Ranks of Imperial Consorts in China
Encyclopedia
In Chinese History, polygamy was not prohibited until recent times. As a result, different dynasties have different systems of ranking for their palace's inner harems. The most popular English translations for female imperial spouse ranks are Empress, technically Empress Consorts in English terms in all cases but the single case of Empress Regnant Wu Zetian
, Consorts (not empresses) which in the lists below cover such alternate English terms as Madam (as a formal rank, not a casual title) and by the Qing Dynasty
used the term (妃) (pinyin
: fēi) as in the case of Consort Zhen, and Concubine as in the case of Concubine Qi
who is also sometimes referred to with the Chinese character title for Madam, lesser ranked spouses being subsumed under such general categories as "wives of the Emperor."
Worth noting is the fact that during the Shang Dynasty
, there were times where two queens reigned at the same period.
The Rites of Zhou
contains great details of an imperial consort ranking system. However, as the Rites of Zhou is considered by modern scholars to be merely a fictitious constitution for a utopian society, the system listed in that work of literature cannot be taken word for word. Rather, it offers a rough glimpse into the inner harem during the time.
A grand total of 121 women. It was suggested that a system (not necessarily resembling the one listed above) was set up to prevent the situation of having two queens.
, there exists a much simplified ranking system. The Emperor's wife was called Queen (后), and other consorts, should they exist, along with the wives of Feudal Lords were called Madames (夫人)
No limits were set on the number of consorts during this time, except for the Queen, which was limited to one.
The principal wife of the Crown Prince
was called Consort (妃). There also exists a sub-ranking system for other consorts. They were called Liangdi (良娣) and Ruren (孺人). For grandchildren of the Emperor, their principal wives were called Madame (夫人). Consorts for these people have no titles, and were simple called people of the household (家人子).
When the Eastern Han (or Later Han]] Dynasty bean, the ranking system for consorts was dramatically scaled down, and only four ranks remained. They were Honoured Lady (貴人), Beautiful Woman (美人), Person of the Palace (宮人), and Cainu (采女).
No limits were set for these consorts. This later created situation when more than 20,000 women were living in the Palace during the reign of Emperor Huan
and Emperor Ling
, a new ranking system, as follows, was created. It expanded during the reigns of Cao Pi
and Cao Rui
.
and Cao Rui
further expanded the ranking system with the following ranks.
This created a final system with 12 ranks.
, like the other dynasties in the Southern and Northern Dynasties era, inherited the Jin system for their harems, albeit with some name changes.
to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to establish the following system:
While the position of The Talented Lady (才人) was elevated to a more prestigious position.
ascended to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to once again expand the system.
This round of expansion involved elevating the position of The Decent Consort to a category all unto itself, with the following ranks:
The new category was just underneath the Queen. In the 7th year of Emperor Wu's reign, the position of Zhaorong" (昭容) was created to fill the gap created when The Decent Consort was elevated to an independent category.
, no specific ranking system for consorts were devised, due to the Emperor's desire to live a simple life. It was only until Emperor Wen's
reign did a ranking system came into being for the Chen Dynasty.
The ranking system consists of the following:
, the consort ranking system was very simple, and only contained the rank of Madame. However, there existed an unwritten, subjective system of prestige rankings in between the Madames. It was during the reign of Emperor Taiwu
did a system of rankings listed below came into force:
reformed the consort ranking system to the system below.
ascended to the throne, a system of rankings more sophisticated than any devised before was promulgated.
, five Empresses were created - unprecedented by Chinese standards:
In addition, there were an innumerable number of consorts in the harem.
, there existed a simple system of rankings for imperial consorts
There also existed a system of Female Imperial Officers (女官) to manage ceremonial affairs in the harem. The system was based on similar systems in the past.
However, since the Empress at the time, Dugu Qieluo
, was jealous of others, no consorts were actually installed.
expanded the ranks of the consorts to the following:
, the ranking system was expanded yet again, based on systems in the past, to the following.
, a system based on previous dynasty's systems, as shown below, was used
Only 1 person may hold each of the titles at any given time.
reign, which creating the following system
, and created the following system:
However, it is known that the Later Tangs
uses the following system:
Whether there were any limits to the holders of these titles are unknown.
, the ranking system was at its simplest, and only consists of Empress, Consort, and Imperial Concubine. No limits were set on the number of people who could enjoy the title, so multiple Empresses could exist.
