The Horrifying Secret in the Tomb of the “Freak” Eunuch of China

The Secrets of the Tomb of the Grand Eunuch Li Lianying in China Accompanied by Many Mysterious Legends.

The Most Favored Eunuch by Empress Dowager Cixi

Throughout the tumultuous decades at the end of the Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi steered the court for nearly half a century.

Some say that Empress Dowager Cixi, with her extravagant lifestyle, dragged the entire Qing Dynasty down with her, while others argue that the situation in the late Qing was beyond saving, even if Emperor Qin Shi Huang were to return.

At the age of 26, Cixi became a widow, but fortunately, she had a steadfast companion throughout her life, Eunuch Li Lianying.

Li Lianying (November 12, 1848 – March 4, 1911) was a eunuch in the Qing court during the 19th century, serving as a close confidant to Empress Dowager Cixi. It is rare for historical records to note the birth date of a eunuch in such detail.

He held the title of Grand Controller or Chief Eunuch during Cixi’s reign and was a figure of real power, overshadowing even the emperor and causing unrest in the imperial harem. It was only after Cixi’s death that Li Lianying left the palace to live in seclusion, passing away quietly.

Li Lianying’s real name was Li Jianxi. He entered the palace as a eunuch at the age of nine and served the Qing Dynasty through four emperors: Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu, and Xuantong. He was intelligent, and his loyalty earned him the unwavering trust and favor of Empress Dowager Cixi, resulting in his special promotion to a second-rank official. From a lowly servant, Li Lianying rose to great heights of power.

The Portrait of the Famous Eunuch Li Lianying.

There are many mysterious legends surrounding Li Lianying, and one particularly shocking secret remains unsolved within the coffin of this grand eunuch.

Exceptional Emotional Intelligence, Diligence in Learning, and Self-Improvement

Li Lianying was, in fact, literate, with elegant and fluid calligraphy. Through the “Letter of Bribery,” the only surviving document from Li Lianying, it is evident that he was not as ill-educated as some high officials claimed he was.

It raises the question: how could someone like Li Lianying, who never received formal education, write such beautiful characters and earn Empress Dowager Cixi’s lifelong respect? If we consider that he had an appealing appearance, there is no evidence to support this. Historical records from the Qing Dynasty do not praise his looks.

Moreover, from the photographs of the late Qing period, there are no descriptions of Li Lianying as possessing a delicate beauty. From these images, it is clear that Li Lianying had an unattractive appearance, marked by blemishes and a shifty gaze. His looks testify to the saying, “In the palace, if you are not cunning and ruthless, it is hard to rise high.”

Li Lianying caused Cixi to break the rules set by her ancestors. He was promoted to head of the eunuchs at 26, became chief manager at 31, and at 46, transcended the limitations of eunuch positions, receiving a second-rank honor known as “Hua Ling” (a type of ornamental cap awarded for merit).

Li Lianying caused Cixi to break the rules set by her ancestors.

All of this highlights Li Lianying’s exceptional intelligence.

Though he did not have the opportunity for education as a child, once he entered the royal household and the palace, he quickly absorbed knowledge. To win over his mistress, he learned various skills from masters outside the palace.

Li Lianying’s emotional intelligence was also very high; he never spoke a word contrary to others’ wishes. Cixi, who valued her image, often found herself in embarrassing situations, and it was always Li Lianying who skillfully came to her rescue.

For example, when Cixi granted a blessing (福) to someone, she accidentally wrote the character “⺭” as “衣.” A young prince with poor judgment pointed out the mistake in front of everyone, causing great embarrassment and tension. At that moment, Li Lianying skillfully intervened: “The blessings given by the Old Buddha are more abundant than others” (the strokes in “衣” are more than in “⺭”), allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

Such incidents occurred frequently, and over time, Cixi became dependent on Li Lianying.

Additionally, in ancient times, to be a good servant, loyalty to one’s master was paramount. Li Lianying excelled in this, but it led some to speculate about intimate gestures between him and Cixi.

However, these claims are mere conjecture, and the few rumors that exist cannot be traced back definitively, but the bond between Li Lianying and Cixi was undoubtedly profound.

