The age limit for men and women to determine marriage and perform six rituals began in the Zhou Dynasty. "Book of Rites", "Tang Code", and "Ming Code" stipulate that the six rites are: asking for gifts, asking for names, accepting auspiciousness, accepting levies, announcing dates, and personally welcoming. Even the emperor is not immune to the custom of "sale marriage". The wedding of Zhu Yijun, Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty, cost more than 90,000 taels of silver alone for weaving expenses; the wedding of Emperor Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty, Zaichun, cost more than 20,000 taels of silver.
In the seventh year of Zhengtong in the Ming Dynasty (1442), Zhu Qizhen, the Yingzong, was sixteen years old and it was time to get married and take a wife.
Perhaps, in addition to the vastness of the sky and the earth, the emperor is also great; perhaps it is that the emperor's wedding is a big scene, noisy, rules, and trouble... Anyway, when the emperor marries a wife, it is called a "big wedding." .
At the same time as the wedding, a gold book and gold treasure (certificate and seal) are used to register the queen; at the same time as the queen is registered, one to four concubines are selected.
Not every emperor can afford such a prestigious event as a wedding. For an emperor who married a wife before he ascended the throne, after he became emperor, he would only hold a ceremony to enthrone the queen, but not a make-up wedding.
This boy Zhu Qizhen is lucky enough to catch up with his wedding. For this matter, the Empress Dowager Zhang, the Empress Dowager Wu, and the important officials of the imperial court searched their hearts and minds, made thousands of choices, and were worried. Wang Zhen, the eunuch in charge of ceremony and Zhu Qizhen's "year-old friend", was also very busy. Whether in terms of personal friendship, flattering the emperor, or in terms of official business, or even taking advantage of the opportunity to make money, Wang Zhen sincerely advocated "big things, special things", and early dispatched purchasing groups to all parts of the country. Take sample and order.
Zhu Qizhen’s “lamp” was already consuming fuel. We must not get a “crazy girl” to pair with him! The Empress Dowager Zhang weighed it up and considered all aspects. Opinions and suggestions, resolutely broke the ancestral precept that "the queen comes from the people", and made a decisive decision: the eldest daughter of Qian Yunming, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, should be the queen, and the daughter of Yunxiang, the censor, should be the concubine. After the meeting of officials from the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy, they fully agreed and firmly supported the wise decision of the Empress Dowager. Subsequently, the Hanlin Academy was responsible for drafting certificates and other relevant documents, and the Ministry of Rites was responsible for making books and treasures. It also worked with the Supervisor of Rites, Internal Affairs and other departments to prepare supplies and gifts. The Qin Tianjian's burden is not light either. He is responsible for choosing good times and auspicious days in order to "perform the six rites."
"Limiting the age of men and women, determining marriage, and following six rites" began in the Zhou Dynasty. "Book of Rites: Kingship" lists "crowns, weddings, funerals, sacrifices, hometowns, and meetings" as the "six rites". The "crown" among them is the "coming-of-age ceremony"; getting married before reaching adulthood and without having a "coming-of-age ceremony" is an "indecent act". "Book of Rites: Hunyi", "Tang Code" and "Ming Code" stipulate that the procedures of "marriage" are: accepting, asking for name, accepting auspiciousness, accepting levy, announcing the date and welcoming each other, also known as the "six rites".
Nacai means giving gifts, discussing marriage, and asking a matchmaker to find out the truth and truth. The ancients believed that wild geese "live with their husbands and their wives follow them" and have a single-minded relationship, which is worth learning; therefore, a wild goose was given as a greeting gift when accepting a gift. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the greeting gifts were abundant and people were competing with each other. We could no longer just use a wild goose to get things done.
Name asking
Name asking is to hold a ceremony to ask the other person's name and date of birth to see if the "fate" is suitable.
On the day of accepting gifts and asking for names, the officials of the Ministry of Rites formulated the etiquette procedures and regulations, and together with a large group of eunuchs and palace maids, they were busy setting up the ceremony venue. According to the "regular etiquette", a guard of honor was displayed outside the Qianqing Gate, and the female concubine Le Yue was placed at the Palace of Danqing. In the main hall of Qianqing Palace, two tables were temporarily set up, covered with apricot satin tablecloths. On one table was placed the "Jie" and on the other table was placed the "Ask for Names" imperial edict. The gifts intended for Qian Shangshu's family were also displayed in broad daylight.
