What is the purpose of a concubine?

The main function of concubinage was producing additional heirs, as well as bringing males pleasure. Children of concubines had lower rights in account to inheritance, which was regulated by the Dishu system.

What’s the difference between a harem and a concubine?

As nouns the difference between concubine and harem is that concubine is a woman who lives with a man, but who is not a wife while harem is the private part of an arab household in traditional arab culture, this part of the household was forbidden to male strangers.

What are the ranks of a concubine?

After the death of Empress Dugu, Emperor Wen expanded the ranks of the consorts to the following:

• 1 Empress (皇后; huáng hòu)
• 3 Noble Ladies (貴人; guì rén)
• 9 Imperial Concubines (嬪; pín)
• 27 Hereditary Consorts (世婦; shì fù)
• 81 Ladies of His Majesty (禦女; yù nǚ)

Was it ever acceptable for a married man to have a concubine?

“In the ancient Near East, it was acceptable for a married man to have a secondary wife or concubine, so long as he had the resources to support a large family. Apart from working in the home and providing sexual companionship, a major role for a concubine would be to produce children, to increase the work force in a household.

What are the characteristics of a concubine?

1 A woman’s status as a concubine was higher than a slave but lower than a wife. 2 Concubines were entitled to proper food and clothing. 3 Concubines could not get a bill of divorce like a wife could. 4 A concubine’s children were legitimate, but they may have been socially considered secondary to the children born from a wife.

What did concubines get after a divorce?

Concubines got nothing after a ‘divorce’ as no dowry was paid. A wife paid to get married, a concubine did not. A contract was drawn up in the case of the wife but not the concubine. This answer is based on deduction from what scriptural refereces there are and practices of other peoples of the Middle East.

What is the difference between a free wife and a concubine?

While both free wives and slave wives were considered to be the property of their husbands a free wife held a greater place of social honor and her children had inheritance rights that were required to be honored. The concubine’s children had no inheritance rights unless they were granted under special circumstances.