Empress Dowager Cixi


ManWearPants

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Jul 14, 2008
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I am reading this book by June Chang. It is on the Popular bookstore popular reads list.

When I am younger and China was not the in country - every book, tv series, movies condemned Cixi. Showing her as vicious and using unscrupulous method to ascend to power. And how she rules with an iron fist. How she and the real empress via for power. How she weakens China and lost HK, Shanghai and later Taiwan, etc. How the Summer Palace was burnt due to her failure to deal with the Western powers.

But in this book after China has became the hot stuff. Cixi is now the intelligent consort whom is opened to Westernisation. She uses wit to quash the 8 regents swiftly, whom have been the ones ill advising the previous emperor Daoguang. The summer palace was burnt due to Daoguang's doing and hatre of the western powers. HK, Taiwan and Shanghai was lost due to Daoguang's failure to deal with the Western powers. Cixi and the empress work hand in hand to administer the country after Daoguang's death. Cixi is not vicious but firm and listened to opinions of her officials.

Why has Cixi suddenly became a different person? Are people being judged according to changes in time and fortune of the country?
Which version of Cixi is more creditable?
 

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Why has Cixi suddenly became a different person? Are people being judged according to changes in time and fortune of the country?
Which version of Cixi is more creditable?

This version of Cixi is most creditable and acceptable to us: :bsmilie:

20130612-024839.jpg%3Fw%3D645
 

I am reading this book by June Chang. It is on the Popular bookstore popular reads list.

When I am younger and China was not the in country - every book, tv series, movies condemned Cixi. Showing her as vicious and using unscrupulous method to ascend to power. And how she rules with an iron fist. How she and the real empress via for power. How she weakens China and lost HK, Shanghai and later Taiwan, etc. How the Summer Palace was burnt due to her failure to deal with the Western powers.

But in this book after China has became the hot stuff. Cixi is now the intelligent consort whom is opened to Westernisation. She uses wit to quash the 8 regents swiftly, whom have been the ones ill advising the previous emperor Daoguang. The summer palace was burnt due to Daoguang's doing and hatre of the western powers. HK, Taiwan and Shanghai was lost due to Daoguang's failure to deal with the Western powers. Cixi and the empress work hand in hand to administer the country after Daoguang's death. Cixi is not vicious but firm and listened to opinions of her officials.

Why has Cixi suddenly became a different person? Are people being judged according to changes in time and fortune of the country?
Which version of Cixi is more creditable?

As long as it sell books... it is a good version?
 

Cixi is the personification of a curse by Yehe Nara prince Jintaiji on the Aisin Gioro lineage of the Manchu dynasty.

The curse of Yehe Nara

Which is just as well, since the Manchus were not Chinese, they were invaders who occupied China.

If not for Cixi who damaged the empire sufficiently for Sun Yat Sen to rise up against it, then today we may still have a Manchurian emperor ruling China.
 

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She ruled China behind the Bamboo Curtain via the young Emperor Kwang Su and instructed
him on what to do.
 

The characters of historical figures have been rewritten in books, movies and TV dramas so that the writers can make money :bsmilie:

You think they would care about accuracy ? :bsmilie:
 

This thread remind me of the red cliff movie. Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu on good terms?
 

I am reading this book by June Chang. It is on the Popular bookstore popular reads list.

When I am younger and China was not the in country - every book, tv series, movies condemned Cixi. Showing her as vicious and using unscrupulous method to ascend to power. And how she rules with an iron fist. How she and the real empress via for power. How she weakens China and lost HK, Shanghai and later Taiwan, etc. How the Summer Palace was burnt due to her failure to deal with the Western powers.

But in this book after China has became the hot stuff. Cixi is now the intelligent consort whom is opened to Westernisation. She uses wit to quash the 8 regents swiftly, whom have been the ones ill advising the previous emperor Daoguang. The summer palace was burnt due to Daoguang's doing and hatre of the western powers. HK, Taiwan and Shanghai was lost due to Daoguang's failure to deal with the Western powers. Cixi and the empress work hand in hand to administer the country after Daoguang's death. Cixi is not vicious but firm and listened to opinions of her officials.