Although the number of ranks were few, there existed a subsystem of ranking by prestige inside the Yuan harem. The tent (Chinese: 宮帳, translated term from Mongolian
: 斡兒垛) that a consort lives in often determines their status. These tents often contain multiple Empresses, Consorts, and Imperial Concubines. In the many tents that existed, the first Empress of the first tent is considered to be the most prestigious consort.
's system was among one of the simpler systems in Chinese history. There were eight classes:
The system was solid, but the number of consorts an emperor actually had during the Qing Dynasty was subject to wild variations. The Kangxi Emperor
holds the record for having the most consorts with 79, while the Guangxu Emperor
holds the record for having the least consorts, with one empress and two consorts - a total of just three consorts.
The tradition of ranking concubines ended as the Qing Dynasty was overthrown. However, the practice of giving rank to people who "unofficially" (lives with, but never marry) have more than one wife is still widespread. In addition, the term Madame is still used, albeit rarely and only in very formal settings, as an honorific title towards another person's wife in China.
Wu Zetian
Wu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
, Consorts (not empresses) which in the lists below cover such alternate English terms as Madam (as a formal rank, not a casual title) and by the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
used the term (妃) (pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: fēi) as in the case of Consort Zhen, and Concubine as in the case of Concubine Qi
Concubine Qi
Concubine Qi , also known as Lady Qi or Consort Qi , was the favoured concubine of Han Gaozu , the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. She was called by some as Qi the Benign .She was born in Dingtao , Shandong. Liu Ruyi , later entitled Prince of Zhao, was their son...
who is also sometimes referred to with the Chinese character title for Madam, lesser ranked spouses being subsumed under such general categories as "wives of the Emperor."
Early history
There exists a class of consorts called Ying (Chinese: 媵) during early historical times in China. These were people who came along with brides as a form of dowry. It could be the female cousin or sister of the bride, or people from other countries (not necessarily from another race).Worth noting is the fact that during the Shang Dynasty
Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty or Yin Dynasty was, according to traditional sources, the second Chinese dynasty, after the Xia. They ruled in the northeastern regions of the area known as "China proper" in the Yellow River valley...
, there were times where two queens reigned at the same period.
The Rites of Zhou
Rites of Zhou
The Rites of Zhou , also known as Zhouguan, is one of three ancient ritual texts listed among the classics of Confucianism. It was later renamed Zhouli by Liu Xin to differentiate it from a chapter in the Classic of History which was also known as Zhouguan.Though tradition ascribed the text of the...
contains great details of an imperial consort ranking system. However, as the Rites of Zhou is considered by modern scholars to be merely a fictitious constitution for a utopian society, the system listed in that work of literature cannot be taken word for word. Rather, it offers a rough glimpse into the inner harem during the time.
Ranking System for Emperors
The Rites of Zhou states that for Emperors, they are entitled to the following:- 1 Empress (皇后)
- 3 Madames (夫人)
- 9 Imperial Concubines (嬪)
- 27 Shifus (世婦)
- 81 Imperial Wives (御妻)
A grand total of 121 women. It was suggested that a system (not necessarily resembling the one listed above) was set up to prevent the situation of having two queens.
Ranking System for Others
According to the Rites of Zhou, Feudal Lords are entitled to 9 consorts in total, and cannot marry again after having 9 consorts, which makes for 1 wife and 8 consorts. For other officers, they are entitled to 1 wife and 1 consort. For normal citizens, only 1 wife is allowed.Qin Dynasty
In the Qin DynastyQin Dynasty
The Qin Dynasty was the first imperial dynasty of China, lasting from 221 to 207 BC. The Qin state derived its name from its heartland of Qin, in modern-day Shaanxi. The strength of the Qin state was greatly increased by the legalist reforms of Shang Yang in the 4th century BC, during the Warring...
, there exists a much simplified ranking system. The Emperor's wife was called Queen (后), and other consorts, should they exist, along with the wives of Feudal Lords were called Madames (夫人)
Han Dynasty
During the Eastern Han period, the Emperor's principal wife was called Empress (后), and consorts were all called Madames (夫人). Within the rank of Madame, there exists a system of sub-rankings.- Zhaoyi (昭儀, created during the reign of Emperor YuanEmperor Yuan of HanEmperor Yuan of Han was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He reigned from 48 BC to 33 BC. Emperor Yuan was remembered for the promotion of Confucianism as the official creed of Chinese government. He appointed Confucius adherents to important government posts...
