Editing Emperor of China (section)

== Consorts and children ==
In [[Imperial China]], [[child marriage]] was the norm.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Saito |first1=O. |year=1996 |title=Historical demography: achievements and prospects |journal=Population Studies |volume=50 |issue=3 |pages=537–553 |doi=10.1080/0032472031000149606 |pmid=11618380}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Zhao |first1=Z. |year=1997 |title=Demographic systems in historic China: some new findings from recent research |journal=Journal of the Australian Population Association |volume=14 |issue=2 |pages=201–232 |doi=10.1007/BF03029340 |pmid=12322104 |bibcode=1997JAuPA..14..201Z |s2cid=8006287 }}</ref> The imperial family was made up of the emperor and the empress ({{lang|zh|皇后}}) as the primary consort and Mother of the Nation ({{zhi|t=國母|s=国母}}). In addition, the emperor would typically have several other consorts and [[concubine]]s ({{zhi|t=嬪妃|s=嫔妃}}), ranked by importance into a [[harem (household)|harem]], in which the Empress was supreme. Every dynasty had its set of rules regarding the numerical composition of the harem. During the Qing dynasty, for example, imperial convention dictated that at any given time there should be one ''Empress'', one ''Imperial Noble Consort'', two ''Noble Consort'', four ''Consort'' and six ''Concubine'', plus an unlimited number of ''Noble Lady'', ''First Class Attendant'' and ''Second Class Attendant''. Although the emperor had the highest status by law, by tradition and precedent the [[empress dowager]] ({{lang|zh|皇太后}}) usually received the greatest respect in the palace and was the decision maker in most family affairs. At times, especially when a young emperor was on the throne, she was the de facto ruler. The emperor's children, the princes ({{lang|zh|皇子}}) and princesses ({{lang|zh|公主}}), were often referred to by their order of birth—e.g. Eldest Prince or Third Princess. Princes were often given titles of peerage once they reached adulthood. The emperor's brothers and uncles served in court by law, and held equal status with other court officials ({{lang|zh|子}}). The emperor was always elevated above all others despite any chronological or generational superiority.