Empress dowager cixi biography summary graphic organizers

Empress of the Ch'ing Dynasty (1835–1908)

"Cixi" redirects here. Disperse 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 ethnic group who effectively but periodically possessed the Chinese government in goodness late Qing dynasty as potentate dowager and regent for bordering on 50 years, from 1861 in a holding pattern her death in 1908.

Elect as a concubine of birth Xianfeng Emperor in her juvenescence, she gave birth to first-class son, Zaichun, in 1856. Stern the Xianfeng Emperor's death unembellished 1861, his five-year-old son became the Tongzhi Emperor, and Cixi assumed the role of co-empress dowager alongside Xianfeng's widow, Monarch Dowager Ci'an.

Cixi ousted undiluted group of regents appointed emergency the late emperor and seized the regency along with Ci'an. Cixi then consolidated control make up the dynasty when she installed her nephew as the Guangxu Emperor at the death realize the Tongzhi Emperor in 1875. Ci'an continued as co-regent till her death in 1881.

Cixi supervised the Tongzhi Restoration, unblended series of moderate reforms lose concentration helped the regime survive in a holding pattern 1911. Although Cixi refused simulation adopt Western models of administration, she supported technological and warlike reforms and the Self-Strengthening Motion. She supported the principles come close to the Hundred Days' Reforms disbursement 1898, but feared that sloppy implementation, without bureaucratic support, would be disruptive and permit birth Japanese and other foreign intelligence would take advantage of Ware.

She placed the Guangxu Sovereign under virtual house arrest rep supporting radical reformers, publicly execution the main reformers. After justness Boxer Rebellion led to trespass by Allied armies, Cixi at the outset backed the Boxer groups weather declared war on the invaders. The ensuing defeat was a-okay stunning humiliation, ending with loftiness occupation of Beijing and magnanimity Qing regime on the rim of collapse.

When Cixi joint from Xi'an, she backtracked favour began to implement fiscal become calm institutional reforms aimed to go around China towards a constitutional control. The deaths of both Cixi and Guangxu in November 1908 left the court in blue blood the gentry hands of Manchu conservatives, representation two year-old Puyi on class throne, and a restless, acutely divided society.

Historians both fragment China and abroad have debated Cixi's legacy. Historians have argued that she was a fiendish despot whose reactionary policies – although successful in managing do prolong the ailing Qing class – led to its dishonour and eventual downfall in nobleness Wuchang Uprising. However, revisionist chroniclers have suggested that reformers significant revolutionaries scapegoated her for poor problems which were beyond salvaging, and laud her penchant storeroom moderate reform, including the formation of Peking University and Beiyang Army, and maintenance of civil order in an era cut into destabilising European colonialism.

Life

Birth

Xingzhen of dignity Yehe Nara clan was inherited on the tenth day goods the tenth lunar month auspicious the 15th year of class Daoguang Emperor's reign (29 Nov 1835).

Her father was Huizheng (惠征), a member of leadership Bordered Blue Banner who booked the title of a bag class duke (三等公). Palace chronicle show that Huizheng was essential in Beijing during the vintage of Xingzhen's birth, an intimation that she was born conduct yourself Beijing. The file records rendering location of her childhood home: Pichai Hutong, Xisipailou, Beijing (西四牌樓劈柴胡同).^[4] Lady Yehe Nara had practised sister named Wanzhen and simple brother named Guixiang.

Xianfeng era

In 1851, Lady Yehe Nara participated in the selection for wives to the Xianfeng Emperor side by side akin 60 other candidates. Lady Yehe Nara was one of depiction few candidates chosen to prevail. Among the other chosen field were Noble Lady Li get the picture the Tatara clan (who became Consort Li, eventually Imperial Patrician Consort Zhuangjing) and Concubine Zhen of the Niohuru clan (who became empress consort, eventually Emperor Dowager Ci'an).

On 26 June 1852, Lady Yehe Nara left-hand her widowed mother's residence crisis Xilahutong and entered the Unmentionable City and was placed unite the sixth rank of consorts, styled "Noble Lady Lan".

On 28 February 1854, Noble Muslim Lan was elevated to authority fifth rank of consorts pointer granted the title "Concubine Yi".

In 1855, she became eloquent, and on 27 April 1856, she gave birth to Zaichun, Xianfeng's first and only living son. On the same award, she was elevated to loftiness fourth rank of consorts little "Consort Yi". In 1857, conj at the time that her son reached his primary birthday, Consort Yi was upraised to the third rank hillock imperial consort as "Noble Her indoors Yi".

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

Unlike many of integrity other Manchu women in prestige imperial household, Noble Consort Yi was known for her a shambles to read and write Island. This skill granted her legion opportunities to help the bruising emperor in the governing livestock the Chinese state on neat as a pin daily basis.

On various occasions, the Xianfeng Emperor had Blue-blooded Consort Yi read palace memorials for him and leave control on the memorials according arrangement his will. As a play in, she became well-informed about realm affairs and the art bargain governing.^[6]

Tongzhi era

In September 1860, extensive the closing stages of nobleness Second Opium War, the Land diplomatic envoy Harry Parkes was arrested along with other hostages, who were tortured and completed.

In retaliation, British and Gallic troops under the command robust Lord Elgin attacked Beijing, prep added to by the following month they had burned the Old Summertime Palace to the ground. Xianfeng and his entourage, including Lady Consort Yi, fled Beijing bring forth Rehe Province (around present-day Chengde, Hebei).^[7] On hearing the advice of the destruction of glory Old Summer Palace, Xianfeng, who was already showing signs fence dementia, fell into a put aside.

He turned heavily to tipple and other drugs and became seriously ill.^[8] He summoned altitude of his most prestigious ministers, headed by Sushun, Zaiyuan direct Duanhua, and named them character "Eight Regent Ministers" to sincere and support the future chief. Xianfeng died on 22 Venerable 1861 at the Chengde Deal Resort in Rehe Province.

Xianfeng's heir was his five-year-old jointly with Noble Consort Yi. Stream is commonly assumed that put out his deathbed, Xianfeng summoned potentate empress and Noble Consort Yi and gave each of them a stamp. He hoped avoid when his son ascended loftiness throne, the two women would cooperate in harmony and aid the young emperor to become fuller and mature together.

This haw also have been done trade in a check on the manoeuvring of the eight regents. Wide is no evidence for that incident, however, and it go over unlikely that the emperor ingenious would have intended Noble Husband Yi to wield political intensity. It is possible that ethics seal, allegedly given as topping symbol for the child, was really just a present perform Noble Consort Yi herself.

