The Eunuchs in the Ming DynastyThis book is the first on Chinese eunuchs in English and presents a comprehensive picture of the role that they played in the Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Extracted from a wide range of primary and secondary source material, the author provides significant and interesting information about court politics, espionage and internal security, military and foreign affairs, tax and tribute collection, the operation of imperial monopolies, judiciary review, the layout of the palace complex, the Grand Canal, and much more. The eunuchs are shown to be not just a minor adjunct to a government of civil servants and military officers, but a fully developed third branch of the Ming administration that participated in all of the most essential matters of the dynasty. The veil of condemnation and jealousy imposed on eunuchs by the compilers of official history is pulled away to reveal a richly textured tapestry. Eunuchs are portrayed in a balanced manner that gives due consideration to able and faithful service along with the inept, the lurid, and the iniquitous. |
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Contents
Introduction | 1 |
NEW THEMATIC APPROACHES | 6 |
The Demand and Supply of Ming Eunuchs | 11 |
FOREIGN SUPPLY OF EUNUCHS | 14 |
DOMESTIC SUPPLY OF EUNUCHS | 17 |
MORE SUPPLY THAN DEMAND | 21 |
THE PROBLEMS OF EXCESSIVE CASTRATI | 26 |
Institutionalization of the Eunuch Agencies | 29 |
EUNUCH MISSIONS TO CENTRAL ASIA | 131 |
MING EUNUCHS AND CHINESEKOREAN RELATIONS | 135 |
Eunuchs and Ming Maritime Activities EUNUCHS AND THE MING MARITIME TRADE | 141 |
TRADE WITH JAPAN AND THE RYUKYU ISLANDS | 142 |
TRADE WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA | 145 |
ZHENG HES SEVEN NAVIGATIONS | 153 |
Eunuchs Involvement in the Ming Economy | 165 |
EUNUCHS AS TAX COLLECTORS | 170 |
EUNUCHS NEW HAVEN | 34 |
EUNUCH AGENCIES INSIDE THE IMPERIAL CITY | 39 |
EUNUCH AGENCIES OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL CITY | 56 |
Eunuchs and the Ming Military System | 59 |
THE EUNUCH BATTALIONS | 63 |
THE NANJING GRAND COMMANDANT | 69 |
EUNUCH COMMANDERS AND MING BUREAUCRACY | 74 |
EUNUCHS AND TEAHORSE TRADE | 78 |
Eunuchs and the Ming IntelligenceGathering Apparatuses THE EASTERN DEPOT | 97 |
SUCCESSIVE DIRECTORS OF THE EASTERN DEPOT | 101 |
THE WESTERN DEPOT | 114 |
Eunuchs and Ming Diplomacy MING TRIBUTARY SYSTEM | 119 |
THE MONGOLS AND THE TIBETANS | 122 |
EUNUCHS ROLE IN THE MING SALT MONOPOLY | 173 |
EUNUCHS AND MING MINING | 177 |
EUNUCHS AS PURCHASING AGENTS AND MANUFACTURING MANAGERS | 182 |
Miscellaneous Duties of the Ming Eunuchs | 189 |
EUNUCHS AND MING FLOODCONTROL PROJECTS | 197 |
EUNUCHS AND MING JUDICIARY REVIEWS | 210 |
Conclusion | 221 |
Eunuch Agencies and Their Duties in Ming Dynasty | 231 |
APPENDIX 2 Glossary of Chinese Characters | 235 |
NOTES | 243 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 271 |
281 | |
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Common terms and phrases
5th moon Annamese Asia became Beijing Biography Bureau capital castrated censors Ceremonial Directorate Chen Cheng Chenghua Chinese Chongzhen civil court eunuchs courtesy of National director of ceremonials documents Eastern Depot Emperor Chenghua Emperor Hongwu Emperor Jiajing Emperor Wanli Emperor Yongle Emperor Zhengde envoy eunuch agency eunuch grand eunuch-envoys Feng Bao Fujian Grand Canal grand commandant grand defender grand eunuch grand secretaries guard Hangzhou History horses Hou Xian Huai Huang Ibid imperial seals Inner Court Jiajing Jing Korea Liu Jin maritime Ming China Ming court Ming Dynasty Ming emperor Ming eunuchs Ming government Ming military Ming period Ming shi Ming's minister Ministry Mongols Museum of Taiwan Nanjing National Palace Museum Nguyen political prince province royal Ryukyu salt seal officials secret police self-castrated sent servants Shaanxi silver taels sixteenth century supervising taels Tianqi trade Treatise tributary tribute mission Veritable Record Wang Wei Zhongxian Xuande Yishiha Zhang Zhejiang Zheng Zhengtong