A eunuch is a male who has been castrated and served the royal family or nobility. The eunuch system has a long history in China, starting from the Western Zhou Dynasty and continuing until the end of the Qing Dynasty, which lasted for more than 2,000 years.
The number and influence of eunuchs also increased and decreased with the changes of various dynasties, especially in the Eastern Han, Tang and Ming dynasties, when the power of eunuchs reached its peak, and even intervened in the government and military, triggering many historical events and changes.
Moreover, since the normal physiological characteristics of the eunuchs were impaired after purification, their reproductive organs could not function normally, so they could only choose to squat when going to the toilet.
At the same time, because they are unable to urinate and defecate normally, they will also produce a certain bad smell when going to the toilet, so they have the title of "pickled eunuchs" in the palace.
But in ancient times, the identity of the eunuch and the smell on his body were despised, why did the concubines in the palace still try their best to stammer?
1. The history of eunuchs
There are various theories about the origin of eunuchs.
The earliest documentary record is in the "Zhou Li", which mentions that "the palace envoy guards the inside, and he is absolutely humane". This shows that there was already a system of using eunuchs in the Western Zhou Dynasty, but the number was small and the status was low, and they were only responsible for some chores and heralds.
However, eunuchs at this time were not called eunuchs.
By the Warring States Period, eunuchs began to appear on the political stage, such as Zhao Gao of the Qin State. After Qin Shi Huang unified the world, the number of eunuchs also increased significantly, according to the "Historical Records", there are more than 300 eunuchs in the mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang.
During the Han Dynasty, the number and status of eunuchs increased, and they were collectively referred to as "eunuchs" or "eunuchs" and began to serve as attendants to the emperor and empress.
During the Sui and Tang dynasties, the power of the eunuchs increased greatly, and they not only held important positions in the court, but also extensively intervened in the political and economic fields, such as Gaolishi.
Gao Lishi, I believe everyone is familiar with it, as a confidant of Tang Xuanzong, he participated in many major political events, such as the pacification of the Weihou Rebellion, the Taiping Princess Rebellion, the Anshi Rebellion, etc.
Moreover, his power is so great that he can almost influence the government and government, and all civil and military officials have to fight him, and his wealth exceeds that of princes.
After the death of Tang Xuanzong, Gao Lishi was placed in Wuzhou, and was subsequently pardoned. However, on the way back to his hometown of the capital, he heard the news of Xuanzong's death, which broke his liver and intestines, and sorrow came from it, and finally he vomited blood and died because he could not suppress the pain in his heart.
He was posthumously awarded the title of Governor of Yangzhou by the imperial court, and accompanied Tang Xuanzong to sleep in the tomb of Tailing, becoming the loyal martyr of Emperor Xuanzong.
By the late Tang Dynasty, the power of the eunuchs had reached another peak, they had mastered the Shence Army, and even had the power to depose the emperor.
During the Song Dynasty, the power of eunuchs was somewhat reined, and Song Taizu forbade eunuchs to interfere in political affairs, and the emperors of the Song Dynasty also followed the ancestral teachings. Although the Song Dynasty also had some eunuchs who were troubled by the country, such as Tong Guan and Liang Shicheng, the power of the eunuchs did not override the prime minister.
During the Yuan Dynasty, the power of eunuchs was not large, and the emperors of the Yuan Dynasty trusted the Mongol nobles and Han scholars, and the eunuchs were only responsible for some court affairs.
And the evolution of the meaning of the word eunuch dates back to the Ming Dynasty.
In the court of the Ming Dynasty, there were 12 eunuchs, who managed different affairs, such as internal affairs, ancestral sacrifices, imperial horses, imperial medicines, imperial meals, imperial use, imperial ceremonies, imperial gardens, imperial treasury, imperial mansions, imperial drivers, imperial fronts, etc.
The head of each eunuch was called a eunuch, a title that originally indicated their position and status, rather than their physical condition.
After Zhu Yuanzhang, the Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, became emperor, he explicitly forbade eunuchs to interfere in politics, but after Ming Chengzu ascended the throne, he began to reuse eunuchs.
The eunuchs of the Ming Dynasty not only held important positions in the court, but also were extensively involved in the political and economic spheres, such as Liu Jin, Wei Zhongxian, Zheng He, etc. They competed for power with the cabinet and the Donglin Party, leading to the turmoil and decline of the Ming Dynasty.
After Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he killed the eunuchs and ended the situation of the eunuch dictatorship.
During the Qing Dynasty, the power of eunuchs showed a gradual decline, and the imperial court's control over eunuchs was gradually strengthened.
Except for the late Qing Dynasty, when there was a relatively special and limited number of highly relied eunuchs, who had a slight degree of influence, there was no other form of eunuch dictatorship.
