Ancient China

The right to protect the honor of the family: if someone insulted her or her family, it was considered an insult to the entire house.

Limitations on independence: she coordinated decisions about large expenditures, the hiring of new concubines, and the punishment of servants with her husband and older relatives.

Divorce: A husband could dissolve a marriage for "seven reasons" (such as disrespect for the husband's parents, the absence of sons, or promiscuity), but there were also "three exceptions" (if the wife mourned her husband's parents, if the family became wealthy after her marriage, or if she had no relatives to whom she could return). This made divorce not arbitrary, but ritually and morally justified.

What did the legal wife receive:

The status of the mistress of the house: all concubines and maids were subordinate to her. She managed the courtyard, assigned duties, and oversaw the children's upbringing.

The right to represent the family: she participated in family rituals, presented gifts to ancestors, and received female guests.

Legal protection: she could not simply be "removed" from the house; divorce was possible only on strict grounds and with the approval of elders.

The main duties of a legal wife:

Maintain respect and order: ensure that all rituals are observed, that juniors respect their elders, and that servants know their place.

To educate children in Confucian virtues: especially sons, since they were the ones who continued the family line.

Manage the household: keep track of supplies, control workshops, distribute fabrics and grain, monitor expenses.

Confucian formula: "The wife serves the home as the husband serves the state."

Marriage with a legal wife was not simply a private event, but a public contract between clans. The Li Ji describes the "six rites" (liu li 六礼):

Nacai (纳采) is the sending of gifts to the bride's home: a sign that the groom's family is serious about their plans.
Wenming (问名) - finding out the name and date of birth to check compatibility.
Naji (纳吉) - announcement of an auspicious date and confirmation of consent.
Nazheng (纳征) — transfer of wedding gifts (ransom).
Qingqi (请期) - setting an exact date for the wedding.
Qinying (亲迎) is the meeting of the bride and the ceremonial move to the groom's house.

The main principle: one legal wife, many concubines

In ancient China, the legal wife (qi 妻) was fundamentally different from concubines: she was the only “chief wife,” equal in status to her husband within the family, and not one of many.

According to Confucian norms and laws, a man could have only one legal wife. Entering into a second, legal marriage was considered bigamy and punishable. However, he could take several concubines (qie 妾)—their number depended on his wealth and status.

The idea is rooted in Confucian logic: marriage unites two clans, not creates a "collective." Therefore, it is the legal wife who represents her family clan and becomes the head of the household.

This is important for intrigue and role-playing: rank is not forever.

Granting of rank: only by decree of the prince (or emperor). Accompanied by a ritual: bowing to the ancestral altar, presenting a jade pendant (a symbol of rank), and announcing duties.

Promotion: for impeccable service, raising respectful children, assistance in a crisis (for example, during the famine, she organized the distribution of supplies).

Demotion or loss of rank: for violating ritual, being rude to elders, wasting supplies, or disrespect. This isn't "scandal for the sake of scandal," but a "moral crime": "She forgot her duty, and duty is the foundation of the house."

Exit from the system: If a concubine became too problematic, she could be "sent to a quiet estate" under the supervision of relatives - this was considered a lenient punishment that saved the family's face.

Special "functional" statuses (not ranks, but important roles)
In the Confucian world, not only status but also usefulness was valued. Therefore, some women were given special roles that gave them influence.

A rites teacher (典訓女, "trained teacher") was a woman responsible for ensuring that everyone in the palace knew how to bow properly, serve tea, keep inventory, and adhere to etiquette. Her word could carry more weight than that of a more "beautiful" but less educated concubine.

The Keeper of the Scrolls (掌書, "book master") keeps track of all important documents and ensures that there are no errors in the reports. This is often a former tutor or senior servant who has been elevated to the rank of concubine as a reward for loyalty.

The housekeeper (掌寮, "in charge of the chambers") is responsible for supplies, fabrics, incense, and repairs. She is the "administrator" of the women's household: without her signature, not a bolt of silk or a sack of rice will be issued.