According to the book “Reflections on Life in the Late Qing Dynasty” (Những điều mắt thấy tai nghe cuộc sống cung đình cuối đời Thanh), which records the memories of elder eunuchs, in the last years of her life, Cixi would call Li Lianying every morning for walks and conversations in the garden.

When Cixi watched opera or admired flowers, she would always call for Li Lianying, as he understood her heart, conversing with full dedication to please her. Despite her restless nights, Li Lianying remained by her side, talking with her. He even collected teachings on immortality from the Emperor and Laozi to share with Cixi.

Cixi regarded Li Lianying as a confidant, yet he consistently upheld his duty as a servant. In 1909, when Cixi passed away at the age of 73, Li Lianying was 61. After mourning for 100 days, he retreated into seclusion, having only acknowledged Cixi as his master throughout his life.

However, in his role as the closest aide to the supreme power at the end of the Qing Dynasty for 45 years, Li Lianying could not escape a tragic fate.

In 1911, just before the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Li Lianying died at the age of 63. The cause of his death remains a mystery, yet there are no remains found.

Li Lianying’s life may be seen as a tragedy, uncertain as it is, but he undoubtedly witnessed the entire tragedy of the Qing Dynasty’s decline from the very center of power.

Before the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Li Lianying died at the age of 63.

The Truth Behind the Tomb Excavation Over 40 Years Ago

In a secluded corner of the “Liuyi” campus in Beijing, there lies an ancient tomb. Few have encountered a tomb of such grand scale here. The owner of this tomb held a special status. Not a royal blood, yet immensely wealthy and powerful. Not a prince or general, but of significant standing. This is the famous grand eunuch Li Lianying of the Qing Dynasty.

Li Lianying’s tomb spans over 20 acres, stretching from south to north. The northernmost point is the Jinshui Bridge, from which a majestic stone stele built of Han Dynasty white jade stands to the north.

In early summer of 1966, a team of about 5 or 6 people began excavating Li Lianying’s tomb. At that time, the tomb was merely a mound of earth resembling a fortress, located in a desolate area of Haidian, Beijing. After a week of continuous digging, it appeared that the tomb was unaffected. The tomb was constructed from a mixture of earth combined with egg whites, sticky rice porridge, lime, and basalt. After more than a week, they finally opened a small hole in the tomb’s roof, revealing a layer of granite. A few hammer strikes left the granite unyielding. Everyone felt despondent.

At that moment, an elderly man approached. After learning they were excavating Li Lianying’s tomb, he was astonished and said, “Don’t dig aimlessly; come here, and I’ll show you how.” The old man pointed to the stele and instructed, “Dig from here; underneath is the underground palace, and behind will be the main passage. When I was young, I often crawled down there to play.”

The Noble “Golden Burial in Jade”

In a location near two large stone tablets in front of the tomb, beneath a layer of mixed earth lies a layer of gravel. After clearing this gravel, which is nearly two meters deep, a long green stone slab is revealed. On this slab, there is a round cavity, which is the connection point between Yin and Yang. The front chamber of the tomb is a square area approximately 3 meters wide, cut from Han dynasty white jade. The eastern and western walls are adorned with intricate carvings. There are doors on both the southern and northern sides. The southern door connects to the main tomb, while the northern door leads to the burial chamber.

Behind the door, a stone ball blocks the main entrance. A small groove runs underneath, allowing the ball to roll into the groove automatically when the door closes, acting as a stopper, preventing entry from outside.

The coffin of Li Lianying is deep red and purple at the head, intricately painted with golden flowers, and has fallen out of its position on the jade bed. Above the coffin, which is made of white jade, is a round hole, and inside, there hangs a pouch containing jade and some copper coins. This indicates that Li Lianying was buried in the form of “Golden Burial in Jade”, a noble burial practice of that time.

Observing the surroundings, the walls of the tomb are marked with many golden stains. These are likely remnants left behind when the tomb was flooded, as the water receded, and it could also explain why the coffin was displaced from its original position.

