As we all know, people in ancient times were not as open and free as they are now, and marriage was not something you could get married if you wanted to, and you needed to obey the arrangements of your parents, otherwise you would be burdened with many crimes. So why did men marry women at the age of 14 in ancient times, is this a cultural tradition or a social system?
In the ancient Western Zhou Dynasty, men had to reach the age of 30 to get married, and they had to have a stable job and economic foundation to ensure the stability and happiness of their marriage. Women, on the other hand, are at an earlier age, usually only waiting until they are 20 years old before they can start thinking about marriage. This is because in that era, the status of women was very low, they were mainly responsible for household chores and childcare, and did not have many opportunities to participate in social activities and work, so their age of marriage was limited relatively early. Men, on the other hand, need a longer period of time to accumulate wealth and social experience to ensure that they are able to take on the responsibilities and obligations of the family.
During the Spring and Autumn Period, with the development of politics and economy, the competition between various countries became increasingly fierce. In order to achieve the expansion and power of the country, some countries began to take measures to promote population growth and expand their territory. In the process, the age of marriage for women has been lowered to 15 years old. This was seen as a necessary strategy at the time, as women were most fertile at this age and could provide more population and strength to the country. At the same time, this practice is also seen as a social responsibility and obligation, and women should marry and have children at the appropriate age to contribute to the country and society.
Especially during the Qin Dynasty, in order to get more labor as soon as possible, they adopted the method of forced early marriage. At that time, early marriage and early childbearing were regarded as one of the important factors for the country's stability and economic development. As a result, the social ideology of the time gradually recognized marriage as a sign of personal maturity and social responsibility. During this period, women had a relatively low status and were therefore required to marry and have children early in order to contribute more labor to the family and the country. In addition, due to the turbulent social environment at that time and the frequent wars, population growth became one of the important factors for the stability and development of the country. Therefore, early marriage and early childbearing are also considered as part of national policy.
During the Tang and Song dynasties, especially after the rule of Zhenguan, China entered a period of prosperity, the social environment of the Tang Dynasty was relatively relaxed, and the people lived quite affluently. In such an environment, the Tang Dynasty adopted a series of policies and measures in order to alleviate internal conflicts, and the relaxation of restrictions on the age of marriage was one of them. Under Tang Dynasty law, men only had to be 16 or even 14 years old to be eligible to marry, while women were two years younger than men, and could be 14 or earlier. This restriction on the age of marriage was very lenient at the time, and this age restriction policy was considered an important law in the Tang Dynasty at the time. This relaxation of the age limit for marriage reflects the importance that Tang society attached to marriage and family. In the Tang Dynasty, the age of marriage was a very important legal law, and the relaxation of the age of marriage also made the Tang Dynasty a very developed period in Chinese history.
By the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, traditional social concepts and values were once again reinforced, with men beginning to dominate and women being bound within the framework of family and marriage. Once a woman is married, her main responsibility is to take care of the family, play the role of husband and child, and have almost no autonomy and decision-making power. The pattern of male farming and female weaving has once again become the mainstream of society, with men working outside the home while women take care of household chores at home to provide a stable living environment for their husbands and children. In such a social context, the status and rights of women have been greatly restricted and oppressed, and their contributions and values have been ignored and underestimated.
In this day and age, our concept of marriage and love has undergone earth-shaking changes, and we should respect and understand these historical and cultural changes. In any case, each social class has a different view of marriage and love, and each has its own unique reasons and charms. For us at the moment, as long as we can find our own happiness, no matter when and where, it is the most important. After reading this article, do you have a better understanding of the ancient marriage system and marriage age regulations? If you still want to know more about ancient topics, welcome to leave a message, let's see you next time!
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