) - Madame(夫人)
- Beautiful Lady (美人)
- Good Lady (良人)
- Bazi (八子)
- Qizi (七子)
- Changshi (長使)
- Shaoshi (少使)
- Jieyu (婕妤, created by Emperor WuEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
) - Kenge (娙娥, created by Emperor WuEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
) - Ronghwa (容華, created by Emperor WuEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
) - Chongyi (充依, created by Emperor WuEmperor Wu of HanEmperor Wu of Han , , personal name Liu Che , was the seventh emperor of the Han Dynasty of China, ruling from 141 BC to 87 BC. Emperor Wu is best remembered for the vast territorial expansion that occurred under his reign, as well as the strong and centralized Confucian state he organized...
) - Wuguan (五官)
- Shunchang (順常)
- Wujuan (無涓)
- Gonghe (共和)
- Yuling (娛靈)
- Baolin (保林)
- Liangshi (良使)
- Yezhe (夜者)
No limits were set on the number of consorts during this time, except for the Queen, which was limited to one.
The principal wife of the Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
was called Consort (妃). There also exists a sub-ranking system for other consorts. They were called Liangdi (良娣) and Ruren (孺人). For grandchildren of the Emperor, their principal wives were called Madame (夫人). Consorts for these people have no titles, and were simple called people of the household (家人子).
When the Eastern Han (or Later Han]] Dynasty bean, the ranking system for consorts was dramatically scaled down, and only four ranks remained. They were Honoured Lady (貴人), Beautiful Woman (美人), Person of the Palace (宮人), and Cainu (采女).
No limits were set for these consorts. This later created situation when more than 20,000 women were living in the Palace during the reign of Emperor Huan
Emperor Huan of Han
Emperor Huan of Han, ch. 漢桓帝, py. hàn húan dì, wg. Han Huan-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-grandson of Emperor Zhang....
and Emperor Ling
Emperor Ling of Han
Emperor Ling of Han, trad. ch. 漢靈帝;, sim. ch. 汉灵帝, py. hàn líng dì, wg. Han Ling-ti, was an emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. He was a great-great-grandson of Emperor Zhang. The Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out during Emperor Ling's reign.Emperor Ling's reign saw yet another repetition of...
Initial System
During the reign of Cao CaoCao Cao
Cao Cao was a warlord and the penultimate chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during the dynasty's final years. As one of the central figures of the Three Kingdoms period, he laid the foundations for what was to become the state of Cao Wei and was posthumously titled...
, a new ranking system, as follows, was created. It expanded during the reigns of Cao Pi
Cao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
and Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
.
- Empress (皇后)
- Madame (夫人)
- Zhaoyi (昭儀)
- Jieyu (婕妤)
- Ronghwa (容華)
- Beautiful Lady (美人)
Cao Pi and Cao Rui Expansions
Cao PiCao Pi
Cao Pi , formally known as Emperor Wen of Wei, was the first emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. Born in Qiao County, Pei Commandery , he was the second son of the late Han Dynasty warlord Cao Cao.Cao Pi, like his father, was a poet...
and Cao Rui
Cao Rui
Cao Rui , formally known as Emperor Ming of Wei, was the second emperor of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of Chinese history. He was a son of Cao Wei's first emperor Cao Pi according to Liu Song dynasty historian, Pei Songzhi, but was a son of Yuan Xi according to modern...
further expanded the ranking system with the following ranks.
- Zhaohwa (昭華, created by Cao Pi)
- Xiurong (修容, created by Cao Pi)
- Good Lady (良人, created by Cao Pi)
- The Honoured Imperial Concubine (貴嬪, created by Cao Pi)
- The Decent Consort (淑妃, created by Cao Rui)
- The Decent Concubine (淑媛, created by Cao Pi)
- Shuncheng (順成, created by Cao Pi, abolished by Cao Rui)
- Xiuyi (修儀, created by Cao Pi)
This created a final system with 12 ranks.
