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The Last Eunuch of China: The Life of Sun Yaoting
The English-language edition of The Last Eunuch of China -- Life of Sun Yaoting was recently published by the Beijing-based China International Press.
Its author Jia Yinghua, now 57, is known for his serial biographic works about Emperor Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the last dynasty in the Chinese history, and the royal family.
Sun Yaoting (1902-1996) used to be an eunuch serving some members of the royal family, and he followed Pu Yi till his last years as the puppet "emperor" of the so-called "Manchukuo" in northeast China, created by Japanese aggressors and in existence from 1931 through 1945.
Jia, a Beijing native 50 years younger than Sun, happened to be a close friend of Sun. In their long-time talks, the former eunuch told his young friend lots of inside stories about the "last emperor" and the royal family. Sun allowed Jia to record these stories with a tape-recorder and a video-tape-recorder.
Jia had already published the Chinese edition of the eunuch's biography and a Japanese-language edition.
So far, Jia has written six books on the royal family. Jia said he wanted to translate his books into major foreign languages to help foreign readers better understand the history of China.
(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2009)
http://www.china.org.cn/books&mag...
Los Angeles Times Review - "Biography of last Chinese eunuch reveals a tumultuous life"
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwor...
New Phoenix Intl Llc
Foreign Language Teaching &
Foreign Language Teaching and Research P
Its author Jia Yinghua, now 57, is known for his serial biographic works about Emperor Puyi, the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the last dynasty in the Chinese history, and the royal family.
Sun Yaoting (1902-1996) used to be an eunuch serving some members of the royal family, and he followed Pu Yi till his last years as the puppet "emperor" of the so-called "Manchukuo" in northeast China, created by Japanese aggressors and in existence from 1931 through 1945.
Jia, a Beijing native 50 years younger than Sun, happened to be a close friend of Sun. In their long-time talks, the former eunuch told his young friend lots of inside stories about the "last emperor" and the royal family. Sun allowed Jia to record these stories with a tape-recorder and a video-tape-recorder.
Jia had already published the Chinese edition of the eunuch's biography and a Japanese-language edition.
So far, Jia has written six books on the royal family. Jia said he wanted to translate his books into major foreign languages to help foreign readers better understand the history of China.
(Xinhua News Agency February 28, 2009)
http://www.china.org.cn/books&mag...
Los Angeles Times Review - "Biography of last Chinese eunuch reveals a tumultuous life"
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwor...
New Phoenix Intl Llc
Foreign Language Teaching &
Foreign Language Teaching and Research P
314 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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791 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 16, 2020
Eunuchs are the people around the emperor and his consort. They could not live without eunuchs. Sun Yaoting was an unlucky and powerless eunuch. Unlike the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty did not allow eunuchs to share the imperial power, but rather guarded against the expansion of eunuch power at every turn. The eunuch in the books was like a nanny. Compared with Wei Zhongxian of the Ming Dynasty, he was a failure.
Many people may not like the eunuch Wei Zhongxian. However, the reason why he was able to wreak havoc on the Ming Dynasty was all because of the emperor's incompetence. The stupid emperor allowed eunuchs to share the supreme imperial power, and Zhu Yuanzhang might be very angry if he knew that.
Many people may not like the eunuch Wei Zhongxian. However, the reason why he was able to wreak havoc on the Ming Dynasty was all because of the emperor's incompetence. The stupid emperor allowed eunuchs to share the supreme imperial power, and Zhu Yuanzhang might be very angry if he knew that.
July 24, 2019
Finally!!! Finally a book not about Emperors, Kings, and Princesses!!! Finally a book about the "little" people behind the Emperors, about "the servants", about the Eunuchs working for Emperors , Kings and Princesses!!! I've read severals novels about various kings and alike mentionning briefly the Eunuchs, but this is the first time an entire novel is dedicated to their lives and their sides of the stories.
The author wrote a brilliant both a Biography and History novel as if writing a fiction book. The novel is the biography of the last Eunuch of China, Sun Yaoting (1902-1996), who's also the last member of the small community of imperial Eunuchs (about 900 serving the Imperial family early 1900's) and a witness of almost a century of China's History through different political regimes.
