A Palace Confrontation

In the winter of 1868, within the vermilion walls of the Forbidden City, a tense drama unfolded that would reveal the complex power dynamics of the Qing court. The young Emperor Tongzhi, then just thirteen years old, found himself in a humiliating position that tested both his patience and his political acumen. The incident began when the emperor’s chief eunuch, An Dehai, attempted to physically restrain him in a show of force meant to impress the Empress Dowager Cixi.

The emperor, though physically frail from years of palace confinement, had developed surprising strength through martial exercises with younger eunuchs. Historical accounts suggest he regularly practiced breaking tiles and bricks with his hands—a common training method among palace staff. As An Dehai laid hands on him, the emperor’s instinct was to strike back with enough force to potentially knock the eunuch down and dislodge his teeth. Yet in that critical moment, political calculation overrode personal anger.

The young sovereign recognized that any physical retaliation would play into An Dehai’s hands. The eunuch would use such a reaction to further portray the emperor as impulsive and undisciplined before his powerful mother. With remarkable self-control for a teenager, Tongzhi suppressed his rage and instead demanded to know why he was being manhandled. This moment of restraint revealed a political maturity that belied his years.

The Power Behind the Throne

To understand this confrontation, we must examine the extraordinary circumstances of Tongzhi’s reign. He had ascended the throne at age five following the death of his father, the Xianfeng Emperor. Actual power rested with his mother, the Empress Dowager Cixi, who ruled as regent through a system of “regency behind the curtain.” This arrangement left the young emperor with nominal authority but limited actual power.

The Qing court during this period operated through complex networks of influence and loyalty. Eunuchs like An Dehai occupied unique positions—they were servants, but through proximity to power, some became influential political operators. An Dehai had risen to become Cixi’s favorite eunuch, granting him unusual access and influence. His relationship with the emperor, however, was fraught with tension from the beginning.

The incident described occurred against the backdrop of Tongzhi’s increasing independence. The emperor had been spending more time with his other regent, the Empress Dowager Ci’an, who represented a more moderate faction at court. This shift in allegiance threatened both Cixi’s control and An Dehai’s position as power broker.

The Art of Court Politics

What followed the physical confrontation demonstrated the sophisticated political theater of the Qing court. Empress Dowager Cixi, observing the exchange, recognized the danger to her favorite eunuch. She immediately intervened with a sharp rebuke, ordering An Dehai to withdraw. This public chastisement served multiple purposes: it maintained the appearance of imperial discipline while actually protecting An Dehai from the emperor’s wrath.

The eunuch’s response revealed his political savvy. Despite the public humiliation, he maintained perfect composure, responding with the formal acknowledgment “Zha!” before retreating to a respectful distance. This performance demonstrated his understanding of court protocols and his ability to navigate shifting power dynamics.

The empress dowager then turned her attention to the emperor’s attendants, summoning them for interrogation. Her questioning of the chief eunuch attendant, known as Xiao Li, followed a pattern of indirect communication common in court politics. Rather than directly accusing the attendants of influencing the emperor against her, she used ironic praise to convey her displeasure: “You serve very carefully, I know everything. Just continue to be a little more careful!”

The Emperor’s Secret Resolve

Alone in his quarters later that evening, Emperor Tongzhi received disturbing news from Xiao Li. The attendant had discovered that the day’s confrontation resulted from An Dehai’s whispers to the empress dowager about the emperor’s activities. This revelation triggered an explosive reaction from the young sovereign.

In a fit of rage, Tongzhi destroyed a precious Ming dynasty porcelain vase from the Chenghua period—an artifact of significant historical and artistic value. This destruction symbolized both his frustration and the costs of his powerlessness. More significantly, it marked a turning point in his relationship with An Dehai.

The emperor’s declaration that he would have the eunuch executed met with cautious counsel from Xiao Li. The attendant reminded his master of political reality: An Dehai enjoyed Cixi’s powerful protection, and any direct action against him would fail and likely bring retaliation. The advice to wait three or four years until the emperor assumed full power reflected the practical constraints of court politics.

Historical Precedents and Imperial Strategy

As he contemplated his situation, Emperor Tongzhi drew upon historical lessons from his studies. His tutor, Woren, had educated him using the “Di Jian Tu Shuo” , which detailed the dangers of eunuch influence throughout Chinese history. The young emperor particularly recalled how the Qianlong Emperor had systematically limited eunuch power by assigning common surnames to make individual identification difficult.

He also drew inspiration from the Jiaqing Emperor’s elimination of the powerful minister Heshen in 1799—a dramatic demonstration of imperial authority against corruption. These historical examples provided both justification and methodology for his planned action against An Dehai.

Yet the practical reality remained: immediate action was impossible. The emperor’s conversation with Xiao Li evolved into a secret pact—the attendant would gather evidence of An Dehai’s corruption while the emperor would feign acceptance of the status quo. They set a deadline of one year for action, reflecting the emperor’s impatience with the suggested three-to-four-year timeline.

