What I Know About Empress Dowager Cixi

Author: Yehe Nala Genzheng
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features: A woman who became a widow in her twenties and ruled the Qing Dynasty for half a century—what kind of person was she? What are the untold stories of the young Empress Dowager Cixi? What were her joys, sorrows, and emotions? The relationship between Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor is almost well-known, but how much of it is fabrication by later generations? What was the actual situation? How did Cixi, the Guangxu Emperor, and the concubine 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 Qing Dynasty's. Was it because 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, the Xianfeng Emperor, died of illness, but historical facts show that he committed suicide. Everyone knows that Cixi seized power, but the Xianfeng Emperor's will indicated that it was his own intention to entrust Cixi with maintaining the regime. Then how did the Empress Dowager Cai 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 personal angle, with emotional depth and reason. For modern readers, this is an invaluable opportunity to understand a true Cixi.