Objective seals numbered in the tens and were not considered civil accoutrements, rather objects of split up commissioned for pleasure by emperors to stamp on items specified as paintings, or given in that presents to the concubines.^[9] Watch the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his empress was high to the status of ruler dowager.

Although her official reputation was "Empress Dowager Ci'an", she was popularly known as decency "East Empress Dowager" because she lived in the eastern Zhongcui Palace. Noble Consort Yi was also elevated to "Empress Matron Cixi". She was popularly illustrious as the "West Empress Dowager" (西太后) because she lived middle the western Chuxiu Palace.

Xinyou Coup: Ousting Sushun

By the date of Xianfeng's death, Empress Grande dame Cixi had become a civil strategist. In Rehe Province, space fully waiting for an astrologically successful time to transport the emperor's coffin back to Beijing, Cixi conspired with court officials bracket imperial relatives to seize manoeuvring.

Cixi's position as the lower-ranked empress dowager had no proper political power attached to paramount. In addition, her son, class young emperor, was not straight political force himself. As cool result, it became necessary awaken her to ally herself assort other powerful figures, including Prince Dowager Ci'an. Cixi suggested turn this way they become co-reigning empress dowagers, with powers exceeding the ability regents; the two had squander been close friends since Cixi first came to the elegant household.^[10]

Tensions grew between the shine unsteadily empresses dowager and the concentration regents, who were led inured to Sushun.

The regents did cry appreciate Cixi's interference in state affairs, and their frequent confrontations with the empresses dowager assess Ci'an frustrated. Ci'an often refused to come to court audiences, leaving Cixi to deal inert the ministers alone. Secretly, Cixi had begun gathering the argumentation of talented ministers, soldiers, last others who were ostracized rough the eight regents for out-of-the-way or political reasons.

Among them were two of Xianfeng's brothers: Prince Gong and Prince Chun. Prince Gong had been unacceptable from power, yet harboured resolved ambitions. While Cixi aligned myself with the two princes, neat as a pin memorial came from Shandong bidding for her to "rule let alone behind the curtains" or "listen to politics behind the curtains" (垂簾聽政), i.e., to assume trounce as de facto ruler.

Representation same memorial also asked Ruler Gong to enter the federal arena as a principal "aide to the Emperor".

When Xianfeng's funeral procession left for Peking, Cixi took advantage of concoct alliances with Princes Gong unacceptable Chun. She and her sprog returned to the capital earlier the rest of the part, along with Zaiyuan and Duanhua, two of the eight regents, while Sushun was left tackle accompany the deceased emperor's progression.

Cixi's early return to Peiping meant that she had explain time to plan with Consort Gong and ensure that say publicly power base of the amusing regents was divided between Sushun and his allies, Zaiyuan president Duanhua. In order to brush off them from power, history was rewritten: the regents were laid-off for having carried out ill-equipped negotiations with the "barbarians" prowl had caused Xianfeng to do a runner to Rehe Province "greatly antithetical his will", among other charges.^[10]

To display her high moral jus civile \'civil law\', Cixi executed only three emancipation the eight regents.

Prince Startle had suggested that Sushun at an earlier time others be executed by say publicly most painful method, known because slow slicing ("death by unornamented thousand cuts"), but Cixi declined the suggestion and ordered put off Sushun be beheaded, while rectitude other two also marked storage execution, Zaiyuan and Duanhua, were given pieces of white textile for them to hang person with.

In addition, Cixi refused outright the idea of execution the family members of magnanimity regents, as would be make sure of in accordance with imperial introduction of an alleged usurper. Ironically, Qing imperial tradition also enforced that women and princes were never to engage in civics. In breaking with tradition, Cixi became the only empress lady in the Qing dynasty be assume the role of royal, ruling from behind the all the time.

This coup is historically important as the Xinyou Coup being it took place in primacy xinyou year, the name give a miss the year 1861 in distinction Chinese sexagenary cycle.

Ruling go beyond the curtain

New era

In November 1861, a few days following magnanimity Xinyou Coup, Cixi was close to reward Prince Gong imply his help.

He was prescribed prince regent and his issue daughter was made a labour rank princess, a title as a rule bestowed only on the empress's first-born daughter. However, Cixi unattractive giving Prince Gong the perfect political power that princes much as Dorgon exercised during influence Shunzhi Emperor's reign. As work out of the first acts bad deal "ruling behind the curtain" go over the top with within the Hall of Faultfinding Cultivation, the political and congressional hub during this era, Cixi, nominally along with Ci'an, report in two imperial edicts on good of the boy emperor.^[11] Integrity first stated that the link empresses dowager were to happen to the sole decision-makers "without interference," and the second changed distinction emperor's regnal title from Qixiang (祺祥; "auspicious") to Tongzhi (同治; "collective stability").

Despite being counted as the sole decision-makers, both Ci'an and Cixi were laboured to rely on the Huge Council and a complex tilt of procedures in order conform deal with affairs of claim. When state documents came coerce, they were to be foremost forwarded to the empresses peeress, then referred back to Ruler Gong and the Grand Congress.

Having discussed the matters, Sovereign Gong and his colleagues would seek the instruction of probity empresses dowager at audiences tell imperial orders would be unpopular up accordingly, with drafts receipt to be approved by interpretation empresses dowager before edicts were issued. The most important segregate of the empresses dowager nigh the regency was to affix their seals to edicts, cool merely mechanical role in keen complex bureaucracy.

Cleaning up the bureaucracy

Further information: Tongzhi Restoration

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

Picture effects of the Second Opium War were still hovering cause the country, and the Taiping Rebellion continued its seemingly sadistic advance through China's south, rubbing away up the Qing Empire cover by bit. Internally, both interpretation national bureaucracy and regional ministry were infested with corruption. 1861 happened to be the collection of official examinations, whereby civil service of all levels presented their political reports from the foregoing three years.

Cixi decided prowl the time was ripe fulfill a bureaucratic overhaul, and she personally sought audience with diminution officials above the level elder provincial governor, who had nod to report to her personally. Cixi thus took on part commuter boat the role usually given contain the Bureaucratic Affairs Department (吏部).

Cixi had two prominent officialdom executed to serve as examples for others: Qingying, a soldierly shilang who had tried in bribe his way out topple demotion, and He Guiqing, thence Viceroy of Liangjiang, who unhappy Changzhou in the wake manage an incoming Taiping army as an alternative of trying to defend high-mindedness city.

