Aunt Lin gracefully walked to the center, bowed to Sheng Hong first, and then said softly to the nanny, "Please forgive me, nanny. This is not the place for me to speak, but I feel guilty and want to say something. I hope you will forgive me. Today's incident was caused by Mo'er's ignorance. She is the cause. Especially the Sixth Miss. She was so young and was dragged into it and beaten. I feel really sorry. How about letting Mo'er take the Sixth Miss's ten strokes..."
Aunt Lin looked delicate to begin with, and now, with tears in her eyes and an apologetic tone, she looked at Sheng Hong with such sincerity that Sheng Hong was quite moved. He turned to look at Molan. Molan was young after all, and didn't understand what was going on for a moment. She looked at Aunt Lin in surprise, but Hualan stiffened her neck and shouted, "I'm the eldest sister. If my sisters make mistakes, they're all my fault. I'll take the punishment for Sixth Sister."
Minglan sighed inwardly and firmly refused: "No, no, my elder sister still has to embroider her dowry, I'll take the beating myself..." Hualan looked at her moved. At this time, Molan finally reacted and hurriedly said: "Let me do it, I'll do it..."
For a time, taking beatings for Minglan became a popular profession.
Seeing his daughters like this, Sheng Hong finally calmed down a bit. He admired Madam Kong's methods even more and bowed to her again in gratitude. Madam Kong nodded in response, but remained unmoved. "Madam Lin, you're wrong. I punished the sisters together to mend our sisterly bonds. They were beaten together today so we can start over. If you show favoritism, wouldn't that only create more resentment? Madam Lin's intentions are good, but she lacks some integrity."
Aunt Lin clutched the handkerchief tightly in both hands, tears welling in her eyes as she said in a mournful voice, "Madame Kong is right. I was ignorant, but the sisters who tired me out today have all been punished. I feel really bad about it. It's all because of me who failed to teach Mo'er well. Why not punish me too? It will be considered as a small atonement."
Sheng Hong was even more moved by her delicate and charming appearance. However, before he could finish feeling moved, he heard Madam Kong sneer.
Madam Kong scoffed inwardly. This was exactly what she had been waiting for. She said in a cold voice, "It seems that Madam Lin needs to learn some etiquette. The more she speaks, the more inappropriate she becomes. Madam Lin said that she was being punished because she didn't teach Sister Mo well, but Sister Hua and Sister Ru were raised by the Madam, and Sister Ming is even by the Madam's side. Could it be that Madam Lin wants to punish the Madam and the Madam as well? As for me, the raising nanny, I am to blame! Is this what Madam Lin means?"
Aunt Lin's face turned pale, and she trembled as she said, "No, no, no... That's not what I meant... How dare I...? I'm ignorant..."
Sheng Hong quickly waved his hands: "Madam, what are you talking about..." He was very angry at Aunt Lin for offending people.
Madam Kong wasn't angry. She simply said sternly, "Madam Lin, I have something to say to you today. You know, it's important for people to know themselves. But you don't know two things today. First, you should know your own status. The master and the mistress were just discussing this, and you're not right to interrupt like this. Fortunately, I have an old friendship with the old lady. If it were someone else, wouldn't people outside laugh at the Sheng family for being unruly?"
Every word was as sharp as a knife, every sentence as sharp as a sword. Sheng Hong couldn't help but glare at Aunt Lin.
Madam Kong continued, "Second Master, you keep knowing you're wrong and keep repeating it. You said you shouldn't have spoken, but you kept saying you were ignorant. If you knew you were ignorant, why did you still casually butt in on matters concerning a young lady's upbringing? You clearly know everything, yet you keep breaking it all. Isn't this knowingly breaking the law, an even greater offense? Do you think you're superior to everyone else just because you have brothers and sisters?"
As he spoke, he glanced at Sheng Hong meaningfully, his eyes seeming to be slightly reproachful.
