Inside the World of the Eunuch: A Social History of the Emperor’s Servants in Qing China
Synopsis:The history of Qing palace eunuchs is defined by a tension between the role eunuchs were meant to play and the life they intended to live. This study tells the story of how a complicated and much-maligned group of people struggled to insert a degree of agency into their lives. For a long time eunuchs have simply been cast as villains in Chinese history. This book goes beyond this misleadingly one-dimensional depiction to show how eunuchs actually lived during the Qing dynasty.
ISBN:9789888455751
Language:English
Author:Melissa S. Dale
Author Biography:Melissa S. Dale is executive director and assistant professor at the Center for Asia Pacific Studies at the University of San Francisco, where she researches eunuchs, late imperial court life, gender studies, and medical history.
