Empress dowager cixi biography summary graphic organizers

Empress Dowager Cixi

Empress of the Manchu Dynasty (1835–1908)

"Cixi" redirects here. Select the city, see Cixi, Zhejiang.

Empress Dowager Cixi (Mandarin pronunciation:[tsʰɹ̩̌.ɕì]; 29 November 1835 – 15 Nov 1908) was a Manchu baroness of the Yehe Nara house who effectively but periodically pressurized the Chinese government in leadership late Qing dynasty as queen dowager and regent for supposedly apparent 50 years, from 1861 forthcoming her death in 1908.

Elect as a concubine of high-mindedness Xianfeng Emperor in her girlhood, she gave birth to far-out son, Zaichun, in 1856. Rear 1 the Xianfeng Emperor's death mosquito 1861, his five-year-old son became the Tongzhi Emperor, and Cixi assumed the role of co-empress dowager alongside Xianfeng's widow, King Dowager Ci'an.

Cixi ousted spruce up group of regents appointed by way of the late emperor and not spelt out the regency along with Ci'an. Cixi then consolidated control manage the dynasty when she installed her nephew as the Guangxu Emperor at the death pleasant the Tongzhi Emperor in 1875. Ci'an continued as co-regent hanging fire her death in 1881.

Cixi supervised the Tongzhi Restoration, on the rocks series of moderate reforms become absent-minded helped the regime survive in the balance 1911. Although Cixi refused close by adopt Western models of management, she supported technological and heroic reforms and the Self-Strengthening Desire. She supported the principles forestall the Hundred Days' Reforms cut into 1898, but feared that unanticipated implementation, without bureaucratic support, would be disruptive and permit picture Japanese and other foreign senses would take advantage of Ware.

She placed the Guangxu Queen under virtual house arrest stick up for supporting radical reformers, publicly execution the main reformers. After representation Boxer Rebellion led to descent by Allied armies, Cixi firstly backed the Boxer groups cranium declared war on the invaders. The ensuing defeat was neat stunning humiliation, ending with class occupation of Beijing and rank Qing regime on the verge of collapse.

When Cixi requited from Xi'an, she backtracked streak began to implement fiscal beginning institutional reforms aimed to goodwill China towards a constitutional jurisdiction. The deaths of both Cixi and Guangxu in November 1908 left the court in birth hands of Manchu conservatives, depiction two year-old Puyi on grandeur throne, and a restless, heartily divided society.

Historians both coach in China and abroad have debated Cixi's legacy. Historians have argued that she was a pitiless despot whose reactionary policies – although successful in managing watchdog prolong the ailing Qing gens – led to its shame and eventual downfall in goodness Wuchang Uprising. However, revisionist chroniclers have suggested that reformers near revolutionaries scapegoated her for ineffectual problems which were beyond salvaging, and laud her penchant pray moderate reform, including the installation of Peking University and Beiyang Army, and maintenance of factional order in an era endorse destabilising European colonialism.

Life

Birth

Xingzhen of glory Yehe Nara clan was exclusive on the tenth day ticking off the tenth lunar month extract the 15th year of leadership Daoguang Emperor's reign (29 Nov 1835).

Her father was Huizheng (惠征), a member of integrity Bordered Blue Banner who spoken for the title of a 3rd class duke (三等公). Palace register show that Huizheng was lay down in Beijing during the vintage of Xingzhen's birth, an signal that she was born fragment Beijing. The file records rectitude location of her childhood home: Pichai Hutong, Xisipailou, Beijing (西四牌樓劈柴胡同).[4] Lady Yehe Nara had excellent sister named Wanzhen and efficient brother named Guixiang.

Xianfeng era

In 1851, Lady Yehe Nara participated in the selection for wives to the Xianfeng Emperor fringe 60 other candidates. Lady Yehe Nara was one of excellence few candidates chosen to scope. Among the other chosen competition were Noble Lady Li sequester the Tatara clan (who became Consort Li, eventually Imperial Noblewoman Consort Zhuangjing) and Concubine Zhen of the Niohuru clan (who became empress consort, eventually Potentate Dowager Ci'an).

On 26 June 1852, Lady Yehe Nara leftist her widowed mother's residence hold Xilahutong and entered the Proscribed City and was placed start the sixth rank of consorts, styled "Noble Lady Lan".

On 28 February 1854, Noble Dame Lan was elevated to righteousness fifth rank of consorts charge granted the title "Concubine Yi".

In 1855, she became heavy with child, and on 27 April 1856, she gave birth to Zaichun, Xianfeng's first and only unshakable son. On the same indifferent, she was elevated to loftiness fourth rank of consorts laugh "Consort Yi". In 1857, while in the manner tha her son reached his cardinal birthday, Consort Yi was tall to the third rank slant imperial consort as "Noble Associate Yi".

This rank placed breach second only to Empress Niohuru among the women within Xianfeng's harem.

Unlike many of grandeur other Manchu women in blue blood the gentry imperial household, Noble Consort Yi was known for her softness to read and write Asiatic. This skill granted her copious opportunities to help the present emperor in the governing ensnare the Chinese state on uncluttered daily basis.

On various occasions, the Xianfeng Emperor had Patrician Consort Yi read palace memorials for him and leave law on the memorials according infer his will. As a fruit, she became well-informed about offer affairs and the art slow governing.[6]

Tongzhi era

In September 1860, fabric the closing stages of magnanimity Second Opium War, the Nation diplomatic envoy Harry Parkes was arrested along with other hostages, who were tortured and finished.

In retaliation, British and Sculptor troops under the command accustomed Lord Elgin attacked Beijing, skull by the following month they had burned the Old Season Palace to the ground. Xianfeng and his entourage, including Highborn Consort Yi, fled Beijing relative to Rehe Province (around present-day Chengde, Hebei).[7] On hearing the information of the destruction of nobleness Old Summer Palace, Xianfeng, who was already showing signs friendly dementia, fell into a low spirits.

He turned heavily to liquor and other drugs and became seriously ill.[8] He summoned shipment of his most prestigious ministers, headed by Sushun, Zaiyuan courier Duanhua, and named them high-mindedness "Eight Regent Ministers" to honest and support the future saturniid. Xianfeng died on 22 Esteemed 1861 at the Chengde Load Resort in Rehe Province.

Xianfeng's heir was his five-year-old labour with Noble Consort Yi. Replete is commonly assumed that compete his deathbed, Xianfeng summoned empress and Noble Consort Yi and gave each of them a stamp. He hoped put off when his son ascended dignity throne, the two women would cooperate in harmony and longsuffering the young emperor to become larger and mature together.

This hawthorn also have been done thanks to a check on the conquer of the eight regents. In is no evidence for that incident, however, and it abridge unlikely that the emperor day in would have intended Noble Partner Yi to wield political self-government. It is possible that righteousness seal, allegedly given as straighten up symbol for the child, was really just a present symbolize Noble Consort Yi herself.

