Ancient moral concepts and aesthetic standards are entirely different from modern ones.
In the feudal era, there was a phenomenon that modern people find hard to understand: men often preferred to marry girls as young as 13 or 14 years old. To explain this phenomenon, we need to place ourselves in the cultural and social context of that time, setting aside modern thoughts to better understand their motivations and considerations.
There are five reasons:
1. Early childbirth to have many children and continue the family line
During the feudal period, living conditions were relatively harsh, medical knowledge was limited, and life expectancy was short. Therefore, inheriting and maintaining family lineage was extremely important. The division of gender roles in society was very clear, and women’s status was relatively low, primarily viewed as “reproductive tools” for the family.
Additionally, due to women’s physiological characteristics, their reproductive capacity peaks during their teenage years. This made girls aged 13 and 14 regarded as valuable resources that could contribute to the prosperity of the family. In that era, marriage was not only an emotional bond but also a familial duty and mission; thus, choosing a young girl as a wife aligned with the values and societal needs of the time.
Marrying young to have children early, ensuring heirs. (Illustrative image).
2. Adding labor to the family
In an agricultural society, labor was seen as an essential component of social productivity.
Thus, when young girls were married into their husbands’ families, they would quickly start taking on various farming and household tasks under the guidance of older relatives to share the family burden. This meant that men not only gained a youthful partner but also an additional worker to help improve the family’s productivity and living standards.
For girls born into wealthy families, they often enjoyed good food and clothing from a young age. Therefore, by the time they were just 13 or 14, they typically had many suitors. Matchmakers often flocked to propose, and they quickly found suitable families. For high officials and aristocrats, choosing a son-in-law was naturally a serious task; they had to choose carefully to ensure their daughters married into powerful families.
However, not every family was wealthy or held a high status. For the vast majority, marrying off their daughters was essentially a way to relieve their burdens. When a daughter got married, the family would have additional financial support. Thus, for these 13 or 14-year-old girls, marriage was a way out and a form of security. Through marriage, they received support and seemingly found a place to stabilize their lives.
3. Ensuring a feminine and pure wife model
After marriage, they often had more choices and freedoms compared to living with their biological parents. Although marrying into their husband’s family might require them to work hard, at least they could gain more autonomy for themselves.
These ideas somewhat resemble modern society, even though today’s society offers individuals greater freedom of choice. Gradually, more and more people rely on themselves rather than solely depending on men.
Ancient moral concepts and aesthetic standards are entirely different from modern ones. In that cultural context, young women were seen as symbols of purity, innocence, and fragility, qualities that men sought in an ideal wife. Every man wished to marry a young girl, which also satisfied their expectations of an ideal wife.
For these 13 and 14-year-old girls, marriage is an escape and security. (Illustrative image).
4. Young and inexperienced, easier to control
Moreover, the reason men preferred to marry girls aged 13 or 14 was because they believed this could reduce the generational gap between husband and wife and make it easier to control leadership and decision-making in family matters.
5. Fulfilling a vital duty for the country
In the era of the Cold War, war was brutal. Historical records from that time show that with an average lifespan of less than 30 years, people could die unexpectedly. Whenever the battle drums sounded, young brave men were called to the battlefield.
However, the rulers of that era understood that the fate of the country was linked to the reproductive power of the people. To compensate for the young lives lost, they implemented a series of proactive measures to encourage early childbirth. This was not only a wartime necessity but also a matter of national survival. Life in that era was so precarious that maintaining the birth rate became an urgent task.
In the past, there was a system of servitude, and every family had to send young men for military duty; if there were not enough young men, the elderly would have to take their place. This forced each family to actively bear children to ensure there were enough able-bodied individuals reaching adulthood.
Marrying girls aged 13 or 14 and having children early was also a strategy to stabilize families, ensuring that even in unexpected situations, families would not lack labor.
Marrying girls aged 13 or 14 and having children early was also a strategy to stabilize families. (Illustrative image).
However, over time, social concepts have continuously updated, and the era is constantly evolving and progressing. The gradual disappearance of this phenomenon signals that society is breaking free from feudal chains and moving towards a more progressive future. Women are gradually gaining more rights and opportunities to choose the paths they desire.
This is a sign of social progress and respect for women’s rights, allowing them greater autonomy. It is this positive social evolution that brings hope for the future, believing that society will always develop in a better direction and provide more hope for humanity.