Jin Dynasty (265–420)
The system in the Jin Dynasty was based on the systems used in Cao Wei and the Han Dynasty, as followsMadame Rankings
There exists three ranks for Madames.- The Honoured Imperial Concubine (貴嬪)
- Madame (夫人)
- The Honoured Lady (貴人)
Imperial Concubine Rankings
There exists nine ranks for Imperial Concubines.- The Decent Consort (淑妃)
- The Decent Concubine (淑媛)
- The Decent Beauty (淑儀)
- Xiuhwa (修華)
- Xiurong (修容)
- Xiuyi (修儀)
- Jieyu (婕妤)
- Ronghwa (容華)
- Chonghwa (充華)
Other Ranks
There exists a ranking below Imperial Concubines also.- Beautiful Lady (美人)
- The Talented Lady (才人)
- The Average Talented Lady (中才人)
Southern Qi
The Southern QiSouthern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
, like the other dynasties in the Southern and Northern Dynasties era, inherited the Jin system for their harems, albeit with some name changes.
Initial Ranking System
At the ascension of Emperor GaoEmperor Gao of Southern Qi
Emperor Gao of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Daocheng , courtesy name Shaobo , nickname Doujiang , was the founding emperor of the Chinese dynasty Southern Qi...
to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to establish the following system:
Madames
There were three ranks for Madames:- The Honoured Imperial Concubine (貴嬪)
- Madame (夫人)
- The Honoured Lady (貴人)
Imperial Concubines
There were three ranks for Imperial Concubines:- Xiuhwa (修華)
- Xiuyi (修儀)
- Xiurong (修容)
- The Decent Consort (淑妃)
- The Decent Concubine (淑媛)
- The Decent Beauty (淑儀)
- Jieyu (婕妤)
- Ronghwa (容華)
- Chonghwa (充華)
"Scattered Positions"
Three ranks were set aside in what became known as the "scattered positions" (散位)- Beautiful Lady (美人)
- The Talented Lady (才人)
- The Average Talented Lady (中才人)
1st Expansion
The system was expanded later in Emperor Gao's reign, and added the following new positions:- Liangdi (良娣)
- Baolin (保林)
While the position of The Talented Lady (才人) was elevated to a more prestigious position.
2nd and 3rd Expansion
When Emperor WuEmperor Wu of Southern Qi
Emperor Wu of Southern Qi , personal name Xiao Ze , courtesy name Xuanyuan , nickname Long'er , was the second emperor of the Chinese Southern Qi Dynasty...
ascended to the throne, the Minister for Ceremonies (禮司) successfully petitioned the Emperor to once again expand the system.
This round of expansion involved elevating the position of The Decent Consort to a category all unto itself, with the following ranks:
- The Decent Consort (淑妃)
- The Honoured Lady (貴人)
The new category was just underneath the Queen. In the 7th year of Emperor Wu's reign, the position of Zhaorong" (昭容) was created to fill the gap created when The Decent Consort was elevated to an independent category.
Chen Dynasty
Initially, during the reign of Emperor WuEmperor Wu of Chen
Emperor Wu of Chen , personal name Chen Baxian , courtesy name Xingguo , nickname Fasheng , was the first emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He first distinguished himself as a Liang Dynasty general during the campaign against the rebel general Hou Jing, and he was progressively promoted...
, no specific ranking system for consorts were devised, due to the Emperor's desire to live a simple life. It was only until Emperor Wen's
Emperor Wen of Chen
Emperor Wen of Chen , personal name Chen Qian , courtesy name Zihua , was an emperor of the Chinese Chen Dynasty. He was the nephew of the founding emperor, Emperor Wu , and after Emperor Wu's death in 559, the officials supported him to be emperor since Emperor Wu's only surviving son, Chen...
reign did a ranking system came into being for the Chen Dynasty.
The ranking system consists of the following:
Madames
There were three sub-ranks within this category. Each titles within this rank may be held by only one person at any given time. This did not prevent the elevation of others into the title upon the death of an existing holder of the title in question.- Noble Consort (貴妃)
- Honoured Imperial Concubine (貴嬪)
- Guiji (貴姬)
Imperial Concubines
Each titles within this rank may be held by only one person at any given time. This did not prevent the elevation of others into the title upon the death of an existing holder of the title in question.- The Decent Concubine (淑媛)
- The Decent Beauty (淑儀)
- Shurong (淑容)
- Zhaohwa (昭華)
- Zhaorong (昭容)
- Zhaoyi (昭儀)
- Xiuhwa (修華)
- Xiuyi (修儀)
- Xiurong (修容)
Common Titles
There are five titles within this rank.- Jieyu (婕妤)
- Ronghwa (容華)
- Chonghwa (充華)
- Chenghui (承徽)
- Lierong(列榮)
Scattered Positions
Three titles exist in this rank. There were no limits on the number of holders for the following title.- Beautiful Lady (美人)
- The Talented Lady (才人)
- Good Lady (良人)
Northern Wei
During the reign of Emperor DaowuEmperor Daowu of Northern Wei
Emperor Daowu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Gui , né Tuoba Shegui , was the founding emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei. He was the grandson of the last prince of Dai, Tuoba Shiyijian, and after the fall of the Dai state to Former Qin in 376 had been presumed to be the...
