Know all about the secrets of the harem

Chapter 5 How deep is the secluded harem (4)
A total of more than 30 court ladies and concubines were selected to be buried.The day of the collective suicide was Wuwu in October of the 22nd year of Ming Yongle.Let them eat outside the hall first, and then bring them into the hall after eating. At that time, "the sound of crying shook the hall".There are more than 30 "small wooden beds" in the hall. These concubines who are about to die are ordered to stand on the wooden beds. Above their heads are prepared ropes with loops at the ends, allowing them to hang themselves to death.

Among these more than 30 people, there are two women from North Korea Jinxian, one is the Han family and the other is the Cui family.After going to the palace, the new emperor Renzong came in to "resign" with them. Han suddenly fell to his knees and begged Renzong to let her go back to the country, but Renzong was unmoved.

In order to compensate the buried women, the next emperor will probably give them and their families some benefits.The most common is posthumous posthumous titles in recognition of their deeds.For example, after the death of Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty, "the concubines He, Zhao, Wu, Jiao, Cao, Xu, Yuan, Zhu, Li, and He all died. In the first year of Zhengtong, all of them were given posthumous posthumous titles." .

As for their relatives, sometimes they can also get excellent shirts. "History of Ming Dynasty Concubine Biography" contains: "When Taizu died, most officials followed the deceased. During Jianwen and Yongle, they successively gave excellent shirts. For example, Zhang Feng, Li Heng, Zhao Fu, Zhang Bi, and Wang Bin's families all inherited brocade clothes and guards. Hundreds of households are called "Taizu Zhaotian female households". Li Chengzu, Ren, and Xuanzong are all the same." Those who get hereditary positions are all the fathers or brothers of the buried women.Their identities are "chaotian female households".However, how long this preferential treatment will last is difficult to determine.

At that time, human sacrifices not only appeared in the emperor's funeral, but also in the funerals of kings, which can be seen in the official history records.According to the "History of the Ming Dynasty: Biography of the Kings": In the 28th year of Hongwu (1395), Zhu Yu, the king of Qin Min, died, "the concubine died", in the fifth year of Xuande (1430), Zhu Youxi, the king of Shujing, "the concubine Li and the concubine Huang all died In the third year of Zhengtong (1438), King Gong of Wei Zhu Zhan died, "Concubine Yang's family died, and she was given the posthumous posthumous name Zhenlie"... The records in "History of Ming Dynasty" are really shocking.

Among the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, Yingzong Zhu Qizhen was recognized as an emperor who had no achievements.But when he was dying, he made a decision: starting from him, the system of human martyrdom was abolished.His successor Emperor Ming Xianzong also emphasized once again not to be buried before his death to express respect for the late emperor's decision.The insistence of these two generations of emperors finally put an end to the human sacrifice system since the early Ming Dynasty.

But in fact, this system did not really disappear until the Qing Dynasty.The famous burial incident in the Qing Dynasty happened to the Qing Taizu Nurhachi.In the 11th year of the Mandate of Heaven (1626), the 68-year-old Nurhachi died of illness and ordered the concubine Abahai to be buried. "When I die, I will be killed."In order to save his sons, Abahai dressed up and committed suicide at the age of 37.In fact, in addition to Abahai, the four court ladies of Nurhachi were also buried together.After the death of Emperor Taizong of the Qing Dynasty, Huang Taiji, his concubines Dundari and Andari were buried.After the death of Shi Zufu, his concubines Lian E and Fu Dali died.After the death of Prince Rui Dorgon, the maid Wu Erkuni died.

This shows that the martyrdom of the imperial family was very popular in the early Qing Dynasty.

Until the reign of Kangxi, Zhu Fei, the censor, said: "Slaughtering the lives of the people, destroying the harmony of good fortune; usurping the ceremony, hurting the greatness of the king's system. Today's mud letter is dark and cruel, and there is no such thing as cruelty. Husband said The master orders and reprimands servants, and those who are fearful of power and dare not disobey, or who are virtuous and unwilling to obey, neither should be taught. It is human nature to love life and hate death; it is not appropriate to sacrifice one's life and commit suicide."

In the 12th year of Kangxi (1673), Kangxi issued an edict, expressly prohibiting slaves from being buried with their masters.Since then, the sacrificial burial system after the death of the emperor has really withdrawn from the stage of history.

