In China's history, prostitutes were a broad concept that included five categories: palace prostitutes, camp prostitutes, official prostitutes, domestic prostitutes and folk prostitutes. The first three of these five categories of prostitutes are state-run prostitutes, which can be said to exist within the system. Despite their low social status, they live relatively well. They were incorporated into the official state establishment, supported by the state treasury, and served in the official and aristocratic classes. These officials and prostitutes had a very different status and rarely intersected in life, but historically the two people were very closely related.
The concept of prostitutes in Chinese history seems to be a bit broader than we now understand. Experts believe that prostitutes in Chinese history can be divided into two categories: geisha and color prostitutes. The former were mainly engaged in artistic performance activities, similar to today's literary workers or entertainment stars; The latter, on the other hand, lived mainly by selling hue, what is commonly understood today as a prostitute. However, the reason why artists and entertainment stars are classified as prostitutes is because geisha also often sell themselves, but as courtesans, it is not allowed to sell themselves often. Let's break it down further
Palace prostitutes are prostitutes who serve the emperor, camp prostitutes are prostitutes who serve military officers and soldiers, official prostitutes are prostitutes who serve local officials at all levels, domestic prostitutes are prostitutes who provide for the families of dignitaries and nobles, and folk prostitutes are closer to the prostitutes understood by modern people, who are active in the people and serve society.
Of these five categories of prostitutes, the first three belong to the State sector, which can be said to exist within the system. Although their social status is low, they live quite well, because they are officially supported and supported by the State. Of course, they also served the needs of the state and the emperor and bureaucracy that symbolized it. The latter two types of prostitutes are equivalent to individual private economies, which belong to the way of living outside the system, they are not dependent on the state, they operate independently, and they are responsible for their own profits and losses.
In Chinese history, the existence of prostitutes dates back to the Spring and Autumn period when the Qi state Guanzhong's state-run brothels were established. It is said that this was the beginning of the country's development of the cause of prostitutes. Later, Emperor Wudi of Han created the camp prostitute system, allowing prostitutes to serve the soldiers as comfort women, showing the emperor's understanding and concern for the welfare of soldiers. In the Sui Dynasty, the Sui Emperor set up a teaching workshop to entertain singers and dancers and indulge in the music of sound and color.
The Tang Dynasty followed the Sui Dynasty's workshop system, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang expanded the institution of the church, gathering 11,409 artists. And he was not satisfied with this, and also set up a pear garden, and indulged in absurd and shameless things. The superior is good, but the subordinate must pursue excessively. In particular, Tang Xuanzong set up a teaching workshop and arranged affair with Yang Yuhuan, which caused a sensation in the government and the public, making officials at all levels envious and imitating one after another. There are official prostitutes in various provinces, fang towns, prefectures, and prefecture and county military towns, and every time they feast on festivals, welcome officials, and entertain guests, they must assign prostitutes to sing and dance to accompany them.
The unpaid dedication of official and camp prostitutes to their superiors was considered an obligation, and it was not uncommon for some of them to have children with officials. Some officials even quarreled over prostitutes. Other officials would offer prostitutes as gifts, and when VIPs passed through a certain place, they would be accompanied by prostitutes. Some officials take a fancy to a prostitute and lend him a prostitute. For example, when Bai Juyi was appointed as the assassin of Hangzhou, he asked Yuan Shu to borrow Hangzhou singer Linglong to play for more than a month. Bai Juyi was proud of this, and recorded in his poems his behavior of prostitutes.
In the Qing Dynasty, the Yongzheng Emperor ordered the whole country to abolish the music registration system, and the state no longer officially supported prostitutes. From then until now, official prostitution has been institutionally banned, but it is difficult to ban them completely. Although there are no government-run prostitutes supported by the state finances, if officials want to prostitute, they must either pay for them themselves or ...
In general, prostitutes in Chinese history have different categories and statuses. Both state-run and self-employed prostitutes existed in different social contexts and were linked to officials and the aristocracy to varying degrees. Although the status and treatment of prostitutes have changed, their existence is closely related to the needs and values of society.