silver, pearls, precious stones, diamonds, rhinoceros horn, antelope horn, ivory and precious materials to make buttons. Their attitude has become a little arrogant because of the ornament. France had King Louis XIV, with 1. 30000 precious buttons set to make a record of a king's robe. Those very pretty women have very few users. They prefer to dress up and sit in the hall to receive relatives and friends. At best, the button hangs on the waist eye and plays the role of dress, making it feel right for your identity.

By the sixteenth century, among the noble women, the popular dress was to sew a large number of buttons as knots and decorations from the elbow to the wrist, and from the neck to the waist. In the early 18th century, as Britain, Germany, France and other countries successively opened button processing plants, buttons with embroidery patterns shone on garments with design concepts. Tin alloy buttons have replaced other products and become buttons used by the public. The decoration of copper buttons on military uniforms makes beautiful uniforms shine. In a word, there are all kinds of button materials used during this period, such as shells, pearls, glass, crystal, leather, buffalo horn, tortoiseshell, bamboo and wood, etc., which are dazzling. After less than 50 years, cut steel buttons appeared in the industrialized Britain. This button is carved on the billet with many small planes, so it is bright, clean and beautiful; this kind of button to the romantic French hands, and was continued to interpret the fine through-hole pattern.

At the beginning of the 19th century, inexpensive die-cast steel and decorated with through-holes buttons replaced the former. In 1830, machine-made cloth buttons replaced hand-made cloth buttons. At the same time, a kind of buttons with animal horns and hooves heated reshaping and dyed also entered the popular stage.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the development of science and technology also promoted the emergence of button manufacturing materials, and now more than 80% of the world's buttons are made of synthetic resin as raw materials. Such as cellulose, polystyrene and polyethylene plastic products of different styles, endless, not only colorful, but also low cost. At present, in addition to synthetic resin buttons, there are a number of button products: decorative stone buttons, which is a poor grade gem, due to the beauty of color, hardness, can be processed into a circular sheet, embedded in the metal base, a set of noble and elegant tiger eye buttons, can be sold at a higher price.

Electroplated metal silk buttons have always had a high market share since they appeared in Birmingham, the capital of British manufacturing, in the 16th century. One silver-plated button can be sold for more than 5 pounds.

Shell buttons, which is a kind of respect for the return to simplicity, once upon a time, it has been used as human currency in the field of circulation, but with the development of history, its measure of the value of goods has long been far away from society, but has been made into decorations buttons are still elegant, flashing natural beauty. The Japanese have a special liking for buttons made of white butterfly shells and black butterfly shells, and regard the top quality of buttons.

In addition, some expensive buttons often appear on the clothing of many rich people. At this time, these buttons have lost their shirt and become more decorative, making people appreciate the feeling of spending money like dirt.

Although the button is too small to be seen, people can often see through it the characteristics of a nation. For example, buttons painted with vermilion and engraved with complex patterns are Chinese specialties, and ceramic buttons decorated with beautiful paintings are famous French products. Tinted glass buttons are representative works of Bohemia. Ivory buttons are made of South American palm tree fruits, baked in kilns, full of wild amorous feelings, etc. In short, a small button can not only bring countless convenience to life, but also add infinite luster to clothing, make people extra cherished.

Buttons are also a kind of culture. Just as most wealthy citizens can influence a community, the western role has always played a role that makes many people respect it. It has almost reached the point of selfless admiration. Even the habit of sewing buttons on the right side is copied. This is why buttons come from men on the right. I still feel special adaptation for a long time.

The reason why women's buttons are on the left is that some long time ago, those blue-eyed and high-nosed ladies living in the West were still in a pampered environment. Their rule was that the upper class should complete every detail of their daily life, including tying those small buttons. Otherwise, they would be in undignified disorder with corsets, hats, stockings and so on under the eyes of the people, so there was a maid lying next door who was waiting on the lady to dress her up. In order to make it convenient for the maid to button the buttons, so the buttons of women's clothing and men are opposite.

In addition, some people also give a romantic meaning to the button, and the second button is the best gift for couples. The second button, above the heart, is for the one to whom the heart is bound. Give it to your favorite person. Because the second button is biased towards the heart, the second button is relatively representative of the heart!

The story of the most famous button is closely related to the fate of Mr. Napoleon. Napoleon's life is full of great legends. Many people worship his great power to conquer the world, and even countless people kiss his grave. "There is no greater man in the world than him," former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said of Napoleon. This military genius has been fighting all his life, creating many famous battle examples of winning more with less, some of which are still regarded as classics and passed on to later generations. However, the defeat of Russia in 1812 changed his fate, and the First French Empire gradually declined. On May 9, 1812, Napoleon, who had won a series of brilliant victories on the European continent, left Paris and led a mighty 600000 army on an expedition to Russia. With advanced tactics and fierce artillery fire, the French army drove straight in, and in just a few months it went straight to the Yellow Dragon-the army came to the capital Moscow. However, the Russians implemented measures to strengthen the walls and clear the fields, burning houses, burying grain, and the whole city became a dead city with no one. The French army far away from the mainland was immediately caught in many difficulties. When the French entered the city, a raging fire broke out in the city center. The 3/4 of Moscow City were burned down and more than 6000 houses were reduced to ashes. Tsar Alexander of Russia took measures to strengthen the wall and clear the wild, causing the French army far away from the mainland to fall into a food shortage, losing hay and oats, a large number of military horses and horses starved to death, and the military supplies had to be destroyed because of the lack of control. The cold weather immediately made this severe situation even worse. Under the pressure of hunger and cold, Napoleon's army was forced to retreat from Moscow in the winter of 1812, and 600000 soldiers were frozen to death along the way. By the beginning of December, Napoleon's army had changed from a 600000 army to a small army of less than 10000 people.

What caused Napoleon's defeat? The world often attributed its failure to the long battle lines and inadequate logistics. But a Canadian chemist recently put forward a new solution in his work, the small button is the culprit that led to the destruction of Napoleon's 600000 army.

According to the Discovery Channel, Penney Lecto, a famous chemist and head of the Department of Science and Arts at the College of Caprano in Canada, revealed in his new book, Napoleon's Buttons: 17 Molecules That Changed World History, that powdered buttons are likely to play an important role in the Napoleon fiasco.

According to the book, at that time, the uniforms of Napoleon's Russian soldiers were made of tin buttons, while in cold climates, tin products would undergo chemical changes and become powder. Because there were no buttons on their clothes, facing the ice and snow, the soldiers were all open-chested and exposed. Under such harsh conditions, many people were frozen to death. In addition, some people died of typhoid fever. In his new book, Penney cites the sightings of some of his contemporaries, such as a Russian who describes the retreat of Napoleon's army: "The men were like a bunch of demons, wrapped in women's cloaks, strange fragments of carpets, or coats with small holes burned all over them." Penney said: "There is no doubt that the cold temperature in 1812 winter was the main factor causing the collapse of Napoleon's Russian army, and the variable characteristics of tin at low temperatures was the real reason why Napoleon's soldiers were forced to wear these strange clothes."

It seems that the role of the button can not be underestimated, sometimes it unexpectedly exceeded the power of the cannon, so that an indestructible army quickly collapsed, a great commander wise.