<P> The Chinese character for umbrella is 傘 ( sǎn ) and is a pictograph resembling the modern umbrella in design . Some investigators have supposed that its invention was first created by tying large leaves to bough - like ribs ( the branching out parts of an umbrella ) . Others assert that the idea was probably derived from the tent , which remains in an unaltered form to the present day . However , the tradition existing in China is that it originated in standards and banners waving in the air , hence the use of the umbrella was often linked to high - ranking ( though not necessarily royalty ) in China . On at least one occasion , twenty - four umbrellas were carried before the Emperor when he went out hunting . The umbrella served in this case as a defense against rain rather than sun . The Chinese design was later brought to Japan via Korea and also introduced to Persia and the Western world via the Silk Road . The Chinese and Japanese traditional parasol , often used near temples , remains similar to the original ancient Chinese design . </P>
what was the ancient chinese umbrella used for
often linked to high - ranking ( though not necessarily royalty ) in China