What was the standard of choosing imperial concubine in ancient times, and how harsh was it?

Choosing concubines can be said to be a very important event for the ancient emperor, because these concubines inherited the blood of the emperor, and they did not allow their blood to become impure, so they would strictly screen these women. The first and most basic requirement must be a virgin.

Secondly, the identity of these women must be a prominent family. You said that a common woman can't be chosen as a concubine, but we are often deceived by some plots in the Qing palace drama, that is, the emperor took a fancy to a common woman who went traveling incognito and then married her back.

As soon as the emperor was born, it was doomed that they would not have the choice to marry a folk woman. Especially in the Yuan Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty and other dynasties ruled by ethnic minorities, the Han people were all very humble in their eyes, and there was a rule that they could not marry the Han people.

Not only that, but also there are high requirements for the appearance of these women. First of all, you must be plump in figure, which can conform to the aesthetic view of having children in the current dynasty. Besides, your face should be beautiful. After all, you may become a queen in the future, and it is impossible to choose an ugly girl as your master. This is no joke.

Not only that, but the girl's wisdom is also very high. You must be proficient in piano, chess, painting and dancing, because in the emperor's spare time, you can play the piano beside him and make the emperor happy. This is a skill that a concubine should learn. Especially in some Qing dynasty dramas, you can see the scene where the emperor is lying in bed or sitting there, and then the concubine plays the piano and dances for him below.