The habit of using handmaids in old families has a long history, and the habits of each generation are different. Only in the Qing Dynasty, the imperial court, the imperial palace, the Manchu family and even ordinary people had different situations. This is different from their respective sources and uses of slaves, and their situation is naturally very different. This introduction to handmaids in the Qing Dynasty will be divided into three parts: the palace, the imperial palace and the Manchu-Han family, so that everyone can truly feel the differences.
This paper mainly discusses the handmaids in the Qing palace, which is mainly divided into two parts, namely "maid" and "maid".
The last article? Basic goods
Q: How to distinguish a maid from a domestic servant?
A: Very simple. Generally speaking, unmarried people are called maids and married people are called maids.
Q: Is there any other name for the servant girl? Similarly, where is the maid?
A: Maids are also called "Maids", "Maids" and "Maids", and there are other names, such as "Maids". Relatively speaking, "maid" and "maid" are written, and in spoken language, Pu Jie once said that calling "maid" is more respectful than calling "girl". Domestic servants are also called "Niang", "Niang Li" (in Manchu, "Li" actually means plural), "daughter-in-law" and "woman's errand". Relatively speaking, the words "domestic servant" and "female servant" are more formal.
Rule number one? Maids in the palace
Q: What is the origin of maid-in-waiting?
A: Generally speaking, there are only three kinds. First, the daughter painted in this mansion is an official in the mansion; Second, she bought it from outside the mansion; Third, the hostess's maiden is a married woman; And the fourth kind, the daughter who belongs to the government (there are two kinds of flag bearers under the palace, one is coated, the other is divided into flags and collars, and the flag bearers are called "individuals"). These four kinds are the most common, and the fourth kind is less in the middle and late Qing Dynasty. In addition, there are several kinds, such as palace ladies who are rewarded, or maids who ask people to introduce their jobs. These kinds are relatively few.
Q: How old are the ladies in the palace?
A: The smallest ones bought from outside the government are1under 0 years old. I bought it and started training. Our government's coating is more relaxed, some came before the age of ten, and some came in only after teenagers. If you are rewarded in the palace, that is the age of the palace draft.
Q: What about the upper age limit?
A: Unlike in the palace, the ladies in the palace have no fixed release period. Usually they are married or don't want to work, so they can go home with permission. But as far as their origins are concerned, it is an obligation to serve the host's family, so they often work as maids at home after marriage. On the other hand, the girl who bought it didn't say anything, because the things she bought were as private as the items, unless she bought them again, sold them or redeemed them.
Q: Is there any classification for maids?
Answer: Generally speaking, it can be divided into "running errands" and "improper running errands", also known as "indoors" and "under the house". Under these two main departments, each government has its own detailed departments. For example, "on duty" rooms can be divided into beautiful maids or Meidochan, and "on duty" rooms can also be divided in this way, and each house has different habits.
Q: How do different maids rank?
A: The maid with the highest status is generally a "roommate", that is, she has a "relationship" with her master, but she has no formal birthright. Secondly, there are "on duty" maids, both from their own homes and escorts, and sometimes the status of escorts is slightly higher than that of their own homes. The second is to be a handyman's maid and the second is to study. In the case of the same job, the family that came from our government's paint has a higher status than the family that bought it, because the former has a "family" and belongs to the legal lover, while the latter is equivalent to the owner's goods, but it does not belong to the legal lover.
Q: What's the difference between the jobs of maids with different identities?
Answer: "On-the-job" means doing work in front of the host, mainly serving the host's daily life and trivial matters in the room. On the other hand, "improper work" means taking care of things in the yard or other aspects, or being a "study" maid.
Q: After reading A Dream of Red Mansions and other books, do you think that maids who are servants don't often do things? I feel like I'm in a daze
A: You can't say that. They have to serve their master, and they have to worry about many things. Relatively speaking, they have the most face. Similarly, they have more responsibilities and are more prone to various problems.
Q: How much is the maid's salary?