Due to severe poverty and dreaming of quick wealth, an 8 years old child decided to undergo castration in order to be able to work for the Imperial family inside the Forbidden City. However, right after his castration, he learns that the Emperor abdicated from power, but still lives in the Forbidden City. Thus, Sun Yaoting ends up working inside the Forbidden City from low rank and moves up until the Imperial family had to leave the Palace and the city. Sun Yaoting joined them again later. However, life has entirely changed from bad to worse for the eunuchs. When he finally stoped serving the Imperial family, Sun went back to Beijing to live in a Taoist Temple, work for and/or with other Enuchs, for the rest of his life.
Through the life of Sun Yaoting, readers gets a chance to read annecdotes of behind the scenes stories lived directly by the Eunuchs and unknown to outsiders of the palace. Furthermore, members of the small community of Eunuchs are all from different parts of China, but they all decided to become Eunuchs to escape poverty and hoping to become wealthy like some of their predecessors. Behind the closed doors of the Palace, it is a life of physical suffering, abuse and even death for all, except the lucky few who were able to rise in the ranks, in power, and in wealth.
The author wrote everything on this book. He detailed all the negative experiences lived by Sun Yaoting such as his castration by his own father, the physical and verbal abuse and suffering while serving the Imperial family, the harrassment by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in late 1960's. The author described also the positive normal and healthy lifestyle Sun Yaoting lived inside the Taoist Temple, where he managed the temple and assisted other Eunuchs in their old ages.
The author based his book on the life of Sun Yaoting thanks to his many interviews of the person himself years before his death. Sun Yaoting became a living legend of China's History and Imperial China in 1980's and 1990's with many interviews and documentaries with him. The characters are all well written. The story is well written and developed.
It is a must read novel.
The author wrote a brilliant both a Biography and History novel as if writing a fiction book. The novel is the biography of the last Eunuch of China, Sun Yaoting (1902-1996), who's also the last member of the small community of imperial Eunuchs (about 900 serving the Imperial family early 1900's) and a witness of almost a century of China's History through different political regimes.
Due to severe poverty and dreaming of quick wealth, an 8 years old child decided to undergo castration in order to be able to work for the Imperial family inside the Forbidden City. However, right after his castration, he learns that the Emperor abdicated from power, but still lives in the Forbidden City. Thus, Sun Yaoting ends up working inside the Forbidden City from low rank and moves up until the Imperial family had to leave the Palace and the city. Sun Yaoting joined them again later. However, life has entirely changed from bad to worse for the eunuchs. When he finally stoped serving the Imperial family, Sun went back to Beijing to live in a Taoist Temple, work for and/or with other Enuchs, for the rest of his life.
Through the life of Sun Yaoting, readers gets a chance to read annecdotes of behind the scenes stories lived directly by the Eunuchs and unknown to outsiders of the palace. Furthermore, members of the small community of Eunuchs are all from different parts of China, but they all decided to become Eunuchs to escape poverty and hoping to become wealthy like some of their predecessors. Behind the closed doors of the Palace, it is a life of physical suffering, abuse and even death for all, except the lucky few who were able to rise in the ranks, in power, and in wealth.
The author wrote everything on this book. He detailed all the negative experiences lived by Sun Yaoting such as his castration by his own father, the physical and verbal abuse and suffering while serving the Imperial family, the harrassment by the Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in late 1960's. The author described also the positive normal and healthy lifestyle Sun Yaoting lived inside the Taoist Temple, where he managed the temple and assisted other Eunuchs in their old ages.
The author based his book on the life of Sun Yaoting thanks to his many interviews of the person himself years before his death. Sun Yaoting became a living legend of China's History and Imperial China in 1980's and 1990's with many interviews and documentaries with him. The characters are all well written. The story is well written and developed.
It is a must read novel.
August 21, 2013
The book answered my question: Is the nature of a human changed after becoming a eunuch? I found significant time necessary to reflect on this book.
I always assumed becoming a Eunuch removed the desire to sin and a person became less human or even nonhuman. The stories show that some of the worst, most envious, devious, and greediest Chinese were Eunuchs. They sought wealth, power, beautiful women in equal measure to non-Eunuchs. Physically becoming a eunuch might have caused most to be asexual(no lust). But the procedure didn't removed temptation for the other 6 deadly sins. Often the temptation for the other 6 sins was exacerbated.
I always assumed becoming a Eunuch removed the desire to sin and a person became less human or even nonhuman. The stories show that some of the worst, most envious, devious, and greediest Chinese were Eunuchs. They sought wealth, power, beautiful women in equal measure to non-Eunuchs. Physically becoming a eunuch might have caused most to be asexual(no lust). But the procedure didn't removed temptation for the other 6 deadly sins. Often the temptation for the other 6 sins was exacerbated.
