The ranks of imperial consorts have varied over the course of Chinese history but remained important throughout owing to its importance in management of the inner court and in imperial succession, which ranked heirs according to the prominence of their mothers in addition to their strict birth order. Regardless of the age, however, it is common in English translation to simplify these hierarchy into the three ranks of Empress, consorts, and concubines.
Contents
- Early history
- Ranking System for Emperors
- Ranking System for Others
- Qin Dynasty
- Empress
- Madames
- Han Dynasty
- Initial System
- Cao Pi and Cao Rui Expansions
- Jin Dynasty 265420
- Madame Rankings
- Imperial Concubine Rankings
- Other Ranks
- Southern Qi
- Initial Ranking System
- Empress
- Madames
- Imperial Concubines
- Scattered Positions
- 1st Expansion
- 2nd and 3rd Expansion
- Chen Dynasty
- Common Titles
- Northern Wei
- Ranking Reform
- Northern Qi
- E Ying
- The Decent Consort
- Zhaoyi
- Madame
- Upper Imperial Concubines
- Lower Imperial Concubines
- Hereditary Consorts
- Imperial Woman
- Northern Zhou
- Sui
- 2nd Expansion
- Tang
- Empress Huanghou
- Consorts
- Other Titles
- 1st Reform
- 2nd Reform
- Ranks of crown princes imperial consorts
- Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
- Song
- Yuan
- Ming
- Qing
- References
Early history
There exists a class of consorts called Ying (Chinese: 媵) during early historical times in China. These were people who came along with brides as a form of dowry. It could be the female cousin or sister of the bride, or people from other countries (not necessarily from another race).
Worth noting is the fact that during the Shang Dynasty, there were times where two Empresses reigned at the same period.
The Rites of Zhou contains great details of an imperial consort ranking system. However, as the Rites of Zhou is considered by modern scholars to be merely a fictitious constitution for a utopian society, the system listed in that work of literature cannot be taken word for word. Rather, it offers a rough glimpse into the inner harem during the time.
Ranking System for Emperors
The Rites of Zhou states that for Emperors, they are entitled to the following:
A grand total of 121 women. It was suggested that a system (not necessarily resembling the one listed above) was set up to prevent the situation of having two Empresses.
Ranking System for Others
According to the Rites of Zhou, Feudal Lords are entitled to 9 consorts in total, and cannot marry again after having 9 consorts, which makes for 1 wife and 8 consorts. For other officers, they are entitled to 1 wife and 1 consort. For normal citizens, only 1 wife is allowed.
Qin Dynasty
In the Qin Dynasty, there exists a much simplified ranking system. The Emperor's wife was called Empress (后), and other consorts, should they exist, along with the wives of Feudal Lords were called Madames (夫人)
Empress (皇后)
There can be one at any given time.
Madames (夫人)
There can be an unlimited number of Madames, within the rank there exists a system of sub-rankings.
Han Dynasty
During the Eastern Han period, the Emperor's principal wife was called Empress (后), and consorts were all called Madames (夫人). Within the rank of Madame, there exists a system of sub-rankings.
No limits were set on the number of consorts during this time, except for the Empress, which was limited to one.
The principal wife of the Crown Prince was called Consort (妃). There also exists a sub-ranking system for other consorts. They were called Related Lady of Excellence (Liangti / Liangdi 良娣) and Jujên / Ruren (孺人). For grandchildren of the Emperor, their principal wives were called Madame (夫人). Consorts for these people have no titles, and were simple called people of the household (家人子).
When the Eastern Han (or Later Han Dynasty) began, the ranking system for consorts was dramatically scaled down, and only four ranks remained. They were Honoured Lady (貴人), Beautiful Woman (美人), Person of the Palace (宮人), and Lady of Elegance (Ts'ainü / Cainü 采女).
No limits were set for these consorts. This later created situation when more than 20,000 women were living in the Palace during the reign of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling.
Initial System
During the reign of Cao Cao, a new ranking system, as follows, was created. It expanded during the reigns of Cao Pi and Cao Rui.
Cao Pi and Cao Rui Expansions
Cao Pi and Cao Rui further expanded the ranking system with the following ranks.
This created a final system with 12 ranks.
Jin Dynasty (265–420)
The system in the Jin Dynasty was based on the systems used in Cao Wei and the Han Dynasty, as follows
Madame Rankings
There exists three ranks for Madames.