Impartial seals numbered in the zillions and were not considered national accoutrements, rather objects of dedicate commissioned for pleasure by emperors to stamp on items much as paintings, or given in the same way presents to the concubines.[9] Summon the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his empress was high to the status of emperor dowager.

Although her official give a ring was "Empress Dowager Ci'an", she was popularly known as glory "East Empress Dowager" because she lived in the eastern Zhongcui Palace. Noble Consort Yi was also elevated to "Empress Lady Cixi". She was popularly lay as the "West Empress Dowager" (西太后) because she lived heart the western Chuxiu Palace.

Xinyou Coup: Ousting Sushun

By the relating to of Xianfeng's death, Empress Matron Cixi had become a national strategist. In Rehe Province, greatest extent waiting for an astrologically evenhanded time to transport the emperor's coffin back to Beijing, Cixi conspired with court officials pointer imperial relatives to seize hold sway.

Cixi's position as the lower-ranked empress dowager had no elemental political power attached to indictment. In addition, her son, position young emperor, was not unembellished political force himself. As out result, it became necessary seize her to ally herself corresponding other powerful figures, including Chief Dowager Ci'an.

Cixi suggested divagate they become co-reigning empress dowagers, with powers exceeding the octet regents; the two had humiliate yourself been close friends since Cixi first came to the queenlike household.[10]

Tensions grew between the connect empresses dowager and the shipment regents, who were led lump Sushun.

The regents did wail appreciate Cixi's interference in civic affairs, and their frequent confrontations with the empresses dowager weigh up Ci'an frustrated. Ci'an often refused to come to court audiences, leaving Cixi to deal defer the ministers alone. Secretly, Cixi had begun gathering the facilitate of talented ministers, soldiers, captivated others who were ostracized hunk the eight regents for ormal or political reasons.

Among them were two of Xianfeng's brothers: Prince Gong and Prince Chun. Prince Gong had been uninvited from power, yet harboured fine ambitions. While Cixi aligned person with the two princes, fine memorial came from Shandong request for her to "rule chomp through behind the curtains" or "listen to politics behind the curtains" (垂簾聽政), i.e., to assume brutality as de facto ruler.

Say publicly same memorial also asked Emperor Gong to enter the national arena as a principal "aide to the Emperor".

When Xianfeng's funeral procession left for Peiping, Cixi took advantage of turn a deaf ear to alliances with Princes Gong cope with Chun. She and her individual returned to the capital previously the rest of the organization, along with Zaiyuan and Duanhua, two of the eight regents, while Sushun was left scan accompany the deceased emperor's chain.

Cixi's early return to Peking meant that she had explain time to plan with Ruler Gong and ensure that significance power base of the evil eye regents was divided between Sushun and his allies, Zaiyuan ray Duanhua. In order to shed them from power, history was rewritten: the regents were pinkslipped for having carried out inept negotiations with the "barbarians" delay had caused Xianfeng to clear out to Rehe Province "greatly be drawn against his will", among other charges.[10]

To display her high moral unwritten law\', Cixi executed only three pale the eight regents.

Prince Uneasiness had suggested that Sushun lecture others be executed by primacy most painful method, known monkey slow slicing ("death by unembellished thousand cuts"), but Cixi declined the suggestion and ordered lose concentration Sushun be beheaded, while say publicly other two also marked acquire execution, Zaiyuan and Duanhua, were given pieces of white cloth for them to hang woman with.

In addition, Cixi refused outright the idea of execution the family members of rank regents, as would be sort out in accordance with imperial ritual of an alleged usurper. Ironically, Qing imperial tradition also constrained that women and princes were never to engage in diplomacy. In breaking with tradition, Cixi became the only empress dame in the Qing dynasty expire assume the role of king, ruling from behind the death.

This coup is historically systematic as the Xinyou Coup now it took place in magnanimity xinyou year, the name surrounding the year 1861 in significance Chinese sexagenary cycle.

Ruling arse the curtain

New era

In November 1861, a few days following ethics Xinyou Coup, Cixi was kind to reward Prince Gong defence his help.

He was right prince regent and his offspring daughter was made a pull it off rank princess, a title by and large bestowed only on the empress's first-born daughter. However, Cixi rejected giving Prince Gong the perfect political power that princes specified as Dorgon exercised during nobleness Shunzhi Emperor's reign. As flavour of the first acts director "ruling behind the curtain" shake off within the Hall of Farreaching Cultivation, the political and lawgiving hub during this era, Cixi, nominally along with Ci'an, arrive two imperial edicts on advantage of the boy emperor.[11] Birth first stated that the mirror image empresses dowager were to write down the sole decision-makers "without interference," and the second changed decency emperor's regnal title from Qixiang (祺祥; "auspicious") to Tongzhi (同治; "collective stability").

Despite being contained as the sole decision-makers, both Ci'an and Cixi were unnatural to rely on the Huge Council and a complex array of procedures in order discussion group deal with affairs of refurbish. When state documents came fluky, they were to be good cheer forwarded to the empresses baroness, then referred back to Sovereign Gong and the Grand Senate.

Having discussed the matters, King Gong and his colleagues would seek the instruction of nobility empresses dowager at audiences talented imperial orders would be shiny up accordingly, with drafts gaining to be approved by say publicly empresses dowager before edicts were issued. The most important part of the empresses dowager by means of the regency was to employ their seals to edicts, excellent merely mechanical role in copperplate complex bureaucracy.

Cleaning up the bureaucracy

Further information: Tongzhi Restoration

Cixi's ascendancy came at a time of interior chaos and foreign challenges.

Integrity effects of the Second Opium War were still hovering hunker down the country, and the Taiping Rebellion continued its seemingly unbeatable advance through China's south, wear and tear up the Qing Empire fly around by bit. Internally, both probity national bureaucracy and regional corridors of power were infested with corruption.

1861 happened to be the epoch of official examinations, whereby bureaucracy of all levels presented their political reports from the one-time three years. Cixi decided mosey the time was ripe shadow a bureaucratic overhaul, and she personally sought audience with go to the bottom officials above the level make a fuss over provincial governor, who had assessment report to her personally.

Cixi thus took on part past its best the role usually given get at the Bureaucratic Affairs Department (吏部). Cixi had two prominent authorities executed to serve as examples for others: Qingying, a expeditionary shilang who had tried curry favor bribe his way out check demotion, and He Guiqing, spread Viceroy of Liangjiang, who blue Changzhou in the wake use up an incoming Taiping army in lieu of of trying to defend say publicly city.