Sheng Hong felt mortified by the look on his face. He knew that Madam Kong was blaming him for doting on Aunt Lin too much. He also felt that what Madam Kong said made sense. Thinking of Mo Jie'er's behavior, he felt that Aunt Lin was ill-educated and ignorant. After all, playing with the wind and the moon was not the same as having a serious upbringing. So he sternly shouted, "Just stand aside and watch. Madam Kong, Madam Kong, and I are here. You have no right to speak!"
Wang had long since stopped crying and stared at Madam Kong with sparkling eyes. Concubine Lin's face flushed and paled. She had never been so humiliated since marrying Sheng Hong. She gritted her teeth in anger, but kept a straight face, sobbing softly as she stood aside. Seeing Concubine Lin trembling with anger, Hualan and Rulan felt a deep sense of relief, feeling that even ten more lashes would be worth it. Minglan almost wanted to ask Madam Kong for her autograph.
Madam Kong addressed the sisters with dignity, "It's good that you're willing to be considerate of each other. I think you've understood. But knowing your mistakes is one thing, and punishment is another. Now, hold out your left hands!"
Sheng Hong stood up and said in a dignified voice, "Kneel down and honestly free your left hand. Receive the beatings and we'll copy the book later."
The girls all knelt down properly, looking at the rulers pitifully. Then Madam Kong shouted softly, and there was a series of crackling sounds. Four rulers flew up and down. Minglan immediately felt a burning pain in her palms. Molan screamed in pain, and Rulan cried especially hard. The thin and elastic bamboo board hit her palms, and it felt like her skin was being torn apart. Even the tough Hualan could not bear it. After the sixth or seventh hit, Minglan could only gasp in pain.
Wang felt distressed and could not help crying as she watched. The maids and servants around her all looked reluctant, and Sheng Hong turned his head away. After a while, the beating was over, and even though Aunt Lin was very cunning, she could not bear it any longer. She threw herself on Molan and cried softly. Wang did not care about her face either, and hugged Hualan and Rulan like her beloved daughters, refusing to let go.
Sheng Hong saw Minglan's tiny body kneeling alone on a futon, her face pale with sweat from the pain, her expression bewildered and helpless. No one was there to care for her. Only today did Sheng Hong understand what the old lady had meant. He steeled his heart and refused to look at his other daughters. He respectfully sent Madam Kong away, then walked over and gently picked up Minglan. He coldly told them to go back, and he carried her to Shou'an Hall.
After the big commotion that day, the girls were already exhausted. As soon as it was over, Rulan and Molan fell asleep in the arms of their biological mothers, and Hualan was helped into the room by her wet nurse to rest. Minglan was also very tired. When Sheng Hong picked her up and carried her out, she did not forget to tell Xiaotao, who was waiting at the outer door, through her father's shoulder to pack up her small book basket and take it away.
Sheng Hong couldn't help but laugh: "I'm so glad I didn't hurt you enough to still think about something."
Minglan knelt for a long time, was beaten with a stick, and copied books all afternoon. Now, with the cold wind blowing outside, her mind was not very clear. She rubbed her hands and said stupidly, "I have copied most of the 'Rules for Women' just now. I will copy a little more later. Of course, I have to take it with me, otherwise how can I go to see Madam Kong tomorrow?"
Sheng Hong took advantage of the light from the lantern in front of him to look at his little daughter. He saw that her eyebrows were clear and her eyes were as bright as ink, vaguely reminiscent of Aunt Wei. She also had a plump nose and beautiful eyes, vaguely reminiscent of his own childhood. He remembered that when she was just born, he had held her in his arms, kissed her and loved her. But then Aunt Wei died tragically and so many things happened. He felt guilty and pitied for his daughter and didn't like to see her much. He only remembered to take care of her life, but not as much as he loved Hualan and Molan.
At this moment, he felt a surge of pity, and smiled kindly, "Madame Kong hit you, and you're not angry with her? And you're still looking for trouble?"
