Why did the Hongwu emperor limit the influence of eunuchs in government?

The Hongwu emperor limited the influence of eunuchs in government because he viewed them—along with maternal relatives and the military—as groups historically prone to political intrigue. Having risen from peasant origins to establish the Ming dynasty, he was deeply concerned with preventing administrative corruption and consolidating absolute power.1

To ensure that such groups could not threaten his authority, the Hongwu emperor took several decisive actions:

• Prohibition of Eunuch Power: He explicitly forbade eunuchs from participating in government affairs.1
• Restricting Imperial In-laws: He prohibited the empress from meddling in court politics.1
• Military Oversight: He appointed civilian officials to oversee military affairs, ensuring that the military remained subordinate to the state.1

These measures were part of a broader effort to centralize power and eliminate potential sources of internal disruption, reflecting his desire to resuscitate a traditional Chinese way of government following the collapse of the Yuan dynasty. Despite these early efforts, later Ming emperors faced recurring issues with eunuch influence, which eventually contributed to the instability and decline of the dynasty.123