Imperial Concubine Rankings
There exists nine ranks for Imperial Concubines
Other Ranks
There exists a ranking below Imperial Concubines also.
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi, like the other dynasties in the Southern and Northern Dynasties era, inherited the Jin system for their harems, albeit with some name changes.
Initial Ranking System
At the ascension of Emperor Gao to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to establish the following system:
Empress
There was only 1 Empress.
Madames
There were three ranks for Madames:
Imperial Concubines
There were three ranks for Imperial Concubines:
"Scattered Positions"
Three ranks were set aside in what became known as the "scattered positions" (散位)
1st Expansion
The system was expanded later in Emperor Gao's reign, and added the following new positions:
While the position of The Talented Lady (才人) was elevated to a more prestigious position.
2nd and 3rd Expansion
When Emperor Wu ascended to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to once again expand the system.
This round of expansion involved elevating the position of The Decent Consort to a category all unto itself, with the following ranks:
The new category was just underneath the Empress. In the 7th year of Emperor Wu's reign, the position of Zhaorong (昭容) was created to fill the gap created when The Decent Consort was elevated to an independent category.
Chen Dynasty
Initially, during the reign of Emperor Wu, no specific ranking system for consorts were devised, due to the Emperor's desire to live a simple life. It was only until Emperor Wen's reign did a ranking system came into being for the Chen Dynasty.
The ranking system consists of the following:
Empress
There was only one Empress allowed at any time.
Madames
There were three sub-ranks within this category. Each titles within this rank may be held by only one person at any given time. This did not prevent the elevation of others into the title upon the death of an existing holder of the title in question.
Imperial Concubines
Each titles within this rank may be held by only one person at any given time. This did not prevent the elevation of others into the title upon the death of an existing holder of the title in question.
Common Titles
There are five titles within this rank.
Scattered Positions
Three titles exist in this rank. There were no limits on the number of holders for the following title.
Northern Wei
During the reign of Emperor Daowu, the consort ranking system was very simple, and only contained the rank of Madame. However, there existed an unwritten, subjective system of prestige rankings in between the Madames. It was during the reign of Emperor Taiwu did a system of rankings listed below came into force:
Ranking Reform
During the sinification of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Emperor Xiaowen reformed the consort ranking system to the system below.
Northern Qi
In the beginning, there were only three ranks for Northern Qi's consort's: Madame (夫人), Imperial Concubine (嬪), and Imperials (御). However, as Emperor Wucheng ascended to the throne, a system of rankings more sophisticated than any devised before was promulgated.
Empress (皇后)
E-Ying (左右娥英)
There were two positions: Left and Right E-Yings (左右娥英). Only one person may hold each one of the positions at any given time, which means no more than two people can hold positions in this rank.
The Decent Consort
Only one person may hold this title at any given time.
Zhaoyi (左右昭儀)
There were two positions: Left and Right E-Zhaoyis (左右昭儀). Only one person may hold each one of the positions at any given time, which means no more than two people can hold positions in this rank.
Madame (夫人)
There were three sub-ranks within the rank of Madame (夫人):
Upper Imperial Concubines
There were three sub-ranks within the rank of Madame of the Upper Imperial Concubines (上嬪):
Lower Imperial Concubines
There were six sub-ranks within the rank of Madame of the Lower Imperial Concubines (下嬪):
Hereditary Consorts (世婦)
There were 27 sub-ranks within the rank of Hereditary Consort (Shifu 世婦), and each title can only be held by one person at any given time:
Imperial Woman
There were 81 sub-ranks within the rank of Imperial Woman (御女), and each title can only be held by one person at any given time:
Scattered Positions
Northern Zhou
Initially, Northern Zhou only had a system that allows for six madames. However, during the reign of Emperor Xuan, five Empresses were created - unprecedented by Chinese standards:
In addition, there were an innumerable number of consorts in the harem.
Sui
In the beginning of the Sui Dynasty, there existed a simple system of rankings for imperial consorts
There also existed a system of Female Imperial Officers (女官) to manage ceremonial affairs in the harem. The system was based on similar systems in the past.
However, since the Empress at the time, Dugu Qieluo, was jealous of others, no consorts were actually installed.
1st Expansion
After Dugu Qieluo died, Emperor Wen expanded the ranks of the consorts to the following:
2nd Expansion
During the reign of Emperor Yang, the ranking system was expanded yet again, based on systems in the past, to the following.