, the consort ranking system was very simple, and only contained the rank of Madame. However, there existed an unwritten, subjective system of prestige rankings in between the Madames. It was during the reign of Emperor Taiwu
Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei
Emperor Taiwu of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Tao , nickname Foli , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
did a system of rankings listed below came into force:
- Empress (皇后)
- Left and Right Zhaoyi (左右昭儀)
- The Honoured Lady (貴人)
- Jiaofang (椒房)
Ranking Reform
During the sinification of the Northern Wei Dynasty, Emperor XiaowenEmperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei , personal name né Tuoba Hong , later Yuan Hong , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
reformed the consort ranking system to the system below.
- Empress (皇后)
- Left and Right Zhaoyi (左右昭儀)
- Madame (夫人)
- Imperial Concubine of the Third Class (三嬪)
- Imperial Concubine of the Sixth Class (六嬪)
- Shifu (世婦)
- Imperial Woman (御女)
Northern Qi
In the beginning, there were only three ranks for Northern Qi's consort's: Madame (夫人), Imperial Concubine (嬪), and Imperials (御). However, as Emperor WuchengEmperor Wucheng of Northern Qi
Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi , personal name Gao Dan , nickname Buluoji , was an emperor of the Chinese dynasty Northern Qi. During his reign, he devoted much of his time to feasting and pleasure-seeking, neglecting the affairs of the state and causing Northern Qi's political system to degrade...
ascended to the throne, a system of rankings more sophisticated than any devised before was promulgated.
E-Ying
There were two positions: Left and Right E-Yings (左右娥英). Only one person may hold each one of the positions at any given time, which means no more than two people can hold positions in this rank.Zhaoyi
There were two positions: Left and Right E-Yings (左右昭儀). Only one person may hold each one of the positions at any given time, which means no more than two people can hold positions in this rank.Madame
There were three sub-ranks within the rank of Madame (夫人):- Madame Hongteh (弘德夫人)
- Madame Zhengteh (正德夫人)
- Madame Chongteh (崇德夫人)
Upper Imperial Concubines
There were three sub-ranks within the rank of Madame of the Upper Imperial Concubines (上嬪):- Longhui (隆徽)
- Guangyou (光猷)
- Zhaoxun (昭訓)
Lower Imperial Concubines
There were three sub-ranks within the rank of Madame of the Lower Imperial Concubines (下嬪):- Xuanhui (宣徽)
- Xuanming (宣明)
- Ninghui (凝暉)
- Ninghua (凝華)
- Shunhua (順華)
- Guangxun (光訓)
Shifu
There were 27 sub-ranks within the rank of Shifu (世婦), and each title can only be held by one person at any given time:Imperial Woman
There were 81 sub-ranks within the rank of Imperial Woman (御女), and each title can only be held by one person at any given time:Northern Zhou
Initially, Northern Zhou only had a system that allows for five madames. However, during the reign of Emperor XuanEmperor Xuan of Northern Zhou
Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou , personal name Yuwen Yun , courtesy name Qianbo , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou. He was known in history as an erratic and wasteful ruler, whose actions greatly weakened the Northern Zhou regime...
, five Empresses were created - unprecedented by Chinese standards:
- Yang Lihua, The Great Empress of TianyuanEmpress Yang LihuaEmpress Yang Lihua was an empress of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, and later a princess of Sui Dynasty. Her husband was Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou , and her father was Emperor Wen of Sui ....
(天元大皇后楊麗華) - Zhu Manyue, The Great Empress of the HeavenEmpress Zhu ManyueEmpress Zhu Manyue , later Buddhist nun name Fajing , was a concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou , an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou, and she was the mother of Emperor Jing ....