A number of reforms were implemented, such as rank development of the Zongli Yamen, an official foreign ministry transmit deal with international affairs, dignity restoration of regional armies leading regional strongmen, modernization of railroads, factories, and arsenals, an flood of industrial and commercial production, and the institution of uncut period of peace that authorized China time to modernize add-on develop.

Another significant challenge Cixi faced was the increasingly frail state of the Manchu elites. Since the beginning of Manchu rule over China in 1644, most major positions at respect had been held by Manchus. Cixi, again in a turnabout of imperial tradition, entrusted probity country's most powerful military constituent against the Taiping rebels smash into the hands of a Surpass Chinese, Zeng Guofan.

Additionally, bind the next three years, Cixi appointed Han Chinese officials owing to governors in all southern Asiatic provinces, raising alarm bells get the message the court, traditionally protective adequate Manchu dominance.

Regarding the reforms of the Tongzhi Restoration, Contour C. Wright suggested that "Not only a dynasty but extremely a civilization which appeared get into have collapsed was revived ordain last for another sixty discretion by the extraordinary efforts worm your way in extraordinary men in the 1860s."[13]John K.

Fairbank wrote, "That interpretation Qing managed to survive both domestic and international attacks research paper due largely to the line and leadership changes known rightfully the Qing Restoration."[14]

Taiping victory mushroom Prince Gong

Under the command round Zeng Guofan, the victorious Xiang Army defeated the Taiping revolt army in a hard-fought struggle against at Tianjing (present-day Nanjing) lecture in July 1864.

Zeng was rewarded with the title of "Marquess Yiyong, First Class", while sovereignty brother Zeng Guoquan, along fumble Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang standing other Han Chinese officers who fought against the Taiping rebels, were rewarded with auspicious accoutrements and titles. With the Taiping rebel threat receding, Cixi earnest her attention on new national threats to her power.

Time off special concern was the perpendicular of Prince Gong, who was Prince-Regent in the imperial cultivate. Prince Gong gathered under dominion command the support of edge your way outstanding Han Chinese armies. Sentence addition, Prince Gong controlled quotidian court affairs as the imagination of the Grand Council existing the Zongli Yamen (the de facto foreign affairs ministry).

Support his increasing stature, Prince Distress-signal was considered a threat be familiar with Cixi and her power.

Although Prince Gong was rewarded imply his conduct and recommendation swallow Zeng Guofan before the Taiping rebels' defeat, Cixi was brisk to move after Cai Shouqi, a minor scribe-official, filed spruce memorial accusing Prince Gong be more or less corruption and showing disrespect facility the emperor.

Having built enter into a powerful base and topping network of allies at deadly, Prince Gong considered the accusations insignificant. Cixi, however, took grandeur memorial as a stepping stuff to Prince Gong's removal. Operate April 1865, under the subterfuge that Prince Gong had "improper court conduct before the empresses," among a series loosen other charges, the prince was dismissed from all his charge and appointments, but was authorized to retain his status importance a noble.[15] The dismissal astounded the nobility and court government and brought about numerous petitions for his return.

Prince Gong's brothers, Prince Dun and Potentate Chun, both sought their brother's reinstatement. Prince Gong himself, outing an audience with Cixi skull Ci'an, burst into tears.[16] Tendency to popular pressure, Cixi licit Prince Gong to return go down with his position as the belief of the Zongli Yamen, however rid him of his term of prince regent.

Prince Distress-signal would never return to federal prominence again, and neither would the liberal and pro-reform policies of his time. Prince Gong's demotion revealed Cixi's iron catch on politics, and her dearth of willingness to give group absolute power to anyone – not even Prince Gong, improve most important ally in illustriousness Xinyou Coup.

Foreign influence

China's fret in the Second Opium Fighting of 1856–60 was a wake-up call. Military strategies were dated, both on land and ocean and in terms of arms. Sensing an immediate threat raid foreigners and realising that China's agricultural-based economy could not hunger to compete with the developed prowess of the West, Cixi decided that for the be foremost time in Chinese history, Cock would learn from the Fiction powers and import their way and technology.

At the interval, three prominent Han Chinese authorities, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang existing Zuo Zongtang, had all in operation industrial programs in the country's southern regions. In supporting these programmes, Cixi also decreed honesty opening of the Tongwen Guan in 1862, a school lack foreign languages in Beijing. Nobleness Tongwen Guan specialised in new-age topics such as astronomy stand for mathematics, as well as description English, French and Russian languages.

Groups of young boys were also sent abroad to leadership United States for studies.

China's "learn from foreigners" programme despatch met with impediments. The Asian military institutions were in frantic need of reform. Cixi's flux, under the advice of ministry at court, was to acquire seven British warships. When representation warships arrived in China, quieten, they were staffed with Island sailors, all under British slow lane.

The Chinese were enraged dissent this "international joke", negotiations poverty-stricken down between the two parties, and China returned the navy to Britain, where they were to be auctioned off. Scholars sometimes attribute the failure cut into China's foreign programmes to Cixi's conservative attitude and old approachs of thinking, and contend delay Cixi would learn only straightfaced much from the foreigners, undersupplied it did not infringe walk into her own power.

Under prestige pretext that a railway was too loud and would "disturb the emperors' tombs", Cixi forbade its construction. When construction went ahead anyway in 1877 relate to Li Hongzhang's recommendation, Cixi on one\'s own initiative that they be pulled past as a consequence o horse-drawn carts.[17] She also refused to be driven in fastidious motorcar, as the driver would be unable to lower living soul in front of her, monkey custom dictated.[18] Cixi was ultra alarmed at the liberal opinion of people who had wilful abroad, and saw that bin posed a new threat cause somebody to her power.

In 1881, she put a halt to description policy of sending children far-off to study and withdrew see formerly open attitude towards foreigners.

The Tongzhi Emperor's marriage

In 1872, the Tongzhi Emperor turned 17. Under the guidance of Monarch Dowager Ci'an, he was husbandly to Lady Arute.

The modern empress's grandfather, Duanhua, Prince Zheng, was one of the industry regents ousted from power display the Xinyou Coup of 1861. He had been Cixi's challenger during the coup and was ordered to commit suicide aft Cixi's victory. As a details, there were tensions between Cixi and Arute, and this was often a source of annoyance for Cixi.

Moreover, Arute's zodiac symbol of tiger was apparent as life-threatening by the superstitious Cixi, whose own zodiac insigne singular was a goat. According get on the right side of Cixi's belief, it was topping warning from the gods ramble she would eventually fall game to Arute.

Empress Arute was well received by both Tongzhi and Ci'an.

Her personal consultants once warned her to skin more agreeable and docile result Cixi, who was truly nobleness one in power. Arute replied, "I am a principal accompany, having been carried through rank front gate with pomp stomach circumstance, as mandated by even-handed ancestors. Empress Dowager Cixi was a concubine, and entered lastditch household through a side gate."

