Imperial family

Previous Generation

1. Grand Empress Dowager (太皇太后 tàihuáng tàihòu): The grandmother of the current ruling Emperor. A mythical legend born from unusual sequences of succession.

2. Late Emperor (先帝 xiāndì): The previous ruling emperor (deceased)

3. Great Emperor (太上皇 tài shàng huáng): The abdicated emperor or living father of the current emperor. A rare unicorn who is only seen in select dynasties.

4. Empress Dowager (太后 tàihòu): The Emperor’s mother (legal or birth mother, depending on circumstances)

i.It was a BIG DEAL to bestow the title 太后 tàihòu on one’s birth mother if the previous Empress (legal mother) was still alive. The reason for some political disputes and power battles between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

ii.Sometimes there were two 太后 taìhòus if the Emperor insisted on it.

iii.老佛爷 (lǎo fóyé) was a title of respect for the Empress Dowager meaning Buddha or Holiness.

5. Dowager Consort (太妃 tàifēi): Consorts of the previous Emperor. Sometimes the Emperor’s birth mother if he was born from a concubine.

*Typically, when an Emperor died, his wives would be obliged to be buried alive with him or become nuns. If the new emperor was merciful, he may just let them leave the palace. The ones who remained in the palace under the new emperor’s rule were typically consorts at or above 妃 fēi rank. They would be given the title of 太妃 tàifēi and were considered the same rank (on the surface).

Ruling & Future Generations

1. Emperor (皇上/皇帝 huángshàng/huángdì): Believed to be the son of heaven. Rules all.

2. The Imperial Family (皇室 huángshì): Direct family members of the Emperor.

i.Along with the highest six ranks of society, they enjoyed the Eight Privileges (八分 bāfèn): Red carriage wheels, purple horse reins, heated carriages, purple cushions, gemstone mandarin hat crests, two-eyed peacock feathers on mandarin hats, use of leather whips to clear the path, and the employment of eunuchs.

ii.As to be expected, they were one of eight groups that qualified for legal privileges in Ancient China.

§ The Eight Deliberations (八议 bāyì) were a set of legal principles used by ancient Chinese law to lessen legal punishment for members of royalty, nobility, and the upper class. The Emperor’s permission was required before any kind of interrogation or judgement could be carried out against offenders within these legally favoured categories.

§ These groups were: relatives of the sovereign, old acquaintances of the sovereign, individuals of great virtue, individuals of great ability, meritorious individuals, high officials, individuals who were exceptionally zealous at their government duties, and guests of the sovereign (i.e. descendants of preceding imperial families).

Male Members of the Royal Family

1. Lord National Uncle (国舅老爷 guójiù lǎoye): The brother-in-law of the Emperor (wife or concubine’s brother, specifically) or the Emperor’s maternal uncle.

2. Crown Prince (太子 tàizǐ): The chosen one to rule all under heaven in the future.

i.Only subordinate to the Emperor, Empress, and Empress Dowager

ii.Higher in rank compared to 王 or King.

i.Crown Prince = 王爷 Uncle because his position equalizes with the generational gap.

ii.Crown Prince > 王爷 sibling because they are in the same generation.

3. Prince (皇子 huángzǐ): Sons of the Emperor

.Usually vied for the position of Crown Prince and the throne

i.It wasn’t uncommon for princes to kill each other. To my knowledge, there weren’t many emperors who kept all their brothers alive after ascending the throne.

4. Wang (王 wáng): This position was usually reserved for adult sons of the Emperor. It means ‘king’ but usually referred to a prince after the Qin Dynasty when Qin Shi Huang united China. Typically when princes reached a certain age, the Emperor would bestow the title of Wang on them (usually named after a territory within the kingdom or after virtues). They would move out of the palace into their own manor or 王府 (wángfǔ). Remember that the only fertile male allowed in the palace was the Emperor so his sons were sent to live outside once they matured.

.Prince of the First Rank (亲王 qīnwáng): Blood-related sons of the emperor.

.The eldest son from his main wife is given the title, 世子 shìzí Heir Apparent to a Qinwang (Lit. Heir son/Son of the world) [2].

i.Prince of the Second Rank (郡王 jùnwáng): Given to non-blood-related subordinates who have usually fought valiantly or rendered extreme meritorious service to the country, i.e. someone who helped the Emperor obtain the throne.

