The Descendants Of The Eunuch Admiral (2000)

The Descendants Of The Eunuch Admiral tells the story of Zheng He or Cheng Ho, the famed eunuch admiral of the Ming Dynasty.

Part fact, part fiction, the play is a patchwork of episodes from Zheng He’s life, interwoven with descriptions of the eunuch hierarchy of ancient China and historical castration methods. A narrator unfolds the play, alternating between storytelling and ruminations which attempt to explore the psychology of the central character.

The play deals with Zheng He’s castration and his subsequent entry into the imperial eunuch service and how he eventually attained his name, Zheng He. It also touches on Zheng He’s reactions to palace intrigue and goes on to tell of his maritime adventures and explorations. It concludes with his dream of eventually settling in a country free of any reign of terror.

The Descendants Of The Eunuch Admiral, a play at once dark and humorous, is a tale of alienation, dislocation and a search for missing parts.