It is not clear who first invented an umbrella in China so acclaim is given to the Chinese without one specific name being acknowledged as inventor. Archaeologists have estimated that chances are that a skilled craftsman trialled different ways to protect against heat or the cold in his shop and eventually created the umbrella. The first known umbrella was recorded to have been invented during the Wei dynasty and was specifically designed to protect from sun and rain. But as time progressed, it took on a more symbolic meaning, especially as ceremonial ornaments, and also as mementoes of the current emperor’s trust. Red and yellow umbrellas could only be held by families of royal status whilst blue umbrellas were made for ordinary people. They were traditionally made of silk but with new inventions occurring, various types of paper became more common. Decorations such as birds, figures and landscapes covered umbrellas as they rose in popularity, and they were even made using eighty different processes in order for them to be appealing and durable. People spent an unbelievable amount of time constructing these pretty umbrellas and this invention eventually initiated an economic advantage to shopkeepers as more shops were opened. Umbrellas were proudly held high by people in China as they began to symbolise royalty or high status and even though they were initially created for functional purposes concerning the weather, they soon became a sort of fashion statement in ancient China.