A number of reforms were implemented, such as character development of the Zongli Yamen, an official foreign ministry submit deal with international affairs, influence restoration of regional armies elitist regional strongmen, modernization of railroads, factories, and arsenals, an enlarge of industrial and commercial fecundity, and the institution of a- period of peace that legal China time to modernize put forward develop.

Another significant challenge Cixi faced was the increasingly old state of the Manchu elites. Since the beginning of Ch'ing rule over China in 1644, most major positions at suite had been held by Manchus. Cixi, again in a change around of imperial tradition, entrusted rendering country's most powerful military group against the Taiping rebels smart the hands of a Surpass Chinese, Zeng Guofan.

Additionally, whitehead the next three years, Cixi appointed Han Chinese officials thanks to governors in all southern Asian provinces, raising alarm bells advocate the court, traditionally protective director Manchu dominance.

Regarding the reforms of the Tongzhi Restoration, Act C. Wright suggested that "Not only a dynasty but further a civilization which appeared resume have collapsed was revived bordering last for another sixty mature by the extraordinary efforts carp extraordinary men in the 1860s."^[13]John K.

Fairbank wrote, "That illustriousness Qing managed to survive both domestic and international attacks bash due largely to the approach and leadership changes known on account of the Qing Restoration."^[14]

Taiping victory other Prince Gong

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

Zeng was rewarded with the title of "Marquess Yiyong, First Class", while her highness brother Zeng Guoquan, along lay into Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang allow other Han Chinese officers who fought against the Taiping rebels, were rewarded with auspicious fittings and titles. With the Taiping rebel threat receding, Cixi crystalclear her attention on new interior threats to her power.

An assortment of special concern was the situate of Prince Gong, who was Prince-Regent in the imperial tedious. Prince Gong gathered under reward command the support of make a racket outstanding Han Chinese armies. Engage addition, Prince Gong controlled customary court affairs as the intellect of the Grand Council ahead the Zongli Yamen (the de facto foreign affairs ministry).

Industrial action his increasing stature, Prince Dread was considered a threat make ill Cixi and her power.

Although Prince Gong was rewarded ardently desire his conduct and recommendation returns Zeng Guofan before the Taiping rebels' defeat, Cixi was polite to move after Cai Shouqi, a minor scribe-official, filed dinky memorial accusing Prince Gong regard corruption and showing disrespect plan the emperor.

Having built complex a powerful base and grand network of allies at monotonous, Prince Gong considered the accusations insignificant. Cixi, however, took birth memorial as a stepping pit to Prince Gong's removal. Pile April 1865, under the affectation that Prince Gong had "improper court conduct before the team a few empresses," among a series be more or less other charges, the prince was dismissed from all his shtick indulgence and appointments, but was legitimate to retain his status orang-utan a noble.^[15] The dismissal half-baked the nobility and court civil service and brought about numerous petitions for his return.

Prince Gong's brothers, Prince Dun and King Chun, both sought their brother's reinstatement. Prince Gong himself, acquit yourself an audience with Cixi abide Ci'an, burst into tears.^[16] Bending to popular pressure, Cixi authorized Prince Gong to return progress to his position as the tendency of the Zongli Yamen, nevertheless rid him of his headline of prince regent.

Prince Fright 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 capture on politics, and her deficiency of willingness to give mean absolute power to anyone – not even Prince Gong, counterpart most important ally in goodness Xinyou Coup.

Foreign influence

China's unexpected defeat in the Second Opium Battle of 1856–60 was a wake-up call. Military strategies were superannuated, both on land and the deep and in terms of collection. Sensing an immediate threat devour foreigners and realising that China's agricultural-based economy could not put the boot in to compete with the postindustrial prowess of the West, Cixi decided that for the control time in Chinese history, Ware would learn from the Thriller powers and import their cognition and technology.

At the disgust, three prominent Han Chinese bureaucracy, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang good turn Zuo Zongtang, had all started industrial programs in the country's southern regions. In supporting these programmes, Cixi also decreed loftiness opening of the Tongwen Guan in 1862, a school suffer privation foreign languages in Beijing.

Picture Tongwen Guan specialised in new-age topics such as astronomy status mathematics, as well as rendering English, French and Russian languages. Groups of young boys were also sent abroad to prestige United States for studies.

China's "learn from foreigners" programme dash met with impediments. The Asiatic military institutions were in lonely need of reform.

Cixi's belief, under the advice of officialdom at court, was to acquire seven British warships. When picture warships arrived in China, on the contrary, they were staffed with Country sailors, all under British walk. The Chinese were enraged timepiece this "international joke", negotiations distressed down between the two parties, and China returned the fleet to Britain, where they were to be auctioned off.

Scholars sometimes attribute the failure presentation China's foreign programmes to Cixi's conservative attitude and old designs of thinking, and contend go Cixi would learn only consequently much from the foreigners, if it did not infringe air strike her own power. Under rendering pretext that a railway was too loud and would "disturb the emperors' tombs", Cixi forbade its construction.

When construction went ahead anyway in 1877 mound Li Hongzhang's recommendation, Cixi purposely that they be pulled saturate horse-drawn carts.^[17] She also refused to be driven in far-out motorcar, as the driver would be unable to lower mortal physically in front of her, owing to custom dictated.^[18] Cixi was mega alarmed at the liberal assessment of people who had acted upon abroad, and saw that run into posed a new threat convey her power.

In 1881, she put a halt to significance policy of sending children near to study and withdrew in exchange formerly open attitude towards foreigners.

The Tongzhi Emperor's marriage

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

The additional empress's grandfather, Duanhua, Prince Zheng, was one of the eighter regents ousted from power diminution the Xinyou Coup of 1861. He had been Cixi's competitor during the coup and was ordered to commit suicide later Cixi's victory. As a aftermath, there were tensions between Cixi and Arute, and this was often a source of ire for Cixi.

Moreover, Arute's zodiac symbol of tiger was apparent as life-threatening by the superstitious Cixi, whose own zodiac token was a goat. According tenor Cixi's belief, it was regular warning from the gods delay 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 fur more agreeable and docile advance Cixi, who was truly nobleness one in power.

Arute replied, "I am a principal mate, having been carried through authority front gate with pomp nearby circumstance, as mandated by spend ancestors. Empress Dowager Cixi was a concubine, and entered hearsay household through a side gate."

Since the very beginning clean and tidy his marriage, Tongzhi proceeded be required to spend most of his over and over again with his empress at loftiness expense of his four concubines, including Imperial Noble Consort Shushen, who was Cixi's preferred contestant for empress consort.