Junior Ranks: Training and Service
Newcomers, wards, and girls from minor families were sent here, who were still being "tested for respect." Their status was closer to that of "honorary servants" than full-fledged concubines.

Meiren (美人, "beautiful") is a junior but not derogatory rank: it emphasized that the girl was worthy of being in the palace, but had not yet proven her usefulness.
Duties: assist senior concubines, serve tea and scrolls, learn etiquette, participate in the preparation of rituals.
Life: shared quarters with 2-3 other Meiren, 1-2 maids, strict supervision of a mentor.

Caozhen (采人, "selected") — literally "one who was selected": a girl who has passed the selection but has not yet been assigned a rank. This is the status of "candidate."
Duties: learn calligraphy and canons, help clean ritual rooms, accompany senior concubines at ceremonies.
Lifestyle: They live together, wear simple clothes, receive rations, but have no personal servants.

Middle ranks: support of the economy and rituals

These were the workhorses of the courtyard: they maintained order, trained newcomers, kept inventories, and ensured that rituals were not violated.

Pin (嫔, "worthy") is a mid-level but respected rank. It could be awarded for impeccable service, knowledge of the canons, and inventory skills.
Responsibilities: Maintain records of supplies for the women's quarters, oversee the training of juniors, monitor etiquette during receptions, and check the quality of fabrics and incense.

Jun (君, "lady") was an honorary title that could be granted as a "transitional step" or as a sign of loyalty. It was often used for concubines who had already raised children and were now responsible for their mentoring.

The prince/emperor had a court of wives and concubines (the inner court, 后宫), and the ranks there were government positions, not "beauty titles." They were granted by decree, and they provided salaries, servants, and quarters—all tied to the Confucian bureaucracy.

Higher ranks: "almost like a spouse", politically significant
These concubines had a high status, their children could claim recognition, their word was taken into account when distributing duties in the palace.

Zhaoyi (昭仪, "radiant and dignified") was one of the highest ranks for concubines. It was awarded for a combination of virtue, piety, and service to the household.
Responsibilities: participate in the main rituals, supervise junior concubines and senior maids, and maintain order in the women's quarters.
Everyday life: separate chambers, 8-10 personal servants, the right to submit reports through a secretary, and to receive silk and grain directly from the palace warehouses.

Fei (妃, "concubine consort") was a rank that could be bestowed as a sign of special trust and political alliance. It was often awarded to the daughters of influential clans.
Responsibilities: represent the house at receptions, receive relatives, oversee workshops (embroidery, fabrics), and supervise the upbringing of children.
Everyday life: the best chambers in the outbuilding, a personal secretary, access to the prince without waiting, the right to his own small altar to his ancestors.

The capital, Chang'an, is a vast city with a clearly defined layout: wide avenues, walls with gates, markets, artisan quarters, and residential areas for officials. At the center is the imperial palace complex: outer ceremonial halls, inner chambers, gardens, and archive and treasure repositories.

The provinces are divided by natural boundaries: rivers, mountain ranges, and steppes. Each province has a capital, a garrison, grain warehouses, and tax offices. Fortified outposts and watchtowers line the borders.

Transport and communication: courier stations every 30–50 li, carrier pigeons, signal lights on towers. The roads are patrolled by soldiers, and outposts are stationed at crossings. This provides many scenes: messengers with reports, delays due to weather, intercepted letters.

The emperor is the supreme ruler and supreme judge. His will is law, but he relies on a council of dignitaries and a system of checks (censors, inspectors).

The crown prince is the future ruler. He is assigned tutors, his schedule is planned down to the hour, and his every word is analyzed.

Junior princes are important figures, but their influence is limited. They are given appanages (cities/districts) to govern, participate in inspections, command garrisons, and conduct diplomatic missions. Their movements and communications are supervised.

