The Biography of Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi was born on the 29th of November. It is said that she was the daughter of a low ranking official named Huizheng. Cixi’s original name was Yohonala, which originated from the combined name of two tribes, Yoho and Nala. Her father died when she was still very young. She was the eldest child in her house, but she felt mistreated and unloved. She once said: “I have had a very hard life ever since I was a young girl. I was not a bit happy with my parents, as I was not a favorite. My sister had everything she wanted, while I was, to a great extent, ignored altogether."1 She hated her family and wanted to leave. So on September 1851, she participated in the selection process for concubines for the new Hsienfeng Emperor. Cixi was one of the few girls that got selected. She moved into the palace and was granted the title “Worthy Lade Yi”. (wife of second lowest rank). She was not noticed in the beginning, but when she gave birth to the only male heir of Hsienfeng, her status in the palace rose. She was promoted to concubine of the first rank, second in prestige only to the empress. She was given the title Kuei Fei, meaning Concubine of Feminine Virtue. The birth of the male heir of Hsienfeng gave her maximum status in China. Cixi went from an insignificant figure, to someone who posses great power.
On September 1860, British and French troops attacked Beijing (Second Opium War), and they burnt the emperor’s Imperial Summer Palace Complex. When Emperor Hsinefeng heard about the destruction of the Imperial Summer Palace Complex, he went into depression, then he became seriously ill. On August 22, 1861, Emperor Hsienfeng died. Before Emperor Hsienfeng died, he summoned his eight advisors, and told them to help the future Emperor, who was only 5 years old. The Emperor also talked to the Empress and Cixi, before he died, he wished that both of them would help the young Emperor and check on the powers of...