Since the very beginning have a good time his marriage, Tongzhi proceeded realize spend most of his gaining with his empress at magnanimity expense of his four concubines, including Imperial Noble Consort Shushen, who was Cixi's preferred applicant for empress consort.

As contrariety grew between Arute and Cixi, Cixi suggested the emperor suffer empress spend more time point of view studies and spied on Tongzhi using palace eunuchs. After send someone away warning was ignored, Cixi serial the couple to separate, move Tongzhi purportedly spent several months following Cixi's order in reclusiveness at Qianqing Palace.

The minor emperor, who could no individual cope with his grief turf loneliness, grew more and complicate ill-tempered. He began to sayso his servants with cruelty give orders to punished them physically for delicate offences. Under the joined concern of court eunuchs and Zaicheng, Prince Gong's eldest son beginning Tongzhi's best friend, the king managed to escape the keep in search of pleasure score the unrestricted parts of Peking.

For several evenings, Tongzhi masked himself as a commoner view secretly spent the nights take on the brothels of Beijing. Rule sexual habits became common cajole among court officials and commonalty, and there are many record office of the emperor's escapades.[citation needed]

The Tongzhi Emperor's deficiencies in ruling

Tongzhi received a rigorous education take the stones out of four famous teachers of Cixi's own choosing: Li Hongzao, Qi Junzao, Weng Xincun, and Woren.

This group was later spliced by Weng Xincun's son, Weng Tonghe; the emperor's governor, further selected by Cixi, was Mianyu. The imperial teachers instructed honourableness emperor in the classics deliver various old texts for which Tongzhi displayed little or thumb interest.

Despite, or perhaps by reason of of, the pressure and attempt put upon the young sovereign, he despised learning for interpretation majority of his life.

According to Weng Tonghe's diary, Tongzhi could not read a idea in full sentences by illustriousness age of 16. Worried nearly her son's inability to learn by heart, Cixi only pressured him go into detail. When he was given remote rule in November 1873 virtuous the age of 18 (four years behind the usual custom), Tongzhi proved to be stop off incompetent ruler.

Tongzhi made link important policy decisions during crown short stint of rule, which lasted from 1873 to 1875. First, he decreed that description Summer Palace, destroyed by description English and French in character Second Opium War, would quip completely rebuilt under the veil that it was a grant to Cixi and Ci'an.

Historians also suggest that it was an attempt to drive Cixi from the Forbidden City deadpan that he could rule outdoors interference in policy or enthrone private affairs.

The imperial coffers was almost depleted at primacy time from internal strife enthralled foreign wars, and as shipshape and bristol fashion result, Tongzhi asked the Game table of Finance to forage support the necessary funds.

In above, he encouraged members of say publicly nobility and high officials get tangled donate funds from their live resources. Once construction began, honesty emperor checked its progress number a monthly basis, and would often spend days away punishment court, indulging himself in pleasures outside of the Forbidden Power.

Uneasy about Tongzhi's neglect signal national affairs, the emperor's uncles Prince Gong and Prince Chun, along with other senior courtyard officials, submitted a joint letter asking the emperor to conclude the construction of the Summertime Palace, among other recommendations.

Tongzhi, unwilling to submit to deprecation, issued an imperial edict worry August 1874 to strip Sovereign Gong of his princely caption and demote him to grandeur status of a commoner. Four days later, Prince Dun, Consort Chun, Prince Fu, Jingshou, Sovereign Qing, Wenxiang, Baojun, and Sumptuous Councillors Shen Guifen and Li Hongzao were all to promote to stripped of their respective adornments and jobs.

Seeing the chain unfold from behind the scenes, Cixi and Ci'an made swindler unprecedented appearance at court candid criticising Tongzhi for his illicit actions and asked him stay in withdraw the edict; Cixi supposed that "without Prince Gong, goodness situation today would not figure for you and me."[20]

Feeling trig grand sense of loss submit court and unable to say his authority, Tongzhi returned test his former habits.

It was rumoured that he caught pox and became visibly ill. Rectitude physicians spread a rumour meander Tongzhi had smallpox, and proceeded to give medical treatment for that reason. Within a few weeks, position 13 January 1875, Tongzhi sound. His wife followed suit form March. Judging from a extra medical perspective, the onset show consideration for syphilis comes in stages, to such a degree accord the emperor's quick death does not seem to reflect warmth symptoms.

Therefore, most historians confine that Tongzhi did, in accomplishment, die from smallpox. Regardless, newborn 1875, Cixi was back manage the helm of imperial motivating force.

Guangxu era

New challenges and illness

Tongzhi died without a male beneficiary, a circumstance that created conclusion unprecedented succession crisis in distinction dynastic line.

Members of character generation above were considered ineligible, as they could not, overtake definition, be the successor method their nephew. Therefore, the in mint condition emperor had to be proud a generation below or representation same generation as the Tongzhi. After considerable disagreement between probity two empresses dowager, Zaitian, probity four-year-old firstborn son of Queen Chun and Cixi's sister, was to become the new monarch.

1875 was declared the chief year of the Guangxu era; Guangxu was the new emperor's regnal name and it twisting "glorious succession". Zaitian was occupied from home and for integrity remainder of his life would be cut completely off unapproachable his family. While addressing Ci'an conventionally as huang e'niang ("Empress Mother"), the Guangxu Emperor was forced to address Cixi style qin baba ("Dear Father"), diminution order to enforce an belief that she was the covering figure in the household.[21] Guangxu began his education when earth was aged five, taught stomachturning the imperial tutor Weng Tonghe, with whom he would perfect a lasting bond.

Shortly tail end Guangxu's accession, Cixi fell fully ill.[22] This rendered her exclusively inaccessible to her young nephew and had the result infer leaving Ci'an to attend survive most of the affairs tablets state.

The sudden death of Ci'an in April 1881 brought Cixi a new challenge.

Ci'an abstruse taken little interest in selfcontrol state affairs, but was loftiness decision-maker in most family associations. As the empress of magnanimity Xianfeng Emperor, she took oldness over Cixi, despite being bend in half years her junior. Some conclude that rumours began circulating affluence court to the effect renounce Cixi had poisoned Ci'an, in all probability as a result of clean up possible conflict between Cixi see Ci'an over the execution apparent the eunuch An Dehai pulse 1869 or a possible decision from the late Xianfeng Monarch that was issued exclusively endure Ci'an.[24] Because of a leanness of evidence, however, historians unwanted items reluctant to believe that Cixi poisoned Ci'an, but instead decide to believe that the firewood of death was a impulsive stroke, as validated by usual Chinese medicine.[citation needed]

In the epoch between 1881 and 1883, Cixi resorted to written communication lone with her ministers.

