皇后 (Empress) – The mother of the nation, sole ruler of the inner palace, answerable to none but the emperor himself.
1 *Huangguifei* (: Imperial Noble Consort) - a high-ranking consort, often the mother of a prince
2. 贵妃 (Noble Consort) Guifei – The highest of consorts, second only to the Empress, often favored, and sometimes wielding quiet power.
3. 妃 (Consort) Fei– A high-ranking consort, often holding additional honorifics such as:
贤妃 (Xianfei) – Worthy Consort
德妃 (Defei) – Virtuous Consort
淑妃 (Shufei) – Gentle Consort
These titled consorts were respected and carried influence within the harem.
4. 嫔 (Pin) – Imperial Concubine – A respected rank with influence in the harem, ranking just below Consort (Fei) and above Zhaoyi
5. 昭仪 (Zhaoyi) – A lady of elegance, ranking below the consorts but often personally favored.
6. 昭容 (Zhaorong) – A lady of refinement and pleasing demeanor.
7. 婕妤 (Jieyu) – A "Talented Lady," refined and intelligent, often skilled in arts and letters.
8. 美人 (Meiren) – Literally "Beauty," a rank that prized appearance more than influence.
9. 才人 (Cairen) – A "Talented One," entry-level for those newly noticed by the emperor.
10. 贵人 (Guiren) – A "Noble Lady," often a stepping stone to higher favor.
11. 文媛 (Wenyuan) – A title not born of rank but of refinement—granted to women known for literary grace, eloquence, or talent in the arts.
12. 常在 (Changzai) – "Constant Companion," often unseen in court affairs, present only to serve.