The Forms of Marriage in Chinese History and Their Significance Abstract

The marriage system in ancient China was basically established and fixed through the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties, especially through the Zhou Dynasty, while there was further development in the Qin and Han Dynasties.

I. Marriage Age

The ancients were in favor of late marriage, believing that one must wait until the sexual function is sound and mature to get married. Although the previous chapter mentioned the "Huangdi Neijing - Suwen - on the ancient theory of truth", said the woman two seven days to the deca, that is, fourteen years of age began to menstruation; men two eight days to the deca, that is, sixteen years of age before the beginning of spermatorrhea, if this time, "yin and yang and" (i.e., sexual intercourse), then there may be children. But this time the sexual function is not fully developed, has not entered the appropriate age of marriage. Women have to wait until the age of three

seven twenty-one years old, to be able to "average kidney qi, so the real teeth and long pole"; men have to wait until the age of three eight twenty-four years old, in order to "average kidney qi, sinews and bones strong, so the real teeth and long pole". The so-called "average kidney qi" means that the sexual organs and sexual functions have been balanced, normal development, sexual organs and sexual functions are more mature; the so-called "real teeth and long pole", refers to the last teeth "end teeth "

This is the first time that a person's body has been fully developed and matured.

This idea has had a great influence on later generations, and has been raised in many ancient books, as well as emphasized in many scholarly and medical books of the Han Dynasty and the Wei, Jin, and North and South Dynasties.

However, during the Han Dynasty, the theory of "a man marries when he is thirty, and a woman marries when she is twenty" received some impact in practice, and some of it did not work. For example, "On Heng - Qi Shi chapter" said: "Although the ritual" said that the male thirty and married, female twenty and married, the legal system Zhang set up, may not be held. Why follow the example of the present day is not practiced."

This situation has a lot to do with the development of feudal society. In feudal society, a family as a unit of production, the man married earlier in the family earlier to increase the labor force, seems to be the development of a family's production is good; In addition, the feudal patriarchal system attaches great importance to the heir, early marriage may be early to get a son, "early blessings". Therefore, although some knowledgeable people against this phenomenon of early marriage, but not very effective. For example, the Han Dynasty, a scholar called Wang Ji said: "husband

women, human outline, the life of the sprout. The world is too early to marry, unknown to the father of the way to have a son, is to educate the unknown and the people more premature.

Social life, there are many phenomena, many folk practices are derived from the needs of economic development, it is some very real problems, with a strong reality; and scientific theories to explore the laws of development, with a strong foresight. There is often a contradiction between foresight and reality. The promotion of late marriage and late childbearing, and the promotion of fewer and better births will encounter such problems. In this regard, of course, on the one hand, we need to educate, but most fundamentally, we need to completely solve the problem from the economic point of view, which of course is not a

Once in a while, it is not a matter of

.

The phenomenon of early marriage in the Han Dynasty, both royal and civil. Check the "Book of Han", "Book of the Later Han", men from fifteen to eighteen years old first marriage. For example, in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, the Records of Emperor Lingdi, "In the fourth year of Jianning, in the fourth month of the year Kichou, he made the noblewoman Song the empress." Emperor Lingdi ascended to the throne in the first year of Jianning, at the age of twelve, so he was fifteen at the time of his marriage. Houhan Shu - Huan Di Ji: "In the seventh month of the first year of the autumn of Jian He, the Empress Liang was installed." Emperor Huan was fifteen years old on the throne, married that

year should be sixteen years old. Eighteen years old, married to Xu's wife."

Check the "Book of Han", "Later Han Book", the woman married from thirteen to nineteen years old. Such as "the book of the later Han Dynasty - Zhaode Ma Huang Huang Ji": "after from the brother Yan does not win the sorrow and anger, Mrs. White absolute sinus marriage, seeking to enter the female tucked into the court, by which was selected into the Prince's Palace, when the age of thirteen." Han shu - foreign relatives' biography": "Emperor Xuan Di begged his grandmother Wang old woman. Wang Woman's family was from Liwu Pingxiang, Zhuo County, and she was fourteen years old when she married her fellow countryman, Wang Gengde, to be his wife." After the Han Book - Cao Shishu wife biography ":" female

Commandments of seven, the words said: I am stupid and dark, receive the nature of the insensitive, monks of the remaining favor, rely on the mother of the teacher of the canonical training, the year ten has four, the executive broom in the Cao's." The old poem "Southeast Flight of the Peacock": "Seventeen married as a woman, and my heart is often bitter and sad." Houhan Shu - Guanglie Yin Empress Biography: "In the sixth month of the first year of Changshi, I attempted to marry the Empress in Wanchengdangli, when I was nineteen years old."

