Empress Dowager Cixi

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Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908) is a pivotal figure in Chinese history, ruling for decades and transforming a medieval empire into a modern state. Selected as a concubine at sixteen, she became the real power behind the throne after her husband's death in 1861, effectively ruling through a silk screen that separated her from her male officials. This groundbreaking biography by Jung Chang illustrates Cixi's struggle against immense challenges to modernize China, achieving advancements such as industries, railways, electricity, and modern military capabilities. She abolished brutal punishments and foot-binding, championed women's liberation, and began the process of introducing parliamentary elections. Chang challenges the traditional perception of Cixi as a conservative despot, revealing her role during tumultuous events like the Taiping and Boxer rebellions, and conflicts with foreign powers. The narrative delves into her life within the Summer Palace and the Forbidden City, including a poignant love story with a eunuch. Drawing on newly accessible Chinese historical documents, this biography offers a dramatic and intimate portrayal of Cixi as both a ruler and a woman, reshaping our understanding of a crucial era in China's history.