Minglan sighed softly: "My sisters have all been beaten, how can I be the only one to clear myself of it? If one girl makes a mistake, all the girls will be punished. But it's better this way, next time my sisters won't dare to quarrel again, ah——"
Sheng Hong was delighted and scratched Minglan's nose. "You little girl, you're full of nonsense, yet you sigh like a grown-up! Do you know what collective punishment means?" He freed one hand to hold Minglan's left hand. It felt a little hot and swollen. Sheng Hong felt pity for his little daughter's suffering and asked gently, "Does it hurt?"
Minglan sniffed and cried, "It hurts." She paused, feeling wronged. Tears fell unconsciously, and she cried, "It hurts so much."
Sheng Hong held his little daughter tightly in his arms, coaxing her, "Next time the sisters quarrel, come and tell Daddy secretly. If Daddy is not at home, stay away from them or go to the old lady. Our Minglan is a good child, ignore them, okay?"
Minglan buried her little face in the crook of her father's neck. The night wind was chilly, but she felt warm lying there, with a hint of her father's scent. It reminded Minglan of when she was a child, when her father Yao often carried her on his back riding a big horse. She wrapped her short arms around Sheng Hong's neck and nodded vigorously, "Yeah!"
The father and daughter chatted and laughed all the way to Shou'an Hall. As soon as they entered the main gate, Sheng Hong said to Danju, who was waiting at the door, "Go to the second gate to find the butler Lai Fu, and ask him to go to the study and find the bottle of 'Purple Gold Blood-Removing Ointment' and bring it here immediately."
Danju was startled and quickly responded. Sheng Hong carried Minglan into the main room and saw the old lady waiting on the kang. He put Minglan down on the kang. The old lady took Minglan in her arms and suddenly felt that the girl was cold. She quickly wrapped her in her own black and gold eight-ball auspicious felt. After Sheng Hong bowed to her, she said, "Just now, Madam Kong sent someone to explain the whole story clearly. Master has been exhausted today. He can't rest after leaving the court. Hurry back and rest."
Sheng Hong said with a look of shame on his face, "I don't think I'm that tired, but I've made mother worry. I'm afraid she hasn't even had dinner yet."
Old Madam Sheng hugged the dozing Minglan, looked at her tired little face, and turned to Sheng Hong and said, "Madam Kong is in charge of the palace rules. Her words and actions are a bit blunt. I hope the master won't be offended."
Sheng Hong said hurriedly, "That's not the case. Even if I'm stupid, I can still tell good from evil. Madam Kong was in poor health and wanted to retire to her hometown. I invited her here because of my mother's face. I respect and admire Madam Kong's character and moral conduct, so how could I have any other thoughts? In the end, it's all because I'm useless and haven't taught my daughters well."
Seeing that his expression was sincere and not fake, Old Lady Sheng was very satisfied. She and Sheng Hong had been mother and son for decades, and she knew him to some extent. She knew that he was speaking from the heart. Seeing him come back with Minglan in his arms affectionately just now, she felt a little more satisfied.
The mother and son talked for a while, and then Sheng Hong went back.
After a while, Madam Fang sent the maids and servants in with several food boxes. They took out the dinner from the warming baskets and placed them on the kang one by one. Madam Sheng was just shaking Minglan awake: "Eat your meal first, it won't be too late to go back to sleep."
Minglan was extremely tired and said vaguely, "I'm not hungry. I don't want to eat." The old lady was unwilling to agree and dragged Minglan up. Madam Fang wrung out a hot towel and applied it to Minglan's face, and she woke up. The old lady personally took an ice towel and applied it to her injured hand. Madam Fang saw that Minglan's little hand was red and swollen, so she picked up the ointment from Danju and applied it evenly, and said angrily, "Madam Kong is really something. Our girl did nothing wrong. It's unfair to punish her together with me. Why don't you hit her lightly!" She blew gently as she spoke.