Why has Cixi suddenly became a different person? Are people being judged according to changes in time and fortune of the country?
Which version of Cixi is more creditable?

拍马屁。。。。。。。。。。
 

I am reading this book by June Chang. It is on the Popular bookstore popular reads list.

When I am younger and China was not the in country - every book, tv series, movies condemned Cixi. Showing her as vicious and using unscrupulous method to ascend to power. And how she rules with an iron fist. How she and the real empress via for power. How she weakens China and lost HK, Shanghai and later Taiwan, etc. How the Summer Palace was burnt due to her failure to deal with the Western powers.

But in this book after China has became the hot stuff. Cixi is now the intelligent consort whom is opened to Westernisation. She uses wit to quash the 8 regents swiftly, whom have been the ones ill advising the previous emperor Daoguang. The summer palace was burnt due to Daoguang's doing and hatre of the western powers. HK, Taiwan and Shanghai was lost due to Daoguang's failure to deal with the Western powers. Cixi and the empress work hand in hand to administer the country after Daoguang's death. Cixi is not vicious but firm and listened to opinions of her officials.

Why has Cixi suddenly became a different person? Are people being judged according to changes in time and fortune of the country?
Which version of Cixi is more creditable?

1) Summer Palace was ransacked and burnt by the British and the French during the 2nd Opium War during the reign of Xianfeng, not Daoguang, he was already dead at that time.
2) Taiwan was ceded to Japan during Guangxu reign, nothing to do with Daoguang who was already long dead.
3) Cixi's husband was Xianfeng, not Daoguang.

Either you got your facts wrong or you got the wrong facts from the book.
 

She ruled China behind the Bamboo Curtain via the young Emperor Kwang Su and instructed
him on what to do.

垂帘听政 started with her own son Tongzhi then continued to Guangxu (her nephew) after his son's death.
 

The greatest humiliation the once almighty Cixi faced after death was her tomb was desecrated in a raid in 1928 for its treasures by a warlord.

It was reported the corpse was derobed and even the pearl inside her mouth was taken out by the grave robbers.
 

垂帘听政 started with her own son Tongzhi then continued to Guangxu (her nephew) after his son's death.

I think this is the bamboo curtain.

2cqh8x2.jpg
 

Cixi did a great service to the Chinese by destroying the Manchurian dynasty from within.
The Chinese empire with its vast population of about 160 to 200 million, was conquered by only about 120,000 Manchurian soldiers (out of a population of about 250,000 Manchus) in 1644.

An amazing feat. The Manchus ruled China for 267 years till 1911.

In spite of Manchuria's smallness in terms of land size and population compared to China in 1644; Manchus managed to invade and conquer China.
This was the sterling example that the Japanese relied on when they tried to repeat the Manchurians' astonishing feat in 1937.




Shinzo Abe has the same aspirations for the distant future.
 

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Cixi did a great service to the Chinese by destroying the Manchurian dynasty from within.
The Chinese empire with its vast population of about 160 to 200 million, was conquered by only about 120,000 Manchurian soldiers (out of a population of about 3 million Manchus) in 1644.

An amazing feat. The Manchus ruled China for 267 years till 1911.

In spite of Manchuria's smallness in terms of land size and population compared to China in 1644; Manchus managed to invade and conquer China.
This was the sterling example that the Japanese relied on when they tried to repeat the Manchurians' astonishing feat in 1937.




Shinzo Abe has the same aspirations for the distant future.

Qing dynasty is started by a woman and also end by a woman :bsmilie:

You should watch this TV drama :)

Total 50 episodes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NkenlnQq6I
 

1) Summer Palace was ransacked and burnt by the British and the French during the 2nd Opium War during the reign of Xianfeng, not Daoguang, he was already dead at that time.
2) Taiwan was ceded to Japan during Guangxu reign, nothing to do with Daoguang who was already long dead.
3) Cixi's husband was Xianfeng, not Daoguang.

Either you got your facts wrong or you got the wrong facts from the book.

My bad. Dunno why I kept mentioning Daoguang when it should be Xianfeng.