The eunuch system in ancient China

Eunuchs, the eunuchs that people are familiar with, usually refer to neutral people who lost their sexual ability after being castrated in ancient China and became neither male nor female. They were officials who were exclusively used by emperors, monarchs and their families.In fact, eunuchs are not a specialty of China.There were eunuchs in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Turkey, Korea, and throughout Asia.However, China's eunuch system is the most deeply rooted.

According to records, not all eunuchs in my country's pre-Qin and Western Han dynasties were eunuchs. Since the Eastern Han Dynasty, all eunuchs were used ("Eunuchs all use eunuchs, and it is not complicated to adjust other scholars", from "The Book of the Later Han Biography of Eunuchs").This is because in the inner court of the imperial palace, since the empress dowager, concubine, concubine and court ladies, there are many female relatives, if male servants are allowed to come in and out, it is inevitable that the palace will be dirty, so no other adult males are allowed to work in the government. .According to research, the first eunuch in Chinese feudal society was named Wu Tengyu, who is now from Shangrao, Jiangxi Province.

Eunuch, there are many names in ancient Chinese classics, such as eunuch, eunuch, internal official, eunuch, internal servant, internal minister, eunuch (yan) person, Zhongjuan, internal servant, internal supervisor, etc.Eunuchs were called "eunuchs" after the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and the eunuchs with higher status were called "eunuchs".During Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, Dianzhong province was changed to Zhongyufu, and eunuchs were used as eunuchs and young supervisors.After that, eunuchs were called eunuchs.In the Ming Dynasty, the power of eunuchs increased day by day, and people respectfully called all eunuchs "eunuchs", and eunuchs were also called synonymous with eunuchs.

In Chinese history, before the demise of feudal society, there were almost no eras without eunuchs.Eunuchs, as servants of emperors and concubines, supported the splendor of the royal palace's vast mansions and high platforms, and achieved the comfortable and affluent living conditions of the rulers in the palace.Ordinary people who want to become eunuchs must first "castrate", that is, cut off their genitals.This is called "cleaning the body" and makes them people with "six faculties incomplete".The eunuch has no beard on his face, no protruding throat, his voice becomes thinner, he speaks in a feminine voice, and behaves like a woman but not a man. He has become a "neutral" person.

The number of eunuchs in the past dynasties of our country was the largest in the Ming Dynasty, known as 9.The Qing Dynasty reformed the bloated eunuch organization in the Ming Dynasty, and formulated a set of management systems, namely official regulations and laws, which reduced the more than 9000 eunuchs in the last years of Ming Chongzhen to [-].The ranks of eunuchs in the Qing Dynasty were extremely strict, and there was an institution in the Qing court to manage eunuchs called the "Respect Room", also known as the "Palace Supervision Office".It is stipulated that under the supervisor and attendant, there are chief supervisors, deputy chief supervisors, team leaders, imperial eunuchs, palace eunuchs, general eunuchs and junior eunuchs in the cleaning department.Developed to the end of the Qing Dynasty, the ranks of eunuchs became more complicated.In the palace prison, there are chief supervisors, leaders, cases in charge, affairs, and eunuchs;Such layers of restraint, one level governs one level, one level suppresses one level, and the rule is very strict.

Feudal emperors are hereditary, and the emperor is afraid that others will usurp his throne.Under normal circumstances, the emperor was jealous of the civil and military officials of the imperial court, and always guarded against their ulterior motives, but he believed that the internal officials who served him day and night were obedient, low-born and without descendants were reliable.Eunuchs often took advantage of their special status in the court to seize great power and even manipulate the emperor.These people are not many in number, but they are full of servility, cunning, insidious, cruel and vicious.Once he becomes the emperor's confidant, he has no scruples about framing evil spirits.They formed buddies, hijacked the emperor, falsely preached imperial edicts, sold officials and nobles, took bribes and perverted the law, framed Zhongliang, and even abolished or even killed the emperor.And once the emperor has no prestige or is too young, he will rely on the eunuchs who have lived with him since he was a child, and he will become the eunuch's monopoly, confronting the ministers who want to fight for the throne.Once there is a situation where eunuchs monopolize power, it means that the court at this time is in a dark period.In the history of my country's feudal society, the eunuch's dictatorship has staged scenes of tragedies that have harmed the country and the people, among which the Eastern Han, Tang, and Ming dynasties are the most.Zhao Gao in the Qin Dynasty, Hou Lan and Zhang Rang in the Eastern Han Dynasty, Qiu Shiliang and Tian Lingzi in the Tang Dynasty, Wang Zhen, Wang Zhi, Liu Jin, Wei Zhongxian in the Ming Dynasty, and Li Lianying in the late Qing Dynasty are all notorious eunuchs in history.

