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Behind every successful man there is a remarkable woman who does not compete for favors, is not jealous, does not lift, but just stands behind the man, burning herself, illuminating him, as if she exists to make him better.
Before Emperor Kahito introduced monogamy, the Emperor of Japan also had three wives and four concubines, embracing each other on the left and embracing the right. As a woman, sharing her husband with others was a terrible thing, but the empress not only tolerated her husband's "flower heart", but also put her husband and other concubines' children on the throne, and this person was Emperor Meiji's empress Ichimiko and the concubine of Emperor Taisho.
01
A family has a female first growing up.
In May 1849, from a left minister, Tadaka Ichijo and his side room, Minko Niigata, ushered in the crystallization of their love. Ichigo Tadaka was overjoyed, and named her daughter "Katsuko". The daughters of the Gongqing family always had to be carefully raised, and Katsuko's mother was originally the daughter of a family doctor, Shinhata, so she was raised very carefully. In order to ensure a balanced nutrition, Katsuko would often eat fish and chicken to ensure protein intake, a move that made her intellectually superior to other Children of the Gongqing family. Katsuko is not only proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, but also has excellent level of drums and songs in the tea ceremony, which laid a solid foundation for her to win the heart of Emperor Meiji.
Some people are born as "lucky stars". In 1858, Ichijo Takumi fell into the whirlpool of Ahn Shodai Prison, and in order to celebrate his daughter Katsuko, he gave his daughter Katsuko the nickname "Shouei-hime", perhaps because his prayers were favored by heaven, and Nakasaka retreated from this disaster.
02
The "old fox" who bets on both sides.
Katsuko's inclusion in the harem and ascension to the throne was inseparable from her father's plan of a loyal incense. Although Ichijo Zhongxiang was not very proud in his career, he was very experienced in raising his daughter.
In early 1867, Emperor Hyoming died suddenly, and Mujin, who was less than 15 years old, was put on the throne. The new emperor has decided, who will the empress choose? The secretaries of state began to move around, all wanting to arrange their own people in the harem. The "old fox" of Yi Zhongxiang would certainly not let go of such an opportunity, so he tried to please the Empress Yingzhao, who was also born with him, plus the Empress Yingzhao also wanted to find a daughter-in-law who was born like her, so the two of them hit it off.
In July 1867, Katsuko entered the harem as the "empress" of Emperor Meiji. (Female Emperor: A woman who serves in the Emperor's bedchamber, with the status below the Empress and the Middle Palace, and above the Changing Clothes.) ）
At that time, the situation in Japan was unclear, and it was unknown whether the Tokugawa family would be in power or the emperor in the future, so in order to rely on both sides, Ichigo Tadaka married his adopted daughter Mikako to the last shogun Tokugawa Keiki.
03
A generation of "virtuous queens" turned out to be born.
On February 7, 1869, Katsuko Ichijo changed her name to Miko Ichijo and was officially crowned Empress of Emperor Meiji on the 28th of the same month, when she was 20 years old. After that, she began a career of nearly half a century as empress (including 2 years of empress).
She was an empress during the Meiji Restoration, so there were many innovative initiatives that had a profound impact on future generations, which is also an important reason why she will be remembered by future generations. For example, she created a new education system for the Japanese imperial family by establishing the Chinese Girls' School (now the Gakuin Girls' High School) and the Ochanomizu Women's Normal School (now Ochanomizu Women's University). In addition, she contributed extensively to the establishment of the Japanese Red Cross and the military ambulance system. The Red Cross Society of Japan was called "Aibo" in the early days, which was established under the leadership of Empress Miko and with the support of the imperial family, and the honorary president of the Japanese Red Cross Society from Empress Miko onwards was held by successive empresses.
Although the "Founding Faction" conducted a brainwashed Western education for Miko, Miko grew up under the influence of Confucianism. After ascending to the throne, Miko took Empress Li Shimin, the eldest grandson of Emperor Taizong of Tang, as her own example, and she scrupulously adhered to her duty as a wife and helped Mujin to promote the Meiji Restoration, but always avoided suspicion and never overstepped her bounds.
04
A lifetime of "nothing" becomes a lifelong regret.
Emperor Meiji had 5 sons and 10 daughters, but they were all born with 7 concubines, which means that he did not have any children.
Emperor Meiji's favorite concubine was Called Yuan Shoko, who had 2 sons and 6 daughters, a total of 8 children, most of whom unfortunately died early. Therefore, after the death of Emperor Meiji, Miko could only support the "mentally handicapped" third prince Kahito to ascend to the throne. Kahito's biological mother was Aiko Yanagihara, a sermon with whom Mujin had 1 daughter and 2 sons, the youngest of three children.
Empress Dowager Zhaoxian, born into a family of gongqing of the Gongwu fusion school, was included in the harem because of her father's scheming skills and was crowned empress. Her life has left a strong mark on The history of Japan, and has become a model for the "Kenuchisuke" of the imperial family in later generations. If there are any regrets in Miko's life, it may be that she does not have a child of her own...