In the Chinese harems were dominated by their own morals.
We’ve all heard about the harems, but the Chinese harems and concubines life has its amazing features. Many concubines, a special way of life and a few examples of the amazing mistresses ascent to the Imperial throne.
The Imperial family must comply with the service where one kettle belong to several cups. Chinese harem was distinguished by clarity of roles, the absolute influence of the traditions and obedience to the strictest guidelines arising from arcologies philosophical theories and reduced to maintain the body of a partner balance annoy (male) and IGNOU (female) energies.
It was believed that the predominance of Yin over Yang led to premature aging potency, but also affected the weather bringing with it torrential rains, earthquakes and other disasters.
The highest energy possessed Empress, but the Emperor could engage her in sexual intercourse no more than once per month, in order to produce the strongest offspring.
Chief among the women in the Palace was Empress or chief wife of the Son of Heaven (Huan HOU), followed by four additional “wife” (fu Ren) – each of them had a special title: precious (guifei), virtuous (sofa), moral (DEFA) and talented (SANHA) concubines.
The Emperor could have three ladies-mistress, who occupied the first higher degree, nine the “senior concubines” or “concubines” (Tszyu Binh), who held the second degree; 27 “Junior concubines” (Shifu), which, in turn, divided into nine Jie Yu (ladies), nine Mei Ren (beauties) and nine Cai Ren (talents), who held third, fourth and fifth stage, even 81 so-called “harem girl” (Yu qi). They also were divided into three categories: 27 girls Bao Lin (precious wood), 27 – Yu Nuits (Imperial women) and 27 – SAI Nuits (women-workers), accounting for the sixth, seventh and eighth stages.
The last of the Qing dynasty concubines Emperor divided as follows: Huanghua — concubine of the first rank, Kuei-FEI, the second grade, Fay — the third Binh — fourth, GUI-Ren — fifth of Dain — senior lady-in-waiting, jancsi — the youngest lady-in-waiting, finally, the maidens, shinuy.
The number of Imperial wives in the dynasty of Xia was to be 12 (three, taken four times). When dynasties Shang-Yin to the Emperor was given to 27 (i.e., three times nine) concubines, so that now the Emperor had 39 wives and concubines. This number was due to the fact consideration that women’s age ends in forty years. In Zhou dynasty, the number of inmates of the Imperial harem has increased to 120. Each of them were required to provided your house on the grounds of the Imperial Palace. To each was assigned maids and eunuchs.
Their number varied from dynasty to dynasty – the maximum number of servants were granted to the Empress – 12, then concubine in the first category, 8, 6 the second category, third category 4, ordinary concubines – 2.
They all lived together and therefore the number of women in harems reached 40 thousand people!
The Lord relied, four concubines of the 1st rank. They were called: precious venerable friend (guifei), a good old friend (Haifa), a lovely old friend (Lipa) and graceful venerable friend (huafei). Concubines of lower rank called “samples” (and), there were six: sample purity (Shui) a Paragon of virtue (dei), a model of dignity (Sanji), a model of meekness (Shunyi), sample the delights of the (courtyard) and a sample of fragrance (fanyi).
A concubine for the night were chosen so the Emperor had a huge jar with jade plaques with the names of rooms concubines, as well as the albums with pictures of concubines. Numbers were assigned to all the concubines and the higher the number, the more shameful was the life of a concubine. In China there is a saying – she is the daughter of the fifteenth concubine, which is about our saying – the seventh water to jelly. Incidentally, intrigue in the harem were present in full force, and some concubines could persuade the artist to draw the most beautiful concubines ugly that the Emperor never chose. To be in the harem, and be a virgin was considered a deadly shame.
The Emperor took the plate, beating a Gong and silently gave a sign to the eunuch, who noted in a special journal who chose the Emperor, the concubine sent her stripped naked (to avoid the presence of any weapons), washed, put on her cloak of fur herons and carried on the back in the Emperor’s chambers.
The concubine had the right to stay in the chambers for a certain time. If the time has expired, then sitting at the door of the eunuchs shouted that time was up. A concubine was not allowed to stay overnight, it is a privilege only for the spouse. The concubine quietly slipped under the blanket to the Emperor, and at the end of pleasures, the eunuch asked permission to leave the seed. If the Emperor allowed, then in a special magazine recorded what happened intercourse, and if not, then a specially trained person in a special way, pressed on the belly of a concubine, so sperm flowed out.
All visits to the Emperor his wife, the only woman to which he could go by himself and stay with her for the night, still recorded in a special journal. After the Emperor came out from the bedroom, it must be asked-was there a Union or not. If not, then the count in the log remained empty, if Yes, then count filled – such a date, such and such month of such year has held the coitus.
Regulated even the number of sexual acts. Every five days the Emperor was obliged to summon a concubine. Only the death of their parents were freed from this duty for three months.
The strictest etiquette and conventions even determined a way of life.
A large number of concubines were required more and more effort for accounting. So, the concubines who had been in the bed of the Emperor, put on the special hand seal, rubbed it with cinnamon and it was preserved forever. Without this seal to stay in the harem for a long time was considered a disgrace.
The pregnancy was the Supreme good, and for this purpose in the course was of any intrigue, bribery, even murder and mystery abortion already pregnant concubines.
Girls for the harems collected separately, specially trained people from among the daughters of magistrates and princes. 12-14 years of age they passed the bride, who staged the mother of the Emperor and, if successful, was admitted to the harem. However, knowing the terrible manners going on in the harems, many parents have crippled daughters or gave them instead of their daughters maids.
In addition to the intrigue and walks in the garden, concubines were daily occupied at his toilet, and accessories – concubine should always be ready to call the Emperor. Updo – hair to hair invested daily and slaughtered a huge number of pins. No wonder hairpin in China is considered a symbol of woman.
Wu Zetian — the first and only woman in China, which ruled the Empire for 15 years. On the left – such it was in life, right such see contemporary Chinese cinemas.
Being a concubine of Emperor Taizong, she showed too much kind and was exiled to a Buddhist monastery, however, has managed to become the mistress of Emperor’s son, later became Emperor Gaozong. She was removed from his path all rivals, including the main wife of the Emperor and became his only woman. According to legend, Tsutani personally strangled her own newborn daughter, but pointed to the wife of the Emperor for the latter, and were not able to give birth, was punished and banished. It also got rid of all the competitors among relatives, topiv them in executing fault and in other ways. She exiled son of the Emperor and for many years a firm hand to rule the country for which the woman on the throne was unprecedented.
Also known is another concubine, to get to the top of the Board – Cixi. She was remarkably pretty, and though the Emperor for a long time did not pay attention to her, still dragged the aging ruler to his bed and is so charmed by his singing and dancing that he left her for a few days, it is inconceivable thereby raising its status. She gave birth to her only son Tunji (and according to legend, this was the son of one of his concubines, who was killed immediately after birth)., and after the Emperor’s death, by eliminating all rivals she came to the throne.
Cixi was known for his cruelty. One day she ordered to fire from the cannons of the Catholic Cathedral in which there were women and children. She dealt harshly with all who were against her reign. During the boxer rebellion Cixi ordered to destroy the aliens, whom it considered a threat to the ancient Chinese traditions. The foreign powers sent troops to rescue its citizens. The Empress fled. Money and power she had lost. In the country the chaos began. In old age Cixi was addicted to drugs.
