Cixi was a charismatic and powerful woman who effectively controlled the Chinese government for 47 years, from 1861 to her death in 1908. Cixi was born on November 29, 1835 and died on November 15, 1908 at the age of 72. Her given name was Yehonala which is her Manchu name originated from the combined name of two tribes, Yeho and Nala. She was born to parents of the middle ranks of Manchu society living in Beijing. Cixi’s father died when she was very young and as an eldest child she felt mistreated, neglected and unloved (SACU). At the age of fourteen, she was nominating as a candidate to become a concubine. She felt honoured and saw it as an escape from the misery she felt at home. At the age of 17, Cixi was chosen to be one of the concubines of Emperor Hsien-Feng and at the age of 18, she completed the ritual preparations necessary to become a royal concubine (Gilroy).
1.2 Cixi as a concubine of Emperor Hsien-Feng
Photo: Emperor XianFeng
By the time Cixi turned 17, she was one of the concubines of the Emperor Hsien-Feng, also known as the XianFeng Emperor of the Qing dynasty who reigned from 1850 until 1861.
Cixi was one of the many concubines and wives of Hsien-Feng, but the only one with whom he got a child, a son named …show more content…
The Taiping Army assault cities and stole land in the Yangtze valley, and its supreme and remarkable way shocked Cixi. The failure of Beijing, robbing and destroying of the “Old Summer Palace” and the incident of the loss of her husband Xianfeng let Cixi remember to the end of her life. She hoped that the Qing Dynasty was capable to oppose domestic conflicts and foreign anger. Therefore, she directly implemented whatever sort of suggestions that could save the Qing Dynasty from a crisis and other problems
1.2 Cixi as a concubine of Emperor Hsien-Feng
Photo: Emperor XianFeng
By the time Cixi turned 17, she was one of the concubines of the Emperor Hsien-Feng, also known as the XianFeng Emperor of the Qing dynasty who reigned from 1850 until 1861.
Cixi was one of the many concubines and wives of Hsien-Feng, but the only one with whom he got a child, a son named …show more content…
The Taiping Army assault cities and stole land in the Yangtze valley, and its supreme and remarkable way shocked Cixi. The failure of Beijing, robbing and destroying of the “Old Summer Palace” and the incident of the loss of her husband Xianfeng let Cixi remember to the end of her life. She hoped that the Qing Dynasty was capable to oppose domestic conflicts and foreign anger. Therefore, she directly implemented whatever sort of suggestions that could save the Qing Dynasty from a crisis and other problems