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There are dramas with heroines every year, and this year it is the eldest princess' turn.

There was Princess Li Yunrui in "Joy of Life", who appeared gentle on the surface but was cruel and ruthless behind the scenes, and Princess Shen Zhiyi of Leyang, who was the most beloved and voluntary princess to marry to stop the war in "Ning An Ru Meng".

(Left) Princess Li Yunrui, (right) Princess Shen Zhiyi of Leyang｜Image source: Weibo@庆余年官微@宁安如梦官微

Later, there was the extreme and pathological Princess Wan Ning in "In the Rain and Clouds", and the powerful Princess Li Rong who was in charge of the country and assisted in the administration in "Du Hua Nian".

(Left) Princess Wan Ning and Princess Li Rong | Source: @墨雨云间官网微博@度年华官网微博

What kind of title is the eldest princess? Why are there more and more eldest princesses in costume dramas?

The difference between the eldest princess and the princess is very different.

The title "Princess" first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

According to the "Spring and Autumn Annals Gongyang Zhuan·Zhuang Gong's First Year", "When the emperor marries his daughter to a duke, he must let someone with the same surname as the duke take charge of the marriage; when a duke marries his daughter to a senior official, he must let someone with the same surname as the senior official take charge of the marriage."

That is to say, if the emperor wanted to marry his daughter, a prince of the same surname had to preside over the wedding. At the same time, the title of the monarch of a princely state was called "gong", and the person who was presided over by a "gong" was called "gongzhu". The term "gongzhu" came into being and replaced the previous "wangji" as the pronoun for the emperor's daughter and the prince's daughter.

She was not called a princess before, but "Wang Ji"｜Source: Screenshot of TV series "Longing 2"

Later, Qin unified the six kingdoms and established various systems of a feudal unified state, and the princess system was formally formed. For example, "Records of the Grand Historian: Biography of Li Si" states: "Li Si's eldest son You was appointed governor of Sanchuan, and all his sons married Qin princesses, and all his daughters married Qin princes."

The Han Dynasty inherited the Qin system and not only continued to use the title of princess, but also developed the system of eldest princess on this basis.

But not all princesses could become the Grand Princess. According to scholars’ statistics, there were 12 princesses in the Han Dynasty mentioned in the Records of the Grand Historian, but only four of them, namely the Grand Princess of Guantao, the Grand Princess of Pingyang, the Grand Princess of Wei, and the Grand Princess of Eyigai, were given the title of Grand Princess. This shows how precious the title of Grand Princess is.

The situation of princesses from Emperor Gaozu of Han to Emperor Wu of Han as recorded in the Records of the Grand Historian｜Source: References [1]

So how can one stand out from the other princesses and become the "eldest princess"?

One theory is that only princesses who are particularly favored or have made outstanding contributions can be given the title of "Princess".

According to the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Records of the Empresses, "According to the Han system, all the emperor's daughters were given the title of County Princesses, and their ceremonial dress and attire were the same as those of marquises. The most respected ones were given the title of Princess Chang, and their ceremonial dress and attire were the same as those of foreign kings." The Princess Chang here can be seen as an advanced title for a particularly favored princess, whose status is almost equivalent to that of a foreign king.

For example, Sima Zhen's "Sou Yin" records: "Wei Zifu's son is called Wei Taizi, and her daughter is called Wei Chang Princess. She is the eldest daughter of Empress Wei, so she is called Chang Princess, not like the emperor's sister is called Chang Princess." "Han Shu Wai Qi Zhuan" records that after Emperor Wen of Han ascended the throne, his only daughter with Empress Dou was named Chang Princess, saying "Dou Ji was the empress, and her daughter was Guantao Chang Princess." The former was considered the most beloved only daughter of Emperor Wu of Han, and the latter was the only daughter of Emperor Wen of Han and Empress Dou, so her status was naturally different from that of ordinary princesses.

Another theory holds that "Eldest Princess" refers to a female who is the emperor's elder or of the same generation.