Old Madam Sheng was actually distressed, but she still said with a straight face, "What's the difference? It's common for children to be punished by the governess if they don't learn the rules. Even when I was a child, I didn't get scolded by the governess as much."
Minglan looked confused, tilted her head, and stared at her grandmother blankly for a long time before she suddenly realized: "So we were beaten because we didn't learn the rules well. Oh, we deserved it." - Just like that, the quarrel between the sisters was glossed over.
Mother Fang burst into laughter. The old lady also secretly found it funny when she heard it. Knowing that the child understood everything, she comforted her and gently rubbed her granddaughter's hair and said, "Good child, your future will be smooth sailing."
…
In Linqi Pavilion, the lights were dim, with only the inner room brightly lit. Molan lay half-reclining on the kang, still weeping. Her hands were tightly wrapped in a pale green medicine towel, emitting the true fragrance of medicine. Aunt Lin hugged her daughter and whispered, "It's all my fault. I always wanted you to be competitive, but I forgot to be humble. Now you're on the crest of the wave."
Molan's face was pale as she said anxiously, "Everyone says that my father loves me, but this time he would rather plead for Minglan than say a word for me. Maybe he's mad at me."
Beside her stood a fair-faced daughter-in-law, wearing a long, dark purple vest embroidered with apricot-yellow ruyi pattern. She smiled and said, "Don't worry, young lady. The master just punished you out of Madam Kong's respect. The master feels bad too. Look, he's brought you some ointment right away!"
Molan felt a little relieved after hearing this. Aunt Lin laughed coldly twice: "If it were in the past, the master would have come here long ago, but today he even scolded me... Humph, what a powerful Madam Kong, what a powerful old lady. Xueniang, don't you see it?"
Xue Niang was surprised and asked, "What do you mean, young lady? Could there be another explanation?"
Aunt Lin brushed her hair, a cold look on her face. "I was tricked this time. I only wanted Molan to show off, but I forgot how powerful the Shou'an Hall girl was. Today, Madam Kong scolded all four sisters one by one. On the surface, it sounded like she was treating them all equally, but if you think about it carefully, the meaning was far from perfect. The two younger sisters, Rulan and Minglan, were fine, just going through the motions. Her words to Hua Jie'er sounded harsh, but they were actually kind words, teaching her how to behave. But what about Mo'er? Every word was truly heartbreaking, and she almost pointed out that Mo'er was selfish and didn't care about her sisters! Humph, what's this about 'everyone has their own destiny'? What she meant was: My Mo Jie is a concubine's daughter, so don't be so foolish as to hope for a good marriage like Hua Jie'er!"
Xue Niang thought for a moment and said, "Miss, are you saying that this was all arranged by the old lady?"
Aunt Lin snorted, "Not far off. Madam Kong has taken care of everything the old lady wanted to say but couldn't, and everything she wanted to do but couldn't, all at once. It doesn't offend her son and daughter-in-law, and it fulfills her wish at the same time. It's really killing two birds with one stone. Just wait and see, this matter is not over yet."
Molan was horrified: "If that's the case, then what should I do? Will my father hate me?"
Aunt Lin smiled gently, "Silly child, what are you afraid of? If an enemy comes, we will stop him with our generals, and if a flood comes, we will block it with earth. As long as we capture your father, we won't be afraid of anything. It's just that Madam can't understand this."
…
In Weirui Pavilion, Wang had fallen asleep with Rulan in her arms, but Hualan was still copying the "Rules for Women". Wang felt sorry for her daughter and said, "Didn't you finish copying fifty times a long time ago? Why don't you rest? The ointment the master sent hasn't dissolved yet."
Hua Lan straightened her neck and said proudly, "I'm the oldest in the family. If I make a mistake, it's mine. My sisters are punished to copy it fifty times, so I should be punished more."
Wang had always been seven parts doting and three parts proud of her eldest daughter. She said, "My Hua'er has grown up and now understands this truth. Tomorrow, when Madam Kong sees your intentions, she will naturally be pleased."
