Why is father-in-law a courtesy title for eunuch?

The word "grandfather" has three different meanings.

It originally refers to famous old people.

Another way of saying it is that in ancient titles, "grandfather and cousin" wanted to be respected by officials or concubines. They hoped that eunuchs working beside the emperor could put in a good word for themselves and flatter them.

The third explanation is that the so-called "father-in-law" is actually a homonym of "palace".

Actually, these two words have different meanings. The first word "male" is a verb, which means castration; The second word "Gong" is a noun, which means "Gong". Together, it refers to eunuchs who "castrate and then enter the palace."

Moreover, eunuchs, as a group, don't like people to overemphasize their special gender significance.

Therefore, the word "father-in-law" is both a respect for him and an affirmation of his male status. Eunuchs and eunuchs are also very different. Until the Eastern Han Dynasty, "eunuchs" were castrated. Bear the pain.

And "eunuchs" since Liao Dynasty. In the early days, not all eunuchs could be called eunuchs. Only the leaders of eunuchs can be called eunuchs. The popularity of the word eunuch has gone through a long period of time, especially after the Ming Dynasty. Moreover, earlier eunuchs are not castrated now. It is only because of the "fire" in the emperor's harem that they remembered to castrate them to prevent an affair with the young master.

In short, the practitioners of these special courts have many different titles, derogatory and disrespectful meaning "eunuch". In history books or some official titles, eunuchs are "eunuchs". The following people are "big eunuchs" who demand or show respect. But that is, Li has some real power, and the rest are not on the table.