The eunuch system originated in the pre-Qin period. The number and duties of eunuchs with various titles have been clearly recorded in "Book of Songs", "Zhou Li" and "Book of Rites".At this time, there were not many eunuchs, and they were part of the retainers. They were mainly responsible for guarding the official gate, delivering orders, and serving daily chores, and their status was low.However, because eunuchs serve the king, they are easy to gain the favor of the king, exert some influence on the king, and even participate in politics.During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, individual eunuchs such as Qi Shudiao and Song Yili began to squeeze into the ranks of the rulers and participate in political activities.Miao Du, an eunuch of the Qin State, was favored by the Queen Mother and was given the title of Marquis of Changxin because of his great power.Eunuchs are generally served by people of humble status.Its source is either served by criminals who were sentenced to castration, or selected from the young children of the common people.After the Qin and Han Dynasties, the eunuch system became more detailed. As a special political force, the eunuch had a great influence on the political situation of many dynasties.

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, with the strengthening of the autocratic monarchy system, the eunuch system was also strengthened, and the appointment of eunuchs has gone beyond the official scope and formally entered the political field.Zhao Gao, the eunuch of the Qin Dynasty, served as the prime minister, and he was powerful enough to take over the government and instigated the abolition of the establishment.

In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang, Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, in view of the lessons learned from the death of the Qin Dynasty, occasionally used literati to serve as regular servants in order to restrain the power of eunuchs.After Emperor Yuan, the power of eunuchs revived.After the Eastern Han Dynasty, all internal officials were held by eunuchs, and eunuchs could enjoy the same salary, food, and food rent as courtiers.

Since then, eunuchs have officially had their own power system and become a special force that interferes in national politics. The term "eunuch" is also officially found in "Book of the Later Han Dynasty".After Hedi, the young emperor changed frequently, and the mother and queen came to court, which led to relatives and eunuchs taking turns to rule.In the power struggle, the eunuch group won, and there was a situation in which five people were appointed as marquises on the same day, and the forces of the ten permanent attendants spread all over the states and counties, and the imperial army also controlled them.

After the Wei and Jin Dynasties, accepting the lessons of the previous dynasties, all dynasties imposed strict restrictions on eunuchs' involvement in politics, but they all ended up being empty words because they did not touch the eunuch system.In the Tang Dynasty, eunuchs were managed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Bureau of Yeting, the Bureau of Gongwei, the Bureau of Xiguan, the Bureau of Internal Servants, and the Bureau of Neifu.In charge of the books, guards, sickness and funeral, warehouse supply and other matters in the palace.The bureau chiefs are called Ling or Cheng.During the reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, the restrictions on eunuchs were stricter, and the highest rank of eunuchs in the Ministry of Internal Affairs was stipulated as the third rank, and the amount was also limited.After Taizong's death, the system gradually relaxed.During the reign of Emperor Zhongzong, the total number of eunuchs increased to [-], and as many as [-] were awarded the seventh rank or above.After Xuanzong in the Tang Dynasty, eunuchs could rule on general political affairs, supervise the army, and lead the army to go out.After the Anshi Rebellion, the power of eunuchs expanded, and some even became kings, ranking among the three princes.Some eunuchs also got involved in military power.During the reign of Emperor Suzong, an envoy to watch the army was set up, who was specially appointed as the eunuch in power, as the highest military position to monitor the generals who went to the expedition.Since the Dezong Dynasty, eunuchs have mastered the military power of forbidden soldiers such as Shence Army and Tianwei Army.The important positions in the army, such as the lieutenant of the guard and the guard of the central guard, were all held by eunuchs.Because the military and political power is controlled by the eunuch group, not only the civil and military officials are under it, but even the emperor's abolition is determined by them.Seven of the nine emperors who ascended the throne from Xianzong to Zhaozong were supported by eunuchs, and two were killed by them.It's really the so-called "thousands of opportunities and the feeling of taking responsibility, and the ninefold abolition is up to you."The dictatorship of eunuchs became a chronic disease in the society of the middle and late Tang Dynasty.

