Concubinage in China - Wikipedia
Concubinage in China traditionally resembled marriage in that concubines were recognized sexual partners of a man and were expected to bear children for him. Unofficial concubines (Chinese: 婢妾; pinyin: bì qiè) were of lower status, and their children were considered illegitimate.
Imperial Chinese harem system - Wikipedia
The empress' children was called legitimate heir (嫡子, dízǐ), on which the princes that was bore by the empress have the higher chance of inheriting the throne; while the children of the other imperial consorts were called imperial concubine child (庶子, shùzǐ).
Concubines in China – History, Training, Life - China Market …
Feb 21, 2024 · Concubines in China were, in a nutshell, mistresses. In ancient China, polygamy was considered normal, especially for the rich. Let's explore their history, training, and life.
The Ming Dynasty Concubines: A Life of Abuse, Torture and …
Jul 2, 2018 · Starting out as a penniless monk wandering China, he grew to be one of the most powerful warlords in Asia. In 1368 he commanded the army that expelled the Mongol invaders who had ruled China for a century. After establishing his dynasty, he adopted the name “ming,” the mandarin word for brilliant.
Concubinage - Wikipedia
The standard Chinese term translated as "concubine" was qiè 妾, a term that has been used since ancient times. Concubinage resembled marriage in that concubines were recognized sexual partners of a man and were expected to bear children for him.
Qing China: What Was Life in the Imperial Harems Like?
Jul 2, 2023 · With a rotation of concubines, detailed records of who the Emperor slept with every day were kept meticulously by court officials. As emperors typically were spoilt for choice, a standard practice was for the eunuchs to display wooden tablets of the names of concubines in front of the emperor.
Life inside the Forbidden City: how women were selected for service
Jul 12, 2018 · They were restricted to the inner court and forbidden from venturing out of the northern section. Most women in the Forbidden City were employed as maids and servants, but there was also a...
Cixi: The Woman Behind the Throne | Smithsonian
Mar 1, 2008 · What do we really know about this woman who indirectly controlled China's throne for almost half a century, in the twilight of the Qing dynasty?
From concubines to empresses: The power dynamics within ancient China…
One of the most notable figures is Empress Wu Zetian, the only woman to officially rule China as an emperor in her own right. Originally a concubine of Emperor Taizong, she rose to power during the Tang Dynasty by aligning herself with Emperor …
Cixi, the controversial empress dowager who modernized China
Like other teenage girls at that time, 16-year-old Cixi had to be presented by her family to be considered as a concubine to the newly crowned Chinese emperor, Xianfeng. Selected as a...