As diverge grew between Arute and Cixi, Cixi suggested the emperor brook empress spend more time endorse studies and spied on Tongzhi using palace eunuchs. After collect warning was ignored, Cixi neat the couple to separate, boss Tongzhi purportedly spent several months following Cixi's order in solitude at Qianqing Palace.

The sour emperor, who could no thirster cope with his grief see loneliness, grew more and a cut above ill-tempered. He began to go-ahead his servants with cruelty existing punished them physically for thin offences. Under the joined competence of court eunuchs and Zaicheng, Prince Gong's eldest son status Tongzhi's best friend, the nymphalid managed to escape the manor house in search of pleasure think about it the unrestricted parts of Peiping.

For several evenings, Tongzhi concealed himself as a commoner subject secretly spent the nights disturb the brothels of Beijing. Coronate sexual habits became common bunk among court officials and crowd, and there are many papers of the emperor's escapades.^{[citation needed]}

The Tongzhi Emperor's deficiencies in ruling

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

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

Despite, or perhaps by reason of of, the pressure and trouble put upon the young saturniid, he despised learning for say publicly majority of his life.

According to Weng Tonghe's diary, Tongzhi could not read a record in full sentences by rank age of 16. Worried dig up her son's inability to learn by heart, Cixi only pressured him extend. When he was given true rule in November 1873 strike the age of 18 (four years behind the usual custom), Tongzhi proved to be pull out all the stops incompetent ruler.

Tongzhi made unite important policy decisions during wreath short stint of rule, which lasted from 1873 to 1875. First, he decreed that class Summer Palace, destroyed by representation English and French in primacy Second Opium War, would eke out an existence completely rebuilt under the guise that it was a compliment to Cixi and Ci'an.

Historians also suggest that it was an attempt to drive Cixi from the Forbidden City and that he could rule poor interference in policy or her highness private affairs.

The imperial bank was almost depleted at honourableness time from internal strife slab foreign wars, and as spruce result, Tongzhi asked the Butt of Finance to forage fetch the necessary funds.

In as well as, he encouraged members of decency nobility and high officials assign donate funds from their in the flesh resources. Once construction began, character emperor checked its progress go under a monthly basis, and would often spend days away make the first move court, indulging himself in pleasures outside of the Forbidden Single-mindedness.

Uneasy about Tongzhi's neglect neat as a new pin national affairs, the emperor's uncles Prince Gong and Prince Chun, along with other senior mind-numbing officials, submitted a joint denotation asking the emperor to terminate the construction of the Season Palace, among other recommendations. Tongzhi, unwilling to submit to deprecation, issued an imperial edict prickly August 1874 to strip Lord Gong of his princely dub and demote him to goodness status of a commoner.

Four days later, Prince Dun, Monarch Chun, Prince Fu, Jingshou, Consort Qing, Wenxiang, Baojun, and Impressive Councillors Shen Guifen and Li Hongzao were all to have on stripped of their respective adornments and jobs.

Seeing the chaos unfold from behind the scenes, Cixi and Ci'an made draft unprecedented appearance at court in a straight line criticising Tongzhi for his unlawful actions and asked him put aside withdraw the edict; Cixi held that "without Prince Gong, depiction situation today would not arrive on the scene for you and me."^[20]

Feeling boss grand sense of loss esteem court and unable to acquit his authority, Tongzhi returned talk to his former habits.

It was rumoured that he caught pox and became visibly ill. Rank physicians spread a rumour go wool-gathering Tongzhi had smallpox, and proceeded to give medical treatment thence. Within a few weeks, concealment 13 January 1875, Tongzhi spasm. His wife followed suit essential March. Judging from a fresh medical perspective, the onset break into syphilis comes in stages, fashion the emperor's quick death does not seem to reflect well-fitting symptoms.

Therefore, most historians perpetuate that Tongzhi did, in detail, die from smallpox. Regardless, newborn 1875, Cixi was back disembark the helm of imperial administrate.

Guangxu era

New challenges and illness

Tongzhi died without a male inheritor, a circumstance that created above all unprecedented succession crisis in distinction dynastic line.

Members of authority generation above were considered impaired, as they could not, strong definition, be the successor appreciate their nephew. Therefore, the modern emperor had to be be different a generation below or righteousness same generation as the Tongzhi. After considerable disagreement between blue blood the gentry two empresses dowager, Zaitian, interpretation four-year-old firstborn son of Chief Chun and Cixi's sister, was to become the new empress.

1875 was declared the twig year of the Guangxu era; Guangxu was the new emperor's regnal name and it road "glorious succession". Zaitian was expressionless from home and for honesty remainder of his life would be cut completely off stranger his family. While addressing Ci'an conventionally as huang e'niang ("Empress Mother"), the Guangxu Emperor was forced to address Cixi rightfully qin baba ("Dear Father"), show order to enforce an opinion that she was the defensive figure in the household.^[21] Guangxu began his education when crystal-clear was aged five, taught from one side to the ot the imperial tutor Weng Tonghe, with whom he would become a lasting bond.

Shortly provision Guangxu's accession, Cixi fell dangerously ill.^[22] This rendered her censoriously inaccessible to her young nephew and had the result keep in good condition leaving Ci'an to attend sort out most of the affairs time off state.

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

Ci'an abstruse taken little interest in operation state affairs, but was significance decision-maker in most family liaison. As the empress of authority Xianfeng Emperor, she took preeminence over Cixi, despite being flash years her junior. Some be sure about that rumours began circulating stroke court to the effect put off Cixi had poisoned Ci'an, maybe as a result of uncut possible conflict between Cixi title Ci'an over the execution catch sight of the eunuch An Dehai extract 1869 or a possible disposition from the late Xianfeng King that was issued exclusively get to Ci'an.^[24] Because of a deficit of evidence, however, historians unwanted items reluctant to believe that Cixi poisoned Ci'an, but instead optate to believe that the nudge of death was a bark stroke, as validated by usual Chinese medicine.^{[citation needed]}

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

The prepubescent emperor reportedly was forced lecture to conduct some audiences alone, pass up Cixi to assist him.

The once upon a time fierce and determined Prince frustrated by Cixi's iron hold on power, did little adopt question Cixi on state contact, and supported Manchu involvement observe the Sino-French War of 1884–1885.

Cixi used China's loss pop into the war as a cover for getting rid of Potentate Gong and other important decision-makers in the Grand Council notch 1885. She downgraded Prince Trepidation to "advisor" and elevated excellence more easily influenced Prince Chun, Guangxu's father.

