In many royal historical dramas set in the Qing Dynasty in China, you are no stranger to the scene where the concubine walks and walks with the help of palace maids and eunuchs. But have you noticed that, only after receiving the Emperor’s grace, officially possessing a high rank in the harem, a woman can receive this treatment. Before being blessed or disgraced, walking and walking were without support or guidance.
Why is that? The reason is not simply that they are promoted in status.
According to historical records, in the Qing Dynasty, the Han and the Manchu had a great class difference. The Manchus are self-aware of being a first-class aristocrat, much more advanced than the Han people. The concubine in the harem is the same.
Many emperors paid concubines not only because of the feeling of love, but also closely related to the issue of ministers and the relationship between the powers in the court. Therefore, most of the women in the harem are of relatively high status and are of the Manchu ethnic group.
Manchu and Han women are not the same. The Man tribe is an ethnic group that lives on horseback, is good at archery with swords, extremely strong, and has a strong and healthy body, not only men but also women. This is completely different from the image of a concubine gracefully walking and being supported by a palace maid like in the movies. Based on the health status of the Manchu women, walking or lying down basically did not need the help of others.
However, the images in this film are not fictional. From a historical perspective, this phenomenon can be explained by three reasons:
The first, Manchurian women made weak gestures to suit the Emperor’s favorite “taste”.
Chinese men at that time, regardless of ethnicity, liked women who were gentle and meek. That’s why there is a saying: “Fairly feminine, a gentleman is good”. In particular, after the Manchu tribe landed in the Central Highlands, seeing the slender, weak figure of the Han women, they were even more interested, so they ordered the Manchu women to follow suit and let them quit. reduce the habit of “rude” in sunny grasslands. The women in the harem listen to orders and do it, the main purpose is to make the Emperor like it, from there it is easy to receive favor, a step to the clouds.
The emperor at that time liked to change the old place, if he did not know how to change himself in accordance with the world, he could only bury his feet in the forbidden palace under the status of mediocrity.
Monday, The health of women in the harem gradually weakened over time.
The strong Manchu women were undeniable, but it was true only before and after the Manchus landed in Trung Nguyen for some time. In the later emperors of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu people lived for too long in Trung Nguyen, women were no longer allowed to ride horses and archery like before, they only knew how to take care of themselves and find ways to get grace. of the Emperor, whose sole duty was to give birth to the Son of Heaven. As a result, the healthy genes are gradually lost.
After receiving grace and becoming pregnant, the concubine became even weaker. That is also the reason why harem women often do not live long and healthy babies are born very few. Therefore, it is understandable that they need the guidance of the palace maidens in their daily activities.
Tuesday, Being supported by the servants on the way is a symbol of status.
After being graced by the Emperor, this woman officially had a high status in the harem. Accordingly, she also received many more benefits, including more servants, diet, perks and power. Thanks to that, I can proudly show others that I have been favored by the Emperor. Because of the three-thousand-stage harem, many people are fortunate to be in the same bed as the Emperor, but many people have not been able to see the face of the supreme leader in their whole lives, let alone receive grace.
One of the ways to show power and status is how many subordinates follow behind and are guided by the eunuch’s palace in all daily activities.
Wednesday, tub shoes.
Qing concubines often wore tub soles – a typical shoe of the Manchu royal aristocrats. With this “difficult to walk” design, the sole shoe makes it quite difficult for the concubine to walk, it is easy to fall, and it is sometimes difficult for the wearer to keep his balance when active.
Even in some stages, the higher the rank of the concubine, the higher the shoe sole is a few inches, accompanied by a sophisticated design, with more gems attached. Therefore, having subordinates by your side to help you walk is also necessary.
Source: Sohu