The Origin of the History of "Camp Prostitutes" in Ancient Times

During World War II, the Japanese "comfort women" system had long been notorious. In fact, once the war starts, all legal systems and moral norms will go away. The "war troubles" of burning, killing and raping were almost impossible to eliminate. Since they are flesh and blood people, they cannot do without food and drink for men and women. In order to avoid greater trouble, the authorities have to consider the "sexual issue." In fact, ancient China had already explored and experimented with the "camp prostitute" system. To put it bluntly, it is a legal "military brothel".

Lin Yutang wrote in his "Biography of Su Dongpo": "(Cambatory prostitutes) can be traced back to the time of Guan Zhong in the 7th century BC. He set up "camp prostitutes" to encourage soldiers." But this is not the case. The so-called "Nu Lu" was not the later "camp prostitutes"; rather, it was a "government-run brothel" open to the whole society. The sequel to "Jianhu Collection" said: "When Guanzi ruled Qi, he set up 700 brothels and collected the money they had for sex to supplement state expenses. This was the beginning of the flower money." Obviously, the "brothels" were not specifically for serving the army; they were for increasing fiscal revenue.

The practice of "camp prostitutes" to encourage soldiers originated from King Gou Jian of Yue during the Warring States Period. "Wu Yue Chunqiu" records: "King Gou Jian of Yue once buried a widow on the mountain. He ordered his soldiers who were particularly sad to visit her to amuse themselves." The so-called "amusing soldiers" has already pointed out the meaning of "camp prostitutes". The "Yue Jue Shu" said: "The people of Du Fu Mountain were brought to the top of the mountain by Gou Jian when he was about to attack Wu. They were widows who were sent alone to serve as his death squad. They were not loyal to the emperor. It is forty miles away from the county. People later told them that Gou Jian used it to mobilize his soldiers." It seems that this is the origin of the "camp prostitute" system.

There is a document that records: "There were no prostitutes in ancient times. It was not until Emperor Wu of Han that military prostitutes were established." During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, wars broke out frequently and the "military prostitute" system had become open and aboveboard. It can be seen that "military brothels" began in the Western Han Dynasty and continued through the Six Dynasties, Tang and Song Dynasties. This is both a war requirement and a political requirement.

The practice of "camp prostitutes" to encourage soldiers originated from King Gou Jian of Yue during the Warring States Period. "Wu Yue Chunqiu" records: "King Gou Jian of Yue once buried a widow on the mountain. He ordered his soldiers who were particularly sad to visit her to amuse themselves." The so-called "amusing soldiers" has already pointed out the meaning of "camp prostitutes". The "Yue Jue Shu" said: "The people of Du Fu Mountain were brought to the top of the mountain by Gou Jian when he was about to attack Wu. They were widows who were sent alone to serve as his death squad. They were not loyal to the emperor. It is forty miles away from the county. People later told them that Gou Jian used it to mobilize his soldiers." It seems that this is the origin of the "camp prostitute" system.

There is a document that records: "There were no prostitutes in ancient times. It was not until Emperor Wu of Han that military prostitutes were established." During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, wars broke out frequently and the "military prostitute" system had become open and aboveboard. It can be seen that "military brothels" began in the Western Han Dynasty and continued through the Six Dynasties, Tang and Song Dynasties. This is both a war requirement and a political requirement.

When the Northern Song Dynasty was founded, Zhao Guangyi conquered the Northern Han Dynasty. The captured women in the camp were immediately assigned to the soldiers, and the scale of "camp prostitutes" became increasingly larger. In addition to military brothels, the imperial court also set up "official prostitutes" to "serve officials in prefectures and counties who do not bring their families with them." How do officials solve sexual problems if they do not bring their families? The official brothels have considered this very carefully. It is said that the prices were clearly marked: some official prostitutes were worth five thousand, and would return to their original owners after five years. If anyone takes it away, I will give him another twenty thousand. Others choose girls from brothels. The "Gou Lan" of the Song Dynasty is equivalent to today's karaoke bars and other entertainment venues. Perhaps, the women there sold their art as well as their bodies? Military brothels also recruited new prostitutes from these places. "Camp prostitutes took turns as 'Gou Lan prostitutes' for one month, and were allowed to find replacements with money. So they even recruited the twins of criminals or those from good families who were waiting to be tried for the case. Some were even plundered and falsely accused of being thieves to fill the positions." This brutal practice of forced prostitution did not end until the founding of the Southern Song Dynasty.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, which was based in Hangzhou, there were still "camp prostitutes". Wu Zimu recorded in his Dreams of the Southern Song Dynasty: "During the Shaoxing period, Yang Yizhong built theaters inside and outside the city because most of the troops stationed there were from the northwest, and recruited prostitutes and musicians as places for soldiers to entertain themselves in their spare time. Today, the young men of noble families are wandering around and causing damage, which is even worse than in Bian Capital. There are no less than seventeen theaters in Hangzhou inside and outside the city..." Lu You's Weinan Collection also recorded a strange "epitaph", which mentioned that "Zhang Jin, a doctor in charge of the Secret Pavilion" made a big fuss about his family affairs because of visiting prostitutes: "(Mr. Zhang) got a prostitute from the Lin'an camp and took her home, so he wanted to abandon his wife and children..."