In ancient Chinese feudal society, eunuchs were a unique and complex being who played multiple roles. They are not only the servants by the emperor's side, but also the guardians of the deep palace of the harem, and even at some point, they are pawns that cannot be ignored in the struggle for imperial power.
Although some eunuchs were able to gain power and status as a result of the emperor's favor, their personal fate was full of tragedy. Many people think that the worst thing for eunuchs is purification, but in fact, what they find most difficult to accept is their helplessness in the face of the concubines.
In ancient China, in order to ensure the purity and safety of the harem, the emperor needed a group of men who could serve closely without posing a threat to the harem concubines. At an early age or adolescence, these men were forced to undergo cleansing surgeries, which not only deprived them of their physical characteristics as men, but also completely changed their lives.
This surgical procedure is extremely brutal and is often performed in extreme pain and without any anesthesia. Many children faint and even lose their lives due to the excruciating pain during the operation. For those who survived, although they were given access to the royal palace, the price was to permanently lose their identity as men, as well as the possibility of starting a family and descendants.
In court society, the relationship between the eunuch and the emperor was particularly complex. On the one hand, eunuchs relied on the emperor's favor to gain power and status; On the other hand, the emperor was also constantly wary of the eunuchs' excessive power that posed a threat to his rule. This relationship based on interest and suspicion made the eunuch always in an unsafe state in front of the emperor.
As the emperor's personal servants, the eunuch was responsible for taking care of the emperor's daily life, from grooming in the morning to sleeping peacefully at night. However, in addition to serving the emperor, they also had another important responsibility - taking care of the daily life of the harem concubines.
Eunuchs had a unique position in court society, as they were the eyes and ears and assistants of the emperor, as well as the servants and guardians of the concubines. This special position allowed the eunuchs to act as connectors between the emperor, the concubines, and the court as a whole, but it also put them in an extremely delicate and dangerous position.
The eunuchs had to find a balance between the emperor's trust and the dependence of the harem concubines, and the maintenance of this balance was both a survival and a deep dilemma for them. They needed to show loyalty and utility before the emperor to ensure their status and safety; And in front of the concubines, it is necessary to show empathy and understanding in order to maintain a harmonious relationship.
The concubines who bathed and changed their clothes, one by one, were like hibiscus out of the water, it was easy to be unable to control themselves, not to mention the eunuchs who witnessed the beauty pictures that had just come out of the bath, but they could not show any "disrespect", and tried their best to suppress their inner impulses, this contradiction between physical lack and psychological needs undoubtedly brought them great conflict and pain.