Page 62 - All About History - Issue 38-16

Hero or Villain?
EMPRESS DOWAGER CIXI

Defining
moment
The Boxer Rebellion was
arguably the beginning of the Learning from the West
end for Imperial China China’s agricultural-based economy could
never compete with the industrial prowess
of the West, and so Cixi decided China would
learn from foreign powers and adopt their
technology. Alas, after China purchased seven
British warships, they were sent to China
under British command. The Chinese were
outraged at this ‘international joke’ and
many of Cixi’s plans to learn from
foreigners were abandoned.
1862-81

Prince Gong was a pivotal The issue of succession sparked widespread global
player in Cixi’s rise to rule interest, as demonstrated by this German caricature

fell into a deep depression and, turning to alcohol “Cixi turned her attention to cleaning up
and drugs, never recovered. He died in 1861 having
named eight regents for his five-year-old son, the national bureaucracies, and even had two
new emperor, and expressing his hope that Ci’an
and Cixi would continue to play a pivotal role in the prominent officials executed”
boy’s royal career. While historians largely agree that
Xianfeng never intended Cixi to wield direct political
power, his passing marked the beginning of the Ever the shrewd political player, Cixi began to become infested with corruption, and even had
end for Chinese Imperialism, and Cixi, as the new assemble support from talented ministers and two prominent officials executed to serve as an
emperor’s politically shrewd mother, was at the helm. soldiers who had great ambitions but had been example to others. Worryingly for Cixi, a number
However, as the emperor’s mother, Cixi’s position ostracised by the regents for political or personal of reports accused her trusted confidant Prince
had no power attached to it, so it was necessary for reasons. Two individuals, Prince Gong and Prince Gong of corruption and so, fearing his growing
her to ally herself with other strong figures. Cixi had Chun, the late emperor’s sixth and seventh brothers, influence, the prince was dismissed from his offices
formed a close friendship with the late emperor’s would go on to play a pivotal role in Cixi’s story. and appointments, but allowed to keep his status
wife Ci’an, and suggested to her that the pair become With Prince Gong’s help, Cixi brought about a as nobility. The move once again highlighted Cixi’s
co-reigning empresses with powers surpassing the number of charges against the regents, deeming refusal to give up absolute power to anyone, even one
eight regents. The two women enjoyed a harmonious them ‘incompetent’ for the way they handled of her most important friends – and, as it would soon
partnership; Ci’an had little interest in politics and the invasion of Beijing that ultimately led to the emerge, even her son, the rightful emperor of China.
preferred to take care of household matters, leaving Xianfeng Emperor’s death. Three of the regents were In 1872, the Tongzhi Emperor turned 17, and
Cixi free to rule as she saw fit. But the eight regents executed, and in a move that further demonstrated under the guidance of Ci’an, married the Jiashun
did not take kindly to Cixi’s interference in politics, her apparent grace and benevolence, Cixi refused to Empress. Both her ancestry and zodiac symbol of
and constant confrontation with the empress have the regents’ family members killed, as would tiger were cause for concern for the superstitious Cixi.
dowagers meant Ci’an frequently refused to attend have been tradition. In a single stroke – known as the Unhappy with the union, Cixi ordered the couple to
court audiences, leaving Cixi to fend for herself – no Xinyou Coup – Cixi had removed her challengers and separate. The Tongzhi Emperor, who proved to be an
small feat as, because she was a woman, she was emerged as a merciful yet powerful ruler. incompetent ruler anyway, fell into a deep despair
forced to govern from behind a screen, battling to In the following years, Cixi turned her attention and turned to a life of debauchery and hedonism
make herself heard amid a sea of male voices. to cleaning up national bureaucracies, which had outside the Forbidden City. His escapades led him

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