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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
The life of the ancient emperor seemed to be extremely luxurious, but when the concubines came to the "menstrual event", these sacred palace life also faced embarrassment.
Once the emperor wants to sleep, how to solve the physiological problems of the concubines? In that era when there were no modern hygiene products, the ancients showed their extraordinary wisdom and unique way of handling them.
These methods not only solve the problems of the day, but also reflect the wisdom and creativity of the ancients. So, how exactly did the ancient concubines deal with this dilemma? How did the emperors skillfully avoid these awkward moments?
The Coming of the Moon: The Dilemma of Ancient Concubines
In the court of feudal society, the main duty of the concubines was to serve the emperor and continue the bloodline for the royal family. However, as women, they face a special menstrual period every month.
In an era of lack of scientific knowledge, women's periods were seen as a bad omen and could even lead to disaster. For the concubines, these few days are not only a period of physical discomfort, but also a period of mental tension.
If they happen to be summoned by the emperor at this time, they will face a dilemma: a direct refusal may anger the emperor and lead to death; However, if you are obedient, you may be considered unclean because you come into contact with menstrual blood, which can also lead to serious consequences.
In this case, the concubines had to rack their brains and come up with all sorts of ingenious ways to deal with it. This requires not only wisdom, but also courage and resourcefulness.
Their situation reflects the humble status of women in the patriarchal society in ancient times, and also reflects their ingenuity to survive in the face of adversity.
Cheng Ji's clever plan: The thrilling of the Han Dynasty court
During the reign of Emperor Jing of the Han Dynasty, there was a much-loved concubine named Cheng Ji. One day, Emperor Jing was in high spirits of drinking and summoned Cheng Ji to sleep. However, at this time, Cheng Ji was in the middle of a menstrual affair, and in the face of this sudden calling, she was in a dilemma.
Cheng Ji's mind was quick, and he had an idea, and thought of a way to protect himself without angering the emperor. She set her sights on her personal maid Tang'er.
The maid was about her age and similar in stature. Cheng Ji quickly ordered someone to dress up Tang Er, making her look very similar to herself.
That night, the candlelight was dim, and Emperor Jing was already slightly drunk, so he didn't recognize that the woman on the bed was not Cheng Ji. Early the next morning, Emperor Jing, who was awake, discovered this "oolong", but he did not get angry, but praised Cheng Ji's ingenuity.
This seemingly thrilling strategy not only resolved Cheng Ji's crisis, but also continued the national glory of the Han Dynasty for nearly 200 years. It turned out that Tang Er, who spent the Spring Festival with Emperor Jing that night, was pregnant with a dragon and later gave birth to a prince Liu Fa.
Although Liu Fa was crowned king in remote Changsha because of his mother's humble status, one of his descendants appeared to change history - Liu Xiu, the founding emperor of the Eastern Han Dynasty, who was later praised by later generations as Emperor Guangwu.
After this story spread, the other concubines in the palace also learned to use "Cheng Ji's illness" to euphemistically indicate that they could not sleep. Cheng Ji's wit not only preserved herself, but also created a clever plan for the harem concubines to get out.
The Golden Ring is a Harmony: A Clever Hint of a Concubine in the Han Dynasty
After the Cheng Ji incident, the court of the Han Dynasty gradually formed a unique hint system in order to avoid similar embarrassing situations. Each new concubine was given a gold ring and a silver ring.
On weekdays, the concubines wore silver rings on the fingers of their right hands. When the moon comes, they take off the silver ring and wear it on their left hand.
This simple and ingenious method can be described as killing two birds with one stone by allowing the people in charge of the palace to see at a glance without blatantly mentioning this sensitive topic.
In addition to this, the concubines of the Han Dynasty also invented another, more subtle method - painting red on the face. This method both beautifies the face and subtly reminds the emperor of his current special situation.
When the emperor saw the red makeup on the concubine's face, he could understand it and avoid the embarrassment of speaking directly. The emergence of these methods not only reflects the wisdom of women in the court of the Han Dynasty, but also reflects the evasive attitude of the society at that time towards women's physiological phenomena.
The concubines had to use these euphemistic ways to protect themselves without losing respect to the emperor. This delicate balance is a true portrayal of ancient court life.