Titled nobility and clans are influential families with their own lands, troops, and networks of servants. Marriages between clans are a political tool.

The bureaucratic system: exams, positions, ranks. There are secretaries, inspectors, censors, treasurers, and quartermasters. This is an excellent source of quests: missing reports, underpaid taxes, grain thefts.

Military: garrisons, border troops, courier service, quartermaster's office. Officers are promoted based on merit and patronage; competition between clans and schools is intense.

Daily routine: morning begins with bows to elders, reports, readings of dispatches, and audiences. Lunch is scheduled according to rank and status. Evenings include councils, receptions, and family gatherings.

Etiquette: bowing, the order in which items are presented, who speaks first, how to hold a teacup. Violating etiquette is cause for scandal or a hint of disfavor.

Servants and guards: personal servants, secretaries, bodyguards, palace guards. The nobility had an "inner circle" of trusted people and an "outer circle" of officials.

Guest wing and guest accommodations: noble guests are housed according to their status—the higher their rank, the closer to the center of the courtyard. The emperor's relatives are housed in separate chambers with enhanced security. This creates scenes of intrigue: eavesdropping, forged letters, "chance" encounters in the corridors.

Grain is the main economic resource. It is collected as taxes, stored in state granaries, distributed during famines, and used to pay officials and soldiers.

What does this mean for role-playing games:

Warehouse intrigues. Shortages, rot, rats, theft—these are real problems that lead to punishment.

Market prices depend on the harvest. In a lean year, even a slight delay in deliveries causes panic and price increases.

Reputation is more important than profit. An official who profits from hunger loses face and can be publicly condemned by censors.

Taxes are paid in grain, silk, and handicrafts. The system is designed to avoid ruining the peasants, otherwise the state would lose its support.

Confucian logic: taxes are not robbery, but a contribution to the common good. Therefore:

In difficult years, taxes are reduced or cancelled.

Collectors are strictly controlled: extortion is considered a moral crime.

The records are kept in scrolls, which are checked by censors.

The market isn't just about goods, it's also about information. Merchants know what harvests are where, who's holding up deliveries, and where bandits are lurking.

Typical products:

Silk and fabrics (status and export).
Paper and brushes (for officials and scientists).
Ceramics, bronze vessels, lacquered items.
Spices, salt, tea.
Weapons and armor (for garrisons).

Money and payments. Coins, bundles of copper coins, and "in-kind" payments such as silk and grain are used. Large transactions are formalized with promissory notes.

The Imperial Court and the High Nobility
Daily routine:

Morning: bows to elders, reports, reading of dispatches.
Day: audiences, advice, inspections, receptions.
Evening: family gatherings, reading, writing letters and poetry.

Household parts:

Tea ceremony: the order of serving, the temperature of the water, the quality of the leaves – everything matters.
Paper lanterns, bamboo curtains, incense burners.
Wooden sandals, fans, belts with pendants.
Clothing by rank: color, fabric, embroidery. Purple is a sign of high status.

Officials and scientists.

Official's Day:

Early rise, morning report, working with scrolls, receiving visitors, compiling reports.
Exams and promotion depend on knowledge of the canons and the ability to write reports.

Everyday life:

House with a courtyard, bookshelves, desk, brushes, ink, paper.
Dinner is simple: rice, vegetables, soy. Status isn't about luxury, but about books and reputation.

Garrisons and military

Schedule:

Morning inspection, exercises, patrols, reports from commanders.
Changing of the guards is a ritual: handing over seals, checking posts.

Life of a soldier:

Barracks, common meals, simple food: rice, pickled vegetables, soup.
Clothing and armor according to regulations; personal belongings are minimal.

Peasants and artisans.

Peasant's Day:

Dawn: work in the field, watering, weeding.
Noon: short rest, simple meal.
Sunset: Returning home, repairing tools, preparing for the next day.

