4 stages difficult to overcome

In Chinese films of the Qing Dynasty, we have seen many people from palace maids become concubines, thereby escaping from the life of servitude. However, historians assert that the possibility of a palace maiden being noticed by the emperor, favoring the emperor is almost impossible. Why is that so?

Rigorous selection period

In the Qing Dynasty, the imperial court examinations were divided into two forms: the elite female and the palace maiden examinations.

The harem selection is the most famous form of recruitment in the harem. This is also the most meticulously recorded and detailed recruitment in the history of feudal China. The queens and concubines of the king were the ones who were admitted to the palace through these recruitments.

In contrast, the recruitment of female bows is done by the Interior government. Because the palace maids were recruited into the palace to serve and serve, the requirements and conditions for them were not as strict and strict as that of the elite women. Women only need to have a background in the Upper Three Periods of Bao to be able to register to participate. According to the regulations, the court will conduct the recruitment of a female palace once a year.

Normally, the Interior Government will base on the criteria of appearance, polite gestures, and manner of speaking to pre-qualify the palace maids. Although the palace maids only serve as servants, those who choose to enter the palace must be excellent and agile women. Those who pass the preliminary round will continue to participate in the second selection session, which is personally selected by the emperor, empress and empress dowager. This is a rare opportunity to meet the emperor, if anyone is noticed by the king, it can be considered that the woman won the jackpot, her fate changed.

The girls selected as palace maids will be assigned by the Home Office to the nannies to teach etiquette and rules in the palace. After they have matured, they will be assigned to the palaces to serve. Although at this time, the distance between the palace maids and the emperor has been shortened, but in fact, it is already difficult to meet the emperor, to approach and to be noticed is “harder than going to heaven”.

Because according to the book “Treatment of aphorisms” recorded by Emperor Khang Hi himself, he mentioned the issue of serving women. In it, the emperor was completely surrounded by eunuchs serving, without the appearance of palace maids. Thus, it is impossible for the palace maiden to be watched by the emperor while serving.

How did the palace maiden approach the emperor?

During the Qing Dynasty, the rules for court ladies were extremely strict. However, palace maidens can still approach the emperor through the following 4 cases:

First case, the opportunity to approach the king is the second selection after the preliminary round. If the palace maid is lucky enough to be satisfied by the emperor, she can take a step up to a high branch. Otherwise, it is difficult for them to approach the Son of God if they do not want to be punished for their disrespect.

2nd case, the palace maids serving the queen are the ones who have the greatest access to the emperor. However, according to the rules, they can only watch from afar. With the concubines’ concubines, even though the master was favored by the king, the palace maid had no chance to approach the son of heaven. Because the concubines, when selected, will be prepared by the eunuch and taken to the emperor’s palace and then leave in the night.

The third case, Meet the king on the way. During the Qing Dynasty, palace maids were not allowed to enter the palace freely unless they were in charge of important tasks assigned by the Home Affairs government. In some cases when the emperor leaves the palace, they may meet by chance. However, according to the rule, when the subordinates meet the king, they must bow their heads, and are not allowed to look at the king’s face. Thus, not to mention being noticed by the emperor, even seeing their face is too far away.

The fourth case, approach the emperor in the queen’s palace. The emperors of the Qing Dynasty often had to go to the empress dowager to ask for peace. Wouldn’t that, the palace maids serving there would have a chance to approach the son of heaven? The truth is quite the opposite, the palace maids serving the queen mother are mostly elderly people, so it will be difficult for young palace maids to enter here.

Through the above 4 cases, it can be seen that the fact that the palace maids are easily noticed by the king and favored as in Chinese harem movies is incorrect. The probability that a palace maiden can approach the emperor, be blessed and take a step up to the top is almost zero. Therefore, there are many palace maidens who come to leave the palace and still do not know what the final appearance of the Son of God is.