In the backyards of ancient mansions and the walls of imperial palaces, women's lives were often full of loneliness and constraints. Their husbands, often busy with various affairs or attracted to other women, leave them waiting endlessly and lonely.
Against this backdrop, some bold women began to seek emotional solace, and their eyes invariably turned to the monk in monk's robes.
Why did women in ancient times love to have personal affairs with monks so much? Why did this happen? Then we have to say that monks are outstanding in these three points.
The first point: special identity protection
In ancient societies, communication between men and women was severely restricted, especially married women, whose actions were often monitored by the family and society.
However, as Buddhists, monks are given a special status. Women can interact with monks in Buddhist affairs, such as burning incense in temples to pray for blessings, or inviting monks to chant sutras at home.
Coupled with the fact that monks are often seen in traditional culture as Buddhist disciples who transcend worldly desires, their actions do not arouse excessive suspicion from others.
This special status undoubtedly provided cover for some thrill-seeking concubines, and the monk became an ideal candidate for their secret exit.
Monks generally do not worry about food and clothing, and even if they have become monks, they still have some physical needs, especially some young monks who are not enough to practice. They had a lot of time to speculate on the woman's thoughts. Therefore, it is easier to impress them when communicating with them.
The second point: energetic and healthy
In ancient times, temples were the equivalent of semi-governmental institutions. Although most monasteries have no hierarchy and no right to participate in politics, every monk in the monasteries has an official certificate that is recorded.
In addition, the government also allocated a large amount of land to the temples, allowing them to work and support themselves. But these monks tend to lease their land and chant sutras every day, without harming their bodies by their labor.
They usually have strict routines and routines. There is no need to carry a heavy burden on the family, nor do you need to work hard for a living like a secular man.
This allows them to maintain a relatively high level of physical strength. Compared to many husbands, who appear exhausted under heavy family and social responsibilities, monks appear to have more energy.
In addition, long-term abstinence may have allowed them to accumulate considerable emotional and physical strength, which undoubtedly has an irresistible attraction for some women.
The third point: irritation and accessibility
In ancient times, due to the restrictions of the feudal system, many women lived a lonely and restricted life within the walls of the mansion.
Their husbands are unable to give them enough attention and emotional communication. This desire for love and longing drives some concubines to act boldly when seeking emotional support.
Monks, because of their presence in Buddhism, often give the impression of being pure and desireless. Their refusal to indulge in worldly pleasures further fueled women's curiosity and desire for conquest.
Therefore, this kind of emotional stimulation and psychological satisfaction makes the monk a very tempting existence in the eyes of some concubines.
Li Shimin's beloved daughter, Princess Gaoyang, also has two or three things that cannot be said with the monk. After Princess Gaoyang married the prime minister's son Fang, she disliked her husband and would not accompany her to chant poetry.
So when they met Xuanzang's apprentice debate, the two quickly ignited their love and embarked on the road of no return. Later, Li Shimin found out that not only did he behead the debate monk, but more than a dozen maidservants around Princess Gaoyang also lost their names, which can be described as very tragic.
In addition to this incident, the story of an ancient woman having an affair with a monk is also recorded in some books. In the Qing Dynasty, in order to prevent concubines from having affairs with monks, it was even forbidden for women to enter temples to burn incense and worship Buddha.
This also indirectly reflects the popularity of this culture at the time. The phenomenon of fornication with monks is not only a personal emotional pursuit, but also a silent rebellion against the constraints of feudal etiquette.
While these events are not representative of the actions of all monks or women, they do illustrate the complex relationship between the emotional needs of men and women in ancient societies and feudal rituals.
It is this special social background and human needs that reflect the multifaceted and complex nature of human emotions and desires.