If you’ve spent any time watching The Apothecary Diaries, you’ve probably had that nagging thought: Wait, how old are these people actually? One minute Jinshi is acting like a seasoned, slightly manipulative statesman, and the next, Maomao is outsmarting everyone in the room despite looking like a literal child. The show does a great job of keeping things vague with its lush, historical setting, but the math is actually hidden in plain sight. Honestly, the answer to how old is Maomao and Jinshi is a bit of a curveball because the series uses a traditional East Asian age-counting system that makes everyone sound older than they really are by modern standards.
The Short Answer: Maomao and Jinshi's Ages Explained
Let’s just get the numbers out of the way first. At the very start of the story—when Maomao is kidnapped and sold into the Rear Palace—Maomao is 17 years old. Meanwhile, Jinshi is 18 years old.
Yeah, you read that right. There is only a one-year age gap between the two.
If you’re shocked, you aren’t alone. Jinshi carries himself with the weight of a man in his mid-20s, and his "public" persona as a high-ranking eunuch often leads people to believe he’s around 24. Maomao, on the other hand, is frequently mistaken for being much younger because of her small stature and the fact that she was chronically malnourished growing up in the Pleasure District.
The "Traditional Age" Confusion
Here is where it gets kind of technical. In the historical setting of the Li Empire (which is heavily based on Imperial China), people used the kazeidoshi system. Basically, you are considered "one" the moment you are born. Then, everyone turns a year older on New Year’s Day, regardless of when their actual birthday falls.
So, when the story says Maomao is 17, she might actually be 15 or 16 in "Western" years. It sounds like a small detail, but it explains why she looks so small and why the power dynamics in the palace feel so intense.
Why Everyone Gets Jinshi’s Age Wrong
Jinshi is the king of smoke and mirrors. Seriously.
For the first half of the series, he’s masquerading as a eunuch named Jinshi. To pull this off, he has to appear mature enough to manage the complex bureaucracy of the Inner Palace. He tells people he is 24. He’s tall, he’s gorgeous (to a distracting degree), and he has a level of political savvy that most 18-year-olds can only dream of.
But as the plot thickens and his true identity starts to leak—especially regarding his connection to the Emperor and Lady Ah-Duo—the timeline becomes much clearer.
- The 17-Year Secret: A major plot point involves a baby switch that happened 17 years prior to the start of the series.
- The Reveal: If you follow the breadcrumbs about the "Moon Prince," it confirms Jinshi is actually 18 (approaching 19 as the first season progresses).
The contrast between his 24-year-old persona and his 18-year-old reality is actually a big part of his character arc. He’s a teenager carrying the burden of an empire, which is probably why he’s so obsessed with Maomao—she’s the only person who treats him like a human being instead of a celestial object or a political tool.
Maomao: The 17-Year-Old Who’s Seen Too Much
It’s easy to forget Maomao is just a teenager. She’s cynical, she’s obsessed with poisons, and she has the "done with life" energy of a 50-year-old librarian.
Her age of 17 is confirmed early on by Gaoshun, who notes her intelligence is rare for someone so young. Her small size (around 153 cm or 5'0") is a direct result of her upbringing. Living in a brothel meant food was sometimes scarce, and her constant "testing" of poisons on her own body definitely didn't help her growth spurts.
How Much Time Passes in the Story?
The series doesn't stay frozen in time. Unlike some anime where characters stay the same age for a decade, The Apothecary Diaries timeline moves forward.
By the time we get deep into the Light Novels (specifically around Volumes 4 and 5), a couple of years have passed. Maomao is roughly 19, and Jinshi is 20. Their relationship evolves as they age, shifting from a weird boss-employee dynamic to something much more complicated and, frankly, high-stakes.
Comparing Ages Across the Palace
To really understand the Maomao and Jinshi age gap, you have to look at the people surrounding them. The Palace is full of teenagers in adult roles.
- Lady Gyokuyou: Despite being one of the highest-ranking consorts and a mother, she is only 19 years old at the start. Only two years older than Maomao!
- Lady Lishu: This is the tragic one. She’s only 14 years old. She was married off to the previous Emperor when she was even younger, which highlights just how brutal the setting can be.
- The Emperor: He is around 34 or 35. This puts a massive gap between him and his consorts, but it also helps place Jinshi’s age in context when you realize the Emperor is essentially his "older brother" figure (or is he?).
- Gaoshun: He’s 36. He basically acts as the long-suffering dad for both Jinshi and Maomao, which makes sense given he’s nearly double their age.
The Reality of Their Relationship
So, does the age gap matter? In the world of The Apothecary Diaries, not really. They are both essentially adults by the standards of the Li Empire.
What's more interesting is the emotional maturity gap. Maomao is world-weary and practical. Jinshi, despite his brilliance, can be surprisingly petty and immature when it comes to his feelings for Maomao. He’s an 18-year-old boy with a crush, hidden inside an 18-year-old prince, hidden inside a 24-year-old eunuch persona. It’s a mess, but it’s a fun mess to watch.
What You Should Watch For Next
If you're following the anime or the manga, keep a close eye on the mentions of years. The series loves to drop hints about "17 years ago" or "the event from two winters back." These aren't just background flavor; they are the keys to confirming exactly where everyone stands.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Check out Volume 5 of the Light Novel if you want the most explicit breakdown of Jinshi’s lineage and true age.
- Re-watch the "honey" incident in the early episodes—knowing Maomao is only 17 makes her bravery (and her reckless disregard for her own safety) feel even more intense.
- Pay attention to how Maomao’s height is described. It becomes a recurring joke, but it’s also a subtle reminder of her tough childhood.
Knowing the truth about how old Maomao and Jinshi are doesn't take away from the mystery; it actually adds a layer of "oh, they're just kids trying to survive a snake pit." And honestly, that makes the whole story even better.
Actionable Insight: When discussing the series online, remember the kazeidoshi system. If someone argues that Maomao is "too young," you can point out that in our modern years, she’s roughly 16 at the start—which was standard for the era—but the story explicitly treats her as a 17-year-old entering adulthood.