In the 19th century the Qing Dynasty was fraught with political unrest and economic problems. Confronted by western incursions and threats from an emerging Japan, the Chinese government was hanging by a thread. Presiding over this sinking ship of an empire was Empress Dowager Cixi. Misguided and marred by endless problems, Cixi’s rule is often cited as the driving force behind the empire’s untimely fall. For historians and western observers, the mention of Cixi conjures a grotesque image of a despot who clung to power and resisted change. Emerging revisionist views, however, argue that the regent had been scapegoated for the dynasty’s downfall. How did this “Dragon Lady” come to shape Chinese history, and why does she still divide opinion?To get more news about last empress of china , you can visit shine news official website.
Born in 1835 as Yehe Nara Xingzhen to one of the most influential Manchu families, the future Empress Dowager Cixi was said to be an intelligent and perceptive child despite her lack of formal education. At 16, the doors of the Forbidden City officially opened to her as she was chosen to be a concubine for the 21-year-old Emperor Xianfeng. Despite starting as a low-ranking concubine, she rose to prominence after giving birth to his eldest son, Zaichun—the future Emperor Tongzhi—in 1856. With the birth of a promising heir, the entire court basked in a festive mood with lavish parties and celebrations.
Outside the palace, however, the dynasty was overwhelmed by the ongoing Taiping Rebellion (1850 – 1864) and the Second Opium War (1856 – 1860). With China’s defeat in the latter, the government was forced to sign peace treaties which led to a loss of territories and crippling indemnity. Fearing for his safety, Emperor Xianfeng fled to Chengde, the imperial summer residence, with his family and left state affairs to his half-brother, Prince Gong. Distraught by the series of humiliating events, Emperor Xianfeng soon died a depressed man in 1861, passing on the throne to his 5-year-old son, Zaichun.
Before he died, Emperor Xianfeng had arranged for eight state officials to guide the young Emperor Tongzhi until he came of age. Cixi, then known as Noble Consort Yi, launched the Xinyou Coup with the late emperor’s primary wife, Empress Zhen, and Prince Gong to assume power. The widows gained full control of the empire as co-regents, with Empress Zhen renamed Empress Dowager “Ci’an” (meaning “benevolent peace”), and Noble Consort Yi as Empress Dowager “Cixi” (meaning “benevolent joy”). Despite being the de facto rulers, the regents were not allowed to be seen during court sessions and had to give orders behind a curtain. Known as “ruling behind the curtain”, this system had been adopted by many female rulers or authoritative figures in Chinese history.
Where hierarchy was concerned, Ci’an preceded Cixi, but because the former was uninvested in politics, Cixi was, in reality, the one pulling the strings. Traditional interpretations of this balance of power, as well as the Xinyou coup, have painted Cixi in a negative light. Some historians used the coup to highlight Cixi’s cruel nature, emphasizing how she either drove the appointed regents to suicide or stripped them of authority. Others have also criticized Cixi for side-lining the more reserved Ci’an to consolidate power – a clear indication of her shrewd and manipulative nature.
Despite the overwhelmingly negative views of Empress Dowager Cixi, her joint efforts with Prince Gong to modernize the nation in the mid-19th century should not go unnoticed. The Tongzhi Restoration, as part of the Self-Strengthening Movement, was launched by Cixi in 1861 to salvage the empire. Marking a brief period of revitalization, the Qing government managed to quell the Taiping Rebellion and other uprisings in the country. Several arsenals modeled after the west were also constructed, greatly boosting the military defense of China.
Concurrently, diplomacy with western powers was gradually improved, in a bid to reverse China’s image in the west as a barbaric nation. This saw the opening of the Zongli Yamen (Board of Ministers of Foreign Affairs) and the Tongwen Guan (the School of Combined Learning, which taught western languages). Within the government internally, reforms also reduced corruption and promoted capable officials – with or without Manchu ethnicity. Supported by Cixi, this was a pivotal departure from tradition in the imperial court.
