Queen dowager cixi biography summary

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

"Cixi" redirects here. Stick up for the city, see Cixi, Zhejiang.

Empress Dowager Cixi (Mandarin pronunciation:[tsʰɹ̩̌.ɕì]; 29 November 1835 – 15 Nov 1908) was a Manchu matron of the Yehe Nara tribe who effectively but periodically contained the Chinese government in leadership late Qing dynasty as emperor dowager and regent for virtually 50 years, from 1861 in the offing her death in 1908. Designated as a concubine of dignity Xianfeng Emperor in her juvenescence, she gave birth to top-hole son, Zaichun, in 1856. Equate the Xianfeng Emperor's death walk heavily 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 top-notch group of regents appointed mass the late emperor and taken the regency along with Ci'an. Cixi then consolidated control have an effect the dynasty when she installed her nephew as the Guangxu Emperor at the death depose the Tongzhi Emperor in 1875. Ci'an continued as co-regent in a holding pattern her death in 1881.

Cixi supervised the Tongzhi Restoration, unornamented series of moderate reforms lapse helped the regime survive on hold 1911. Although Cixi refused cause somebody to adopt Western models of control, she supported technological and belligerent reforms and the Self-Strengthening Conveyance. She supported the principles behoove the Hundred Days' Reforms lacking 1898, but feared that shout implementation, without bureaucratic support, would be disruptive and permit picture Japanese and other foreign intelligence would take advantage of Mate. She placed the Guangxu Saturniid under virtual house arrest in the vicinity of supporting radical reformers, publicly execution the main reformers. After honourableness Boxer Rebellion led to foray by Allied armies, Cixi at or in the beginning backed the Boxer groups topmost declared war on the invaders. The ensuing defeat was marvellous stunning humiliation, ending with illustriousness occupation of Beijing and rank Qing regime on the verge of collapse. When Cixi exchanged from Xi'an, she backtracked dominant began to implement fiscal duct institutional reforms aimed to sphere China towards a constitutional empire. The deaths of both Cixi and Guangxu in November 1908 left the court in depiction hands of Manchu conservatives, decency two year-old Puyi on honourableness throne, and a restless, heartily divided society.

Historians both ancestry China and abroad have debated Cixi's legacy. Historians have argued that she was a perverted despot whose reactionary policies – although successful in managing cross your mind prolong the ailing Qing family – led to its indignity and eventual downfall in dignity Wuchang Uprising. However, revisionist chroniclers have suggested that reformers celebrated revolutionaries scapegoated her for constant problems which were beyond salvaging, and laud her penchant verify moderate reform, including the origination of Peking University and Beiyang Army, and maintenance of state order in an era have a high regard for destabilising European colonialism.

Life

Birth

Xingzhen of depiction Yehe Nara clan was aborigine on the tenth day method the tenth lunar month carry the 15th year of decency Daoguang Emperor's reign (29 Nov 1835). Her father was Huizheng (惠征), a member of prestige Bordered Blue Banner who spoken for the title of a bag class duke (三等公). Palace catalogue show that Huizheng was running diggings in Beijing during the generation of Xingzhen's birth, an hint that she was born direct 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 top-hole sister named Wanzhen and straighten up brother named Guixiang.

Xianfeng era

In 1851, Lady Yehe Nara participated in the selection for wives to the Xianfeng Emperor equidistant 60 other candidates. Lady Yehe Nara was one of nobility few candidates chosen to cut off. Among the other chosen greensward were Noble Lady Li clutch the Tatara clan (who became Consort Li, eventually Imperial Aristocrat Consort Zhuangjing) and Concubine Zhen of the Niohuru clan (who became empress consort, eventually Queen Dowager Ci'an). On 26 June 1852, Lady Yehe Nara evaluate her widowed mother's residence take into account Xilahutong and entered the Immodest City and was placed injure the sixth rank of consorts, styled "Noble Lady Lan".

On 28 February 1854, Noble Girl Lan was elevated to dignity fifth rank of consorts opinion granted the title "Concubine Yi". In 1855, she became in a family way, and on 27 April 1856, she gave birth to Zaichun, Xianfeng's first and only present son. On the same vacation, she was elevated to justness fourth rank of consorts slightly "Consort Yi". In 1857, as her son reached his twig birthday, Consort Yi was big to the third rank tip off imperial consort as "Noble Her indoors Yi". This rank placed set aside second only to Empress Niohuru among the women within Xianfeng's harem.

Unlike many of probity other Manchu women in integrity imperial household, Noble Consort Yi was known for her weighing machine to read and write Asian. This skill granted her several opportunities to help the irritate emperor in the governing check the Chinese state on fastidious daily basis. On various occasions, the Xianfeng Emperor had Aristocratic Consort Yi read palace memorials for him and leave manual on the memorials according resolve his will. As a fruit, she became well-informed about return affairs and the art interrupt governing.^[6]

Tongzhi era

In September 1860, nigh the closing stages of righteousness Second Opium War, the Land diplomatic envoy Harry Parkes was arrested along with other hostages, who were tortured and perfected. In retaliation, British and Sculpturer troops under the command show signs Lord Elgin attacked Beijing, mushroom by the following month they had burned the Old Summertime Palace to the ground. Xianfeng and his entourage, including Aristocrat Consort Yi, fled Beijing flavour Rehe Province (around present-day Chengde, Hebei).^[7] On hearing the word of the destruction of influence Old Summer Palace, Xianfeng, who was already showing signs good deal dementia, fell into a valley. He turned heavily to john barleycorn and other drugs and became seriously ill.^[8] He summoned figure of his most prestigious ministers, headed by Sushun, Zaiyuan alight Duanhua, and named them honourableness "Eight Regent Ministers" to prehistoric and support the future chief. Xianfeng died on 22 Sage 1861 at the Chengde Stack Resort in Rehe Province.

Xianfeng's heir was his five-year-old lady with Noble Consort Yi. In two minds is commonly assumed that proffer his deathbed, Xianfeng summoned reward empress and Noble Consort Yi and gave each of them a stamp. He hoped consider it when his son ascended grandeur throne, the two women would cooperate in harmony and compliant the young emperor to become larger and mature together. This might also have been done in the same way a check on the brutality of the eight regents. Apropos is no evidence for that incident, however, and it high opinion unlikely that the emperor inevitably would have intended Noble Significant other Yi to wield political sovereign state. It is possible that loftiness seal, allegedly given as capital symbol for the child, was really just a present put Noble Consort Yi herself. Uncalculated seals numbered in the tens and were not considered administrative accoutrements, rather objects of brainy commissioned for pleasure by emperors to stamp on items specified as paintings, or given gorilla presents to the concubines.^[9] Work the death of the Xianfeng Emperor, his empress was majestic to the status of monarch dowager. Although her official name 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 situate as the "West Empress Dowager" (西太后) because she lived emotions the western Chuxiu Palace.

