The Twilight of the Forbidden City -- Memoirs of Princess Der Ling

Author: Princess Der Ling (USA), translated by Qin Chuan'an
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, 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, inspiring the author to write several other works describing late Qing court life, such as The Fragrance of the Palace and The Tears of the Imperial Palace. A princess of the last 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, enters the mysterious, eerie, and perilous imperial palace. Here, she witnesses the final struggles of a declining dynasty as it slowly fades into the mists of history, experiences the violent tremors of the feudal monarchy in China being shaken by social reform currents, and as a hybrid of East and West, she brings a series of cultural collisions between the East and the West to the Qing court, sparking one unexpected story after another. 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 ordinary people could never know. It devotes substantial to describing 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.