 |
 Family Life The emperor lived in a family that, to us, might appear unusual: over his lifetime, Qianlong had twenty-six children and forty wives, or consorts. While women and children in the emperor’s family lived in the palace, adult males generally did not—the only men permitted in the residential areas of the palace at night were castrated servants, called eunuchs. For the emperor’s consorts, every aspect of day-to-day life was ordered according to rank—and social rank was determined solely by the emperor.
 |
 |
|
|
About the Exhibition | Introductory Video | Photo Gallery | Q & A Imperial China | Education | Planning Your Visit | Events and Programs © 2007 The Field Museum, All Rights Reserved 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr. Chicago, IL 60605-2496 312.922.9410 Copyright Information | Linking Policy photos courtesy of Palace Museum, Beijing |