The Twilight of the Forbidden City (Reminiscences of Princess Der Ling)

Author: Princess Der Ling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-09-01
Features: This is the Chinese translation of Princess Der Ling's English work Two Years in the Forbidden City. As a firsthand witness to history, Princess Der Ling recounts her experiences serving as an "Imperial Attendant" to Empress Dowager Cixi, revealing many court secrets that ordinary people could never know. It was precisely because of this book that it attracted widespread attention both domestically and internationally, which further fueled the author's writing desire, leading her to write numerous other works describing late Qing court life, such as The Fragrance of the Incense and The Tears of the Island of Penglai.
A princess of the last imperial dynasty, a woman nurtured by Western culture, faced with the clash of the new and the old, development and decline—what path would she choose? How would she think? Here, her personal experiences unfold the scenes of the early 20th century, where the beautiful and intelligent Princess Der Ling, daughter of the French Ambassador, stepped into the mysterious, eerie, and perilous imperial palace. Here, she witnessed the final struggles of a declining dynasty as it slowly faded into the mists of history, experienced the violent tremors of the feudal monarchy in China being shaken by the winds of social reform, and as a blend of East and West, she brought countless collisions of Eastern and Western cultures to the Qing court, sparking a series of unexpected stories.
Based on the author's personal experiences, this book records her firsthand observations during her service to Empress Dowager Cixi, revealing many court secrets that others could never know. With extensive, it describes the daily life, attire, behavior, and character of China's highest female ruler at the time, Empress Dowager Cixi. Many chapters in the book can be cross-referenced with major historical events that actually occurred, making it undeniably credible and demonstrating its rightful historical value.