"Chuxueji·Volume 10·Princess" states: "According to the Han Dynasty system, the emperor's daughter is called a princess; the emperor's sister is called a princess; the emperor's aunt is called a princess." That is, the emperor's daughter is called a princess, the emperor's sister is called a princess, and the emperor's aunt is called a princess. For example, Princess Tong'an, the sister of Li Yuan, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty, was named a princess in the early days of the Tang Dynasty. During the reign of her nephew Li Shimin, she was promoted to Princess Tong'an.

By accumulating experience and betting on the right person, one can gradually reach the status of eldest princess or grand princess, which is also a diligent path to promotion.

In addition, the eldest princess must be a direct descendant of the royal family.

Speaking of princesses, they could also be distant relatives of the emperor. For example, Princess Wencheng and Princess Jincheng, who were married to the emperor in the Tang Dynasty, were women from the royal family who were canonized as princesses. In the Yuan Dynasty, princesses were even more "overwhelming". The emperor's daughters, the daughters of princes and dukes, and anyone who had any connection with the royal family were all called "princesses".

The title of Princess Eldest can only be obtained by the emperor's daughter, aunt, sister or other direct relatives.

But no matter what, the eldest princess's respected status is obvious.

Cai Yong's commentary on Volume 12 of the "Historical Records" says: "The emperor's daughter is called a princess, and her status is comparable to that of the princes. The emperor's sister is called a princess, and her status is comparable to that of the princes." That is, the princess is on par with the barbarian king in terms of ceremony. According to records, the princess of the Han Dynasty had an economic status and social status that almost surpassed the patriarchal structure.

For example, some princesses had very rich incomes. According to statistics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong scholar Pan Mingji, during the reign of Emperor Zhao of the Han Dynasty, the average number of households in the fief of a marquis was 3,534, while the fief of Princess Eyi was estimated to be more than 30,000 households, nearly 10 times the average. Even with such a high initial fief, the princess continued to be favored by the emperor and was treated much better than other royal family members. At the beginning of Emperor Zhao's reign, he also "granted different amounts of money to the princess and the royal family brothers". In the fourth year of the Yuan Dynasty (83 BC), he "granted different amounts of money and silk to the princess, prime minister, general, marquis, middle-ranking officials below 2,000 stones, and royal family members", which shows how rich and powerful she was.

In addition, in a feudal society dominated by patriarchal structure, the eldest princess had great influence in life and politics. Princess Pingyang of Queen Wang of the Han Dynasty could not only choose her own husband, but also remarried twice: first she married Cao Shou, the great-grandson of Cao Shen, a founding hero, and then she remarried Xiahou Po, the great-grandson of Xiahou Ying, a founding hero, and then she remarried Wei Qing, a general who had made great military achievements. Princess Guantao also had influence in politics. The original crown prince Liu Rong of Emperor Jing of Han was deposed, and Emperor Wu of Han Liu Che won the crown prince position and ascended the throne smoothly, which was inseparable from the support of Princess Guantao.

Princess Guantao in the TV series | Source: Screenshot from the TV series "Beauty's Rival in Palace"

In other dynasties, the eldest princess also had a high status.

For example, in the Song Dynasty, Princess Xianmu, with her noble status and superb political skills, not only protected her husband's family from the power struggle between court officials such as Kou Zhun and Yang Yi and Empress Liu of Emperor Zhenzong, but also protected her nephew Renzong who was in danger; in the Yuan Dynasty, Princess Xianggelaji presided over the sacrifice in the Confucius Temple, breaking the historical convention that only male officials could preside over the sacrifice; in the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Chengzu often rewarded Princess Ningguo with various novel items, "In the eighth year of Yongle, Princess Ningguo was given 30,000 catties of firewood and charcoal", "In the thirteenth year of Yongle, Princess Ningguo was given two jars of sauced clams", and "In the fifteenth year of Yongle, Princess Ningguo was given five stone of red dates", which also shows that she was deeply loved and trusted by the emperor.

