In addition to silver, the concubine could also get a large number of valuables, including silk and mink.

Taking the "concubine" as an example, in addition to the annual salary of 300 taels of silver, you can also get 1 python satin, 1 woven gold, 1 makeup satin, 2 Japanese satin, 1 flash satin, 1 gold satin, 4 cloud satin, 2 clothes satin, 1 blue satin, 1 hat satin, 3 Peng satin, 1 palace horse, 2 Lu horses, 4 yarn horses, 5 wrapped yarn horses, 5 silk horses, 5 silk spinning horses, 5 Hangzhou fine horses, 5 cotton nat horses, 5 Korean cloth horses, 2 three-thread cloths, 10 wool green cloths, 10 dark blue cloths, 3 coarse cloths, 10 gold threads, 5 pounds of velvet, 3 pounds of cotton thread, 20 kg of kapok, 10 mink wraps, 20 ula mink.

In addition to the normal salary, the palace concubines can also receive various famous "red envelopes", such as "example money" and "gifts", which are in the nature of "red envelopes" or "tips".

The income of "example money" is generally only available on special days such as childbirth, sacrifices, birthdays, etc.

In the Qing Dynasty, palace concubines would receive gifts on their birthdays. For example, on the queen's birthday, the emperor would "give 90 taels of gold, 900 taels of silver, 45 pieces of satin yarn, 9 pieces of python satin, 9 pieces of satin, 9 pieces of silk Ning, 9 pieces of palace silk, 9 pieces of yarn, 9 pieces of spring silk, and 9 pieces of silk."

When giving birth to a child or having a child in the full moon, the emperor will also send a red envelope: "Give the queen 1,000 taels of silver and 300 coins; 500 taels of silver for the imperial concubine and 200 coins; 400 taels of silver and 100 coins; 300 taels of silver and 70 coins; 200 taels of silver and 40 coins; 100 taels of silver and 20 coins; often at the end of 100 taels of silver and 20 coins; Promised 50 taels of silver and 10 coins. ”

Usually they will also give "pocket money" every month, and sometimes accompany the emperor to be happy, and they will also get additional bonus "red envelopes", such as good clothing, jewelry, these additional income, collectively referred to as "gifts".

Because of the annual salary, the expenses of the palace are very large. But in comparison, the annual salary and the gift are not the biggest expenses, and the daily living expenses and room supplies of many concubines are the main expenses.

According to the "History of the Imperial Palace", in the Qing Dynasty, there were more than 30 kinds of cups, plates and bowls in the room of the "concubine".

Silver tea ou lid 1, silver spoon 1, silver tooth chop 1 pair, silver teapot 1, silver cho 1, silver bundle knife 1, copper wax stick 4, copper candle jar 1, copper stick plate 4, copper scoop 1, copper dustpan 1, tin teabowl lid 2, tin teapot 4, tin cho 3, tin kettle 3, tin sitting pot 2, tin watering can 1, tin spit 2, gold-plated iron cloud envelope corner table 1, silver-plated iron tweezers 1, yellow ground green dragon porcelain plate 2, various colors of magnetic porcelain 20, yellow ground green dragon porcelain plate 4, yellow ground green dragon porcelain bowl 4, various color porcelain bowl 30, yellow ground green dragon porcelain clock 2, various color porcelain clock 12, porcelain jar 1, lacquer box 2, lacquer tea tray 2, horn handle lamp 1.

There are also a variety of food recipes every day.

9 catties of pork, 1 liter of japonica rice 3, 5 spoons, 3 catties of white flour 8 taels, 3 taels of sugar, 1 tael of walnut kernels, 1 tael of dried dates 6 taels, 6 taels of sesame oil, 1 kg of tofu 8 taels, 8 taels of powder pot residue, 6 taels of sweet sauce, 2 taels of vinegar, 10 catties of fresh vegetables, 8 eggplants, 8 cucumbers, 2 branches of white wax (each weighing 1 tael 5 cents), 2 sticks of yellow wax (each weighing 1 tael 5 cents), 2 sticks of sheep fat wax (each weighing 1 tael 5 cents), red basket charcoal (5 catties in summer, 10 catties in winter), black charcoal (25 catties in summer, 40 catties in winter), 10 chickens and ducks (per month), 15 plates of mutton (per month), 14 taels of Lu'an tea (per month), 8 taels of Tianchi tea (per month).

A concubine has to supply 9 catties of pork alone a day, which is a lot in a month. If it is a higher level, such as a concubine, an imperial concubine, a queen, and a queen mother, the cost of each level must be doubled, and the queen mother must supply a pig every day.

The lowest level promised to supply 1 catty of pork and 8 taels per day. It can be seen how much it costs to support a concubine every year.

Relatively speaking, the expenses of the Qing harem are not large, and the Qing concubines do not eat very fine every day, and the meat dishes are mainly pork.