Inside the World of the Eunuch: a Social History of the Emperor's Servants in Qing China.

This book tells the story of how Chinese palace eunuchs, a complicated and much-maligned group of people, struggled to insert a degree of agency into their lives. During the Qing dynasty, the imperial court was determined to limit the influence of eunuchs by imposing a management style based upon strict rules, corporal punishment, and collective responsibility. Emasculation and employment placed eunuchs at the center of the empire, yet also subjected them to servile status and marginalization by society. Seeking more control over their lives, eunuchs repeatedly tested the boundaries of subservience to the emperor and the imperial court. This portrait of eunuch society reveals that Qing eunuchs operated within two parallel realms, one revolving around the emperor and the court by day and another among the eunuchs themselves by night where they recreated the social bonds (through drinking, gambling, and opium smoking) denied them by their palace service. Emasculation did not produce the ideal servants; rather, eunuchs proved to be a constant source of anxiety and labor challenges for the Qing imperial court. The history of Qing palace eunuchs is defined by a tension between the role eunuchs were meant to play and the life they intended to live. The History Of Qing Palace Eunuchs Is Defined By A Tension Between The Role Eunuchs Were Meant To Play And The Life They Intended To Live. This Study Tells The Story Of How A Complicated And Much-maligned Group Of People Struggled To Insert A Degree Of Agency Into Their Lives. Rulers Of The Qing Dynasty Were Determined To Ensure The Eunuchs’ Subservience And To Limit Their Influence By Imposing A Management Style Based Upon Strict Rules, Corporal Punishment, And Collective Responsibility. Few Eunuchs Wielded Significant Political Power Or Lived In A Lavish Style During The Qing Dynasty. Emasculation And Employment In The Palace Placed Eunuchs At The Center Of The Empire, Yet Also Subjected Them To Servile Status And Marginalization By Society. Seeking More Control Over Their Lives, Eunuchs Serving The Qing Repeatedly Tested The Boundaries Of Subservience To The Emperor And The Imperial Court. This Portrait Of Eunuch Society Reveals That Qing Palace Eunuchs Operated Within Two Parallel Realms, One Revolving Around The Emperor And The Court By Day And Another Among The Eunuchs Themselves By Night Where They Recreated The Social Bonds—through Drinking, Gambling, And Opium Smoking—denied Them By Their Palace Service. Far From Being The Ideal Servants, Eunuchs Proved To Be A Constant Source Of Anxiety And Labor Challenges For The Qing Court. For A Long Time Eunuchs Have Simply Been Cast As Villains In Chinese History. Inside The World Of The Eunuch Goes Beyond This Misleadingly One-dimensional Depiction To Show How Eunuchs Actually Lived During The Qing Dynasty. “this Book Is A Thorough And Responsible Account Of Eunuch Life During The Qing Dynasty, Which Takes Us Deep Inside The Forbidden City And Introduces The Often Underclass Families Who Provided Servants To The Qing Monarchs.” —r. Kent Guy, University Of Washington “this Is A Unique Study Of Chinese Eunuchs, In Which Melissa Dale Proves That They Were A Necessary And Vital Presence In The Palace Of The Last Dynasty In China. She Explores All Aspects Of Their Life To The End Of Their Existence, While Avoiding The Temptation To Sensationalize Them.” —keith Mcmahon, University Of Kansas project_muse_67757-2409669 1 project_muse_67757-2409668 1 project_muse_67757-2387076 1 project_muse_67757-2387082 1 project_muse_67757-2387088 1 project_muse_67757-2387094 1 project_muse_67757-2387098 1 project_muse_67757-2387105 1 project_muse_67757-2387110 1 project_muse_67757-2387116 1 project_muse_67757-2387123 1 project_muse_67757-2387129 1 project_muse_67757-2387135 1 project_muse_67757-2387141 1 project_muse_67757-2387147 1 project_muse_67757-2387153 1 project_muse_67757-2387159 1 project_muse_67757-2387165 1 project_muse_67757-2387169 1 project_muse_67757-2387172 1 project_muse_67757-2387177 1 project_muse_67757-2387180 1 project_muse_67757-2387182 1 Intro Contents Illustrations Acknowledgments Conventions Introduction: The Other Side of Eunuch History 1. The Palace Eunuch System 2. Routes to the Palace 3. Unrobing the Emasculated Body 4. Entering the Emperor's Realm 5. The Parallel World of the Eunuch 6. Running away from the Palace 7. Eunuch Suicide 8. Authorized Exits from the System 9. Surviving the Fall of the Qing Conclusion App 1. Reign Titles and Dates of the Qing Emperors App 2. Eunuch Suicide Regulations App 3. Eunuch Temples App 4. Eunuch Cemeteries Bibliography Index