Selected ancient princesses

Even the emperor can't help buying and selling marriage. Ming Shenzong Zhu Yijun's wedding cost more than 90,000 taels of silver for weaving alone. The wedding of Zai Chun, the Tongzhi Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, cost more than 20 million taels of silver.

Behind the luxury is a large number of corrupt officials.

In the seventh year of the Ming Dynasty (1442), Zhu Qizhen was sixteen years old and should get married.

Perhaps, except the world, it is the emperor; Perhaps, the emperor's wedding scene is big, the action is big, the rules are big, and the trouble is big ... Anyway, the emperor's wife is called "big wedding".

At the same time of the big wedding, the queen will be engraved with gold books and treasures (certificates and seals); Choose one or four concubines at the same time

Not every emperor can catch up with the grand wedding. An emperor who married an adult before he ascended the throne, after he became emperor, only held the ceremony of conferring the queen, and did not reissue the wedding.

Zhu Qizhen this boy is really lucky, caught up with the wedding. For this matter, Zhang Taihou, Empress Wu, as well as the court etiquette, racked their brains and made a thousand choices, which broke their hearts. Wang Zhen, Li Si and Zhu Qizhen's eunuchs, who forget to make friends, are also very busy. Whether from personal friendship, flattery, business, or even taking the opportunity to make big money, Wang Zhen sincerely advocated "doing big things and doing special things" and sent purchasing delegations to order samples all over the country early.

Zhu Qizhen's "lamp" costs a lot of oil, so you must never find another "crazy girl" to match him! Zhang Taihou weighed the matter, integrated opinions and suggestions from all sides, and resolutely broke the ancestral training that "empresses come from the people" and made a decision: Qian Yunming, Minister of Industry and Trade, had the eldest daughter as the queen and Shi Yuyunxiang's daughter as the princess. After the meeting, does not fully agree with and firmly support the wise decision of Empress Dowager Tai. Subsequently, the Hanlin Academy was responsible for drafting certificates and other related documents, and the Ritual Department was responsible for making stacks and treasures, and preparing supplies and gifts together with the Ritual Department and the Neifu Department. Qin's burden is not light. He is responsible for choosing an auspicious day to "perform six rites".

"Limited to men and women, marriage, the instrument of six rites" began in the Zhou Dynasty. In the Book of Rites, the six rites are "crown, marriage, funeral, sacrifice, hometown and meeting". "Crown" is a "ceremony of adoption"; Getting married before adulthood is "indecent assault" without "rite of passage". The Book of Rites, the Law of the Tang Dynasty and the Law of the Ming Dynasty stipulate that the procedures of "marriage" are: receiving gifts, asking names, receiving gifts, announcing dates and welcoming relatives, also known as "six rituals".

Receiving gifts means giving gifts to discuss marriage, and asking the matchmaker to find out the truth. The ancients thought that geese "sang with their husbands" and were single-minded and worth learning. So, take a wild goose as a gift when picking. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the ceremonies were rich and could keep up with each other. We can't wander around with a wild goose anymore.

Q. Name

Asking the name is to hold a ceremony to ask the other person's name and date of birth to see if the "fate" is appropriate.

On the reception day, officials of the Ministry of Rites drew up etiquette procedures and norms, and arranged ceremony venues with a large group of eunuchs and maids. Press "chang yi", set up a ceremonial ceremony outside Gan Qing's gate, and set up women who are willing to do the work of clearing the palace. In the main hall of Gan Qing Palace, two tables were set up temporarily, which were covered with apricot satin tablecloths. On one table, "Festival" was written, and on the other table, "Ask the name" was written. Gifts for Qian Shangshu's family were also displayed in broad daylight.

The wedding etiquette of royal family members and court officials is rare, and it may only happen once in a lifetime. Although the officials of the Ministry of Rites shouted, they actually "crossed the river by feeling the stones" according to the relevant provisions of ancient books and documents, and learned in practice. Other central government officials who came to watch the ceremony felt fresh, busy watching the excitement and forgot to observe discipline. Crack hon temple officials (in charge of the concierge) finally caught the opportunity to show their faces and ordered the ceremony team to maintain order, which provoked many "bookworm" officials to look askance.

Qin officials proudly reported: auspicious moment has arrived! Dressed as a monster, Zhu Qizhen made a grand appearance surrounded by ministers, guards and eunuchs, entered the main hall of Gan Qing Palace and ascended the throne to the music. Princes and ministers fell to their knees and shouted long live. The official announced the imperial edict, stood on the east side of the single pen, loudly announced the imperial edict, and appointed two messengers to go to Qian Shangshu's house to collect names. In The Sound of Music, two angels were awarded honors and letters. Li Cheng, Zhu Qizhen retired from North Korea.

Is to hold a festival and agree on the name of the imperial edict; The guard of honor and the drum band led the way, and the gift-giving official followed the second envoy's ass. They set out from the Qing Palace and rushed to Qianfu with great fanfare.

"adoption ceremony"

Qian Shangshu knelt at the gate to greet the angel, gave orders and accepted gifts, expressing his gratitude. At the ceremony of seeking names, Qian Shangshu submitted a "form" to the angel, which contained her daughter's name, resume, date of birth and so on. After the ceremony, the Qian family hosted a banquet for the angel. Guards of honor and drummers can only eat "box lunch".

