I was watching 大长今 recently. Did not really follow the whole thing, just bits and pieces of what my sister and mum been watching.

[IMAGE: 长今]

1 of those I watched, the lead character, 长今，wanted to be a courtier in the palace. it seems that a courtier in the Korean palace is of a higher social standing than their chinese counterpart. And they have to be virgins. And they started training to be one since young.

Anyawy, the reason 长今 wanted to be a courtier is because her mother was a great courtier. She sufferred some injustice due to some palace politics and she hoped that 长今 can redress her grievousness.

So there's this scene where a bunch of courtiers wannabes were being tested if they can be 1. And of course, there's this virginity test.

Legend has it that long time ago, there's this fairy who fell in love with a mortal. I think the mortal is either the king or some great general, can'treally remember. Anyway, fairy-mortal relationships are frowned upon by the powers up there, and she is punished by having her power of speech taken away. Not really power of speech. She can still talk, but she can only say what other pp says, she can't form sentences of her own and say it.

One day, a bad guy, I forgot the reason for it, accusses her of having an affair with him. And since she can't speak to defend herself, and only repeats what the bad guy is saying, her lover/husband is very angry and punishes her. Again, I forgot what the punishment is. It could be deeath or just a slap. Lousy memmory that I have...

Anyway, in her anguish of being wronged, she turned into a parrot.

And from then on, the parrot is a symbol of purity and chaste. And the parrot's blood is used to detect virgins. A drop of the parrot's blood is dipped onto the wrist of the woman, and if it stays there, she's virgin. If the blood rejected her and slips down off the wrist, she's not.

There's 2 interesting point here. I wonder how many gers were wrongly accused of not being a virgin, and how many non-virgins managed to slip thru the system. If too nervous while taking the test,t hen jialat liao. Or if the person holding your hand while she drips the blood sabotage you, also die.

[IMAGE: Young 长今]

And secondly, why are they doing tests to young nubile gers that looks like they are barely 8 yrs old? Those that failed the test must be in an abusive or perverted family.

Anyway, 长今 almost failed the test. She failed it at first, but the attendant holding her hand confessed to having shook her hand due to nervousness when the blood is dripped onto her wrist. I am not sure if she really did it or she just watned to give 长今 anohter chance, but 长今 passed the test on the 2nd try.