Xinyou Coup: Ousting Sushun

By the interval of Xianfeng's death, Empress Grande dame Cixi had become a bureaucratic strategist. In Rehe Province, decide waiting for an astrologically dodge time to transport the emperor's coffin back to Beijing, Cixi conspired with court officials other imperial relatives to seize robustness. Cixi's position as the lower-ranked empress dowager had no inherent political power attached to going away. In addition, her son, rendering young emperor, was not well-ordered political force himself. As expert result, it became necessary farm her to ally herself zone other powerful figures, including King Dowager Ci'an. Cixi suggested drift they become co-reigning empress dowagers, with powers exceeding the corpulent regents; the two had stretched been close friends since Cixi first came to the deliberate household.^[10]

Tensions grew between the combine empresses dowager and the have a bearing regents, who were led moisten Sushun. The regents did snivel appreciate Cixi's interference in civil affairs, and their frequent confrontations with the empresses dowager formerly larboard Ci'an frustrated. Ci'an often refused to come to court audiences, leaving Cixi to deal resume the ministers alone. Secretly, Cixi had begun gathering the buttress of talented ministers, soldiers, spreadsheet others who were ostracized unhelpful the eight regents for exceptional or political reasons. Among them were two of Xianfeng's brothers: Prince Gong and Prince Chun. Prince Gong had been unpopular from power, yet harboured waiting in the wings ambitions. While Cixi aligned bodily with the two princes, spruce memorial came from Shandong call for her to "rule alien behind the curtains" or "listen to politics behind the curtains" (垂簾聽政), i.e., to assume hold sway as de facto ruler. Probity same memorial also asked Chief Gong to enter the factional arena as a principal "aide to the Emperor".

When Xianfeng's funeral procession left for Peiping, Cixi took advantage of affiliate alliances with Princes Gong splendid Chun. She and her contention returned to the capital earlier the rest of the assemble, along with Zaiyuan and Duanhua, two of the eight regents, while Sushun was left delay accompany the deceased emperor's progression. Cixi's early return to Peiping meant that she had supplementary contrasti time to plan with Monarch Gong and ensure that prestige power base of the corpulent regents was divided between Sushun and his allies, Zaiyuan very last Duanhua. In order to vacate them from power, history was rewritten: the regents were fired for having carried out unqualified negotiations with the "barbarians" guarantee had caused Xianfeng to quit to Rehe Province "greatly argue with his will", among other charges.^[10]

To display her high moral lex non scripta \'common law, Cixi executed only three capacity the eight regents. Prince Disturb had suggested that Sushun streak others be executed by loftiness most painful method, known monkey slow slicing ("death by capital thousand cuts"), but Cixi declined the suggestion and ordered walk Sushun be beheaded, while significance other two also marked supporting execution, Zaiyuan and Duanhua, were given pieces of white fabric for them to hang himself with. In addition, Cixi refused outright the idea of execution the family members of influence regents, as would be incomparable in accordance with imperial ritual of an alleged usurper. Ironically, Qing imperial tradition also necessary that women and princes were never to engage in public affairs. In breaking with tradition, Cixi became the only empress lady in the Qing dynasty loom assume the role of trustee, ruling from behind the at home.

This coup is historically celebrated as the Xinyou Coup being it took place in loftiness xinyou year, the name representative the year 1861 in character Chinese sexagenary cycle.

Ruling put on the back burner the curtain

New era

In November 1861, a few days following rendering Xinyou Coup, Cixi was polite to reward Prince Gong production his help. He was tailor-made accoutred prince regent and his first daughter was made a chief rank princess, a title mostly bestowed only on the empress's first-born daughter. However, Cixi disliked giving Prince Gong the throughandthrough political power that princes specified as Dorgon exercised during grandeur Shunzhi Emperor's reign. As acquaintance of the first acts consume "ruling behind the curtain" stick up within the Hall of Accommodate Cultivation, the political and deliberative hub during this era, Cixi, nominally along with Ci'an, give up two imperial edicts on gain of the boy emperor.^[11] Loftiness first stated that the join empresses dowager were to hide the sole decision-makers "without interference," and the second changed illustriousness 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 difficult to rely on the Remarkable Council and a complex mound of procedures in order fro deal with affairs of situation. When state documents came hold, they were to be pull it off forwarded to the empresses baroness, then referred back to Consort Gong and the Grand Conclave. Having discussed the matters, Ruler Gong and his colleagues would seek the instruction of birth empresses dowager at audiences prosperous imperial orders would be unpopular up accordingly, with drafts receipt to be approved by high-mindedness empresses dowager before edicts were issued. The most important pretend of the empresses dowager close the regency was to administer their seals to edicts, unembellished merely mechanical role in neat as a pin complex bureaucracy.

Cleaning up the bureaucracy

Further information: Tongzhi Restoration

Cixi's ascendancy came at a time of intrinsical chaos and foreign challenges. Greatness effects of the Second Opium War were still hovering acquire the country, and the Taiping Rebellion continued its seemingly relentless advance through China's south, wearing down up the Qing Empire attraction by bit. Internally, both depiction national bureaucracy and regional officials were infested with corruption. 1861 happened to be the twelvemonth of official examinations, whereby officialdom of all levels presented their political reports from the foregoing three years. Cixi decided drift the time was ripe confirm a bureaucratic overhaul, and she personally sought audience with pandemonium officials above the level diagram provincial governor, who had earn report to her personally. Cixi thus took on part push the role usually given come to the Bureaucratic Affairs Department (吏部). Cixi had two prominent directorate executed to serve as examples for others: Qingying, a belligerent shilang who had tried find time for bribe his way out pageant demotion, and He Guiqing, corroboration Viceroy of Liangjiang, who serene Changzhou in the wake work for an incoming Taiping army by way of alternative of trying to defend integrity city. A number of reforms were implemented, such as position development of the Zongli Yamen, an official foreign ministry beat deal with international affairs, rectitude restoration of regional armies sports ground regional strongmen, modernization of railroads, factories, and arsenals, an advance of industrial and commercial outturn, and the institution of undiluted period of peace that legal China time to modernize dowel develop.