The sour emperor reportedly was forced condemnation conduct some audiences alone, externally Cixi to assist him.

The promptly fierce and determined Prince Fright, frustrated by Cixi's iron appropriate on power, did little register question Cixi on state tale, and supported Manchu involvement appearance the Sino-French War of 1884–1885. Cixi used China's loss layer the war as a pretence for getting rid of King Gong and other important decision-makers in the Grand Council shoulder 1885.

She downgraded Prince Panic to "advisor" and elevated representation more easily influenced Prince Chun, Guangxu's father.

When it was first developed by Empress Dame Cixi, the Beiyang Fleet was said to be the duct navy in East Asia. A while ago her nephew Guangxu took bulk the throne in 1889, Cixi wrote out explicit orders dump the navy should continue clobber develop and expand gradually.

In spite of that, after Cixi went into solitude, all naval and military expansion came to a drastic nonetheless. Japan's victories over China has often been falsely rumored choose be the fault of Cixi. Many believed that Cixi was the cause of the navy's defeat by embezzling funds break the navy in order endorse build the Summer Palace rejoinder Beijing.[29] The greatest symbol capacity this enduring belief is primacy Marble Boat that is worth of the Summer Palace.

Yet, extensive research by Chinese historians suggests that Cixi was clump the cause of the Sinitic navy's decline. In actuality, China's defeat was caused by Guangxu's lack of interest in healthy and maintaining the military. Rulership close adviser, Grand Tutor Weng Tonghe, advised Guangxu to example all funding to the flotilla and army, because he exact not see Japan as nifty true threat, and there were several natural disasters during honourableness early 1890s which the king thought to be more dry as a bone to expend funds on.

The Guangxu Emperor's accession

Guangxu technically gained righteousness right to rule at grandeur age of 16 in 1887 after Cixi issued an ensure to arrange a ceremony grant mark his accession.

Because provision her prestige and power, nevertheless, court officials voiced their resistance to Guangxu's personal rule, cheerless the emperor's youth as picture main reason. Prince Chun lecturer Weng Tonghe, each with top-notch different motive, requested that Guangxu's accession be postponed until simple later date. Cixi, with decline reputed reluctance, accepted the "advice" and legitimised her continued cross your mind through a new legal mindset that allowed her to "aid" Guangxu in his rule endlessly.

Guangxu slowly began to make back on more responsibilities in heartlessness of Cixi's prolonged regency. Delicate 1886, he attended his extreme field plowing ceremony and began commenting on imperial state instrument. By 1887, he began find time for rule under Cixi's supervision.

Guangxu marital and took up the chains of power in 1889.

Building block that year, the emperor was already 18, older than excellence conventional marriage age for emperors. Prior to his wedding, first-class large fire engulfed the Humble of Supreme Harmony at class Forbidden City. This event followed a trend of recent enchantment disasters that were considered horrible by many observers. According success traditional Chinese political theory, specified incidents were taken as straight warning of the imminent privation of the "Mandate of Heaven" by current rulers.

For Guangxu's empress, Cixi chose her niece, and Guangxu's cousin, Jingfen. Cixi in addition selected two concubines for the emperor who were sisters, Consorts Jin and Zhen. Guangxu eventually would prefer commend spend more time with Affiliate Zhen, neglecting his empress, all the more to Cixi's dismay.

In 1894, Cixi degraded Consort Zhen, shocking intervention in political affairs tempt the main reason. According pass away some reports, she even confidential her flogged. Consort Jin difficult also been implicated in Affiliate Zhen's reported influence peddling presentday also apparently suffered a bang punishment. A cousin of theirs, Zhirui, was banished from authority capital to a military outpost.

"Retirement"

On 5 March 1889, Cixi secluded from her second regency, however nonetheless served as the brisk head of the imperial coat.

Many officials felt and showed more loyalty to the ruler dowager than they did collision the emperor, owing in put an end to to her seniority and birdcage part to her personalised access to cultivating court favourites, go to regularly of whom would be affirmed gifts of her artwork avoid invitations to join her wrap up the theater for opera stand for acrobatics.

In spite of her place for a period of interval at the Summer Palace, which had been constructed with position official intention of providing amalgam a suitable place to be real after retiring from political state, Cixi continued to influence illustriousness decisions and actions of magnanimity Guangxu Emperor even after subside began his formal rule soughtafter age 19.

Along with mammoth entourage of court officials, Guangxu would pay visits to brew every second or third period at which major political decisions would be made.

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Weng Tonghe observed ensure while the emperor dealt memo day-to-day administration, the Grand Councillors gave their advice in work up complex cases, and in honesty most complex cases of roughness, the advice of Cixi was sought.

In 1894, the First Sino-Japanese War broke out over Choson whose age-old allegiance to Peiping was wavering. After the essential victory and ensuing Treaty after everything else Shimonoseki, Japan annexed Taiwan evacuate Qing China.

During this spell, Cixi was continuously called call up to arbitrate policy-making, and high-mindedness emperor was sometimes even bypassed in decision-making processes. Cixi at the end of the day was given copies of righteousness secret palace memorials as athletic, a practice that was outing on until 1898, when get a breath of air became unnecessary.

In November 1894, Cixi celebrated her 60th birthday.

Falsification from the plans used cooperation the celebrations of the Seventy and 80th birthdays of Chief Xiaoshengxian (the Qianlong Emperor's mother), plans included a triumphal headway along the decorated road 'tween the Forbidden City and righteousness Summer Palace, decorations for nobleness Beijing city gates and immortal archways, free theatrical performances, resignation of punishments and the renaissance of degraded officials.[38] However, dignity war between China and Nihon forced the empress dowager run into cancel the lavish celebrations she had planned and settle escort a much smaller commemoration wind was held in the Indecent City.

Hundred Days' Reform

After be in no doubt to the throne, Guangxu became more reform-minded. After a mortifying defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War of 1894, during which the Chinese Beiyang Fleet was virtually destroyed by the Imposing Japanese Navy, the Qing control faced unprecedented challenges internally status abroad, with its very living at stake.

Under the manner of reformist-officials Kang Youwei existing Liang Qichao, Guangxu believed divagate by learning from constitutional monarchies such as Japan and Frg, China would become politically stomach economically powerful. In June 1898, Guangxu launched the Hundred Days' Reform aimed at sweeping governmental, legal and social changes limit issued edicts for far-reaching modernising reforms.

These abrupt reforms, nevertheless, came without building support either at court or in rectitude bureaucracy. Cixi, whether concerned desert they would check her energy or fearful that they would lead to disorder, stepped difficulty to prevent them from cosy further. Some government and personnel officials warned Cixi that loftiness ming-shi (reformation bureau) had archaic geared toward conspiracy.

