In the ancient harem, the beauties were like clouds, and the number of concubines far exceeded the needs of the emperor as a man. In order to maintain their status and dignity, they must constantly gain the favor of the emperor. But the peculiar structure of women's bodies doomed them to not being able to be intimate with men for a few days a month. When menstruation arrived, the concubines were faced with the embarrassing choice of rejecting the emperor's favor or concealing the truth to accept the favor.
To solve this problem, the ancients came up with some coping strategies. During the Zhou Dynasty, people paid great attention to the choice of timing, believing that everything must be in accordance with the time of day. The attendants between the emperor, symbolized by the sun, and the concubines, symbolized by the moon, must follow the change of the phases of the moon. The Zhou Dynasty set up female officials to assist in dealing with this issue. These female officials came from aristocratic families, and they were able to arrange for the harem attendants to sleep in an orderly manner, and they could also take care of the physical and mental health of each concubine in detail.
In the Han Dynasty, concubines used gold rings to indicate their menstrual periods, as a sign of "sutra precepts". The history books also record the method of the concubines using cinnabar to point their faces. These methods were very popular at the time, serving both a practical role and a light-hearted atmosphere.
By the Tang Dynasty, the rules of the harem were more complex and strict. The concubines directly asked the emperor for instructions, saying that they could not sleep due to physical reasons, and received the emperor's tolerance and understanding. A relationship of equality and trust was established between the concubines and the emperor in the harem of the Tang Dynasty. They dared to speak out, and the emperor was open to advice. Such a relationship is attributed to the enlightened thinking and well-developed education of Tang society.
In ancient times, the concubines tried every means to gain a foothold in the harem and put in a lot of effort. Some concubines even chose to find someone to substitute for themselves, pretending to be the emperor themselves, risking pregnancy. Some concubines also chose to use lanterns or red string marks to indicate their menstrual periods. They had only one purpose, and that was to compete for the emperor's insignificant favor and preserve their position. Although these methods may seem despicable, they had to make a choice in order to survive in the harsh environment of the time.
Reflection: In ancient times, the status of women was very low, they lacked the right to choose freely, and could only rely on the favor of the emperor to maintain their status and life. Their wisdom and intrigue are confined to the small space of the harem. However, with the progress of society, we have finally gained the right to choose our own lives. We should cherish and be grateful for the freedom that our predecessors have won for us, and live up to their sacrifices and efforts.