After a hearty meal, the angel led a team back to the Forbidden City. Enter the meridian gate, stop at the Taihe gate, and give the "festival" and "table" to the eunuch of Li Si prison, even if the task is successfully completed. Eunuchs in Li Si Prison guarded festivals and dining tables, and went to Qinggong to reply to the "imperial edict". Zhu Qizhen "reported" the situation of collecting and asking names to the princes and ministers.

The royal family held a grand ceremony to commemorate this, which is called "crown ceremony" in the Book of Rites Week and.

This ceremony is similar to the "coming of age ceremony" which is still practiced in some regions or nationalities in the world, in order to announce that a male anonymous has come of age and symbolically put on his or her adult clothes. Since then, he (she) has the freedom to socialize and negotiate marriage.

Mosuo people who live in Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China frankly call this ceremony "trouser-wearing ceremony" or "skirt-wearing ceremony", which is held by uncle or mother for boys and girls who have reached the age of thirteen respectively. When the sun shines into the room, boys and girls step on food pockets and large pieces of pork, boys hold spears and silver dollars, girls hold jewels and materials, and the owner takes off the children's clothes and puts them on adult clothes or skirts. Men and women who have "grown up" always propose a toast to their guests and accept gifts from them.

Zhu Qizhen wore a hat called "Tian Tong Crown" at the ceremony. In this way, he can pretend to be "human". Empress Dowager Tai, Empress Dowager Cixi and other royal elders watched the ceremony on the spot; The princes and ministers knelt three times and knocked nine times to express their warm congratulations. After the ceremony, Zhu Qizhen went to worship his ancestors, and then went to the bedrooms of Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Cixi, kneeling to thank him for his kindness in raising him.

As an adult, no matter what Zhu Qizhen did before he put on his hat, he had to have an important physiological lesson after he put on his hat. It is said that since ancient times, after the crown prince or little emperor of each dynasty entered adolescence, the royal family had to send people (also known as masters) to teach human relations; Only in this way can they be competent for the important task of "respecting the temple with things and inheriting the future generations" This kind of sexual enlightenment education is both serious and lively; Not only impart theoretical knowledge, but also show the operation method through "erotic pictures" and models.

According to Wanli Wild Collection, the Happy Buddha enshrined in the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty is one of the teaching AIDS for the sexual enlightenment education of the Crown Prince or the little emperor. Happy Buddha is a Buddha statue of a man and a woman, embracing each other. There are organs for controlling male and female genitals on the Buddha statue; Press the organ and the Buddha will have intercourse. When you first enter a Buddhist temple, you must hold a ceremony. The teacher took the students to burn incense, sacrifice and worship. Then, the teacher explains and demonstrates. Only with the teacher's permission can students touch the Buddha's body and even operate and practice it. In the classroom, both teachers and students should be "dignified" and "serious"; Never laugh and laugh, fight and treat them as "children's play"

As mentioned above, it is unknown whether the Five Blessingg Buddha enshrined in Yuhua Pavilion in the northwest of the Forbidden City is "teaching assistant" as mentioned in Wanli Wild Collection.

The sexual enlightenment education of the royal family in the Qing Dynasty is said to be more standardized and systematic than that in the Ming Dynasty. Before getting married, the little emperor took a "theoretical knowledge class", and then selected eight beautiful older ladies-in-waiting to be the little emperor's "secretary", "shopkeeper" and "secretary's bedroom", to be responsible for the little emperor's "bed affairs", to act as his staff and consultant in his husband and wife's life, to accompany him to practice and accumulate practical experience.

After "Upper Middle Plum", he performed "Naji" and "Zheng Na Plum" according to the auspicious day and hour chosen by Qin.

Najib, to put it bluntly, is divination, that is, the ancients divined good or bad luck for marriage; If it is "auspicious" and the birthday is appropriate, please ask the matchmaker to bring a gift for engagement.

The application is for an engagement present. The ancients said: "Men and women have no media, no money and no wealth." Therefore, the sign is also called "Nabi". Coins are jade or silk articles used as engagement gifts by the ancients.

After the ceremony of Naji and Zheng Na, the corresponding ceremony will still be held in the palace, and angels will be sent to celebrate the festival and go to Qian Shangshu's house with gifts and relevant documents. This time, everyone who can move is kneeling outside the door to meet the angel. Of course, they have reason to feel excited and happy. The emperor's son-in-law "doesn't pick his son", which is very thoughtful. In the gift, there are both cash and physical objects; Not only the rich woman's, but also the wealthy businessman Shangshu and his family, even the servants and servants, everyone has a share. It is indeed "rain falls" and "the emperor's kindness is mighty." Moreover, after Najib and Zheng Na, even if the "royalty" dust settles, even if what happened to the emperor's son-in-law before entering the bridal chamber, the title of "Queen" and the glory of royalty are in hand. According to traditional customs, once engaged, Miss Qian Da is a member of the Zhujiajian family. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Yuan, the daughter of Interior Minister Qingshan, was engaged to the eldest nephew of Empress Dowager Cixi, and everything was ready, just waiting for the wedding. At this juncture, the eldest nephew of the Queen Mother passed away. However, A Yuan is already a member of Yehnala's family, so he can't talk about lifelong marriage. Huang Hua's daughter has just turned eighteen and is called "Grandma Yuan". She didn't live up to her name until she was twenty. It seems that she is a little old woman in her forties.

In the folk, the wedding will still be held as soon as the wedding day arrives when the fiance dies. Bride and unmarried sister-in-law, or worship heaven and earth with rooster; After that, either live alone or sleep with a wooden dummy.