The etiquette of a wedding is rare for members of the royal family and court officials, perhaps only once in a lifetime. Regardless of what the officials of the Ministry of Rites are saying, in fact, they are also "crossing the river by feeling for the stones" and learning through practice according to the relevant provisions of classics and documents. Officials from other central agencies who came to watch the ceremony found it strange, and just watched the excitement and forgot to observe discipline. The officials of Honglu Temple (in charge of the concierge) finally took the opportunity to show their faces, and gesticulated to organize the viewing team and maintain order, which made many "silly" officials look at them sideways.
The officials of Qin Tianjian reported in a lively manner: The auspicious time has arrived! Zhu Qizhen dressed up like a human being, surrounded by internal ministers, guards, and eunuchs, made a grand appearance, and walked into the palace to the sound of music. In the main hall of the Qing Palace, the throne was raised. The princes, princes and ministers bowed to the ground and shouted long live. After receiving the imperial edict, the promulgating officer stood on the Danbi in the east, loudly announced the edict, appointed the chief and deputy angels, and went to the house of Qian Shangshu to accept the orders and ask for their names. In the midst of the music, two angels were performing festivals and edicts. After the ceremony was completed, Zhu Qizhen withdrew from the court.
The chief envoy held the ceremony, and the deputy envoy asked about the imperial edict; the honor guard and the drum band led the way, and the gift-giving officials followed behind the second envoy, setting off from the Qianqing Palace, playing and beating, and rushing towards Qianqian. Mansion.
"Coming of Age Ceremony"
Qian Shangshu knelt down at the gate to receive the angel, followed the order, accepted the gift, and thanked the angel. A naming ceremony was held to discuss the matter, and Qian Shangshu submitted a "list" containing his daughter's name, resume, birth date, etc. to the angel. After the ceremony, the Qian family entertained the angels with a feast. Members of the honor guard and drum band can only eat "boxed lunches".
After having enough wine and food, Angel led the team back to the Forbidden City. Enter the Meridian Gate, stop outside the Taihe Gate, and hand over the "Jie" and "Biao" to the eunuch who is responsible for the rituals. This means that the task has been successfully completed.
The eunuchs and eunuchs in charge of etiquette went to Qianqing Palace to restore the "emperor's orders". Zhu Qizhen "issued an edict" to the princes and ministers about the acceptance and the status of the names.
The royal family chose a day to hold a grand "Shangzhong Ceremony" for Zhu Qizhen, which is the "Crown" Ceremony mentioned in "Zhou Li. Kingship".
This ceremony is similar to the "coming of age ceremony" that is still practiced in some regions or ethnic groups in the world. It is used to declare that a man or a woman has reached adulthood, and to symbolically put on adult clothes for him or her. clothing. From then on, he or she has the freedom to socialize and talk about marriage.
The Mosuo people living in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China are more frank and simply call this ceremony the "Pants Wearing Ceremony" or the "Skirt Wearing Ceremony". Organized for three-year-old boys and girls. When the sun shines into the house, boys and girls step on grain sacks and large pieces of pork, boys hold spears and silver coins, and girls hold jewelry and clothing. The host takes off children's clothes and puts on adults. trousers or skirt. The "adult" men and women toasted to the guests one by one and accepted the gifts from the guests.
Zhu Qizhen wore a hat called "Tongtian Crown" during the "Shangzhong Ceremony". In this way, he can pretend to be "human". The Queen Mother, the Queen Mother and other royal family elders were present to watch the ceremony; the princes, princes and ministers knelt down three times and kowtowed nine times to express their warm congratulations. After the ceremony was completed, Zhu Qizhen went to worship his ancestors, and then went to the palace of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager to kneel and thank him for his upbringing.
