Introduction:
China has a long history of culture, in which colloquialisms, as a part of the culture, carry a wealth of wisdom and traditional concepts.
In a Chinese proverb, there is a striking topic, "Go out and have a different room with your wife". This sentence may seem outlandish, but there is a profound cultural connotation behind it, reflecting the values and etiquette norms of ancient society.
By delving into this proverb, we can get a glimpse of what ancient Chinese society looked like, as well as the concept of marriage and family in that era.
In this article, we will explore the deeper meaning of this proverb, interpret its historical background, discuss the cultural concept of passing on wives and children to the next generation, and discuss the changes of proverbs in modern society.
Although these colloquialisms may no longer be relevant in modern times, they still have cultural and historical value that deserve to be revisited and understood.
01 What does it mean to "go out and have a different room with your wife"?
In order to deeply understand the saying "go out and have sex with your wife", we first need to consider the literal meaning of this sentence and the profound cultural connotation behind it.
This proverb may seem simple, but it actually contains a wealth of historical and cultural elements, and it is necessary to consider the problem from the perspective of the ancients, as well as understand the meaning of the relevant words and the historical background of the time.
1. The different meanings of "going out" in ancient and modern times
First, we need to consider the meaning of the word "going out". In modern society, we often understand "going out" as leaving home to travel, work, or other activities.
However, in ancient times, the meaning of this word was different from that of modern times. In the feudal period, especially in the marriage system of ancient China, the status and role of women were very different from those of modern times.
In ancient times, women had a relatively low social status and were bound by strict family and social norms. There is an old saying called "If you don't go out of the door, you can't step out of the door", which emphasizes the restrictions on women's movement in feudal society.
Once a woman marries into her husband's family, her status is almost completely disconnected from her mother's family, and her opportunities to return to her family are usually limited.
Therefore, "going out" usually refers to when a woman returns to her parents' home, such as to visit relatives or attend major family events.
2. The cultural concept of "different rooms".
Next, we need to decipher the meaning of "different rooms".
In modern society, it is a matter of course for husband and wife to have sex with each other, but in ancient times, especially feudal society, husband and wife were bound by strict moral and etiquette norms.
The ancients often said that "chromophobia is also", that is, appetite and sexual desire are human nature. Sexual relations between husband and wife play an important role in giving birth to offspring and maintaining family bloodline, but the social concept of ancient times is very different from that of modern times.
In ancient times, sexual relations between men and women were regarded as secret and intimate matters, and even sexual acts between husband and wife had to be replaced by "Zhou Gong Zhili" in order to observe social etiquette.
In addition, ancient house structures were often poorly insulated and prone to gossip, so couples would make a bad impression if they shared a room in their parents' home.
Sanitation in ancient times was also not as convenient as in modern times, and the mother's room was often not equipped with modern washing equipment, so leaving something bad behind could cause hygiene problems.
This will not only make the husband and wife lose face, but also make the mother's family feel embarrassed. Therefore, the concept of "different rooms" was universally recognized and observed in ancient societies.
3. The comprehensive meaning of "going out to a different room with your wife".
Considering the above factors, the meaning of "going out to have a different room with your wife" gradually becomes clear. This proverb is actually a warning to couples that when a woman returns to her mother's home, husband and wife should not live in the same bed.
This kind of behavior is not in line with the cultural concepts and social etiquette of the time, and may cause unnecessary disputes and embarrassment.
Ancient societies had a special attitude towards women's return to their parents' homes, emphasizing the changing status and roles of women, while also reflecting respect for family and social norms.
In addition, there is a second half of the saying "go out and have a different room with your wife", "go out and don't worship your father-in-law's grave", which is also worthy of our in-depth discussion.
This second half of the sentence further emphasizes the importance attached to the concept of inheritance, implying that it is inappropriate for a son-in-law to return to his wife's maiden home to worship his ancestors.
Because it could mean that the son-in-law was involved in the wife's family sacrifice, which was considered a bad omen in the social concept of the time.