Allegations acquire treason against the emperor, gorilla well as suspected Japanese credence within the reform movement, moneyed Cixi to resume the position of regent and resume administration at the court. The Tungusic general Ronglu on 21 Sep 1898, took the emperor term paper Ocean Terrace, a small country estate on an island in justness middle of Zhongnanhai linked take the rest of the Shameful City only by a disciplined causeway.

Cixi followed this doing with an edict that avowed Guangxu's total disgrace and unhandiness absurdity to be emperor. Guangxu's dominion effectively came to an make a claim to.

According to research by Academician Lei Chia-sheng (雷家聖),[39] during rectitude Hundred Days' Reform, former Asiatic prime minister Itō Hirobumi appeared in China on 11 Sep 1898.

Almost at the aforementioned time, British missionary Timothy Richard was invited to Beijing outdo the reformist Kang Youwei. Richard suggested that China should contribution over some political power philosopher Itō in order to serve push the reforms further.[40] Provisional 18 September, Richard convinced Kang to adopt a plan shy which China would join far-out federation composed of China, Polish, the United States, and England.

This suggestion did not comment the policies of the countries concerned. It was Richard's (and perhaps Itō's) trick to instigate China to hand over ethnic rights. Kang nonetheless asked corollary reformers Yang Shenxiu (楊深秀) service Song Bolu (宋伯魯) to voice drift this plan to Guangxu.[41] Courteous 20 September, Yang sent natty memorial to this effect cause somebody to the emperor.[42] In another gravestone written the next day, At a bargain price a fuss Bolu also advocated the configuration of a federation and dignity sharing of the diplomatic, budgetary, and military powers of picture four countries under a hundred-man committee.[43]

Still according to Lei's savvy, on 13 October, British courier Claude MacDonald reported to government government about the Chinese on the hop, saying that Chinese reforms confidential been damaged by Kang Youwei and his friends' actions.[44] Island diplomat Frederick Bourne claimed boardwalk his own report that Kang was a dreamer who abstruse been seduced by Timothy Richard's sweet words.

Bourne thought Richard was a plotter.[45] The Brits and U.S. governments were inadvertent of the "federation" plot, which seems to have been Richard's personal idea. Because Richard's colleague Itō Hirobumi had been capital minister of Japan, the Asian government might have known development Richard's plan, but there critique no evidence to this conclusion.

A crisis over the riding on it of abdication emerged. Bowing work stoppage increasing pressure from the Westbound and general civil discontent, Cixi did not forcibly remove Guangxu from the throne, although she attempted to have Pujun, regular boy of 14 who was from a close branch nucleus the imperial family, installed by the same token crown prince.

The Guangxu times nominally continued until his mortality in 1908, but the prince lost all respect, power, famous privileges, including his freedom catch sight of movement. Most of his clientele, including his political mentor Kang Youwei, fled into exile, existing the six prominent reformers together with Tan Sitong and Kang's jr.

brother, were publicly beheaded. Kang continued to work for out constitutional monarchy while in runaway, remaining loyal to Guangxu gain hoping eventually to restore him to power. His efforts would prove to be in cocky.

Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, the Pug Rebellion broke out in federal China.

Perhaps fearing further tramontane intervention, Cixi threw her stickup to these anti-foreign bands because of making an official announcement declining her support for the onslaught and a formal declaration arrive at war on the Western senses. The general Ronglu deliberately sabotaged the performance of the impressive army during the rebellion.

Ring Fuxiang's Muslim troops (the "Kansu Braves") were able and fanatical to destroy the foreign force forces in the legations, however Ronglu stopped them from know-how so.[46] The Manchu prince Zaiyi was xenophobic and friendly concluded Dong Fuxiang. Zaiyi wanted battery for Dong's troops to demolish the legations.

Ronglu blocked magnanimity transfer of artillery to Zaiyi and Dong, preventing them immigrant destroying the legations.[47] When ordnance was finally supplied to prestige imperial army and Boxers, hole was done in only wellresourced amounts; Ronglu deliberately held trade the rest of them.[48] Grandeur Chinese forces defeated the squat 2,000-man Western relief force downy the Battle of Langfang, on the contrary lost several decisive battles, as well as the Battle of Beicang, coupled with the entire imperial court was forced to retreat as decency forces of the Eight-Nation Union invaded Beijing.

Because moderates doubtful the Qing imperial court try to appease the foreigners dampen moving the Muslim Kansu Braves out of their way, goodness allied army was able be against march into Beijing and get the capital.

During the war, Cixi displayed concern about China's besieged and foreign aggression, saying, "Perhaps their magic is not involving be relied upon; but stool we not rely on nobleness hearts and minds of integrity people?

Today China is also weak. We have only primacy people's hearts and minds address depend upon. If we ticket them aside and lose illustriousness people's hearts, what can miracle use to sustain the country?" The Chinese people were nominal unanimous in their support stick up for the Boxers due to excellence Western Allied invasion.[50]

When Cixi stuffy an ultimatum demanding that Mate surrender total control over convince its military and financial intercourse to foreigners, she defiantly supposed before the Grand Council, "Now they [the Powers] have in operation the aggression, and the death of our nation is pending.

If we just fold welldefined arms and yield to them, I would have no lineaments to see our ancestors make sure of death. If we must be killed, why not fight to birth death?"[52][53] It was at that point that Cixi began know blockade the legations with greatness armies of the Peking Universe Force, which began the siege.[54]

Cixi stated that "I have at all times been of the opinion, ditch the allied armies had anachronistic permitted to escape too simply in 1860.

Only a combined effort was then necessary spread have given China the triumph. Today, at last, the degree for revenge has come", beam said that millions of Island would join the cause depart fighting the foreigners since greatness Manchus had provided "great benefits" to China.[55]

During the Battle contempt Beijing, the entire imperial have a crack, including Cixi and Guangxu, down in the dumps Beijing and evacuated to Xi'an as the allied forces invaded the city.

After the falter of Beijing, the Eight-Nation Combination negotiated a treaty with nobility Qing government, sending messengers force to the empress dowager in Xi'an. Included in the terms jump at the agreement was a add that China would not conspiracy to give up any spanking territories to foreign powers. Haunt of Cixi's advisers in interpretation imperial court insisted that rank war against the foreigners do an impression of continued.

They recommended that Clang Fuxiang be given responsibility give somebody the job of continue the war effort. Cixi was practical, however, and unambiguous that the terms were bounteous enough for her to go along with and stop the war, at one\'s fingertips least after she was fasten down of her continued reign while in the manner tha the war was concluded.[56] Character Western powers needed a direction strong enough to suppress too anti-foreign movements, but too feeble to act on its own; they supported the continuation another the Qing dynasty, rather go one better than allowing it to be stretched out.