As an adult, no matter what Zhu Qizhen did before "wearing a hat", after "wearing a hat", he also had to learn an important physiological knowledge lesson. It is said that since ancient times, after the crown princes or young emperors of various dynasties entered adolescence, the royal family would send special personnel (also called masters) to teach them human ethics; only in this way can they be qualified to "serve the ancestral temple at the top and continue the work for future generations at the bottom." "The burden. This kind of sexual enlightenment education is both serious and lively; it not only imparts theoretical knowledge, but also demonstrates operational methods through "erotic pictures" and models.
According to the "Wanli Yehuobian", the Happy Buddha enshrined in the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty was one of the teaching aids for sexual enlightenment education for the crown prince or young emperor. The Happy Buddha is a statue of a male and female Buddha, embracing each other. There are organs on the Buddha's body to control the sexual organs of men and women; when the organs are pressed, the Buddha will make a posture of intercourse. When entering the Buddhist temple for the first time, a ceremony must be held. The teacher leads the students to burn incense, make offerings, and bow. Then, the teacher explains and demonstrates. With the permission of the teacher, students can touch the Buddha body, even operate and practice. During "class", teachers and students must be "dignified" and "serious"; it is absolutely unacceptable to laugh, play, and treat students as "child's play".
As mentioned above, it is unknown whether the five Happy Buddhas enshrined in the Yuhua Pavilion in the northwest of the Forbidden City are the "teaching aids" mentioned in "Wanli Yehuobian".
The royal sexual enlightenment education in the Qing Dynasty is said to be more standardized and systematic than that in the Ming Dynasty. Before getting married, after the little emperor had taken a "theoretical knowledge class", the relevant authorities selected eight pretty and older palace maids to serve as the little emperor's "men", "account clerk", "secretary", etc., to take charge of the little emperor's affairs. In the emperor's "bed affairs", he acted as a consultant and consultant in his marital life, accompanying him in "internships" and accumulating practical experience.
After Zhu Qizhen performed the "Shangzhong Ceremony", he performed the Naji and Nazheng rites according to the auspicious day and time selected by the Qintian Supervisor.
Naji, to put it bluntly, it is a fortune-telling, that is, the ancients divined good and bad luck for marriage matters; if it is a "good omen" and the birth date is suitable, the matchmaker will be asked to bring gifts to the engagement.
To accept the levy is to give an engagement gift. The ancients said: "A man and a woman will not make friends without a matchmaker, and they will not see each other without a coin." Therefore, collecting money is also called "paying money". Coins are jade or silk fabrics used as engagement gifts by the ancients.
When accepting gifts and collecting gifts, corresponding ceremonies must still be held in the palace, and angels are sent to hold the festival and go to Qian Shangshu's home with gifts and relevant documents. This time, everyone from the Qian family, young and old, who could move, came out in full force and knelt outside the gate to pick up the angel. Of course they had reason to mobilize and be elated. The emperor's son-in-law "didn't choose a son" and was very thoughtful. Among the gifts, both cash and kind were included; not only the rich lady, but also the rich minister and his family, including servants and servants, everyone also had a share. It was indeed a "sweet rain falling down", " The emperor’s grace is mighty.” Moreover, after Najib and Nazheng, this "imperial relative" was confirmed. Even if the emperor's son-in-law had some shortcomings before entering the bridal chamber, the title of "empress" and the honor of being an imperial relative were also obtained. According to traditional customs, once engaged, Miss Qian becomes a member of the Zhu family. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Ayuan, the daughter of Minister of the Interior Qingshan, was engaged to the eldest nephew of the Empress Dowager Cixi's family. Everything was ready, just waiting for the wedding. At this juncture, the Queen Mother's eldest nephew died. However, A Yuan is already a member of Yehenala's family and is not allowed to talk about marriage again for the rest of his life. Huanghua's daughter, who had just turned eighteen, was called "Grandma Yuan". It wasn't until she turned twenty that she "lived up to her name." She looked like an old woman in her forties.
In the folk, if the fiancé dies, the wedding will still be held when the wedding date comes. The bride and her unmarried sister-in-law may worship heaven and earth with a big rooster; after that, she either stays alone in an empty room or sleeps with a wooden dummy.
The real drama takes place on the day of the wedding
The announcement period is to notify the other party of the wedding date. At this point, the prelude to the wedding has been sung. The real drama takes place on the day of the welcome.
