Translation of Mobile Toilets in Officialdom in the Qing Dynasty

There were no modern 'mobile toilets' in the officialdom of the Qing Dynasty, but there were similar functional utensils. The royal family used 'guanfang' (imperial chamber pots), while ordinary officials used movable commodes such as 'gongtong'.

The 'guanfang' exclusively used by the royal family:

• Shape and material: The 'guanfang' was a movable commode exclusively used by the royal family in the Qing Dynasty, different from the 'toilets' and 'bedpans' used by the common people. Its shape included a stool and a commode component, made of wood or tin. Some 'guanfang' were also inlaid with gemstones and carved with auspicious patterns, with exquisite craftsmanship. For example, the 'guanfang' used by Empress Dowager Cixi was carved from whole pieces of sandalwood, shaped like a gecko, with the abdomen as the container, the tail as the handle, and red gemstones inlaid in the eyes, showing extreme luxury.
• Functional design: The 'guanfang' was ingeniously designed in terms of function. It used sandalwood shavings to wrap the excrement, providing both deodorizing and anti-splashing functions. When the user went to the toilet, the excrement would fall into the sandalwood shavings, without producing any odor, ensuring a relatively clean use environment.

Commodes used by ordinary officials:

• Usage scenarios: There were no fixed toilets built in the Forbidden City. Ordinary officials had to follow palace rules and use movable commodes to meet their toilet needs. These commodes were usually called 'gongtong' and so on.
• Cleaning and transportation: The 'gongtong' and other commodes were cleaned and transported by specially assigned personnel. They would promptly transport the excrement in the commodes out of the palace for disposal to maintain the hygiene of the palace environment.
• Dealing with urgency during morning court sessions: Due to the long duration of morning court sessions, officials usually reduced their food and drink intake in advance or made other preparations to deal with urgency issues and avoid embarrassing situations during the court sessions.