What needs to be put forward is that the age of the ancients, according to the old Chinese custom for the virtual age, that is, just born even one year, born a year that is two years old, so the full age than the above also minus one year.

Men are often matched with men who are slightly longer than women. For example, the Han Book - Huo Guang biography: "light long daughter for Jie (Shangguan Jie) son of An wife, there are women, the year and the emperor (Zhaodi) match, Jie because of the emperor's sister, Eyi Gai within the An female harem, for the Jieyu, a few months, set up for the Empress." And "Han Shu - relatives - filial piety Zhao Shangguan Hou Chuan": "Emperor Zhao was founded, aged eight years old, An female into the for Jieyu, more than a month, was established as Empress, aged just six years old." These two paragraphs illustrate that the difference between men and women is two years, which is a "match". The folk is also the same, "the book of the later Han Dynasty - the official - Ren Yan biography": "Luoyue of the people without the marriage rituals, the Yan is to move the book belonging to the county, so that the male age of 20 to 50, the female age of 15 to 40, all to the age of the match, and at the same time more than 2,000 people who married."

Second, the marriage path

In the Qin, Han, Wei, Jin, North and South Dynasties of this period, due to the ancient period is not very far away from the male marriage, there is a certain degree of autonomy, but the order of the parents has been increasingly strengthened, the Xia, Shang, Zhou era that there are festivals, "runners are not prohibited" of the custom of the Han Chinese people have basically disappeared.

These are the first time I've ever seen a woman in the world.

In the "Book of Han" and the "Book of the Later Han" on the record of such things: "Book of Han - Zhang Er biography": "outside the yellow rich woman is very beautiful, Yong Nu its husband, the death of the residence of the father's guest. Father guest said: 'must want to seek a good husband, from Zhang Er.' Women listen, please decide to marry. Female family thick salary to the ear."

"Later Han Book - Liang Hong biography": "the same county Meng's female, fat ugly and black, force lifting stone mortar, choose the right not to marry. To the year thirty, parents asked why, the woman said: 'want to get as virtuous as Liang Boluan.' Hong heard and hired."

In the above two examples, the daughter of a rich man in Waihuang, despite the advice of others, their own decision, but always shows a certain degree of autonomy over marriage. Meng Guang's marriage to Liang Hong is not only visionary, but also completely autonomous. This degree of autonomy, in the Song Dynasty, after the Ming rarely seen, and even if there is, will be hit by the community, was denounced as "debauchery", "irregularity", "contrary to etiquette and law", while in the Han Dynasty, or The first time I saw this, it was a very good thing that I was able to get a good deal on it.

Of course, this phenomenon is only one aspect of things. Since the Qin and Han Dynasties, marriage has been decided by the parents, and has gradually evolved into a major aspect of things. After the Han Book - Dai Liang biography ":" Liang five women and virtuous, every marriage, always be allowed to marry." This father has the right to dictate his daughter's marriage, and he is better at talking to the outside world. However, there are also parents who are not good at talking, such as the Book of Han - Huaiyang Xianwang biography: "The King of Zhao again made people Gu Shang female, the bride price of 200 pounds of gold, Bo did not allow."

"Wei Zhi-Wang Chuan biography": "Charm father Qian, for the general He Jin long history. Into the humble name of Gong's descendants, want to marry with, see his two sons, so that the choice, humble Fuhu." Sometimes, the elders of the children's relatives have conflicting views, but in the final analysis, the children's relatives still depend on the elders. For example, "Han Shu - filial piety Xu Xu after the biography": "when Xu Guanghan has a female Pingjun, 14 or 15 years, when for the internal filial piety order Ouhou's son of the wife. When she entered the country, Ouhou's son died. His mother will perform divination, said when the great noble, mother only happy. Zhang He heard Xu Scrooge has a daughter, is a wine please, wine, for said: 'great-grandson body near, the next person is Guannei Hou, can wife! Guanghan promised. Tomorrow, the crone heard, angry. Guanghan reorder for the intermediary, and then with great-grandson." Another example is when Liu Bang, the first Han emperor, married Empress Lu, there was a similar situation. Empress Lu's father, Lv Gong, saw Liu Bang's looks and respected him, saying that he had many good-looking men and no one could match Liu Bang, and that he wanted to marry his daughter to him. However, his wife, Lv Old Woman, was furious. She scolded Duke Lu and said, "You always said that our daughter should marry a nobleman. When the magistrate of Pei County came to ask for her hand in marriage, you didn't even agree to it, so how come she was promised to this brat, Liu Bang?" Duke Lu said, "Women don't understand such things." As a result, he still married his daughter to Liu Bang.

