With the help of the late Emperor’s wife, she staged a coup to seize power and rule in the name of her infant son. Cixi, however, soon emerged as a formidable political force.
She entered the court as a politically-powerless concubine, and giving birth to the Emperor’s only son did not give her any mandate to govern. Cixi managed to implement these reforms despite the crippling disadvantage of being a female, and therefore illegitimate, ruler. Instead, Chang’s biography outlines the widespread economic and social reforms pioneered by the Empress Dowager, including lifting the ban between Han-Manchu intermarriage, outlawing the practice of foot-binding, constructing Western-style schools, and sending envoys to Europe to learn about Western culture. The court is peopled with a diverse range of personalities, and Chang gives a voice to these renowned names, fleshing them out fully as human beings.Įmpress Dowager Cixi challenges the prevailing perception of Cixi as a politically incompetent despot.
Jung Chang’s biographical approach is so successful in engaging the reader’s interest because of its human focus.
Although strictly a biography, Empress Dowager Cixi offers a more accessible and informative account of major events during this period, such as the Boxer Rebellions, than the vast majority of history books. To understand the importance of Cixi’s life, it’s first necessary for Chang to explain the world she occupies, and Chang does this with aplomb. Jung Chang’s engaging writing breathes new life into nineteenth-century China, capturing the sights and smells of Beijing. Jung Chang offers a detailed exploration of the period from Cixi’s entrance to court in 1852 to her death in 1908, during which time the ancient dynastic customs of China gave way to the advent of the industrial age.
Cixi’s biography is not only a fascinating read due to her own political machinations, but also because of the immense transformations that occurred in China during her lifetime. Cixi is a truly fascinating woman, one of few human beings whose existence can be honestly said to have shaped the course of history. It’s easy to see why Jung Chang selected Cixi as the focal point for her study of China’s tumultuous modern history. Summary: Jung Chang presents an extensively researched account of the life and times of Dowager Empress Cixi, a monumental figure in both Chinese and world history, responsible for instigating China's transition from medievalism to the modern age.
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