What is a Chinese concubine?

A Chinese concubine was a woman, often of lower status or from a poor family, who served as a recognized sexual partner and child-bearer for a man, especially an emperor, in a formal, institutionalized system that existed until 1949. Concubines held varying ranks within the imperial harem, with the potential for promotion if they bore sons, but generally had few rights and lived a life of strict sequestration, training in arts, and competition within the inner court, sometimes facing harsh punishments.

What was the purpose of concubines in China?

The concubines were not legally equal to the primary wife, but their primary role was often to bear children, especially male heirs. Having numerous concubines was viewed as a status symbol and a sign of power, with the number of concubines often reflecting a man's financial success and social position.

What did concubines do all day?

Concubines spent their days in a structured life of education, self-care, arts, and social maneuvering, focused on pleasing the Emperor and securing their status, involving everything from music and games (Chinese chess) to intense political scheming, beauty routines (makeup, bathing), and raising children, all within the confines of the imperial harem with its strict hierarchy and constant monitoring. Their activities varied by rank but centered on entertainment, etiquette, and power plays for survival and advancement. 

What is the purpose of a concubine?

A concubine's purpose was to provide sexual companionship, bear children (especially heirs), and increase a man's wealth and status, serving as a secondary partner without the full legal rights or prestige of a primary wife, common in ancient societies for dynastic continuity and political alliances, as well as for pleasure. 

What is the difference between a concubine and a wife in China?

Social status. Women in concubinage (妾) were treated as inferior, and expected to be subservient to any wife under traditional Chinese marriage (if there was one). The women were not wedded in a whole formal ceremony, had less right in the relationship, and could be divorced arbitrarily.

A Day in the Life of a Ming Dynasty Concubine (It's Darker Than You Think)

Are concubines still a thing in China?

No, official concubinage is illegal in mainland China, banned by the Communist government in 1949/1950 as a feudal practice, replaced by strict monogamy, but remnants of "mistress" culture, often involving wealthy or corrupt officials keeping women in separate residences, appear in modern times, reflecting old power dynamics. While not legal concubines, these relationships resemble the old system and are sometimes called "modern concubines," though they are unofficial and frowned upon by the government.
 

What happens if a concubine gets pregnant?

If a concubine gets pregnant, her status and the child's future depend heavily on the culture and ruler; she might gain significant favor and security (like becoming an umm al-walad in Islam or a high-ranking consort in China) if the child is a son, but in other contexts, the child might be secondary to a wife's offspring, or she could face peril, even death, depending on the ruler's whims or political climate, though usually, having heirs secured her position. 

Are there modern day concubines?

Yes, concubines still exist, though often under different names or as unofficial arrangements, particularly in parts of Asia and among some wealthy individuals globally, evolving from historical practice to modern-day mistresses or "er nai," while some legal systems use related terms for cohabitation, but the traditional, formalized harem system is largely gone. While outright concubinage is illegal in many places like modern China, it persists as a cultural reality, especially with corrupt officials or the wealthy, and similar dynamics appear in some Western contexts as "sugar daddy" relationships, though not legally termed concubines. 

Is having a concubine adultery?

Whether having a concubine is adultery depends on the legal, cultural, and religious context, but generally, in modern legal/Christian views, it is considered adultery or a similar marital infidelity, as it's sex outside the primary marriage; however, historically (like in the Bible's Old Testament), concubinage was a recognized, lower-status legal relationship, distinct from adultery (which was sex with someone else's married woman), though many biblical examples led to familial strife, and Jesus later emphasized monogamy, making modern concubinage align more with adultery. 

Who is the most famous concubine?

“Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) is the most important woman in Chinese history. She ruled China for decades and brought a medieval empire into the modern age. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, Cixi was chosen as one of the emperor's numerous concubines and sexual partners.

When did China stop allowing concubines?

Concubinage in China effectively ended with the establishment of the People's Republic of China in 1949, when the new Communist government outlawed the practice, though informal arrangements continued, with Macau abolishing the Qing legal code in 1971, formalizing its end in the greater Chinese sphere. While emperors maintained imperial concubines in the Forbidden City, the broader societal practice for wealthy men was phased out as modern legal frameworks replaced traditional systems. 

Who was the most beautiful concubine?

