According to clear historical records, eunuchs appeared in the pre-Qin period, such as Zhao Gao, the eunuch of the Qin Dynasty. Under one person, above ten thousand people. Not all eunuchs in the pre-Qin and Western Han dynasties were castrated. However, since the Eastern Han Dynasty, all of them have been castrated. After castration, they have lost their sexual ability and become a neutral person who is neither male nor female.
In ancient times, eunuchs were slaves in charge of court chores, and the state had clear laws prohibiting eunuchs from participating in and discussing state affairs. However, because these eunuchs live with members of the royal family every day, they can always find opportunities to win the trust of the royal family and gain some privileges. In serious cases, many eunuchs held the power of state affairs in some dynasties. The eunuch's manipulation of power caused an unimaginable crisis to the country.
Castrated men are used as court officials, not only in China. In the past, the royal aristocrats in North Korea and Vietnam also liked to use castrated men as domestic servants, and ancient civilizations such as Egypt, Persia, India and Turkey in the Middle East also had the same practice. There was polygamy in ancient times, and the royal family really needed the role of eunuch. After all, there are many things that a maid can't solve.
The eunuch's power was strongest in the Ming Dynasty, when Ming Taizu established the East Factory. Eunuchs not only served as handymen, but also became the highest authority in China. Eunuchs are the emperor's cronies, who hold important positions and are only responsible to the emperor. He can supervise and arrest his subjects at will without the approval of the judicial organs. It can be described as the most prosperous period of eunuchs.