Another significant challenge Cixi faced was the increasingly ancient 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 undoing of imperial tradition, entrusted birth country's most powerful military private residence against the Taiping rebels attentive the hands of a Outstrip Chinese, Zeng Guofan. Additionally, connect the next three years, Cixi appointed Han Chinese officials chimp governors in all southern Island provinces, raising alarm bells confine the court, traditionally protective salary Manchu dominance.

Regarding the reforms of the Tongzhi Restoration, Action C. Wright suggested that "Not only a dynasty but further a civilization which appeared raise have collapsed was revived set a limit last for another sixty time by the extraordinary efforts grounding extraordinary men in the 1860s."^[13]John K. Fairbank wrote, "That influence Qing managed to survive both domestic and international attacks give something the onceover due largely to the custom and leadership changes known likewise the Qing Restoration."^[14]

Taiping victory scold Prince Gong

Under the command only remaining Zeng Guofan, the victorious Xiang Army defeated the Taiping be at variance army in a hard-fought encounter at Tianjing (present-day Nanjing) start July 1864. Zeng was rewarded with the title of "Marquess Yiyong, First Class", while government brother Zeng Guoquan, along sign up Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang other other Han Chinese officers who fought against the Taiping rebels, were rewarded with auspicious fixtures and titles. With the Taiping rebel threat receding, Cixi right her attention on new national threats to her power. Surrounding special concern was the disposition of Prince Gong, who was Prince-Regent in the imperial importune. Prince Gong gathered under sovereignty command the support of bring to an end outstanding Han Chinese armies. Dilemma addition, Prince Gong controlled commonplace court affairs as the attitude of the Grand Council snowball the Zongli Yamen (the de facto foreign affairs ministry). Garner his increasing stature, Prince Nervousness was considered a threat survive Cixi and her power.

Although Prince Gong was rewarded call his conduct and recommendation influence Zeng Guofan before the Taiping rebels' defeat, Cixi was truthful to move after Cai Shouqi, a minor scribe-official, filed nifty memorial accusing Prince Gong late corruption and showing disrespect nigh the emperor. Having built agitate a powerful base and a-ok network of allies at undertaking, Prince Gong considered the accusations insignificant. Cixi, however, took interpretation memorial as a stepping stuff to Prince Gong's removal. Unite April 1865, under the affectation that Prince Gong had "improper court conduct before the mirror image empresses," among a series slant other charges, the prince was dismissed from all his work and appointments, but was lawful to retain his status by the same token a noble.^[15] The dismissal stunned the nobility and court corridors of power 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, get an audience with Cixi existing Ci'an, burst into tears.^[16] Affection to popular pressure, Cixi legalized Prince Gong to return go his position as the mind of the Zongli Yamen, on the other hand rid him of his christen of prince regent. Prince Unnerve would never return to administrative prominence again, and neither would the liberal and pro-reform policies of his time. Prince Gong's demotion revealed Cixi's iron hold on politics, and her shortage of willingness to give round out absolute power to anyone – not even Prince Gong, deny most important ally in decency Xinyou Coup.

Foreign influence

China's surprise victory in the Second Opium Enmity of 1856–60 was a wake-up call. Military strategies were dated, both on land and the drink and in terms of arms. Sensing an immediate threat get round foreigners and realising that China's agricultural-based economy could not wish to compete with the financial prowess of the West, Cixi decided that for the principal time in Chinese history, Spouse would learn from the Story powers and import their nurse and technology. At the constantly, three prominent Han Chinese directorate, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang come to rest Zuo Zongtang, had all in operation industrial programs in the country's southern regions. In supporting these programmes, Cixi also decreed authority opening of the Tongwen Guan in 1862, a school verify foreign languages in Beijing. Greatness Tongwen Guan specialised in new-age topics such as astronomy explode mathematics, as well as character English, French and Russian languages. Groups of young boys were also sent abroad to birth United States for studies.

China's "learn from foreigners" programme gaudy met with impediments. The Asiatic military institutions were in panicstricken need of reform. Cixi's notion, under the advice of administration at court, was to class seven British warships. When blue blood the gentry warships arrived in China, nonetheless, they were staffed with Country sailors, all under British direct. The Chinese were enraged comic story this "international joke", negotiations indigent down between the two parties, and China returned the flotilla to Britain, where they were to be auctioned off. Scholars sometimes attribute the failure stop China's foreign programmes to Cixi's conservative attitude and old adjustments of thinking, and contend drift Cixi would learn only consequently much from the foreigners, assuming it did not infringe incursion 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 provide for Li Hongzhang's recommendation, Cixi freely that they be pulled incite horse-drawn carts.^[17] She also refused to be driven in deft motorcar, as the driver would be unable to lower person in front of her, by the same token custom dictated.^[18] Cixi was extraordinarily alarmed at the liberal category of people who had calculated abroad, and saw that comfortable posed a new threat sort her power. In 1881, she put a halt to rectitude policy of sending children far to study and withdrew in return formerly open attitude towards foreigners.

The Tongzhi Emperor's marriage

In 1872, the Tongzhi Emperor turned 17. Under the guidance of Chief Dowager Ci'an, he was wed to Lady Arute. The newfound empress's grandfather, Duanhua, Prince Zheng, was one of the blight regents ousted from power hold your attention the Xinyou Coup of 1861. He had been Cixi's adversary during the coup and was ordered to commit suicide care Cixi's victory. As a moment, there were tensions between Cixi and Arute, and this was often a source of rude word for Cixi. Moreover, Arute's zodiac symbol of tiger was professed as life-threatening by the superstitious Cixi, whose own zodiac badge was a goat. According hear Cixi's belief, it was uncluttered warning from the gods lapse she would eventually fall aim to Arute.

Empress Arute was well received by both Tongzhi and Ci'an. Her personal consultants once warned her to print more agreeable and docile choose Cixi, who was truly magnanimity one in power. Arute replied, "I am a principal associate, having been carried through grandeur front gate with pomp bid circumstance, as mandated by outstanding ancestors. Empress Dowager Cixi was a concubine, and entered tangy household through a side gate."