.The eldest son from his main wife is given the title, 长子 zhángzǐ Heir Apparent to a Junwang (Lit. Eldest son or chief son).

ii.Wang is the title given to any foreign rulers. Since the emperor ruled all under heaven, the title Wang implied that the foreign monarch was inferior in rank and thus subject to the Chinese Emperor.

iii.Typically Qinwangs and Junwangs were both known simply as “X王” or 王爷 wángye.

.After the Ming Dynasty, single-character titles (X王) were reserved for Qingwangs and 2+ character titles (XY王) were reserved for Junwangs to differentiate between the two.

5. Fuma (驸马 fùmǎ): The Emperor’s son-in-law; A Princess’ husband. They would go by this title in addition to whatever noble or military title they already had before.

Female Members of the Royal Family

*The numbers are based on how many people were allowed for each position in the Ming and Qing dynasties when the system became much more simplified. The number of people allotted to each rank often changed depending on the Emperor.

Inner Palace/Imperial Harem (后宫 hòugóng)

Tier 1: Empress

1. Empress (皇后 huánghòu) (x1): The official wife of the Emperor. She is in charge of managing the Inner Palace/Imperial Harem and oversees all Imperial concubines. When the Emperor dies, amongst all the wives, she is the only one who gets the privilege of being buried next to the Emperor in the imperial tomb. she is also the only one who can wear the phoenix crown or have any phoenix-related embroidery on her clothing, amongst other things.

i.Similar to a boss, she would bear responsibility if any of the other concubines committed a fault. That’s why you hear Empresses apologizing to the Emperor if any concubine dies or anything bad happens in the harem.

ii.All imperial offspring must call her “母后 (mǔhòu)” and she is considered their mother as well as the main wife.

iii.An empress is usually selected for the position not because of love but because of her maiden family’s power. Historically, this is really a marriage of convenience exchanging the maiden family’s support for the comfort, power, and glory of being an Empress (and by extension relatives of the Empress).

iv.She could command 10 palace maids and has her own palace.

v.Phrases referring to the Empress include “母仪天下 (mǔ yí tiānxià)” or “Mother of all under heaven” and “六宫共主 (liùgōng gòngzhǔ)” or “the master of the six palaces.” This referred to the six western and six eastern palaces in the forbidden palace.

Tier 2: Consorts

1. Imperial Noble Consort (皇贵妃 huáng guìfēi) (x1): Usually assumes the duties of the Empress if she is indisposed. It’s one step down from officially being promoted to the position of Empress.

i.If promoted to Empress after the original Empress passes away, she would be known as the “继后 jìhòu” or “Substitute Empress.”

ii.Typically she was the “most favoured” in the harem or the one the Emperor loved the most.

iii.She could command 8 palace maids and had her own palace.

2. Noble Consort (贵妃 guìfēi) (x2): Typically daughters of prominent officials in court i.e. the prime minister’s daughter or a general’s daughter.

.She could command 8 palace maids and had her own palace.

3. Consorts (妃 fēi) (x4): Usually 4 spots and only one individual can hold any of the titles at one time. The character given depends on the Emperor.

.Typically named after the 4 virtues:

§ 贤 (xián) Able, Virtuous, Worthy [Worthy]

§ 良 (liáng) Respectable, Kind, Worthy [Gracious]

§ 淑 (shū) Virtuous, Pure, Gentle

§ 德 (dé) Moral, Kind [Virtuous]

i.Other titles that I’ve heard of (but could possibly be based on surnames or first names) are:

§ 惠 (huì) Benevolent, Favoured

§ 慧 (huì) Bright, Intelligent

§ 宁 (níng) Peaceful, Tranquil, Quiet

§ 康 (kāng) Healthy, Abundant

§ 宸 (chén) Imperial

§ 丽/麗 (lì) Beautiful

§ 華 (huá) Magnificent, Splendid

ii.Each Consort could command 6 palace maids and had their own palaces.

Tier 3: Concubines

1. Imperial Concubines (嫔 pín) (x6) [Ming-onwards]: This is a mid-tier position.

i.They commanded 6 palace maids but did not have their own palace. Instead, they lived together with others of the same rank. – The same for everyone below this rank.

ii.Sometimes threw in their lot with a higher ranking concubine as a supporter to be recommended to the Emperor and gain favour in return – The same could be said for all other concubines below this rank.