December 28, 2022
I wanted to like this book more because the fading days of the Qing dynasty seem fascinating but the writing style made it confusing and somewhat dull. The author obviously conducted multiple interviews with the subject and transcribed them more or less verbatim making for a story full of unnecessary details that was also confusing because it lacked explanations of the family relationships of one royal family member to another and the time frame of various events. For example, the reader doesn't care that the subject delayed writing a letter for an extra day due to diarrhea when this has no impact on the story. The eunuch reported that Pu Yi's wife got pregnant from an extra-marital relationship with no further information provided on the outcome except that at some time later she became addicted to opium and died. It was an unsatisfactory narrative for me overall. (Taken from a bookshelf in a hotel in Kuching, Sarawak.)
October 5, 2016
Love it! You get to know about part of China's history. Not only that, you will somehow got the idea of how life was like being an eunuch. While reading the book, you somehow got immersed into reading and got the feeling that you are right beside him as he recounts his tale. Got a little tearful toward the ending but somehow happy that he managed to live a long life due to his optimistic and wise outlook.
July 25, 2021
Felt like it lacked details, especially the second half of Sun Yaoting’s life. Nevertheless a great insight into imperial china and its customs.
December 21, 2014
Have you ever wondered what a Chinese pop history reads like? Well get this book and find out, because it’s a Chinese pop history book about the end of the Qing dynasty translated into English, but not in any way else really altered for the US market. Shoot the cover’s even got that ugly monospace font that you get with the Chinese font in Windows. The translation is actually really solid and has been completely proofread, but it’s not TOO smooth so as to let you forget that you are reading a Chinese book, like it has that delightful bad-translation thing of not having a good grasp of formal and informal registers, and therefore mixing and matching high-brow and slangy language with a certain cheerful tone-deafness that never fails to please. Also at the end it kept referring to people pushing an elderly Sun Yaoting around in a “handcart” and I was super confused, until I finally saw a picture where he was sitting in a wheelchair. Whoops. It’s also written entirely in imaginary dialog, like a novel. That’s probably the hardest part to get past.
This book is a refreshing change of pace from the usual Chinese historiographical treatment of eunuchs, which is very negative, because the author has a clear affection for his subject, and presents Sun Yaoting only positively, and his compatriots in a range of human colors. The author knew Sun Yaoting pretty well in his later life, and said he made 100 hours of recordings in the process of writing this book. The author even helped arrange for Sun Yaoting's headstone (traditionally a family duty), which was very kind of him.
However, as a warning: if you don’t already have a decent grasp of Chinese culture before entering this book you’re going to have a bad time. He does take a little time to explain some of the basic terms like “rice bowl” but there’s no information given on the Chinese concepts of guanxi/face/social networks etc, Confucianism, the importance of extended family networks and relationships, and, if you didn't already understand these things, Sun Yaoting's life and career is going to strike you as unusual or corrupt. So that’s kinda poor form, but like I said, this book was written for Chinese people to read and not for Foreigners to read, so just be grateful it was translated at all and on the cultural stuff you’re going to just have to get that somewhere else.
This book is a refreshing change of pace from the usual Chinese historiographical treatment of eunuchs, which is very negative, because the author has a clear affection for his subject, and presents Sun Yaoting only positively, and his compatriots in a range of human colors. The author knew Sun Yaoting pretty well in his later life, and said he made 100 hours of recordings in the process of writing this book. The author even helped arrange for Sun Yaoting's headstone (traditionally a family duty), which was very kind of him.
However, as a warning: if you don’t already have a decent grasp of Chinese culture before entering this book you’re going to have a bad time. He does take a little time to explain some of the basic terms like “rice bowl” but there’s no information given on the Chinese concepts of guanxi/face/social networks etc, Confucianism, the importance of extended family networks and relationships, and, if you didn't already understand these things, Sun Yaoting's life and career is going to strike you as unusual or corrupt. So that’s kinda poor form, but like I said, this book was written for Chinese people to read and not for Foreigners to read, so just be grateful it was translated at all and on the cultural stuff you’re going to just have to get that somewhere else.
August 12, 2021
Finished this in 3 days because it was just so captivating to see history unfold from an insider's perspective. This book was sufficiently brimmed with personal emotions, historical events, the ins-and-outs of palace life, and even pictures that allow readers a better glimpse of life back then. Extremely interesting and definitely worth a read.
