For most ordinary people in ancient China, using the toilet was a routine necessity. In the imperial court, however, even the most private act became a carefully staged display of status and ritual. Papermaking, one of China’s Four Great Inventions, had emerged by the Han dynasty (206 BC–220), yet paper remained too precious for daily use. Instead of toilet paper, commoners relied on leaves, pebbles, or tiles for personal cleaning, while the elite used silk or cloth. They also employed slender...