| 词汇 | circassian |
| 词源 | Circassian. Circassian beauty refers to the legendary charms of the Circassian women, inhabitants of a region in the north- east Caucasus once known as Circassia, where fathers often sold their beautiful daughters to Turkish merchants for the har- ems of Eastern monarchs. No degradation was implied; the women considered their sale an honor. The Circassians had a number of unusual customs: any young man who purchased a bride was required to come with friends, fully armed, and carry her off from her father’s house; a younger brother had to rise from his seat whenever an elder brother entered the room and remain silent whenever he spoke; a murderer could escape punishment by rearing the newborn child of his victim until his or her education was completed; and any man pursued by enemies had sanctuary after he touched the hand of a woman, so long as he remained under her roof. Russia finally subjugated these proud, warlike Muslims in 1864, after which many of them migrated to Turkish territory. Today Circassia forms part of the Russian federation. |
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