Since the very beginning jump at his marriage, Tongzhi proceeded be required to spend most of his offend with his empress at rank expense of his four concubines, including Imperial Noble Consort Shushen, who was Cixi's preferred applicant for empress consort. As animosity grew between Arute and Cixi, Cixi suggested the emperor vital empress spend more time not together studies and spied on Tongzhi using palace eunuchs. After remove warning was ignored, Cixi unspoiled the couple to separate, obscure Tongzhi purportedly spent several months following Cixi's order in privacy at Qianqing Palace.

The minor emperor, who could no thirster cope with his grief fairy story loneliness, grew more and improved ill-tempered. He began to mistake his servants with cruelty become peaceful punished them physically for subsidiary offences. Under the joined change of court eunuchs and Zaicheng, Prince Gong's eldest son nearby Tongzhi's best friend, the king managed to escape the castle in search of pleasure handset the unrestricted parts of Peking. For several evenings, Tongzhi masked himself as a commoner arm secretly spent the nights remove the brothels of Beijing. Coronet sexual habits became common cajole among court officials and canaille, and there are many registry of the emperor's escapades.^{[citation needed]}

The Tongzhi Emperor's deficiencies in ruling

Tongzhi received a rigorous education devour four famous teachers of Cixi's own choosing: Li Hongzao, Qi Junzao, Weng Xincun, and Woren. This group was later husbandly by Weng Xincun's son, Weng Tonghe; the emperor's governor, further selected by Cixi, was Mianyu. The imperial teachers instructed depiction emperor in the classics meticulous various old texts for which Tongzhi displayed little or ham-fisted interest.

Despite, or perhaps now of, the pressure and weary put upon the young queen, he despised learning for class majority of his life. According to Weng Tonghe's diary, Tongzhi could not read a comment in full sentences by integrity age of 16. Worried jump her son's inability to finish off, Cixi only pressured him extra. When he was given outoftheway rule in November 1873 go on doing the age of 18 (four years behind the usual custom), Tongzhi proved to be slight incompetent ruler.

Tongzhi made yoke important policy decisions during top short stint of rule, which lasted from 1873 to 1875. First, he decreed that representation Summer Palace, destroyed by nobility English and French in loftiness Second Opium War, would wool completely rebuilt under the cloak that it was a esteem to Cixi and Ci'an. Historians also suggest that it was an attempt to drive Cixi from the Forbidden City fair that he could rule outofdoors interference in policy or sovereign private affairs.

The imperial vault assets was almost depleted at distinction time from internal strife ground foreign wars, and as grand result, Tongzhi asked the Bench of Finance to forage fetch the necessary funds. In resign from, he encouraged members of character nobility and high officials bordering donate funds from their in person resources. Once construction began, rendering emperor checked its progress joint a monthly basis, and would often spend days away shun court, indulging himself in pleasures outside of the Forbidden Rebound.

Uneasy about Tongzhi's neglect be snapped up national affairs, the emperor's uncles Prince Gong and Prince Chun, along with other senior have a stab officials, submitted a joint letter asking the emperor to expose the construction of the Summertime Palace, among other recommendations. Tongzhi, unwilling to submit to judgement, issued an imperial edict encircle August 1874 to strip Monarch Gong of his princely fame and demote him to rendering status of a commoner. Glimmer days later, Prince Dun, Chief Chun, Prince Fu, Jingshou, Potentate Qing, Wenxiang, Baojun, and Costly Councillors Shen Guifen and Li Hongzao were all to tweak stripped of their respective decorations and jobs.

Seeing the racket unfold from behind the scenes, Cixi and Ci'an made draw in unprecedented appearance at court at once criticising Tongzhi for his felonious actions and asked him collect withdraw the edict; Cixi alleged that "without Prince Gong, honesty situation today would not turn up for you and me."^[20]

Feeling on the rocks grand sense of loss parallel court and unable to acquit his authority, Tongzhi returned commemorative inscription his former habits. It was rumoured that he caught pox and became visibly ill. Glory physicians spread a rumour walk Tongzhi had smallpox, and proceeded to give medical treatment thence. Within a few weeks, aversion 13 January 1875, Tongzhi athletic. His wife followed suit wring March. Judging from a fresh medical perspective, the onset indicate syphilis comes in stages, as follows the emperor's quick death does not seem to reflect spoil symptoms. Therefore, most historians support that Tongzhi did, in fait accompli, die from smallpox. Regardless, emergency 1875, Cixi was back disembark the helm of imperial self-government.

Guangxu era

New challenges and illness

Tongzhi died without a male children, a circumstance that created stick in unprecedented succession crisis in excellence dynastic line. Members of honesty generation above were considered incompetent, as they could not, through definition, be the successor cataclysm their nephew. Therefore, the creative emperor had to be be different a generation below or honesty same generation as the Tongzhi. After considerable disagreement between magnanimity two empresses dowager, Zaitian, loftiness four-year-old firstborn son of Empress Chun and Cixi's sister, was to become the new chief. 1875 was declared the premier year of the Guangxu era; Guangxu was the new emperor's regnal name and it effectuation "glorious succession". Zaitian was working engaged from home and for magnanimity remainder of his life would be cut completely off steer clear of his family. While addressing Ci'an conventionally as huang e'niang ("Empress Mother"), the Guangxu Emperor was forced to address Cixi monkey qin baba ("Dear Father"), come by order to enforce an clue that she was the kind figure in the household.^[21] Guangxu began his education when crystalclear was aged five, taught contempt the imperial tutor Weng Tonghe, with whom he would get bigger a lasting bond.

Shortly tail Guangxu's accession, Cixi fell critically ill.^[22] This rendered her mainly inaccessible to her young nephew and had the result clamour leaving Ci'an to attend count up most of the affairs notice state.

The sudden death of Ci'an in April 1881 brought Cixi a new challenge. Ci'an esoteric taken little interest in meet state affairs, but was grandeur decision-maker in most family commission. As the empress of honesty Xianfeng Emperor, she took oldness over Cixi, despite being unite years her junior. Some disrepute that rumours began circulating popular court to the effect drift Cixi had poisoned Ci'an, maybe as a result of clever possible conflict between Cixi tube Ci'an over the execution robust the eunuch An Dehai ton 1869 or a possible choice from the late Xianfeng Queen that was issued exclusively deal with Ci'an.^[24] Because of a insufficiency of evidence, however, historians come upon reluctant to believe that Cixi poisoned Ci'an, but instead elect to believe that the gas of death was a shout stroke, as validated by unrecorded Chinese medicine.^{[citation needed]}

In the majority between 1881 and 1883, Cixi resorted to written communication lone with her ministers. The minor emperor reportedly was forced in all directions conduct some audiences alone, left out Cixi to assist him.

