Woman Empress Dowager Cixi

Author: Xiang Si
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Prefaced by Yan Chongnian, a renowned expert on Qing history and author of "The Veritable Records of the Twelve Emperors of the Qing Dynasty," this is a brand-new work that comprehensively showcases the life of Empress Dowager Cixi. It is a panoramic record that fully reconstructs her historical image, and for the first time, the "99-year-old imperial artifacts used by Empress Dowager Cixi" are completely revealed. It is a record of the emotional life of a unique woman; a bloody rise to power by a female emperor; and a colorful picture of court life. Empress Dowager Cixi ruled China for 48 years. She brought her personality to the extreme, her joys, sorrows, and emotions intertwined with the national politics, influencing and changing history, leaving a distinct mark of a woman on this era. When she entered the palace, she was a 16-year-old flower-like maiden, her charm captivating the Qing emperor deeply. At the age of 26, she transformed from a favored concubine to a widow. With extraordinary political talent, she effortlessly consolidated the two major factions led by Zeng Shan and Prince Gong, becoming the Empress Dowager with real power and beginning to rule behind a screen. Under heaven, nothing is outside the realm of the emperor. With a wave of the hand, she could turn the world upside down. Unmatched men all bowed down in reverence before her authority. A generation of famous strategists could not stand up to her. She skillfully defused their challenges with her feminine wiles. Empress Dowager Cixi also stood firm against foreigners with a strong stance and implemented progressive policies. She had Sheng Xuanhuai build railways, promoted women's education, and exonerated the case of Yang Naiwu and the "White Cabbage." Living in the palace as a full woman, she was full of passion. She paid attention to beauty and skincare, enjoyed gourmet food, loved flowers and plants, and personally made exquisite cosmetics. She was skilled in calligraphy and painting and often used the juice of flowers and plants to fake her artworks. She was born in the Year of the Goat, beautiful and fierce. Three emperors—Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu—died before her eyes, and the two emperors, Tongzhi and Guangxu, lived in constant fear under her control. Her life was filled with regrets, and after her death, it was a declining dynasty shrouded in turmoil. As an emperor ruling over the world, she naturally bore an undeniable responsibility. Empress Dowager Cixi's last words were shocking: "In the future, women must no longer be involved in state affairs. This goes against the family laws of our dynasty and must be strictly prevented!" This book is a historical novel that depicts the life of Empress Dowager Cixi with literary brushstrokes.