A Window into the Forbidden City
The Qing Dynasty’s imperial palace was a world unto itself, governed by intricate rituals and unspoken hierarchies. Within its vermilion walls, thousands of eunuchs and maids served the imperial family, their lives shaped by strict codes of conduct and fleeting moments of privilege. The recollections of one senior palace maid—recorded decades later—offer rare insights into this hidden world, where a pair of embroidered shoes could command respect, where alliances with powerful eunuchs brought both protection and peril, and where the glittering surface of palace life concealed profound loneliness.
The Hierarchy of the Inner Court
In the meticulously ordered universe of the Forbidden City, status was everything. The maid’s account reveals how subtle markers—like the famed “Five Blessings Celebrating Longevity” shoes—functioned as social currency. These shoes, adorned with intricate bat motifs (symbolizing good fortune) and a central pearl-embellished longevity character, were reserved only for those in Empress Dowager Cixi’s innermost circle.
Wearing them transformed a maid’s daily movements into a performance of privilege:
– Senior eunuchs would stand respectfully aside on palace pathways
– Junior eunuchs had to retreat several meters and bow deeply
– The shoes could only be worn during New Year celebrations and the Empress Dowager’s birthday
This sartorial distinction came at a price. Young maids endured years of grueling apprenticeship—sewing through nights, straining eyes on microscopic embroidery—before earning the right to wear them. The moment when a senior maid finally murmured “you may try making a pair yourself” was described as “spring thunder to our ears.”
The Shadow Power of Eunuchs
The narrative exposes the complex ecosystem of eunuch influence, particularly surrounding the infamous Li Lianying, Cixi’s chief eunuch. Though historical records often portray him as corrupt, the maid’s testimony reveals nuance:
– Li maintained loyalty to childhood friends like “Hairdressing Liu,” ensuring they received special New Year’s food gifts
– He operated a strict code: “If the needle can pass, I’ll let the thread follow”—meaning he demanded competence but rewarded generously
– Lower-ranking eunuchs genuinely respected him, a rarity in the backstabbing palace environment
Yet this system had dark undercurrents. The maid recounts how eunuchs like Chen Quanfu exploited their connections, smuggling items out hidden in maids’ packages—knowing guards wouldn’t dare search the Empress Dowager’s favorite servants.
The Art of Imperial Beauty
Beyond politics, the account preserves vanishing beauty rituals of the late Qing court:
Skin Preparation
– Nightly applications of thick rice powder to neck, chest, and arms to cultivate “jade-like” translucency
– The concept of “skin that can eat powder”—where cosmetics fused seamlessly with the complexion
– Scorn for poorly blended makeup (“dog feces under frost”) that revealed class distinctions
Rouge Production
Each spring, thousands of roses from Miaofeng Mountain were processed:
1. Only deep crimson petals selected—one by one
2. Ground in jade mortars (metal prohibited to prevent discoloration)
3. Filtered through specially prepared silk
4. Sun-dried (never baked) on silk pads for weeks
Application was equally precise:
– Cheeks: A “drunken flush” gradient, never harsh circles
– Lips: Upper lip lightly stained, lower fuller—”earth covering heaven” style
– The iconic “cherry mouth” look using just a pearl-sized dot of color
New Year’s Revelations
The maid’s vivid description of Lunar New Year 1898 (?) becomes a microcosm of palace dynamics:
1. The Gift
Li Lianying arranges a special holiday meal for her adoptive father (Hairdressing Liu), demonstrating his network-building skills.
2. The Smuggling
Eunuch Chen Quanfu exploits the festive chaos to sneak out contraband, relying on the maid’s privileged status.
3. The Confrontation
As she parades her status in the palace corridors, rival maids from Empress Longyu’s quarters taunt her—revealing tensions between competing factions.
4. The Trap
Only later would she realize these favors were bait in a larger scheme, likely involving her forced marriage to someone in the eunuchs’ circle after the Boxer Rebellion relaxed marriage laws.
The Weight of Memory
Decades later, the elderly maid’s voice trembles as she recalls these events. Her story embodies the paradox of palace life:
– The exquisite craftsmanship of her “Five Blessings” shoes versus the frozen toes she endured showing them off
– The momentary triumph when eunuchs bowed to her versus the lifelong regret of being manipulated
– The vibrant New Year’s celebrations versus the “four bleak walls” of her later years
Her account, like the carefully prepared rouge, preserves colors that history books often overlook—the pride in skilled hands, the warmth between fellow servants, and the quiet rebellions hidden beneath layers of protocol. In remembering, she finally unburdens a lifetime of secrets, letting us glimpse the human heart beating beneath the imperial splendor.