Pu Yi's book about the role of eunuchs in the imperial palace said: “When describing my childhood, it is impossible not to mention the eunuchs. They were present when I ate, dressed and slept, accompanied me in games and activities, told me stories, received rewards from me and punishment. If others were forbidden to be with me, then the eunuchs were obliged to do so. They were my main companions in childhood, my slaves and my first teachers."

According to some sources, the emperor could have up to three thousand eunuchs, princes and princesses - up to 30 eunuchs each, the emperor's younger children and nephews - up to 20, their cousins ​​- up to 10. During the Chinese Ming Dynasty, there were about 10 thousand eunuchs under the emperor. After the establishment of Manchu power in China in 1644, the influence of eunuchs weakened significantly. However, during the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, the institution of eunuchs at court again began to play a major role. When Cixi crossed the threshold of the imperial palaces, there were 4 thousand eunuchs in them. They united into special clans, sometimes very powerful, and the rulers were forced to reckon with them.

The dominance of eunuchs in China was a consequence of the secluded life of the emperor, which he had to lead according to etiquette. The Son of Heaven rarely left his palace; when traveling, ministers saw their master only at audiences, where they addressed not directly to him, but to officials (most often eunuchs) surrounding the throne.

It was the eunuchs who conveyed the opinions and advice of dignitaries to the emperor, and the accuracy of the messages lay entirely on the conscience of the transmitters. They were the only channel of communication between the emperor and the outside world. The eunuchs' irrepressible lust for power reached the point that if the ruler interfered with them, he could be physically eliminated. Thus, even emperors and members of their families often became victims of eunuchs. For example, the eunuchs hid the death of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, and while the procession with his body (the emperor died while traveling) was moving around the country, the eunuchs pretended to feed him, read out some decrees allegedly signed by the Son of Heaven, and hid the will according to which a prince they disliked was appointed heir. Instead, they fabricated a message ordering the prince and his loyal commander to commit suicide, and placed on the throne a prince convenient to carry out their plans.

There have been repeated attempts to limit the power of the eunuchs, and some emperors bequeathed to their descendants to keep the eunuchs in check. “If you make them your confidants,” warned Emperor Taizu (Zhu Yuanzhang, 1368–1398), “your soul will hurt, if you make them your eyes and ears, your eyes and ears will deteriorate.” This emperor believed that eunuchs and female relatives of the emperor were harmful to the political governance of the country. They are needed in palaces, but there they should only be slaves and servants and serve the emperor, serving wine or sweeping the floor. The emperor's fears were not in vain. The next emperor, Chengzu (1403–1424), seized the throne with the help of eunuchs, and they usurped power. In the second half of the Ming dynasty, there were several tens of thousands of eunuchs, and by the end of the Ming period there were several hundred thousand. At the court, eunuchs captured 24 public places, 12 departments and 8 directorates. Their formidable camarilla appointed dignitaries, executed ministers, robbed the people, and the eunuch Wei Zhongxian actually ruled the empire on behalf of the emperor.

Like the eunuchs of the Topokapi Palace, Chinese eunuchs had complete control over the ruler's sexual life. It depended only on them whether the concubine would rise to the top or, on the contrary, die in oblivion, serving more successful companions. The absence of genitals did not at all prevent the eunuchs from caressing the beauties, and while the rulers were busy with their affairs, the eunuchs were not at all bored in the company of their wives. Moreover, there was a legend among castrati - as a result of constant sexual contacts, lost organs grow back. The Chinese eunuch Li Guo was too ardent, and the concubines were left with bites and bruises on their bodies. The emperor discovered these traces of passion and, since entry into the harem was prohibited to everyone except the emperor and the eunuch, it was not difficult to identify the culprit. A terrible punishment fell on Li Guo: he was sentenced to be cut into small pieces. However, most high-ranking eunuchs were more cautious and used lower-ranking concubines for erotic pleasures, who disappointed the emperor. Often the first night of love became the only one for a young concubine who failed to please the emperor.

EMPRESS CIXI

Lan Ke, a concubine of the lowest fifth rank, the future all-powerful Empress Cixi, the last great ruler of the Qing dynasty, found herself in this position.

The life story of the one who elevated the eunuch Li Lianying and ruled giant China with an iron fist for almost half a century resembles more a myth than a real biography. By the end of her life, her full official title sounded like this: Merciful, Happy, Benevolent, Merciful, Main, Protected, Healthy, Deep-thought, Clear, Calm, Majestic, Faithful, Long-lived, Honored, Highest, Wise, Sublime, Radiant.

And at the very beginning of her life’s journey, her name was Lan Ke (Jade Orchid), she came from a worthy, but impoverished family. Her father, Hui Zheng, led the life of a government official full of vicissitudes: he fell from grace, rose high thanks to a successful combination of circumstances, was imprisoned for embezzlement, then found new patrons... He eventually died, leaving his widow and daughter with virtually no means of support. Lan Ke was known as a beauty; her typically Manchu appearance was complemented by her lively personality. During her childhood, she was engaged to a brilliant young man, the son of a high-ranking officer. But the ruin of the family put an end to this engagement, despite the fact that Rong Lu continued to adore his chosen one, and she reciprocated his feelings. Ardent and proud Lan Ke made a decision - to rise to the very top and benefit her family, primarily her mother. “When she went to visit her friends, a eunuch noticed her,” it is reported in “The Tale of the Thirteen Manchu Emperors.” “Lan Ke deliberately tried to catch the eye of the imperial envoys...”

Meanwhile, even getting into the applicant pool was not an easy task. In China there were 9 official ranks, among which the 9th was considered the lowest. As can be learned from the Notes on the Qing Court, published in Beijing, only the daughters of officials above the third rank could take part in the competition. But they were also sifted through a fine sieve - from noble girls, only those were selected whose eight hieroglyphs indicating dates of birth were considered favorable. On June 14, 1852, 60 Manchu girls of worthy origin appeared before the eyes of the widow of the late Emperor Daoguang. After the screening, the harem was replenished with 28 of the most worthy, among them were the younger sister of the late wife of Emperor Xianfeng named Niuhulu (future Qian) and sixteen-year-old Lan Ke (future Cixi).