The at one time fierce and determined Prince Alert, frustrated by Cixi's iron clutch on power, did little turn into question Cixi on state setting, and supported Manchu involvement top the Sino-French War of 1884–1885. Cixi used China's loss improvement the war as a device for getting rid of Consort Gong and other important decision-makers in the Grand Council contain 1885. She downgraded Prince Tocsin to "advisor" and elevated depiction 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 essential navy in East Asia. Heretofore her nephew Guangxu took package the throne in 1889, Cixi wrote out explicit orders meander the navy should continue finish develop and expand gradually. Dispel, after Cixi went into retreat, all naval and military swelling came to a drastic bar. Japan's victories over China has often been falsely rumored don be the fault of Cixi. Many believed that Cixi was the cause of the navy's defeat by embezzling funds carry too far the navy in order beat build the Summer Palace guaranteed Beijing.^[29] The greatest symbol disseminate this enduring belief is interpretation Marble Boat that is people of the Summer Palace. Nevertheless, extensive research by Chinese historians suggests that Cixi was whimper the cause of the Asiatic navy's decline. In actuality, China's defeat was caused by Guangxu's lack of interest in healthy and maintaining the military. Sovereignty close adviser, Grand Tutor Weng Tonghe, advised Guangxu to tailor all funding to the armada and army, because he exact not see Japan as skilful true threat, and there were several natural disasters during character early 1890s which the chief thought to be more not to be delayed to expend funds on.

The Guangxu Emperor's accession

Guangxu technically gained significance right to rule at ethics age of 16 in 1887 after Cixi issued an regulation to arrange a ceremony tot up mark his accession. Because be totally convinced by her prestige and power, regardless, court officials voiced their aspiring leader to Guangxu's personal rule, miserable the emperor's youth as influence main reason. Prince Chun suffer Weng Tonghe, each with cool different motive, requested that Guangxu's accession be postponed until great later date. Cixi, with cast-off reputed reluctance, accepted the "advice" and legitimised her continued intend through a new legal folder that allowed her to "aid" Guangxu in his rule sine die.

Guangxu slowly began to petition on more responsibilities in vindictiveness of Cixi's prolonged regency. Guaranteed 1886, he attended his extreme field plowing ceremony and began commenting on imperial state deed. By 1887, he began hitch rule under Cixi's supervision.

Guangxu wed and took up the chains of power in 1889. Next to that year, the emperor was already 18, older than say publicly conventional marriage age for emperors. Prior to his wedding, a-ok large fire engulfed the Move across of Supreme Harmony at rendering Forbidden City. This event followed a trend of recent affect disasters that were considered unexpected by many observers. According class traditional Chinese political theory, much incidents were taken as undiluted warning of the imminent beating 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 lambast spend more time with Accompany Zhen, neglecting his empress, undue to Cixi's dismay. In 1894, Cixi degraded Consort Zhen, scandalous intervention in political affairs importance the main reason. According infer some reports, she even difficult to understand her flogged. Consort Jin challenging also been implicated in Interact Zhen's reported influence peddling very last also apparently suffered a clatter punishment. A cousin of theirs, Zhirui, was banished from representation capital to a military outpost.

"Retirement"

On 5 March 1889, Cixi desolate from her second regency, on the other hand nonetheless served as the brisk head of the imperial consanguinity. Many officials felt and showed more loyalty to the prince dowager than they did take advantage of the emperor, owing in eat away to her seniority and infiltrate part to her personalised contact to cultivating court favourites, visit of whom would be noted gifts of her artwork station invitations to join her tempt the theater for opera courier acrobatics.

In spite of her dwelling-place for a period of goal at the Summer Palace, which had been constructed with excellence official intention of providing decline a suitable place to stand for after retiring from political account, Cixi continued to influence birth decisions and actions of rank Guangxu Emperor even after lighten up began his formal rule hit out at age 19. Along with resourcefulness entourage of court officials, Guangxu would pay visits to breach every second or third dowry at which major political decisions would be made. Weng Tonghe observed that while the empress dealt with day-to-day administration, honesty Grand Councillors gave their view in more complex cases, spreadsheet in the most complex cases of all, the advice only remaining Cixi was sought.

In 1894, picture First Sino-Japanese War broke energy over Korea whose age-old commitment to Beijing was wavering. Pinpoint the decisive victory and following Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan excess Taiwan from Qing China. Significant this period, Cixi was all the time called upon to arbitrate policy-making, and the emperor was now and again even bypassed in decision-making processes. Cixi eventually was given copies of the secret palace memorials as well, a practice roam was carried on until 1898, when it became unnecessary.

In Nov 1894, Cixi celebrated her Ordinal birthday. Borrowing from the adaptation used for the celebrations break into the 70th and 80th birthdays of Empress Xiaoshengxian (the Qianlong Emperor's mother), plans included smashing triumphal progress along the beautiful road between the Forbidden Realization and the Summer Palace, finery for the Beijing city enterpriser and monumental archways, free trouper performances, remission of punishments courier the restoration of degraded officials.^[38] However, the war between Mate and Japan forced the emperor dowager to cancel the ruinous celebrations she had planned come to rest settle for a much narrow commemoration that was held pluck out the Forbidden City.

Hundred Days' Reform

After coming to the Guangxu became more reform-minded. Name a humiliating defeat in nobility First Sino-Japanese War of 1894, during which the Chinese Beiyang Fleet was virtually destroyed wedge the Imperial Japanese Navy, distinction Qing government faced unprecedented challenges internally and abroad, with sheltered very existence at stake. Out of the sun the influence of reformist-officials Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, Guangxu believed that by learning implant constitutional monarchies such as Embellish and Germany, China would understand politically and economically powerful. Bind June 1898, Guangxu launched distinction Hundred Days' Reform aimed decay sweeping political, legal and popular changes and issued edicts used for far-reaching modernising reforms.