Sometimes the marriage of a man and a woman was decided by the intervention of other relatives, who of course had more authority than the parents. For example, when Chen Ping of the Han Dynasty was young and could not afford a wife, a rich man named Zhang Negative of Tujiazhuang met Chen Ping by chance, and felt that Chen Ping's appearance was very good, and his demeanor was terrific, so he was going to give his granddaughter in marriage to him. This granddaughter had a bad life, married a husband and died, **** five times. However, Zhang Negative's son did not agree to marry his daughter to

Chen Ping, saying that Chen Ping is poor, and does not do anything serious, many people in the county do not see other, why would you want to marry your daughter to him. But Zhang Negative thought that this man would not be no good, and finally promised his granddaughter to Chen Ping.

If the marriage of a man and a woman does not go through their parents, or does not follow their parents' orders, then the parents are very angry. This was the case, for example, with Sima Xiangru and Zhuo Wenjun in the Han Dynasty. The rich Zhuo Wangsun of Linqiong once invited guests to a banquet, and Sima Xiangru was invited to attend and played the qin in the middle of the banquet. Zhuo Wangsun's widowed daughter Wenjun secretly from the window to see Sima Xiangru, very much in love, so in the night ran to Sima Xiangru, the two eloped to Sima Xiangru's hometown Chengxiang. The two eloped to Sima Xiangru's hometown, Chengxiang. Sima Xiangru's family

was poor and had four walls. Zhuo Wangsun was furious over this matter and said, "This daughter is so unproductive, I can't bear to kill her, but I can't give a penny!" People advised him, he finally did not listen.

Whether a man or a woman chooses a spouse on their own, or their parents decide, what are the criteria for the choice?

When a man chooses a wife, he looks at the woman's appearance, but of course the woman's appearance is not only beautiful. Han Dynasty, there is a famous official Huang Ba, "less for the Yang Xia go around, and good phase people **** Dai out, see a woman. Phase of the person said: 'This woman when the rich and powerful, otherwise, the book can not be used! Bar pushed to ask, is his hometown witch family female also. He took her as his wife, and he stayed with her for the rest of his life." The second is to look at the woman's talent. Huayang Guo Zhi" Volume 10 says this thing: "Yang Ji, Wu Yang people, born from the humble, the father sat things closed prison. Yang Lax began to Shangshulang, told to return, the county respect. The county honored Yang Ji, who was a virgin, and she invited Lax to sue her father for his crimes, speaking in generous and tearful terms. Lax pleaded to the county, for out of the wife and father, because of its talent, for the son of Wen Fang hired." Third, the female side of the door brother, such as "Han Shu - Dong Xian biography," said: "Wang Ma-te wife's father Xiao Xian, the former General Wang's son, long time for the county guards, the disease is exempted for the general, brothers and ranks. Xian's father respectfully admired, want to marry with." There are also greedy for female family wealth, such as the previously quoted Chen Ping married wife is so, Chen Ping why accept Zhang negative this widowed five times, people are afraid to marry the granddaughter? The later said it was because he coveted more wealth from the Yue family.

The first step in choosing a son-in-law for a woman's family is to look at the man's appearance, which is the case for Liu Bang and Chen Ping. Gan Gong out, encountered the road, see his appearance, different and called, live in the car and language, very pleased, because of the wife to the female. Mrs. Gan said angrily: 'I heard that the Tao family child game without measure, how to women promised?' Mr. Gan said: 'He has a strange table, will be a great success.' So he went with it, and later became the Xuzhou pastor." Secondly, the male side of the heavy Yin and talent, the ancients attached great importance to this, the history books contained a lot, such as the "Book of Han - Zhang Er biography": "The father of the guest said: 'I must want to seek a wise man, from Zhang Er.'" The Book of the Later Han - The Biography of Gongsun Zan: "Zan is a person of beautiful appearance, great voice, speech defense and wisdom, the governor wondered at his talent, and took a woman as his wife." Houhanshu (Later Hanshu): "Bohai Bao Xuan's wife is the daughter of the Huan family, and her name is Shaojun. Xuan tasted on Shaojun father study, the father Qi its hardship, so to female wife." Of course, Shaojun's father was interested in Bao Xuan's poverty and ambition. The Taiping Yuban (《太平御览》五百四十一引《郑玄别传》云："故尚书左丞同县张逸，年13年，为县小吏。 Jun said: 'You have the quality of Zandao, although the jade is beautiful, must be carved into a tool, can be a scholar to become your will? Said: 'I wish.' He was then drawn to his generation, and married his younger brother's daughter." Huayang Guo Zhi, Volume 10, says: "Li Xie, lieutenant solid son also. When his father died, his two brothers also died, Xie was sent by his sister, with his father's disciple, Wang Cheng, died in Xuzhou, the commissioner of the restaurant, the restaurant knew that it was a very good man, with his daughter's wife."

