A Research On Princesses In The Han, Wei, Jin And Southern And Northern Dynasties

From Han Dynasty to Tang Dynasty, as a special group in governing class, Princesses' status had changed up and down. This thesis mainly focuses on the Princesses' status and the changes in Xihan and Donghan Dynasties, Weijing and the Northern and Southern Danasties.In both Xihan and Donghan Dynasties, the women's status was much higher than the later period in Chinese feudal society. As the representative of the high class women, the Princesses were highly respected, for they were not only allowed to take part in the management of State affairs, but also had great influence. For instance, the Princesses actively recommended wives for the emperor and the prince in hope of extend the power zone of her. In addition, they participated in the dethronement of the queen and prince, and mediated between the emperor and vassals. All of these were closely related to their special identity. As the Princesses, they had the advantage of contacting with the emperor conveniently, especially the oldest Princesses. She got a lot of chances to exert her influence as the emperor's sister. During this period, the Princesses got much more freedom in their marriage life compared to those in the later dynasties. There were a lot of Princesses who married someone who was not from the same generation or who was close relative.In the times of Three Kingdoms and the Xijin and Dongjin Dynasties, there was not much change in the Princesses's status. However, along with the decline of the women' status, the Princess's status was indeed affected in the Weijin Period. Princesses of Wusun took a lot part in the management of State affairs, but she finally ended with failure. The Princesses of Xijin was an effective buffer both between the emperor and the vassals and between the royal family and the chancellors. However, along with the emperor's power declining, the Princesses did not have the high position and strong power any longer. Very much the other way, they became the tool of their royal family to enter into alliance with other aristocrats. In marriage, the Princesses of the Three Kingdoms were all married chancellors who had made contribution to their country. Most of the Princesses in Xijin married noblemen. While in Dongjin, the Princesses were not only married the noblemen, but exclusively the first-class noblemen.During the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Princesses' status began to rise again: Relying on the formidable imperial authority, Princesses of The Southern Dynasties were overbearing. Especially in the Liusong Dynasty, the excessive jealousy of Princesses led the people were all in dread of them, even that the Emperors were compelled to restrain them personally. Tribe customs handed down from the past were prevalent in the Northern Dynasties, compared with the Southern Dynasties, the Status of women was higher, naturally the Princesses were also much respected. This thesis mainly focuses on the Princesses of Beiwei Dynasty, for the sake of National interests, a part of whom married to surrender Ministers of the Southern Dynasties and the leaders of Neighboring Minorities. With drastic changes in society of Beiwei Dynasty, their marriage was full of twists and turns. There was also an excessive jealousy problem of Princesses in this period.Finally, this thesis makes a brief pectination about some system and prescript of Princesses on the basis of predecessors' study and a simple narrative on the situation of the Princesses who married for the sake of peace.Auto racism and Centralized system, created by Chin Shihhuang, was an innovation of the history of Chinese Political System, one of important symbol was transforming from enfeoffment system to system of prefectures and counties. But there was still one contradictory that the division of powers between the Emperor and Emperor's clan in imperial family need to be resolved. In spite of occasional relapses later, this problem obtained the basic solution when Emperor Liu Che promulgated "Obliging Decree", feudal lords lost their political power. However, this solution only solved the problem of masculine members in imperial clan. What about the situation of feminine members? Before, there was a lack of full research that is precisely the question consciousness of this thesis studying on princesses. As a result of various aspects reason, this thesis research limits to the question surface, from now on, I hope I can penetrate this question to study its essence.