(天大皇后朱滿月) - Chen Yueyi, The Great Center Empress of the HeavenEmpress Chen YueyiEmpress Chen Yueyi , later Buddhist nun name Huaguang , was a concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou, an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou....
(天中大皇后陳月儀) - Yuchi Chifan, The Great Left Empress of the HeavenEmpress Yuchi ChifanEmpress Yuchi Chifan or Yuchi Fanchi , later Buddhist nun name Huashou , was a concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou, an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou....
(天左大皇后尉遲熾繁) - Yuan Leshang, The Great Right Empress of the HeavenEmpress Yuan LeshangEmpress Yuan Leshang , later Buddhist nun name Huasheng , was a concubine of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou, an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Zhou....
(天右大皇后元樂尚)
In addition, there were an innumerable number of consorts in the harem.
Sui
In the beginning of the Sui DynastySui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
, there existed a simple system of rankings for imperial consorts
- 1 Empress
- 3 Imperial Concubines
- 9 Shifu
- 38 Imperial Women
There also existed a system of Female Imperial Officers (女官) to manage ceremonial affairs in the harem. The system was based on similar systems in the past.
However, since the Empress at the time, Dugu Qieluo
Empress Dugu Qieluo
Empress Dugu Qieluo , formally Empress Wenxian , was an empress of the Chinese dynasty Sui Dynasty...
, was jealous of others, no consorts were actually installed.
1st Expansion
After Dugu Qieluo died, Emperor WenEmperor Wen of Sui
Emperor Wen of Sui — personal name Yang Jian , Xianbei name Puliuru Jian , nickname Naluoyan — was the founder and first emperor of China's Sui Dynasty . He was a hard-working administrator and a micromanager. As a Buddhist, he encouraged the spread of Buddhism through the state...
expanded the ranks of the consorts to the following:
- 1 Empress
- 3 Honoured Ladies (new creation)
- 9 Imperial Concubines (up from 3)
- 27 Shifu (up from 9)
- 81 Imperial Women (up from 38)
2nd Expansion
During the reign of Emperor YangEmperor Yang of Sui
Emperor Yang of Sui , personal name Yang Guang , alternative name Ying , nickname Amo , known as Emperor Ming during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong), was the second son of Emperor Wen of Sui, and the second emperor of China's Sui Dynasty.Emperor Yang's original name was Yang Ying, but...
, the ranking system was expanded yet again, based on systems in the past, to the following.
- 1 Empress
- 3 Madames
- 1 Guifei (貴妃)
- 1 Shufei (淑妃)
- 1 Defei (德妃)
- 9 Imperial Concubines
- 12 Jieyu
- 15 Shifu, Beautiful Ladies, and Talented Ladies in total
- 24 Baolin (保林)
- 24 Imperial Women
- 37 Cainu (采女)
Initial System
During the early ages of the Tang DynastyTang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
, a system based on previous dynasty's systems, as shown below, was used
Madames
There were four sub-ranks within this rank, which consists of:- Guifei (貴妃)
- Shufei (淑妃)
- Defei (德妃)
- Xianfei (賢妃).
Only 1 person may hold each of the titles at any given time.
Imperial Concubines
There were nine sub-ranks within this rank, which includes- Zhaoyi (昭儀)
- Zhaorong (昭容)
- Zhaoyuan (昭媛)
- Xiuyi (修儀)
- Xiurong (修容)
- Xiuyuan (修媛)
- Chongyi (充儀)
- Chongrong (充容)
- Chongyuan (充媛)
Other Titles
In additions, there were nine Jieyus (婕妤), nine Beautiful Ladies (美人), nine Talented Ladies (才人), 27 Baolin (保林), 27 Imperial Woman (御女), and 29 Cainus (采女).1st Reform
The first reform of the ranks occurred during the Emperor Gaozong'sEmperor Gaozong of Tang
Emperor Gaozong of Tang , personal name Li Zhi , was the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty in China, ruling from 649 to 683...
reign, which creating the following system
- 1 Empress (皇后)
- 2 Zanteh (贊德)
- 4 Xuanyi (宣儀)
- 5 Chenggui (承閨)
- 5 Chengzhi (承旨)
- 6 Weixian (衛仙)
- 8 Gongfeng (供奉)
- 20 Shijie (侍櫛)
2nd Reform
The second reform of the ranks occurred during the reign of Emperor XuanzongEmperor Xuanzong of Tang
Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , also commonly known as Emperor Ming of Tang , personal name Li Longji , known as Wu Longji from 690 to 705, was the seventh emperor of the Tang dynasty in China, reigning from 712 to 756. His reign of 43 years was the longest during the Tang Dynasty...
