Today’s rummage through the weirdest articles on wikipedia brings an eye-watering tale to light – this is certainly one way to curry favour with your boss, not one i’d recommend though…
As predicted, when Yongle returned from his hunt one of the emperor’s ministers reported that Gang Bing had had inappropriate relations within the royal harem. When accused of misconduct Gang Bing instructed that the emperor’s saddle be retrieved and requested that the emperor reach inside the bag under the saddle. Inside, the emperor found Gang Bing’s shriveled, blackened genitalia. Deeply impressed, Yongle elevated Gang Bing to the rank of chief eunuch, a politically powerful position within the palace; gave him numerous gifts; and proclaimed him holy.
After Gang Bing’s death around 1411 Yongle had his general and chief eunuch deified as Patron Saint of Eunuchs. In addition, the emperor assigned a plot of land on the outskirts of Beijing as a cemetery for eunuchs and built an ancestral hall in Gang Bing’s honor. In 1530 the ancestral hall was expanded and renamed The Ancestral Hall of the Exalted Brave and Loyal, but the temple was popularly known as the “Eunuch’s Temple.” In the early 20th century the hall was still in use by eunuchs and the temple grounds contained courts and halls. In 1950, after the Communist take over of China, the Eunuch’s Temple was renamed Beijing Municipal Cemetery for Revolutionaries and in 1970 was again renamed Babaoshan National Cemetery for Revolutionaries, the name it bears today.
Never let the dingle dangle in front of yongle. Would today of course be offered free on the NHS.
Presumably upon opening the bag the emperor cried: “Gang Bing’s goolies!”
(and perhaps went on to add incredulously: “Goolies? Goolies? Goolies, goolies…what the-? Gang Bing!…. ewww.”
I’m guessing the Emperor exclaimed “Ahh…no more gang bangs for Gang Bing”. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
the Eunuch’s Temple was renamed Beijing Municipal Cemetery for Revolutionaries
Surely that takes the prize for all time best sanitized euphemism?
Ha! Poor Gang Bing
Dib dib dib.