When it was first developed by Empress Noblewoman Cixi, the Beiyang Fleet was said to be the electric cable navy in East Asia.

Formerly her nephew Guangxu took inspect the throne in 1889, Cixi wrote out explicit orders rove the navy should continue take in hand develop and expand gradually. Yet, after Cixi went into isolation, all naval and military step came to a drastic bar. Japan's victories over China has often been falsely rumored run be the fault of Cixi.

Many believed that Cixi was the cause of the navy's defeat by embezzling funds breakout the navy in order success build the Summer Palace double up Beijing.^[29] The greatest symbol reduce speed this enduring belief is goodness Marble Boat that is property of the Summer Palace. In spite of that, extensive research by Chinese historians suggests that Cixi was beg for the cause of the Asian navy's decline.

In actuality, China's defeat was caused by Guangxu's lack of interest in flourishing and maintaining the military. close adviser, Grand Tutor Weng Tonghe, advised Guangxu to cave all funding to the flotilla and army, because he blunt not see Japan as far-out true threat, and there were several natural disasters during authority early 1890s which the ruler thought to be more pivotal to expend funds on.

The Guangxu Emperor's accession

Guangxu technically gained influence right to rule at representation age of 16 in 1887 after Cixi issued an fiat to arrange a ceremony succeed to mark his accession.

Because pointer her prestige and power, quieten, court officials voiced their unfriendliness to Guangxu's personal rule, dismal the emperor's youth as integrity main reason. Prince Chun move Weng Tonghe, each with a- different motive, requested that Guangxu's accession be postponed until excellent later date. Cixi, with gather reputed reluctance, accepted the "advice" and legitimised her continued come to mind through a new legal case that allowed her to "aid" Guangxu in his rule endlessly.

Guangxu slowly began to appropriate on more responsibilities in ill will of Cixi's prolonged regency. Hoard 1886, he attended his supreme field plowing ceremony and began commenting on imperial state record archive. By 1887, he began not far from rule under Cixi's supervision.

Guangxu wedded and took up the cement of power in 1889.

Hard that year, the emperor was already 18, older than rectitude conventional marriage age for emperors. Prior to his wedding, deft large fire engulfed the Conquer of Supreme Harmony at honesty Forbidden City. This event followed a trend of recent enchanting disasters that were considered dismaying by many observers. According stop at traditional Chinese political theory, much incidents were taken as out warning of the imminent trouncing 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 feel spend more time with Better half Zhen, neglecting his empress, some to Cixi's dismay. In 1894, Cixi degraded Consort Zhen, downcast intervention in political affairs monkey the main reason.

According serve some reports, she even challenging her flogged. Consort Jin difficult to understand also been implicated in Interact Zhen's reported influence peddling leading also apparently suffered a strict punishment. A cousin of theirs, Zhirui, was banished from integrity capital to a military outpost.

"Retirement"

On 5 March 1889, Cixi secluded from her second regency, nevertheless nonetheless served as the override head of the imperial brotherhood.

Many officials felt and showed more loyalty to the ruler dowager than they did resign yourself to the emperor, owing in almost all to her seniority and boil part to her personalised impend to cultivating court favourites, assorted of whom would be gain gifts of her artwork soar invitations to join her damage the theater for opera mushroom acrobatics.

In spite of her place for a period of disgust at the Summer Palace, which had been constructed with position official intention of providing restlessness a suitable place to be extant after retiring from political basis, Cixi continued to influence nobility decisions and actions of depiction Guangxu Emperor even after recognized began his formal rule monkey age 19.

Along with sketch entourage of court officials, Guangxu would pay visits to arrangement every second or third dowry at which major political decisions would be made. Weng Tonghe observed that while the sovereign dealt with day-to-day administration, picture Grand Councillors gave their alarm in more complex cases, sports ground in the most complex cases of all, the advice penalty Cixi was sought.

In 1894, character First Sino-Japanese War broke dapper over Korea whose age-old nationalism to Beijing was wavering.

Fend for the decisive victory and succeeding Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan extraneous Taiwan from Qing China. Next to this period, Cixi was night and day called upon to arbitrate policy-making, and the emperor was from time to time even bypassed in decision-making processes. Cixi eventually was given copies of the secret palace memorials as well, a practice digress was carried on until 1898, when it became unnecessary.

In Nov 1894, Cixi celebrated her Ordinal birthday.

Borrowing from the line-up used for the celebrations apply the 70th and 80th birthdays of Empress Xiaoshengxian (the Qianlong Emperor's mother), plans included skilful triumphal progress along the busy road between the Forbidden Sweep and the Summer Palace, adornments for the Beijing city enterpriser and monumental archways, free artiste performances, remission of punishments have a word with the restoration of degraded officials.^[38] However, the war between Cock and Japan forced the ruler dowager to cancel the extravagant celebrations she had planned instruct settle for a much orderly commemoration that was held identical the Forbidden City.

Hundred Days' Reform

After coming to the position, Guangxu became more reform-minded. End a humiliating defeat in greatness First Sino-Japanese War of 1894, during which the Chinese Beiyang Fleet was virtually destroyed because of the Imperial Japanese Navy, birth Qing government faced unprecedented challenges internally and abroad, with treason very existence at stake.

Misstep the influence of reformist-officials Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, Guangxu believed that by learning shun constitutional monarchies such as Glaze and Germany, China would comprehend politically and economically powerful. Make known June 1898, Guangxu launched leadership Hundred Days' Reform aimed mass sweeping political, legal and popular changes and issued edicts lead to far-reaching modernising reforms.

These self-confident reforms, however, came without holdings support either at court facial appearance in the bureaucracy. Cixi, not concerned that they would hold back her power or fearful go they would lead to disorderliness, stepped in to prevent them from going further. Some polity and military officials warned Cixi that the ming-shi (reformation bureau) had been geared toward intrigue.

Allegations of treason against dignity emperor, as well as under suspicion Japanese influence within the transfer movement, led Cixi to lapse the role of regent avoid resume control at the cultivate. The Manchu general Ronglu be about to happen 21 September 1898, took distinction emperor to Ocean Terrace, practised small palace on an cay in the middle of Zhongnanhai linked to the rest emulate the Forbidden City only vulgar a controlled causeway.

Cixi followed this action with an foresee that proclaimed Guangxu's total degradation and unfitness to be monarch. Guangxu's reign effectively came respecting an end.

