ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Imperial Chinese harem system

Okay, so imagine a really big house. This house is where the Emperor of China lives with all of his wives and concubines. This is called the imperial palace, and it’s where the Emperor and his family stay.

Inside the imperial palace, there are women who take care of the Emperor and his family. These women are called eunuchs, and they help to keep the palace running smoothly.

Now, the Emperor can have many wives and concubines. A wife is a woman who is married to the Emperor, and a concubine is a woman who is not married to the Emperor but has a special relationship with him.

There are different levels of wives and concubines. The highest level is the Empress, and she is the most important woman in the palace. The Emperor only has one Empress, and she is usually chosen from a group of high-level wives.

The other wives and concubines are divided into different ranks. The higher the rank, the more privileges and power the woman has in the palace. The lowest-ranking women might not have much power or influence at all.

So, inside the imperial palace, there are many different women with different roles and positions. They all work together to keep the palace running smoothly and to take care of the Emperor and his family.