From Peasant Boy to Palace Eunuch
Li Lianying (1847–1911) was born into a destitute farming family in Dacheng, Zhili (modern-day Hebei). His early life was marked by hardship—floods forced his family to flee to Beijing, where his father struggled as a cobbler and later ran a leather workshop. Young Li, disinterested in labor, frequented gambling dens and brothels, accruing debts that drove his family back to their village. After a brutal beating by local thugs, he recuperated in a dilapidated temple, where a fateful encounter reshaped his destiny.
A fortune-telling monk once cryptically advised him:
“Yin turns to Yang, Yang to Yin; these forces shape the world. To escape misfortune, enter not the monastery—but the imperial gates.” Witnessing a wealthy eunuch’s triumphant homecoming, Li resolved to join the Forbidden City’s ranks. At 16, he sought out a notorious castrator in Beijing, endured the agonizing procedure, and—through connections—entered the palace as a lowly attendant under Empress Dowager Cixi.
The Art of Survival: Climbing the Imperial Ladder
Li’s ascent began in 1869 after the execution of Cixi’s favorite eunuch, An Dehai, for corruption. Seizing the opportunity, Li mastered hairstyling—studying under courtesans to learn 30 intricate styles—and became indispensable to the vanity-conscious empress. His genius lay in psychological manipulation: he memorized Cixi’s moods, orchestrated her secret liaisons with statesman Ronglu, and allegedly facilitated the poisoning of Empress Dowager Ci’an in 1881. Rewarded with promotions, he eventually became Chief Eunuch, wearing the unprecedented second-rank mandarin hat—a privilege never before granted to a eunuch.
The Theater of Power: Cementing Influence
Li engineered propaganda spectacles to bolster Cixi’s divinity. During a drought, when rain coincidentally fell during her prayers, he theatrically proclaimed her the “Buddha incarnate,” birthing her enduring moniker “Old Buddha.” For her 60th birthday, he staged miracles: trained birds “refusing” to leave cages and fish “worshipping” her—actually lured by hidden bait. These performances, though transparent to modern eyes, cemented his reputation as Cixi’s most cunning courtier.
The Eunuch’s Economy: Corruption and Cunning
Beyond palace walls, Li amassed staggering wealth through bribes and schemes. His masterpiece involved a clock gifted for Cixi’s birthday: fearing its “Long Live the Empress” message might malfunction (displaying only “Long Live”—a death omen), he scared off the donor, bought the clock cheaply, altered its mechanism, and resold it at double the price. Though he “donated” his palace-hoarded millions after Cixi’s death, his external fortune remains legendary.
The Vanishing: Death or Disappearance?
When Cixi died in 1908, Li vanished. Theories abound: a quiet retirement under Empress Longyu’s protection, assassination by enemies, or a staged decapitation using a body double. His lavish tomb in Beijing’s Enjizhuang cemetery—built with imperial funds—was vandalized during the Cultural Revolution, revealing treasures like Han-era jade swords and a diamond larger than Queen Victoria’s crown jewel. Most chilling? Only a skull lay inside; the headless skeleton fueled speculation that Li faked his death.
Legacy: The Ultimate Courtier
Li Lianying epitomized the dangerous allure of eunuch power in China’s twilight empire. His life—a blend of servility, psychological mastery, and unchecked corruption—reflects the decay of the Qing dynasty. Modern historians debate whether he was a villain or a survivalist in a system that rewarded cunning over morality. Either way, his story remains a masterclass in the dark arts of influence.