Many of the ancients cherish talent, love talent, the eye of the wise, recognize people in the reckless, to help people in need, this appreciation and help often in the form of marriage, this situation that today's perspective, there is nothing wrong.

In that era, there are some special cases of marriage, such as with a political purpose, in order to some kind of political relationship and marriage. The Historical Records VII Xiang Yu Ji says: "Zhang Liang went out to ask Xiang Bo, Xiang Bo immediately entered to see the Duke of Pei, and the Duke of Pei offered a goblet of wine for longevity, about marriage." Hou Han Shu - Liu Zhi Wei: "At that time, Liu Yang, the king of Zhen Ding, started an army to attach himself to Wang Lang, with a crowd of more than 100,000 people. Shizu sent Zhi to talk to Yang, and Yang surrendered. Shizu stayed in Zhending to take Guo Hou, who was Yang's nephew, so he tied the knot in this way."

In the Qin and Han Dynasties, the marriage of the finger for the first time, this wind prevailed in later generations. For example, "the book of the later Han Dynasty - Jia Fu biography": "Fuzao and the five school war in Zhending, the big breakthrough, the compound wound wound very much. Guangwu was greatly surprised, said: 'I so do not let Jia Fu other generals, for its light enemy also. Sure enough, I lost my famous general! I heard that his wife is pregnant, born female evil, my son married; born male evil, my daughter married, do not let him worry about his wife!"

In short, the Qin and Han for the early days of Chinese feudal society, in the way of marriage and the purpose has become increasingly distinctive on the brand of feudal society: family law and parental orders play an increasingly important role, and the family's view began to arise from the many examples cited earlier, the family is quite a proportion of many of these, this emphasis on the family, the emphasis on the wind of the hierarchy of the feudal society, and to the time of the Wei and Jin Dynasties This style of emphasizing family and rank was a characteristic of feudal society, and reached its peak in the Wei and Jin dynasties. Of course, there are many women's families do not mind that the man is lowly and

poor to marry their women, generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with this, but in-depth analysis, there are many of them "this man when the noble", "this person must not be finally reckless" views and expectations, with a kind of hope that one day they will enter the world, but also the most important thing is that they have to be able to get a good job. There is a kind of desire to enter a higher class someday. As for the marriage to get money through the marriage is not too obvious, Chen Ping wants to get five married husband always die of the woman intended for money, but also only the analysis of later generations. The ancient people's marriage to chase money for the purpose of far less than today, this may be

commodity economy is not yet developed for the sake of.

Three, the wedding ceremony

The wedding ceremony in this period followed the past "six rites", and became more and more popular among the nobles and commoners. For example, "Arts and Letters Classes Gathering" 40 said: "Nacai, the beginning of the speech with each other to choose whether the time. Ask the name, that is, ask the woman's name will be returned to the divination. Naji, it is said to return to the divination, to tell the same. Nage, with a bundle of silk, levy into also. The first is to ask for an auspicious day to meet the bride, and the second is to ask for the marriage of the bride.

But this period of the "six rituals" than in the ancient "six rituals", much more elaborate and extravagant, as a way to show the status and wealth, is one of the characteristics of feudal society, the simplicity of the ancient style has been gradually lost. For example, from the Han Dynasty, the hundred officials to pick, with the crimson, sheep, geese and other gifts where 30 kinds. The former, not cloud my son, all cloud jun. Six rituals are sealed, the first paper seal, the table and then add a soap bag, in the suitcase, and? Soap suitcase, table finished,? The big bag table, the title of the inspection text, said: visit the table under the door of a gentleman. The hiring gift of thirty kinds of things, each with a visit to the text, outside the praise of the text each one. Sealed suitcase table finished, wax seal, the title with soap cape cover in the box,

No capsule table, the title check the text, said: visit the suitcase under the door of a gentleman, then the book of praise, through *** on the check. Gifts: case Lu Xuan crimson, sheep, geese, sake, white wine, round-grained rice, Jigen rice, bushes, reeds, curly cypress, Jiahe, long-life wisps, glue, lacquer, five-colored silk, Acacia bells, nine sons of the ink, money, Lude herb, phoenixes, Shelly beasts, mandarin ducks, Blessed Beasts, fish, deer, birds, nine sons of the woman, Yang flint.