Craftsman:

Work in the workshop, quality control, training students.
The master's reputation is more important than profit: a bad product is a disgrace.

Servants and maids.

Grading and responsibilities:

Personal secretaries and mentors are almost like family members and are treated with respect.

Senior servants and managers: responsible for the household and can advise.

Junior maids and messengers: run errands and learn the rules of the house.

Rituals and etiquette:

Bows according to status, the order of presenting items, silence in the corridors.
A breach of etiquette is not just a mistake, but a moral transgression.

Restraint instead of emotion. Even when angry, people don't shout, but speak more quietly, more slowly, with pauses. Emotions are expressed through hints and word choice, not through intonation.

Saving face (面子, miànzi). You must not publicly humiliate your interlocutor.

Hierarchy is in every word. Formal addresses, the order of phrases, who bows first, who speaks first—all of this demonstrates status.

Images of nature instead of direct metaphors. Bamboo bends but doesn't break; a river flows around rocks; a willow bends in the wind. These aren't "beautiful words," but the familiar language of thought.

Ritual formulas. Phrases of politeness, gratitude, and apologies are not decoration, but essential elements of communication.

Hints instead of commands. A direct order sounds rude. Better: "Let the wind carry my words to you" or "I will remember who was there that day."

To the Emperor: "Your Imperial Majesty", "Son of Heaven", "Sovereign of the Celestial Empire".

To older relatives: “Honorable uncle/father”, “Elder brother” (if acceptable according to etiquette).

To dignitaries and clan heads: “Honorable Mr. Advisor”, “Honorable Clan Head”, “Mr. Minister”.

To equals: “Brother in duty and service”, “Dear friend”, “Comrade”.

To subordinates: "Mr. Officer", "Honorable Secretary", "Respected Servant".

To trusted people: “Old friend”, “Faithful companion”, “Someone I trust”.

Images and idioms that make speech "Chinese"

Use these images as a basis for paraphrasing any lines:

Bamboo - resilience, flexibility, the ability to survive without losing dignity.
Pine - longevity, fidelity, firmness.
Willow - flexibility, the ability to give in to preserve oneself.
The river is the inevitability of change, moving forward, overcoming obstacles.
Wind - change, spread of words, invisible force.
Stone is an obstacle, a test, immutability.
Path/road – life's journey, duty, service, development. Templates for adaptation:

Instead of "I disagree" → "The path you propose is thorny. Let me suggest a different path, one with fewer stones."

Instead of "You're mistaken" → "It's easy to slip up in this matter, like on a slippery road. Please double-check."

Instead of "Do it" → "Let this task be carried out with the same precision with which a master carves a hieroglyph."

In Confucian society, economics is justified by morality: taxes are collected not for the sake of money, but for the common good; grain is stored not for profit, but for stability.

Standards:

Justice (and 義) are more important than profit. An official who profits from taxes is considered morally corrupt.

Compassion (ren 仁) in governance. In times of famine, rulers are obliged to reduce taxes, open warehouses, and help the poor.

A clan's reputation is an important asset. A wealthy clan is obliged to maintain its reputation as "caring patrons."

Accommodating guests is a Confucian ritual that publicly denotes status.

Rules:

The higher the status of the guest, the closer to the center of the courtyard and the better the quarters.

The emperor's relatives are housed separately, with increased security and special ceremony.

Receptions are accompanied by rituals: bows, the order of serving tea, who sits down first.

A breach of etiquette when receiving guests can be used as an accusation of "disrespect."

Even in private life, Confucian norms apply. The ranks of servants are determined not only by function but also by degree of trust and "moral intimacy."

Typical structure:

Personal secretaries and mentors are almost like family members, they are treated with respect, their opinions are valued.

Senior servants and managers are responsible for the household and have the right to give advice.

Junior maids and messengers carry out orders and are taught the rules of the house.

Confucian rules:

The master is obliged to care for his servants: to feed them, to treat them, to arrange marriages. This is considered the "duty of the elder."

