review written by Brian Lowen & read on the bookshow 2014
This is the story
of Cixi who rose from being a lowly concubine in the Emperor’s harem in his
palace in Beijing to become the virtual ruler of all China, from 1861 to 1908.
She was lucky in
being the first concubine to produce a healthy son for the Emperor, which
dramatically raised her status.
Emperor Xianfeng
hated foreigners and kept China’s borders and ports closed to visiting traders
from other nations, but after losing the Opium Wars with Britain and France he
was forced to open up some ports to trade and this was when Britain acquired
the deserted and desolate island of Hong Kong as a port for her ships.
On the death of
the Emperor, Cixi led a coup to gain power from the eight Regents appointed
under the Emperor’s will until Cixi’s son was old enough to take power. She
gained the confidence of one of the Princes and reigned with the Emperor’s
widow, the Dowager. Cixi was also made a Dowager and so China was effectively
ruled by two Empress Dowagers behind the front of Prince Gong and his Council
of Advisors. All edicts issued were not legal unless they bore the seal of the
two Empress Dowagers. Empress Dowager Zhen did all the administration and was
content to let Cixzi make the policy.
When her son was
made Emperor at the age of sixteen he was a disappointment – more interested in
having fun than ruling the country. He was content to let his Mother continue
to do all the work with him as the figurehead. When he died prematurely young
the way was open for Cixi to continue her modernisation plans, after a suitable
period of mourning.
She sent envoys to
many western countries and then introduced the telegraph system, coal mining
and railways, to which there was much opposition as it was feared that the
trains would disturb the dead in their graves.
She appointed
another young child as Emperor and she continued to rule for forty years until
she died in 1908, when Mao seized power, assisted by Russia. She was a
remarkable woman who survived several assassination attempts and
the Boxer revolution, plus wars with Britain, Germany, Russia and Japan.
She brought
modernity to China and set a standard that has not been matched. Under her
leadership China began to acquire all the attributes of a modern state.
A truly remarkable
women which makes a great read. Very interesting as she is virtually unknown in
today’s world.
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