Eunuchs can't read. In fact, it was only a national decree that existed in Zhu Yuanzhang's short period. At other times, there was no clear stipulation that eunuchs were not allowed to read, so there was nothing wrong with reading the imperial edict. And in fact, "eunuchs" are actually an official position. In essence, they are called eunuchs. Only a few eunuchs can become eunuchs, and some eunuchs are not only literate, but also occasionally go out on official business.
For a detailed explanation of this problem, please refer to the following article. After reading it, I have gained some knowledge! (The pictures and texts are from Sohu, and the typesetting is slightly adjusted)
Ancient eunuchs were not allowed to read, so why could they read the imperial edict? ?
The imperial edicts of the emperor are all drawn up by the Imperial Academy, and then submitted to the emperor for review. If they agree, the emperor will seal the imperial seal, otherwise, he will leave an opinion in the blank with a red pen to reject the Imperial Academy, and continue to revise and repeat the above links. The imperial edict will be sent to the province under the door for examination and seal. If the province under the door thinks there is a problem, it will be rejected, even if the emperor agrees, it will not work. Therefore, at this time, the imperial edict began with the word "under the door", and only in the Ming Dynasty did "Fengtian carry goods, and the emperor Zhao Yue" appear.
The Hanlin Academy set up the "Hanlin Undertaking the Imperial edict" to be responsible for the announcement of the imperial edict. The shortest imperial edict is 2 meters, and the imperial edict is 5 meters long. Unlike in TV dramas, one person reads it. Instead, according to the strict process, Ji Shi Gao is chosen to set up a color shed, burn incense and bathe, put down the incense table and kneel down to receive the imperial edict. Generally, it takes several people to open it in front, and the reader stands behind to read it.
Before the Western Han Dynasty and the Qin Dynasty, eunuchs were not all "eunuchs". Only eunuchs could be appointed as eunuchs in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and they were called "eunuchs, inner officials, inner servants, middle officials, middle-ranking officials, middle-ranking officials and so on, instead of" eunuchs ".
Eunuch was originally an official name, which began in the Tang Dynasty. In Tang Gaozong, eunuchs were appointed as "eunuchs" and "less supervisors" in the imperial government. In the Ming Dynasty, there were twelve wardens in the imperial court, all of whom were called eunuchs, and those below them were called eunuchs. Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty reached its peak, claiming to be 1, eunuchs, and less than 5 people could be called eunuchs. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the eunuch's power became more and more out of control, and the term "eunuch" was expanded. By the Qing Dynasty, eunuchs generally referred to eunuchs.
In the Tang Dynasty, eunuchs were senior eunuchs, and even more literate. In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, eunuchs were in charge of politics, and there appeared many big eunuchs who were in power in the ruling and opposition, such as Li Fuguo, Gao Lishi and Chou Shiliang.
The eunuchs in Song Dynasty were not only literate, but also often went out to supervise the army. Tong Guan not only supervised the army, but also sent envoys to Qidan.
after the establishment of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang was a diligent emperor, who did everything in detail, ruled that eunuchs could not read, and lowered their rank. After Emperor Xuanzong Zhu Zhanji came to power, he set up a library in the palace, so that scholars could teach little eunuchs to read. Since then, in the Ming Dynasty, eunuchs with handprints, eunuchs with pens, etc. appeared, and only eunuchs with culture could hold official positions. Therefore, it was only during Zhu Yuanzhang's short period that eunuchs could not read. At other times, it was not promulgated in the form of a decree.
eunuchs were literate in the Qing dynasty. An Dehai, the great eunuch around Cixi, is knowledgeable in books and texts, and knows the Analects of Confucius and Mencius, while Li Lianying is not only literate, but also accomplished in calligraphy.