The Eunuch’s Dangerous Game

An Dehai’s position exemplified the paradoxical nature of eunuch power in late imperial China. Though legally property of the imperial household with no official political role, influential eunuchs often operated as power brokers, message filters, and sometimes extortionists. Historical records suggest An Dehai abused his position extensively—accepting bribes for access to the empress dowager, manipulating appointments, and possibly even interfering in policy matters.

His confidence stemmed from his special relationship with Cixi, who relied on him as both personal attendant and intelligence source. This protection created what historians would later call a “classic case of intermediary power corruption”—where a subordinate figure leverages access to authority for personal gain while claiming to represent that authority.

The specific incident that triggered the confrontation likely involved An Dehai reporting—and probably exaggerating—the emperor’s activities with Empress Dowager Ci’an. Such reporting served to maintain his indispensability to Cixi while undermining potential rivals for influence.

The Cultural Context of Eunuch Power

The struggle between Emperor Tongzhi and An Dehai reflected centuries of tension between Chinese emperors and their eunuch servants. Since the Han dynasty, eunuchs had periodically gained extraordinary influence, sometimes leading to what historians termed “eunuch calamities.” The Ming dynasty had witnessed particularly severe eunuch dominance, with figures like Wei Zhongxian effectively controlling the state.

The Qing dynasty had consciously attempted to limit eunuch power through strict regulations. The Yongzheng Emperor had institutionalized these controls, and Qianlong had refined them. Yet as the Tongzhi reign demonstrated, determined eunuchs could still find paths to influence, particularly during regencies or under less assertive emperors.

An Dehai represented what scholars would later identify as a “late Qing pattern”—eunuchs who gained influence not through formal bureaucratic channels but through personal service to powerful women in the inner court. This represented a significant evolution from earlier models of eunuch power.

The Psychological Dimensions of Power

The confrontation also revealed the psychological complexity of imperial relationships. For Emperor Tongzhi, An Dehai represented not just a political obstacle but a personal humiliation—a servant who embodied his powerlessness before his mother. The eunuch’s physical boldness in laying hands on the emperor violated fundamental Confucian principles of hierarchy and respect.

For An Dehai, the emperor represented both threat and opportunity. Demonstrating control over the young sovereign reinforced his value to Cixi, but also created long-term risks should the emperor eventually assume power. This balancing act required careful calculation—enough show of authority to please his patron, but not enough to create irreversible enmity.

The empress dowager occupied the most complex position. She needed to maintain the emperor’s dignity as symbol of the dynasty while controlling his actual power. Her public rebuke of An Dehai served both purposes—it maintained imperial decorum while actually protecting her operative.

The Legacy of a Secret Pact

The secret agreement between Emperor Tongzhi and Xiao Li would have significant historical consequences. While details remain imperfectly documented, historical records confirm that An Dehai did indeed meet his end approximately a year later, in 1869. The eunuch overreached by attempting to travel outside the capital on a procurement mission—a violation of Qing laws restricting eunuch movement.

The official account maintains that Prince Gong, the emperor’s uncle, ordered An Dehai’s execution for violating imperial regulations. However, many historians suspect the young emperor’s hidden hand in the affair, possibly working through allies at court. The timing corresponds remarkably with the one-year deadline discussed with Xiao Li.

The elimination of An Dehai represented a significant political victory for the young emperor and demonstrated his growing political capability. It also temporarily checked eunuch influence at court, though the problem would reemerge later in the dynasty.

Modern Relevance and Historical Reflection

The story of Emperor Tongzhi’s confrontation with An Dehai offers enduring insights into power dynamics, patience, and strategic thinking. Modern leadership theorists might analyze it as a case study in managing upward relationships and timing strategic actions. The young emperor’s ability to suppress immediate gratification for long-term gain demonstrates emotional intelligence remarkable for his age.

Historians continue to debate the broader significance of this episode. Some view it as symptomatic of Qing decline—a system where personal conflicts overshadowed state affairs. Others see it as evidence of the system’s resilience, with mechanisms eventually correcting abuses.

The incident also illuminates the complex position of women in Qing politics. Empress Dowager Cixi’s ability to maintain power through careful manipulation of relationships challenges simplistic narratives about women’s exclusion from Chinese political life.

Ultimately, the story of a young emperor’s quiet rebellion against an overreaching servant continues to resonate because it speaks to universal themes: the struggle against intermediary power, the patience required for effective leadership, and the complex relationship between formal authority and actual influence.

As we reflect on this historical moment, we recognize that the silent battles fought in palace corridors often shape history as significantly as the noisy conflicts on battlefields. The measured response of a thirteen-year-old emperor reminds us that true power sometimes resides not in dramatic confrontation but in strategic patience and careful timing.