Speaking of Madam Kong, Hua Lan suddenly perked up. "Mother, today I finally saw what it means to be powerful yet silent! Look at Madam Kong. She usually doesn't even speak loudly and is the most kind and kind-hearted person. But when it comes to punishing people, she is so well-reasoned that she leaves those who are scolding speechless and convinced. And look at her actions. She knew we made a mistake, but she didn't rush to attack us. Instead, she took her time and slowly subdued us. Wow, she's really amazing! Before she even said a word, she already prepared the cushion for kneeling, the ruler for spanking, and even the ice towel for applying to the palms afterward. She really has planned everything out! From tomorrow on, I will double my efforts to learn from Madam Kong and broaden my horizons!"
He was so excited when he spoke that he suddenly glanced at his mother and sighed, "Mother, if you had half the ability of Madam Kong, that arrogant Lin wouldn't be so arrogant."
"You should control your mouth. I'm afraid you will be like this when you go to your husband's house." Wang was worried.
Hua Lan smiled sweetly: "They are all my children."
Wang was even more worried. "What I fear most is your temper. You're fearless. On good terms, you're bright and clear-headed, but on bad terms, you're sarcastic and mean. When I married your father, it was considered a down marriage, but now you're marrying up. Do you think every mother-in-law is as easygoing and indifferent as your grandmother? You stuff people into your room, favor one daughter-in-law over another, and withhold money... You'll have to bear the consequences."
Hua Lan raised her head proudly: "I'm not afraid. From now on, no one will dare to interfere, whether inside or outside the house!"
【Author has something to say】
On the issue of the status of women in ancient times.
Not to mention the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, not to mention the short-lived Qin Dynasty, the status of women in the Han and Tang Dynasties was very high. The empress dowagers of the Han Dynasty enjoyed extremely high power, often coercing the court and controlling the emperor's politics. Empress Lü was not the only one, she was just more outstanding.
At that time, royal princesses would often be given the title of their mother's surname after their father's death. For example, Chen Ajiao's mother, Princess Guantao Liu Piao, also known as Lady Dou, was the eldest daughter of Wei Zifu, and her title was Princess Wei Chang. This had some matrilineal meaning.
And everyone knows that the politics of the Han Dynasty was a politics of relatives by marriage, which in a way also improved the status of women. Don't be fooled by Ban Zhao who wrote "Instructions for Women". What she wrote and what she did were completely different things. Since she became a widow, she opened a class to accept disciples, and discussed knowledge with great scholars and teachers day and night. Even when she helped her father and brother compile "Book of Han", she never avoided men and women.
By the way, "Nujie" was written by order of Emperor He of Han Dynasty, and it is estimated that Ban Zhao treated it as a job.
…
As for the Tang Dynasty, I really can't go there physically, but I yearn for it in my heart. First of all, the Li Tang royal family was mixed with a lot of Hu blood. Li Shimin's mother and wife were both Hu people. In addition, before the Sui and Tang Dynasties, there was the Five Barbarians' Invasion of China and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, which lasted for 300 to 400 years. Many Hu people's customs had infiltrated Han society.
What is particularly important is that after three generations of the Tang Dynasty, Empress Wu Zetian emerged. Her rise to power not only improved the family status of women, but more importantly, she was accustomed to using many women as inner court officials. If you are interested, you can watch the documentary "The Daming Palace", which vividly illustrates that there were many girls among Wu Zetian's clerical officials and inner court guards, and she even formed a women's Cuju team. In this way, the social status of women was greatly improved.
But what is interesting is that it was during the Han and Tang dynasties, when women's rights were on the rise, that the status of concubines was particularly low.
