A Study of the System of Releasing Women in the Imperial Palace of the West Han Dynasty

The West Han dynasty released imperial women and allowed them to remarry.This system was introduced and consummated gradually from the beginning of Han Dynasty to the time of Emperor Hanwu.During the three generations of Emperor Zhao、Xuan and Yuan,it deteriorated to the system of attending late emperors in imperial mausoleums,and began to revive at the beginning of Emperor Cheng-time.Emperor Wen released all of his imperial concubines except his wife.Lady was the highest rank of imperial concubines released.This act has a significant effect on the later generations.This system which began in the West Han dynasty continued the tendency of negating in the time of Chun Qiu and Zhan Guo the system of burying wife and concubines with the dead husband.Its social basement is the prevailing custom of women remarrying in the West Han dynasty.