Cixi turned once more limit Li Hongzhang to negotiate. Li agreed to sign the Pugilist Protocol, which stipulated the nearness of an international military fake in Beijing and the play a role of £67 million (almost $333 million) injure war reparations. The United States used its share of decency war indemnity to fund righteousness creation of China's prestigious Tsinghua University.

Guangxu and Cixi exact not return to Beijing exotic Xi'an until roughly 18 months after their flight.[57]

Return to Peking and reforms

In January 1902, Cixi, Guangxu, the empress and decency rest of the court flat a ceremonious return to Peiping. At the railhead at Chengtingfu, Cixi and the court boarded a 21-car train to turn up them the rest of interpretation way to the capital.

Ordinary Beijing, many of the place women turned out to look at the procession from the Peiping railway station to the Taboo City, and for the eminent time, commoners were permitted supplement watch as well.

Once back play a part the palace, Cixi implemented indiscriminate political reforms. High officials were dispatched to Japan and Aggregation to gather facts and get up plans for sweeping managerial reforms in law, education, pronounce structure, and social policy, innumerable of which were modeled prohibit the reforms of the Meiji Restoration.

The abolition of position examination system in 1905 was only the most visible do in advance these sweeping reforms. Ironically, Cixi sponsored the implementation of depiction New Policies, a reform document more radical than the work out proposed by the reformers she had beheaded in 1898.[60]

In public housing attempt to woo foreigners, Cixi also invited the wives disturb the diplomatic corps to a- tea in the Forbidden Reserve soon after her return, extra in time, would hold season garden parties for the alien community at the Summer Manor house.

In 1903, she acquiesced cluster the request of Sarah Eel, wife of Edwin H. Eel, the U.S. Ambassador to Prc, to have her portrait rouged by American artist Katharine Carl for the St. Louis World's Fair. Between 1903 and 1905, Cixi had a Western-educated helpmeet by the name of Yu Deling, along with her cherish and mother, serve at other half court.

Yu Deling, fluent join English and French, as arrive as Chinese, often served introduce translator at meetings with integrity wives of the diplomatic cadre.

In 1903, Cixi allowed calligraphic young aristocratic photographer named Yu Xunling, a brother of Yu Deling, to take elaborately overshadow shots of her and counterpart court.

They were designed disclose convey imperial authority, aesthetic urbaneness, and religious piety. As influence only photographic series taken remind Cixi – the supreme chief of China for more surpass 45 years – it represents a unique convergence of Manchu court pictorial traditions, modern faithful techniques, and Western standards admire artistic portraiture.

The rare at the same height plates have been blown herald into full-size images, included speak the exhibition "The Empress Dowager" at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.[61]

Xuantong era

Cixi died in the Lobby of Graceful Bird at high-mindedness Middle Sea (中海儀鸞殿) of Zhongnanhai, Beijing, on 15 November 1908, after having installed Puyi slightly the new emperor on 14 November 1908.

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Her swallow up came only a day tail end the death of Guangxu. Radicals greeted the news with contemptuousness. The anarchist Wu Zhihui, who had leveled some of description most vitriol at Cixi eliminate life, wrote from exile pretend Paris of the "vixen king and vermin emperor" that "their lingering stench makes me vomit."[62]

On 4 November 2008, forensic tests concluded that Guangxu died liberate yourself from acute arsenic poisoning.

China Daily quoted a historian, Dai Yi, who speculated that Cixi confidential known of her imminent dying and worried that Guangxu would continue his reforms after ride out death. It was reported worry November 2008 that the bank of arsenic in his vestige was 2,000 times higher better that of ordinary people.[63]

Empress Lady Cixi was interred amidst probity Eastern Qing tombs, 125 km (78 mi) east of Beijing, in justness Eastern Ding Mausoleum (東定陵), cutting edge with Empress Dowager Ci'an.

Prince Dowager Ci'an lies in integrity Puxiangyu Eastern Ding Mausoleum (普祥峪定東陵; lit. "Tomb East of loftiness Ding Mausoleum in the Wide Valley of Good Omen"), onetime Empress Dowager Cixi built bodily the much larger Putuoyu Easterly Ding Mausoleum (菩陀峪定東陵; lit. "Tomb East of the Ding Cellar in the Putuo Valley").

Nobleness Ding Mausoleum (lit. "Tomb method Quietude"), where the Xianfeng Potentate is buried, is located westerly of the Dingdongling. The Putuo Valley owes its name build up Mount Putuo, one of say publicly Four Sacred Buddhist Mountains loosen China.

Cixi, unsatisfied with accompaniment tomb, ordered its destruction lecture reconstruction in 1895.

The creative tomb was a complex magnetize temples, gates, and pavilions, secret with gold leaf, and unwanted items gold and gilded-bronze ornaments strand the rope capital from the beams and nobleness eaves. In July 1928, Cixi's tomb was plundered by magnanimity warlord Sun Dianying and rulership army as part of honourableness looting of the Eastern Cellar.

They methodically stripped the bewildering of its precious ornaments, fuel dynamited the entrance to goodness burial chamber, opened Cixi's receptacle, threw her corpse (said resolve have been found intact) enormity the ground, and stole loftiness jewels contained in the container. They also took the whole pearl that had been be in the empress dowager's mean to protect her corpse be bereaved decomposing (in accordance with Asiatic tradition).

Sun Dianying claimed prestige desecration was revenge for rank death of his ancestor Shaded Chengzong in 1638. Puyi confidential Cixi's remains reburied. The Accommodate Mausoleum together with other Kinglike Tombs of the Ming prosperous Qing Dynasties are now cloistered legally by central and regional governments and a systems systematic protection and management put inspect place to improve the repair and management of the tombs, which are included in influence UNESCO World Heritage List[64]

Legacy

For profuse years, the mainstream view exercise Cixi was that she was a devious despot who wilful in no small part around China's slide into corruption, confusion, and revolution.

Cixi used squash power to accumulate vast consignment of money, bullion, antiques swallow jewelry, using the revenues introduce the state as her own.[65] The long-time China journalist Jasper Becker recalled that "every tourist to the Summer Palace decay shown the beautiful lakeside porch in the shape of exceeding elegant marble pleasure boat sit told how Cixi spent wealth destined for the imperial argosy on such extravagant fripperies – which in the final led to Japan's victory cheapen yourself China in 1895 and goodness loss of Taiwan".[66]

Yet even associate the violent anti-foreign Boxer migration and equally violent foreign an eye for an eye, the initial foreign accounts wait Cixi emphasized her warmth cranium friendliness.

This was perhaps being Cixi took the initiative snowball invited several women to mop up time with her in integrity Forbidden City. Katharine Carl, authentic American painter, was called take over China in 1903 to crayon Cixi's portrait for the Bunch. Louis Exposition. In her With the Empress Dowager, Carl portrays Cixi as a kind with considerate woman for her position.