A: Different houses are different, and different periods are different. Generally speaking, a maid's fixed income consists of three parts: monthly money, extra money and extra remuneration. Not much money a month is salary. According to the records of several Wang Fu in the middle and late Qing Dynasty, a pretty maid, as a "servant", usually earns less than two taels a month, and the lowest maid may be a crane or a half crane. For example, some governments also call it "public funds", which are subsidies. Generally speaking, it is mainly to eat and dress, and some governments directly reward materials. For example, a holiday or a host's birthday. Some established rewards are generally higher than the monthly money. However, the situation of different governments is different. It is said that some governments in the late Qing Dynasty were very poor, and the money given to maids was only food money.
Q: Where do all the maids live?
A: This is more complicated. First of all, there are many rooms in Wang Fu, especially many row houses or wing rooms for them to live in. However, many maids in Wang Fu come from this building, and their parents also work in this building. Therefore, there are houses around Wang Fu, so it is ok to go home and rest when there are not many errands. If you live in the palace, it seems that a prominent maid-in-waiting can live in a room by herself, some live in a few people, and some live with their own servants.
Q: What does it mean to run errands for women?
A: In the maid's room, except those who came with the maid (also called escort), everyone else just came in and had to "train" and teach the rules, and all of them were taught by our servants. Some have maids to train all kinds of maids, and some refer to any maid to teach. The instructed maid called the maid "aunt".
Q: Did you come with the hostess?
Yes, they usually work as maids in the hostess's house. As a chaperone, it is also called chaperone. They come in and come with them, so they don't need more training. They can go directly to "run errands", usually mistresses.
Q: How much is Fujin in General Palace?
A: Every family is different. I know two examples, one is with two maids and four maids, and the other is with two maids and two maids.
Q: Are you only accompanied by your first wife?
A: Generally speaking, yes, because in the middle and late Qing Dynasty, the side concubines of the royal family were generally promoted from palace ladies. As for the early Qing dynasty, there is a lack of information, so it is not clear.
Q: Besides accompanying their wives, what other ways can other maids get promoted?
Answer: Generally speaking, it means joining the government-training-handyman-handyman.
Q: Who pays for the accompanying room?
A: Once the escort room enters the house with the girl, it becomes a waitress in the man's house, and naturally the man pays for it.
Q: So what was the final outcome of the maids?
A: Well, there are several endings. First, get married normally, either by the master or by the parents. After you get married, you can go to live or stay in the house as a servant. Secondly, she became a "servant girl" after having sex with the male owner in the mansion, and later became a concubine, even a concubine. Third, special circumstances ... illness, abuse, and even dismissal. ...
Q: Is it possible that the "girl with a house" has never had a formal birthright?
A: It is possible. This has happened in some palaces. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, a maid in a palace had sex with the prince and gave birth to a daughter. However, due to various reasons, the daughter was not officially given a birthright, and her daughter was also declared the daughter of Defoe. Later, the servant girl spent her whole life in this house as a "girl". Although she has the status of a concubine economically, she has no birthright.
Q: Do maids have to work every day?
A: There are classes. For example, in a palace, there may be six maids "on duty" beside the prince, or they may be divided into three classes, each of which has its own working hours. Isn't there a maid in A Dream of Red Mansions who said, "I'm not on duty today"?
Q: Do all the maids want to leave home? Or do you all want to be smaller?
A: I really don't know this. Everyone has different ideas. Some parents send their daughters in just to let them see the world, learn rules, or supplement their families. Some people intend to make their daughters concubines.
Q: Can the servant girl be the master's first wife?
Wang Fu is impossible. The imperial palace in the Qing dynasty was basically not righted. Both the palace and the Mongolian palace can be righted, but the palace can't.
Q: What do ladies-in-waiting in the palace wear?
A: It's more casual. There are no general rules, as long as it suits your identity. Anyway, as a servant girl and an economy, it is hard for a host to hate the clothes she wants to wear. ...