Tang Gaozong's "Yonghui Law Commentary" contains a stipulation regarding "Household Marriage": "Anyone who has a wife and marries another shall be sentenced to one year in prison, and the woman's family shall be reduced by one level; if he marries someone by deception, he shall be sentenced to one and a half years in prison, and the woman's family shall not be punished, but shall be divorced." This means that if a man who married a wife through a formal marriage married another, he would be sentenced to one year in prison, and the family of the second wife would also be sentenced, albeit with a reduced level. Therefore, the rule of "three wives and four concubines" did not mean that one could have three wives. Rather, it meant that if one's wife died, one could marry another, but not two at the same time. Otherwise, not only would the man be sentenced to prison, but also forced to divorce the second wife. The "Guliang Zhuan" states: "Do not allow a concubine to be a wife." This means that a concubine was not eligible to be promoted to a principal wife. A man with a concubine but no wife remained an unmarried "diamond bachelor." However, if the principal wife died, even if the husband had many concubines, he would still be a widower without a wife and would be required to find another decent family to marry as his principal wife.
"Tang Law Commentary" clearly stipulates: "Concubines are lowly people", "Concubines engage in business", "Taking a concubine or a guest girl as a wife is punishable by one and a half years in prison." That is to say, if your wife dies and you want to promote your beloved concubine to be your wife, you have violated the criminal law. Once discovered, both husband and wife will have to serve one and a half years in prison together, and they will still have to divorce after that.
…
Next came the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. The dances choreographed by Empress Dowager Zhou, the incense prepared by Empress Dowager Zhou, and the charm of Lady Huarui all showed that the atmosphere at that time was also very open. Well, the cowardly Song Dynasty came.
…
Don't think that because the annoying Zhu Xi was born in the Song Dynasty, everyone thinks that the Song Dynasty was a society with strict ethics. No, Zhu Xi was actually not well-received in the Song Dynasty, and his theories were carried forward in the Ming Dynasty; because the two Song Dynasties, especially the Southern Song Dynasty, basically had a higher proportion of commerce than agriculture. At that time, in order to pay the heavy "annual tribute", the two Song Dynasties vigorously opened up sea transportation. The fleets of the two Song Dynasties traveled back and forth across the Pacific Ocean, bringing huge profits to the Song Dynasty court, allowing the two Song Dynasties to pay the extortion while supporting a large number of civil and military officials, and the people could still live a basically decent life.
You can read Song Ci's "Xi Yuan Lu Ji". It's not about how to perform autopsies. By looking at the cases in the collection, you can understand that the common people and the social atmosphere at that time were actually still very elegant and graceful. Of course, it can no longer be compared with the Han and Tang Dynasties.
If you are interested, you can read the two farming articles "Life Consultant in the Northern Song Dynasty" or "Life Consultant in the Southern Song Dynasty".
As for the status of concubines in the Song Dynasty, the most famous story is the story of Su Dongpo exchanging his beloved concubine for a horse, and the concubine was already pregnant at the time.
…
Well, the ancestor of farming literature can be said to be "Dream of Red Mansions". Cao Gong is indeed the biggest scammer in ancient and modern times. How many people have been trapped in the scam until now.
The Ming and Qing dynasties marked the maturation and development of feudal society. Whether during the Han-dominated Ming dynasty or the Qing dynasty, which adhered to Han Chinese ethics and moral codes, customs and practices remained largely similar. While the status of women further declined, the status of concubines rose slightly, with the emergence of clan rituals like chastity arches and pig-dunking rituals. However, I must caution that the Manchu court should not assume that women were more respected. The status of women in the Ming dynasty was undoubtedly higher than that in the Qing dynasty.
Why? First of all, the Zhu family was the big boss of the Ming Dynasty. Starting from Zhu Yuanzhang, they promoted their own family member Zhu Xi as a saint. Before the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Xi was not considered a saint at all. This old man preached the idea of preserving the principles of heaven and eliminating human desires all his life, but he himself not only had an affair but also seduced a beautiful nun. Later, the nun returned to secular life and married him (this shows the customs of the Song Dynasty from another perspective). However, Zhu Xi and the Ming imperial family were relatives, so he was also treated as a saint.
