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. |
Contents
The Demand and Supply of Ming Eunuchs | 11 |
Institutionalization of the Eunuch Agencies | 29 |
Eunuchs and the Ming Military System | 39 |
Eunuchs and the Ming IntelligenceGathering Apparatuses | 97 |
Eunuchs and Ming Diplomacy | 119 |
Eunuchs and Ming Maritime Activities | 141 |
Eunuchs Involvement in the Ming Economy | 165 |
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Common terms and phrases
5th moon Annamese appointed 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 period Ming shi Ming's minister Ministry Mongol Museum of Taiwan Nanjing National Palace Museum Nguyen political prince province royal 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