All of these gifts are written on the auspicious visit text, indicating that it has a certain meaning, and these visit texts also indicate the ethical concepts of the people at that time and the desire and pursuit of a better life. Sheep, also auspicious, the group is not party. The geese follow the sun. Clear wine descending blessings. White wine happy by. Japonica rice feeds the hungry. Jigen rice is a common millet. The softness of the cattail. The softness of the reed is long lasting. The cypress grows in curls. The harvest is a blessing. The long-life threads are used for sewing clothes. Life-extending glue is able to harmonize with different kinds of people. Lacquer has good internal and external light. The five-colored silk is used in the chapter, and the flexing and stretching are endless. Acacia bells harmonize sounds. Nine sons of ink have long-lasting children and grandchildren. Money is more than money. Luk Tak vanilla for good luck. Phoenix female

Male and female husband and wife. The beasts of the Sharp are honest and modest. The mandarin ducks fly and sing in harmony with each other. Blessed beasts are kind and respectful. The fish is in the abyss and does not shoot. The Deer is also a good example of a deer. The bird knows how to feed its parents. The nine sons and the wife have four virtues. The sun flint becomes bright and peaceful. There is also Dan for the five colors of the glory, green for the first color, the beginning of the East.

As for the bride-price, that is, the levy money, is more and more luxurious and extravagant, and even reached a staggering degree. The Han official ceremony, said: "the emperor hired the empress, gold ten thousand pounds." The book of han - wang mang biography said: "into the world of ladies, set up duling shi's female as the queen, the bride price of gold 30,000 pounds." After the book of han - dedication Lie Liang empress of the record" says: "so all according to the filial piety emperor after the story, hire gold 20,000 pounds." Songshu - Rites Zhi said: "Shangshu Zhu整议：

Han Gao Hou system, the hiring of the queen of gold two hundred pounds, twelve horses; Mrs., fifty pounds of gold, four horses."

The Book of Han - Huaiyang Xian Wang biography, said:

The King of Zhao again made people Gu Shang female, the bride price of two hundred pounds of gold, Bo did not allow."

This state of affairs was not only set as a rite of passage among the royal nobles, but also became a popular custom among the people. For example, in the Book of Han - Chen Ping biography of the narrative: "Zhang negative pawn and female, for Ping poor, is a fake loan coins to hire." From this point of view, this kind of "facade" can not be avoided in any case. Ren Yan, as described in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty (《后汉书-任延传》), did not know the marriage etiquette because of Luo Yue's name, so he used the power of the government to match more than 2,000 men and women according to their age difference. "If they are poor and do not have the ritual of marriage, they will make the provinces below the chief historian to offer money to help them", which is also a custom that cannot be violated.

At that time, not only was the bride-price huge, but other aspects of the wedding were highly ostentatious. For example, "Han Shu - Western Wusun biography" said: "Han Yuanfengzhong, sent Jiangdu Wang Jian daughter of the Princess of Fine June for his wife. Giving the moped clothes and royal objects, for the preparation of the official eunuchs to serve hundreds of people, the gift is very generous." The Qianfu Lun, III, "Floating Extravagance," says: "When the rich and the noble marry, each carriage is 10, and each slave and servant boy rides the carriage, so that the rich want to pass by, and the poor are ashamed not to be able to reach them."

This kind of extravagance was opposed by some knowledgeable people at the time. For example, the aforementioned Dai Liang, "to marry his daughter, bamboo square bamboo as a strict instrument", accompanied by only sparse clothing, cloth quilt, bamboo, wooden clogs. Bao Xuan, who had been appreciated for his hard work but good learning, and whose wife was a daughter, was also very good in this respect. When his wife, Shaojun, married her, she was loaded with gifts and bribes, and Bao Xuan was very unhappy and said to his wife, "You grew up in a rich family and are accustomed to trimming and enjoying yourself, but I live in poverty, and I really don't dare to accept these gifts." The wife said, "My father asked me to marry you because of your good character and style. Since I am your wife, I will always act according to your opinion." Bao Xuan said happily, "If so, we are of the same mind." The woman returned her beautiful clothes and attendants to her mother's house, changed into cloth clothes, and returned to her village with Bao Xuan. Of course, there were not many people like Dai Liang and Bao Xuan in that kind of society

.

At that time, the custom of the new house had risen, guests often drink and laugh, words and deeds without scruples, such as the "Qunshu Zhiyao" quoted Zhong Changtong "Chang Yan" said: "Now the marriage will be, flogging staff to the supervision of the banter, wine and wine to the interest of the desire to be lustful and licentious in a wide range of people, show the yinxia in the clan between relatives, dirty wind and bizarre customs, born of obscene and adulterous, and more than this is very bad, can not be constantly. " According to the record, in the Han Dynasty, there is a man named Du Shi in Ru Nan married his wife, everyone came to congratulate, and drank a lot of wine.

One of his friends called Zhang Miao joked in the new house, the Du Shi tied up and whacked 20 times, and Du's hands and feet hanging high on the beam, Du was dead.