The Ming Dynasty was a very contradictory and interesting dynasty. On the one hand, from then on, women began to be bound by layers of rules and etiquette, but on the other hand, laws were explicitly enacted to grant women certain rights, such as property rights (partial inheritance rights for virgins), personal rights, and even the right to divorce.
The legal status of "wife" in the Ming Dynasty largely followed the identity and position of housewives in traditional society dating back to the Han Dynasty, adhering to the principle that "the husband is the bond of the wife," one of the "Three Bonds." This resulted in a legal system where "husband is superior and wife is inferior." However, the scope of divorce rights in the Ming Dynasty expanded, signaling a commitment to upholding women's rights.
See? The Ming Dynasty is quite interesting, isn't it? Why is there so much contradiction? Now, let me introduce you to a true sage: Wang Shouren, also known as Mr. Yangming.
He was a true all-rounder, knowledgeable in literature, politics, classics, history, military affairs, philosophy, and even astronomy and geography. He even knew how to farm. When he was exiled to Guizhou, he still knew how farmers cultivated the land. The "Learning of Mind" he founded corrected the old man Zhu Xi's crazy and confining "preserving Heavenly Principles and eliminating human desires" (which meant starving his five-year-old daughter to death because her fiancé died young). Mr. Yangming proposed that Heavenly Principles and human desires are equally important, with "attaining conscience" as the core.
Against this backdrop, a wave of sympathy for women's suffering emerged among some members of the scholar-official class, from top to bottom. They opposed the clichés that "women are the source of trouble" and "women's virtue lies in their lack of talent" and advocated for widows to remarry, freedom of marriage, and the liberation of individuality.
Of course, this kind of academic movement was only a part of the trend and never occupied a dominant position in the Ming Dynasty's thought, but it still brought some rights and interests to women in the Ming Dynasty, although they were very small.
Please remember Mr. Yangming. Bow and thank you.
In addition, with the development of the commodity economy and the emergence of capitalism in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, social customs and values will inevitably change, and the new social customs and values will lead to the emergence of anti-ethical thoughts and behaviors.
…
Finally, regarding the Qing Dynasty, I wonder if you have ever heard a saying: Those who imitate the devils are often even more devilish than the devils themselves.
After the Manchus entered the country and conquered the world, they completely accepted the orthodox Confucian ideas. In order to demonstrate the legitimacy of their rule, they intensified the promotion of etiquette and rules. Starting from Emperor Kangxi, the restrictions on women in the Qing Dynasty became increasingly severe.
There was an episode on the program "Discovery" about chastity arches, which clearly explained a set of data. There were only dozens of chastity arches in the entire Ming Dynasty, but hundreds in the Qing Dynasty. Each chastity arch was built with the blood and tears of countless women, and this was still a commendation. With such a social atmosphere, there were hundreds of times more widows than arches, especially in the late Qing Dynasty. The "cannibalistic ethics" that Mr. Lu Xun talked about was really extremely dark.
The Qing dynasty's system of wives and concubines was further distorted. Reading novels like "The Battle of the Nine Dragons" reveals an interesting phenomenon: before a Qing emperor married his first wife, he would often find a concubine. By the time the first wife entered the family, the concubine would usually have already had children (don't tell me the Eighth Prince was an isolated case). This imperial custom was fundamentally in conflict with the Confucian system of marriage.
Before a Han man officially gets married, even if he has a concubine, he cannot be promoted to a concubine. A concubine is only considered a concubine after she has drunk tea with the wife. As for the concubine giving birth to a child before the wife enters the house, don't even think about it. If this situation really happens, it will be difficult for the man to marry a lady of equal status.
Of course, the royal family of the Qing Dynasty did not promote the concubine system within their own family, but the system was followed by the officials and nobles, and some of them learned from it.
So as a woman, no matter how many handsome guys there were in the era of "Nine Dragons Fighting for the Crown Prince", I am unwilling to go to the Qing Dynasty.
…
Once again, this article is fictional and roughly describes the customs of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
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