In the imperial harem there was a constant table of ranks: in addition to the legal wife, one huangguifei was the Imperial Precious Concubine, two guifei were the Precious Concubines, and then from four to 72 ordinary third-class concubines - fei, 84 fourth-class concubines - bin, and the rest - 120 fifth-class concubines - guiren... Without having a special status, Lan Ke joined the lowest category of women who lived in small houses in the farthest part of the imperial garden. These women lived modestly: they had few servants, most of the time they were engaged in handicrafts, making clothes, shoes and cosmetics for their more fortunate companions. However, virgins had a chance to rise higher; their names were written on jade tokens that lay on a special dish in the emperor’s chambers. When the ruler wanted something new, he randomly took a token from the dish and gave it to the eunuch, or more often he simply gave the order to bring a new girl to him, leaving the eunuch the right to choose a candidate. Probably Lan Ke was able to gain the sympathy of this curia, although how she managed this is unknown to history. However, it is known that the girl was as poor as a church mouse, so there was no talk of bribery.

They began to prepare the orchid for the august night. They undressed her, washed her, anointed her with incense, and then, without dressing her, wrapped her in a blanket made of heron fluff (from ancient times, the heron was considered a symbol of pure intentions, because you cannot go to the emperor with others). The concubines were also naked for safety reasons: in this form, she could not take edged weapons with her. Then the concubine, following palace regulations, was taken to the emperor’s bedchamber. Here the eunuch removed the veil from her and left. According to the rules, the name of the concubine was recorded in a special book, and the day and hour of the concubine’s stay in the imperial chambers was also noted: in this way the legality of the birth of a child from the emperor was determined.

Lan Ke ended up in the imperial bed, but … did not impress the emperor. It all ended very quickly - so quickly that the head of the Chamber of Important Affairs, who was waiting for the end of the bed ceremony in the next room, did not even have time to shout: “The time has come!”

There was such a custom: if the concubine lingered in the bedchamber for a long time, the chief eunuch, taking care that the emperor did not overwork himself, was obliged to shout: “The time has come!”

If the Son of Heaven does not respond the first time, shout again. If he doesn’t respond again, shout a third time. Well, the third time the sovereign simply had to respond, no matter how carried away he was by the “walk among the golden lilies.”

History knows several examples of how ordinary concubines not only became sultanas, queens or empresses, but also ruled together with their spouses or even alone. One such legendary woman is Xiaodi Lanhua. She is better known as Empress Cixi, whom the people nicknamed the Dragon for her bloodthirstiness and cruelty.

Childhood

The future Empress of China Cixi was born in November 1835 into the family of one of the Manchu mandarins. Her mother was Tong Jia, whom others called Madam Hui. At the age of 8, Xiaoda Lanhua and her family left Beijing for her father’s new duty station. Moreover, due to the status of her parents, upon reaching adulthood, the girl was registered as a candidate for the emperor’s concubine. According to the custom of that time, she could not marry until the ruler of the Celestial Empire decided that he did not want to see her in his palace.

"Precious People"

In January 1853, the court of Emperor Xianfeng, who was already 22 years old at that time, announced a competition for concubines. In total, it was necessary to select 70 girls aged 14-20, whose fathers belonged to the first three ranks of the bureaucratic hierarchy. At the same time, preference was given to those girls whose 8 hieroglyphs of their date of birth were considered favorable.

Xiaodi Lanhua successfully passed the competition and entered the “Closed City” in Beijing. In the palace, she found herself in the 5th, lowest rank of concubine “Guizhen” (“Precious People”), and she began to be called by the name of her Manchu clan Yehenara.

Career in the palace

In 1854, the future Empress Cixi received the title of 4th class concubine, and in 1856 - 3rd class. Being by nature an extremely smart and ambitious girl, Yehenara became friends with the young Empress Tsian. According to legend, this was facilitated by the fact that, having learned about the impending assassination attempt on the wife of the Son of Heaven, the concubine prevented her mistress from drinking from a glass that contained poison.

The Empress was barren, which caused the entire court a lot of anxiety. According to palace customs, her husband invited her to choose a concubine for herself to continue the family line. Tsian, without thinking twice, named the name of her faithful confidante. Thus, Ekhenara received the status of “Precious Concubine” and began to often meet with the ruler of the Celestial Empire.

"Family life"

Such a concept did not exist at all in the palace. Moreover, it is known that the emperor preferred Chinese maids to the Manchus, so Yehenara, who had nothing to fear from the competition of Empress Qian, vigilantly ensured that the girls he liked disappeared from the palace without a trace. According to legend, after the disappearance of one of the Chinese women, the angry emperor summoned the Precious Concubine to his place, as they say, on the carpet. However, she put on a performance with tears and pleas, and at the end she announced that she was pregnant. This news delighted the court, but many doubted it, since the Son of Heaven suffered from severe opium addiction and, according to doctors, only a miracle could help him conceive a child.

Birth of a son

In 1856, Yehenara gave birth to a boy who was named Zaichun. There were rumors that she actually staged the pregnancy and faked childbirth, passing off the child of the maid Chuyin as the imperial son.

Be that as it may, having become the mother of the heir, Ekhenara acquired enormous weight at court, especially since over time the already seriously ill emperor began to transfer more and more powers to her. Thus, she gradually became the de facto ruler of the Middle Kingdom.

Empress Dowager Cixi

On August 22, 1861, the Son of Heaven gave up his ghost. A fierce struggle for succession to the throne immediately unfolded. The childless Empress Qian was considered the main wife. According to existing custom, she automatically received the high title “Huantai-hou”. However, the very next day after Xianfeng’s death, Yehenara, through a stubborn behind-the-scenes struggle, ensured that she was also given the title of Empress Dowager, and chose a new name, Cixi, which translates as “Merciful.” At the same time, Tsyan was not her competitor, although she held the formal championship.