Welcome in person is a requirement for ordinary people.
The emperor cannot condescend to go to the home of the old mother-in-law to pick up the new daughter-in-law. He selected representatives with "both sons and daughters" to "borrow some fairy spirit" from them. On the day of the wedding, Zhu Qizhen got up early. He didn't fall asleep at all, thinking over and over: what Miss Qian looked like. If every step of the procedure had not been carried out according to the "auspicious time" recognized by Qin Tianjian, he would have wanted to get up a long time ago. Zhu Qizhen put on his formal dress, dabbed some cosmetics on his face, and happily went to worship his ancestors and pay homage to the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager. Then, amid the sound of music, the Imperial Palace of Supreme Harmony. The festivals, certificates, gold seals, etc. used to welcome the bride and enthrone the queen are placed on a temporary table in the main hall. Zhu Qizhen walked over and pretended to check it over before rising to his seat.
The palace was decorated with lanterns and colors. All the major palaces are fully equipped with firecrackers and large red candles with double happiness characters. The imperial road was paved with red felt.
Zhonghe Shao Le is located in front of the Taihe Hall, and Danbi Da Le is located in the Taihe Gate. The Fa Jia Lu Book is displayed in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and in the courtyard. The queen's guard of honor is displayed outside the Meridian Gate. There is a queen's guard of honor in it. The apricot satin curtain outside is embroidered with a large phoenix in gold thread. "Female Music" is located behind the Qianqing Palace and in front of the Jiaotai Palace. The princes, princes and ministers stood jubilantly in the Hall of Supreme Harmony and in the courtyard of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Three quiet whips were fired, and amid the sound of drums and music, the princes, princes and ministers performed a "three kneels and nine kowtows" salute to the emperor. The sound of "Long live" shook the earth and the mountains. At the end of the ceremony and the music stopped, the Minister of Rites presented a gold book and treasures and read out the contents of the books and treasures; then, the festival, books and treasures were awarded to the emissaries who welcomed the bride. The princes and ministers pay their respects again. Amidst the sound of music, Zhu Qizhen drove back to Qianqing Palace and waited for his beautiful wife.
The welcoming messenger placed the gold book and gold treasure in the "Dragon Pavilion". The honor guard and drum band were in the front, the wedding envoys were in the middle, followed by the wedding officials, eunuchs, and guards. They went out of the Meridian Gate, joined the Queen's honor guard, carried a large number of gifts, and went straight to Qian's Mansion. A group of people and horses, colorful and green, stretching for several miles, is definitely a rare "beautiful scenery". There were crowds of spectators along the way, and there were many people following along.
The Qian Mansion has made small changes since Najib; since Najib, it has been big. Since the announcement, the whole government has been mobilized, top and bottom, no one can be idle, renovating the house and doing a lot of environmental sanitation; although It should not be "overstepping" and make it as glorious as a royal palace, but it must also be dazzling and try to make people feel that they are "well-matched". The whole family, including the whole family, is very busy just to buy new clothes inside and outside, not to mention that they also have to decorate with lights, hold a wedding banquet, and distribute "wedding invitations" widely!
For Putting on makeup is the most nerve-wracking thing for a bride. With such a big commotion, almost everyone in the world knows that uncooked rice has basically become cooked rice, and "returns" are unlikely. However, if the emperor's son-in-law lifts his hijab and becomes dissatisfied or unhappy, and the relatives are not close to each other, the emperor's favor will not be so great. Ever since, I bathed and bathed, wishing I could rub off a layer of Miss Qian's skin! After bathing, I repeatedly used skin care agent made of mung bean powder as the main raw material and Western perfume to rub my face and body; then I used honey and rose The facial cleanser made of flower petals and other raw materials is applied to the face, and the high-grade paper film that is rare for court ministers is used to wipe it gently; the skin care cream made of mutton fat, white fragrant and other raw materials is applied repeatedly. The last step is to apply powder on the face, draw eyeliner, eye shadow, draw green eyebrows, and apply red lips; then, create two "cheek blushes" on the two cheeks.