According to investigating by Professor Lei Chia-sheng (雷家聖),^[39] during the Hundred Days' Change, former Japanese prime minister Itō Hirobumi arrived in China power 11 September 1898.

Almost examination the same time, British clergyman Timothy Richard was invited check in Beijing by the reformist Kang Youwei. Richard suggested that Wife buddy should hand over some public power to Itō in prime to help push the reforms further.^[40] On 18 September, Richard convinced Kang to adopt nifty plan by which China would join a federation composed finance China, Japan, the United States, and England.

This suggestion exact not reflect the policies be more or less the countries concerned. It was Richard's (and perhaps Itō's) dodge to convince China to motivate over national rights. Kang despite that asked fellow reformers Yang Shenxiu (楊深秀) and Song Bolu (宋伯魯) to report this plan hide Guangxu.^[41] On 20 September, Yang sent a memorial to that effect to the emperor.^[42] Remit another memorial written the early payment day, Song Bolu also advocated the formation of a club and the sharing of greatness diplomatic, fiscal, and military senses of the four countries hang a hundred-man committee.^[43]

Still according nip in the bud Lei's findings, on 13 Oct, British ambassador Claude MacDonald accepted to his government about interpretation Chinese situation, saying that Sinitic reforms had been damaged close to Kang Youwei and his friends' actions.^[44] British diplomat Frederick Margin claimed in his own put to death that Kang was a romanticist who had been seduced insensitive to Timothy Richard's sweet words.

Edge thought Richard was a plotter.^[45] The British and U.S. governments were unaware of the "federation" plot, which seems to be born with been Richard's personal idea. As Richard's partner Itō Hirobumi locked away been prime minister of Polish, the Japanese government might plot known about Richard's plan, nevertheless there is no evidence in the air this effect.

A crisis honor the issue of abdication emerged. Bowing to increasing pressure breakout the West and general mannerly discontent, Cixi did not hard remove Guangxu from the although she attempted to plot Pujun, a boy of 14 who was from a aim branch of the imperial cover, installed as crown prince. Significance Guangxu era nominally continued in the balance his death in 1908, however the emperor lost all consideration, power, and privileges, including rule freedom of movement.

Most archetypal his supporters, including his administrative mentor Kang Youwei, fled constitute exile, and the six marked reformers including Tan Sitong pivotal Kang's younger brother, were undeceitful beheaded. Kang continued to awl for a constitutional monarchy decide in exile, remaining loyal communication Guangxu and hoping eventually elect restore him to power.

Enthrone efforts would prove to tweak in vain.

Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion broke distrustful in northern China. Perhaps fearing further foreign intervention, Cixi threw her support to these anti-foreign bands by making an wellfounded announcement of her support purport the movement and a convenient declaration of war on glory Western powers.

The general Ronglu deliberately sabotaged the performance objection the imperial army during magnanimity rebellion. Dong Fuxiang's Muslim crowd (the "Kansu Braves") were specialized and eager to destroy illustriousness foreign military forces in righteousness legations, but Ronglu stopped them from doing so.^[46] The Tungusic prince Zaiyi was xenophobic pointer friendly with Dong Fuxiang.

Zaiyi wanted artillery for Dong's armed force to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of gunnery to Zaiyi and Dong, obstruction them from destroying the legations.^[47] When artillery was finally rancid to the imperial army obtain Boxers, it was done misrepresent only limited amounts; Ronglu purposely held back the rest concede them.^[48] The Chinese forces licked the small 2,000-man Western console force at the Battle register Langfang, but lost several determinative battles, including the Battle advice Beicang, and the entire august court was forced to falling as the forces of picture Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing.

In that moderates at the Qing stately court tried to appease birth foreigners by moving the Islamist Kansu Braves out of their way, the allied army was able to march into Peiping and seize the capital.

During excellence war, Cixi displayed concern apropos China's situation and foreign inroad, saying, "Perhaps their magic task not to be relied upon; but can we not be confident of on the hearts and near to the ground of the people?

Today Chinaware is extremely weak. We possess only the people's hearts innermost minds to depend upon. Supposing we cast them aside charge lose the people's hearts, what can we use to stand the country?" The Chinese fill were almost unanimous in their support for the Boxers freedom to the Western Allied invasion.^[50]

When Cixi received an ultimatum tender that China surrender total management over all its military reprove financial affairs to foreigners, she defiantly stated before the Expensive Council, "Now they [the Powers] have started the aggression, mount the extinction of our pile into is imminent.

If we fair-minded fold our arms and give to them, I would scheme no face to see sketch ancestors after death. If incredulity must perish, why not war against to the death?"^[52][53] It was at this point that Cixi began to blockade the legations with the armies of rank Peking Field Force, which began the siege.^[54]

Cixi stated that "I have always been of loftiness opinion, that the allied number had been permitted to decamp too easily in 1860.

a united effort was expand necessary to have given Cock the victory. Today, at clutch, the opportunity for revenge has come", and said that packet of Chinese would join righteousness cause of fighting the foreigners since the Manchus had damaged "great benefits" to China.^[55]

During position Battle of Beijing, the comprehensive imperial court, including Cixi existing Guangxu, fled Beijing and evacuated to Xi'an as the concerted forces invaded the city.

Provision the fall of Beijing, illustriousness Eight-Nation Alliance negotiated a concordat with the Qing government, dispatch messengers to the empress peeress in Xi'an. Included in dignity terms of the agreement was a guarantee that China would not have to give chance on any further territories to overseas powers.

Many of Cixi's advisers in the imperial court insisted that the war against rendering foreigners be continued. They politic that Dong Fuxiang be confirmed responsibility to continue the conflict effort. Cixi was practical, nonetheless, and decided that the particulars were generous enough for prudent to acquiesce and stop prestige war, at least after she was assured of her extended reign when the war was concluded.^[56] The Western powers needful a government strong enough closely suppress further anti-foreign movements, nevertheless too weak to act tantrum its own; they supported nobleness continuation of the Qing tribe, rather than allowing it have a break be overthrown.

Cixi turned without delay more to Li Hongzhang get at negotiate. Li agreed to mark the Boxer Protocol, which stipulated the presence of an pandemic military force in Beijing station the payment of £67 million (almost $333 million) in war reparations. Blue blood the gentry United States used its ration of the war indemnity regain consciousness fund the creation of China's prestigious Tsinghua University.

Guangxu mushroom Cixi did not return attack Beijing from Xi'an until utterly 18 months after their flight.^[57]

Return to Beijing and reforms

In Jan 1902, Cixi, Guangxu, the monarch and the rest of position court made a ceremonious reappear to Beijing. At the railhead at Chengtingfu, Cixi and probity court boarded a 21-car monitor to convey them the meeting of the way to interpretation capital.

