The Study Of The East Jin South Dynasty’s Houfei

In a feudal society, houfei refers to numerous wives of the supreme ruler, among whom the first are referred to as the empress (known as hou) and the rest as concubines (known as fei). Attached to the imperial power, they enjoy the highest status in the feminine group and can exert influence on the development of the society.According to historical facts, the present study discussed issues concerning houfei in the East Jin South Dynasty, such as the crown of the empress, their family background, scholarship, fertility trajectory, characters, participation in political affairs, etiquette system, and final destiny, concubines’ ranking order changes, the administrative system of court ladies, etc., in attempt to reveal a whole picture and also uncover the distinctiveness of those females in the specific period in Chinese history.In the East Jin South Dynasty, Social changes and the aristocratic political development can be observed through the selection of houfei for the reason that who to be chosen as the emperor’s wife is closely related to the regime. Learning from the past, the emperor usually chooses a woman from the upper class as his empress, leaving personal preference aside so that he can get powerful support and therefore stabilize his ruling over the country. But sometimes the emperor will leave the empress’s position empty. The East Jin Dynasty Sima Rui was the first one to do that. On the surface, it showed the veneration for his first wife. While in essence, by doing so it can either get rid of the annoyance of concubines’fights for this position or avoid the wife’s family autocracy. Then when the emperor’s wife died, she will be honored as the empress posthumously and her father and brothers are also respected, which is only symbolic. Emperor Jianwen in the Liang Dynasty didn’t crown the empress was because it was more conducive to Houjing without the authorization. It can be seen that the canonization of the empress is sometimes out of filial piety, sometimes out of ritual system, and sometimes for political reasons.The Southern and Northern Dynasties is a period full of wars and turmoil. However, Buddhism brought comfort to those people and was accepted widely. Some of the houfei who lost the emperor’s favor or those under special circumstances often ended up Buddhist believers.Although the characters and behaviors of those houfei varied in different times, they share a common purpose-to strengthen their power and pave way for their future. Sometimes they behave rather parochial, one-sided, and impetuous, which is determined by their nature and previous experience. On the one hand, as females, they are sensitive and melancholy by nature lack of social experience. On the other hand, they stayed at home when they were young and spent the rest of their lives in the palace without knowing the bigger world outside. But of course, there were exceptions.Under special circumstances, usually when the emperor was a little child, houfei would take charge of the kingdom. By so doing, it avoided the imperial power robbed by some powerful officials. But it didn’t always work. When the young emperor grow up and try to be the real ruler while the female "provisional" supervisor refuses to cooperate, conflicts arise. Actually, houfei’s interference of the domestic affairs itself is a paradox. According to the law, it is not appropriate for them to do that. Meanwhile, it is lawful for them to conduct education to their son considering the filial and piety in Chinese tradition. As an abnormal case of the monarchy, houfei’s supervision over the regime is the inevitable outcome of the centralized and patriarchal system.The fates of houfei are unpredictable, as they are affected by their social rank. Upon the last emperor’s death, the new one ascended the throne. The former empress is often called empress dowager. While the new emperor’s birth mother may be honored as empress dowager or Huangtaifei (a respected title for the concubine of the last emperor). The mother of the noble princes will become Wangguo Taifei (a lower rank than Huangtaifei). For those with no heirs, things would be rather different. There might be death or insult awaiting them. It would be to commit suicide by order or be consigned to limbo, dying lonely. It would also be possible to shave the hair and be a nun or be sent to guard the last emperor’s Mausoleum. And worst of all, they may be buried alive with the last emperor.The South Dynasty witnessed the greatest changes in houfei system, specifically the adjustments of the concubines’ rank order. However, no matter how their rank changes, how their title varies, they are all the slaves of the emperor.Another group of people who deserve enough attention are the court lady. What is unique about them is the duality of their identity in the ancient times. Normally they serve as the feminine officer in the palace. At the same time, they have to fulfill the same role as the concubines. That is to "entertain" the emperor. Some court lady got promoted to be a concubine after having sex with the emperor if she won his favor or gave birth to a prince. In the history, the administrative system of the court ladies in Liu&Song’s dynasty is the most delicate and completed one.Etiquette system is indispensable in the harem life, such as the silkworm ceremony, weddings, funerals, etc. Besides, Empresses wear different costumes, sashes and ride different carriages from the concubines according to the occasions they attend.The provisions of the various liturgical systems are reflections of the hierarchical differences in status of the empress and concubines.