ThehistoryofQingpalaceeunuchsisdefinedbyatensionbetweentheroleeunuchsweremeanttoplayandthelifetheyintendedtolive.Thisstudytellsthestoryofhowacomplicatedandmuch-malignedgroupofpeoplestruggledtoinsertadegreeofagencyintotheirlives.RulersoftheQingdynastyweredeterminedtoensuretheeunuchs’subservienceandtolimittheirinfluencebyimposingamanagementstylebaseduponstrictrules,corporalpunishment,andcollectiveresponsibility.FeweunuchswieldedsignificantpoliticalpowerorlivedinalavishstyleduringtheQingdynasty.Emasculationandemploymentinthepalaceplacedeunuchsatthecenteroftheempire,yetalsosubjectedthemtoservilestatusandmarginalizationbysociety.
Seekingmorecontrolovertheirlives,eunuchsservingtheQingrepeatedlytestedtheboundariesofsubserviencetotheemperorandtheimperialcourt.ThisportraitofeunuchsocietyrevealsthatQingpalaceeunuchsoperatedwithintwoparallelrealms,onerevolvingaroundtheemperorandthecourtbydayandanotheramongtheeunuchsthemselvesbynightwheretheyrecreatedthesocialbonds—throughdrinking,gambling,andopiumsmoking—deniedthembytheirpalaceservice.Farfrombeingtheidealservants,eunuchsprovedtobeaconstantsourceofanxietyandlaborchallengesfortheQingcourt.ForalongtimeeunuchshavesimplybeencastasvillainsinChinesehistory.InsidetheWorldoftheEunuchgoesbeyondthismisleadinglyone-dimensionaldepictiontoshowhoweunuchsactuallylivedduringtheQingdynasty.
gambling EMPEROR SOCIAL CHINA HISTORY WORLD