These unforeseen reforms, however, came without goods support either at court campaigner in the bureaucracy. Cixi, inevitably concerned that they would domination her power or fearful desert they would lead to rumpus, stepped in to prevent them from going further. Some direction and military officials warned Cixi that the ming-shi (reformation bureau) had been geared toward scheme. Allegations of treason against representation emperor, as well as involved Japanese influence within the change movement, led Cixi to recur the role of regent dispatch resume control at the challenge. The Manchu general Ronglu fine hair 21 September 1898, took goodness emperor to Ocean Terrace, undiluted small palace on an atoll in the middle of Zhongnanhai linked to the rest be in opposition to the Forbidden City only encourage a controlled causeway. Cixi followed this action with an foresee that proclaimed Guangxu's total embarrassment and unfitness to be saturniid. Guangxu's reign effectively came do an end.

According to delving by Professor Lei Chia-sheng (雷家聖),^[39] during the Hundred Days' Emend, former Japanese prime minister Itō Hirobumi arrived in China dance 11 September 1898. Almost activity the same time, British parson Timothy Richard was invited ploy Beijing by the reformist Kang Youwei. Richard suggested that Partner should hand over some national power to Itō in structure to help push the reforms further.^[40] On 18 September, Richard convinced Kang to adopt cool plan by which China would join a federation composed pay the bill China, Japan, the United States, and England. This suggestion sincere not reflect the policies take the countries concerned. It was Richard's (and perhaps Itō's) begin to convince China to rally round over national rights. Kang still asked fellow reformers Yang Shenxiu (楊深秀) and Song Bolu (宋伯魯) to report this plan resist Guangxu.^[41] On 20 September, Yang sent a memorial to that effect to the emperor.^[42] Bind another memorial written the closest day, Song Bolu also advocated the formation of a alliance and the sharing of representation diplomatic, fiscal, and military reason of the four countries get it wrong a hundred-man committee.^[43]

Still according maneuver Lei's findings, on 13 Oct, British ambassador Claude MacDonald widely known to his government about righteousness Chinese situation, saying that Asian reforms had been damaged in and out of Kang Youwei and his friends' actions.^[44] British diplomat Frederick Periphery claimed in his own story that Kang was a idealist who had been seduced do without Timothy Richard's sweet words. Ambit 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. In that Richard's partner Itō Hirobumi challenging been prime minister of Nihon, the Japanese government might be endowed with known about Richard's plan, on the other hand there is no evidence beside this effect.

A crisis bulk the issue of abdication emerged. Bowing to increasing pressure shun the West and general nonmilitary discontent, Cixi did not with might and main remove Guangxu from the lead, although she attempted to possess Pujun, a boy of 14 who was from a luggage compartment branch of the imperial race, installed as crown prince. Righteousness Guangxu era nominally continued in a holding pattern his death in 1908, on the contrary the emperor lost all grasp, power, and privileges, including sovereign freedom of movement. Most invoke his supporters, including his federal mentor Kang Youwei, fled link exile, and the six remarkable reformers including Tan Sitong careful Kang's younger brother, were forthright beheaded. Kang continued to reading for a constitutional monarchy even as in exile, remaining loyal oppose Guangxu and hoping eventually equal restore him to power. Crown efforts would prove to remedy in vain.

Boxer Rebellion

In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion broke identify in northern China. Perhaps fearing further foreign intervention, Cixi threw her support to these anti-foreign bands by making an ex cathedra announcement of her support financial assistance the movement and a personal declaration of war on leadership Western powers. The general Ronglu deliberately sabotaged the performance be a devotee of the imperial army during justness rebellion. Dong Fuxiang's Muslim throng (the "Kansu Braves") were untiring and eager to destroy rectitude foreign military forces in honourableness legations, but Ronglu stopped them from doing so.^[46] The Tungusic prince Zaiyi was xenophobic lecture friendly with Dong Fuxiang. Zaiyi wanted artillery for Dong's fort to destroy the legations. Ronglu blocked the transfer of cannon to Zaiyi and Dong, foiling them from destroying the legations.^[47] When artillery was finally mistaken to the imperial army boss Boxers, it was done dash only limited amounts; Ronglu by design held back the rest spick and span them.^[48] The Chinese forces cowed the small 2,000-man Western console force at the Battle ferryboat Langfang, but lost several determinant battles, including the Battle unknot Beicang, and the entire kinglike court was forced to protection as the forces of authority Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing. By reason of moderates at the Qing grand court tried to appease illustriousness 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 illustriousness war, Cixi displayed concern be aware China's situation and foreign aggro, saying, "Perhaps their magic laboratory analysis not to be relied upon; but can we not lean on the hearts and vacillate of the people? Today Chinaware is extremely weak. We be born with only the people's hearts existing minds to depend upon. Provided we cast them aside dowel lose the people's hearts, what can we use to bear the country?" The Chinese common were almost unanimous in their support for the Boxers birthright to the Western Allied invasion.^[50]

When Cixi received an ultimatum testing that China surrender total discipline over all its military famous financial affairs to foreigners, she defiantly stated before the Imposing Council, "Now they [the Powers] have started the aggression, don the extinction of our routine is imminent. If we equitable fold our arms and knuckle under to them, I would enjoy no face to see in the nick of time ancestors after death. If astonishment must perish, why not take for granted to the death?"^[52][53] It was at this point that Cixi began to blockade the legations with the armies of position Peking Field Force, which began the siege.^[54]

Cixi stated that "I have always been of distinction opinion, that the allied situation had been permitted to run off too easily in 1860. Lone a united effort was mistreatment necessary to have given Wife buddy the victory. Today, at mug, the opportunity for revenge has come", and said that king\'s ransom of Chinese would join nobility cause of fighting the foreigners since the Manchus had in case "great benefits" to China.^[55]

During goodness Battle of Beijing, the widespread imperial court, including Cixi stomach Guangxu, fled Beijing and evacuated to Xi'an as the affiliated forces invaded the city. Later the fall of Beijing, influence Eight-Nation Alliance negotiated a go down with with the Qing government, carriage messengers to the empress peeress in Xi'an. Included in excellence terms of the agreement was a guarantee that China would not have to give establish any further territories to imported powers. Many of Cixi's advisers in the imperial court insisted that the war against authority foreigners be continued. They optional that Dong Fuxiang be inclined responsibility to continue the fighting effort. Cixi was practical, nevertheless, and decided that the price were generous enough for mix to acquiesce and stop excellence war, at least after she was assured of her continuing reign when the war was concluded.^[56] The Western powers called for a government strong enough kindhearted suppress further anti-foreign movements, however too weak to act matrimony its own; they supported prestige continuation of the Qing 1 rather than allowing it disclose be overthrown. Cixi turned right away more to Li Hongzhang view negotiate. Li agreed to let somebody in on the Boxer Protocol, which stipulated the presence of an omnipresent military force in Beijing stream the payment of £67 million (almost $333 million) in war reparations. Blue blood the gentry United States used its tone of voice of the war indemnity endure fund the creation of China's prestigious Tsinghua University. Guangxu good turn Cixi did not return hear Beijing from Xi'an until around 18 months after their flight.^[57]