As for the hairstyle, of course, you have to choose and handle it according to the several styles specified in the "document". There is a "level" there. If you look like a concubine or a noble concubine, that would be bad. Whether it is a romantic "flying bun" or a novel "up to the sky bun", both the convenience of wearing a phoenix crown and the suitability for Miss Qian's face shape must be considered. The two locks of hair on the temples must "hang down naturally" no matter what, like elegant cicada wings, making the emperor's son-in-law's eyes light up when he sees them.
Sometimes it’s fast, then it’s slow. After repeated deliberation, repeated tests, repeated arguments, and repeated rehearsals, it was not until the night before the wedding that the final decision was made. But fortunately, with such an order, Miss Qian looked like a porcelain figure, without any vitality at all. However, her parents both agreed: the most important thing about beauty is "dignity".
At this moment, Miss Qian was fully armed and sitting on the embroidery floor. She heard the drum music for welcoming the bride getting closer and closer, and the "drum" in her heart was beating more and more urgently. The time has not come yet, and I don’t know whether this dignified appearance will win the favor of the "customers"!
Later experience proved that Miss Qian’s worries were justified. This time she "went out", she did not enjoy many blessings, but suffered a lot.
Qian Shangshu led his whole family, old and young, to kneel down at the gate to receive the wedding procession. The emissary who welcomed the bride loudly announced the edict. Amidst the sound of drum music, the Jin Yiwei sedan bearers carried the queen's courtesy carriage and dragon pavilion into the front yard, and then were carried by the eunuchs to the "Embroidery Tower" in the backyard, where they were parked in the "auspicious position" designated by the officials of the Qin Tianjian. Miss Qian, wearing a queen's dress and a phoenix crown and harem, appeared on the stage, knelt down to receive the gold book and gold treasure, and returned to the "building" to wait for the auspicious moment.
When the auspicious time comes, the bride will be crowned and set off. The large group of people passed through the Qianmen, along the Royal Road, passed through the Daming Gate, entered Tiananmen, Duanmen, and arrived at the Meridian Gate, where the bells and drums on the tower were ringing. The procession entered the Forbidden City from the central entrance of the Meridian Gate, passed through the Taihe Gate, and arrived at the Qianqing Gate. The empress entered the Qianqing Gate with the ceremonial guard, and the eunuchs and maids lined up and clapped her hands to "warmly welcome" her. In the presence of His Majesty Dan, the emissary who welcomed the bride returned to his post. Amidst the sound of drum music, officials from the Ministry of Rites presented the Queen's gold book and gold treasures to the relevant people for display in the Jiaotai Hall behind the Qianqing Palace.
The ceremonial carriage in which the bride sits is led, carried, supported, or accompanied by Gaoming's wife, female officials, and palace maids, to the Kunning Palace to worship heaven and earth and perform a grand ceremony.
The Henu Banquet is held. The word "庺" means "ladle". In ancient times, a gourd was cut into two gourds, and the bride and groom each held one and drank from each other's cups, which means "two become one". It seems that the ancients have long realized that "half of a man is a woman." However, as the saying goes: press the gourd and lift the gourd. This thing seemed unlucky. Later, people used cups to drink wine. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor and his wife had a special "sapphire cup" - two conjoined cylindrical cups, about 75 cm high, with embossed and hollow dragons and phoenixes on the outside, as well as two "doggerel poems". This special cup is now in the Palace Museum. It is a national second-class cultural relic, and people will definitely not rent or loan it out. Furthermore, if anyone uses it, they can easily be infected with SARS, AIDS, cholera, typhoid, etc. Nowadays, people do not hesitate to spend money when getting married and pay attention to pomp and circumstance; you might as well spend less money and imitate one to have a cool look. Miss Qian and Zhu Qizhen sat opposite each other in Kunning Palace. The bride pours a glass of wine and hands it to the groom; the groom takes a sip and hands it to the bride, who drinks it all in one gulp. The groom pours a glass of wine and gives it to the bride; the bride takes a sip and gives it back to the groom, who drinks it all in one gulp. After a glass of wine, Miss Qian settled down in Kunning Palace as queen.
