Li Lianying (November 12, 1848 – March 4, 1911), a Han Chinese, formerly known as Li Jinxi, was purified as a eunuch in the fifth year of the reign of Xianfeng in the Qing Dynasty and entered the palace the following year.
Li Lianying, the most famous eunuch of the late Qing Dynasty, served beside Cixi for 53 years with unbroken glory and favor. Born in 1848, Li Lianying’s Family was poor and his father was a hobo who could only support his children by doing odd jobs. So Li Lianying was sent to the palace when he was 8 years old. When Li Lianying first entered the palace, he was assigned to the Zhangshu Office and Jingren Palace, and was trained as a literary eunuch, which is why he had the opportunity to learn to write and touch some books.
In 1864, Li Lianying was transferred to the Changchun Palace to serve Cixi, who was surrounded by a large eunuch called Andeshai, who did not attract much attention. André Hai, on the basis of being the Empress Dowager, acted in an unruly and arrogant manner, offending many people, but the eunuchs and palace maids were too angry to speak, and later André Hai was beheaded by the governor of Shandong because he was too arrogant.
After the death of André Hai, Li Lianying slowly came to Cixi’s face. Li Lianying is a cautious person, good at observation, he witnessed the things of André Hai, understand the relationship between the master and the lackey, so even after becoming a great steward of Cixi’s side, he has been cautious and careful, respectful and submissive to the top, loving care of the bottom, never overstepped half a step.
However, the people in the court were very dissatisfied with Li Lianying, and had impeached him many times, and the historical records about him are more derogatory than positive. As a red person around the Empress Dowager, the power in the hands of Li Lianying is really not to be underestimated, but he really did not do anything to interfere with the imperial government, his biggest shortcoming is greed for money, has borrowed the position of the benefit of numerous wealth.
Although Li Lianying’s character and actions are controversial to this day, his calligraphic works are a sight to behold. In the book “The Qing Empire under Empress Dowager Cixi” published in 1911, a note written by Li Lianying survives. At first glance, one can’t help but be shocked by the words on it, because the words are flowing, strong and neat.
Li Lianying left the palace in 1909, and by coincidence, the note was taken into the hands of a foreigner. But although the writing on the note was good, the content was not. The note was written by Li Lianying to a man called “Master Wang Qi”, beginning with the usual greetings, after a few strokes, then open to the point that he wanted to borrow money, and a loan is 1,500 taels of silver, and at the end said “to catch up on leisurely matters some day.”
As the chief eunuch, Li Lianying naturally will not lack the fifteen hundred taels, and the reason for the “borrow”, but also for the reasons mentioned above – he is greedy for money, by all means to collect money. But it is not good to speak directly to ask, so you can only say something nice, just borrow money, later Wang Qi Lao naturally dare not ask for debt, because the back of Li Lianying said, to “another day to catch up on leisure.”
This sentence seems to be just an ordinary closing phrase, but in fact is also a threat. Between the two people have dealings, Wang Qi senior useful to get Li Lianying place, only obedient to the money “loan” to him, the future can be common proceedings. This is where this note was despised, but in addition, no other works of Li Lianying were found.
The only real calligraphy that has come down to us is this one, and although the content is disgraceful, it is undeniable that Li Lianying did write a good hand.
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