It is one of the most distinctive traditions of English courts that judges and lawyers 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. So 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 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 (equivalent to about RMB 20,000), which is really not cheap! ), and the most common wig is not less than 300 kg.
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.