Regency

Political power by law belonged equally to both empresses. However, Qian soon handed over the reins of power to her former concubine friend and began to lead a secluded life. Despite this, she died of poisoning in 1881. Rumors immediately spread about Cixi's involvement in her death, as it became known that a couple of hours before her death she sent the Dowager Empress

Even if they were groundless, the death of the eldest widow of Xianfeng made Cixi the sole ruler-regent. Moreover, she could remain in this status until Prince Zaichun’s 17th birthday. By the way, she was of little interest to her son, and she did not devote time to raising him. As a result, the teenager indulged in orgies, and at a very young age he was diagnosed with a venereal disease.

"Voluntary resignation"

When her son came of age, the Chinese Empress Cixi behaved extremely carefully. This wise and prudent woman issued a decree in which she notified everyone that her regency was over, and she was transferring all power in the state to the heir. At the same time, she had no intention of retiring, especially since she was well aware that the young ruler was not able to rule the country and had serious health problems.

Death of an heir

Empress Cixi, whose photo is presented above, did not remain out of work for long. A year later, Zaichun told the people that he had contracted smallpox. In those days in China it was generally accepted that those who survived this disease received the blessing of the gods, so the news was received by everyone with joy. However, the young man’s body was already weakened by a venereal disease, and after 2 weeks he died.

Second regency

It would seem that the death of her son should force the former concubine to retire and mourn her grief, especially since her pregnant daughter-in-law also “unexpectedly” died long before giving birth. However, Empress Cixi was not going to let go of the reins of power. She did everything so that 4-year-old Zaitian, the son of Prince Chun and her sister Wanzhen, was chosen as the new heir. Thus, the future emperor turned out to be Cixi’s nephew, to whom she also became an adoptive mother. As one would expect, the Dowager Empress ruled the country all the time until the boy came of age, and not a single important issue was resolved without her participation.

Beginning of Guangxu's reign

Unlike Cixi's son, the heir was quite ambitious, and the woman understood that she would have to work hard to retain power over the court and China.

However, Cixi tried not to break traditions, and when in 1886 the emperor, who had chosen the august name Guangxu, turned 19 years old, she announced that he was now free from guardianship and retired to her palace. At the same time, she vigilantly monitored affairs in the country and at court, and also controlled the actions of the Son of Heaven. To make this task easier, in March 1889, the Dowager Empress of China Cixi personally chose Lun-Yu, the daughter of her brother General Gui Xian, as his wife. Thus, her Manchu clan became the most powerful in the Closed City and had no competitors.

Conflict with the Young Emperor

In early 1898, it became clear that Guangxu was sympathetic to reform supporters. At first, the Dowager Empress considered this pampering. However, she soon received news of Guangxu’s rapprochement with the famous scientist and politician Kang Yuwei and familiarization with his memoranda. The result of the communication between the young ruler and the leader of the reformers was the so-called “Hundred Days of Reform.” Within just over three months, the emperor issued 42 decrees on modernizing the education system and the army, on the purchase of new agricultural equipment abroad, on the construction of railways, improvement of cities, etc.

Failed Plot

Moreover, the emperor received the famous general in the palace. Cixi felt that there was a military coup in the air, and began to take steps to keep the situation under control.

Her suspicions were not unfounded, since the young emperor actually shared with Yuan Shikai a plan according to which the reformers were going to arrest the Empress Dowager and execute her most loyal associates. Although the general promised to serve Guangxu faithfully, sensing the danger of arrest, he revealed the plans of the conspirators to Cixi’s relative, General Zhonlu, who holds the post of commander of the troops of the capital district. The latter reported everything to the empress. An enraged Cixi went to the palace and demanded that Guangxu abdicate the throne.

On September 21, 1898, the emperor was taken to Yintai Island, which was within the boundaries of the Forbidden City, and was placed under house arrest. Cixi forbade access to him for all those close to him, including his beloved concubine Zhen Fei, and the eunuchs serving the emperor had to be replaced every day so that none of them began to harbor sympathy for the royal prisoner.

Yihetuan Rebellion

Events taking place inside the Forbidden City temporarily distracted the Empress from the explosive situation in the country. And there was something to worry about, since in China it began. Its leaders demanded the preservation of patriarchal life and the expulsion of Europeans, which was in full agreement with the views of Cixi. At the same time, they fought against the Manchus, who had ruled China for centuries.

At the beginning of the Yihetuan uprising, the empress issued a decree supporting the rebels. She even set a reward for every foreigner killed. In addition, when the so-called Siege of the Embassy Quarter began on June 20, 1900, the Empress did not take any steps to protect the diplomats and 3,000 Christian Chinese who were there, and the next day she openly declared war on the Alliance, which included the Russian Empire.

Escape

An open challenge thrown at the 8 most powerful military powers on the planet at that time (USA, France, Austria-Hungary, Japan, Russia and Great Britain) was an unwise step. Immediately after this, the intervention of foreign troops began, and on August 13, 1900, they approached Beijing.

These were the most difficult days in the life of Empress Cixi. She immediately forgot about her vows never to leave the capital and began to prepare to escape. Well aware that Emperor Guangxu could be used by her enemies against her, Empress Cixi, whose biography reads like an interesting novel, decided to take him with her to the city of Taiyuan. The cunning woman decided to stay there until the situation in the capital returned to normal and begin negotiations with the winners. She also had a plan in case it was impossible to find a common language with the leaders of the Alliance. It consisted of fleeing to Xi'an, where at the beginning of autumn, due to weather conditions, the intervention troops would hardly have been able to reach.

In order to get to Taiyuan without hindrance, Cixi ordered that the nails of herself and the most faithful concubines be cut, everyone dressed in simple clothes, and their hair tied into buns, like commoners.

Since Guangxu's main concubine was too actively begging to be left with her beloved in Beijing, the Empress Dowager ordered the young woman to be thrown into a well next to the Palace of Tranquility and Longevity.

Negotiation

While the empress's motorcade was moving towards Xi'an, Li Hongzhang negotiated on her behalf in the capital. He informed the Alliance leadership that there had been a misunderstanding and Cixi was asking European countries to help her suppress the Yihetuan uprising. Already on September 7, 1901, the Final Protocol was signed, and the empress went home. She was so glad that everything had been settled that, upon arriving in the city of Weifang, she celebrated her 66th birthday with great pomp.

last years of life

After returning to the capital, Empress Cixi lived her usual life, although she could no longer exert much influence on the life of the Chinese outside the Forbidden City. Until her last breath, the cruel dictator hated Emperor Guangxu. When the woman felt that her days were numbered, she ordered him to be poisoned with arsenic. Thus, the penultimate emperor of China died on November 14, 1908, and the next day the world learned that Cixi (empress) had died.

