A rumor about the ancient steproom and the original match is spreading on the Internet again, saying that the steproom should perform the concubine ceremony in front of the original tablet, is this seemingly culturally rich statement really reliable? Could it be that the ancient rituals are really so ridiculous, or have some people fallen into the whirlpool of ignorance in the sea of history?
This question reveals not only some people's misunderstanding of ancient rituals, but also the desire for historical knowledge and the pursuit of stories in modern society. Let's start with the ancient institution of marriage. In ancient China, especially in feudal society, the status of the wife was undoubtedly the most noble in the family. When the original wife unfortunately dies, if the big family needs to continue to maintain the blood and status of the family, they may marry the stepfamily.
However, the so-called "step-room needs to give a concubine to the original tablet" circulating on the Internet is actually not supported by any historical data. This statement may originate from some modern TV dramas or novels, where authors often invent rules that do not exist in order to increase the dramatic conflict of the work. This phenomenon has spread on the Internet and has become the so-called "pseudo-rules".
In fact, according to ancient records of etiquette and historical documents, whether it is a stepfamily or an original partner, their status in the family is the main wife, and their contributions to the family are worthy of respect and commemoration. The steprooms are not inferior, they also bear the responsibilities of the family and the expectations of society. In ancient times, the first and second marriages were all righteous concubines, and filial piety was extremely important in the society at that time, and any disrespect for the elders was unacceptable.
In ancient times, the status of concubines was far inferior to that of wives, so they needed to show enough respect and humility to their wives in etiquette. But this is the etiquette of a concubine to a wife, and it does not apply to the step-family to the original match. Because whether it is the original partner or the stepfamily, they are all the main family, and their status is equal. Therefore, the statement that the stepfamily needs to perform the concubine ceremony in front of the original tablet not only has no historical basis, but also makes no logical sense.
For example, in the era of "Spring and Autumn", princes were not allowed to remarry because they could marry more than one wife at a time, and even if the original partner died, there were other wives who could continue to take on the responsibilities of the family. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, although strict hierarchies and etiquette dictated the code of conduct for each member of the family, these rules also did not mention the need for the stepfamily to perform the concubine ceremony for the original tablet. Although the Great Qing Law stipulates in detail the distinction between concubines and the etiquette between various family members, there is no mention of such provisions.
Why is this kind of misinformation so popular in modern society? What is behind this is actually a misunderstanding of ancient culture by modern people, and even a deliberate "fiction" to cater to the audience's taste. In TV series and novels, screenwriters often create some non-existent plots to attract the audience and make the plot more twisty and moving. This is especially common in works with historical themes.
For example, in order to highlight the contradictions and conflicts between characters, many palace fighting dramas often add many rules and plots that simply do not exist in history. The audience unconsciously accepted the content, and over time, the fictional content left a false impression in people's minds. This not only misleads the transmission of history, but also affects people's correct understanding of cultural heritage.
What's more, the truth of history is often more exciting than fiction. There are often more places worth digging and thinking about behind real historical figures and events. For example, in real historical documents, how to deal with power relations within the family and how to maintain family harmony are all things we can learn. Rather than simply attracting attention by creating conflicts and false rules.
What should we make of this historical distortion that is emerging on the Internet? As ordinary receivers of information, we need to improve our historical literacy, and learn to screen and criticize information on the Internet. Unsubstantiated claims should not be believed, let alone such unsubstantiated information should be disseminated. We can also improve our knowledge and understanding of history through formal history study, such as reading regular history books and attending history lectures.
For content creators and media professionals, they should take on the responsibility of disseminating correct historical knowledge. When creating content about history, it should be based on real historical materials as much as possible, and should not spread rumors or rumors. This is not only a respect for history, but also a responsibility to the audience and readers.
The statement that the stepfamily needs to perform the concubine ceremony in front of the original tablet is pure nonsense, and it is a kind of misreading and distortion of ancient history by modern people. We should take a more rigorous approach to history and not be misled by false information.