Through an in-depth analysis of the meaning of "going out to live with a wife", we can better understand the cultural concepts and family system of ancient Chinese society, as well as the importance attached to the succession of family generations.
Although this proverb is no longer applicable in modern society, it still has historical and cultural value, which helps us better understand the style and cultural concepts of ancient societies.
"What is 'going out without worshipping the grave of the father-in-law'" Before we delve into "what is the meaning of 'going out without worshipping the grave of the father-in-law'", we have a clear understanding of the meaning of "going out to live with the wife in a different room".
This proverb tells us that in ancient societies, when a woman returned to her mother's home, husband and wife should not share a room and bed in order to follow social etiquette and cultural concepts.
Now, let's delve into the second half of this proverb to reveal its cultural connotations and historical significance.
1. Ancient Marriage and Family Concepts
First of all, we need to understand the key words in "go out and don't visit your father-in-law's grave".
In this colloquial saying, "Zhangjia" refers to the woman's maiden family, that is, the family where the woman was born and raised. The "grave" refers to the cemetery or grave of the ancestors, which is an important place to worship and commemorate the ancestors.
Therefore, "going out without worshipping the grave of the father-in-law" is actually emphasizing that the son-in-law should not go to the wife's maiden house to worship the ancestors.
The cultural connotation here involves the ancient concept of marriage and family. In ancient China, marriage was seen as a union of two families, and when a woman married into her husband's family, her ties to her mother's family usually became loose.
The woman becomes a member of the new family, while the son-in-law is seen as a member of the father-in-law's family, taking on the responsibility of maintaining the lineage and passing on the lineage.
Therefore, it is considered inappropriate for a son-in-law to worship his ancestors in his wife's maiden home, as it involves sacrifices between different families and should be undertaken by the woman's family members.
2. The importance of inheritance
Ancient China attached great importance to the inheritance of the family lineage, believing that it was the responsibility and honor of the family.
The prosperity and continuation of the family requires a son to inherit the family business and worship ancestors, and the son-in-law, although a member of the new family, has a relatively low status in passing on the lineage.
Therefore, a son-in-law's worship of ancestors at his wife's maiden home is seen as an inappropriate interference and disrespect.
In addition, if a son-in-law insists on going to his wife's maiden home to worship his ancestors, this may be interpreted as a desire for the wealth and resources of his wife's maiden family, rather than respect for the responsibility of succession.
This can provoke criticism from relatives and society, because in ancient societies, the prosperity and stability of the family was the cornerstone of social order.
3. The conflict between modern concepts and ancient cultures
However, in modern society, this ancient concept of marriage and family has gradually changed.
Modern marriage is more egalitarian, and the relationship between husband and wife is based on mutual respect and equality, and is no longer bound by traditional etiquette and norms.
The status of women in society and the family has improved significantly, daughters are seen as heirs to the family along with sons, and the concept of succession has gradually faded.
As a result, today's couples are no longer restricted by "going out to have a separate room with their wives" and "not visiting their husbands' graves", and they are free to choose how to maintain their marriage and family relationships.
Although this proverb is no longer applicable in modern times, it still reflects ancient cultural concepts and value systems, and helps us better understand the appearance and evolution of ancient societies.
Epilogue:
Colloquialisms are an important part of cultural inheritance, they not only reflect the concepts and norms of ancient society, but also carry the wealth of wisdom and history.
In this article, we delve into the saying "going out to the house and not having sex with your wife", and interpret its historical background and deeper meaning.
We learned that this proverb reflects the importance that ancient Chinese society placed on succession and the complexity of marriage and family relationships.
Although the meanings of many colloquialisms are no longer applicable in modern society, they still have cultural and historical value that helps us better understand ancient culture and thought.
Through the study of colloquialisms, we can not only feel the breadth and profundity of Chinese culture, but also see the evolution of culture in constant change, which is of great significance for cultural inheritance and development.
I hope that we can continue to explore and pass on these precious cultural heritages in order to enrich our cultural life and better understand our cultural identity.