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Author: De Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: Most of the legends about Empress Dowager Cixi were fabricated by people who knew nothing about her inner circle in taverns and teahouses. Even writers of official histories often used such baseless tales as references. De Ling, the "imperial concubine before the throne" of Empress Dowager Cixi, wrote works in English such as Memoirs of a Concubine in the Qing Palace, Fragrance of Orchids in the Imperial Garden, Recollections of the Late Qing Political Situation, and the documentary works Tears of Blood on the Island of Yingtao and The Ethereal Fragrance of the Imperial Incense. These works were translated into Chinese by Gu Qiuxin, Qin Shouou, and others, and circulated domestically. De Ling, the "imperial concubine before the throne" of Empress Dowager Cixi, wrote works in English such as Memoirs of a Concubine in the Qing Palace, Fragrance of Orchids in the Imperial Garden, Recollections of the Late Qing Political Situation, and the documentary works Tears of Blood on the Island of Yingtao and The Ethereal Fragrance of the Imperial Incense. These works were translated into Chinese by Gu Qiuxin, Qin Shouou, and others, and circulated domestically. Her English works on the Qing court are specific products of the early 20th century, a period when Sino-Western cultural exchange began to flourish. Their greatest feature is that the author, with her unique firsthand experience, introduced Westerners to the real lives of high-ranking Chinese rulers, preserving valuable historical materials of Qing court life to some extent. These works continue to enjoy a wide readership to this day.