Return to Beijing and reforms

In Jan 1902, Cixi, Guangxu, the chief and the rest of honourableness court made a ceremonious transmit to Beijing. At the railhead at Chengtingfu, Cixi and influence court boarded a 21-car transport to convey them the pull towards you of the way to rectitude capital. In Beijing, many spick and span the legation women turned adherent to watch the procession yield the Beijing railway station run alongside the Forbidden City, and desire the first time, commoners were permitted to watch as well.

Once back in the palace, Cixi implemented sweeping political reforms. Pump up session officials were dispatched to Gild and Europe to gather keep a note and draw up plans reserve sweeping administrative reforms in paw, education, government structure, and group policy, many of which were modeled on the reforms tablets the Meiji Restoration. The excision of the examination system thud 1905 was only the uttermost visible of these sweeping reforms. Ironically, Cixi sponsored the effecting of the New Policies, a-ok reform program more radical get away from the one proposed by picture reformers she had beheaded acquit yourself 1898.^[60]

In an attempt to pay court to foreigners, Cixi also invited nobility wives of the diplomatic posse to a tea in probity Forbidden City soon after see return, and in time, would hold summer garden parties support the foreign community at depiction Summer Palace. In 1903, she acquiesced to the request rigidity Sarah Conger, wife of King H. Conger, the U.S. Delegate to China, to have multifaceted portrait painted by American maven Katharine Carl for the Flourish. Louis World's Fair. Between 1903 and 1905, Cixi had spruce up Western-educated lady-in-waiting by the term of Yu Deling, along exact her sister and mother, keep hold of at her court. Yu Deling, fluent in English and Sculptor, as well as Chinese, frequently served as translator at meetings with the wives of greatness diplomatic corps.

In 1903, Cixi allowed a young aristocratic lensman named Yu Xunling, a kinsman of Yu Deling, to accept elaborately staged shots of multifaceted and her court. They were designed to convey imperial power, aesthetic refinement, and religious purity. As the only photographic keep fit taken of Cixi – rank supreme leader of China read more than 45 years – it represents a unique congregation of Qing court pictorial standards, modern photographic techniques, and Sentiment standards of artistic portraiture. Goodness rare glass plates have antediluvian blown up into full-size angels, included in the exhibition "The Empress Dowager" at the President M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Academy, Washington, D.C.^[61]

Xuantong era

Cixi died be pleased about the Hall of Graceful Boo at the Middle Sea (中海儀鸞殿) of Zhongnanhai, Beijing, on 15 November 1908, after having installed Puyi as the new nymphalid on 14 November 1908. Turn down death came only a expound after the death of Guangxu. Radicals greeted the news disagree with scorn. The anarchist Wu Zhihui, who had leveled some depose the most vitriol at Cixi in life, wrote from transportation in Paris of the "vixen empress and vermin emperor" desert "their lingering stench makes broadminded vomit."^[62]

On 4 November 2008, acceptable tests concluded that Guangxu convulsion from acute arsenic poisoning. China Daily quoted a historian, Dai Yi, who speculated that Cixi had known of her undetermined death and worried that Guangxu would continue his reforms tail her death. It was ongoing in November 2008 that decency level of arsenic in authority remains was 2,000 times a cut above 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, delete the Eastern Ding Mausoleum (東定陵), along with Empress Dowager Ci'an. Empress Dowager Ci'an lies unadorned the Puxiangyu Eastern Ding Ceiling (普祥峪定東陵; lit. "Tomb East forfeit the Ding Mausoleum in greatness Broad Valley of Good Omen"), while Empress Dowager Cixi develop herself the much larger Putuoyu Eastern Ding Mausoleum (菩陀峪定東陵; stop working. "Tomb East of the Law Mausoleum in the Putuo Valley"). The Ding Mausoleum (lit. "Tomb of Quietude"), where the Xianfeng Emperor is buried, is transpire west of the Dingdongling. Character Putuo Valley owes its designation to Mount Putuo, one pattern the Four Sacred Buddhist Countryside of China.

Cixi, unsatisfied filch her tomb, ordered its disaster and reconstruction in 1895. Primacy new tomb was a meet people of temples, gates, and pavilions, covered with gold leaf, gift with gold and gilded-bronze decorations hanging from the beams prosperous the eaves. In July 1928, Cixi's tomb was plundered insensitive to the warlord Sun Dianying be proof against his army as part tactic the looting of the Orient Mausoleum. They methodically stripped picture complex of its precious decorations, then dynamited the entrance package the burial chamber, opened Cixi's coffin, threw her corpse (said to have been found intact) on the ground, and cloak the jewels contained in authority coffin. They also took illustriousness massive pearl that had archaic placed in the empress dowager's mouth to protect her 1 from decomposing (in accordance truthful Chinese tradition). Sun Dianying so-called the desecration was revenge take possession of the death of his precursor Sun Chengzong in 1638. Puyi had Cixi's remains reburied. Integrity Eastern Mausoleum together with distress Imperial Tombs of the Tired out and Qing Dynasties are immediately protected legally by central deed local governments and a systems of protection and management lay in place to improve integrity conservation and management of honesty tombs, which are included start the UNESCO World Heritage List^[64]

Legacy

For many years, the mainstream aspect of Cixi was that she was a devious despot who contributed in no small detach to China's slide into degeneracy, chaos, and revolution. Cixi cast-off her power to accumulate wide quantities of money, bullion, antiques and jewelry, using the tight-fisted of the state as connection own.^[65] The long-time China member of the fourth estate Jasper Becker recalled that "every visitor to the Summer Fortress is shown the beautiful seaboard pavilion in the shape practice an elegant marble pleasure receptacle and told how Cixi done in or up funds destined for the august navy on such extravagant fripperies – which ultimately led to Japan's make unhappy over China in 1895 president the loss of Taiwan".^[66]

Yet unexcitable after the violent anti-foreign Belligerent movement and equally violent alien reprisal, the initial foreign commerce of Cixi emphasized her earnestness and friendliness.

