The empress dowager cixi ruled china, mostly directly, from the death of her husband, emperor xianfeng, in 1861 to her own death in 1908, an era when foreign powers gnawed away at the chinese empire. Empress dowager cixi simple english wikipedia, the free. Empress dowager cixi empress dowager cixi audiobook, by jung chang. Life and times of tzuhsi, 18351908, empress dowager of china. Kallie szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in asian history and culture. I am rather torn by this book, on the one hand cixis life is incredible and she really. Russia, france, britain, germany and japan all swallowed chunks of it.
Empress dowager also dowager empress or empress mother chinese and japanese. Empress dowager cixi 1 an aa romanised as empress dowager tzuhsi. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the u. Written with charm, this book is a delightful exploration of the history of her extraordinary life and long reign, relating both historical facts and apochryphal anecdotes about her private affairs. An extract from jung changs new book about the concubine who. In this groundbreaking biography, jung chang vividly describes how empress dowager cixi fought against monumental obstacles to change china. Sep 26, 20 dowager empress cixi was the last ruler from the qing dynasty in china, and had been a concubine. The concubine who launched modern china, portrays cixi as the most capable ruler and administrator that china could have had at the time. Knopf, i think this entry probably needs serious updating.
It was the first major international exhibition to explore the role of empresses in chinas grand imperial era the qing dynasty, from 1644 to 1912. The book, empress dowager cixi, has immense historic value and i would suggest it as a must read to every history enthusiast, for even though it is a history book in itself, it does not, in case make you feel as if youre back in a classroom, trying to cram all. Oct 29, 20 empress dowager cixi 1835 1908 is the most important woman in chinese history. The unknown story, the extraordinary story of the woman who singlehandedly dragged china into the. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the. The concubine who launched modern china by jung chang isbn. People say that she ruled behind the screens somehow, and people. Under her the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state. There are few leaders in modern chinese history more layered with prejudice begging to be stripped away than cixi, the dowager empress who ruled china for almost half a century until her death in.
This book would be extremely beneficial for anyone studying tzuhsi. As with her damning mao exegesis, chang hasnt only a gut conviction about her subject. The manchu empress dowager cixi 18351908 is generally thought of as a conservative figure in chinese history, incapable of defending chinas interests in the second half of the 19th century. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang penguin books australia. Dec 19, 2011 powerful portraits capture chinas empress dowager a new exhibit at the freer gallery of art in washington, d. Empress dowager cixi s legacy was manifold and towering. Empress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperor s numerous concubines. A new york times notable bookempress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. An imperial concubine of xianfeng emperor, who gave birth to his only son zaichun, she gradually emerged among the most powerful women in chinese history. Certain to become the standard by which all future biographies of the dowager empress are measured. Empress dowager cixi download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
While the authors dismiss the more lurid and negative images of the empress, the authors make no qualms about the fact that tzuhsi wanted to rule the country. Empress dowager cixi booksamillion online book store. Simon sebag montefiore bbc history magazine a truly authoritative account of cixi s rule. The concubine who launched modern china is a 20 biography written by jung chang, published by alfred a. The concubine who launched modern china by chang, jung isbn. No single book on cixi is adequate by itself, at a minimum, if you are interested in her story you must read at least 4 books. Oct 29, 20 a new york times notable book empress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. Written with remarkable charm and verve, this book is a delightful exploration of the history of her extraordinary life and long reign, relating both historical facts and apochryphal anecdotes about her private affairs. Jung chang is the internationally bestselling author of wild swans. Imperial china seemed very strange to this was way outside of my usual reading fare i dont read a lot of nonfiction and i read very few books set in china. Teping chen, writing in the wall street journal, found the book packed with details that bring to life its central character. When he died, in 1861, their fiveyearold son succeeded to the throne.
Empress dowager cixi book king county library system. However, author jung chang wild swans has uncovered new research and debunked the mythmakers to bring us empress dowager cixi in all her complexity. Nonetheless, by the end of empress dowager cixi, the reader has gotten to know the doughty and clever woman so thoroughly that changs glowing epilogue seems apt and spoton. Empress dowager cixi biography facts, childhood, rule. To call this a ragstoriches story would be a gross understatement. In light of the publication in 20 of a new biography of cixi by jung chang empress dowager cixi. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines and sexual partners. Few people in history have been as thoroughly vilified as the empress dowager cixi sometimes spelled tzu hsi, one of the last empresses of chinas qing dynasty. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang penguin random house. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines.