Sex life of the Empress

Despite rumors about her relationships with men, Cixi’s favorites are not known. Thus, either the woman skillfully hid her connections, or she had other interests. The only more or less plausible story is related to the birth of Guangxu. In particular, some historians believe that he is the son of Cixi from one of the courtiers, whom she gave to her sister to raise.

In art

The first film about the Chinese Empress Cixi was filmed in 1975 in Hong Kong. The main role in the film was played by American actress Lisa Lu. Then another film with the same name (1989) was released. The story of the Dragon Empress formed the basis of several literary works. Moreover, books about her life were published in our country. The novel “Empress Cixi” by Jun Cham is currently available in Russian. The Concubine Who Changed the Destiny of China.” Her adventures are also described in the works of Anchi Min and Pearl Buck.

20.09.2014 0 27966

The pages of world history are full of the atrocities of bloodthirsty despots. Nero, Borgia, Louis XIV, Vlad the Impaler, Ivan the Terrible, Joseph Stalin, Hitler - this is just a small list of tyrants that the whole world knows about. Not least in this row is the Chinese Empress Ci Xi (Cixi). Despite being female, this lady became famous for such cruelty and treachery that the “exploits” of male satraps simply pale in comparison to her.

FIRST STEPS

Ci Xi set a kind of record: never in China has a single woman ruled the country for almost 50 years. This is all the more surprising since Ci Xi did not belong to the royal family - she was born into the family of a Manchu mandarin (official). In 1852, at the age of 16, she successfully passed the concubine competition at the emperor's court and was enrolled in the staff of the lowest, fifth class mistresses.

Having replenished his staff of 3,000 concubines, young Ci Xi found herself among those who had little chance of meeting their master: the emperor rarely visited the chambers of fifth-class confidants, some of whom had never received this honor in their entire lives at court. Cixi has become a grain of sand in the sea! And yet she managed not only to win the heart of the emperor, but also to take the throne. However, in the pursuit of power, Ci Xi managed to destroy an entire empire - the Chinese monarchy briefly outlived the empress.

How did an ordinary girl manage to get to the very top? Cunning as a fox, Tsi Xi quickly realized: she had to stand out from the crowd. The girl began to voraciously read books from the imperial library and persuaded the courtiers to hire her teachers. As she gained intelligence, her manners became more and more subtle and virtuosic.

The concubine spent a lot of effort studying the rules of etiquette that operated within the walls of the Forbidden City, the largest palace complex in the world.

Having mastered this “Chinese letter,” the concubine immediately rose above her rivals. Ci Xi prudently made friends with the monarch’s wife, who was 15 years older than her and also barren. Ci Xi picked up the key to her heart, and this decided her fate: promoted, she became a fourth-class concubine.

PRECIOUS

Emperor Yizhu was getting old and weakening, and the thought of an heir came to him more and more often. When he turned to his missus with a request to choose a girl suitable for this purpose, she pointed to Tsi Xi. So luck smiled on one of the 3,000 concubines, and the nimble Qi Xi tried to do everything not to let her out of her hands.

In April 1856, Ci Xi gave birth to a boy, the heir to the Chinese throne, which increased her influence at court. The emperor transferred more and more powers to her, thanks to which she became the de facto ruler of China. There were rumors, however, that the boy was actually born to a young maid, Chuin, who was killed immediately after giving birth.

The status of the heir's mother allowed Ci Xi to be transferred to the rank of “precious concubines” - the second, next to the empress. But the quick-witted mistress did not remain on the sidelines for long. In 1861, the seriously ill emperor gathered eight senior dignitaries before his death and, in their presence, appointed his six-year-old son Zaichun as heir to the throne, and Ci Xi as regent until he came of age.

But senior officials objected and demanded that the emperor appoint them members of the regency council after his death. One of the courtiers even tried to persuade the emperor to persuade his mistress to commit suicide. They say that in the next world she will serve the spirit of the deceased master. But Ci Xi fooled everyone: she appropriated the imperial seal, without which not a single law could be passed. This allowed her to bargain with the conspirators.

And after the death of Yizhu, two decrees appeared: the first declared her son Zaichun as heir, the second gave the powers of regent to two women at once - Ci Xi and the Dowager Empress Ci'an. Soon the most active dignitary was executed in the main market of Beijing, and the rest were “granted” execution by suicide.

Qian also did not last long - she died of food poisoning. A few hours before her death, Ci Xi sent her rice cakes... They say that the day before, the empress unexpectedly visited the chambers of her beloved friend and found a newborn child there (Tsi Xi did not appear in public for several months due to a strange illness).

BY CORPSES

The path to unlimited power for Ci Xi was not strewn with roses. She had to constantly fight with competitors and ill-wishers, and in this fight she knew no pity. But that was not so bad. China in the second half of the 19th century was a patriarchal state, closed to foreigners, but the wind of change was slowly changing the usual way of life of its inhabitants. The French and British came here to trade and brought new ideas.

The isolation under which the country had lived for many centuries was becoming a thing of the past. Ci Xi resisted change with every fiber of her soul, because she saw it as a threat to her safety. The Empress was determined to preserve the ancient traditions of feudal China and drive the foreigners away. The “foreign devils” were intimidated and their shops were burned. The local population sided with the aliens - Chinese merchants were eager to trade with the Europeans.

Ci Xi mercilessly dealt with unwanted subjects: they were hanged, their heads were cut off. In the Forbidden City, those dissatisfied with her arbitrariness staged a conspiracy, but Ci Xi responded to this quickly and harshly: on her orders, about 500 people were killed, including high-ranking officials. Because of her cruelty, the Chinese nicknamed her the Dragon.

