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Zhu Bolin: Difference between revisions
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The date of Zhu Bolin's birth is tentatively given in imperial records as September 24 of 1615 and while the circumstances of his birth are not well known, historians roughly agree with the date. Extant administrative scrolls record that Zhu Bolin was sold to the Imperial Palace as a newborn child of only two weeks, for a payment of four bushels of wheat and a bag of rice. The infant Zhu Bolin was then given into the care of the [[Matron of the Warren]] who was in charge of the first years of educating the dwarf children and seeing to their needs. The [[Matron of the Warren]] employed several wet nurses, usually women of very large girth, to feed the infants. Zhu Bolin grew greatly attached to his wet nurse, a woman named Wu Di, who would sometimes give him some extra time at her teat; he would help her settle down outside the palace later in life. When Zhu Bolin reached the age of nine, he was castrated with a hot knife and his parts burned in a brazier as part of the ritual to become a palace eunuch. Usually around two out of every five dwarfs to undergo the process died of blood loss or infection. As one of the survivors Zhu Bolin was now put to work as a tea boy, his task was to quickly carry tea cups for officials and guests, pass them to the majordomos and wash the used cups he was given back. His efficiency and excellent manner in conducting himself as a palace tea boy saw him get promoted to [[Head Tea Boy]] of the eastern palace wing, with one hundred younger tea boys under his command. In 1628 he served as adjutant to the [[Imperial Stool Groom]] in charge of keeping the imperial scented soaps safe. This brought him closer to members of the imperial family than any other of his past positions. One of the imperial princes he ingratiated himself to recommended Zhu Bolin to the palace school for dwarves. Zhu Bolin attended the palace school for ten years, until 1638; during his time there he learned to write and read, studied subjects such as mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. During the last three years he was chosen to delve into naval strategy studies which he excelled at. He graduated from the palace school and was awarded with the rank of Vice Captain of the ship ''Flowing Majesty'', which made him the second in command of the vessel. | The date of Zhu Bolin's birth is tentatively given in imperial records as September 24 of 1615 and while the circumstances of his birth are not well known, historians roughly agree with the date. Extant administrative scrolls record that Zhu Bolin was sold to the Imperial Palace as a newborn child of only two weeks, for a payment of four bushels of wheat and a bag of rice. The infant Zhu Bolin was then given into the care of the [[Matron of the Warren]] who was in charge of the first years of educating the dwarf children and seeing to their needs. The [[Matron of the Warren]] employed several wet nurses, usually women of very large girth, to feed the infants. Zhu Bolin grew greatly attached to his wet nurse, a woman named Wu Di, who would sometimes give him some extra time at her teat; he would help her settle down outside the palace later in life. When Zhu Bolin reached the age of nine, he was castrated with a hot knife and his parts burned in a brazier as part of the ritual to become a palace eunuch. Usually around two out of every five dwarfs to undergo the process died of blood loss or infection. As one of the survivors Zhu Bolin was now put to work as a tea boy, his task was to quickly carry tea cups for officials and guests, pass them to the majordomos and wash the used cups he was given back. His efficiency and excellent manner in conducting himself as a palace tea boy saw him get promoted to [[Head Tea Boy]] of the eastern palace wing, with one hundred younger tea boys under his command. In 1628 he served as adjutant to the [[Imperial Stool Groom]] in charge of keeping the imperial scented soaps safe. This brought him closer to members of the imperial family than any other of his past positions. One of the imperial princes he ingratiated himself to recommended Zhu Bolin to the palace school for dwarves. Zhu Bolin attended the palace school for ten years, until 1638; during his time there he learned to write and read, studied subjects such as mathematics, philosophy and astronomy. During the last three years he was chosen to delve into naval strategy studies which he excelled at. He graduated from the palace school and was awarded with the rank of Vice Captain of the ship ''Flowing Majesty'', which made him the second in command of the vessel. | ||
The ''Flowing Majesty'' participated in various skirmishes around the island of [[Zhijun]] and later was part of the squadron under the command of Admiral [[Xi Haifong]] that bombarded the capital of the kingdom of Taualai in [[Peratra]]. Zhu Bolin supervised the keelhauling of fifteen polynesian nobles as part of the punishment of Taualai's ruling elites. During the return trip to the mainland, the fleet entered a violent sea storm in which one of the ships was sunk. Zhu Bolin's captain also seemingly fell into the sea during the storm and could not be rescued, giving Bolin an impromptu promotion to captain. Some uncharitable chroniclers of the era ascribe the captain's death to Zhu Bolin and | The ''Flowing Majesty'' participated in various skirmishes around the island of [[Zhijun]] and later was part of the squadron under the command of Admiral [[Xi Haifong]] that bombarded the capital of the kingdom of Taualai in [[Peratra]]. Zhu Bolin supervised the keelhauling of fifteen polynesian nobles as part of the punishment of Taualai's ruling elites. During the return trip to the mainland, the fleet entered a violent sea storm in which one of the ships was sunk. Zhu Bolin's captain also seemingly fell into the sea during the storm and could not be rescued, giving Bolin an impromptu promotion to captain. Some uncharitable chroniclers of the era ascribe the captain's death to Zhu Bolin and ''the unnatural greed and ambition that is at the core of all dwarfs and eunuchs''. | ||
===First independent command=== | ===First independent command=== | ||
===Daxian Polynesian War=== | ===Daxian Polynesian War=== | ||