Q: How many maids are there in the palace?
A: It has something to do with the government. Some houses have nearly a hundred maids, some have only a dozen, and some don't even need maids.
Q: Why don't some governments use maids?
A: At present, it is known that King Mi of Switzerland has not used maids since Prince Renaud's Renshou period. It is said that it was because the maids were used too hard in the past, that is, they closed the door too often. Just one of the maids, Fang Fujin, came to power as Tai Fujin, so he made this rule and cut off the maids.
Q: If the servant girl is married, will she be a concubine?
A: No, it depends on the background. The coating of the palace belongs to the official household registration, not to slaves, so it can be used as the hostess of the official household registration. Of course, generally speaking, we pay attention to the right match, and there are often marriages between Wang Fu's coats. It often happens that "a housekeeper's wife is a doctor's daughter in this room". Some people marry businessmen or erected banners, while others marry bureaucrats. On the other hand, if you buy a maid, it will be even worse. The servant girl bought belongs to the servant and legally belongs to the slave. Marriage is decided by the owner, who often marries other slaves. Only a few can marry a lover. When she marries a lover, she often becomes a concubine.
Q: What's the difference between buying a servant girl and marrying a lover?
A: If they still marry slaves, their children will still be servants. If you marry a lover, whether it is a first wife or a concubine, their children can be regarded as lovers.
Q: Can Wang Fu Paint be an official?
A: Yes, there are also senior officials.
Q: Is there any punishment for maids in the palace?
It's casual ... corporal punishment is normal, such as hitting the board and slapping your mouth. These are common ... but they are also related to the situation of various governments. Some governments treat maids well, while others do not. ...
Q: Is there a saying that it was forcibly pulled out to match that boy? Like a dream of red mansions.
A: Yes, but on the one hand, it is rare, on the other hand, it is different in nature. The slaves of Manchu and Han families are all domestic slaves and belong to untouchables. If the maids of these families marry boys (footmen), their children are still untouchables. On the other hand, if a maid of an aristocratic family marries a good citizen, then their children are good citizens, so this is more valued among slaves of Manchu and Han aristocratic families. Wang Fu, on the other hand, is not. Most of the maids in Wang Fu are coated, so they are good citizens, and most of the servants at home are coated. Only the question of whether they like it or not, there is no such consideration. On the other hand, only the marriage of slaves and untouchables can be "directly decided" by their owners, while the coating is generally "indirectly decided".
Q: What do maids usually eat?
A: A higher-ranking maid usually eats her master's leftovers. In Qing dynasty, there was a special word called "reward" or "dispersion", which refers to this situation. Ordinary maids can sometimes get a casual meal, sometimes eat one dish or two dishes, or cook by themselves.
Q: How old do maids usually get married?
A: Whatever, depending on the specific situation, it is similar to the ordinary flag-bearer family.
Q: Is there physical labor in the servant girl's job?
A: Maids who are "on duty" generally have no physical work to do. When they are on duty, that is, when they are not on duty. Occasionally, they have jobs, such as washing and cleaning. If you encounter heavy physical labor, you can ask eunuchs for help, or even temporarily ask the footman outside the customs for help.
Q: What if the maid is killed?
A: Although I have always heard that maids were killed, it is actually quite rare. In particular, Wang Fu's maid was born in a coating and belongs to a good citizen. The crime of killing a good citizen is quite big, but it is definitely not enough for a lifetime. It's out of line. It's forbidden to win. Sometimes it will be suppressed with money. It's called buying life with money. A more special example, Yu Xing, the prince of Yu in Jiaqing period, raped a maid (born in a coat) in the house and caused her to commit suicide. The servant girl's father appealed that Yuxing was in mourning at this moment. During the mourning period, she committed adultery+rape and forced to die. In the end, Yuxing won the championship and was banned for three years.
Q: Is there a maid with the host in Wang Fu?