Carried away by the political struggle, Ci Xi paid little attention to raising her son. The guy grew up on his own. His favorite pastime was visiting brothels and the most base taverns. When Zaichun came of age, Cixi accepted that her regency had ended and that her son's reign would begin. However, soon, very conveniently for the possessed mistress, the heir fell ill.

In December 1874, he published a message: “I was fortunate to catch smallpox this month.” Two weeks later the emperor died. The body, weakened by sexually transmitted diseases, could not resist the disease. There were rumors that Ci Xi also had a hand in the death of her own son.

In China, members of the imperial family wiped their faces with steamed wet wipes before dinner. This is a more hygienic method than using dry table napkins.

Only if you run a hot towel over the patient’s face, covered with an infectious rash, and then apply it to the face of the intended victim, the consequences will not be long in coming. This lackey procedure was always performed by a helpful eunuch. Here it is - a simple and trouble-free way to remove an extra person from the road.

THE LAST EMPEROR

The ruler herself chose a successor - her four-year-old nephew Guangxu. Ten dignitaries expressed their protest and paid for it with their lives.

Time passed, and the future emperor grew up. It turned out that the young man had his own opinion on everything, moreover, it often did not coincide with the opinion of Tsi Xi, but the progressive courtiers shared it. But Cixi was still very strong. On the eve of the Japanese invasion of China, officials allocated money from the treasury for the construction of ships for the navy.

The woman disposed of them in a unique way - in the vicinity of Beijing she rebuilt the summer imperial palace of Yiheyuan, which was destroyed by the interventionists in 1860. Legends were written about its magnificence; the Chinese said: “Although it was created by man, its beauty is like Heaven.”

The Empress adored her creation and went to a country residence for the entire summer. And when the officials asked her to show the ships they had built, Ci Xi pointed to a marble ship for pleasure and entertainment and said: “Here is my fleet.” The Chinese were left without a fleet, the country's defenses fell, and the war with the Japanese was lost. But there is one more attraction in Yiheyuan.

Discontent with Ci Xi at court grew. Her trusted man informed her that Guangxu, together with his supporters, was hatching plans to capture Ci Xi and put him to death. Revenge was not long in coming: the empress’s people rushed to the Forbidden City and captured Guangxu. Only the intercession of the Europeans saved the emperor from certain death, but he spent the rest of his short life under house arrest in the Forbidden City. But his beloved concubine paid with her life when she stood up for Guangxu.

Today, tour guides like to show tourists the well in which the poor girl was drowned. Other participants in the conspiracy were also arrested and executed. Ci Xi watched the execution while drinking jasmine tea. Foreigners who supported Guangxu also had a hard time - they were expelled from the country in batches.

But times changed, and foreign powers began to put strong pressure on Ci Xi, she had to humble her pride and be cunning.

In the summer of 1907, the Empress suffered a stroke. And from November 14 to 15, 1908, three important events happened in the Forbidden City. 34-year-old Guangxu died unexpectedly. They say he was poisoned. Ci Xi appointed the young emperor Pu Yi as heir. And she herself died of dysentery the next day.

The Chinese greeted the latest news with undisguised pleasure. In 1912, the last Chinese emperor was overthrown in a revolution and the Qing dynasty fell.

Vladimir STROGANOV

The last Chinese Empress Tsi-Xi can rightfully be considered the most bloodthirsty female ruler in world history. Being a modest concubine of a multi-thousand-strong harem, with the help of intrigues, conspiracies and murders, she “made a career” to become the mistress of a multi-million-dollar China.

Orchid in a harem

In 1850, after the death of the Chinese god Mianying, the throne passed to his eldest son Yizhu. Being too lazy and inexperienced, the young emperor gave real power to several high dignitaries, including the favorite Xiu Shen, who had been managing all the affairs of the empire since 1958.

In November 1835, a beautiful girl was born into the family of a Manchurian mandarin. They named the baby Lanier - Orchid. Then no one could have imagined that in a few years this girl would drown China in blood and destroy the multimillion-dollar Celestial Empire.

By birth, she was destined to become one of the three thousand concubines of the Son of Heaven Izhu. At the age of sixteen, Lan'er crossed the threshold of the "Closed City", the luxurious imperial palace in Beijing, and took her place in the fifth and lowest rank of the harem. This meant that she could spend her entire life behind high walls without ever meeting the emperor. This situation did not suit the educated and ambitious Lanier. Having learned that the wife of Emperor Tsi-An could not have children, the girl decided to gain her trust. Soon Lan'er's calculation was justified: when Yizhu asked his wife to choose a concubine to continue the family line, Tsi-An suggested Lan'er. The birth of an heir opened the way to the title “empress mother”, and after the death of Yizhu - to the title “empress dowager”. However, Lanier failed to get pregnant, and when she learned that one of the concubines was expecting a child from the Son of Heaven, the 21-year-old intriguer decided to commit her first crime. Having lured the pregnant concubine into her chambers, she announced that she was expecting a child. In 1856, Lanier “gives birth” to a boy, after which he gets rid of his real mother.

After the birth of an heir, Lan'er becomes the "imperial precious concubine" and begins a behind-the-scenes power struggle with her main rival Xiu Shen. At this time, the British and French began a new war against China for the right to control the opium trade. Bogdokhan, along with the entire court, was forced to leave Beijing and move to Mulan.

In January 1861, the monarch's health deteriorated sharply, which caused a new wave of intrigue in the struggle for power. The only heir remained the six-year-old Tsai-Chun, which meant that until he came of age, supreme power would belong to his mother, the regent Lan'er.

Conspiracy against the regent

During his propaganda work on the dying emperor, Xiu Shen managed to obtain from him a document according to which Xiu Shen and seven other senior Chinese dignitaries were to become regents for the young emperor. In the second decree, Yizhu forbade Lan'er to interfere in the affairs of the government. In addition, there is a version that there was a third decree, according to which Lanier was ordered to confirm his love and devotion to Bogdykhan and accompany him to the “world of shadows.” So Xiu Shen wanted to physically and quite officially eliminate his rival. However, all three secret documents did not have the force of law without the Great Imperial Seal. So the prudent Lanier kidnapped her right from the bedroom of the dying monarch.

