Before Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty, most of the lives of the palace ladies were spent in the imperial palace, and only after the death of the concubines did they have the opportunity to leave. It was not until the time of Emperor Shunzhi that the palace ladies were able to leave the palace after a certain age, but they were usually around 25 years old.
The ladies generally lived in huts near the palace gates, and ten people in each hut took turns on duty, but they also had days off. Once a month, their family members can visit the palace. The ladies of the court will also receive a salary, which is between 4 taels and 20 taels, and there will also be rewards such as silk, cotton, and yarn every year.
However, after these palace maids left the palace, although they were not too old and their appearance was still outstanding, most of them died alone, and no one dared to marry them. Why is that?
First of all, their age was already regarded as older leftover women in ancient feudal society, and the court ladies of the Qing Dynasty were all Manchu banner families, which limited their range of choices. Coupled with the Qing Dynasty's policy of "no intermarriage", it was difficult for them to find a suitable partner.
Secondly, the work intensity of the palace maids is very high, and their health is generally poor. Their life in the palace can be summed up in the words "real crying and fake laughter", and they are cautious every day, for fear of making mistakes. They are not free to speak and laugh, and even burping and "flattery" are disrespectful and offenders are punished. Every day before dawn, they have to get up and start work, and they can't rest until late at night. In addition, the ladies had to sleep on their sides and not on their backs, otherwise they would be considered to be in conflict with the gods. This long-term stress and exertion have caused great physical and mental damage to their bodies and minds, and various diseases have followed.
Finally, due to the long life in the palace, the court ladies saw more nobles and lavish scenes, so they became very high-minded and unwilling to marry poor families. But ordinary families usually pay attention to the right family, looking for pure women, not high-eyed and elderly palace maids. As a result, their options are very limited, most court ladies are reluctant to marry bachelors or poor peasants, and life in ordinary families may be difficult for them to adapt to.
On the way home is the New Year