#goryeo

내시 [naesi] - Korean Palace Eunuch.

“Historically, eunuchs have been employed as guards and servants in harems across the Middle East and Asia. The Imperial court of the Korean Chosun Dynasty (1392-1910) also had eunuchs. Eunuchs of the Chosun Dynasty lived with privileges: Korean eunuchs were conferred with official ranks and were legally allowed to marry, a practice that was officially banned in the Chinese Empire. In addition, married couples were also entitled to have children by adopting castrated boys or normal girls. The boys lost their reproductive organs in accidents, or they underwent deliberate castration to gain access to the palace before becoming a teenager.” (The lifespan of Korean eunuchs. Kyung-Jin Min, Cheol-Koo Lee, Han-Nam Park)

“Joseon palace consisted of 400 eunuchs. The only ‘male’ staff allowed to live inside the palaces, eunuchs (내시; naesi) were privy to all the secrets of the state and had considerable influence because they waited upon the king and were around the royal family 24 hours a day. All access to the king was through them, as they were the royal bodyguards and responsible for the safety of their master. This was an easy way to earn money and they usually exploited it to the full. These bodyguard eunuchs, toughened by a harsh training regime of martial arts, were also personal servants to the king and even nursemaids to the royal children. Eunuchs were in charge of the king’s health, and were supposed to serve the king with total devotion, like monks serving the Buddha, never thinking about mundane matters like money or status.”  (Source: lonelyplanet. com Asia>South Korea>History)

Another interesting fact that during the rule of Ming dynasty in China (1368-1644), many eunuchs at the court were Korean.

“Other Korean-born eunuchs were entrusted with such important assignments as managing fiscal and monetary affairs for the emperor’s inner court. Between 1370 and 1634, the Ming government sent a total of twenty-eight eunuch-led missions to Seoul, primarily for the purpose of installing new Korean kings. More than half of the eunuch-ambassadors were Korean-born.” (The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty. Shih-shan Henry Tsai)

Eunuchs were usually young and handsome boys, often very feminine in appearance, this was one of the reason why they were favored by the kings. I translated some information from Korean source: Korean Cultural History. Volume 23 Countries and Kings Seen in Various Culture. Chapter 3: 4. Eunuchs (한국문화사. 23권 다양한 문화로 본 국가와 국왕. 제3장 궁궐과 그곳에 사는 사람들. 4. 내시. 내시들은 어떻게 살았 을까).

“Eunuchs were favored by the king, it is no exaggeration to say that they spent 24 hours a day with the king. They enjoyed wealth, rose to the high ranking officials and played important roles in government. Most of eunuchs lived lived collectively in the towns”.

“Naesi were castrated officials during Joseon Dynasty, responsible for different tasks in the Great Palace: the supervision of food and beverages, guarding gates and cleaning. They were an elite group close to the king’s secretary”. (Also translated from Korean article: 환관과 내시)

I found a really small mention of late Korean eunuchs in 19 century from the correspondence of John Mahelm Berry Sill’s the American Minister to Korea (1894-1897):

“At one end of the room were several eunuchs, dressed in long black gowns, these were all large and stout and rather good looking” (“Letters from Joseon”, Robert Neff)

Also eunuchs were closely connected to Buddhism, thus during the times of “Goryeo”/“Koryŏ” kingdom (918-1392) korean eunuchs founded Buddhist temples (Empire’s Twilight: Northeast Asia Under the Mongols. David M. Robinson)

“Originally, naesi officials came from prominent families with outstanding appearance and artistic talent. These emasculated civil officials, who were well versed in letters and classics, served as guards and waited on royalty in the Koryo Dynasty (918-1392). After King Uijong’s reign (11461170), however, they were replaced by court eunuchs”. (Korea News review, Volume 18, Issues 26-52)

During the Mongol invasion of North East Asia, Korean eunuchs became spies fluent in different languages:

“The Koryo eunuch Yi (Lee) and men of the Mongols, Turkestani, and various other groups come on the pretext of trade [but actually] to spy. Eunuch Yi has come two or three times. When he meets Mongols, he speaks the Mongol language. When he meets ordinary eunuchs, he speaks the Koryo language. When he meets men of Han, he speaks the language of the men of Han”.  (Rulers from the steppe: state formation on the Eurasian periphery. Gary Seaman, Daniel Marks)

I collected neutral and  positive information on eunuchs and of course I cannot ignore the “dark” side:

“Tradition in Korean jokes, naesi, which is generally understood to mean “eunuch,” is used to describe impotency or lethargy in a man. On the other hand, the naesi or “inside attendance” rank is often portrayed by Koreans as the villain of court intrigues. Like their counterparts in ancient Assyria, China, Achaemenid Persia, Rome and Byzantium, the naesiofficials had convenient access to the men in power” (Korea News review, Volume 18, Issues 26-52)

So, eventually getting to the part of my depiction of a Korean eunuch… I think it’s really unfair and sad that most people show and describe eunuchs as ugly repulsive creatures, while in fact, eunuchs deserve to be seen as human beings - and they are human. Lacking genitals doesn’t make them less human in any way. Unfortunately in a society where sex plays the most important role, anyone with different gender or sexless will be judged or ignored. Some people are disgusted by eunuchs, some fetishize them, but they, as everyone else have feelings, emotions, attachments and dreams. In the eyes of most people reviewing history, eunuchs appear only in caricatures and comedy, they looked upon as pitiful, miserable, obnoxious old men with problems. I wonder is it actually true? We must remember that LGBT people were and still are seen the same way, in Asia and most parts of the World. Just remember all the exaggerated and ridiculed characters and you’ll understand what I mean. For the majority it’s hard to understand anything beyond bipolar standards of male and female sex. But the diversity of gender identity was defined in the ancient times, the notion of “third gender"or "two gender” almost in any human civilization can fall to the category of Transgender/Transsexual, Queer and Intersex in the LGBTQIA community.

I don’t mind eunuchs depicted as “not so handsome” or old, because outward appearance is not something that defines a persons heart, yet, should be there a problem depicting them beautifully and gracefully? Of course not.

Thenaesiin my drawing is a handsome young man, gracious and fragile like ice, his eyes are thoughtful and kind. He is standing behind a branch of pine - the symbol of longevity on the East, and the winter landscape around him, like a reflection of his cold beauty; a reminder that every season is beautiful and necessary even if does not give flowers and fruits.