A servant is obligated to be loyal and respectful. Rudeness or disobedience are not merely disciplinary violations, but moral transgressions.

"Saving face" also applies to servants: the master will not publicly humiliate a faithful servant, so as not to undermine the morale of the entire house.

In such a world, the military is not simply a force, but "duty bearers." Confucianism imbues discipline with a moral meaning: a warrior serves not for glory, but for order and the protection of the weak.

Key standards:

A commander is like a senior mentor. He is obligated to care for his subordinates, not just command. Unnecessary cruelty is considered a sign of moral decline.

Loyalty (zhong) is more important than personal courage. Betrayal is the most terrible crime; even a brave warrior who betrays his duty is covered in shame.

Ritual in the service. Morning reports, the transmission of orders, the changing of the guard—everything is strictly regulated. Violating the ritual is perceived as a threat to order.

Bureaucracy and examinations as a Confucian institution

The system of examinations for official positions is a direct embodiment of Confucianism: power is given not only by birth, but also by knowledge and moral qualities.

Levels and logic:

The exams test knowledge of the classics (Confucius, Mencius, historical chronicles), and the ability to write reports and poetry. Good writing and knowledge of the canons are considered indicators of moral maturity.
Official ranks are tied to merit and examinations. Even the emperor and his family must defer to the opinions of the "learned dignitaries": they appeal not to force, but to texts and precedents.

Censors are a special caste: they monitor the morality and discipline of officials. Their power lies in the right to report "disrespectful" or "unjust" actions to the emperor.

Hierarchy and the "five constants" (wu chang 五常) in social structure

In the world, these five relationships define how people are expected to treat each other. Each type of relationship has clear roles and expectations.

Emperor - subjects (power - obedience). Subjects are obliged to be loyal (zhong 忠), the emperor is obliged to be just and merciful.

Father - son (elder - younger). The son is obliged to honor, the father is obliged to guide and protect.

Husband and wife. The husband is responsible for external affairs, the wife for the home and raising children; respect is mutual, but roles are strictly divided.

Elder brother – younger brother. The elder protects and guides, the younger respects and obeys.

Friend to friend. There is no power here, only mutual trust and honesty.

Confucianism structures society according to the family model: the emperor as the father, officials and the people as children. Therefore, family hierarchy is directly transferred to the state hierarchy.

What does this mean in the practice of peace:

Seniority is sacred. Even if the younger brother is richer and smarter, he is obliged to obey the elder.

Children's duty to their parents (xiao 孝) is the highest virtue.

Ancestor worship. Every home has an ancestor altar; important decisions are discussed "in the presence of the ancestors" (that is, according to their presumed will). This is an excellent tool for intrigue: "the ancestors would not approve" is a powerful argument against any plan.

Add 1-2 of these elements to each scene—they make the world tangible:

Smells: incense in the hall, roasted nuts in the market, smoke from braziers, dampness after rain.
Sounds: rustling paper, footsteps on stone slabs, shouts of merchants, ringing of bells at the gate.
Tactile details: the cool surface of a jade pendant, the roughness of a bamboo screen, the heaviness of a scroll in your hands.
Weather and time of day: morning fog over the river, midday heat, evening breeze in the garden.

The army is not only about defense but also about infrastructure. Soldiers build and repair roads, bridges, dams, and watchtowers.

Garrison Economy:

Salary - grain and silk.
The quartermaster's office monitors the supplies: if the soldiers are starving, it is a sign of poor management.
Courier stations are located every 30–50 li: they keep horses, feed, and rooms for messengers.

The workshops work on commissions from the court and the nobility. Quality is strictly controlled: poor workmanship is not simply a defect, but a "breach of duty."

Examples:

Papermaking workshop: thickness, color, strength are important.
Lacquerware: multi-layer work, long process.
Blacksmiths: swords and armor for garrisons, tools for peasants.