| Li Lian-ying | |
|---|---|
| Head Eunuch | |
| In office 1869-1908 |
|
| Preceded by | An Dehai |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 November 1848 |
| Died | 4 March 1911 (aged 62) |
Li Lianying (simplified Chinese: 李连英; traditional Chinese: 李連英; pinyin: Lǐ Liányīng; November 12, 1848 - March 4, 1911) was an imperial eunuch during the Qing Dynasty who rose to power during the rule of Empress Dowager Cixi, who was the de facto ruler of China for thirty-nine years from 1869–1908. He served as the Head Eunuch (总管太监) until getting deposed in 1908. Li Lianying was known to be dominant in court affairs, controlling everything from the actions of other eunuchs, to which officials could be granted an audience by the Empress Dowager. Such things often involved large amounts of bribery, and Li Lianying made a fortune from it.
Ever since the Guangxu Emperor was poisoned in 1908, Li has been one of the main people suspected by historians of murdering the Emperor.[1] Li Lianying was murdered in 1911, possibly by Yuan Shikai, implying that they had conspired in the Emperor's murder. Puyi proposed this theory in his biography, which he claimed he heard from an old eunuch.
The 1991 film Li Lianying: The Imperial Eunuch, directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang presents a portrait of Li Lianying.