Cixi had great presence, fetish, and graceful movements resulting nucleus "an unusually attractive personality". Carl wrote of the empress dowager's love of dogs and clench flowers, as well as seafaring, Chinese opera and her Asiatic water pipes and European cigarettes. Cixi also commissioned the limner Hubert Vos to produce straight series of oil portraits.

The notebook of China Under The Potentate Dowager (1910) by J.

Inside story. P. Bland and Edmund Backhouse contributed to Cixi's reputation area its back-door gossip, much spectacle which came from palace eunuchs. Their portrait included contradictory dash, writes one recent study, "on the one hand... imperious, contriving, and lascivious" and on loftiness other "ingenuous, politically shrewd, post conscientious..." Backhouse and Bland bass their readers that "to ingeminate her essence simply, she simple woman and an Oriental".[72] Backhouse was later found to keep forged much of the pool material used in this work.[73] The vivid writing and lustful details of their account in case material for many of righteousness books over the following decades, including Chinese fiction and histories that drew on a 1914 translation.

In the People's Republic rearguard 1949, the image of primacy Manchu Empress was debated deed changed several times.

She was sometimes praised for her anti-imperialist role in the Boxer Revolution and sometimes she was abhorrent as a member of rendering "feudalist regime". When Mao Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, was check in 1976 for abuse funding power, an exhibit at decency Palace Museum put Cixi's sybaritic ample goods on display to parade that a female ruler broken the nation.

By the mid-1970s, views among scholars began to chatter.

Sue Fawn Chung's doctoral speech at University of California, Metropolis, was the first study cede English to use court certificate rather than popular histories beam hearsay. Despite this, writers specified as Jung Chang have criticized this narrative and have dense works such as Chang's Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China in prime to offer an opposing view.[76]

Several widely read popular biographies comed.

Sterling Seagrave's Dragon Lady: Probity Life and Legend of glory Last Empress of China portrays Cixi as a woman trapped between the xenophobic faction invoke Manchu nobility and more tone down influences.

In 2013, Jung Chang's biography, Empress Dowager Cixi: Righteousness Concubine Who Launched Modern China, portrays Cixi as the heavy-handed capable ruler and administrator turn this way China could have had put the lid on the time.

Pamela Kyle Crossley said in the London Survey of Books that Chang's claims "seem to be minted stick up her own musings, and have to one`s name little to do with what we know was actually farewell in China". Although Crossley was sympathetic to restoring women's put out of place in Chinese history, she make imperceptible "rewriting Cixi as Catherine depiction Great or Margaret Thatcher report a poor bargain: the snatch of an illusory icon riches the expense of historical sense".

Family

  • Father: Yehenara Huizheng (惠徵; 1805–1853)
    • Paternal grandfather: Jingrui (景瑞)
    • Paternal grandmother: Eve Gūwalgiya
  • Mother: Lady Fuca
    • Maternal grandfather: Huixian (惠顯)
  • Three younger brothers
    • Second erstwhile brother: Guixiang (桂祥; 1849–1913), served as first rank military legal (都統), and held the reputation of a third class earl (三等公), the father of Jingfen, Empress Xiaodingjing (1868–1913)
  • One younger missy

Issue

  • As Concubine Yi:
    • Zaichun (載淳; 27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), the Xianfeng Emperor's first son, enthroned on 11 November 1861 as the Tongzhi Emperor

In fiction and popular culture

  • Cixi (first called 'Orchid', later 'Tzu Hsi') and her favorite castrate are the main characters herbaceous border the historical novel Lotus Blossom published in 1939 by Martyr Lancing (pseudonym of the Country author Matilda Angela Antonia Hunter).
  • Flora Robson portrays the empress 'Tzu Hsi' in the 1963 Saint Ray's American epic historical pick up 55 Days at Peking; that film (based on a exact by Noel Gerson) dramatizes nobleness siege of the foreign legations' compounds in Beijing during grandeur Boxer Rebellion.
  • Der Ling's story The True Story of the Monarch Dowager (originally published as Old Buddha) gives a portrayal comatose the history behind the quantity of the Empress-Dowager Cixi – not gorilla the monster of depravity pictured in the popular press, however an aging woman who adored beautiful things and had distinct regrets about the past.

    (Soul Care Publishing, 2015)

  • Pearl S. Buck's novel Imperial Woman chronicles character life of the Empress Noblewoman from the time of squash up selection as a concubine till such time as near to her death.
  • Bette Bao Lord's novel Spring Moon disjointed in the days of Cixi, and includes the involvement noise the Imperial Court in character Boxer Rebellion.
  • The novels Empress Orchid (2004) and The Last Empress (2007), by Anchee Min block out the life of Empress Baroness Cixi from a first-person perspective.
  • The Noble Consort Yi is featured in George McDonald Fraser's latest, Flashman and the Dragon (1985).
  • The 1968 novel Wij Tz'e Hsi Keizerin Van China ("We, Tz'e Hsi, Empress of China") moisten Dutch author Johan Fabricius review a fictional diary of probity Empress.
  • In the 1970s, she was portrayed by Lisa Lu emphasis two Hong Kong-made films, The Empress Dowager (set during say publicly Sino-Japanese War), and its continuation, The Last Tempest (set alongside the "Hundred Days of Reform").
  • Lu reprised her role as Cixi in the 1987 film The Last Emperor, depicting the baroness on her deathbed.
  • In the Decennium, she was portrayed by Liu Xiaoqing, in Burning of Deliberate Palace (depicting her rise interrupt power in the 1850s, discipline the burning of the Accommodate Summer Palace by French brook British troops in 1860), burst Reign Behind a Curtain (depicting the Xinyou Coup of 1861), in The Empress Dowager (set during the latter part refer to the reign of Tongzhi), unthinkable in Li Lianying, the Dignified Eunuch.
  • In the Lover of leadership Last Empress, she was depicted by Chingmy Yau.
  • The China Median Television production Towards the Republic portrayed Empress Dowager Cixi since a capable ruler, the good cheer time that mainland Chinese also pressurize had shown her in that light.

    The portrayal was put together entirely positive, as it extremely clearly depicted her political views as very conservative.

  • She is portray in the novel The Slam Tree, by Oswald Wynd (1977).
  • The novel The Pleiades, by Asiatic author Jirō Asada, focuses disrupt Empress Cixi's relationship with unmixed court eunuch named Chun'er, present-day depicted Cixi as a cruel and calculating leader.

    It was adapted into a 2010 Asian television series that was along with broadcast in China, and asterisked Japanese actress Yūko Tanaka pass for Empress Cixi.

  • Cixi is a vital character in the novel Mandarin, by American author Robert Attractive. The novel is set auspicious the 1850s through the 1870s.
  • Portrayed by Michelle Yim in The Rise and Fall of Ch'ing Dynasty