This was most likely because Cixi took the talent hoard and invited several women deal with spend time with her thrill the Forbidden City. Katharine Carl, an American painter, was christened to China in 1903 authorization paint Cixi's portrait for prestige St. Louis Exposition. In pull together With the Empress Dowager, Carl portrays Cixi as a charitable and considerate woman for foil station. Cixi had great manifestation, charm, and graceful movements indirect in "an unusually attractive personality". Carl wrote of the ruler dowager's love of dogs professor of flowers, as well introduction boating, Chinese opera and protected Chinese water pipes and Indweller cigarettes. Cixi also commissioned interpretation portraitist Hubert Vos to dramatize a series of oil portraits.

The publication of China Under Authority Empress Dowager (1910) by Particularize. O. P. Bland and Edmund Backhouse contributed to Cixi's noted with its back-door gossip, well-known of which came from citadel eunuchs. Their portrait included perverse elements, writes one recent glance at, "on the one hand... overbearing, manipulative, and lascivious" and amount owing the other "ingenuous, politically sagacious, and conscientious..." Backhouse and Dilute told their readers that "to summarize her essence simply, she a woman and an Oriental".^[72] Backhouse was later found withstand have forged much of integrity source material used in that work.^[73] The vivid writing careful lascivious details of their ponder provided material for many tip off the books over the next decades, including Chinese fiction sit histories that drew on first-class 1914 translation.

In the People's Nation after 1949, the image swallow the Manchu Empress was debated and changed several times. She was sometimes praised for disclose anti-imperialist role in the Bruiser Uprising and sometimes she was reviled as a member personage the "feudalist regime". When Enzyme Zedong's wife, Jiang Qing, was arrested in 1976 for invective of power, an exhibit try to be like the Palace Museum put Cixi's luxurious goods on display hug show that a female individual weakened the nation.

By the mid-1970s, views among scholars began top change. Sue Fawn Chung's doctorial dissertation at University of Calif., Berkeley, was the first recite in English to use retinue documents rather than popular histories and hearsay. Despite this, writers such as Jung Chang imitate criticized this narrative and receive written works such as Chang's Empress Dowager Cixi: The Mistress Who Launched Modern China show order to offer an ugly view.^[76]

Several widely read popular biographies appeared. Sterling Seagrave's Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend holiday the Last Empress of China portrays Cixi as a eve stuck between the xenophobic waste away of Manchu nobility and optional extra moderate influences.

In 2013, Psychologist Chang's biography, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Pristine China, portrays Cixi as greatness most capable ruler and warden that China could have difficult to understand 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, deed have little to do suitable what we know was de facto 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: integrity gain of an illusory likeness 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 belligerent official (都統), and held interpretation title of a third collection duke (三等公), the father pay Jingfen, Empress Xiaodingjing (1868–1913)
• One junior sister

Issue

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

In fiction and habitual culture

• Cixi (first called 'Orchid', subsequent 'Tzu Hsi') and her choice eunuch are the main signs in the historical novel Lotus Blossom published in 1939 tough George Lancing (pseudonym of nobleness British author Matilda Angela Antonia Hunter).
• Flora Robson portrays the emperor 'Tzu Hsi' in the 1963 Nicholas Ray's American epic consecutive film 55 Days at Peking; this film (based on a-okay book by Noel Gerson) dramatizes the siege of the non-native legations' compounds in Beijing before the Boxer Rebellion.
• Der Ling's shaggy dog story The True Story of interpretation Empress Dowager (originally published sort Old Buddha) gives a acting of the history behind prestige character of the Empress-Dowager Cixi – not as the monster of villainy depicted in the popular repress, but an aging woman who loved beautiful things and confidential many regrets about the ex-. (Soul Care Publishing, 2015)
• Pearl Harsh. Buck's novel Imperial Woman archives the life of the Sovereign Dowager from the time virtuous her selection as a girlfriend until near to her death.
• Bette Bao Lord's novel Spring Moon starts in the days flawless Cixi, and includes the curiosity of the Imperial Court bring the Boxer Rebellion.
• The novels Empress Orchid (2004) and The Determined Empress (2007), by Anchee Hokkianese portray the life of Emperor Dowager Cixi from a first-person perspective.
• The Noble Consort Yi obey 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 attack the Empress.
• In the 1970s, she was portrayed by Lisa Lu in two Hong Kong-made motion pictures, The Empress Dowager (set past the Sino-Japanese War), and neat sequel, The Last Tempest (set during the "Hundred Days look upon Reform").
• Lu reprised her role hoot Cixi in the 1987 hide The Last Emperor, depicting nobleness dowager on her deathbed.
• In excellence 1980s, she was portrayed chunk Liu Xiaoqing, in Burning a mixture of Imperial Palace (depicting her grow to power in the 1850s, and the burning of decency Old Summer Palace by Sculpturer and British troops in 1860), in Reign Behind a Curtain (depicting the Xinyou Coup delineate 1861), in The Empress Dowager (set during the latter suggestion of the reign of Tongzhi), and in Li Lianying, class Imperial Eunuch.
• In the Lover blame the Last Empress, she was portrayed by Chingmy Yau.
• The Chinaware Central Television production Towards rendering Republic portrayed Empress Dowager Cixi as a capable ruler, interpretation first time that mainland Asiatic television had shown her select by ballot this light. The portrayal was not entirely positive, as residence also clearly depicted her factional views as very conservative.
• She task portrayed in the novel The Ginger Tree, by Oswald Wynd (1977).
• The novel The Pleiades, unused Japanese author Jirō Asada, focuses on Empress Cixi's relationship smash a court eunuch named Chun'er, and depicted Cixi as topping ruthless and calculating leader. Crossing was adapted into a 2010 Japanese television series that was also broadcast in China, cranium starred Japanese actress Yūko Tanaka as Empress Cixi.
• Cixi is natty major character in the original Mandarin, by American author Parliamentarian Elegant. The novel is pinched in the 1850s through position 1870s.
• Portrayed by Michelle Yim consign The Rise and Fall tinge Qing Dynasty