# All chinese admirals, etc, were eunuchs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491 "2009-03-23T19:18:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/1 "2009-03-23T19:18:51Z")
While in another room (as usual) I heard a woman on tv (on Globe Trekker) mention that men who served as admirals and other authorities during a period in China were eunuchs. I cannot comprehend this. šŸ˜• Eunuchs in other societies were not, as far as I know, volunteers. Different strokes, I guess. Protectively covering himself, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/2 "2009-03-23T19:38:39Z")
[Thereā€™s a book that was supposedly recently translated into English about one of the last eunuchs in China.](http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/CHINA+LAST+EUNUCH/1416350/story.html) I canā€™t find it on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), though. Too bad- Iā€™d love to read it. The guy interviewed for this book was castrated at age 8 by his father to advance the familyā€™s interests. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/3 "2009-03-23T19:55:35Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > [Thereā€™s a book that was supposedly recently translated into English about one of the last eunuchs in China.](http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/CHINA+LAST+EUNUCH/1416350/story.html) I canā€™t find it on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), though. Too bad- Iā€™d love to read it. > > The guy interviewed for this book was castrated at age 8 by his father to advance the familyā€™s interests. Here? [http://www.bookzines.com/php/books\_detail.php?bid=1868](http://www.bookzines.com/php/books_detail.php?bid=1868) Please let us know if youā€™re successful. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/4 "2009-03-23T19:59:03Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Here? > [http://www.bookzines.com/php/books\_detail.php?bid=1868](http://www.bookzines.com/php/books_detail.php?bid=1868) > Please let us know if youā€™re successful. Iā€™m going to China this summer on an eclipse tour. I may see if I can get it there, if Iā€™d have to order it from there anyway. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/5 "2009-03-23T20:07:11Z")
Hmmm. It is available on [amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/7508514076/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1237838306&sr=8-1&condition=all), but from a private seller. He bought it over there. In China. It would, I think, be cool to have it to read and to take with you. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/6 "2009-03-23T20:12:19Z")
The most famous Chinese admiral, [Zheng He](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zheng_He), had been made a eunuch in boyhood. He became a high adviser at the Imperial court and was then made an admiral. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/7 "2009-03-23T20:15:22Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Hmmm. It is available on [amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/7508514076/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1237838306&sr=8-1&condition=all), but from a private seller. He bought it over there. In China. It would, I think, be cool to have it to read and to take with you. Iā€™d wonder what Chinese Customs would make of it if they searched my bag on the way inā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/8 "2009-03-23T20:32:11Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Eunuchs in other societies were not, as far as I know, volunteers. I seem to recall eunuch being a lucrative career path in certain Indian societies, up for which men would line. I could be misremembering, though. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/9 "2009-03-23T21:05:30Z")
I remember two, singers in the Vatican and harem tenders in Egypt. Iā€™m pretty sure both were at the whim of the boss. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2009, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/10 "2009-03-23T23:48:26Z")
The point was that being a eunuch made you a dead end as far as setting up a dynasty. So you could be relatively trusted not to try to overthrow the emperor if he gave you power. So a lot of emperors made eunuchs into prime ministers, governors, generals, and admirals. And a lot of young men saw being castrated as an acceptable sacrifice to getting named as a prime minister, governor, general, or admiral. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/11 "2009-03-24T00:32:50Z")
I am almost certain that Cecil did a Straight Dope column on this subject, but I dont know how to find/link itā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/12 "2009-03-24T00:56:18Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Iā€™d wonder what Chinese Customs would make of it if they searched my bag on the way inā€¦ OTOH, if Chinese customes does a body search and discover your package is missing, you are well on your way to a rewarding career. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/13 "2009-03-24T12:47:49Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > OTOH, if Chinese customes does a body search and discover your package is missing, you are well on your way to a rewarding career. [checks self] I donā€™t have a package! Can I get a rewarding career in China? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/14 "2009-03-24T13:35:21Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Hmmm. It is available on [amazon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/7508514076/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1237838306&sr=8-1&condition=all), but from a private seller. He bought it over there. In China. It would, I think, be cool to have it to read and to take with you. I was going to order from that guy, but he wants $40 for it, and itā€™s 92 RMB (about $13.47 according to Google) in China. Iā€™m _not_ paying 3x what itā€™s worth if I can get it there. I want to read it soon, but Iā€™m not that impatient. ETA: Iā€™m not saying that guy is ripping people off. He might be, or the shipping from China might have cost a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/15 "2009-03-24T21:20:39Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > [checks self] > > I donā€™t have a package! Can I get a rewarding career in China? > > šŸ˜‰ Not in the Navy. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/16 "2009-03-26T01:06:31Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Not in the Navy. While I was in the US Navy we had a _lot_ of girls posing as boys. It was fun. Of course, we didnā€™t tell our Marines. What, you guys didnā€™t have girls aboard? Man, thatā€™s gay. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/17 "2009-03-26T01:48:49Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > While I was in the US Navy we had a _lot_ of girls posing as boys. It was fun. Of course, we didnā€™t tell our Marines. > What, you guys didnā€™t have girls aboard? Man, thatā€™s gay. I donā€™t know where eunuchs fall on the gay-straight spectrum. Probably somewhere between Marines and cross-dressers. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/18 "2009-03-26T02:12:40Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > I donā€™t know where eunuchs fall on the gay-straight spectrum. Probably somewhere between Marines and cross-dressers. I didnā€™t say ā€œeunuchsā€, I said "girls posing (_not passing_, youā€™ll notice) as boys. **Anne** assured us that she does not have a package. She wishes to be a admiral, in China. šŸ˜‰ Iā€™m hoping sheā€™ll read that book before going, so sheā€™ll reconsider that wish. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/19 "2009-03-26T02:16:59Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Probably somewhere between Marines and cross-dressers. There ainā€™t no ā€œbetweenā€ with Marines and cross-dressers. šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491/20 "2009-03-26T02:25:50Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > I am almost certain that Cecil did a Straight Dope column on this subject, but I dont know how to find/link itā€¦ The best ā€œarticleā€ that Iā€™ve seen on the general topic of Eunuchery and political positions was by **Sampiro** in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=367003). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/all-chinese-admirals-etc-were-eunuchs/490491.md?page=2)