Bao Si (Chinese: 褒姒; pinyin: Bāo Sì; Wade–Giles: Pao Ssu) was a concubine and then a consort of King You of Zhou. She was considered one of the most beautiful women of the ancient era.

Why do men need concubines?

Concubinage is a state of cohabitation that lacks the sanctions of marriage. This custom of having a mistress has been around since men and women have been on the Earth. The origins for a male to hold a concubine were for sexual pleasure and to ensure numerous children.

What countries still have concubines?

While official legal recognition of concubines is rare, the practice persists in informal ways, particularly in parts of Asia (like China, Hong Kong, Philippines, Malaysia) and the Muslim world (Middle East, parts of Africa, South Asia), often under customary law or as culturally accepted extramarital relationships, especially among affluent individuals. Modern forms often involve "second wives" (二奶, er nai) in China or long-term mistresses, blurring lines with traditional concubinage, though official monogamy laws usually apply. 

Do concubines have ladies in waiting?

The ladies-in-waiting worked as personal assistants, tending to the emperor's wardrobe, assisting the emperor's baths, serving meals, performing and attending court rituals. Ladies-in-waiting could be appointed as concubines, consorts or even empresses by the emperor or the heir to the throne.

Does China still allow multiple wives?

China: Polygamy is illegal under the Civil code passed in 2020, which replaced a similar 1950 and 1980 prohibition. Hong Kong: Polygamy ended with the passing of the Marriage Act of 1971 when the country was a crown colony under the former flag .

Which is heavier, adultery or concubinage?

Adultery, which covers married women, carries heavier penalty than concubinage, which covers married men. Further, adultery is easier proved than concubinage that requires the attendance of circumstances under Article 334.

What does God say about concubines?

God's view on concubines, as presented in the Bible, shows a tension: while He designed marriage as one man, one woman (Genesis 2:24, Matthew 19:4-6), He permitted concubinage in the Old Testament, often as a social solution for vulnerable women or a sign of wealth, though it frequently led to family strife and pain (Abraham, Jacob, Solomon) and wasn't God's ideal, with prophets later condemning infidelity within marriage. 

How many concubines did Genghis Khan have?

Genghis Khan had numerous wives and concubines, with estimates suggesting around 500 concubines and lesser wives in his large harem, alongside several high-ranking wives, including four main empresses. These women were often captured during conquests or given as tribute, forming distinct camps (ordos) managed by his principal wives, and he is believed to have fathered hundreds of children through these unions, leading to a massive genetic legacy. 

At what age did girls marry in ancient China?

From the Song to the Ching dynasties, the age of marriage was set at 16 for men and 14 for women. In the ancient times, the population of China was around 60-70 million before the Ching dynasty. Generally speaking, the population size was small. Early marriage was necessary and feasible.

Can you have a concubine in America?

The US legal system also used to use the term in reference to cohabitation, but the term never evolved further and is now considered outdated. In Switzerland, the term is still used as of 2025 for a legal status of cohabitation without marriage.

Which countries still have harems?

Harems, in the sense of secluding women from the outside world and keeping them under the control of men, can still be seen in many Islamic countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The most extreme examples include Saudi Arabia and Iran.

How did Geishas not get pregnant?

Geishas didn't get pregnant primarily because they weren't prostitutes but highly skilled entertainers, and if they did conceive, they immediately retired or ended the pregnancy, using various (often dangerous) traditional methods like herbal concoctions or barrier methods, plus withdrawal (coitus interruptus), to prevent conception in the first place. Pregnancy meant leaving the geisha world, so avoiding it was paramount, often involving dangerous abortions or infanticide in earlier times, alongside traditional contraception like pessaries or withdrawal.
 

Which Chinese emperor had 10,000 wives?

Emperor Wu was also known for his extravagance and sensuality, especially after the unification of China; legends boasted of his incredible potency among ten thousand concubines. Emperor Wu was commonly viewed as generous and kind, but also wasteful.

What is the golden rule for every pregnant woman?

The golden rule for every pregnant woman is never to miss meals and ensure she gets all the necessary nutrients for the baby. She can include foods rich in various nutrients and take supplements to avoid nutritional deficiencies and encourage the healthy growth and development of the baby.