The Women Behind the Imperial Power

Author: Jiang Youyou
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-04-01
Features: The history of China is long and profound, providing our descendants with countless historical legends and classic stories. In these stories, emperors and generals are often the main characters, their tales adapted into various novels for transmission. Behind these emperors, there is another special group that has woven countless legends throughout Chinese history. They are the consorts and imperial concubines of the feudal era in China. They not only influenced the course of history to some extent but also left behind more classic memories for future generations. It is precisely because of this special group that the feudal history of China appears so vivid and flavorful. They are considered special because they are the women of the emperor and are at the center of the nation's highest power. As the women of the emperor, they naturally enjoy endless luxury and wealth; and being at the core of power inevitably brings them intertwined connections with authority, as well as countless love and hate entanglements. Thus, there are so many diverse figures in the imperial harem. It is also because of the immense allure of power that so many moving stories—some tragic, some joyful, some grand, and some tragic—unfold both inside and outside the palace, among the imperial court.