The eunuchs of the Qing Dynasty mainly managed the daily affairs of the court, such as An Dehai and Li Lianying. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, the number of eunuchs also decreased greatly, and with the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the eunuch system also ended.
2. The eunuch was the emperor's close attendant
In the ancient Chinese court, eunuchs were a special group of beings. They lost their dignity and rights as men because of their physical disabilities, but they had a lot of power and influence because they were able to get close to the emperor.
Many of them were elected to the palace from an early age, grew up with the emperor, and formed a deep friendship and loyalty. If they were eunuchs who grew up with the emperor, they had a pivotal position in front of the emperor.
Even the emperor often listened to their opinions and suggestions, or told them about their worries and troubles. In such an environment, eunuchs have a great influence on the fate of concubines.
Although the concubines were the emperor's wives and concubines, they did not necessarily get the emperor's favor and favor. In the palace, they have to face endless battles and intrigues, and they must always be on guard against others' frame-ups and calculations.
Their status and security largely depend on whether they can give birth to the emperor's son, who will be the future heir to the throne. But if you want to give birth to a prince, you must first be summoned and bathed by the emperor. And this, you need the help and support of the eunuchs.
If the eunuchs around the emperor can say good things about a concubine at the right time, praise her beauty and talent, or hint at her pregnancy and auspiciousness.
Then the emperor may have a good impression and interest in her, and thus summon her to the palace, or give her some precious gifts and glory.
If the concubine can seize this opportunity to please the emperor and make him satisfied and happy, then she may be able to conceive the prince and lay a solid foundation for her future.
If she can give birth to a prince, then her status will be raised, and she may even be named a concubine or queen, enjoying supreme glory and wealth, and she will also be able to protect her family, relatives and friends from bullying and threats by others.
Therefore, many concubines understand that befriending eunuchs is an important way for them to survive and develop in the palace.
They will use various methods to win over and entrap the eunuchs. They hoped that through these methods, they would be able to win the trust and favor of the eunuchs, thus paving the way for their future.
3. The power conferred on the eunuchs by the emperor
As a group of people who served the emperor, eunuchs had an indispensable position in the palace management system.
At the beginning of the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang formulated a series of laws and regulations in order to consolidate his rule, and strictly controlled and managed all affairs in the palace.
Not only the emperor, but everyone in the palace has been arranged every day. The emperor was even more restricted in his private life.
From getting up to going to bed, from meeting the courtiers to reading the recitals, from worshipping ancestors to visiting gardens, the emperor has fixed norms and etiquette, and there is no room for the slightest mistake and slackness.
In the emperor's private life, it is also stipulated that the emperor must take turns sleeping with the concubines in the harem every month, and only one person can be selected at a time, and there can be no preference and arbitrariness.
In the Qing Dynasty, this harem management system did not change, but became more perfect and strict.
The emperor of the Qing Dynasty, in addition to abiding by the regulations of the Ming Dynasty, also held some sacrifices and celebrations with the concubines in the harem every year during the Spring Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice and other festivals in accordance with the Manchu tradition, in order to show respect and gratitude to the ancestors and heaven and earth.
The emperor of the Qing Dynasty could not select and summon concubines as he pleased, and had to go through the arrangement and supervision of a special agency. This institution is the Worship House.
In every drama depicting the life of the Qing Dynasty's palace, the Jingshifang was an indispensable presence. This institution was under the control of various organs within the Qing Dynasty Imperial Palace, and was subordinate to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and its responsibility was to supervise all the affairs of the eunuchs and court ladies involved in the residence of the empress and concubines.
The chief eunuchs in the worship room can be regarded as the most powerful among the eunuch group, and their responsibilities are not only limited to taking care of the emperor's daily life and etiquette in the court, but also serving the emperor's solemn palace and the important mission of selecting the mother.
According to the emperor's preferences and the situation of the harem, they should arrange a certain list of attendants for the emperor every month, and only one concubine can be selected each time, and there can be no duplication and omission.
The selection of new concubines for the emperor and the selection of suitable candidates from among the daughters of famous families from all over the country also belonged to the eunuchs of the ministry, and after strict examination and assessment, the emperor himself selected.
In this way, the eunuchs of the Jingshifang became the highest power in the harem, and they could influence the emperor's private life and also influence the fate of the concubines in the harem.
In this context, if his green head card can reach the conspicuous place in the emperor's sight, then in this harem of three thousand beauties, he has a greater chance of being favored, pregnant with a dragon son, and even becoming a concubine and queen.
For the sake of his own future, what is the big deal to endure the smell of some eunuchs?
However, even if the eunuchs have power that ordinary people do not have, the establishment of this group is the dregs of the feudal system after all, and these poor people in the old era are also involuntarily.