Hougong is a city located in China.
The term Hougong is also associated with the historical imperial harem system of China. Known as the "rear palace system" in Chinese, these were the forbidden quarters for imperial women during various dynasties. While modern translations often simplify the hierarchy into three ranks—empress, consorts, and concubines—the actual ranks varied throughout history.
The management of the inner court and imperial succession played a significant role in this system. In many dynasties, an heir's rank was determined by both their birth order and the prominence of their mother within the palace hierarchy.