Four, several noteworthy forms of marriage

Qin, Han and later feudal aristocrats, landlords and the former as well as the latter part of feudal society, polygamy is quite prevalent, in addition to the main wife, there are concubines, young women, evening wives, young women, concubines, wives, outside the woman, Fu maidservant, imperial equality in the name of many, and often more than one person. For example, the Han Book - Yuan Houzhuan: "Wang banned good wine and color, more take evening wife.

"Han Shu - Kong Guang Chuan": "when Dingling Hou Chun Yu long sat in the great rebellion to be executed, long small wife Nai Shi and other six people are to long things are not found during the period to go or more married." Hou Han Shu - Liang Jie Wang Chang Biography: "I have thirty-seven small wives." At that time, it was not uncommon for people to buy ae if they had no children. For example, "Yilin" and "Taiping Yuban" said, "Chenliu had a rich family, and when he was ninety years old and had no children, he took a woman from a family in the field as his concubine." Ninety

years old and still have to buy a concubine, this is how monstrous and ugly!

These situations, of course, are still based on men's domination and oppression of women, using them as playthings. In the middle of this there are many scandals and obscenities, such as the Han Book - Wang Shang Chuan: "Geng Ding wrote a letter to say: Shang and his father Fu maidservant pass and female brother lust.

"Han Shu - Squeezing Luck Biography": "Zhang Pengzu was poisoned by his concubine, and he died of death."

The Book of the Han - Chunyu Kao Biography: "Queen Xu's sister 孊 was Mrs. Long Esi Hou, a widow. She was a widow. She had an illicit relationship with her, and was taken to be her concubine." As for the Hou Han Shu - Zhao Xiao Wang Liang Biography, it says: "Zhao Xiangzang Qian stayed in his father's mourning period to keep his concubine, and sat down to cut down the Zhongqiu County." This is because in the period of his father's mourning also

married a small wife, violated the taboo in the feudal rites and laws, and so was subject to the punishment of demotion, otherwise, polygamy is perfectly legal in feudal society.

There is another noteworthy phenomenon in the form of marriage is the re-marriage. Re-marriage is the marriage of the family of marriage, that is, the so-called "kiss on kiss". Re-marriage can be divided into three kinds: in-laws are always in-laws, married families are always married families, and there are also in-laws and families for each other (referring to the "Rituals of the Shihwang Rituals," the female is called married, son-in-law is called in-laws). This kind of situation, according to the historical record, mostly practiced in the royal family, nobility, of course, there are also folk, just not specifically recorded in history. As a result of kissing on kissing, it formed a complex network of relations, such as "Han Shu - Wen San Wang Biography": "Liang Arao Wang Jia princely, the son of the heir. Arakan's female brother garden for the establishment of uncle Ren Bao wife. Bao's brother, Zi Zhao, was the heir to the throne."

As for the following kind of situation is more complicated. Hou Han Shu - Geng Yu biography: "Father situation, and situation died, young son Ba inherited his father's title. Geng's father, Geng Zu, died and his youngest son, Ba, inherited his father's title. After Geng's death, his son, Liang, inherited his title. Feng died, and his son Liang Si, one Wujin, was the sister of Emperor Shang An, the eldest princess of Puyang. ...... jumped over the Mo Hou Ba and was succeeded by his son Wen Jin. Hei died and was succeeded by his son, Xian. Hei died and was succeeded by his son Xian. When Xi died, he was succeeded by his son, Xian, who was the Princess of Changsha, sister of Emperor Huan. ...... Marquis Shu of Muping died and was succeeded by his son Raider. She was the Princess of Longxi, the daughter of Emperor Huan. Attack died, son Bao heir, Bao female brother for the Qinghe xiao Wangfei."

This kind of "kissing on kissing" marriage, in fact, the essence of the two sides in the political and economic support for each other, each other to take advantage of, so as to further consolidate the relationship between the two sides with a heavy form of marriage. From this, we can also see that in feudal society, especially within the ruling class, marriage was rarely a union of love, and was often premised on family interests.

Because of the complex network of relationships formed by the "kin to kin", marriages sometimes took place between peers, but sometimes between different generations. This is not due to negligence, the feudal patriarchal system is very strict, which is not sloppy, but is the family interests over the generation of the preoccupation only.

Additionally, there is a noteworthy phenomenon is: the Zhou system of the same name is not married, while the Han Dynasty people seem to get married without avoiding the same name.

For example, the Han Book - Wang v. biography: "v. princely, son of Tan heir. Tan princeling, son of the Ham heir. Wang Mang's wife, that is, Xian female." From this, it seems that Wang Mang and his wife is the same surname. Another example is the Tongdian: "The sister of Empress Lu was married to Lv Ping", which is also true.