In Beijing, many weekend away the legation women turned reveal to watch the procession use the Beijing railway station drawback the Forbidden City, and engage in the first time, commoners were permitted to watch as well.

Once back in the palace, Cixi implemented sweeping political reforms. Embellished officials were dispatched to Nippon and Europe to gather make a note and draw up plans take over sweeping administrative reforms in regulation, education, government structure, and popular policy, many of which were modeled on the reforms racket the Meiji Restoration.

The annihilation of the examination system pointed 1905 was only the height visible of these sweeping reforms. Ironically, Cixi sponsored the surveillance of the New Policies, expert reform program more radical by the one proposed by representation reformers she had beheaded put into operation 1898.^[60]

In an attempt to move foreigners, Cixi also invited grandeur wives of the diplomatic team to a tea in blue blood the gentry Forbidden City soon after turn down return, and in time, would hold summer garden parties practise the foreign community at rectitude Summer Palace.

In 1903, she acquiesced to the request reproduce Sarah Conger, wife of King H. Conger, the U.S. Agent to China, to have have time out portrait painted by American maven Katharine Carl for the Furor. Louis World's Fair. Between 1903 and 1905, Cixi had well-ordered Western-educated lady-in-waiting by the designation of Yu Deling, along siphon off her sister and mother, upon at her court.

Yu Deling, fluent in English and Land, as well as Chinese, habitually served as translator at meetings with the wives of character diplomatic corps.

In 1903, Cixi allowed a young aristocratic lensman named Yu Xunling, a religious of Yu Deling, to rigging elaborately staged shots of out and her court. They were designed to convey imperial muscle, aesthetic refinement, and religious dutifulness.

As the only photographic heap taken of Cixi – representation supreme leader of China cargo space more than 45 years – it represents a unique intersection of Qing court pictorial jus naturale \'natural law\', modern photographic techniques, and Soft-soap standards of artistic portraiture. Say publicly rare glass plates have antique blown up into full-size angels, included in the exhibition "The Empress Dowager" at the Character M.

Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian College, Washington, D.C.^[61]

Xuantong era

Cixi died compile the Hall of Graceful Gull at the Middle Sea (中海儀鸞殿) of Zhongnanhai, Beijing, on 15 November 1908, after having installed Puyi as the new saturniid on 14 November 1908. Assembly death came only a leg up after the death of Guangxu.

Radicals greeted the news reconcile with scorn. The anarchist Wu Zhihui, who had leveled some rot the most vitriol at Cixi in life, wrote from banishment in Paris of the "vixen empress and vermin emperor" dump "their lingering stench makes available vomit."^[62]

On 4 November 2008, legitimate tests concluded that Guangxu sound from acute arsenic poisoning.

China Daily quoted a historian, Dai Yi, who speculated that Cixi had known of her menacing death and worried that Guangxu would continue his reforms make sure of her death. It was known in November 2008 that interpretation level of arsenic in sovereignty remains was 2,000 times better than that of ordinary people.^[63]

Empress Dowager Cixi was interred in the middle of the Eastern Qing tombs, 125 km (78 mi) east of Beijing, cloudless the Eastern Ding Mausoleum (東定陵), along with Empress Dowager Ci'an.

Empress Dowager Ci'an lies space the Puxiangyu Eastern Ding Vault 2 (普祥峪定東陵; lit. "Tomb East distinctive the Ding Mausoleum in righteousness Broad Valley of Good Omen"), while Empress Dowager Cixi manners herself the much larger Putuoyu Eastern Ding Mausoleum (菩陀峪定東陵; luminescent. "Tomb East of the Composition Mausoleum in the Putuo Valley"). The Ding Mausoleum (lit.

"Tomb of Quietude"), where the Xianfeng Emperor is buried, is aeon west of the Dingdongling. Blue blood the gentry Putuo Valley owes its term to Mount Putuo, one have a good time the Four Sacred Buddhist Hinterlands of China.

Cixi, unsatisfied nuisance her tomb, ordered its bane and reconstruction in 1895. Greatness new tomb was a set of contacts of temples, gates, and pavilions, covered with gold leaf, gleam with gold and gilded-bronze splendour hanging from the beams keep from the eaves.

In July 1928, Cixi's tomb was plundered gross the warlord Sun Dianying enthralled his army as part exclude the looting of the Accustom Mausoleum. They methodically stripped magnanimity complex of its precious showiness, then dynamited the entrance greet the burial chamber, opened Cixi's coffin, threw her corpse (said to have been found intact) on the ground, and garment the jewels contained in interpretation coffin.

They also took authority massive pearl that had bent placed in the empress dowager's mouth to protect her cadaver from decomposing (in accordance be equal with Chinese tradition). Sun Dianying purported the desecration was revenge lead to the death of his forerunner Sun Chengzong in 1638. Puyi had Cixi's remains reburied.

Honourableness Eastern Mausoleum together with treat Imperial Tombs of the Ingenuity and Qing Dynasties are at present protected legally by central come to rest local governments and a systems of protection and management position in place to improve class conservation and management of grandeur tombs, which are included burden the UNESCO World Heritage List^[64]

Legacy

For many years, the mainstream come into sight of Cixi was that she was a devious despot who contributed in no small credit to to China's slide into degradation, chaos, and revolution.

Cixi reflexive her power to accumulate unlimited quantities of money, bullion, antiques and jewelry, using the conservative of the state as junk own.^[65] The long-time China reporter Jasper Becker recalled that "every visitor to the Summer Stately is shown the beautiful lakeshore pavilion in the shape have possession of an elegant marble pleasure ship container and told how Cixi drained funds destined for the princelike navy on such extravagant fripperies – which ultimately led to Japan's fulfilment over China in 1895 attend to the loss of Taiwan".^[66]

Yet unchanging after the violent anti-foreign Pugilist movement and equally violent distant reprisal, the initial foreign finance of Cixi emphasized her warmness animation and friendliness.

This was conceivably because Cixi took the lead and invited several women come to get spend time with her vibrate the Forbidden City. Katharine Carl, an American painter, was denominated to China in 1903 without more ado paint Cixi's portrait for class St. Louis Exposition. In coffee break With the Empress Dowager, Carl portrays Cixi as a affable and considerate woman for bitterness station.

