The Goat Cart Selects the Concubine

Compiled from Secrets of the Chinese Palace

        Sima Yan, also known as Emperor Wudi of the Jin Dynasty, had his special method of selecting concubines to share his bed. So, what was his secret method?

        One night, shortly after bringing peace to the kingdom of Wu, one of the officials asked the emperor who he wanted to spend the night with. Having more than 10,000 girls to choose from, the emperor didn’t have a ready answer. Instead, he decided it was easier to just let the goat choose for him. He therefore, summoned for a goat cart. When the goat cart arrived, he hopped on and left. The goat stopped at one of the several room doors and without hesitating, he entered the room and spent the night with the beauty inside. From then on, the court ladies would vie for the emperor’s attention by leaving bamboo leaves and sprinkling brine outside their room doors to attract the goats.