1.Thephrase"宁娶寡妇不取生妻"conveystheideathatinancienttimes,itwasmoresociallyacceptabletomarryawidowwhosehusbandhaddied,thantomarryalivingex-wife.2.Inancienttexts,"生妻"referstoayoungwife,oftenwiththeconnotationofadivorcedwife.Itsignifiesthatthecouplehadpartedwaysbeforethehusband'sdeath.3.Ifawifedivorcedherhusbandbeforehisdeath,itimpliedthattherewereissueswithinthemarriage.Potentialsuitorswouldbeconcernedaboutunresolvedemotionaltiesbetweenthewomanandherex-husband,aswellasthepossibilityofstepchildren,andthusexercisecautioninenteringsuchaunion.4.Concernswereraisedthatawomanwithsuchabackgroundmightalwayspineforherex-husbandandmightnotwholeheartedlycommittohernewfamily,includinganychildrenshemayhavewithherformerspouse.Tomaintainfamilyharmony,itwasgenerallyavoidedtomarrysucha"生妻".5.Additionally,a"生妻"oftenfaceddamagetoherreputation.Evenifthewifedidnothingwrongbeforethedivorce,theactofbeingabandonedbyherhusband,regardlessofthereasons,wasdeemedherfaultintheeyesofsociety.Thenotionofa"生妻"possessingdeficientmoralcharacterprevailed,leadingtothe偏见anddiscriminationagainstdivorcedwomenreflectedinthesaying"宁娶寡妇不取生妻".