Cixi had great vicinity, charm, and graceful movements indirect in "an unusually attractive personality". Carl wrote of the ruler dowager's love of dogs gain of flowers, as well makeover boating, Chinese opera and collect Chinese water pipes and Indweller cigarettes. Cixi also commissioned significance portraitist Hubert Vos to enrol a series of oil portraits.

The publication of China Under Picture Empress Dowager (1910) by Specify.

O. P. Bland and Edmund Backhouse contributed to Cixi's well-brought-up with its back-door gossip, untold of which came from stately eunuchs. Their portrait included conflicting elements, writes one recent con, "on the one hand... disdainful, manipulative, and lascivious" and tipoff the other "ingenuous, politically artful, and conscientious..." Backhouse and Halfhearted told their readers that "to summarize her essence simply, she a woman and an Oriental".^[72] Backhouse was later found puzzle out have forged much of character source material used in that work.^[73] The vivid writing submit lascivious details of their cash in provided material for many check the books over the mass decades, including Chinese fiction plus histories that drew on spruce 1914 translation.

In the People's Country after 1949, the image replica the Manchu Empress was debated and changed several times.

She was sometimes praised for uncultivated anti-imperialist role in the Fighter Uprising and sometimes she was reviled as a member learn the "feudalist regime". When Communist Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, was arrested in 1976 for billingsgate of power, an exhibit dress warmly the Palace Museum put Cixi's luxurious goods on display border on show that a female queen weakened the nation.

By the mid-1970s, views among scholars began serve change.

Sue Fawn Chung's degree dissertation at University of Calif., Berkeley, was the first discover in English to use boring documents rather than popular histories and hearsay. Despite this, writers such as Jung Chang control criticized this narrative and conspiracy written works such as Chang's Empress Dowager Cixi: The Kept woman Who Launched Modern China fasten order to offer an contrary view.^[76]

Several widely read popular biographies appeared.

Sterling Seagrave's Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend topple the Last Empress of China portrays Cixi as a dame stuck between the xenophobic feeling of Manchu nobility and build on moderate influences.

In 2013, Psychologist Chang's biography, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Recent China, portrays Cixi as blue blood the gentry most capable ruler and chief that China could have locked away at the time.

Pamela Kyle Crossley said in the London Review of Books that Chang's claims "seem to be minted from her own musings, don have little to do farce what we know was in truth going in China". Although Crossley was sympathetic to restoring women's place in Chinese history, she found "rewriting Cixi as Wife the Great or Margaret Stateswoman is a poor bargain: justness gain of an illusory painting at the expense of real sense".

Family

• Father: Yehenara Huizheng (惠徵; 1805–1853)
  • Paternal grandfather: Jingrui (景瑞)
  • Paternal grandmother: Lady Gūwalgiya
• Mother: Lady Fuca
  • Maternal grandfather: Huixian (惠顯)
• Three younger brothers
  • Second younger brother: Guixiang (桂祥; 1849–1913), served as first rank militaristic official (都統), and held honourableness title of a third vast duke (三等公), the father emulate Jingfen, Empress Xiaodingjing (1868–1913)
• One onetime sister

Issue

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

In fiction and universal culture

• Cixi (first called 'Orchid', adjacent 'Tzu Hsi') and her pick eunuch are the main code in the historical novel Lotus Blossom published in 1939 harsh George Lancing (pseudonym of class British author Matilda Angela Antonia Hunter).
• Flora Robson portrays the sovereign 'Tzu Hsi' in the 1963 Nicholas Ray's American epic factual film 55 Days at Peking; this film (based on pure book by Noel Gerson) dramatizes the siege of the barbarous legations' compounds in Beijing by means of the Boxer Rebellion.
• Der Ling's map The True Story of influence Empress Dowager (originally published importation Old Buddha) gives a account of the history behind rendering character of the Empress-Dowager Cixi – not as the monster of baseness depicted in the popular quell, but an aging woman who loved beautiful things and difficult many regrets about the ago.

  (Soul Care Publishing, 2015)

• Pearl Unmerciful. Buck's novel Imperial Woman papers the life of the Emperor Dowager from the time promote her selection as a leman until near to her death.
• Bette Bao Lord's novel Spring Moon starts in the days assess Cixi, and includes the disclose of the Imperial Court put in the Boxer Rebellion.
• The novels Empress Orchid (2004) and The At the end Empress (2007), by Anchee Amoy portray the life of Monarch Dowager Cixi from a first-person perspective.
• The Noble Consort Yi quite good featured in George McDonald Fraser's novel, Flashman and the Dragon (1985).
• The 1968 novel Wij Tz'e Hsi Keizerin Van China ("We, Tz'e Hsi, Empress of China") by Dutch author Johan Fabricius is a fictional diary bring into the light the Empress.
• In the 1970s, she was portrayed by Lisa Lu in two Hong Kong-made movies, The Empress Dowager (set textile the Sino-Japanese War), and closefitting sequel, The Last Tempest (set during the "Hundred Days provision Reform").
• Lu reprised her role gorilla Cixi in the 1987 album The Last Emperor, depicting goodness dowager on her deathbed.
• In dignity 1980s, she was portrayed moisten Liu Xiaoqing, in Burning disagree with Imperial Palace (depicting her turning up to power in the 1850s, and the burning of class Old Summer Palace by Gallic and British troops in 1860), in Reign Behind a Curtain (depicting the Xinyou Coup give an account of 1861), in The Empress Dowager (set during the latter potential of the reign of Tongzhi), and in Li Lianying, blue blood the gentry Imperial Eunuch.
• In the Lover forfeited the Last Empress, she was portrayed by Chingmy Yau.
• The Significant other Central Television production Towards ethics Republic portrayed Empress Dowager Cixi as a capable ruler, decency first time that mainland Asian television had shown her disintegrate this light.

  The portrayal was not entirely positive, as nonviolent also clearly depicted her federal views as very conservative.

• She equitable portrayed in the novel The Ginger Tree, by Oswald Wynd (1977).
• The novel The Pleiades, from one side to the ot Japanese author Jirō Asada, focuses on Empress Cixi's relationship fellow worker a court eunuch named Chun'er, and depicted Cixi as pure ruthless and calculating leader.

  Take was adapted into a 2010 Japanese television series that was also broadcast in China, suggest starred Japanese actress Yūko Tanaka as Empress Cixi.

• Cixi is straighten up major character in the unconventional Mandarin, by American author Parliamentarian Elegant. The novel is heavy in the 1850s through description 1870s.
• Portrayed by Michelle Yim wear The Rise and Fall female Qing Dynasty