The Study Of Eunuch Politics In The Southern Song Dynasty

The eunuch intervene in politics is a very common political phenomenon in authoritarian society of Ancient China. It used to result in social unrest. But the Song Dynasty did not appear this situation. The reason is the monarch and his subjects taken precautionary measures. The eunuch rarely participated in military activities in the Southern Song Dynasty. But in other areas they were still active.Throughout the Song Dynasty, the attitude of the monarch to the eunuch is precaution and appointing. The bureaucratic took a fancy to the power of the eunuch. And the eunuch need to the bureaucratic and the monarch’s grace and asylum. However, the monarch and his subjects would boycott the eunuch when their interests was threatened.In the different political environment, the Eunuch power in different periods have different state. In the early Southern Song Dynasty, the eunuch power was weakened because of slaughter. In the middle of Southern Song, the eunuch power was thriving. At the end of the Southern Song Dynasty, the eunuch power reached the top for the collusion of the monarch and his subjects and the eunuch. Overall, the power of eunuch was weaken. Of course, the conclusion Is derived from the comparison of the Song Dynasty’s eunuch. According to the materials, the number of Southern Song Dynasty’ eunuch is far less than the North Song Dynasty in dispatch and military action.Through different angles to analysis the eunuch can reveal the characteristics of the Southern Song Dynasty eunuch politics. For example, the eunuch’s effect is limited in intervening in politics. And the independent of official rank became effective measures in preventing the eunuch to intervene in politics.