A: Yes. But after marriage, the host and hostess are considered as one room, and the servant girl is considered as the overall planning of one room. Generally speaking, "grandparents are in the room".
Q: Can I give the servant girl away at will?
A: Maids in the Qing Dynasty were usually born in coats, so they didn't have this. However, the maid can go to another house as an escort. But if the maid is bought herself, um ... it's very casual to give it away. ...
Q: What's the maid's name?
A: Generally speaking, you can call them maids and maids. If you have some respect, you can call them "girls". Young masters usually call them "sisters" or "sisters" according to their age.
Q: Is there any chance for the servant girl to leave the house? What about the opportunity to meet your family?
A: Just wander around at home. Of course, going out is going out, not leaving. Painting in Qing dynasty can not be separated from the owner's family. For example, if someone is Li's coat with a red flag, then his descendants will be the coat of this building, and both men and women will work and serve in Li. Family members have the opportunity to meet each other every day, and both parents work in the government. ...
Q: Apart from the fixed salary and year-end bonus, will there be bonuses at ordinary times? Will the owner give something to himself? Will it be regarded as an honor?
A: Yes. Yes You will get hit in the face, but it's no big deal, because there are too many such situations.
Q: Some people say that a maid in the room had sex before a dude got married. Is that so?
A: Yes or no, this question is very casual, so don't look at it rigidly. Master's personality, young master's situation and young master's age of marriage will all affect this problem. Let's give a few examples. Wang Fu is very strict at home. My brother knows nothing about personnel. He got married at the age of 14 or 15, and he is a complete "stupid uncle". Later, under the guidance of his personal servant, he gradually learned about it. Wang Fu B, my brother decided to let two or three people in the room when he was fifteen, that is, the beautiful maid was conditionally promoted to a room, but will this brother move this hand, just say two ... Wang Fu C, my brother matured earlier, and the servants around him had bad conduct and various teachings, so he began to let people in the room around him at the age of thirteen or fourteen. ...
Q: After reading it, I found that there are two kinds of maids, one is painted and the other is bought. Their status gap is so great. Can I still be a concubine if I buy it? Is it necessary to be a concubine in a lower position?
A: it's good to find that. Many people think that coating is a slave, but in fact coating is just a "proper flag bearer who is responsible for some families". They are good citizens in law, and they can take the imperial examination or be officials. Domestic slaves are completely different, so there is a big gap in status. The servant girl bought belongs to a slave, but she can be a concubine and even be promoted to a side Fujin, but after all, her status is not as good as that of a coated person. By the way, in fact, it was forbidden to buy slaves in the official residence in the Qing Dynasty, because it had been coated, but it could not be cut off at all (especially in some later palaces). Therefore, when these bought maids were declared as concubines or side Fujin, they were all reported as daughters of our government. ...
Rule number two? Servant of the palace
Q: What are the origins of the servants in the palace?
Q: Is there any division of labor between domestic servants?
Answer: Like maids, they can be divided into "being a maid" and "not being a maid". There are roughly three kinds of "going to work": Qi Jing's mother, the attendant's mother and the wet nurse. There are many kinds of "misconduct", but they are generally called "water mothers".
Q: These names are so strange. Why are they all called "Mom"?
A: When dictating to the old flag-bearer, I often hear a sentence, that is, "the flag-bearer has no' mother'." In other words, in the vocabulary of standard-bearers, "mom" is not a name for mother, so when it comes to "mom", it refers to domestic servants. On the other hand, the word "mother" in Manchu refers to grandmother or old lady, but this meaning is not taken here.
Q: What does Qi Jing's mother do? What do you do?
A: Mother Qi Jing is an ancient name. Qi Jing is a transliteration of Manchu "Jingjini", which means "Zheng". In the middle and late Qing dynasty, it was used to be called "seeing mom", and it was also called "mom" by the younger generation in spoken language. She is the leader of the maid in each room, usually the leader of the whole maid service. Responsible for some decisive decisions, rarely responsible for specific work. The highest position.
