What’s the difference between the eunuch in power in the East and in the West?

2023-05-20 08:54:00

One of the special features of this dynasty was the state of eunuch or eunuch abuse. This is also one of the main reasons pushing this dynasty to the brink of extinction.

Initially, the emperor Zhou Yuanzhang established only a few hundred eunuchs. However, through many emperors, the number of eunuchs expanded in number, reaching tens of thousands of people. On the other hand, due to holding many important powers, so eunuchs During the Ming Dynasty, the country was raging with brutal tricks, plundering wealth, abusing loyalists…

Cam y Ve was established during the reign of Minh Thai To Chu Nguyen Chuong.

In addition to Cam y Ve, during the Ming Dynasty, two special organizations were established, namely the Eastern Workshop and the Western Workshop.

So, East workshop and West workshop what’s the difference? In fact, these 2 organizations have 3 main differences.

What is the difference of East Workshop and West Workshop?

The Eastern Workshop and the Western Workshop were both established during the Ming Dynasty, headed by eunuchs.

First, the Eastern Workshop and the Western Workshop were established and existed at different times.

Accordingly, the Eastern Workshop was founded in 1420 by Minh Thanh To Zhu Di, the 3rd emperor of the Ming Dynasty. The members of the Dong Workshop were initially tasked with preventing and stopping crooks and those has a rebellious speech and the eunuch most trusted by the emperor will be the commander-in-chief of the Eastern Workshop (also known as the Public Workshop), holding vital power.

The Eastern Workshop directly obeyed the emperor’s orders. This organization has great power granted by the emperor himself, so it can investigate and interrogate any mandarin or aristocratic prince.

The Eastern Workshop existed for a long time until the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644. Thus, according to historical records, the Eastern Workshop was a secret organization that had existed for 224 years.

The Eastern Workshop has great power and has existed for more than 200 years.

Meanwhile, the Western Workshop is the organization that was born after the Eastern Workshop, founded by Minh Hien Tong Chu Kien Tham, the 9th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, in 1477. The Western Workshop is similar to the Eastern Workshop when the leader is still under the leadership of the Emperor. a eunuch holds the main power.

Tay Xuong not only concurrently assumes the functions of Cam Y Ve and Dong Doi, but also has the power to be a private court and prison. Moreover, this organization was granted full jurisdiction and punishment for any suspect without having to go through the emperor. However, the existence of the Western Workshop is very short. Specifically, the Western Workshop lasted only 5 years and was forced to close in 1482 under pressure from the imperial officials and the petitions of the people.

Although the Western Workshop was born later, it is famous for many brutal tricks.

But in 1506, during the reign of Minh Vu Tong Chu Hau Chieu, the 11th emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the Western Workshop was re-established. In 1508, the then autocratic Grand eunuch Liu Can asked the emperor to set up the Noi Xing workshop to dominate both the Eastern and Western workshops, with his hegemonic power and brutal torture methods.

In 1510, after Liu Can was killed for treason, the Noi Hanh workshop was abolished. In the same year, the Western Workshop was also dissolved and was never restored. It can be seen that the Western Workshop was established twice, but the total period of existence was only 9 years.

Second, responsibilities and the powers of the Eastern Workshop and the Western Workshop different.

Wei Trung Hien, a famous eunuch of the Ming Dynasty, used to manage the Eastern Workshop.

The reason Minh Thanh To Chu De established Dong Workshop because he wanted to have a secret organization to monitor the military bureaucracy.

In fact, before that, the Ming Dynasty also had a similar organization, Cam y Ve, founded by Minh Thai To Chu Nguyen Chuong. However, Minh Thai To Chu Di said that Cam y Ve was established outside the palace and led by high officials, so it was not convenient for the emperor to control. Therefore, this emperor decided to establish a new organization near the imperial palace, that is the Dong Workshop.

First, the Eastern Workshop has the right to supervise all the officials of the martial arts. Second, this organization has the right to send people to try important cases. Third, the Eastern Workshop can directly arrest and interrogate any martial arts officials.

In fact, many eunuchs trusted by the emperor used to head the Eastern Workshop such as Vuong Chan, Phung Bao, Wei Trung Hien, etc. By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Dong Workshop even had its own prison, very powerful. so big that all the officials in the court were in awe.

Why was the West Factory established?

The Western Workshop was established to control the bureaucracy of literature and martial arts and the eunuch forces.

When the Ming Dynasty developed to the middle stage, the forces in the court were complicated, the eunuchs in the court competed for power. To consolidate power, Emperor Ming Xianzong Zhu Jianshen established a new supervisory organization, the Western Workshop, to control the activities of court officials and eunuchs.

The first leader of the Western Workshop was the eunuch Uong Truc. Taking advantage of the emperor’s trust, Wang Zhi greatly expanded the membership of this agency. In just a few months, the number of Western workshops even doubled East workshops.

Tay Xuong has the right to arrest and interrogate suspects. To make merit, Uong Truc sent people everywhere to handle cases that made people inside and outside the capital bewildered. In a short time, the strength and power of the Western Workshop even surpassed, becoming the rival agency with the Eastern Workshop. For example, if they jointly handle a case or a case, those from the East Workshop are forced to give in one step before the West.

Third, the outcome of East and West are different.

Both are secret organizations, but East Workshop and West Workshop have different outcomes.

The East Workshop was a notorious secret organization but had a bad reputation during the Ming Dynasty. However, objectively, the Dong Workshop has also been effective in preventing corruption. Moreover, the existence of Dong Workshop also lasted more than 200 years.

Meanwhile, the Western Workshop was born later, but made everyone resentful, even making people hate it more than the Eastern Workshop. Not only specialized in investigating and harassing mandarins, the henchmen of the eunuch Uong Truc also tried to bully the people, so everyone resented them. However, this cruel agency did not last long when it was dissolved after only a few years of its establishment.