Tang
Indigenous tribals from southern China were used as eunuchs during the Sui and Tang dynasties.
Initial System
During the early ages of the Tang Dynasty, a system based on previous dynasty's systems, as shown below, was used
Empress ("Huanghou" 皇后)
Only one person may hold this title at any given time.
Consorts
There were four titles within this rank, which consists of:
Only 1 person may hold each of the titles at any given time.
Imperial Concubines
There were nine titles within this rank, which includes
All of equal rank. Only 1 person may hold each of the titles at any given time.
Other Titles
In additions, there were nine Ladies of Handsome Fairness (婕妤), nine Beautiful Ladies (美人), nine Talented Ladies (才人), 27 Ladies of Precious Bevy (寶林), 27 Imperial Women (御女), and 29 Ladies of Elegance (采女).
1st Reform
The first reform of the ranks occurred during the Emperor Gaozong's reign, which creating the following system
2nd Reform
The second reform of the ranks occurred during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong, and created the following system:
Ranks of crown prince's imperial consorts
Tang dynasty's crown prince's wife is called crown princess (太子妃), which is held by only one person at any given time. There are 5 other ranks of consorts:
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
During these times, governments were replaced frequently, and as a result, it is difficult for modern scholars to get any solid information on ranking systems during these times.
However, it is known that the Later Tangs uses the following system:
Whether there were any limits to the holders of these titles are unknown.
Song
The Song Dynasty's system was sub-divided in six commonly known Titles:
as well as the unofficial title of Yushi (御侍), who have not been consummated by the Emperor.
However, Consorts and Concubines can also be further classified under different title such as 貴妃、淑妃、德妃、賢妃 (for Consorts) and 太儀、貴儀、妃儀、淑儀、婉儀、順儀、順容、淑容、婉容、昭儀、昭容、昭媛、修儀、修容、修媛、充儀、充媛 (for Concubines).
Yuan
During the Yuan Dynasty, the ranking system was at its simplest, and only consists of Empress, Consort, and Imperial Concubine. No limits were set on the number of people who could enjoy the title, so multiple Empresses could exist.
Although the number of ranks were few, there existed a subsystem of ranking by prestige inside the Yuan harem. The tent (Chinese: 宮帳, translated term from Mongolian: 斡兒垜) that a consort lives in often determines their status. These tents often contain multiple Empresses, Consorts, and Imperial Concubines. In the many tents that existed, the first Empress of the first tent is considered to be the most prestigious consort.
Massive numbers of Korean boy eunuchs, Korean girl concubines, falcons, ginseng, grain, cloth, silver, and gold were sent as tribute to the Mongol Yuan dynasty. such as the Korean eunuch Bak Bulhwa and Korean Empress Gi. Goryeo incurred negative consequences as a result of the eunuch Bak Bulhwa's actions. The tribute payment brought much harm to Korea. It was considered prestigious to marry Korean women.
The entry of Korean women into the palace had an impact on relations between Korea and the Yuan. If anything negative happened to their families, Korea itself was blackmailed by the Yuan Mongol's Korean concubines. Great power was attained by some of the Korean women who entered the Mongol court.
Ming
The Ming Dynasty's system was simple with five commonly used Titles:
Other known Titles including:
Human tribute, including servants, eunuchs, and virgin girls came from: China's various ethnic tribes, Mongolia, Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Central Asia, Siam, Champa, and Okinawa. During the early Ming period, Korean concubines and eunuchs were occasionally demanded as tribute by Ming Emperors, such as the Xuande Emperor, for the imperial harem in imitation of the previous dynasty's precedent, as were Vietnamese women and eunuchs. Korea stopped sending human tribute after 1435. A total of 98 virgins and 198 eunuchs were sent from Korea to Ming.
There were Korean, Jurchen, Mongol, Central Asian, and Vietnamese eunuchs under the Yongle Emperor, including Mongol eunuchs who served him while he was the Prince of Yan. Muslim and Mongol eunuchs were present in the Ming court, including Zheng He. Muslim eunuchs were sent as ambassadors to the Timurids. Vietnamese eunuchs like Ruan Lang, Ruan An, Fan Hong, Chen Wu, and Wang Jin were sent by Zhang Fu to the Ming. During Ming's early contentious relations with Joseon, when there were disputes such as competition for influence over the Jurchens in Manchuria, Korean officials were even flogged by Korean-born Ming eunuch ambassadors when their demands were not met. Some of the ambassadors were arrogant, such as Sin Kwi-saeng who, in 1398, got drunk and brandished a knife at a dinner in the presence of the king. Sino-Korean relations later became amiable, and Korean envoys' seating arrangement in the Ming court was always the highest among the tributaries.