The Song Dynasty also set up the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was headed by eunuchs.In the Song Dynasty, Tong Guan held the military power for 20 years and was known as the "Prime Minister".However, the phenomenon of eunuchs intervening in politics in the Song Dynasty was not as serious as the monopoly of foreign relatives.

Although the guard system in the Yuan Dynasty was not conducive to eunuchs stealing power, there were still eunuchs intervening to abolish the establishment.

In the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Taizu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang had stricter management over eunuchs, stipulating that eunuchs should not be able to read and write, lowered their official ranks, prohibited them from holding civil and military titles as foreign ministers, and hung iron plates on the official gates, expressly warning that they were not allowed to interfere in politics.From the Yongle Dynasty onwards, eunuchs were gradually employed.Eunuchs who were trusted by the emperor were often sent abroad to serve as military supervisors.In the 18th year of Yongle (1420), the East Factory was set up, run by eunuchs, and engaged in spy activities. The first famous eunuch Zhao Gao of the Qin Dynasty reported directly to the emperor.During Xuanzong's reign, the ancestral system that eunuchs could not read and write was changed, and an inner book hall was set up in the palace.Order the officer to teach the little eunuch how to read.In the 13th year of Chenghua (1477), the West Factory was set up outside the East Factory, and eunuchs served as admirals to strengthen the rule of secret agents.In addition, the number of eunuchs' offices expanded, and there were 12 eunuchs in the court, including Li, Neiguan, Yuyong, Sishi, and Yuma.Xixin, Zhonggu, Baochao, Huntang and other 4 divisions and 8 bureaus such as Bingzhang and Yinzuo are collectively called 24 yamen, each with a full-time eunuch.The number of eunuchs increased sharply, reaching tens of thousands by the end of Ming Dynasty.During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, Wang Zhen, the eunuch in power, recruited some bureaucrats as partisans, forming the eunuch party, which was the harbinger of the eunuch's dictatorship in the enlightened Ming Dynasty.Since then, eunuch disasters have occurred one after another.Wang Zhi in the Chenghua period, Liu Jin in the Wuzong period, Wei Zhongxian in the Xizong period, etc., were all powerful and powerful eunuchs.They were domineering, repulsed dissidents, plundered and plundered, repeatedly set up large prisons, aggravated the political corruption of the Ming Dynasty, and brought endless disasters to the people.

In view of the severe damage done by the eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty took some restrictive measures.In the early Qing Dynasty, it was stipulated that eunuchs were under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and specifically managed by the Office of Respect.The Respect Room is also called the Palace Supervision Office, which has a manager and a deputy manager.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Speaking of cleansing, during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, there were people in Beijing who specialized in this kind of business. .Some said that the heads of the two families were seventh-rank officials in the Qing Dynasty, while others said that Xiaodao Liu was the top-ranking sixth-rank official.They are divided into four times a year, that is, every quarter to send children who are in charge of the House of Internal Affairs. This is their profession.The "procedures" of purging are all arranged by the two of them.In the early Qing Dynasty, there was a regulation on the purification of the body, which could not be done privately. According to the criminal law, offenders would be punished with execution.In the late Qing Dynasty, it was not so strict. There were also some people whose fathers personally purified their sons. Ma Deqing was cut off by his father when he was 9 years old.After liberation, Mr. Ma Deqing recalled that purging himself was the saddest thing in his life, and it was an unforgettable torture.After the eunuchs became officials, a small number of them gradually climbed to powerful positions by means of flattery and seeking. Li Lianying and Xiao Dezhang, who were favored by the Empress Dowager Cixi, were two of them.Li Lianying, the power supervisor of the first generation, once colluded with Yuan Shikai to make a fortune. He accepted Yuan's bribe of 20 taels of silver just once.It is said that when Li Lianying was dying, he not only had a large amount of real estate, but also countless jade and jewelry.The four stepsons received a lot of money and property, and even the two stepdaughters each received 17 taels of silver.

(End of this chapter)