Secret Letters: Openness and Tolerance in the Tang Dynasty
With the change of the times, in the open and inclusive Tang Dynasty, the concubines' methods of dealing with menstrual affairs became more direct and open.
Although the Tang Dynasty still used some of the reminder methods of previous dynasties, when the emperor did not notice these hints and summoned luck, the concubines would take a more proactive approach - writing secret letters.
The content of such a "confession" letter usually consists of two parts: first, gratitude for the emperor's favor, and then a euphemistic explanation of the reason why he could not sleep.
These secret letters were often sincere, expressing both respect for the emperor and subtly conveying their own difficulties. Interestingly, instead of getting angry when they read such secret letters, the emperors often rewarded the concubines who wrote the letters with some tonic as a sign of compassion.
This practice soon spread among the harem and became a unique method of avoiding menstrual affairs in the Tang Dynasty. The prevalence of this method reflects the openness of Tang society.
The concubines were able to express their situation more frankly, and the emperors were able to approach the issue with more understanding and tolerance. This atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding is a microcosm of the prosperous culture of the Tang Dynasty.
Flying the Red Light: An Innovative Approach to Five Generations and Ten Kingdoms
Entering the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, although the political situation was turbulent, the various separatist regimes had new innovations in the palace system. During this period, the concubines of different dynasties invented various ways to remind the emperor of their special period.
One of the most striking is the practice of hanging red lanterns. When a concubine arrives for a menstrual event, a red lantern is hung in front of her palace.
This bright signal can not only alert the emperor in time, but also let the rest of the palace know the situation and avoid unnecessary disturbances. In addition to red lanterns, some concubines chose to wear red bracelets or other red ornaments.
One thing these methods all have in common is the use of red as a signal. Red is not only bright and eye-catching, but also symbolizes the color of menstrual blood, which is clear and euphemistic.
This practice not only protects the privacy of the concubines, but also avoids the embarrassment of direct speech. It makes clever use of the symbolism of the colors to convey the necessary message while maintaining the etiquette.
The popularization of this method reflects the characteristics of various regimes during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, which learned from each other and innovated in cultural exchanges.
The Birth of Jingshifang: Institutionalized Management in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
By the time of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the absolute monarchy had reached its peak, and the various institutions in the imperial palace had become more complete and complex. In this context, an institution dedicated to managing the affairs of concubines and concubines came into being, which is the famous "Jingshifang".
The worship room was run by eunuchs, and its appearance made the arrangement of the harem's attendants and bedrooms more orderly and systematic. Each concubine has an exclusive "green head card" with her identity information recorded. Every time it was time to choose a concubine to sleep, the eunuch in charge would come to the emperor with these signs for the emperor to choose.
If a concubine has a menstrual period or is unwell, she only needs to notify the Jingshifang, and the eunuch in charge will remove her sign, so as to effectively avoid embarrassing situations.
This institutionalized management method greatly reduced the pressure on the concubines and provided a more convenient choice for the emperor. However, there are two sides to any system. The existence of the Worship Room also brings some new problems.
Some concubines, in order to increase their chances of being selected, would bribe the eunuchs in the worship room, hoping that they would put their signs in a more prominent position. And those concubines who do not have the financial resources or connections may be neglected for a long time.
What's more, some concubines will suppress their opponents by bribing eunuchs, so that the opponent's brand is removed or pressed to the bottom. This practice has exacerbated the turmoil of the harem for favor, and also provided an opportunity for some outlaws to take advantage of.
Nevertheless, the establishment of the Worship Room is still an important institutional innovation. It represents the refinement and standardization of court management in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and also reflects the improvement of the level of social governance in this period.
This institutionalized management method provides a relatively perfect solution to the ancient "menstrual dilemma".
epilogue
From the witty response of the Han Dynasty, to the openness and inclusiveness of the Tang Dynasty, to the institutionalized management of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the ancient concubines showed extraordinary wisdom and adaptability in the face of the special dilemma of "menstrual affairs".
These stories not only reflect the social characteristics of each era, but also reflect the arduous process of ancient Chinese women seeking to survive and develop under heavy constraints.
Today, when we look back on this period of history, we should cherish the current social environment of equality between men and women, and continue to promote the development of the cause of gender equality.