Book SummaryEmpress Dowager Cixi, by Jung Chang

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Cixi's rise to power and consolidation of authority

She secured her role as regent by initiating a joint regency with Empress Zhen and wielding their sons' imperial seals to establish dominance over the Board of Regents.

Chang portrays Cixi's rise from a minor concubine to a position where she co-governed alongside Empress Zhen after the death of Emperor Xianfeng. In order to cement her power, it was crucial that Cixi be granted the designation of dowager empress concurrently with her son's ascension to the throne. The inherent position of Empress Dowager Cixi as empress predestined her for a confrontation with Empress Zhen, given that it positioned her as the likely successor to the role of the next Empress Dowager. Her strategic foresight and ability to anticipate future events allowed her to avoid conflicts and strengthen her role as a co-ruler.

The author illustrates that Cixi, influenced by an event from the 17th century that featured a pair of empress dowagers, used this historical example to ascend to a similar status, thus establishing herself as one of the two Empress Dowagers alongside Empress Zhen (Ci'an). The writer emphasizes how Cixi skillfully secured her power by persuading the Board of Regents to utilize the two informal seals, which she and Empress Zhen received from her late husband, as official endorsements on government decrees. The pair cleverly presented their approach as a safeguarding of customs, thereby gaining control over the decrees of the emperor.

Cixi drew on historical precedents, such as the collective rule of several Empresses Dowager during the 17th century, to build her political legitimacy and overcome opposition to women in power.

Chang emphasizes the keen insight of the Empress Dowager in recognizing potential opposition to her authority due to her being a woman, and she skillfully countered these challenges by referencing historical precedents that affirmed her legitimacy to rule. She aimed to achieve the distinguished position of a ruling matriarch, not just to see her son rise to the throne. The writer comments on the extraordinary rise of an emperor's companion to the revered position of a dowager empress. Cixi's inquiries revealed a historical instance from 200 years prior, when upon Emperor Kangxi's rise to power, his birth mother, who had been a concubine, was granted the same title of dowager empress, which she held alongside the emperor's stepmother. Cixi's strategic use of this precedent allows her to secure her title, thus establishing herself as a legitimate political authority.

She effectively subdued opposition and consolidated her power by adeptly administering punishment to her foes while wisely offering mercy when appropriate.

In her portrayal of Cixi, Jung Chang depicts her as adeptly managing power struggles, using a combination of retribution and mercy to consolidate her grip on power. First, the author emphasizes her acknowledgment of the distinct advantages her collaborator contributed. Cixi skillfully secured the backing of Prince Gong to dissolve the governing council of regents, capitalizing on his respected status and his effective efforts in reestablishing peace after the disastrous Second Opium War. Chang highlights Cixi's careful strategizing and decisive actions, which led to the downfall of a regent during the coup, offering the other regents a choice between suicide or removal from their roles.

The author highlights that Cixi's tactical...

Empress Dowager Cixi Summary Cixi contended with traditionalist elements in her quest to drive China towards an age of advancement.

Recognizing the benefits of fostering development and trade through an active policy that encourages interaction with Western countries.

Chang highlights Cixi's keen assessment of China's position after the Opium Wars, recognizing the benefits of engaging with Western countries and adopting some of their practices. The author depicts Cixi's forward-thinking stance at the onset of her rule, challenging the existing mindset about global engagement and reevaluating China's international position, which was a significant departure from the reluctance of her predecessor to engage with other nations: Should China participate in global trade and adopt an open policy? Should we not consider their contributions valuable? Is it not possible for us to utilize these solutions to overcome our own challenges?

Chang emphasizes Cixi's acknowledgment of the beneficial effects that worldwide trade brought to Shanghai's economy and its people, in stark contrast to her predecessor who tended to view international commerce as primarily benefiting outsiders at China's expense. Her astute evaluation of the vital trade center, informed by reports from diplomats and travelers, reinforced her...

Empress Dowager Cixi Summary Cixi's strategy in dealing with foreign affairs and her dedication to safeguarding China's sovereignty, which included her responses to various global conflicts and disagreements.

She protected her nation's autonomy by resisting foreign domination and prudently agreed to the creation of tributary states when it was required.

Jung Chang portrays Cixi as skilled in handling international relations, employing pragmatism and determination to preserve authority over key areas deemed vital to the nation, while conceding some influence in less significant territories when other options were lacking. The author emphasizes that Cixi's main goal was to strengthen China sufficiently so it could withstand foreign pressures and not yield to the conditions set by other countries. In 1875, she launched a bold plan to reassert control over the expansive western region that had proclaimed its autonomy after the Taiping Rebellion, even though numerous advisors doubted the necessity of military expenditure in that area.

Jung Chang portrays Cixi's belief that if Xinjiang were to become independent, it would herald the further weakening of an empire already in decline, possibly leading to more territorial losses and a reduction in influence while other countries grew stronger. The author details how, in the past, China had relinquished territory, time and again, to...

Empress Dowager Cixi Summary Cixi found herself embroiled in intricate political maneuvers and struggles for power, involving both the son she had adopted and an unsuccessful reform movement.

Empress Dowager Cixi leveraged Emperor Guangxu's reliance on Grand Tutor Weng, who had a profound apprehension of foreign powers, to assert her control over him, in addition to orchestrating a marriage he did not desire.

The author depicts how Cixi wielded her power over Emperor Guangxu, her adopted son, by meticulously guiding his education and orchestrating his marriage, notably by appointing a staunch conservative, Grand Tutor Weng, to be his principal instructor and compelling him to marry a bride he did not select. Cixi chose Longyu as her companion, assured of her loyalty and the slim chance that she would cause any trouble.

This method intensified the rift between Guangxu and Cixi, as noted by Chang. Consequently, Guangxu deprived the empress he disdained of any influence within the harem and further excluded her from their conjugal bed. Cixi's sway over Guangxu ensured that by molding his upbringing and personality, he would invariably support her selection of the empress.

Cixi astutely arranged for her niece to bolster her authority and ensure a compliant Empress, while at the same time deepening the disdain her adopted son harbored for her family...

Empress Dowager Cixi Summary Empress Dowager Cixi played a pivotal role in propelling China towards an era of modernization.

She left China with a heritage of updated establishments and systems, along with a populace that enjoyed enhanced opportunities for learning, coupled with a burgeoning middle class.

Cixi's legacy is marked by its intricacy and extensive scope of impact. The account emphasizes the significant changes initiated by her, underscoring the deep-seated reforms she catalyzed, and underscores her unique role as the central architect of progress and the decisive figure in China's transition to a republic.

During her four-decade tenure, China experienced consistent advancement in its infrastructure through a series of bold and occasionally controversial initiatives, which were undertaken with unwavering determination and energy. Chang depicts Cixi as a pragmatic ruler who championed the creation of China's first modern factory, a shipyard in Fuzhou focused on constructing gunboats, thus enhancing China's naval strength to be on par with various nations in the West. After French forces demolished the shipyard in 1884, she meticulously directed its rebuilding, which resulted in the creation of more shipyards at different harbors. The successful implementation of these modernization...