The Process of Becoming a Female Court Attendant
In a world filled with principles of resistance and suffering within the ancient palace, apart from male court officials and attendants, there existed a small group known as female court attendants. Like other palace ladies, they had to sacrifice their youth in the imperial harem, hoping to change their own destinies.
In Chinese history, many female court attendants, also known as female officials, have left their mark. There have been works since the Chu Dynasty – about 3000 years ago, documenting the important positions of female officials such as the queen mother, who held power within the inner court.
Names like Ban Chieu in the Han Dynasty, Lam Dieu Ngoc in the Song Dynasty, Tiet Dao – the female Secretary in the Tang Dynasty, or Van Quy Phi in the Ming Dynasty, are evidence of the influence and position of female court attendants in Chinese history.
Before this, we have mentioned how male court attendants had to undergo painful processes to castrate themselves, and similar principles also applied to female court attendants. There are various theories surrounding this, and some believe that before entering the palace, female court attendants often had to endure special pain, even to the point of hitting their stomachs to make themselves infertile.
In the Han era, female officials held important positions such as palace supervisors, chamberlains, central scholars, and throughout different historical periods, the number of female officials increased, reaching about 200 positions in the Tang Dynasty. This highlights the importance and diversity of the roles of female court attendants in Chinese court society.
The Duties of Female Court Attendants
Female court attendants, although not involved in manual labor or serving like maids, were still servants in the palace. Their duties often involved supervising the entertainment and blessings of the consorts under the emperor’s reign.
Sometimes, these female court attendants themselves contributed to turmoil, creating challenges and difficulties for the royal court. For example, in the Ming Dynasty, the princess remained in her own palace after marriage. To meet his wife, the attendant had to pass a tightly controlled gate managed by an elderly female court attendant. This led to having to bribe this attendant to be allowed entry.
Some interesting situations also arose, such as when the princess called the attendant to meet, but the attendant refused to be bribed by the elderly female court attendant because she was drinking. As a result, this court attendant fiercely rushed into the room, pulled the attendant out of bed, and scolded the princess without restraint.
Female court attendants, like their male counterparts, were responsible for the care and management of palace attendants, especially the beauties in the imperial palace. In addition, there were female officials specializing in medicine in the palace, performing tasks similar to male imperial physicians.
In many dynasties, female physicians were brought into the palace to care for and treat the empress, concubines, princesses, and other noble women. They sought ways to enhance female health and vitality, while also implementing methods of contraception or supporting pregnancy.
Female officials or female court attendants in the court often lived single lives throughout their lifetimes, and although they had important roles, Chinese historical books hardly mention any female court attendant who could be glamorous or have a strong influence in the palace. However, in general, they were highly valued for their intelligence, talent, and diligence.
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