Upon opening the coffin, a human figure is neatly arranged inside. There is a head, neck, arms, and legs, all covered with a blanket. Zhang Guangzhi, a teacher from the “Liu Yi” school, who directly participated in the excavation, recalls:

“After lifting the blanket, we found a layer of black mud underneath. Upon closer inspection, this was actually decomposed fabric. When I reached into the coffin to move the body outside, the right shoe slipped off. Inside, it looked like black cotton. Continuing to lift the thick layers of clothing, the outermost layer was a long coat that was not rotten at all. However, what was astonishing was that there were no bones found, only what resembled black cotton.”

When examining the waist area of the body, a string of beads and over 50 pieces of gold and silver jewelry were found buried with the remains. At the head of the coffin, a box containing a skull was discovered, with high cheekbones, protruding teeth, and still wrapped in a layer of skin. The condition of the coffin and the body inside remained perfectly intact, indicating that no one had ever been there before. A major question arises as to why only the skull was found in the coffin, with no other bones of the body and what was the cause of Li Lianying’s death?

The Unsolvable Mystery of Li Lianying’s Death

Looking back at history, in October 1908, Empress Dowager Cixi passed away. The “Li Family Genealogy” states that “After a hundred days of mourning, he left the palace to retire” (indicating that after 100 days of mourning for Cixi, Li Lianying returned to his hometown to live in seclusion). After returning home to Mianhua Alley in Beijing, Li Lianying spent his days eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, not going outside. Three years later, he followed Cixi in death. According to descendants of the Li family, Li Lianying died of dysentery. After being ill for 3 to 4 days without seeking treatment, he passed away. However, records and tomb inscriptions from the Qing Dynasty only note the single character “dead”, without specifying the cause.

If we consider the excavation findings, it is highly possible that Li Lianying was murdered. So, who killed him and for what purpose? There are three explanations:

The first is that he was murdered. During the conflict between Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu, he supported the empress and criticized the emperor. However, this viewpoint has been contested by many scholars. Li Lianying had never participated in court conflicts, so he could not have offended anyone. Moreover, after Cixi’s death, he had lived in seclusion for three years, no longer influencing the court, so killing him would not yield any benefit.

The second explanation is that he was killed by Jiang Chaotong and Xiao Dezhang. This explanation is mainly the perspective of Yan Yiren. In his writings, he details that when Jiang Chaotong took office as the governor of Jiuyuan, he invited Li Lianying for a meal, and then sent people to kill him in Houhai, Beijing.

Supporters of this view argue that Jiang Chaotong was a confidant of Yuan Shikai. Li Lianying had previously offended Yuan Shikai, so he may have ordered his confidant to assassinate Li. Xiao Dezhang, being Li Lianying’s junior, could have had a motive to kill him over a dispute regarding inheritance. However, this explanation is also opposed by scholars, as in the second year of the Xuantong era, Jiang Chaotong was serving as the general in Hanzhong, Shaanxi. He did not return to Beijing until 1912 to assume the post of commander of the Beijing garrison under the Bei Yang government. His being thousands of miles away makes it impossible for him to invite Li Lianying for a meal to conspire against him. Furthermore, there was no significant conflict of interest between the two, removing the motive for revenge.

The third explanation is that Li Lianying was killed by bandits while collecting debts in Shandong. Many experts also doubt this view. Given Li Lianying’s status and wealth, why would he personally go to collect debts? Supporters of this perspective explain that Li Lianying had a niece married to a family in Wulie County, Shandong. He had previously visited her and took the opportunity to admire the scenery of Mount Tai. It is said that he was killed at the border between Shandong and Hebei. His two bodyguards, terrified, only managed to retrieve Li Lianying’s head and fled back to the capital.

However, these are merely folk tales, and historical records remain unclear. Moreover, the lack of logic in the various accounts about Li Lianying only adds to the mystery surrounding his death. Regardless of the explanation, the fact remains that Li Lianying’s body was not intact in his coffin. The secret behind the cause of his death may someday be uncovered, but it could also remain forever shrouded in the darkness of historical obscurity.

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