2. Lady of Handsome Fairness (婕妤 jiěyú): This position appeared and disappeared throughout the dynasties. It also moved above and below the other imperial concubine ranks (listed below) several times.

.In the Ming and Qing dynasties, the jiěyú rank was below 嫔 pín but above 昭仪 zhāoyí.

3. Other Imperial Concubine Ranks Across Dynasties: The order for these mid-lower ranks changed drastically depending on the dynasty. They could be organised by higher-, mid-, and lower-sub-tiers within the same rank bracket OR everyone could be given different titles but be of equal rank.

Furthermore, 秀女 (xiùnǚ) Concubine Candidates from high-ranking noble families would be drafted in the 大选 (dàxuán) The Grand Selection, a large draft for imperial concubines that occurred every three to five years. The women had to undergo a rigorous elimination process to be chosen.

Daughters of the Emperor

1. Princess (公主 gōngzhǔ): Daughters of the Emperor

i.They may be known by their name or birth order i.e. First Princess, Second Princess etc.

ii.Similar to Princes, after they reach a certain age, they are bestowed with an official title and are known by this title to the world.

iii.You might hear of a 和亲公主 héqīngōngzhǔ or Marriage Alliance Princess, a title given to any princess being married off far away to establish a marriage alliance with another power. Sometimes if the Emperor couldn’t bear to part with his own daughter, they might adopt a commoner (in name) and make her the Marriage Alliance Princess.

iv.Separated into Princesses of the First Rank and Princesses of the Second Rank during the Qing Dynasty (and likely unofficially before that) based on whether they were born to the Empress or a consort or concubine.

2. Princess Royal (长公主 zhǎng gōngzhǔ): A title given to the eldest princess of the Emperor.

.I would say that this is one step above a regular princess.

i.Other translations include: Princess Imperial, Elder Princess

ii.This title is also given to the Emperor’s sisters and aunts after he ascends the throne. This is to differentiate them from his daughters who are in a younger generation than them. A princess might keep her title but she may also go by her husband’s title upon marriage.

3. 郡主: a rank below princess. Daughters of wang. Not all daughters can be ennobled, it usually has to decreed by the emperor. Usually the eldest legitimate daughter of a wang.

Crown Prince and Wang’s Manor (东宫 dōnggōng/王府 wángfǔ)

Tier 1: Main Wife

1. Crown Princess (太子妃 tàizifēi): Main/legal wife of the Crown Prince

2. Prince Consort (王妃 wángfēi): Main/legal wife of any wang/王.

Tier 2: Side Concubines

1. Side Concubines (側妃 cèfēi) (x2): The Crown Prince and other princes could have 2 side concubines. Since they are not the main/legal wife their children are recognized as 庶 (shù) children. Only sons would be registered in the family record.

i.In many dramas, when a prince is facing pressure to choose whether to marry their love v.s. the one their parents chose for them, you might see both appointed as a 側妃 first before one of them is chosen as consort.

ii.As concubines, they weren’t allowed to be carried through the main door of the manor during their marriage ceremony, only the side door.

iii.They also were not allowed to wear red since red was reserved for the main wife.

Tier 3: All Other Concubines

1. Concubine (诗妾 shìqiè): The prince could have an unlimited number of concubines. There was no wedding ceremony, unlike the wives of 妃 rank.

2. Bedfellow (同房 tóngfáng): This is the lowest rank of a concubine. Usually, this position was given to a maid who the prince favours for one night or a maid that prince’s mother is trying to get him to sleep with (typically for the sake of producing an heir). Needless to say, there’s no wedding ceremony.

Daughters of a Wangye

1. A daughter of a Qinwang would be given the title, 郡主 jùnzhǔ Princess of the Third Rank (Lit. Master of a Commander).

2. A daughter of a Junwang would be given the title, 县主 xiànzhǔ Princess of the Fourth Rank (Lit. Master of a County).

Servants of the Imperial Family

Their status was lower than any of the “masters” of the palace but once outside the palace walls, their social standing would improve quite a bit. Anything related to the palace was more highly regarded. It was not unheard of for eunuchs to have “nieces and nephews” and flaunt their power outside of the forbidden city. Though considered “old maids” for the times, maids who previously served in the palace were looked upon favourably for having learned court etiquette and poise. Some made it a profession to teach etiquette to young nobles before they formally debuted in society.

