Tian Yi
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Tian Yi | |
|---|---|
 Tian’s tomb in Shijingshan, Beijing | |
| Born | 1534 Shaanxi Province |
| Died | 1605 (aged 72) Beijing |
| Occupation | Imperial court eunuch |
| Known for | respected for his character and ethics |
Tian Yi (traditional Chinese: 田義; simplified Chinese: 田义; pinyin: Tián Yì, 1534 - 1605) was a eunuch serving at the imperial court of the Ming dynasty. He served under the Jiajing, the Longqing, and the Wanli emperors for a total of 63 years[1] and eventually rose to a high position in the court, overseeing the Directorate of Ceremonial ("Master of the Seal in charge of rituals[2][self-published source?] ) which ranked first among the twelve eunuch directorates.[3] By the time of this death, he had become the favorite eunuch of the Wanli Emperor.[4]
Tian Yi was born in Shaanxi Province[3] and was castrated at age 9.[1] He entered the imperial court immediately afterwards.[1] When he died in 1605, the Wanli Emperor ordered three days of mourning[1][4] and the construction of a tomb with many features of an imperial mausoleum to commemorate him.[1][4]
