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Abstract The Xiunü selection system was an important institutional basis of the Qing palace. In principle, both imperial consorts and palace maids were chosen from the Xiunü selection process, and Xiunü were all banner women. According to the Qing rules, no young girls of banner comuunity should get married on their own before they underwent the selection process. Hence, the Xiunü selection system had a crucial impact on the life of every banner woman. However, the previous studies primarily focused on the purpose, scope, and procedures of Xiunü selection and neglected the influence of this system on average banners women. Innovatively, this paper reveals how this system had influenced the family and social status of every banner woman as well as their perceptions towards the banner community from a new perspective on the evaluation of the Xiunü selection system with the Qing palace archives that has been re-publicized recently.
Firstly, by reviewing three relevant archives during the 60th year of Qianlong reign, which hitherto left unnoticed by the academic circle, this paper provides a vivid depiction of the massive scale and the specific process of Xiunü selection during the High Qing priod. As few Xiunü were chosen as the consorts of the royal famly at last, most of the participants found their own marriage after taking part in this process. What did the selection mean for the majority of ordinary banner women? On the one hand, such selection enabled every banner woman to come to the capital, enter the palace, and meet the emperor, which was an unattainable opportunity even for most banner men. During the selection process, Xiunü was provided food, silver, and other rewards by the emperor so they could feel the connection and sense of belonging between individual and the royal court and the emperor. On the other hand, as every Xiunü had the potential to be the wife or concubine of the emperor, all unmarried girls enjoyed higher family and social status in the banner society, which was also an important impact of the selection system to banner women. Furthermore, the Xiunü selection event was a good opportunity for the emperors to reinforce their control over banner women. Held every three years, the selection event required thorough preparation of all royal institutions and the entire banner community. Under the command of the Ministry of Revenue, the royal court censused every unmarried banner girl every three years, which allowed the emperor to impose strict control over the population and marriage status of all banner women. The Qing emperors also inculcated ethnic consciousness into the banner women on each selection event, such as the emperor would spotting signs of Hanization from their apparels and accessories and making timely ratification or emphasize their Manchu family names to strengthen their ethnic identity.
When shifting the research perspective from royal institutions and imperial power to ordinary banner women, the aspects that were neglected previously begin to emerge. Only by discussing these issues can we establish a comprehensive and objective cognition towards the Xiunü selection system of Qing Dynasty.
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Published: 02 September 2021
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