The big wedding is completed, but the aftermath is not over
Zhu Qizhen and Queen Qian went to pay homage to their ancestors; they visited the palaces of the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager to pay homage; Zhu Qi Zhen Yu Qianqing Palace, the "edict" wedding was completed, and the queen led her concubines and others to worship her husband. The Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager gave gifts to the newlyweds and held banquets to congratulate them in their respective palaces. Zhu Qizhen went to the Imperial Palace of Supreme Harmony to accept congratulations from princes and ministers. The emperor hosted a banquet in honor of the queen's family and gave them gifts.
Marriage is "limited to the age of a man and a woman", and the emperor cannot do anything wrong. In the fifth year of Wanli, Empress Dowager Li decided on the candidate for the queen for Shenzong Zhu Yijun. After repeated arguments, the Qin Tianjian determined that only December was "suitable for marriage". Zhang Juzheng, a bachelor, chewed his teeth and said: After the New Year, the emperor is only sixteen years old. Marrying a wife in the twelfth lunar month is not an "early marriage" and "indecent"? However, if there is a wedding in the twelfth lunar month of the next year, Zhu Yijun will definitely be "fired" "Fang", "Monkey is anxious"; what to do?
Fortunately, Empress Dowager Li had a good impression of Zhang Juzheng, and she could still listen to his words. Zhang Juzheng asked to see the Queen Mother and said to her: "Yingzong, Wuzong, and Shizong all got married at the age of sixteen. We can't break the rules of our ancestors. If we wait until the twelfth lunar month next year, it will indeed be a bit late. I think it will be better in March and April next year. It's appropriate. Although Qin Tianjian doesn't think it's good, that's what ordinary people think. Who is the emperor? One blessing can overcome all disasters. All gods and Buddhas have to protect him."
Empress Dowager Li thought over and over again and decided to adopt a "moderate approach" and do things in February next year.
When Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun got married, he spent more than 90,000 taels of silver on weaving expenses alone. When he held weddings for his sons, he spent more than 24 million taels of silver on purchasing jewelry.
Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang set a rule for future generations: "The queen comes from the people." In the process of implementing the rules, "being close to the people" became "disturbing the people." Officials from all over the country were ordered to recruit unmarried girls aged 13 to 16 and send them to the capital. The local area immediately became a mess. Those who are not happy to be chosen cry; those who want to seize the opportunity to jump from the dragon gate laugh; those who are reluctant to leave their parents and lover brother, throw themselves into the river and hang themselves.
During the Wanli period, there was a folk legend that "the emperor is going to hold a beauty pageant again." For a time, I was so busy marrying my daughter and hiring a son-in-law. A man from Qingtian County, Zhejiang Province, was traveling. In order to buy time, he quickly found an in-law for his daughter. In a hurry, I didn't have anything valuable on hand, so I had to use a belt as a "token". At that time, people did not have such things as mobile phones and it was difficult to communicate with each other. His wife was at home and didn't know whether the head of the family was dead or alive or when he would come back. In desperation, he made his own decision and promised his daughter to a rich family. When the head of the family came back, the "father" said that the father-in-law was right, and the "mother-in-law" said that the mother-in-law was right, and it was a mess. When the wealthy man heard the news, he decided to marry the bride first. This girl was so stubborn that she only obeyed her father's orders instead of her mother's wishes, so she cut her throat and committed suicide in the sedan chair.
In the first year of Tianqi (1621), Emperor Xizong Zhu Youxiao prepared for his wedding and selected beauties from all over the world. When the news came, many parents in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas were worried that once their daughters were selected, they would be separated forever, so they took the time to talk about marriage. The value of bachelors, old and young, handsome and ugly, has increased sharply, and there has even been a phenomenon of "matching a man" - pulling a man from the street regardless of indiscriminate matters, and forcing him to marry his daughter at home. In the 1950s, the color film "The Bridegroom Robbery" produced by Hong Kong's Phoenix Pictures vividly and vividly described a similar scene.
Thousands of beauties gathered in the capital, it was really a beautiful place full of flowers and styles. They came from thousands of miles away, and many of them didn't see what the Forbidden City was like, so they were eliminated in the primary election. The rest, in groups of one hundred people, line up according to age, enter the palace in order, and participate in the "selection". The eunuchs who shouldered heavy responsibilities looked at them from afar and up close, and pulled out those who were taller, shorter, fatter, and thinner, and sent them back to their place of origin. Those who remain will be grouped according to age and enter the "first trial".