Corresponding to history, there is also a clear distinction between princesses and eldest princesses in film and television dramas.

Princesses are often innocent and kindhearted, such as Long Kui in Chinese Paladin 3, Xiao Feng (the Ninth Princess) in Eastern Palace, the Grand Princess of Northern Qi in Joy of Life 2, and Princess Huirou in Qing Ping Le. They are innocent and lively, and have high status, but most of them have no real job, and their influence is limited to the harem and life. Their power comes from the love of their fathers and brothers, and they eventually devote themselves to their fathers and brothers.

Long Kui sacrificed herself for her brother twice｜Source: Screenshot from the TV series "Chinese Paladin 3"

The eldest princess is more of a mature and scheming "female protagonist". In "Joy of Life", the eldest princess Li Yunrui, who took advantage of her power, controlled the treasury, smuggled with other countries for profit, stabbed the prince in the back, fought against the male protagonist, and gave birth to a daughter, Lin Wan'er. She was able to balance power and life, and her character image was rich, and she deserved to be the villain of the whole play.

Princess Li Yunrui｜Source: Screenshot from the TV series "Celebrating Yu Nian 2"

Why are there more and more princesses in TV dramas?

As female-led dramas have developed to this day, they have begun to call for female images with more powerful positions, which is the primary reason why there are more and more "princesses" in costume dramas.

Female characters have evolved from the palace infighting in "The Legend of Zhen Huan" to independent growth in the backyard of a large family in "The Story of Minglan", and then to leading and participating in social events in "The Phoenix" and "The Rain and the Clouds". The heroines and the audience are no longer satisfied with the small piece of land of harem competition, but are eager to break through the traditional limitation of "female homemaker" and pursue higher personal value and greater social influence. The recently re-screened "Longing 2" hopes that the heroine Xiling Jiuyao will pursue a career and become a "queen", which is also a prominent manifestation of this mentality.

In fact, due to the limitations of the real historical background, the role of women as higher rulers rarely appears in film and television works. At this time, the eldest princess who holds power, kills decisively, and even breaks through the feudal patriarchal structure in some aspects becomes the "queen substitute" in the minds of the audience, and is the most suitable candidate for the heroine.

Secondly, the popularity of the "Princess" is inseparable from the "evil girl" trend in recent years.

The era of "silly and innocent" has passed, and "saint" has gradually changed from a positive word to a negative word. This generation of audiences has begun to be severely manipulated by "evil women" who look directly at their inner desires.

What are the "evil female characters" that the audience likes? If a princess in the patriarchal structure of feudal society wants to occupy a place in the court, she cannot always be a naive little princess. She almost always has to step out of her comfort zone and go through hardships or explorations before she can grow into a mature princess.

Whether it's Princess Wan Ning who was frequently humiliated as a hostage in Dai Kingdom in "Mo Yu Yun Jian", or Princess Le Yang who was humiliated by the other party for her country's marriage in "Ning An Ru Meng", under the foreshadowing of the hardships in the early stage, the princesses' later ambitions, struggles for power to resist the oppression of reality, and facing up to their personal ambitions are all the results of rationalization.

Princess Wan Ning was humiliated in the early stage and rose in the later stage｜Source: Screenshot of the TV series "Mo Yu Yun Jian"

Therefore, the eldest princesses broke the stereotyped weak and kind shell of the heroines in previous costume dramas and became "living people" in costume dramas who dared to think and act and focused on their personal goals. Compared with the nearly perfect virgin heroines, they are more humane and full of vitality, and can also make the audience in front of the TV more empathetic.

Some princesses even "refuse to waste their energy and just go crazy when something happens", becoming the audience's spiritual sustenance and emotional outlet, making the audience feel refreshed.

Of course, the contrasting character setting of the eldest princess is also very suitable for the sadomasochistic plot that everyone has always loved to watch.

Contrast has always been the forte of TV drama protagonists and the most loved plot by the audience. Many years ago, people loved to watch the "contrast + sadomasochism" plot where a boss and a rich man were all powerful, but they bowed their heads for the only girl.