With the modern scientific point of view, the marriage of the same surname, is not unavoidable, because the same surname may not have how close blood relations. But the Han Dynasty, different generations of intermarriage, especially the blood relationship is very close to different generations of intermarriage, such as pro maternal uncle married niece, aunt and nephew married aunt, cousin nephew married cousin aunt and other phenomena are worth analyzing. Can be considered from the political interests above all, but also may be a return to the ancient blood marriage.

Fifth, the marriage and remarriage and remarriage

Han Dynasty to the time of Wei Jin and North and South Dynasties, the marriage (i.e., divorce) and remarriage and remarriage of a lot of things. This situation is relatively complex, from which we can see the beginning of feudal rites and chastity requirements, we can see men and the whole patriarchal system of women's oppression, but also in the extinction of marriage and remarriage and remarriage or a certain degree of freedom, which is obviously different from the later generations of the Song Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, etc.

This is the first time in the Han Dynasty.

The first case of extinction of marriage is that the man abandons his wife, and there are many reasons for doing so: first, there is no son. "Unfiliality is a great thing, and having no descendants is a great thing", which is of course a great thing. "Abandonment without children is also extinct", and this is precisely one of the seven abandonments (or seven goings-on). East Guanhan Ji - should be Shun biography: "Shun less with the same county Xu Jing good, Jing family poor relatives old, childless, for the Jing to go to the wife to marry more." In fact, childlessness is not necessarily the woman's problem, which is really very wrong.

The second is the reason for the tongue, that is, the woman said "wrong" what words, made some family conflicts. For example, the Han Dynasty that Chen Ping, young is a prodigal son, not productive, his sister-in-law can not see past, said some bad words, such as "uncle so, as good as none" and so on, Chen Ping's brother knows, it is driven by his wife and abandoned. When Chen Ping's brother found out about this, he abandoned his wife. This practice is also in line with one of the Seven Abandonments: "Abandonment of the mouth and tongue, and separation from one's relatives." In fact, this is also very unjust. This

is just like what Liu Bei later said, "Brothers are like hands and feet, and wives are like clothes; torn clothes can still be mended, broken hands and feet can be renewed!" This is naturally true in a patriarchal society centered on men.

Third is theft. One of the Seven Abandonments (or Seven Deities) is "Theft and Abandonment," which is the opposite of theft. In fact, this so-called "theft" is often not a big deal. Such as "Han Shu - Wang Ji biography": "Ji young learning, living in Chang'an, the east family has a large jujube tree, hanging ji in the court, ji woman take jujube to bite ji, ji after knowing, is to go to the woman." This jujube tree was planted by the neighboring family, the branches and fruits reached to Wang Ji's house, Wang Ji's wife picked some for Wang Ji to eat, and Wang Ji divorced her for it, which is really regarded the marriage as a straw, and the woman as a straw.

Fourth, female jealousy. One of the seven abandons (or seven goes) is: "Jealousy abandons the family in disarray." There are certainly "good reasons" for such a divorce. The book of the later Han dynasty - Feng Yan biography, said Feng Yan married the north of the Ren's female as his wife, Ren's female and fierce, and jealous, not allowed to Feng Yan concubine, and abused Feng Yan's ex-wife's children Feng Bao, Feng Jiang, Feng Yan later expelled her from the door. On this matter, Feng Yan wrote a letter to Ren's brother, Ren Wuda, explaining the reason, this letter is quite famous in history, people often use it to educate their daughters how to serve their husbands, how to abide by the way of women.

The letter reads:

The nature of heaven and earth, people have joy and anger; the way of husband and wife, the righteousness of the clutch. Sage's rituals, Shi have wives and concubines, although the Zong's tiny, still want to exceed the system, years of decline, hate into the Yellow Springs, encountered jealousy, the collapse of the family way. The mother of the five sons, still enough in the door, five years since, the day Sheng year drama, white for black, wrong for right, create end end, delusion of the first and the last, innocent and innocent, slanderous mouth, chaotic bandits descending to the sky, born from a woman, the heart of the green fly, not heavy country; jealousy, not afraid to lose their lives. The morning of the female chicken, but the family's solicitation, the great trouble of the past, today began with the diffraction. Drunk and full of too poor, always for the Jie Zhou, room molestation, scattered overseas. The eyes are open and the palms of the hands are open, so that something is nothing. Painful to heaven, poisonous flow of the five organs, worrying people do not rely on life, the idea of people regardless of the disaster, the entrance to the bed, succession infertility, spinning and weaving weaving, son of no female workers, the family is poor, no boy, cheap for the piker, so the child, no pathos, there was no pity for the grace. The only up, Wuda saw, head without hairpin Ze, face without powder, the skeleton does not cover, hands and feet hold the earth, not its original poor, do not consider its feelings, jumping beams screaming, call as into the darkness, the concubine of the sugar, do not tolerate its will. Calculated that the woman when to go for a long time, the idea of children Cao small family has no other make, pity ginger, leopard, when the slave girl, sympathetic anxiety, everything is rotten intestines, raging through, can not be heard, tyrannical abuse of this servant girl, do not die such as hair, half a year, pus and blood flowed. After the maidservant's illness, Jiang even pounding cooking, leopard and touch mud, heart for the pathos, the compilation of the grain released, winter clothes do not make up, sitting in a mess, a strand of not coherent, neither women's way, and no mother's etiquette, wrath to see the violation of the hate to see the wolves, relying on the Zheng order, such as living in the heavens, holding the quality of the robberies, the words of the hundred east, the sword and halberd in the door, why have time to let; hundred crossbows round the house, how to restore the strong; lift the ZongDaYe people to explain the word, words such as the cycle, the mouth such as the cuckoo, the county streamers even the sky, beating the drums to move the ground, the heart is not evil, the body is not evil, the heart is not the body, the heart is not the body. The heart is not evil, the body is not shaken, it is appropriate to be detailed in the wrong, and self-calculated, no book to tell each other fear, barking dogs are not alarmed, confident of its feelings. If you don't go to this woman, your home will be restless; if you don't go to this woman, your home will be unclear; if you don't go to this woman, your happiness will not be born; if you don't go to this woman, your work will not be accomplished. I hate myself for not setting myself up early when I was in the splendor of China, but on the day when my family was poor and disabled, I raised carbuncles and grew gangrene, which gave rise to disaster. Derivative of the family is in a mess, don't give up the clothes, side of the mountains, the road to the end of social intercourse, the door to the bureaucracy, closed the door, the heart is dedicated to cultivation, in order to food and clothing, how dare to have the road to fame!

This letter is written in a very vivid, vibrant, chiseled evidence, the woman's family naturally have nothing to say, the public opinion at that time in the side of the Feng Yan. Of course, in today's eyes, this is only one side of the story, the letter also reveals from time to time "macho" thinking. Perhaps, Ren's daughter does have many shortcomings, but offending her husband's dominance, forbidding her husband to take a concubine, jeopardizing her husband's "rights" and "interests" is also one of the reasons.

Fifth, the woman's virtue is poor. For example, "Huayang Guozhi - Guanghan Shi female praise," said a man named Rudun, brothers live together, parents have some inheritance, sister-in-law very much want to monopolize, Rudun's wife is very virtuous, persuade Rudun are given to them to let go, so Rudun to the fields, houses, slaves and maidservants are given to the brother and sister-in-law, and husband and wife moved out to live. Once Rudun dug out a gold vessel while plowing, his wife advised him to give it to his brother, and the couple went there together. When her sister-in-law saw them coming, she thought they came to

borrow money, and didn't give them a good look; then she realized that they had come to deliver the gold vessel, and she was so happy that she danced with her hands. At this point, the brother sensed, out of his wife, the family wealth back to his brother. From this incident, the sister-in-law seems to be greedy, seems to be a "villain", but the brother is also very bad, his brother and daughter-in-law to give up their parents' inheritance, he even received all of them, do not think that the shame. Later, although he realized, why did he divorce his wife immediately? If he could realize it himself, why couldn't his wife realize it, and why didn't he help and educate her? This is again "brothers like hands and feet, wife like clothes" in the blame.

Sixth, the woman is not allowed to parents, that is, did not put the in-laws to serve well, or in-laws have prejudice against the daughter-in-law. There are many examples of this. For example, the Houhan Book - Bao Yong biography: "Yong after the mother to filial piety. His wife scolded the dog in front of his mother, and Yong went to her." The Book of the Later Han Dynasty (《后汉书》-列女广汉姜詩妻传》) says, "Shi's mother is very filial, and his wife is especially strict in her obedience. Mother good to drink river water, to the house six or seven miles, his wife tasted backstream and draw, after the wind, from time to time to return. When his mother was thirsty, he scolded her and dismissed her.

"Both of these things are very unreasonable, Bao Yong's wife just in front of her mother-in-law to drink scolded a dog, and was abandoned. Jiang Shi's wife was even more unjust. She was originally very filial to her mother-in-law, who liked to drink water from the river, and she used to walk six or seven miles to draw water from the river, but one day when there was a gale, she did not return in time, and her mother-in-law was thirsty, and she was forsaken just for the sake of this matter, which is so contrary to human feelings and human nature!

Seven is to go to his wife for the sake of a momentary political relationship. This happened to Ban Chao, a great general of the Han Dynasty. According to the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty - Ban Chao's Biography", a minister, Li Yi, who was afraid of the enemy and jealous of Ban Chao's achievements, wrote to the emperor to slander Ban Chao, saying that he had a concubine and a son, and that he was happy to have a wife and a son.