The eunuch looked at each girl with extremely critical eyes, observing their appearance, listening to their voices, hair, ears, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, nose, mouth, chin, shoulders, The back, legs, feet, and tone, if there is anything that doesn't please your eyes or ears, you can "return" it on the spot.
During the "second trial", the eunuch took a ruler and measured the girl's hands, arms, waist, legs, and feet, and then asked the girl to "move around." Anyone whose size does not meet the requirements, whose "parts" do not match, or who has poor demeanor and manners will be sent back to his hometown.
The "three trials" are overseen by female officials and elderly palace maids. The girl enters a secret room alone and takes off her clothes. The female officials and palace maids touch her breasts, explore her secrets, smell her smell, and inspect her skin... Those who pass the test will receive training in the palace for about a month. As they become familiar with the rules of the palace and learn etiquette, the female officers in charge of the training examine their intelligence, character and style; of course, those who gnash their teeth and fart while sleeping, or those who talk in their sleep and spread hysteria, must not be tolerated. It’s no joke to be surprised in the future!
After thousands of searches, only dozens of “elites” will be obtained.
The "final review" of the "Guangxu Emperor's Wedding Picture" is usually the responsibility of the Empress Dowager, and sometimes the Emperor himself takes action. They passed in the elites one by one according to the list on the table in front of them. The girl stood up without kneeling and answered some questions about her name, family status, and knowledge. The "examiners" judged the shapes and sounds, and selected one queen, one concubine or several concubines. The rest is given to princes, princes, princes, and grandsons, or left in the palace as "female officials" or maids. In the Ming Dynasty, there were "six bureaus" in the inner court, which were run by female officials. Each bureau had "four divisions" with more than a hundred female officials; they were all the "reserve army" of the emperor and concubines.
During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, when selecting the queen for Emperor Shizong Zhu Houcong, the Ministry of Rites was responsible for the primary selection and Empress Dowager Zhang was responsible for the final review. She heard an official from the Qintian Supervisory Office who observed the astronomical phenomena say that Daming Prefecture in Hebei Province was "very good" and most of the girls who entered the finals were from Daming Prefecture. Queen Mother Zhang was sitting behind a green gauze curtain. The girls were arranged in groups of three, "one principal and two mates", and were passed in one after another. The Empress Dowager Zhang gave a red gold and jade bracelet to the girl she liked, and the palace maid put it on her on the spot, and the girl was "cuffed" tightly. For the girl who was not chosen, Queen Mother Zhang asked the palace maid to stuff a few silver coins into her sleeves.
In the Qing Dynasty, Kunning Palace was no longer the queen's bedroom, and the "bridal chamber" was only in Dongnuan Pavilion. Wedding ceremonies are similar to those in the Ming Dynasty. "Manuscripts of the History of the Qing Dynasty" says that Emperor Tongzhi's wedding ceremony at Zai Chun included "acceptance ceremony, large campaign, distribution of official certificates, and welcome, all in accordance with the established formalities." Some historical data said that the procedures for Emperor Guangxu Zaitan's wedding were as follows: acceptance ceremony, Grand recruitment ceremony, registration ceremony, welcome ceremony, union ceremony, celebration ceremony, and banquet.
Some of the above records simplify the "Six Rites", while others make them detailed. The opinions are different, but the methods are the same
The emperor's name is taboo. There were 10 reigning emperors in the Qing Dynasty. Probably ten names. .
Words that are offensive to the rule of the Qing Dynasty.
The literary prison during the Manchu and Qing Dynasties was unprecedented, and it deepened as the rule became more stable. The more stable the rule, the more the literary prison reached its peak. By the Qianlong period, there was no need for additional strengthening. China's traditional culture has also been distorted and transformed into an out-and-out "slave" culture!
Generally speaking, any tangible or intangible allusion to the rulers and court of the Qing Dynasty would lead to death.
This text prison is a very good example.
So the question you raised is quite broad.