In the eyes of modern people, it is incomprehensible why grown men still prefer to marry 13, 14-year-old girls, who are not yet mature in their thoughts and bodies. Behind this, there are three hidden reasons.
In feudal times, people relied mainly on agriculture. Large families often did not have enough to eat. Farmers would do everything they could to reduce the burden. Ultimately, marrying off their daughters was the best way for them to alleviate the stress. Marrying off their daughters not only reduced their food consumption but also received dowries. These things were enough to support a family on the brink of starvation.
In general, ancient women had to marry early because the level of production at that time was too low and there was a need for manpower to cultivate the land. Women marrying early, nurturing the next generation, increasing the population, and thereby developing the economy. This is the main reason why ancient women had to marry early.
In addition, due to the low level of medical knowledge in ancient times, it was difficult to cure serious diseases, especially some gynecological diseases, through traditional medicine. In ancient times, young girls, once married, were considered “mature” and would be married off as early as possible for health reasons. Not only ordinary people but even some royal courts in successive dynasties also advocated for early marriage for women.
Lastly, it is related to the low social status of women in the feudal society of ancient times. At that time, the idea of valuing men and despising women was extremely harsh, and women were only considered as “attachments” to men, with almost no status in society. When married, women also had to obey their husband’s family, and even if they wanted to return to their birth mother, they had to obtain the husband’s and husband’s family’s consent. In addition, the belief that not having a successor is the most unfilial thing, so men also had to marry early, establish families, give birth to children for the family, and develop their lineage.
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