In this short History of China documentary, I explain how the Qing dynasty's harem system was set up, functionned, and came to an end. Using historical examples, I expose the differents ranks of the imperial concubines.

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= MUSIC =
Joy and Peace (Guzheng)
Chinese Traditional Bamboo Flute Music
Civilization V - Wu Zetian Peace Theme
The Han Palace under the Autumn Moon (Erhu)

= VIDEO CREDITS =
The Legend of Zhen Huan (2011)
Choosing a Chinese Emperor’s Bride Required Intense Scrutiny (Smithsonian Channel)
The Story of Yanxi Palace (2018)
The Burning of Imperial Palace (1983)
The Last Emperor (1987)

= MAIN SOURCES =
Empresses of China’s Forbidden City, 1644–1912, Daisy Yiyou Wang & Jan Stuart, (2018)
Life inside the Forbidden City: how women were selected for service, Marcelo Duhalde, (2018)

= TAGS =
qing dynasty concubines
qing dynasty harem
chinese imperial harem system
chinese harem system
china harem documentary
imperial concubines documentary

Introduction: (0:00)
History: (00:55)
Selection process: (02:07)
Ranks: (04:20)
Promotion: (09:35)
Daily life: (10:35)
Emperor's death: (11:28)
End of the system: (12:06)