The domineering boss turned into a little puppy｜Source: Screenshot from the TV series "Meteor Garden"

Nowadays, the scripts about the eldest princess also like to use contrast, letting the eldest princess's overwhelming power set off her humble courtship, focusing on a "sadistic love". In "In the Clouds", no matter how arrogant the eldest princess Wan Ning was in the early stage, she still had to throw away her weapons and armor because of Shen Yurong, and was poisoned. She still had to ask hesitantly: Have you ever loved me? This made the audience feel happy in the early stage, but sad in the later stage.

Image source: Screenshot from the TV series "Mo Yu Yun Jian"

In addition to the plot setting, the status of the actors in costume dramas also directly affects whether the character becomes popular or not.

It has to be said that the actresses who were active on TV ten years ago are still the main force on the small screen now, but most of them have grown from girls to mature actresses with good acting skills. Even the 85 flowers that everyone talks about are now over 35 years old. It is precisely the age of the current mainstream actresses that directly promotes the popularity of the role of the eldest princess.

Li Xiaoran, who played the Mary Sue heroine ten years ago, was able to express the first love of a young girl vividly, and dominated the summer vacation with the plot of the domineering president and Cinderella. Today, she is still active on the screen. After years of precipitation, she has her own unique wisdom and charm, just able to grasp the smiles and frowns of the mature princess. Years of acting skills can also support the princess's "madness" at any time.

Comparison between the Mary Sue role played by Li Xiaoran and the eldest princess role｜Image source: (left) Screenshot of the TV series "Too Late to Say I Love You", (right) Screenshot of the TV series "Celebrating Yu Nian"

Of course, no matter how wonderful and charming the character setting of the eldest princess is, an excellent TV series is always completed by novel and reasonable plot settings, wonderful and effective camera shots and the joint efforts of the actors. It is true that the eldest princess is very charming, and the little girl is still cute. The characters who are dedicated and ambitious are worthy of praise, and the characters and plots of the idle and wild cranes are also interesting. What the audience wants to see is a character that breaks through traditional routines and can better represent the voice of the public.

References

[1] Pan Mingji. (2019). A brief discussion on the princess in the Records of the Grand Historian. Journal of Weinan Normal University (04), 69-77. doi:10.15924/j.cnki.1009-5128.2019.04.010.

[2] Jin Tao. Research on the Image of Evil Women in Keigo Higashino's Literary Works[D]. Yunnan University, 2012.

[3] Chen Muzi, Wang Yanhui. A comparative study of princesses and princesses in the Han Dynasty[J]. Journal of Social Sciences of Jiamusi University, 2024, 42(02): 112-115.

[4] Miao Linlin. A Study on the Princess System of the Northern Wei Dynasty[J]. Journal of Tangshan Normal University, 2023, 45(05): 60-66.

[5] Qian Jianfu. Re-examination of the meaning of “长公主”[J]. Dictionary Research, 1991, (03): 140-143. DOI: 10.16134/j.cnki.cn31-1997/g2.1991.03.028.

[6] Yu Suisheng. Discussion on the interpretation of “长公主”[J]. Dictionary Research, 1989, (02): 150-151. DOI: 10.16134/j.cnki.cn31-1997/g2.1989.02.032.

[7] Nanfengchuang. (2024,5.22). The villain begins to manipulate the audience

[8] Lin Juanrong. Research on Princesses in the Ming Dynasty[D]. Hunan Normal University, 2018.

[9] He Guanhuan. A model of princesses in the Northern Song Dynasty: Princess Xianmu, wife of Li Zunxu (Part 2)[J]. Chinese Studies in China, 2014, (02): 27-56.

[10] Li Cui, Kong Yong. The Three Stele of the Grand Princess Offering Sacrifice to Confucius Temple[J]. Towards the World, 2014, (19): 85.

[11] Elephant News, (2023, 11.14). “Princess, please” is popular, but: Don’t call me “Princess” casually!

Author: Zhang Nan

Editor: Tennessee