October 25, 2006
The Return of the Concubine
Rachel DeWoskin meets the Prada-clad ‘second wives’ aiming to get rich before they hit 30
Everyone who has ever lived in China knows the expression for “second wife”. And most people know at least one ernai personally. Ernai are a modern version of concubines, as common as colds. They are women kept in luxury apartments and goods by married lovers – mostly overseas businessmen and officials but, increasingly, by men at every level of society. The most successful kept women represent entrepreneurs of a sort, floating in a sink-or-swim economy and providing enticing models for what the new China can offer: genuine Prada stilettos, diamonds, iPods and sprawling villas. They work out in the swankiest health clubs, drive Minis, BMWs and Audis, and carry lapdogs in Gucci handbags.
The few ernai I know are all raging alcoholics (who faithfully attend their yoga classes).
- Thanks to my friend Sarah for pointing me to this article -
October 25th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
Where does one sign up?
October 25th, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Maoxian,
Read about the White Lotus Revolution. Ninety percent of the males were unmarried because of the wealthy Chinese males taking up all the females as concubines. There was a shortage of females then as well. History repeats itself. This type of thing has happened more than once or twice in the history of China.
October 25th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
Celtic: I’ve never heard of it and a quick look at Wikipedia doesn’t reveal anything about the White Lotus Revolution being connected to a shortage of women.
October 25th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
I may have got the “rebellion/revolution” name wrong. There was an interesting article written about the coincidence in China of shortagees of women due to concubinage and rebellions/revolutions. The White Lotus was mentioned and so were others. I will look up the article or snippet and email it to you or post it. It was interesting to read. The premise was that shortages of women for non-wealthy/less accomplished Chinese males was a historical scenario/pattern. In the past this has led to interesting internal developments and in some cases instability.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:23 am
In nature, the strongest male gets to mate with all the females. In human society it seems the most powerful/wealthy gets to mate with all the females.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:47 am
In my 3 years in China, I didn’t meet anyone that openly admitted to being an ernai, I did meet alot of women though that received regular gifts from a number of men, whom they were “testing” to see which one was best… this testing phase seem to last an awful long time however :) I also met alot of husbands and wives that had something on the side which was accepted in their marriage, rather than the shame of divorce, both parties were ok with it. Also alot of chinese women (in china) seem to think its sort of natural/normal for guys to have extracurricular sexual relations? Suggesting in many cases they may be willing to turn a blind eye…
October 26th, 2006 at 9:50 am
Nik: Did you do much yoga? That’s the place to meet ernai, lol. If I engaged in extracurricular sexual relations the wife would not turn a blind eye, she’d probably blind me. ;-)
Celtic: Please do send along the article if you find it, thanks.
October 26th, 2006 at 12:10 pm
For some reason this material from Ugly’s website crept into my mind upon reading the above comments:
Another important lesson for the stock market samurai:
Lesson #5: Understand half of the battle
To get rid of villains and knaves, it is necessary to give them a way out. If you don’t give them any leeway at all, they will be like trapped rats. If every way out is closed to them, they will chew up everything good. Similarly, you cannot lose if you close half of a position. If the trade turns against you, you were wise to close half. If the trade continues in your favor, then you were wise to close only half.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Amazing article. They are definitely easy there but you’ll be paying every dime. Even for a first wife, to go ‘halves’ in paying for things is not in the program. Maoxian, please correct me if Im wrong.
October 26th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
Rod: You’re absolutely correct, my wife refuses all my attempts to pay half. ;-)
November 4th, 2006 at 1:58 am
China’s problem with shortage of women has more to do with putting baby girls to death for financial reasons (they don’t make money for the poor like baby boys do), that is my opinion, but I’m not Chinese or from China. I personally believe having ernai is not bad in itself–though ernai could be treated badly or ignored too much.
April 12th, 2007 at 1:05 am
I think that being a ernai or gold digger is a but disgusting job. The girls get money for doing practically nothing, and i think that if they can get away with that and are happy with what they do then they should carry on. However i was just wondering; isn’t prostitution illegal in China? Because that is basically what they are, just glamorous prostitutes.
ps. hi sophie
April 12th, 2007 at 1:07 am
wat happens when the wives find out? do they think of it as a job or lifestyle? what if they fall pregnant? i am not against ernais, if they are hppy with their choice of living then thats fine but i feel sorry for them because the don’t get to have the feeling of earning something thats rightfully theirs.
April 12th, 2007 at 1:08 am
by da way i am aware that my last comment didnt make sense… put the word good in the apropreate places
April 12th, 2007 at 1:08 am
p.s hi coco!!!
April 12th, 2007 at 1:09 am
oy sophie u dint say hi to me!
April 12th, 2007 at 1:09 am
i did on numba 15!! fool