三妻四妾

This is inspired by the popular Chinese idiom (成语), 三妻四妾, meaning three wives and four concubines. (Don’t ask me why… I just like researching this kinda useless stuff… =P)

As from many Chinese medieval dramas, it is widely perceived that the early Chinese societies are dictated with polygamy, particularly polygyny, especially for the rich. However, many are unaware that saying the ancient matrimony system is 一夫多妻制 is actually a misrepresentation. In fact, history tells us that the traditional Chinese society is still 一夫一妻 but 多姬妾制. The idiom 三妻四妾 actually originated from the Spring and Autumn Period (春秋时期), where an emperor (齐国君主) jokingly passed a comment of appointing three of his wives as empresses, after faced with the difficulty to single out one, thus deriving at the term, 三妻. Later on, 四妾 was added purely to provide rhythm to the phrase.

The polygyny matrimony system started in the form of sororate marriages, a custom among the nobility of the Zhou dynasty (周代). Back then, when a noble lady marries, she must bring along with her as part of her dowry (陪嫁), a sister, cousin or any female of the same clan as a co-bride (媵) as a significance of status. After marriage, the lady is known as the first wife, 嫡妻 or 发妻, and the co-bride the second wife, also known as the 侧室. Traditionally, the first wife overrides the second wife in status, and so on. Initially, if the man was to take any concubines, they would rank last, after the co-brides. However, as time goes by, the difference between the co-brides and concubines became less pronounced until finally indiscernible.

Basically, in the ancient times, concubines (妾), also known as 庶妻, are treated as inferiors, incomparable to the wife, and remains so, for the rest of her marriage. In the event that a man’s wife passes away, her husband will be considered a widower (鳏夫), and is eligible for marriage again, regardless of the number of concubines he has. The logic behind such is that women who become concubines generally come from a lower social status and are considered ‘bought’, rather then married, henceforth arising to the term 纳妾--acquiring a concubine, as opposed to 娶妻--marrying a wife. In the earlier days, due to the strictness of social status distinction, it was a prisonable offence to promote a concubine to wife status. 以妾及客女为妻，徒一年半. It was not until much later in time that the procedure to do so (扶正) came about. Even then, the act was very much frowned upon.

In the earlier days, the main purpose of acquiring concubines was mainly to produce an heir to carry on the family line. This is because traditionally, the incapability to give birth to an heir is deemed the extreme unfilial act (不孝有三，無後為大) which constitutes the wife liable for a unilateral divorce based on the one of seven rules for annulment (七出之条). Hence, more often then not, wives who are unable to produce an heir usually use this as a last resort to protect themselves from being cast out by their husband. However, as time goes by, the motive behind acquiring concubines slowly inclined more towards satisfying men’s desires.

Concubines are usually not wedded in a whole formal ceremony, which includes of an arduous matchmaking process followed by a grand wedding ceremony (明媒正娶). On her wedding day, the concubine cannot be dressed in the traditional red phoenix wedding gown (凤冠霞披), not even a pure red (大红) dress is allowed. Unlike a wife, she is denied a bridal sedan (花轿) and upon arriving, she does not enter through the front door (正门), but must come into the house through the side or back door instead. She also is not qualified enter the ancestral hall due to her low status and must offer tea to the wife, if there is any, as a sign of respect.

Unlike divorcing a wife (休妻), which is considered a shameful and scandalous affair, a concubine may be divorced, sold or gifted arbitrarily. They also have less rights in the relationship. For one, a concubine is always expected to be subservient to the wife.
She also cannot spend a whole night with her husband. As soon as her husband is asleep, she is to silently leave the room and return to her own bedroom for the rest of the night. On the husband’s end, it is also considered an ignominious act for one to express any affection for his concubine. In short, a concubine can only enjoy sexual intimacy with her husband but was denied all social status of a wife otherwise.

There is also a limit to the number of concubines a man can take. According to some records, a physician (大夫) can only have one, the nobles (贵族)are entitled to two or maximum three. In some eras, the number of wives and concubines a man can marry depends on his financial status. In short, the man must be able to provide for his women, no matter how many he has.

Despite so, like all history, the concubine system also has its exceptions. Like the Eastern Jin Dynasty (东晋), where the distinction between the noble and poor is at its most prominent. Back then, dilemmas arose when a few prestigious clans set eye on the same man to marry their women. Situations like this gave birth to scenarios where multiple wives hold the same status (平妻). Even so, such situations are deemed rare and history records no more then three wives of equal status at one time.

In conclusion, the term 三妻四妾, was never a norm and most definitely not the legal standard at any point in Chinese history. 韦小宝? Meh, definitely fiction~