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No thanks to these 5 despised Chinese eunuchs from Imperial Chinese history, the term “tai jian” continues to conjure images of schemers and sycophants in modern spoken Mandarin.

Chinese eunuchs occupy a curious position throughout Imperial Chinese history. They were pitied for the mutilation they had to suffer in order to work in the palace. They were also scorned for their inability to procreate, a sin considered one of the worst acts of filial impiety under Confucian values.

At the same time, Chinese eunuchs were also feared and despised as conniving schemers with a stranglehold on imperial power, to the extent, the term Tai Jian (太监) continues to imply a devious sycophant in modern spoken Mandarin. This is unsurprising, given evil eunuchs have repeatedly usurped power or betrayed emperors throughout Imperial Chinese history. Here are five despised eunuchs China has suffered under. In all but one case, these castrated lords amassed so much power, even their reigning emperors lived in fear of them.

1. Zhao Gao (赵高), Unknown–207 BC

One of the most ironic episodes in Imperial Chinese history was how short-lived the Qin Dynasty was. Despite unifying China for the first time in recorded history, the house of Emperor Qin Shihuang lasted but a mere 15 years. Reasons behind this swift downfall were many, first and foremost being the rise of legendary warlords like Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, the latter who would eventually establish the next dynasty. Internally, the Qin court was also embattled by bitter power struggles. The worst contenders in these struggles were Premier Li Si and Imperial Aide / Court Eunuch Zhao Gao.

A distant descendant of the defeated Zhao State, Zhao Gao was supposedly castrated at a young age because of his parents’ crimes. Thereafter, he steadily rose in power and rank, to the extent that by the time of Qin Shihuang’s death, he was one of the most powerful figures in China.

Allegedly, the evil eunuch then conspired with Premier Li Si to falsify Qin Shihuang’s will, a vile act that resulted in Crown Prince Fusu being forced to commit suicide, while his younger brother Huhai was enthroned. Two years later, Zhao Gao turned on Li Si and had the premier and his family horrifically executed. Zhao only met his end when he made the mistake of assassinating Huhai and installing Fusu’s son, Ziying, as emperor. Well-aware of Zhao Gao’s wickedness, Ziying quickly had the eunuch killed before Zhao could hatch any scheme against him.

Of note, Zhao Gao once infamously staged an absurd act to test the extent of his power. One day, he had a deer brought before Huhai and insisted it was a prized steed meant for the young emperor. After Huhai laughed and corrected him, Zhao Gao turned to the Qin courtiers and demanded their response. Out of fear, none of the courtiers dared acknowledge the mistake, some even agreed that it was indeed a fabulous steed. This gave rise to the Chinese saying, Zhi Lu Wei Ma (指鹿为马, to call a deer a horse), a phrase that remains in use today. The saying refers to the deliberate distortion of facts. Typically for malicious gain, mischief, or demonstration of power.

The Chinese story of “calling a deer a steed” is today used to illustrate the shortcomings of feudalistic societies, and the power of imperial Chinese eunuchs. www.chnlung.cn

2. Zhang Rang (张让), AD 135–189

Zhang Rang was the leader of the Ten Attendants, a group of Imperial Chinese eunuchs who wielded great power during the final years of the Eastern Han Dynasty. A confidant of Emperor Han Lingdi, Zhang Rang constantly manipulated the emperor into approving extraordinary taxes and selling imperial offices. So trusted was the evil eunuch, he was even honored by being addressed as “Father” by the emperor, an act as ludicrous as it is unbecoming. At the peak of his power, Zhang Rang had eleven eunuchs as his personal servants. This was supposedly his reward for suppressing the Yellow Turban Rebellion of AD 184. This was also considered unimaginable under earlier imperial systems.

Zhang Rang’s ever-expanding influence eventually irked He Jin, Yuan Shao, and Cao Cao, the leading warlords of that era. Upon Lingdi’s son Liu Bian ascending the throne, the warlords united and invaded the capital. Unfortunately, their coup was not initially successful, with He Jin soon captured and executed in the palace courtyard. To protect himself, Zhang Rang then took the emperor and his younger brother hostage. Two days later, he released the royal siblings and committed suicide by jumping into the Yellow River. Through these crimes, Zhang Rang thus laid the groundwork for the demise of the Eastern Han Dynasty. In the aftermath of the coup, General Dong Zhuo took over the capital and assassinated Emperor Liu Bian. In turn, Dong’s brief tyranny irreversibly splintered the Eastern Han Dynasty. Dong’s death then brought forth the tumultuous age of the Three Kingdoms.

Everything Goes The Chinese castration method entirely removes the genitals. China was also extremely skillful with castration, with an unusually high rate of survival throughout Imperial Chinese history.

