Jiru was a trusted personal servant of Emperor Gaozu, the founder of China's Han dynasty. Louis Crompton claims that Jiru was Gaozu's pillow companion, or homosexual lover, and that Jiru had more access to the emperor than did ministers.[1] Jiru was documented by Sima Qian in the Records of the Grand Historian:
Gaozu's example of effectively elevating a male lover to the top of the administration would be followed by nine more rulers of the Han dynasty. This relationship was especially noted because Gaozu was a former brigand with coarse manners, while Jiru was considered elegant.