The Ming Dynasty was the last Han dynasty in Chinese history, and its court life was markedly different from that of previous harems. During the Ming Dynasty, the life of the imperial palace was much richer and more diverse, not only as a place for the activities of the royal family members and their families, but also as the political and cultural center of the country.
The Ming emperors lived a more extravagant lifestyle than their predecessors. Not only did they have luxurious palaces and gardens, but they also had a large number of luxuries such as gold and silver jewelry, porcelain, and silk for them to enjoy. At the same time, they also like to entertain themselves by hunting, feasting, etc. However, behind these pleasures was huge financial pressure, as the Ming government had to spend a lot of manpower and material resources to build and maintain the royal facilities, and it also had to pay huge taxes to meet the needs of the imperial family.
In the Ming Dynasty, empresses and concubines were of higher status and more power. This is because Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the prime minister system, so that the emperor had to personally deal with state affairs. This led to more opportunities for empresses and concubines to participate in political decision-making. In addition, the Ming Dynasty also established a series of regulations to protect the rights and status of empresses and concubines, such as prohibiting the emperor from abusing them, stipulating that only the empress could sleep with the emperor, and so on.
The harem life of the Ming Dynasty was also very colorful. Queens and concubines can learn Xi poetry, songs, music and dances, as well as participate in various festivals and rituals. One of the most famous is the annual Mid-Autumn Festival moon viewing banquet. This tradition originated in the Tang Dynasty but reached its heyday during the Ming Dynasty. On this day, the queen and the concubines will sing and dance under the moon, taste mooncakes, and spend a pleasant evening.
What we cannot ignore is the eunuch system of the Ming Dynasty. Under this system, many low-ranking officials were castrated as eunuchs and entered the palace service. While this provided the palace with a loyal and useful contingent of servants, it also had a serious negative impact on society. Because eunuchs were infertile, they had a low status in society and were often discriminated against and ostracized. Moreover, much of the corruption was caused by eunuchs, who had direct access to the emperor and had the opportunity to influence the political situation.
Court life in the Ming Dynasty largely reflected the culture and values of that era. It has both a gorgeous side and a brutal side, but in any case, it provides an important window into history.