The Complete Story of the Chinese Empress (3 Volumes)

Author: Zhao Mengxiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-04-01
Features: This book respects history while enhancing character descriptions, striving to restore the vivid and lifelike images of its subjects. The fates of empresses and concubines are closely tied to the times, so the author places them against the backdrop of history, allowing readers to see the rise and fall of an era through their joys and sorrows. The book also combines folk customs and the destinies of these figures, giving them the distinctive characteristics of the Chinese nation. It serves as both a delightful companion for leisure reading and a key to understanding feudal Chinese society.
Throughout the long history of feudal China, empresses and concubines who accompanied emperors of various dynasties were once the highest-ranking women of their time. This book compiles biographies of empresses from all dynasties, starting with the mother of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor, and ending with the last empress, Wan Rong. It also includes biographies of influential concubines, empress dowagers, and princesses who were sent as peace envoys. The book covers everything from their roles as supportive wives and mothers, to their beauty, etiquette, hobbies, rivalries, political maneuvering in the palace, and even their influence during times of regency. It paints a rich and colorful picture of the lives of women in the feudal Chinese court.
Additionally, the book includes over a thousand illustrations, featuring portraits of empresses and concubines, palace utensils, daily life scenes, clothing and hairstyles, folk customs, famous landmarks, and calligraphy and paintings. The book is comprehensive, detailed, and visually engaging, making it suitable for both reading cover-to-cover and quick reference. It is perfect for both personal collection and gifting.