On November 29th, 1835, Empress Dowager Cixi was born.
I will begin this story with “Chambers Biographical Dictionary” by Magnus Magnusson.
I quote, “Empress Dowager Cixi was presented as a concubine to the Manchu emperor Xianfeng and on his death, in 1861 became regent, initially to her infant son, Tongzhi, and then, following his death in 1874, to her nephew Guangxu, dispite a dynamic custom which forbade women to reign.”
Cixi ruled China for fifty years. As a concubine, Cixi would have entered the Forbidden City never to leave again. She made her own way out, from concubine to ruler.
I have visited the Forbidden City. My first book is “The Forbidden City” It is a collection of Photographs by Hu Chui, published in 1998.
It has pictures and diagrams of the Forbidden City, which is huge. There are 980 buildings in the palace, with 9,999 rooms. the number 9 is very good luck in Chinese culture, and because only the God of Heaven could have 10,000 rooms.
I also have the very unusual pop-up book on the Forbidden City. I recently ordered it from China. There is no English in the book.
When fully opened, it is ten feet long.
When actually walking through the buildings and rooms of the Forbidden City, we entered the emperor’s library. This was the entrance sign.
After walking the entire distance to the back of the Forbidden City, this statue was guarding a back entrance.
The Empress Dowager Cixi redirected much money from the Chinese Navy, and spent it on building the Summer Palace. What a great place! There is a covered walkway from the dock to the palace. It is 728 meters, almost a half mile long, making it the longest in the world. There are over 14,000 paintings on the ceiling.
We also saw the Marble Boat that Empress Dowager Cixi built with those stolen navy funds
It is a very interesting story of Empress Dowager Cixi-the power behind the throne. She was able to make the most of her situation, from a concubine and virtual prisoner, to later rule China for 50 years. When I was able to see the immence and luxurious Forbidden City and Summer Palace, it help put into contex of how far she actually rose in Chinese culture.
“I have often thought that I am the most clever woman that ever lived, and others cannot compare with me…. Although I have heard much about Queen Victoria… I don’t think her life was half so interesting and eventful as mine…. she had… really nothing to say about the policy of the country. Now look at me. I have 400,000,000 people dependent on my judgement.” – Empress Doweger Cixi
“Whoever makes me unhappy for a day, I will make suffer a lifetime.” – Empress Dowager Cixi
Librarytomes 