Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 835 Differences Between Ancient and Modern Times

Liu Hongliang asked, "What's the name of that clerk's quarters?"

Xiao Hong said, "Later, during the Song Dynasty, people became wealthy and brick buildings became common. Brothels appeared everywhere. Then, some poets and lyricists used metaphors and allusions to make brothels a synonym for pleasure quarters. Actually, it originally referred to the extravagant life in the imperial palace."

The meaning of "jī yuān" in ancient times is different from that in modern times. In ancient times, there were many kinds of entertainment venues, such as brothels, ji guān, ji yuān, chōng láo, and gambling dens. The lowest level was chōng láo, which is similar to the meaning of "jī yuān" in modern times.

However, the accurate meaning of "jiyuan" nowadays refers to the ancient brothel, specifically a privately run brothel.

Brothels, brothels, and pleasure quarters were government-run. Brothels were the highest class, while pleasure quarters were the lowest. There were no sexual transactions in brothels and pleasure quarters; people enjoyed music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and songs. The women there were elegant and noble; in modern terms, they were like big stars, performing.

In ancient times, brothels represented free love, making them a favorite among the elite. They offered tea, wine, songs, and dances; if someone was interested, they would pursue them and marry them. Consider these famous figures of ancient times—which one didn't marry a courtesan? Even emperors pursued them. There was no coercion there, and women could freely refuse those they didn't like.

A brothel is a bit lower in class than a courtesan. The best girls who have been trained go to courtesans, while the next best go to a brothel. The services are similar, but the customers are of a lower class, usually scholars, literati, or wealthy merchants.

Brothels were even cheaper, and that's where sex work came in. But it wasn't just about getting money; the girl had to agree and be interested in you.

Brothels weren't as sophisticated; their customers were mostly ordinary people. What we now call "brothels" were actually the brothels of the past, and that was the level of sophistication that ordinary people could access.

It's just hearsay; people say brothels are like that too, like saying the emperor used a golden hoe to farm.

Liu Hongliang said, "That's not right either. Why is it that the term 'brothel woman' is always associated with lowliness? Wasn't that the meaning in ancient times too?"

Xiao Hong said, "That's a problem of social structure, not a problem of human nature. In ancient times, people were strictly divided into classes. There were nine classes in the upper class, nine classes in the lower class, and the lowest classes. Soldiers, merchants, artisans, and clerks were all considered lowly people. This 'lowly' doesn't mean despicable, but rather that they had a low social status. For example, before liberation, opera singers and street performers had a low social status. Can you say they were bad or despicable people?"

Xia Maosheng said, "That's not right. Isn't the traditional order of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants? Shouldn't artisans and merchants be ranked lower?"

Xiao Hong said, "This refers to the main components of society, not social status. Scholars are the upper class, farmers are the commoners, and artisans and merchants are the lower class. Actually, the phrase 'lowly person' wasn't originally an insult; it meant the other person had a low social status, that they were a lowly person. Later, it became a curse, an insult."

Liu Hongliang asked, "Then, what's the difference between a 'journeyhouse' and a 'journeyhouse'?"

Xiao Hong said, "The 'Ji Guan' is larger, and its facilities and programs are similar to those of a brothel. The 'Ji Yuan' is smaller, but it's in the same category. It's like a bathhouse; the 'Ji Guan' has a performance hall and a buffet, while the 'Ji Yuan' only has a bath and foot massage."

Aunt Wang said, "This girl keeps talking about the courtyard all the time, isn't she ashamed?"

Xiaowei's mother said, "I understand now. Xiaohong knows so much. Going to university is really useful."

Xiao Wei said, "Mom, you're talking nonsense. Schools don't teach these things. I learned this from books myself."

Xiaowei's mother said, "With so much knowledge, how can a teacher possibly cover it all? Aren't teachers just teaching you how to read books and which books to read?"

Xia Maosheng said, "That's right, Auntie. What you said makes a lot of sense."

Liu Hongliang said, "I still don't quite understand. Why are all those brothels and pleasure houses, which you're talking about, called 'going to a brothel'?"

Xiao Wei said, "I know all that. They just smear gold powder on their faces. A brothel can invest some money to make it look decent, and then they advertise it as a brothel and a mistress's brothel. Then the people believe it, and little by little, that's how brothels and mistresses become. Isn't that how business works? Anyway, ordinary people can't go to brothels and mistress's brothels."

Liu Hongliang said, "More or less, that should be it. Take clubs, for example. Clubs are popular here now, but who knows what a real club is like? Can ordinary people go in? But it's made to seem like everyone knows what a club is like. It's all because of these businessmen's advertising. They create something that's neither fish nor fowl and call it a club, saying it's exactly the same as so-and-so. Anyway, you never have a chance to see if it's real or not."

Xiao Hong said, "Yes, high-end clubs are probably the same concept as brothels in ancient times, and the business philosophy is the same."

Xia Maosheng said, "Then, the erotic stories of courtesans in the past, like Du Shiniang and Li Shishi, were equivalent to today's big stars, right?"

Xiao Hong said, "Yes, in ancient times, singers, dancers, and musicians were all considered lowly, belonging to the lowest class, and their social status was extremely low. Only two types of people had high social status and could enjoy national policies and benefits: scholars and farmers. However, they were not all the same level. Li Shishi should be a real courtesan, while Du Shiniang was a level below, like a courtesan or a brothel attendant."

Xiao Wei said, "Actually, it's not easy when you think about it. Poetry, singing, dancing, playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting are much harder than what celebrities do nowadays."

Xia Maosheng said, "Ah, so that's how it is. I knew it! Those scholars and officials in ancient times were all crazy. They were willing to risk their lives to redeem prostitutes and marry them, and the state didn't care, and no one laughed at them. Now that you explain it, it makes sense. I understand."

Xiao Hong said, "How could anyone marry the kind of people you're talking about? They'd all be miserable, they'd all die a horrible death, and they'd all be sick. Even the real upper class couldn't get in touch with them, and would ordinary people have the ability to buy their freedom? Real brothel reporters live quite well even when they're old; they can live a normal life after retirement."

Not everyone wanted to get married. In ancient times, there were strict regulations for marriage. A man could have three wives and four concubines, one principal wife and two secondary wives, and all of them had to come from families of commoner or higher social standing. People of low social status could not marry; it was against the law. Especially the principal wife, who had to be of equal social standing.

Liu Hongliang said, "I know that in ancient times, if a man couldn't find a wife by a certain age, the government would provide one. I forgot which book I read it in. At the time, I thought, men in ancient times were really lucky."

Xiao Hong said, "It's true. In ancient times, marriage was strictly governed by law. There were people in the government who were in charge of this. If you were of marriageable age and still unmarried, you had to be married off by the government. It was illegal not to get married or raise children. Back then, there were fewer people, and labor was very important to the country."

Chen Hui pushed the door open and came in: "What are you talking about?"

Liu Hongliang said, "I'm talking about the system of journalists and official pairings."

Xiao Wei said, "We were perfectly fine, how did the conversation escalate to this?"

Xia Maosheng and Liu Hongliang pointed at Xiao Hong together: "Her."

(End of this chapter)