The Imperial Eunuchs

The imperial eunuch Li Lianying, 1890.

Castration was a serious breach of the code of filial piety, since the body was considered a gift of one's parents. It was important that a person die and be buried complete, so eunuchs kept their mummified genitalia ina sealed bag or casket called a "treasure box".

From China: The Land of the Heavenly Dragon edited by Professor Edward L. Shaughnessy