Zhu Shuang 朱樉 (Prince Min of Qin 秦愍王) had some boys castrated and women seized after a war against minority Tibetic peoples and as a result was reprimanded.
On 30 Jan 1406, the Ming Yongle Emperor expressed horror when the Ryukyuans castrated some of their own children to become eunuchs in order to give them to Yongle. Yongle said that the boys who were castrated were innocent and didn't deserve castration, and he returned the boys to Ryukyu and instructed them not to send eunuchs again.
An anti pig slaughter edict led to speculation that the Zhengde emperor adopted Islam due to his use of Muslim eunuchs who commissioned the production of porcelain with Persian and Arabic inscriptions in white and blue color. Muslim eunuchs contributed money in 1496 to repairing Niujie Mosque. Central Asian women were provided to the Zhengde Emperor by a Muslim guard and Sayyid Hussein from Hami. The guard was Yu Yung and the women were Uighur. It is unknown who really was behind the anti-pig slaughter edict. The speculation of him becoming a Muslim is remembered alongside his excessive and debauched behavior along with his concubines of foreign origin. Muslim Central Asian girls were favored by Zhengde like how Korean girls were favored by Xuande. A Uighur concubine was kept by Zhengde. Foreign origin Uighur and Mongol women were favored by the Zhengde emperor.
There was much speculation that the Yongle Emperor's real mother was a Korean or Mongolian concubine. Relations between Ming China and Joseon Korea improved dramatically and became much more amicable and mutually profitable during Yongle's reign, who also had a strong penchant for Korean cuisine and women, as did his grandson, the Xuande Emperor.
There were 100,000 eunuchs at the height of their numbers during the Ming.
Qing
The Qing dynasty's system was among one of the simpler systems in Chinese history. Officially, there were eight classes:
For an Empress who lived well into the reigns of at least two subsequent Emperors, she would be referred to as Huang Taihou (皇太后; huáng tài hòu; "Empress Dowager") if her husband's son was the Emperor, or Taihuang Taihou (太皇太后; tài huáng tài hòu; "Grand Empress Dowager") if her husband's grandson was the Emperor. If a consort was never an Empress during her husband's reign but her son became the next Emperor, she would be referred to as Shengmu Huang Taihou (圣母皇太后; 聖母皇太后; shèng mǔ huáng tài hòu; "Holy Mother, Empress Dowager") and be posthumously honoured as an Empress. On the other hand, if a consort held the rank of Empress but had no son or her son does not succeed the throne, she would be honoured as Muhou Huang Taihou (母后皇太后; mǔ hòu huáng tài hòu; "Mother Empress, Empress Dowager") and is officially honoured as an Empress.
The prefixes Huangkao (皇考; huáng kǎo; "Dowager") or Huangzu (皇祖; huáng zǔ; "Grand Dowager") are sometimes added to a consort's rank (for Imperial Noble Consort and below) if she was a consort of the reigning Emperor's father or grandfather respectively.
The system was solid, but the number of consorts an emperor actually had during the Qing dynasty was subject to wild variations. The Kangxi Emperor holds the record for having the most consorts with 79, while the Guangxu Emperor holds the record for having the least consorts, with one empress and two consorts – a total of just three consorts.
The tradition of ranking concubines ended when the Qing dynasty was overthrown. However, the practice of giving rank to people who "unofficially" (lives with, but never marry) have more than one wife is still widespread. In addition, the term Madame is still used, albeit rarely and only in very formal settings, as an honorific title towards another person's wife in China.
After the Second Manchu invasion of Korea, the Joseon kingdom was forced to give several of their royal princesses as concubines to the Qing prince-regent Dorgon. In 1650, Dorgon married the Korean princess Uisun, a daughter of the prince Yi Kaeyoon (Kumrimgoon). Dorgon married two Korean princesses at Lianshan.
There was a significant decline in the number of eunuchs working in the imperial palace during the Qing dynasty as compared to during the Ming dynasty. There were about 2,000 eunuchs by the end of the Qing dynasty.