What Is a Cairen

Talented (才人; cairen) Guardian Immortal (衛仙; weixian) 6a. Lady of Treasure (寶林; baolin) Service Provider (供奉; gongfeng)

Is a consort the same as a concubine?

*Consort means The spouse of a monarch. In former times, a concubine was a woman who had a sexual relationship with a man of higher social rank without being married to him. The ruling monarch’s wife or husband is called their consort. Concubine is a kept woman, a mistress, and has a lower status in society.

Why did emperors have concubines?

An Emperor could have as many or as few concubines as he wished, with the main purpose of bearing him lots of children. During the earlier dynasties, concubines were frequently chosen from poor families and so often parents obliged, assuming that their daughters were embarking on a better life inside the palace.