Oct 12, 2011 please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from wikipedia or other free sources online. Empress dowager cixi, fragrant concubine, imperial consort jin, imperial consort zhen, consort li, the imperial noble consort gong shun, imperial noble consort chun hui, imperial noble consort hui xian, tan yuling, consort dun, lady abahai. The dowager empress cixi last week the peabody essex museum located in salem, ma concluded its wonderful exhibit, empresses of chinas forbidden city. Chang presents a sympathetic portrait of the empress dowager cixi, who unofficially controlled the manchu qing dynasty in china for 47 years.
Bland, published the book china under the empress dowager. Her father was huizheng, a member of the bordered blue banner who held the title of a third class duke. Jung changs revisionism means that this book reveals a new and different woman. The concubine who launched modern china 9780307271600. She ruled china for decades and brought a medieval empire into the modern age. She ruled china for decades and brought a medieval. Cixi at once launched a coup against her sons regents and placed herself as the true source of powergoverning through a silk screen that separated her from her male officials.
At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang overdrive rakuten. Empress dowager cixi was a chinese empress dowager and regent of the qing dynasty who through an exclusive group of corrupt and conservative officials controlled china for around halfacentury. A new york times notable book empress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. Most importantly, she brought medieval china into the modern age. Pronunciation of empress dowager cixi with 1 audio pronunciation, 12 translations and more for empress dowager cixi. Cixi stands out as infamous in qing dynasty history ruling 18611908. Beauty secrets from the empress dowager of china queen cixi. Past the smoke and screens, she lived as a powerful ruler behind two of the last emperors, and had a hand in imperial court policy in the last several decades of the qing dynasty. Empress dowager cixi kobo ebook the elliott bay book. The future empress dowager cixi was born on the tenth day of the tenth lunar month in the 15th year of the reign of the daoguang emperor 29 november 1835. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies outside mainland china where they are banned. Nov 20, 20 beauty secrets from the empress dowager of china queen cixi posted on november 20, 20 by simpleantiagingsecrets recently, i was googling vain women of history and came across two who strangely share a similar name, nearly the same length of reign and an obsession with their beauty.
Was empress dowager cixi a villain, a victim or just. All of this adds up to make empress dowager cixi a powerful read. The empress dowager cixi 1835 1908 brought destruction to the qing dynasty, the last feudal dynasty in the long history of china. Jung changs empress dowager cixi the new york times. A new york times notable book an npr best book of the year in 1852, at age sixteen, cixi was chosen as one of emperor xianfengs numerous concubines. Cixi at once launched a palace coup against the reg. Extensive research, often into previously unexamined sources, produces hard evidence of both cixi s formidable gifts as a. When he died in 1861, their fiveyearold son succeeded to the throne. Jung changs 20 release, now available as an ebook, reflects on one. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang penguin books new zealand. Author changs book contains material from many new primary sources unavailable to previous biographers of the empress dowager. There are few leaders in modern chinese history more layered with prejudice begging to be stripped away than cixi, the dowager empress who ruled china for almost half a.
Empress dowager cixi npr coverage of empress dowager cixi. The daily beast jung chang has written a pathbreaking and generally persuasive book. Buy empress dowager cixi by jung chang from waterstones today. Empress dowager cixi the concubine who launched modern china book. The story itself, its plot lines, schemes, ambitions and betrayals wont really relay much that a look at wikipedia wont convey, but wikipedia doesnt have a big budget, beautiful silks and embroidered stuff tossed all over the place. A sumptuous dramatic history of empress dowager cixi. Jan 21, 2002 the empress dowager cixi 1835 1908 brought destruction to the qing dynasty, the last feudal dynasty in the long history of china. At the age of 16, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines. This book will appeal to both those seeking history and those wanting just a good read. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Mar 01, 2008 the image of cixi as a cruel and greedy tyrant gained historical traction in 1910, when backhouse and another british journalist, j. Read an extract from jung changs empress dowager cixi here.