Q: What is a mother? What do you do?
A: My mother is also a working mother, who specially accompanies the host to go out and receive guests. The host, especially the hostess, is accompanied or received for entertainment or guests' visits. Polite, knowledgeable, able to speak, slightly lower than the mother's status.
Q: A wet nurse is a wet nurse.
Yes, a wet nurse is a wet nurse, and so is the so-called wet nurse. The wet nurse is only responsible for nursing the young master, not managing other things. However, in the old society, the relationship between the biological mother and the child was relatively unfamiliar, so the wet nurse was closest to the child and had a higher status. Although no matter what happens, her status is slightly the same as that of Qi Jing's mother.
Q: How do you pronounce the word wet nurse? Someone said "mom"?
A: Read Mo Mo. When doing dictation, some people read it once, some people read it twice, some people read the second word lightly, some people don't read it lightly, but they never read "mom". In the late Qing dynasty, some governments called wet nurses "wet nurses", "wet nurses" and even "wet nurses". If you read mama, you will find it amazing. ...
Q: Some people say that people in the Qing Dynasty paid special attention to wet nurses?
A: Yes, at that time, the wet nurse was considered to be half a "mother", and some grandfathers were closer to the wet nurse than to her mother, so generally speaking, the grandfathers had to keep her, so in the Republic of China, some young masters in Wang Fu fled with the wet nurse and were thought by passers-by to be fleeing with Fujin (biological mother) ... Of course, some of them could not afford her expenses and sent her away ... What? You mean Jia Baoyu's wet nurse? Jia Baoyu's situation is quite strange. ...
Q: What does Shui Ma do?
A: Water mom is a general term, and there should be various names, such as mom on the stove, mom on the lamp and so on. Later, it was called water mom, and sometimes it was simply called "mom". Actually, it's a maid, who is responsible for housework, sewing, laundry, sweeping the yard and so on.
Q: What's the salary of domestic helpers?
A: The salary is the same as that of a maid, but the monthly money is generally higher than that of a maid. In the imperial palace in the late Qing Dynasty, the monthly money of individuals employed as servants could reach as much as four or five taels, and ordinary servants were also employed as servants. Other meals and clothes are similar to those of the maids.
Q: Is there a maid with the host in Wang Fu?
A: Yes. Mammy is always taken care of, and Mammy Qi Jing is usually the leader of the whole room. With his mother, he mainly serves the hostess. Men also follow their mothers before adulthood, and generally serve others after adulthood.
Q: Does a mother generally mean serving a person?
A: It depends. Some serve one master and another, while others serve one master.
Q: Is there any punishment for domestic servants in the palace?
A: Deduct the monthly money, mainly playing the board. Generally speaking, the punishment for domestic servants is lighter than that for maids, because domestic servants generally have more face.
Q: What do maids eat? Where do you live?
A: I am married, with my girlfriend and my mother. I have my own family. If I have nothing to do, I will go home and rest.
Q: How many mothers are there in the palace?
A: It has something to do with the habits of various governments, but on the whole it is more than maids.
Q: What is the title of domestic servant?
A: Young owners call them "so-and-so mothers", among which Mommy and Qi Jing can be used as appellations, such as "so-and-so mothers" and "so-and-so Qi Jing". Older hosts sometimes address themselves directly by their surnames, or by interpersonal relationships, such as "XXX's family" or "XXX's mother".
Q: Is there any preferential treatment for the children of domestic servants?
A: Not at all, but if she is a servant, her child may be a page or a maid, which is more convenient. In particular, the children of the wet nurse will be regarded as the brothers and sisters of the wet nurse, and will be valued to a certain extent, and their status will be higher than that of ordinary slaves.
Q: Is the maid employed? Did you buy it?
A: Wang Fu usually uses its own paint, and a few of them are hired, mainly wet nurses. Because they just need milk, there is no standing in the paint. I really haven't heard of this ... maybe.