Why do judges in Hong Kong wear wigs?

Because Hong Kong was once leased by Britain, it is one of the most distinctive traditions of British courts for judges and lawyers to wear wigs in court. In some former British colonies deeply influenced by the British judicial system, we can also see this cultural imprint with British characteristics, such as the China Special Administrative Region.

Why do British judges and lawyers wear wigs? Many people who study history have put forward various explanations, but it is difficult to convince everyone.

Some people say that in the Middle Ages, overwork and illness made judicial personnel lose all their hair prematurely. In order to hide their "cleverness" in public, wigs became popular and became a scene of the British court.

Some people say that judges wear wigs to show respect, and lawyers wear wigs to cover up and protect them to some extent, because they are worried that their defense results will not be recognized by the defendants and their families. But this is not so much a reasonable explanation as a joke made up by people who have problems with lawyers to discredit them. Because according to a recent survey, 57% lawyers are not satisfied with wearing wigs and want to take them off. The reason is that these wig made of horse hair are expensive but unsanitary. Generally, a wig will last a lifetime. A lawyer's family has a 94-year-old antique, which has been handed down for four generations and can be called a family heirloom.

According to the research of historians and folklorists, the fashion tradition of wearing wigs in Britain began in 12 century. At that time, it was not just the patent of judges and lawyers. People in the upper class regard wearing wigs as a fashion and a formal dress for formal occasions or salons.

Experts pointed out that wigs used by judicial organs are different from ordinary wigs. In England, there are three curls on each side of the judicial wig, but there are only two in the royal family. Whether this represents a subtle metaphorical meaning is unknown. But Scots always quarrel with English people, because in Scotland, the situation is just the opposite, the royal family uses three curly wigs, and the judicial personnel only have two curly wigs.

The production cost of wigs lies in labor rather than materials, because it is not difficult to obtain horse hair, and the production of wigs is a delicate work, so it is impossible to mass-produce them by machines or production lines.

A skilled craftsman needs about 44 working hours to produce a wig, including weaving and rolling. The finished products generally have four colors: white, golden yellow, light gray and gray. In some old British colonies, such as West Africa and the Caribbean, white is very popular, while in Britain, gold and gray are the most popular.

Generally, a judge's wig costs more than 1500 pounds (equivalent to about RMB 18000, wow, it's not cheap), and the most common wig is not less than 300 pounds.

Most people would rather put up with lice than change wigs as often as a lady changes her hat. The reason is not that they are unwilling to buy more wigs. It is based on the saying that the longer you wear a wig, the dirtier and darker it becomes, which means the longer you eat legal food. In the judicial field, seniority and age are a treasure, just like old doctors in hospitals are the most popular. In a sense, the older the wig is, the more old-fashioned it is for lawyers to solicit business. The judge's antique wig is a signboard with rich trial experience.

After a law student is qualified as a lawyer, the best gift from his family or friends is a wig made by a famous artist. Many craftsmen who make wigs are passed down from their parents' generation, even from their families. Their history of making wigs is even longer than that of some British nobles.

Customizing wigs is also a patient process, because many famous craftsmen are hired several years later. Even if you can customize them immediately, your skull needs to be measured with a ruler at least 12 times during the production process. This is not a requirement that craftsmen deliberately toss you, but a requirement of exquisite craftsmanship.

Of course, you can also buy a ready-made one, but after all, it's better to kiss your smart head gently, not to mention that buying a wig casually is as rude as wearing jeans to a solemn banquet in the eyes of many legal persons. The British are famous for their conservative spirit, especially in the judicial field. Justice requires accuracy and even rigidity, emphasizes stability and balance, and is not compatible with personalized things.

Many wig makers' families keep a record of every wig sold, and the buyers are required to sign the record. Hundreds of years later, many famous people's autographs can be found in these records, because many famous politicians mostly worked as lawyers before they became famous.

The storage of wigs is also a meticulous work. Generally, each wig is equipped with a ventilated iron box or wooden box, and some boxes are even another independent work of art, which is far more valuable than the wig itself. At the earliest time, in the days when lice often grew on British people's heads, wigs were sprinkled with some powder to prevent lice when stored.