Today, let's talk about the word "媵", which seems simple, but actually contains rich historical and cultural information.
First of all, let's correct a common misconception that the character "媵" is neither pronounced téng nor yíng, and its correct pronunciation is yìng.
This word was a frequent word in ancient times, especially when describing ancient wedding customs.
The word "媵" in ancient times refers to the person or thing that is married, that is, in ancient times, when a noble or royal woman marries, in order to show the status and wealth of the family, or to strengthen the marriage relationship between the two families, she will marry some women or things, and these women who marry are called "concubines".
So, who exactly does "concubine" refer to? In ancient societies, a maid was usually a relative of the bride, a maid, or a woman of lower status in the family.
They marry with the bride to their husband's family, sometimes as the bride's assistant, sometimes as an additional bargaining chip for marriage.
Although the status of these wives in the husband's family is not as good as that of the main wife, they also play an important role in helping the bride adapt to the new environment, and they are also an important support for the bride in the husband's family.
In addition to "concubine", we also encounter the words "concubine" and "concubine". What do they mean? "Concubine" usually refers to a person who is a dowryman, and this is broader and includes not only women, but may also include some attendants or servants.
"Concubines" refer to the concubines who dowried, and their status was usually lower than that of concubines, but they were also an indispensable part of ancient marriages.
These words about "媵" all reflect the importance that ancient society attached to marriage and family marriage.
In those days, marriage was not just a union of two people, but a union between two families. Therefore, the concubines, concubines, etc., have become an important means to strengthen this marriage relationship.
Speaking of fun, here's a little story. It is said that in ancient times, there was a young lady from a famous family who wanted to marry into a large family far away.
She was very worried that she would feel lonely and helpless in her new environment, so she begged her father to let her bring her beloved maid as a maid. This maid is smart and understanding, not only takes care of the young lady, but also often gives her advice, so that she can live like a fish in water at her new husband's house. The young lady was grateful, and regarded the maid as her closest bosom friend.
This story tells us that the concubine played a very important role in ancient society. They are not only the bride's right-hand man, but also their spiritual support in an unfamiliar environment.
Therefore, in ancient society, although the status of women was not high, their existence was indispensable.
Of course, with the progress and development of society, these ancient wedding customs have gradually faded, but they are still often mentioned in literary works and film and television dramas, and have become an important window for us to understand ancient culture and social features.
So, the next time you see the word "媵", don't mispronounce it again! Moreover, you can also share this interesting knowledge point with your friends.