Imperial disaster

Author: Yu Yunhan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The imperial palace, it seems, is always shrouded in mystery. A history, full of doubts, converges within its towering red walls. Deep within the imperial city, in the secluded palace quarters, there are groups of mysterious and special people—eunuchs. Eunuchs were originally a group of people who had lost their life instincts due to being castrated. In common parlance, they are often called "" (xiàntài), or respectfully referred to as "" (gōnggōng), "" (zhōngguān), or "" (nèishǐ), but can also be insultingly called "" (yānshù), "" (xíngfǔ), or "" (yāngǒu). Despite being within the palace, eunuchs held low-ranking positions, facing physical defects, a despised status, family rejection, and social discrimination, thus feeling deeply humiliated and inferior. Yet, it was precisely this profound sense of humiliation and inferiority that made them prone to forming strong group consciousness and terrifyingly vengeful minds. Placed between the monarch and court officials, they manipulated power, brought chaos to the palace. When in a low position, they fawned and flattered to gain authority; when in power, they embezzled, committed sexual misconduct, and unleashed tyranny to satisfy their selfish desires. They isolated the emperor and court officials through slander and intrigue, seized political power, and even forced the emperor to abdicate, assassinated emperors, and caused turmoil in the realm. Thus, within the enigmatic imperial city, shadows of swords flickered subtly, and in the elusive palace quarters, the sound of swords could often be heard. This historical story, which serves as a cautionary tale for later generations, begins with Emperor Xuanzong of Northern Wei personally leading his army in a campaign in the autumn of the third year of the Yanchang era.