In the long river of history, marriage customs are like a mirror, reflecting the changes of the times and the imprint of culture. Thinking back to ancient times, what kind of social logic and helplessness are hidden behind the stories of those women who stepped into the palace of marriage early? Today, let us clear the fog of history and explore the "must" and "why" behind the phenomenon of early marriage in ancient times.
In ancient China, marriage was not only the union of two people, but also the continuation of the family bloodline and the cornerstone of social stability. At that time, the average life expectancy was only 40 years, and the emperor was only 30 years old. "There are three unfilial pieties, and no queen is great", this ancient adage is like an invisible whip, driving people to enter the siege of marriage early. In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Duke Huan of Qi took the lead in lowering the marriage age to 20 men and 15 women, opening a precedent for early marriage, and Qi greatly increased its national strength and became one of the five hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period.
Subsequently, various countries competed to follow suit, and even the almost strict punishment system for early marriage of King Goujian of Yue appeared. In the Han Dynasty, Emperor Hui of Han used tax leverage to urge marriage, and he married his niece who was only 11 years old. Behind this series of policies, there are not only the physiological considerations of "standing at 30" and "marrying at 20", but also the urgent need for the country to recover and increase the population. The early marriage of women is deeply rooted in the concept that "women are virtuous if they are not talented", and they are regarded as subordinate to the family, with a humble status and difficulty in self-determination.
Travel back to that era, and you will find that thirteen or fourteen-year-old girls, in the prime of their cardamom years, are already wearing wedding dresses and becoming other women. This is not a special experience of an individual, but a reality that prevailed in ancient times. Just imagine, when we are still chasing and playing in our carefree childhood, they have shouldered the role of wives and even mothers, how much bitterness and hardship are behind this! Those names that have been forgotten by time may not have left earth-shattering feats, but their tenacity and sacrifice have left a deep social mark on future generations.
The demand for early marriage for women in ancient society is actually the result of a combination of factors. First, the poor living environment and backward medical conditions make increasing the fertility rate the key to maintaining the reproduction of the nation. Second, wars are frequent, the population has plummeted, and early marriage and early childbearing have become an important strategy for the country to restore its strength and replenish its military resources. Third, productivity is low and requires a large number of laborers, and early marriage can ensure a continuous supply of labor.
But the wheels of history rolled forward, and in the Yuan Dynasty, Kublai Khan's edict unexpectedly gave impetus to the germ of monogamy, although a slight compromise due to population growth and allowing childless people over the age of forty to take concubines also marked a subtle change in the status of women. Although this clear stream did not completely rewrite history, it reduced the burden on women to a certain extent, and laid the groundwork for the emergence of the concept of gender equality in later generations.
[Written at the end]
Today, when we look back at the threshold of the new era, those ancient wedding customs have long become a thing of the past. The dawn of modern civilization has illuminated the path of equality between men and women, and the setting of the legal age of marriage, the popularization of education, and the improvement of women's rights and interests all tell us that although the rut of history is deep, it cannot stop the pace of human pursuit of progress.
We should be thankful that we live in an era where we can freely fall in love and make our own choices, and everyone is free to pursue their own life and happiness. Let us cherish this hard-won freedom, but at the same time, we will remember history, learn from it, and work together to promote a more civilized and fair society. After all, the happiness of each individual is an indispensable cornerstone for building a harmonious society. In the mirror of history, we have learned to understand and tolerate, and we have learned to respect and cherish, which may be the best tribute to the past.