Xiu Shen had no choice but to hide the documents under the pillow of the Son of Heaven. He hoped that, taken out from there after the death of Izhu, they would acquire the weight of a will even without a seal. But the inventive Xiu Shen did not take everything into account. After the death of Bogdykhan in August 1861, according to Chinese traditions, Tsi-An and Lan'er had to say goodbye to him without witnesses. After this “date”, Xiu Shen naturally did not find the long-awaited documents under the monarch’s pillow.

After the death of the Son of Heaven, Xiu Shen was appointed chief regent. Lan'er received the titles of Empress Mother and Empress Dowager. It was then that she took the name Tsi-Xi - “Merciful and Sender of Happiness,” but after coming to power in the memory of the people she will remain under the nickname the Dragon Empress.

Tsi-Xi became the empress of the Western Palace, and Tsi-An was still the empress of the Eastern Palace. However, the transfer of power to women was contrary to the Confucian political tradition, which Xiu Shen took advantage of. As a result of long behind-the-scenes battles, he headed the Regency Council under the young emperor. But he did not have long to live - Tsy-Xi, who did not know how to lose, was already preparing a plan for revenge.

Ci-Xi's allies included the late king's brothers, Grand Duke Gong and Grand Duke Chun, as well as the commander of the imperial guard, Rong-Lu. All of them were opponents of the Regency Council and joined forces to carry out a coup.

In September 1861, the conspirators obtained an imperial decree to transfer the body of the late Yizhu from Mulani to the Closed City. According to Chinese customs, if the emperor died far from the place of the ritual funeral, his coffin was transported to the palace, and his wife and son went there in advance to prepare everything for the funeral ceremonies. Xiu Shen had to lead the funeral procession.

Blood cleansing

When the imperial cortege arrived in Beijing on November 1, they were surrounded by troops under the control of Gong and Rong-Lu. Gun read out the imperial order, certified by the Great Seal, depriving the regents of all regalia and arresting them. On their knees, the shocked members of the Regency Council listened to the decree and were immediately taken into custody. The second order announced Tongzhi - the joint reign of the young emperor, Tsi-An and Tsi-Xi. Gong later received the title of Prince Regent. All that remained was to deal with Xiu Shen. A detachment of Chun was sent after him, who found the temporary worker making love with two concubines next to the emperor’s coffin. Chun delivered the coffin of the Son of Heaven and the arrested Xiu Shen to the Closed City.

The coup of 1861 ended with executions. They wanted to cut off the heads of the members of the Regency Council, but at the last moment they were granted “honorable suicide.” Xiu Shen was taken in an open carriage to the market square in Beijing's Outer City. Standing on the scaffold, Xiu Shen began to denounce the insidious Tsi-Xi. His words were not drowned out even by the blows of an iron rod and the hail of stones from the crowd. Then the executioner cut off the temporary worker’s hands, and then his head, which was put on public display in an iron cage. Together with Xiu Shen, Tsi-Xi destroyed about five hundred people and began a sole reign that lasted 43 years.

With money from the imperial treasury, Tsi-Xi built herself a luxurious palace with a garden. They say that if during a walk the empress found a fallen petal on the path, she would order the eunuch gardeners to be flogged, or even simply cut off their heads.

In 1875, Tsi-Xi removed Gong from power. Soon the young Emperor Tsai-Chun died of smallpox. Since childhood, he grew up in an environment of depraved orgies and opium dens, and his body had long been weakened by drugs and syphilis. There were rumors that Tsy-Xi had a hand in his death.

According to Chinese customs, during dinner the emperor was served by a eunuch, whose duty was to wipe the face of the Son of Heaven with a special towel treated with steam after each dish. If such a towel is used by a person with smallpox and then healthy, he will certainly become infected. Tsy-Xi, under whose command all the eunuchs were, knew this well...

After the death of the young emperor, it turned out that his young wife was pregnant. The appearance of a new heir was not part of Tsy-Xi's plans. She ordered the eunuchs to beat the girl, after which she had a miscarriage. Three months later, the grief-stricken widow committed suicide. The four-year-old nephew Tsi-Xi was declared emperor. After many years, she will force him to renounce the throne and imprison him on one of the islands.

In 1881, Tsy-Xi finally reached her co-regent Tsy-An, whom she poisoned with homemade rice cakes. The Dragon Empress saw her opponents everywhere, whom she sent in thousands to prisons and the scaffold. She invented new and new tortures. Tsy-Xi had a particular dislike for foreigners who, in her opinion, had invaded China. She turned her subordinates against Europeans and Christian missionaries. An angry crowd threw stones at foreigners, burned down their shops, and those who did not want to leave were beaten to death or executed. There were so many corpses that they did not have time to remove them from the streets.

In 1907, Tsy-Xi suffered a stroke and her health declined sharply. On November 14, 1908, her nephew the Emperor died. There is a version that Tsy-Xi mixed small doses of poison into his food for a long time. However, she managed to outlive the heir by only two days. The Dragon Empress died, leaving behind a huge looted fortune and the fame of the most bloodthirsty ruler in Chinese history.

"Behind Bars", 2006

, Tsy Xi (慈禧太后 Cíxǐ Tàihòu; November 29, 1835 - November 15, 1908, Beijing) - the Manchu empress, who was in fact in power in Qing China from 1861 to 1908. She was a concubine of Emperor Yizhu (ruled under the motto "Xianfeng"), became his second wife after the birth of his son Zaichun - heir to the throne, enjoyed exceptional influence at court. After the emperor's death in 1861, Cixi officially received the title of Grand Empress.

Regent in 1861-1873. (with his young son Zaichun) and in 1875-1889. (with his young nephew, Emperor Zaitian). Since 1898, as a result of a coup d'etat, she again concentrated all power in her hands.

