How could ancient eunuchs read imperial edicts if they couldn’t read

How could ancient eunuchs read imperial edicts if they couldn’t read? Below, the editor of the History Encyclopedia will bring you a detailed interpretation. Let’s continue reading~
The eunuchs, as a special group, are often associated with the image of petty people who speak loudly and stir up trouble in front of the emperor. Besides, it’s just pretending to be majestic, holding imperial edicts and pretending to be powerful. After all, many TV dramas have scenes of eunuchs reciting imperial edicts. In fact, this is a trick because most ancient eunuchs had never read books and didn’t even recognize characters, let alone reciting imperial edicts.
The term “eunuch” originated in the Tang Dynasty and refers to high-ranking eunuchs. However, most eunuchs in the palace are only temple people. They may be sent to the palace as eunuchs due to poor families who cannot afford to raise children, or they may be sent to the palace as attendants after someone in their family committed a crime and was punished by the palace. Growing up in the palace since childhood, I didn’t have the opportunity to read or practice calligraphy, so I never read a book in my whole life.
Eunuchs are specifically responsible for the daily life of royal children and are personal attendants of the royal family. They usually only handle the emperor’s trivial matters and daily life, and rarely involve the court. Many successful monarchs also deliberately avoid eunuchs intervening in the court. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, the Palace Province was renamed as the Central Imperial Palace, with the highest official position being called eunuch, followed by Shaojian.
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, eunuchs began to intervene in court politics, partly due to the emperor’s favor and partly because some eunuchs were indeed capable. For example, the famous eunuch Yang Sixu, who became the great general of cavalry and was known as the most capable eunuch in history, and Gao Lishi, who was deeply loved by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.
In the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs began to truly intervene in politics. Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang established eunuch institutions, but explicitly prohibited eunuchs from interfering in court affairs. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs were highly valued, such as the famous eunuch Zheng He of the Three Treasures. Zhu Di also established the notorious secret agency Dongchang, which specialized in espionage.
The one who truly propelled eunuchs to power was Emperor Xuanzong of Ming Dynasty. During the reign of Zhu Zhanji, he violated the ancestral rule that “eunuchs cannot read”. Establish an internal library within the palace and begin teaching eunuchs how to read. From then on, eunuchs began to move towards righteousness from behind, with a series of specialized eunuch institutions and official positions emerging. Later, eunuchs such as Liu Jin, Wei Zhongxian, and others emerged.
Many people may ask, since eunuchs can read, isn’t it normal to read imperial edicts aloud? Of course, it’s not normal. It should be noted that eunuchs who receive the emperor’s reward to study hold a high position. These eunuchs hold multiple positions and are in high positions. While taking care of the emperor, they also have to deal with many things. They don’t have the time or resources to read imperial edicts.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a series of processes from the birth to the recitation of imperial edicts. First, the emperor’s will was consulted, and then it was polished by commoners according to the emperor’s wishes. Shujishi is a position held by many successful candidates who passed the imperial examination after high school. They are all talented and will polish the emperor’s original intention to make the imperial edict more noble.
Therefore, after the imperial edict is issued, there are many tongue twisters in its content that ordinary people cannot read aloud. At this time, officials from the Hanlin Academy, as imperial envoys, will specifically go to recite the imperial edict. During this period, there were standard pronunciation and intonation, as the imperial edict represents the face of the royal family and cannot be disgraced. Since ancient times, eunuchs have been regarded as lowly people, so they are rarely allowed to read imperial edicts.
Of course, some eunuchs who were favored by the emperor would personally deliver oral edicts. After all, they can gain the trust of the emperor, and these eunuchs also want to win over and make friends with important officials in the court. From this, it can be seen that the plot of young eunuchs reading imperial edicts and pretending to be powerful in TV dramas is purely fictional and lacks corresponding historical basis, which can lead to misunderstandings for the audience.
The eunuchs, as a special group, are often associated with the image of petty people who speak loudly and stir up trouble in front of the emperor. Besides, it’s just pretending to be majestic, holding imperial edicts and pretending to be powerful. After all, many TV dramas have scenes of eunuchs reciting imperial edicts. In fact, this is a trick because most ancient eunuchs had never read books and didn’t even recognize characters, let alone reciting imperial edicts.
The term “eunuch” originated in the Tang Dynasty and refers to high-ranking eunuchs. However, most eunuchs in the palace are only temple people. They may be sent to the palace as eunuchs due to poor families who cannot afford to raise children, or they may be sent to the palace as attendants after someone in their family committed a crime and was punished by the palace. Growing up in the palace since childhood, I didn’t have the opportunity to read or practice calligraphy, so I never read a book in my whole life.
Eunuchs are specifically responsible for the daily life of royal children and are personal attendants of the royal family. They usually only handle the emperor’s trivial matters and daily life, and rarely involve the court. Many successful monarchs also deliberately avoid eunuchs intervening in the court. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong of Tang Dynasty, the Palace Province was renamed as the Central Imperial Palace, with the highest official position being called eunuch, followed by Shaojian.
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, eunuchs began to intervene in court politics, partly due to the emperor’s favor and partly because some eunuchs were indeed capable. For example, the famous eunuch Yang Sixu, who became the great general of cavalry and was known as the most capable eunuch in history, and Gao Lishi, who was deeply loved by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.
In the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs began to truly intervene in politics. Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang established eunuch institutions, but explicitly prohibited eunuchs from interfering in court affairs. During the reign of Emperor Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs were highly valued, such as the famous eunuch Zheng He of the Three Treasures. Zhu Di also established the notorious secret agency Dongchang, which specialized in espionage.
The one who truly propelled eunuchs to power was Emperor Xuanzong of Ming Dynasty. During the reign of Zhu Zhanji, he violated the ancestral rule that “eunuchs cannot read”. Establish an internal library within the palace and begin teaching eunuchs how to read. From then on, eunuchs began to move towards righteousness from behind, with a series of specialized eunuch institutions and official positions emerging. Later, eunuchs such as Liu Jin, Wei Zhongxian, and others emerged.
Many people may ask, since eunuchs can read, isn’t it normal to read imperial edicts aloud? Of course, it’s not normal. It should be noted that eunuchs who receive the emperor’s reward to study hold a high position. These eunuchs hold multiple positions and are in high positions. While taking care of the emperor, they also have to deal with many things. They don’t have the time or resources to read imperial edicts.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, there was a series of processes from the birth to the recitation of imperial edicts. First, the emperor’s will was consulted, and then it was polished by commoners according to the emperor’s wishes. Shujishi is a position held by many successful candidates who passed the imperial examination after high school. They are all talented and will polish the emperor’s original intention to make the imperial edict more noble.
Therefore, after the imperial edict is issued, there are many tongue twisters in its content that ordinary people cannot read aloud. At this time, officials from the Hanlin Academy, as imperial envoys, will specifically go to recite the imperial edict. During this period, there were standard pronunciation and intonation, as the imperial edict represents the face of the royal family and cannot be disgraced. Since ancient times, eunuchs have been regarded as lowly people, so they are rarely allowed to read imperial edicts.
Of course, some eunuchs who were favored by the emperor would personally deliver oral edicts. After all, they can gain the trust of the emperor, and these eunuchs also want to win over and make friends with important officials in the court. From this, it can be seen that the plot of young eunuchs reading imperial edicts and pretending to be powerful in TV dramas is purely fictional and lacks corresponding historical basis, which can lead to misunderstandings for the audience.