The Chinese Imperial Eunuch

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the Chinese eunuch, the traditional figure of the Imperial palace, and the ways in which he has been understood at various points in history by various scholarly and historical works. The author suggests that the eunuch was not a merely utilitarian figure but one who occupied a position, which allowed a certain kind of traversing of boundaries between material and spiritual worlds. The paper relates that eunuchs sometimes became actors and singers as well as a select few who filled the roles of lamaist priests. The author points out that one of the more fascinating things about the role of the eunuch in Chinese society involved the emphasis on bodily wholeness so important in the culture.

From the Paper:

"Eunuchs were believed to be disinclined to seek power or wealth for themselves, since they could not father children, and therefore would not be able to pass any success on to their sons. In his capacity, then, of witness to the women's lives, he was expected to make sure that any children born were actually heirs to the emperor, legitimately sired by him and no one else. In a time of high infant mortality it was especially important to the emperor to make sure that he sired as many sons, or potential future heirs, as possible."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Anderson, Mary M. Hidden Power: The Palace Eunuchs of Imperial China Buffalo, NY: Prometheus, 1990. http://www.usrf.org/news/010308-hiddenpower.html
• Parker, Edward Harper. Ancient China Simplified : Book Jungle, 2006. Ch. XXXIV http://www.authorama.com/ancient-china-simplified-35.html
• Ringrose, Kathryn M. "Eunuchs in Historical Perspective" History Compass 5.2 (1997): 495-506. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1478-0542.2006.00379.x
• Stent, G. Carter "Chinese Eunuchs," Journal of the North China Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, New Series, No. 11: Shanghai, 1877http://www.well.com/user/aquarius/stent-chineseeunuchs.htm
• Wilson, Jean D. and Claus Roehrborn "Long-Term Consequences of Castration in Men: Lessons from the Skoptzy and the Eunuchs of the Chinese and Ottoman Courts" The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism 84.12 (1999): 4324-4331. http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/reprint/84/12/4324

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