This is Megan Greene with another Postcard from Asia from the KU Center for East Asian Studies.

So you want to be a eunuch – and why not? In Imperial China, eunuchs were among the most powerful of the courtiers: It was the eunuch Zheng He, don’t forget, who convinced the emperor to let him sail to Africa many centuries ago. What’s more, eunuchs were the only men allowed in the women’s quarters. Regrettably, career opportunities for professional eunuchs in this century are limited. But only if you are operating in real reality. Virtual reality is bringing the eunuch back. IBM and the Chinese government have launched a Forbidden City website where visitors can adopt a Qing dynasty avatar and wander around the imperial complex interacting with other visitors in real time. So go ahead and get your eunuch on! No surgery necessary…

With thanks to Randi Hacker for this text, from the KU Center for East Asian Studies, I’m Megan Greene. Wish you were here.