What I Know About Empress Dowager Cixi: An Oral Record by a Great Grandson

Author: Yehe Nala Genzheng
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: What kind of person was a woman who became a widow in her twenties and ruled the Qing Dynasty for half a century? What are the untold stories of the young Empress Dowager Cixi? What were her joys, sorrows, and emotions? The relationship between Cixi and Emperor Guangxu is almost well-known, but how much of it is fabrication by later generations? What was the real situation? How exactly did Cixi, Emperor Guangxu, and Zhen die? How many tragic pasts did the not-so-beautiful Empress Longyu have? Whether in official or unofficial history, people cannot find the shadow of Cixi's family among the of the Qing Dynasty. Was it that Cixi had poor relationships with her family, or did she hide many selfish motives? This is also an unsolvable mystery.
People know that Cixi's husband, Emperor Xianfeng, died of illness, but historical facts show he committed suicide. Everyone knows that Cixi seized power, but Emperor Xianfeng's will indicated that it was his own intention to entrust Cixi with maintaining the regime. Then how did Empress Dowager Cian die? There are too many legends about Cixi, but the fabricated parts are just that—fabricated, while historical facts remain facts. What do Cixi's descendants say about her? Historically, Cixi has always been seen as a narrow-minded, traitorous, and luxurious empress dowager; from a family perspective, she was a flesh-and-blood, filial feudal woman. This book tells the story of Cixi from a side, with emotional depth and logic. For modern readers, this is an invaluable opportunity to understand the real Cixi.