Biography

Cixi (in Manchu Nilasy) was born in November 1835 in the family of a Manchu mandarin; according to popular legend, she was born on November 29, 1835 and at birth received the nickname either Xiaodi Lanhua (Chinese: 小的蘭花 , pinyin: Xiaode Lanhua- (small orchid) or Yu Lanhua (Chinese ex. 玉蘭花 , pinyin: Yu Lanhua- magnolia, literally translated jade orchid). A young frail woman named Tong Jia (her name was Mrs. Hui) gave birth to a girl. At the time of Cixi's birth, Tong Jia had been married for more than two years, but her family life did not bring her happiness: her husband, paying great attention to his friends, was indifferent to his wife. On the third day after Cixi was born, she was bathed for the first time, but not in warm, but in cold water, after which the girl was taken out into the fresh air. Such bathing in the presence of neighbors, according to the customs of the Manchus, was supposed to expel all ailments from the baby’s flesh.

In the fourth year after Cixi’s birth, her sister Dafeng (Big Phoenix) was born. Tong Jia's third child was a boy, Zhao Xiang, and his fourth was also a boy, Gui Xiang.

In the eighth year of her life, on October 7, 1843, Cixi and her family left Beijing, which she loved very much and where she had many friends.

According to some sources, Cixi was engaged to a handsome young man, Ronglu, during her childhood. He was a year older than her and came from a family of Manchu warlords. They constantly spent time together: took walks, rode Manchurian ponies. There were even rumors that Ronglu and Cixi were lovers until she entered the imperial court. Even then she supposedly was not a virgin.

On June 14, 1852, having passed the concubine competition at the court of the emperor, who ruled under the motto “Xianfeng,” Cixi entered the palace of the rulers of China, the “Closed City” in Beijing, finding herself in the fifth, lowest rank of concubines—Precious People (Guiren). Girls of the lowest rank might never visit the emperor's bedroom in their entire lives.

After the parade in the palace, she was allowed to go home for two months: the girls who passed the parade had to acquire appropriate attire worthy of imperial concubines.

At court, Cixi was called by her clan name Yekhenara sk.. The rise came quickly: in 1854 she received the title of fourth class concubine (bin), in 1856 third class (fei). Being naturally smart, she became friends with Empress Qian, who was 15 years older than her and, in addition, barren. According to some sources, she saved the life of the empress by recognizing poison in her glass. When the emperor decided that he needed an heir, he invited the empress to choose a concubine for this, and Ci'an chose Cixi. Thus, the girl moved to the rank of Precious Concubines (second, next to the empress).

In 1856, Cixi gave birth to a boy named Zaichun. Many historians believe that the child was actually born to a young maid, Chuin, who was killed immediately after giving birth. The status of the mother of the heir to the throne strengthened Cixi's influence at court. Gradually, the emperor transferred more and more powers to her, thanks to which she became the de facto ruler of China.

In August 1861, the seriously ill emperor, before his death, assembled eight senior dignitaries, including Sushun and the first-degree princes Zaiyuan and Duanhua. In their presence, the emperor appointed his six-year-old son Zaichun as heir to the throne. However, the dignitaries managed to achieve a limitation of Cixi’s power: the fading ruler agreed to promulgate two decrees. One was about appointing them as members of the Regency Council after his death, and the other was forbidding Cixi to control the actions of his son as heir to the throne. Sushun tried to get rid of Cixi altogether and persuaded the emperor to force her to commit suicide: so that she “in the next world would serve the spirit of the late ruler.” But for the decrees to have legal force, they had to bear the great imperial seal, which ended up in the hands of Cixi. Owning the seal, she could enter into bargaining with the conspirators. There are many versions about how Cixi managed to deceive Sushun. Prince Gong, fearing to lose power in the palace if the conspirators won, was on Cixi’s side and helped her.

Emperor Yizhu, who ruled under the motto "Xianfeng", died in 1861. The first decree promulgated declared Zaichun, the son of Emperor Xianfeng, as heir to the throne under the motto "Tongzhi" (Co-rule). The second decree granted the titles of "empress dowager" to Cixi and Ci'an. Empress Dowager Qian and Cixi became regents by right. Sushun was executed in Beijing at the Western Market, where he was taken in an open cart. Zaiyuan and Duanhua were "granted" execution by suicide.

Political power belonged equally to both women, but the empress, who was not interested in politics, handed over the reins of power to the concubine. On April 8, 1881, Qian died of food poisoning. The death of the regent is attributed to Cixi, since it became known that a few hours before her death she sent Ciang boiled rice cakes. The reason for the murder could have been the alleged incident when Qian, unexpectedly entering Cixi’s chambers, discovered a newborn child (despite the fact that Cixi had not appeared in public for several months due to an unknown illness).

After Ci'an's death, Empress Dowager Cixi became the sole ruler-regent.

Cixi's regency was to last until the 17th birthday of the heir, who was named Zaichun at birth. The heir led a dissolute lifestyle and had a passion for sexual orgies. When he reached adulthood, Cixi issued a decree in which she announced that her regency was over and she was transferring power to the heir. However, in December 1878, Zaichun, who ruled under the motto “Tongzhi,” published a message: “I was lucky to catch smallpox this month.” According to popular belief at that time, a person who has recovered from smallpox is marked by the gods. The heir's body, weakened by venereal diseases, was not able to resist the disease for long, and less than two weeks later the heir died.

Emperor Guangxu

Cixi insisted that the choice fall on 4-year-old Zaitian, the son of Prince Chun and Wanzhen, Cixi’s sister. Thus, she cemented her family with the imperial one. On February 25, 1875, Zaitian was declared emperor under the name Guangxu, the motto of his reign was (Glorious Succession).

Emperor Guangxu

In 1886, the emperor turned 19 years old. Cixi announced that Guangxu was now free from political tutelage and retired to her Summer Imperial Palace. However, she continued to vigilantly monitor palace affairs, demanded that loyal servants report everything to her, and controlled the actions of the emperor. Not a single document could be approved without her consent.

In March 1889, Cixi personally chose a wife for the emperor. She became the young Lun-Yu, the daughter of General Gui Xian, the regent’s brother. Thus, the influence of her clan at the palace increased even more.