3. Liu Jin (刘瑾), AD 1451–1510

An attendant of Ming Dynasty Emperor Zhengde, Liu Jin is notorious for being one of the most corrupted officials in Imperial Chinese history. The leader of a powerful group of Chinese eunuchs known as the Eight Tigers, Liu Jin thoroughly exploited Zhengde’s dissolute personality, to the extent of receiving petitions on the emperor’s behalf and rejecting any that was not favorable for him. At the same time, Liu Jin also vastly expanded the eunuch community within the Forbidden Palace, in addition to awarding important court positions to his relatives. All these led to Liu Jin consolidating a phenomenal amount of money. At his peak, not only was the greedy Chinese eunuch the most powerful man in China, he was also the richest.

Fortunately, Liu Jin was ultimately betrayed by one of the Eight Tigers. Encouraged by officials Yang Yiqing and Li Dongyang, eunuch Zhang Yong reported to Emperor Zhengde that Liu Jin was plotting a rebellion. Though the emperor initially did not believe Zhang Yong, he eventually did exile Liu Jin, before sentencing him to death by the gruesome Death by a Thousand Cuts execution method. According to historical records, a total of 12,057,800 taels of gold and 259,583,600 taels of silver were then seized from the Liu Residence prior to Liu’s execution. This astonishing amount led to the Asian Wall Street Journal listing Liu Jin in 2001 as one of the 50 richest persons to have lived in the past 1000 years. This evil Chinese eunuch’s crimes were so atrocious, he actually established a permanent international record.

4. Wei Zhongxian (魏忠贤), AD 1568–1627

Wei Zhongxian goes down in Imperial Chinese history as the most corrupted and diabolical Chinese eunuch to have ever lived. Conversely, he was also the most successful and feared. At the peak of his power, Wei was addressed as the “Lord of Nine Thousand Years,” a title that placed him second only to the “Lord of Ten Thousand Years” i.e. the emperor. During the reign of Ming Dynasty Emperor Tianqi, all imperial edicts were delivered by Wei and issued in both the emperor’s and his name. So great was his power that temples were even built in his name. Such a practice openly violated traditional Chinese Confucian values and was considered unforgivable.

Much of Wei Zhongxian’s power stemmed from his close relationship with Emperor Tianqi and Madam Ke, the latter being the emperor’s wet nurse. Tianqi was an ineffectual emperor, far more interested in carpentry than courtly matters. He was also emotionally dependent on Wei and Ke, to the extent he considered the diabolical duo his surrogate parents. Wei Zhongxian’s stranglehold on power would thus have likely lasted far longer had Emperor Tianqi not abruptly died at the age of 21. Upon the emperor’s death, and because he had no living heirs, Tianqi’s brother was enthroned as Emperor Chongzhen. Well aware of Wei’s crimes, Chongzhen swiftly moved, first exiling the hated eunuch before ordering Imperial guards to retrieve him for further sentencing. On Dec 13, 1627, Wei committed suicide during his return to Beijing by hanging himself with his belt. As additonal warning, Chongzhen then executed Wei’s many allies. The new emperor also had Wei’s corpse dismembered and displayed in the evil eunuch’s native village.

Interestingly, many Chinese Wuxia movies and television series depict notorious eunuchs as extremely powerful pugilists. Wei Zongxian's Eastern Depot is also often described as full of deadly assassins.

Why Were There so Many Eunuchs in Imperial Chinese History? Castration as punishment for crime, or as substitution for the death sentence, long existed in China. In later dynasties, life as a eunuch in the Forbidden Palace was also a way to escape poverty. Through the suffering of one member, an entire family could be provided for.

5. Li Lianying (李连英), AD 1848–1911

Unlike other evil Chinese eunuchs in imperial Chinese history, Li Lianying did not monopolize power. He couldn’t, as he served under Dowager Cixi, one of the most ruthless women to have ruled China. Rather, Li Lianying achieved great influence and wealth by being the favorite attendant of Cixi. To put it in another way, Li’s power stemmed from being the middleman between imperial officials and Cixi. He had significant control over who was permitted audience with Cixi, a role that enriched him with endless bribes. At the same time, he was also the one to pay and seek favor with, whenever one got into trouble with the dreaded dowager.

In contrast to the other eunuchs, Li Lianying was also supposedly spared a grisly end. Upon the death of Cixi, he retired and left the Forbidden Palace, before dying at home in 1911. Despite this, Li’s notoriety left a permanent mark on Chinese mentality, becoming the name associated with the Chinese xiao ren persona (小人, literally small person, a colloquial term for sycophant). During the Cultural Revolution, Li’s tomb was ransacked and destroyed. As raiders only found Li’s skull in the tomb, some historians believe he didn’t die of old age but was instead murdered. Other rumors claim Li was forced to commit suicide by the father of Last Emperor Puyi, or that he was assassinated by the underlings of Warlord Yuan Shikai. The truth of what truly happened to this classic xiao ren is likely to forever remain a mystery.

The life of Li Lianying inspired many Chinese movies and television series. In recent years, Hong Kong's TVB produced two major television series based on him.

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