June 1, 2009
Very insightful and interesting. What a great part of Chinese history.
Want to read
September 17, 20252019-12 сар: 2 жил цүнхэлж явж дээ.. уншиж заавал дуусгана даа :D
2025-09-17: номоо хүнд өгөөд эргэж ирээгүй, шинийг ТаоБао-гаас захисан нь өнөөдөр ирлээ. Уншиж байгаа номоо дуусгаад барина аа.
2025-09-17: номоо хүнд өгөөд эргэж ирээгүй, шинийг ТаоБао-гаас захисан нь өнөөдөр ирлээ. Уншиж байгаа номоо дуусгаад барина аа.
January 24, 2020
Interesting gasp of the life of eunuch - from a poor village boy to a servant of the last emperor of China.
The book nicely leads through different periods, cultural surroundings and gently reveals some Forbidden City secrets.
The book nicely leads through different periods, cultural surroundings and gently reveals some Forbidden City secrets.
June 3, 2020
Interestingly to read.
January 24, 2023
It was interesting at times, confusing, somewhat redundant and very sad.
December 23, 2023
Reading this felt like an honour to be given a chance to peek into the life of Sun Yaoting. There's a lot of details on palace life but also life before and after, spanning across 70+ years
February 19, 2010
I finally managed to finish a book!
The best thing about this book is that the chapters are really short. So it is easy to read because you always feel like you are making progress. Plus no one story or anecdote goes on too long.
It is mildly interesting, unless you are very interested in Chinese history or the history of Chinese dynasties. Then you would probably find it very interesting. I found it just interesting enough to keep reading but only barely.
I suppose it does give some insight into the last Emperor of China and the other people who lived in the Forbidden City at that time. But it did so superficially. It kind of skidded over every person, never go into any real depth about any one person. But I suppose that has to be as the book is told through the memories of Sun Yaoting and, as a servant/slave, he could not exactly have a conversation with the Emperor.
There were some interesting tales about how cruel the Emperor et al could be, as well as some very interesting comments on how cruel and sadistic the older eunuchs could become after a life of being beaten themselves.
But generally, I found this book only okay. But again, if Chinese dynasty history is your thing, then you would be much more interested in this book. Oh, and although this man lived through Mao, there is little to no information in the book about what life was like in China generally during this time. Because of who this man was (ie. a eunuch) he was somewhat removed from what was going on among the other billion people in China at that time.
The best thing about this book is that the chapters are really short. So it is easy to read because you always feel like you are making progress. Plus no one story or anecdote goes on too long.
It is mildly interesting, unless you are very interested in Chinese history or the history of Chinese dynasties. Then you would probably find it very interesting. I found it just interesting enough to keep reading but only barely.
I suppose it does give some insight into the last Emperor of China and the other people who lived in the Forbidden City at that time. But it did so superficially. It kind of skidded over every person, never go into any real depth about any one person. But I suppose that has to be as the book is told through the memories of Sun Yaoting and, as a servant/slave, he could not exactly have a conversation with the Emperor.
There were some interesting tales about how cruel the Emperor et al could be, as well as some very interesting comments on how cruel and sadistic the older eunuchs could become after a life of being beaten themselves.
But generally, I found this book only okay. But again, if Chinese dynasty history is your thing, then you would be much more interested in this book. Oh, and although this man lived through Mao, there is little to no information in the book about what life was like in China generally during this time. Because of who this man was (ie. a eunuch) he was somewhat removed from what was going on among the other billion people in China at that time.
Want to read
May 28, 2016Akhirnya nemu juga kisah nyata kasim Cina yg menarik! beberapa bulan terakhir aku cari-cari novel dan non fiksi tema kasim di GR. Aku nyarinya ga berpatokan pada kasim Cina atau kasim Korea saja, krn ada juga kisah castrato/penyanyi opera di Eropa yg sengaja jadi kasim buat mempertahankan suara soprano/alto mereka. Tapi cuma nemu kisah-kisah tsb dlm bentuk novel. Yg ini kebetulan nemu karena tadi lagi google soal kasim Cina secara aku lagi baca m/m romance yg ada kasim Cina di dlmnya.