1. Imperial Guards/Forbidden Troops (禁军 jìnjūn): Responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace and its inhabitants. They were the only military force that remained under the direct control of the Imperial Court (and the Emperor) after the An Shi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty.

i.Commander of the Imperial Guards (大统领 dàtǒnglǐng): Usually a general who rendered great military service was given the honour to guard the palace.

§ In dramas, you might find the Commander of the Guards is the one who turns against the emperor and helps the rebels usurp the throne.

§ Or, he might be super loyal to the emperor like Commander Meng in Nirvana in Fire.

ii.Imperial Guards (羽林军 yǚlínjūn): Literally “feathered forest guards”, this was a unit of guards under the direct control of the Emperor who was responsible for standing guard during Court sessions and imperial processions.

§ In the Han Dynasty, they were recruited from sons and grandsons of fallen soldiers.

iii.Embroidered Uniform Guard (锦衣卫 jǐnyīwèi): The imperial secret police that served emperors of the Ming Dynasty. They were originally a unit of personal bodyguards for the Emperor but later became an imperial military body. Tasked with gathering military intelligence, these guards wore a distinctive golden-yellow uniform with a tablet on the torso and carried a special blade weapon.

2. Imperial Physicians (太医/御医 tàiyī/yùyī): They primarily treat royalty and are allowed in the Inner Palace. They were commonly bribed by Concubines to harm their rivals and were crucial allies in preventing miscarriages and surviving in the harem.

.Female Physicians (医女 yīnǚ): Some dynasties also had female physicians that assisted the imperial physicians with things like childbirth where it was believed that men’s yang energy would be harmed by the extreme yin energy that was supposedly prevalent during labour. They were generally regarded as inferior to imperial physicians except when it came to women’s health matters.

i.Midwives (产婆 chánpó): Alternatively, one might also summon a local midwife from outside the palace to handle the birth. They were handsomely rewarded or beheaded depending on whether the birth was successful.

3. Female Officials aka. Court Ladies (女官 nǚguān): Female officials were seen in the imperial palaces of all imperial dynasties. Most were appointed to handle specific tasks in the ‘household’ management of the Imperial Palace. These included female craftspersons (winemakers, tailors etc.)

.Instead of the more complicated, integrated system used prior, a new system was implemented in the Qin Dynasty mirroring the six ministries in the Outer/Imperial Court. To my knowledge, this was under the organizational umbrella of the 尚书内省 (shàngshū nèishèng) Ministry of Internal Affairs. Each Ministry/Palace Service was organized as follows:

§ The Six Matrons (六尚 liùshāng): Head of each Palace Service

§ Each Palace Service was divided into 4 offices headed by a Directress (司 sī), typically in this format 司X E.g. 司記 Directress of Records, with 24 in total.

§ Each Directress had 24 Managers (典 diǎn) assisting them as well as 24 Handlers or Leaders (掌 zhǎng) (Modern equivalent = frontline team leader).

4. Eunuchs (太监 tàijiàn): Castrated male servants in the Imperial Palace. The Emperor was the only fertile male allowed in the Inner Palace but they still needed to hire help. They could amass quite a bit of wealth in their lifetimes. Unlike maids, they were allowed (with permission) to exit the palace to run errands and were generally given higher positions as well.

5. Maids (宫女 gōngnǚ): Just like for the concubines, a big selection would happen every few years amongst the commoners to recruit new maids into the palace. One could enter the palace to become a maid at any age. From the minute they step foot in the forbidden city, they are required to stay chaste until they’re released from service, usually at the age of 25, to marry. If they were lucky and were assigned to a high-ranking master, their master would prepare a dowry for them as thanks for their service when the time came.

.Elder maids were called 嬷嬷(mómo) or 妈妈 (māma): Sometimes they were nursemaids of princes and princesses called 乳母 (rúmǔ) or 奶妈 (nǎimā). They were often still addressed as 嬷嬷 (mómo).