, and created the following system:
- 1 Empress (皇后)
- 1 Noble Consort (貴妃. This position was originally of equal rank to other consorts. But during the time of Yang GuifeiYang GuifeiConsort Yang Yuhuan , often known as Yáng Guìfēi , known briefly by the Taoist nun name Taizhen , was known as one of the Four Beauties of ancient China...
, this position became much more prestigious) - 3 Consorts (妃)
- 1 Huifei (惠妃)
- 1 Lifei (麗妃)
- 1 Hwafei (華妃)
- 6 Yis (儀)
- 1 Poyi (波儀)
- 1 Tehyi (德儀)
- 1 Xianyi (賢儀)
- 1 Shunyi (順儀)
- 1 Wanyi (婉儀)
- 1 Fangyi (芳儀)
- 4 Beautiful Ladies (美人)
- 7 Talented Ladies (才人)
- 2 Shanggong (尚宮)
- 2 Shangyi (尚儀)
- 2 Shangfu (尚服)
Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period
During these times, governments were replaced frequently, and as a result, it is difficult for modern scholars to get any solid information on ranking systems during these times.However, it is known that the Later Tangs
Later Tang Dynasty
The Later Tang Dynasty was a short-lived dynasty that lasted from 923 to 937 one of the five dynasties during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was also the first in a series of three dynasties ruled by the Shatuo Turks...
uses the following system:
- Zhaorong (昭容)
- Zhaoyi (昭儀)
- Zhaoyuan (昭媛)
- Chushi (出使)
- Yuzheng (御正)
- Shizhen (侍真)
- Yicai (懿才)
- Xianyi (咸一)
- Yaofang (瑤芳)
- Yiteh (懿德)
- Xuanyi (宣一)
Whether there were any limits to the holders of these titles are unknown.
Yuan
During the Yuan DynastyYuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
, the ranking system was at its simplest, and only consists of Empress, Consort, and Imperial Concubine. No limits were set on the number of people who could enjoy the title, so multiple Empresses could exist.
Although the number of ranks were few, there existed a subsystem of ranking by prestige inside the Yuan harem. The tent (Chinese: 宮帳, translated term from Mongolian
Mongolian language
The Mongolian language is the official language of Mongolia and the best-known member of the Mongolic language family. The number of speakers across all its dialects may be 5.2 million, including the vast majority of the residents of Mongolia and many of the Mongolian residents of the Inner...
: 斡兒垛) that a consort lives in often determines their status. These tents often contain multiple Empresses, Consorts, and Imperial Concubines. In the many tents that existed, the first Empress of the first tent is considered to be the most prestigious consort.
Qing
The Qing DynastyQing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
's system was among one of the simpler systems in Chinese history. There were eight classes:
- Empress , only one in the imperial harem.
- Imperial Honoured Consort , only one in the imperial harem.
- Honoured Consorts , only two in the imperial harem.
- Consorts , only four in the imperial harem.
- Imperial Concubines , only six in the imperial harem.
- Honoured Ladies , unlimited number in the imperial harem.
- First Class Female Attendant , unlimited number in the imperial harem.
- Second Class Female Attendant , unlimited number in the imperial harem.
The system was solid, but the number of consorts an emperor actually had during the Qing Dynasty was subject to wild variations. The Kangxi Emperor
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor ; Manchu: elhe taifin hūwangdi ; Mongolian: Энх-Амгалан хаан, 4 May 1654 –20 December 1722) was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the first to be born on Chinese soil south of the Pass and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper, from 1661 to 1722.Kangxi's...
holds the record for having the most consorts with 79, while the Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
holds the record for having the least consorts, with one empress and two consorts - a total of just three consorts.
The tradition of ranking concubines ended as the Qing Dynasty was overthrown. However, the practice of giving rank to people who "unofficially" (lives with, but never marry) have more than one wife is still widespread. In addition, the term Madame is still used, albeit rarely and only in very formal settings, as an honorific title towards another person's wife in China.