These were bureaucrats in the government who served as advisers to the emperor. Confucius had a profound influence on the ruling class and court of China since the Han dynasty in the second century BC. The civil service exam system was based largely on his philosophy, which covered everything from familial relationships to ruling a nation. In general, he was against foreign travel, and Confucianism considered agriculture and government service the most virtuous pursuits, in contrast to commerce and trade. Thus, the Confucian scholars at court advocated domestic affairs and policies over trade and excessive interaction with other nations.

Eunuchs also served the imperial court since the Han dynasty, performing administrative tasks and guiding members of the emperor’s family in matters of protocol and etiquette. They were specially chosen to oversee the emperor’s harem in order to ensure its members’ purity because they could not father children of their own. When he became emperor, Zhu Di elevated their status, so they had more power than Confucian officials, causing friction between the two groups. They also tended to favor overseas trade missions, another point of contention.