The Woman Behind Kangxi: The Biography of Virtuous Concubine

Chapter 153 Some Information: Palace Maid
Seeing that many Qing Dynasty texts like to turn the heroine into a female official in the Qing palace, I am sorry to tell you that the system of court ladies in the Qing Dynasty is somewhat different from other dynasties: the Qing Dynasty did not set up female officials, and the court ladies were managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Manchu, and after a period of service, they will leave the palace automatically instead of serving for life.

***清朝后宫贴身宫女的配置为：皇太后12名，皇后10名；皇贵妃、贵妃8名；妃嫔6名，常在2名，答应1名。但还有很多宫女负责照顾皇子、公主、和各种杂役。康熙、乾隆年间的宫女总数为3000多人，光绪时则为1900多人。

The following introduces some knowledge about the court ladies of the Qing Dynasty, and things that need special explanation. Drafting ladies and selecting palace ladies are two different things:
In the Qing Dynasty, there was an annual election for court ladies, who were 13-year-old women in Shangsanqi. They were required to have good facial features, quick movements, and clear speech; it was against the law to marry before the age of 13.The Accounting Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs will register the candidates according to their banner and age.Interviews are generally held in the Royal Garden of the Forbidden City, and only one interview is conducted, with 5-6 people in each batch.The losers can get married after returning home [1].

An edict issued in the seventh year of Yongzheng stipulated that maids serving nobles or higher ranks could be the daughters of officials and aristocratic families, while maids who were always present and agreed could only come from low-born people (“Bai Tang A Xiaowei, guards and armored Daughter of an Idle Man").

The selection of palace ladies and the three-year Eight Banners draft girls (to be concubines) are carried out separately, so the girls who fail the draft will not be changed to palace ladies, unless they are specially selected by themselves.The only exception is that those who have become concubines are occasionally demoted to court ladies as punishment.For example, Concubine Mei of Emperor Xianfeng offended Emperor Xianfeng once in the early years, and was demoted from a nobleman to a permanent presence, and then a court lady, but returned to the status of a permanent presence 8 days later.However, court ladies may also be favored by the emperor and become concubines.

The task of the maids is to do chores with the eunuchs and serve the royal family.After entering the palace, they must first be trained by older maids (called "aunts") to learn court etiquette and service rules.Ordinary court ladies mostly live in small houses near the palace gate, with 10 people in each house, who are on duty in turn.There is a certain amount of free time when not on duty.Family members can visit the palace once a month.

Ladies are not allowed to act alone, leave the palace privately or wander around in the palace.Palace ladies who break the rules or commit crimes may be fined to kneel, be punished with a stick (beating a board) or even die with a stick, and be expelled from the palace.However, there are certain restrictions on punishing court ladies, such as no slaps in the face.In 1778, Emperor Qianlong's concubine Dun beat a court lady for a trivial matter, causing her to die of serious injuries.Qianlong demoted Concubine Dun to concubine as punishment, and ordered other concubines, princes and their families not to abuse slaves at will.

According to the status, length of service and degree of favor of the master, the palace ladies are rewarded with a certain amount of money every month.In addition, court ladies use their spare time to do needlework, and entrust someone to sell it outside, which can also subsidize their income.

Way out
He was executed or given to death in the palace (ordered to commit suicide).There are two possibilities: I made a serious mistake or was buried.

Being favored by the emperor, it is possible (but not necessarily) to be made a concubine, so that she cannot leave the palace.

Marry with the princess.

Married by the royal family.For example, it is recorded that Qianlong once gave Ji Yun two court ladies as concubines.

In addition to the above reasons, when a certain age is reached (according to the regulations of the Qing Dynasty, it is generally 25 years old, and the master’s favorite may be extended to 35 years old, but there are also special favored palace ladies who are favored after leaving the palace and return to the palace to serve again. It is rumored that A court lady next to the Empress Dowager Ci'an, named Shuangxi, once entered the palace twice and returned to serve the Empress Dowager Ci'an), the maid voluntarily left the palace and returned to her mother's house, and then most of them married on their own or were arranged by their parents.Because these court ladies had served the royal family, they were considered to have a higher status than their husbands after marriage.

(End of this chapter)