Dwarfism in Daxia: Difference between revisions

One of the more well known dwarves of the middle Qian period was the dwarf Digen Youdu who was a member of a cadet branch of the Imperial family and distant cousin of Emperor Lizong. As a learned man of noble blood, he was given a position befiting of his station in the palace, initially as Chief of the dwarven eunuchs (Youdu was not an eunuch himself and had a family of his own). Reputedly he helped thwart a conspiracy against the Emperor who as a result saw him as trustworthy and rewarded him with further offices such as Keeper of the Royal Seal and Overseer of the Imperial Zoo. As a confidant of the Emperor, Digen had many rivals executed. Later he would be given the task of building the Emperor's new summer residence in Zoushi.  

Upon completion of the palace Youdu was rewarded with the post of ''Dwarf Imperial Viceroy'' of the coastal province of Ganshu and a tenth share of the incomes of its ports, something unheard of for any official before him.  As Viceroy he arrested many corrupt officials, developed the road network and built a new port, fostered the local economy and revived local fishing. He employed in turn many dwarves in his administration of Ganshu as tax collectors and customs officials. When Metzettan pirates began raiding in the nearby waters, Youdu built up a provintial war fleet of thirty ships and led it in person against the pirates. He smashed the pirate fleet at the Battle of Beihai Cove and pursued its remnants all the way to the coast of south [[Tanhai]]. He bombarded the harbor of Sheyin for supposedly selling supplies to he pirates and only stopped when offered twenty tons of silver. For this action Digen was named Admiral of the White Sea and became the first of several dwarf officials to hold active military commands.