The original text is shenfang 深房 [deep inside the house]. Because in traditional Chinese society, women were generally kept separated from the world beyond their families, so the word shen 深 [deep] became a common word to describe the place where women lived, emphasizing it being secluded, hidden, and probably mysterious. Using the word shen also came from the fact that traditional Chinese housing had a horizontally deep layout, with female members of the house living in the back of the house. Similar expressions include shengui 深閨 [deep in the boudoir], and shenzhai 深宅 [deep in the house]. See also the entry of er’fang.
Layout of a typical traditional Chinese house. The room in the back, zhengfang 正房 [the principal room], is also the activity space for female members.