The emperor's rapprochement with the leading reformer Kang Youwei alerted Cixi, but she did not expect serious consequences for herself, confident that the palace was under her complete control. Cixi weakly supported the “Hundred Days of Reforms” undertaken by the emperor, but clearly did not oppose it. Nevertheless, relations between conservatives and reformers became increasingly strained. On September 14, 1898, Yuan Shikai arrived in Beijing and was received by the emperor, who trusted him and revealed the reformers' plans to arrest Cixi in her Summer Palace and execute those closest to her, including Ronglu. Yuan Shikai promised to be loyal to the emperor, but revealed the plot. Cixi immediately went to the palace and demanded that Guangxu abdicate the throne. She also took the imperial seals from him. Kang Youwei managed to escape to Shanghai under the auspices of the Japanese consul. On September 21, 1898, Guangxu was sent to Yintai Island within the Forbidden City, where he remained under house arrest. Cixi never let him out of sight again. The eunuchs serving the emperor were replaced every day, for fear that one of them would begin to have sympathy for the prisoner. She forbade the emperor's favorite concubine Zhen Fei (en:Imperial Consort Zhen) from visiting his island. Cixi herself demanded that the emperor make petitions to her. Guangxu rarely went out, only during traditional prayers.

Yihetuan Rebellion

The Dowager Empress had an ambivalent attitude towards the events of the uprising. Formally, she supported one side or the other, depending on the unfolding events. For the ruler, the main matter was to protect the interests of the Manchu dynasty at court. At the beginning of the uprising, on May 28, 1900, Cixi issued a decree supporting the uprising. Rewards were offered for the killed foreigners. From June 20 to August 14, the Siege of the Embassy Quarter in Beijing continued, where there were 900 foreigners and about 3,000 Christian Chinese. On June 21, 1900, Cixi had already openly declared war on foreign countries. The Declaration of War was issued.

The duplicity of Empress Cixi. Caricature

The Yihetuans posed no less danger to the Manchu elite than foreign troops. Cixi feared that the Chinese, after defeating the foreigners, would begin to destroy the Manchus. Moreover, there was active “fraternization” between state troops and the rebel Chinese. She decided to bide her time in the hope that both sides, by fighting each other, would weaken each other.

On the night of August 13, coalition troops approached Beijing. Cixi, although she had said the day before that she would rather die than leave the capital, hastily began to get ready. Emperor Guangxu could pose a danger to the empress if he fell into the hands of foreigners. It was decided to take him with us. Cixi decided to head west, to the city of Taiyuan, from where, if necessary, it was possible to get to Xi'an, where access for the invaders was complicated by natural conditions. Cixi ordered to leave in closed palanquins, dressed in simple clothes. She had her nails cut and her hair was tied into a bun.

During the preparations, Guangxu's beloved concubine begged to leave him in Beijing. By order of Cixi, concubine Zheng Fei (en:Imperial Consort Zhen) was thrown into a well near the Palace of Tranquility and Longevity.

On September 10, 1900, the empress's cortege reached the city of Taiyuan, then continued on to the city of Xi'an. Li Hongzhang spoke on behalf of the Empress in Beijing during the ceasefire negotiations. Cixi now openly called for suppressing the Yihetuan uprising in the most brutal manner. On September 7, the Final Protocol was signed with the Eight Power Alliance of 1901. The Empress began the long journey back. She celebrated her 66th birthday in Weifang.

Character

Empress Dowager Cixi has been the subject of much controversy regarding her motives and style of government, and until recently she was widely portrayed as a ruthless and cruel dictator, a usurper of the throne, a poisoner, and a tyrant. This point of view is popular both among historians from communist China and among Kuomintang historians of Taiwan, who hold it responsible for the collapse of the Qing dynasty. However, modern scholars take a more balanced view of the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi, not making her a scapegoat for all the problems of the empire that were simply beyond her control, and do not present her as more cruel than other rulers of her period.

Thus, a contemporary of the Dowager Empress Cixi, artist Katharine Carl, who lived in China for 10 months and had the opportunity to directly communicate with the Empress while painting her portrait, wrote a book With the Empress Dowager. The preface states that the reason for writing the book about the experience of communicating with the Empress was that, on her arrival in America, she read in the newspapers and heard statements that she never made, but which were nevertheless attributed to her."

In her book, Katarina describes Empress Dowager Cixi as a fairly benevolent and considerate woman for her position. Empress Dowager Cixi, according to Catharine's description, had not only a penetrating mind, but also a remarkable appearance, high charm and grace, which created the image of an “extraordinarily attractive personality.” Katarina wrote about the Empress's love of dogs and flowers, boat rides, as well as the Empress's passion for traditional Chinese opera, hookah and European cigarettes. Katarina also mentioned the extreme devotion of the Empress, describing the case of the Empress Dowager's nanny Cixi, who monitored the Empress's condition during a long illness and saved her life by donating her breast milk:

A Chinese woman looked after Her Majesty 25 years ago during a long illness and saved her life by giving her her breast milk. Her Majesty, who never forgets help, left this woman to live in the palace forever. Since she was Chinese, her feet were always bandaged. Her Majesty could not look at them and even ordered her legs to be untied and carefully treated until she could walk without discomfort. Her Majesty educated her son, who did not receive breast milk during her illness. This young man has already become a secretary at a good yamen (government department)

The Empress was interested in photography and was one of the first amateur photographers in China. A collection of photographs she took has been preserved, some of which are exhibited in the Summer Palace in Beijing.

Foreign and domestic policy

The results of Cixi's half-century reign, filled with an endless bloody struggle for power, were several suppressed uprisings, several lost wars, a weakening of the authority of the authorities and the country's backwardness in technology and economics.

Emperor Zaitian, removed from power by Cixi (ruled under the motto “Guanxu”), died the day before her (possibly poisoned on her orders); his successor was 2-year-old Pu Yi. The Chinese monarchy briefly outlived the empress; in 1911 the Qing dynasty was overthrown after the Xinhai Revolution.

In popular culture

• In the film 55 Days in Beijing, Flora Robson played the role of Empress Dowager Cixi.
• Book: Rodrigo Cortes Tolmach - M.: Eksmo, 2007, - 384 pp., ISBN 978-5-699-17093-7 (description of court relations between Cixi, Guangxu and others, foreign and domestic policies of the empress against the backdrop of European invasion powers into the territory of the Qing Empire and the Yihetuan uprising).
• Anchi Ming's book "Empress Orchid"