Dan, setelah baca artikel ini, aku jadi makin pgn baca biografinya kasim terakhir Cina yg bernama Sun Yaoting ini! XD Sun Yaoting merasa hidupnya dipermainkan takdir dengan kejam. Dipersiapkan untuk menjadi kasim hanya untuk mendengar kabar kalau Kaisar Guangxu turun tahta sebelum dia sembuh dari operasi pengebirian yg dilakukan ayahnya. Namun dia akhirnya dipanggil ke Forbidden City untuk melayani The Last Emperor Puyi yg menjadi Kaisar di usia 2 tahun 10 bln, sampai Puyi diusir dari istana. Aku juga belum pernah baca kisah Puyi. Bakal searching abis ini. :) Kayanya dulu pernah lihat ada yg versi terjemahan bahasa Indo.
Dan, setelah baca artikel ini, aku jadi makin pgn baca biografinya kasim terakhir Cina yg bernama Sun Yaoting ini! XD Sun Yaoting merasa hidupnya dipermainkan takdir dengan kejam. Dipersiapkan untuk menjadi kasim hanya untuk mendengar kabar kalau Kaisar Guangxu turun tahta sebelum dia sembuh dari operasi pengebirian yg dilakukan ayahnya. Namun dia akhirnya dipanggil ke Forbidden City untuk melayani The Last Emperor Puyi yg menjadi Kaisar di usia 2 tahun 10 bln, sampai Puyi diusir dari istana. Aku juga belum pernah baca kisah Puyi. Bakal searching abis ini. :) Kayanya dulu pernah lihat ada yg versi terjemahan bahasa Indo.
February 16, 2014
A wonderfully gripping account of the transition of China through the last imperial dynasty through the cultural revolution. The biographer keeps all anecdotes short while maintaining their poignancy which makes for a quick but thoroughly gripping read. While the duties of a eunuch are centered around servitude to the imperial elite, I wish they had elaborated a bit more on the circumstances during the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Anyone unfamiliar with the chaos and destruction during that period reading the novel may miss the severity of Sun YaoTing's actions or how perilous life would have been.
September 30, 2011
I took ages to get through this book as i was down with a bad flu and had so many work and domestic issues to get thru. I would probably have enjoyed it more if i had not been distracted by so many tasks. Having said that it is a good book, a good acoount of life in China in the 1900. so its not ancient history, yet things were v different from the China of today. I do like this writers style, despite the detailed accounts and losing track of the many Chinese names. I would like to read his biographies on the last emperor of China in due course.
July 6, 2010
From the cover---
China's last eunuch Sun Yaoting died in December 1996 at age 94. He took with him intimate stories of the last vestiges of Imperial China and was himself the last in the line of eunuchs who had served the royal family for more then 2,000 years.
I found his story which is set against the events in Chinese history over the last hundred years quite fascinating. Of course this coincided with my trip to China.
China's last eunuch Sun Yaoting died in December 1996 at age 94. He took with him intimate stories of the last vestiges of Imperial China and was himself the last in the line of eunuchs who had served the royal family for more then 2,000 years.
I found his story which is set against the events in Chinese history over the last hundred years quite fascinating. Of course this coincided with my trip to China.
March 20, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and really appreciate the english translation which I thought was very natural, but still retained some vague chinese-ness. The book is a pretty quick read, and gives a very personal glimpse into the end of the Qing dynasty through the lens of a eunuch, a group which evokes images of dark secrets and palace intrigue. Bought it in the middle of the Forbidden palace, which is where most of the events take place.
December 25, 2010
This book reveals the many hidden stories of the life in the Forbidden City during the Imperial China period. From how Sun Yaoting decided to become a eunuch despite of her mother's disapproval to the moments the author paid respects during the funeral of the last eunuch of China. A great book, indeed.
Want to read
September 10, 2016314 pages, preview and TOC:
http://www.purpleculture.net/the-last...
末代太监孙耀庭传:
http://book.ifeng.com/lianzai/detail_...
http://www.purpleculture.net/the-last...
末代太监孙耀庭传:
http://book.ifeng.com/lianzai/detail_...
April 14, 2010
it's a historical stuff...sad and unbelieveable
November 8, 2012
Intereting book, especially having visited the forbidden city it was nice to be able to invasion the setting.
April 24, 2013
Felt sad for him after I read this book
March 18, 2014
very interesting. history of china in 20ste eeuw seen through the eyes of a servant of the last emperor.
March 15, 2016
Quite an interesting insight into history
January 25, 2021
Really exceptional biography about a living piece of history. Ever wanted to check out a person at that library out west to hear their story? Here’s your chance.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews