EMPRESS DOWAGER CIXI DOCUMENTARY - CIXI BIOGRAPHY PART 1

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  • čas přidán 2. 07. 2024
  • The dragon Lady. Such is the nickname given by western observers to a woman who successfully seized power in late imperial China, and subsequently ruled the celestial empire for half a century, empress dowager Cixi. Her reputation as a ruthless and cruel ruler has often been depicted in both China and the west, while her image at the time was promoted as that of a compassionate leader. Between tradition and modernity, Cixi’s role in the end of the Qing dynasty was undoubtably of pivotal importance for the fate of a whole civilization. But who was she really, and how did a woman outside the imperial clan managed to rule china for over 47 years? Today, I bring you the biography of the the dragon lady, Empress Dowager Cixi.
    Imperial Harem video : • THE QING DYNASTY HAREM...
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    ♫ MUSIC ♫
    Sao Meo Orchestral Mix
    Europa Universalis IV - Peace for Generations
    Chinese Traditional Bamboo flute
    Civilization V - Wu Zetian War Theme
    Han Palace Autumn Moon (Erhu)
    Total War Shogun 2 - Resolve
    Civilization V - Wu Zetian Peace Theme
    Civilization V - Elizabeth I War Theme
    Civilization V - Song of Joy
    Restless Natives
    دوتار اویغور (Uyghur music)
    Qing Court Music
    Lost in the Forest
    Total War Three Kingdoms - End of an Era
    The Loyalist - Lotus Lane
    🎬 VIDEO CREDITS 🎬
    戏说慈禧 (Joking about Cixi) (1993)
    Sigh of His Highness (2006)
    The Empress Dowager (1975)
    The Burning of Imperial Palace (1983)
    The Sino-Japanese War at Sea 1894 (2012)
    📜 MAIN SOURCES 📜
    Eminent Chinese of the Ch'ing Period (1644-1912) , (1943), Arthur W. Hummel, Sr.
    Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China, (2013), Jung Chang
    Cixi, the controversial concubine who became queen, led China into the modern age, (2016), Josep Maria Casals
    🏷️ TAGS 🏷️
    empress dowager cixi documentary
    emperor tongzhi
    tongzhi restoration
    Yixin
    Prince Gong
    self-strengthening movement
    self strengthening movement china
    empress dowager ci'an
    cixi biography
    tz'u hsi
    empress dowager cixi
    Introduction: (0:00)
    Early life: (01:11)
    Imperial concubine: (02:50)
    Rise to power: (05:11)
    Tongzhi restoration: (10:43)
    Resuming the regency: (23:03)
    Conclusion: (28:35)
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Komentáře • 545

  • @konrox
    @konrox Před 2 lety +245

    Can we take a moment to appreciate the narrator’s immaculate pronunciation of ALL the languages heard in the video?!

    • @johnsy4306
      @johnsy4306 Před rokem +12

      Indeed. I have to say I enjoyed this video all the more because of the beautiful pronunciation of the Chinese names. Bravo!

    • @paulsharp2565
      @paulsharp2565 Před rokem +1

      I would have preferred him to use the English pronunciation. I found it spoilt the documentary for me.

    • @TELESHIT324
      @TELESHIT324 Před rokem

      ever considered that he might be chinese who also speak english idiot

    • @Serjo777
      @Serjo777 Před rokem +6

      @@paulsharp2565 lol

    • @BridgeFour05
      @BridgeFour05 Před rokem +6

      @@paulsharp2565you sound like an American. Are you?

  • @juliennegracearcenal6273
    @juliennegracearcenal6273 Před 3 lety +304

    I love how instead of fighting each other for more power, Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci'an worked together.

    • @terence_k
      @terence_k Před 3 lety +78

      Tbf, Ci'an was the only real friend Cixi had back when they were nobodies in the imperial selection process, and was the reason that Cixi got noticed by the Emperor.
      Ci'an likewise couldn't undertake any hostile action against Cixi as the biological mother of the Emperor lent considerable legitimacy and influence.

    • @organizedchaos4559
      @organizedchaos4559 Před 3 lety +20

      Not really Cixi pulled all the strings Cian only just throw her support behind her, she never had political ambitions.

    • @emilybarclay8831
      @emilybarclay8831 Před 2 lety +38

      Ci’an had all the ritual and traditional power and Cixi had all the political power. They made up for each other’s low points

    • @asheru9254
      @asheru9254 Před 2 lety

      Just like Map and Chiang Kai Shek

    • @crazyhorse3344
      @crazyhorse3344 Před 2 lety

      @@terence_k cian was killed by cixi ! Cixi’s only friend was the eunuch who fucked her and make her pregnant many times

  • @bluestrife28
    @bluestrife28 Před 3 lety +51

    Chinese history is so fascinating. Very few cultures have survived since the dawn of man, and one that recorded its own history so well, I’m still learning new stuff all the time.

  • @The_Food_Police
    @The_Food_Police Před 3 lety +446

    Cixi seizing power of a celestial empire at 25 kinda makes all of us look like underachievers lol

    • @cconyap
      @cconyap Před 3 lety +47

      So true so true considering shes swimming in a sea of extreme patriarchal culture during her time

    • @mandya6697
      @mandya6697 Před 3 lety +18

      Food Police
      She triggered the fall of that empire by putting a 3 tear old on the throne.

    • @esto85
      @esto85 Před 3 lety +7

      She can kill an entire clan in an instant

    • @zimbomah12
      @zimbomah12 Před 3 lety +5

      Her hands were kind of tied though, for the first Decade of regency. Empress Dowager Ci’an was still her senior and many believe she had a secret will left by her husband that allowed her to stop anything that was deemed threats to her power. But it seems in the end Cixi won.

    • @N0N4M30
      @N0N4M30 Před 3 lety +1

      Not that impressive there have been younger ones like wu zeitan at 16 years

  • @raadas.s.6161
    @raadas.s.6161 Před 3 lety +87

    The automatic generated subtitles are displaying Cixi as Cersei LOL

  • @bluntblackjew
    @bluntblackjew Před 3 lety +206

    FINALLY, someone who knows how to pronounce her name! Bless you! Very good doc, so you've earned a new subscriber

    • @topherpadilla
      @topherpadilla Před 3 lety +17

      I was watching another video about Cixi and the voice over kept pronouncing her name as "Sick-see". Though video was good, I really can't stand hearing "Sick-see" over and over again 😐, and stopped watching.

    • @reneefuller5609
      @reneefuller5609 Před 3 lety +1

      I can't hear clearly how it is being pronounced. It sounds more like su-see to me. Please tell me how it is said. This has bothered me for a while.

    • @reneefuller5609
      @reneefuller5609 Před 3 lety +1

      @@topherpadilla Suhk-see?

    • @reneefuller5609
      @reneefuller5609 Před 3 lety +4

      @@topherpadilla Suh-shee? I'm going mad.

    • @bluntblackjew
      @bluntblackjew Před 3 lety +2

      @@reneefuller5609 Suh-shee

  • @marcuslee74239
    @marcuslee74239 Před 3 lety +199

    Cixi : When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.

    • @dougr.2398
      @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety +5

      Oh yes there is. That is a two-valued Aristotelian exaggeration to dramatize the realities of life by going to extremes. There are as many gradations of successes and failures as there are real numbers on the number line.... an incalculable infinitude with different types of infinities beyond your comprehension.

    • @dougr.2398
      @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety

      @Lor Ein thanks. I don’t play “Games of toilets” :-D (or read or watch)

    • @dougr.2398
      @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety

      @Lor Ein I’m a serious kind of person.... at times

    • @debishvebishwish4839
      @debishvebishwish4839 Před 3 lety +5

      @@dougr.2398 it's just a reference, there's no need to for the further insult. It was uncalled for.

    • @dougr.2398
      @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety

      @@debishvebishwish4839 sorry you are offended, and have no sense of humor

  • @SaveSoilSaveSoil
    @SaveSoilSaveSoil Před 3 lety +105

    Chinese here. Han ethnicity with overall positive sentiment towards my country's last emperial dynasty. Cixi aka 孝钦显 was a reluctant "moderniser" with limited understanding of what "modernization" meant (not her fault) and absolutely no willingness to relinquish an iota of power. I don't blame her for not having saved China from foreign invasion and colonization during the 50 or so years when she was the de facto ruler of my country -- it was mission impossible, which I sometimes think only God himself can do. Her greatest crime was to place her personal comfort before the wellbeing of the nation. I wouldn't think that people would criticize her so harshly had she not built the 颐和园, not spent so lavishly on her meals, birthdays, and funeral, not run away to safety when foreign troops invaded Beijing, etc.
    Cough, cough, cough. Some Chinese blame Cixi for failing to install constitutional monarchy in China. This is again not her fault. Constitutional monarchy mostly likely wouldn't have worked.

    • @mandya6697
      @mandya6697 Před 3 lety +2

      ye tian
      Shouldn't she stay at her place instead of putting a puppet? She did do that, didn't she ?

    • @Jordan-Ramses
      @Jordan-Ramses Před 2 lety +16

      Of course it's her fault. There is no excuse for the ignorance of the Qing Dynasty after the first Opium War. That should have been a wake up call. She wasn't stupid, she could have learned these things if she had wanted to. It's not only her fault, there are a lot of people to blame but she's definitely one of them. You can't hold absolute power for 45 years and not take the blame.

    • @700gsteak
      @700gsteak Před 2 lety +5

      She squandered the countrys money, failed to modernise the country and screwed the countrys leadership.

    • @phantasmagora6542
      @phantasmagora6542 Před 2 lety +3

      Cixi repeatedly killed off earnest efforts for reformation. If saving China was "mission impossible", it was made even more so with her at the top. Placing one's personal comfort before the wellbeing of the nation is a serious crime that should not be downplayed *particularly when said nation is on the verge of collapse.*

    • @Haijwsyz51846
      @Haijwsyz51846 Před 2 lety +3

      You are talking nonsense. Not only Han Chinese but also Chinese of the whole country were shamed of the Qing dynasty, which brought China over a hundred years of humiliation. The money Cixi used to build the marble ship in the summer palace ( 颐和园) was supposed to be used to build a Chinese Navy.

  • @TalliferUpplands
    @TalliferUpplands Před 3 lety +44

    Thank you for such a clear explanation of a complex topic. (I also appreciate the natural and accurate Chinese pronunciation of the names! Such a big help for non-Chinese like myself.)

  • @johnyricco1220
    @johnyricco1220 Před 3 lety +114

    Cixi was a modernizer up to a point. The Qing Empire was over 90% Han with the ruling Manchus a tiny minority. Modernization inevitably leads to the increase in wealth and position of the Han thus threatening the balance of power. This was the main reason earlier emperors refused to modernize. Cixi would soon run into the same problem.
    At this point in history it was too late to save the Qing dynasty, but it was still possible to save China. Cixi would chose the interests of the dynasty over the country and kill reforms when it threatened her power.

    • @thefalconflame
      @thefalconflame Před 3 lety +8

      Yet she failed to save the dynasty

    • @jackieclan815
      @jackieclan815 Před 3 lety +7

      That's why they should've intermarried with the Han then

    • @jackieclan815
      @jackieclan815 Před 3 lety

      @Matthew Who knows

    • @sophiawilson8696
      @sophiawilson8696 Před 3 lety +6

      @@thefalconflame so she gave power to a 3 years old? crazy man 😲 and kill the 37 years old man who going take over?. Lack of sense.

    • @thefalconflame
      @thefalconflame Před 3 lety +5

      @@sophiawilson8696 Yes, and the 3 year old grew up to be a sociopath, who liked to torture and beat his servants to death.

  • @reythejediladyviajakku6078
    @reythejediladyviajakku6078 Před 3 lety +17

    I like that she got along with the empress. I mean, how often does that happen that the empress will actually have a concubine in her good books?

  • @JP-nt5vb
    @JP-nt5vb Před 3 lety +4

    I'm glad you started to post the info about the songs you use in the description.

  • @liyanxu
    @liyanxu Před 3 lety +14

    this channel deserves much more subscribers

  • @mbegum3249
    @mbegum3249 Před 3 lety +9

    I really appreciate your voice and summary of events. Very dramatic and enjoyable to listen to the historical events.

  • @francessealexis160
    @francessealexis160 Před 3 lety +12

    I really love learning about Chinese history.

  • @zimbomah12
    @zimbomah12 Před 3 lety +110

    Could you do a series on “The Step Empress”. One of the most misunderstood Consorts in Chinese history

  • @sheenObeenO
    @sheenObeenO Před 3 lety +4

    I'm over here getting distractedly entranced by the instrumental version of "painted heart" in the background music. 😍

  • @TheLoyalOfficer
    @TheLoyalOfficer Před 3 lety +6

    Excellent work! I might show this to my World History students!

  • @markboudreau1410
    @markboudreau1410 Před 3 lety +10

    These documentaries are incredible. Most westerners could never find this information on our own and your presentation is exceptional.
    I did notice there were no advert spots in the video. You should definitely get paid for all this incredible work you put into these. I and many others would have no problem watching a few commercials for watching your videos. Please consider it and thank you for these great vids!🙏🙂❤️

  • @gaspardbillaux4993
    @gaspardbillaux4993 Před 3 lety +14

    So so impressed by your perfect prononciation of French names ! And congrats your videos are excellent ! Thank you ✨

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you so much!

    • @jingyun4323
      @jingyun4323 Před 2 lety +1

      He's half French I read somewhere. I'm so impressed with his Chinese pronunciation.

  • @dougr.2398
    @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety +16

    Great history rarely taught in Western high Schools. Worth watching at least twice

  • @sarahlachman1349
    @sarahlachman1349 Před 7 měsíci +5

    i think it can be safe to say that Cian likely held more power behind the scenes to keep Cixi in check, as Cian was the true Empress and matriarch of the family as the late Emperor's main wife.
    Cixi without Cian become the most corrupt person in the Late Qing and had noone to check her power, which she used to remove all threats to her power playing everyone off eachother to the destruction of the Qing.

  • @adelesoh4392
    @adelesoh4392 Před 3 lety +43

    i love everything about your videos!! from how you pronounce every single name perfectly, to how you represent Chinese history in an objective way!!! I’ve seen so many documentaries of cixi portrayed in a very, i would say ‘coloniser’ perspective, but you put it in such an authentic manner. love your videos and i hope you keep it up!!!

    • @bw7754
      @bw7754 Před 7 měsíci +1

      And the irony that China has now turned into a colonizer themselves 😂

  • @postscript5549
    @postscript5549 Před 6 měsíci +3

    Thank you.

  • @nicosalazar4726
    @nicosalazar4726 Před 3 lety +88

    Quite interesting, Empress Cixi, together with the Empress of India, Queen Empress Victoria ruled the world. They were both the most powerful women in the world at that time.

    • @detroitcoffeeartdetroit6502
      @detroitcoffeeartdetroit6502 Před 3 lety +11

      And yet both did little to nothing for women's suffrage

    • @jikan114
      @jikan114 Před 2 lety +14

      Empress of India is a vastly self-deluded title

    • @jolp9799
      @jolp9799 Před 2 lety +4

      this is empress wu erasure lol

    • @aliabdallah102
      @aliabdallah102 Před 2 lety +1

      Not really, one was a powerful player in a decaying empire and the other one was Chinese.

    • @donniedewitt9878
      @donniedewitt9878 Před 2 lety

      She damned the Chinese to stagnation and by doing so,let her peoples teeth get kicked in by the Japanese

  • @markboudreau1410
    @markboudreau1410 Před 3 lety +5

    So awesome! That's about the best documentary on CiXi and China I've even seen!🙂 Notifications are on, keep them coming.❤️

  • @pablorr24
    @pablorr24 Před 3 lety +2

    Awesome video, really enjoyed it. Thanks for your effort!

  • @danawinsor1380
    @danawinsor1380 Před rokem +1

    This is a wonderful documentary! Thank you so much!

  • @michaelh5416
    @michaelh5416 Před 3 lety +6

    Excellent video: superior analysis of history, great narration and terrific graphics

  • @jjc5475
    @jjc5475 Před 3 lety +15

    excellent video. i barely know anything about China so these videos are a great watch for me!

  • @batmanplusjoker
    @batmanplusjoker Před 2 lety +5

    Reading “China” by Edward Rutherford. These videos have helped my comprehension immensely. Thank you for sharing. Excellent animations and easy to understand.

  • @MrGuyJacks
    @MrGuyJacks Před 3 lety +45

    Somehow I think I now know from where George R R Martin got his inspiration for Cersei in ASOIAF, even the name kind of fits

    • @sampuatisamuel9785
      @sampuatisamuel9785 Před 3 lety +1

      Maybe also from Circe of ancient legends

    • @dayangmarikit6860
      @dayangmarikit6860 Před 3 lety +2

      Wu Zetian was even more brutal than Cixi.

    • @haodeplorable266
      @haodeplorable266 Před 3 lety +1

      I love cersei. She's just trying to survive

    • @thenablade858
      @thenablade858 Před 2 měsíci

      @@haodeplorable266 Not at all. Cersei is deliberately cruel to many people, especially other women who she is viciously jealous of such as her 16 year old daughter-in-law Margaery and Sansa. She’s also not the cleverest. She’s deliberately armed the sept that despises her.

    • @thenablade858
      @thenablade858 Před 2 měsíci

      Just because a mother in history is ambitious and power-hungry, doesn’t mean she’s an inspiration for Cersei. The name comes from Greek mythology. She is very clearly an exaggeration of Elizabeth Woodville (blonde, married to a warrior king that became drunk and lazy later on, children are declared bastards by brother-in-law, marriage greatly enriched her family) and also Margaret of Anjou.

  • @silentone11111111
    @silentone11111111 Před 2 lety

    Liking this deep dive format to your vids. The pics and film clips are a nice backdrop to what could have been a big info dump. Great work. Loving the channel

  • @scottgeorge4268
    @scottgeorge4268 Před 2 lety

    Great series, thank you ❤

  • @philliphamilton3591
    @philliphamilton3591 Před 3 lety +3

    Wow, i have learnt so much. Thank you👏👏👏👏👏👏

  • @nomagea2684
    @nomagea2684 Před 5 měsíci

    Many many thanks for this

  • @chanchoykein6670
    @chanchoykein6670 Před 3 lety

    Many thanks for the elaborate history

  • @nubiandoll7
    @nubiandoll7 Před 3 lety +5

    Very interesting knowing about empress Cixi life 👍🏽

  • @sjewitt22
    @sjewitt22 Před 3 lety +58

    Did the two Empresses stay friends. I find their relationship interesting, especially if the trust between them stayed strong.

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +32

      I think they continuously had more or less good relations

    • @celestephelps144
      @celestephelps144 Před 3 lety

      Weren't they cousins, and Zu'An had a sister who was the Empress, and when she died was automatically chosen as the new one?

    • @liendiep3404
      @liendiep3404 Před 3 lety +10

      She murdered her. This lady is cersi Lannister but in real life. She found out the other queen had a second will left by the emperor. He knew that there was a possibility she would over step her boundaries. And when she did the other queen took the will out putting her in her place. Thinking she would change. But in the end she was murdered by cixi servant. The great empire started its decline because of this women. Because she didn’t want to give up her power she kept insisting replacing the king with younger and young princes.

    • @celestephelps144
      @celestephelps144 Před 3 lety +3

      So true. She almost had her karma strike back when her adopted son was in collusion with others who wanted her dead.

    • @tokugawanimatsu5532
      @tokugawanimatsu5532 Před 3 lety +1

      @@celestephelps144 nope, Cixi from yehenara clan while cian from niohuru, they might didn’t even know each other before entering the forbidden city, the previous wife of emperor from sakda clan died a month before he descended the throne and yet Cian and the sakda wife’s related by marriage, Cian’s paternal aunt married Sakda’s Maternal uncle nam Duanhua who was one of Tongzhi’s regent. But still, they weren’t sister.

  • @pyrocentury
    @pyrocentury Před 3 lety +13

    Great work. I think a rather interesting series to do will be one centered around Wang Anshi and the New Policies, the problems that plagued the dynasty at the time and the context as to why these problems developed in the first place. This has a lot of parallels and lessons learned that can be applied to understanding current events and modern political discussions.

  • @lessQQmorePewPew.
    @lessQQmorePewPew. Před 3 lety +11

    How on earth you only have 9.8k subscribers?
    Great stuff you have here.

  • @j.louisv.123
    @j.louisv.123 Před 3 lety +3

    Very well done. Very well written. Moore please on all the Royalty of Asia.

  • @sunofwinter888
    @sunofwinter888 Před 2 lety

    Love ur channel !!!!

  • @ashleysteinhaus9447
    @ashleysteinhaus9447 Před 3 lety +8

    Wow so glad you made this! I actually briefly know about this empress through a WEBTOON called Phantom Paradise. I wasn’t sure if she was actually real though

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety

      Glad you enjoyed!

    • @SheBeastJehanne
      @SheBeastJehanne Před 3 lety +1

      Obviously the author of Phantom Paradise took A LOT of artistic liberties with the story, especially since it's set in hell after all the characters have died already, but I recall them mentioning when they were originally posting it on Tapas that part of their purpose for creating the story was to teach readers about Chinese history.

  • @mssamsung7651
    @mssamsung7651 Před 3 lety

    TQ.a good presentation of past history of China.love your command of history of the middle kingdom.

  • @franciscomm7675
    @franciscomm7675 Před 3 lety +74

    “The dragon lady”- awesome nickname

    • @peuppeuppeup
      @peuppeuppeup Před 3 lety

      the chinese version of dragon isnt nearly the same as european version of dragon, i would prefer verbose transliterate it into english as "long" 龙 {second tone}.

    • @peuppeuppeup
      @peuppeuppeup Před 3 lety

      verbatim

    • @albertovilla3039
      @albertovilla3039 Před 3 lety

      Dragon lady...was M.mme Nu in Vietnam

    • @MinhNguyen-ff6xf
      @MinhNguyen-ff6xf Před 3 lety

      @@albertovilla3039 it’s madame Ngo Dinh Nhu

  • @EUGENIUS60
    @EUGENIUS60 Před 3 lety +5

    Impressive presentation. I subscribe for more.

  • @chilldragon4752
    @chilldragon4752 Před 3 lety +12

    Ancient Chinese history is so cool.

  • @AmericanFUBAR33
    @AmericanFUBAR33 Před rokem +2

    You're a very good narrator for such complex as Chinese history even for me being half Chinese!

  • @blue_diamond_gem
    @blue_diamond_gem Před 3 lety +75

    I like how we glossed over a healthy 18 year old emperor “dying” lol

    • @didijean7735
      @didijean7735 Před 3 lety +1

      xD

    • @InquisitorThomas
      @InquisitorThomas Před 3 lety +21

      I mean to be fair this was the 1800s, there some diseases that are easily treatable now that were death sentences back then, and that’s assuming the medical treatment you’re receiving isn’t bunk pseudoscience like bloodletting or consuming mercury pills.

    • @goldreverre
      @goldreverre Před 3 lety +9

      It's disputed. There's evidence for two arguments, small pox (the official line) or syphilis (the common rumor at the time), but either way, traditional Chinese medicine, with it's focus on blocking wind and balancing qi with soup made of boiled bark is hardly going to do the job.

    • @Jordan-Ramses
      @Jordan-Ramses Před 2 lety +3

      Lot of very suspicious deaths. Some of these people were definitely murdered. People who were disgraced or inconvenient seemed to have very sudden health problems.

    • @xxgamin6986
      @xxgamin6986 Před 2 lety

      He probably had syphillis

  • @MeimeiLovesmusic
    @MeimeiLovesmusic Před 3 lety +3

    Wonderful!! Never learned any of China’s history in school. This is real education!

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +1

      Glad you enjoyed :)

    • @MeimeiLovesmusic
      @MeimeiLovesmusic Před 3 lety +1

      History of China your videos are fantastic! Keep up the great work. Your audience is benefiting so much from your dedicated high quality work.

  • @moonyasnow36
    @moonyasnow36 Před 3 lety +7

    Here after reading chapter 67-71 of Phantom Paradise. So minor spoilers ahead.
    The comic showed her life in a more sympathetic light. Some things I found interesting that were changed around is that Cixi was not the emperor's birth mother, and instead his stepmother. And it seems like that British guy and the eunuch she was suspected of having an affair with were sort of mashed together to create Javert. Also I believe the comic made her birth name was 'Lan-er', and in the comic she's the adopted/servant to the daughter of her irl family.

  • @angelamagruder5911
    @angelamagruder5911 Před 3 lety +2

    Very interesting,fascinating information,learn something new and different everyday and year,bless the Lord!!!!!?

  • @CALEBBYPRODUCTIONS
    @CALEBBYPRODUCTIONS Před 3 lety +1

    Part 2 Part 2! Cant wait for it!

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety

      There probably will be 2 videos in between before part 2 ;)

  • @musiclover-tf6fu
    @musiclover-tf6fu Před 3 lety +6

    *Very informative and interesting ....... Particularly with what's going on in China right now❗️❗️❗️*

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +2

      Thank you !

    • @GeneralLiuofBoston1911
      @GeneralLiuofBoston1911 Před 3 lety +2

      It is pivotal to understand Chinese history to understand why they act as they do now.
      The Belt and Road Initiative is very reminiscent to similarities of the old Silk Road sea routes and the areas where Zheng He had onced voyaged during the Ming Dynasty.
      Not to mention the control of Xinjiang having been gained and lost multiple times since the Han Dynasty
      Or the push for Hong Kong to remain under Chinese rule, let alone Taiwan or the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands

  • @gsabo1000
    @gsabo1000 Před rokem

    I find it so interesting.

  • @quondo88
    @quondo88 Před 3 lety

    Awesome video and accurate retelling of latter Ching dynasty history!

  • @johnchristiancanda3320
    @johnchristiancanda3320 Před 11 měsíci +1

    Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi was also portrayed as a villainess in the Canadian animated series "Twins of Destiny".

  • @veljaycopalmes506
    @veljaycopalmes506 Před 3 lety

    I love that you pronounced her name correct 👍

  • @milominderbinder6209
    @milominderbinder6209 Před 3 lety +1

    *Video Idea:* Clan system in Chinese history. What were these clans like Sima, Cao, etc? Why was at times entire clan killed? Do Chinese still have clan identity?
    This video can be a brief sociological history of China.

  • @mikehunt9884
    @mikehunt9884 Před rokem +2

    that charles gordon really got to wear a yellow/gold vest? thats the official qing dynasty color, only royals can wear those colors, supposedly
    guess he did:
    The Emperor promoted Gordon to the rank of tidu (提督: "Chief commander of Jiangsu province" - a title equal to field marshal), decorated him with the imperial yellow jacket, and raised him to Qing's Viscount first class, but Gordon declined an additional gift of 10,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury. Only forty men were allowed to wear the Yellow Jacket, which was the Emperor's ceremonial bodyguard, and it was thus a signal honour for Gordon to be allowed to wear it.
    That is impressive, this guy deserves his own tv series!

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před rokem

      Definitely! He was one of the rare foreigners to ever receive such an honour.

  • @raymondyu412
    @raymondyu412 Před 3 lety +21

    Her nickname was called “Old Buddha”

  • @lucastaylor2321
    @lucastaylor2321 Před 2 lety

    I love Empress Cixi ... she was lovely 😊

  • @reythejediladyviajakku6078

    Talk about power behind the throne. I gotta wonder if they discussed what they would advise before audience meetings

  • @Chaabi.DZ.
    @Chaabi.DZ. Před 3 lety

    Thank you do for your video , unfortunatly looks like you been running to finish this video , talking so quickly which didnt gave the story its real charme
    Hopefully next videos will be much better
    All the best

  • @bluestrife28
    @bluestrife28 Před 3 lety +1

    And I thank you so much for helping fix many mispronunciations I’ve made over the years , like totally Anglicanizing Chengde as “Chengh-dee” 👍👍

  • @LOLERXP
    @LOLERXP Před 3 lety +6

    You can practically see the dynasty grow weak and frail at 23:35

  • @respawnsoar9844
    @respawnsoar9844 Před 3 lety +1

    More three kingdoms vids please

  • @Engelhafen
    @Engelhafen Před 3 lety +5

    The Catholic Church and missionaries were very prominent in China all the way back to the 16th century, including priests who were part of the imperial circle.

  • @Luboman411
    @Luboman411 Před 2 lety +1

    At 18:26. Well, well, well. No only is someone really good with the British English accent and the Mandarin Chinese accent, but he's also got the French accent down pat. Congrats! That's hard to do with two languages, let alone three!

  • @SixthDivison
    @SixthDivison Před 2 lety +1

    After watching the history of the last Emperor Puyi I just had to subscribe.

  • @matthewct8167
    @matthewct8167 Před 3 lety +33

    I didn’t know she was such a modernizer. In China she’s known as the person who didn’t want to modernize.

    • @abmong
      @abmong Před 3 lety +9

      Most likely misogynistic character assassination by the warlord factions trying to legitimize their own rule.

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +30

      She was in the beginning, but wait until we get to part 2 ;)

    • @charsensei878
      @charsensei878 Před 3 lety +2

      In the history lesson every Chinese student would learn"new policies of Qing"(清末新政)which were a series modernizing reformations led by Cixi after 1900.

    • @matthewct8167
      @matthewct8167 Před 3 lety +2

      The best case scenario would be for imperial insiders to purge majority of the Qing government and replace them with western style statesmen in the 1850s. Thus establishing a Napoleonic dictatorship. By the way, I know it’s pretty much impossible, but alternate history is fun.

    • @charsensei878
      @charsensei878 Před 3 lety +8

      @@matthewct8167
      The main issue Qing was facing in the mid 19th century was the Taiping rebellion when the central government give local governors the millitary and financial authorities thus obviously weakened the power of the Empire led to the collapse of Qing in 1911.I'm afraid a Napoleonic dictatorship ruling only Beijing would not help.

  • @jagvillani338
    @jagvillani338 Před 3 lety +37

    I've always perceived strong parallels between Cixi and Empress Wu Zetian. I wonder if she did too.

    • @82leegary
      @82leegary Před 3 lety +5

      Maybe she was Empress Wu in her past life.

    • @mdstanton1813
      @mdstanton1813 Před 3 lety +2

      I have read that the perception of Wu was not very favorable after her reign so it's a curious idea. Would she have identified with Wu Zetian or avoided the comparison? Interesting

    • @cconyap
      @cconyap Před 3 lety

      @@mdstanton1813 cixi enjoyed the the political and cultural effect of the severe national turmoil and transition due to foreign political culture poking on their native political upbringing.

    • @cerebrumexcrement
      @cerebrumexcrement Před 3 lety +2

      dont see the similarities except whats between their legs.

  • @annieoakley2925
    @annieoakley2925 Před 3 lety +3

    I first found out about Cixi from reading a fictionalized story written by Pearl S. Buck. I thought it was a great story. Then I got a a non-fiction book about her. The stories about how she maneuvered her way to the top were incredible. Try it. Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +3

      I know this book! It was one of the sources I used while making this video :)

    • @frankyong7740
      @frankyong7740 Před 3 lety +1

      @@History_of_China Please tell me how reliable and credible is Jung Chang's book work on Cixi? She is no historian in training, and her earlier book work on Mao was much criticised by political scholars and historians alike.

    • @mio780308
      @mio780308 Před rokem

      generous words for a corrupted power loving old hag

    • @louisedalessandro4903
      @louisedalessandro4903 Před rokem

      Yes...I too just finished reading JUNG CHANGS BOOK AND AM PRESENTING IT Monday at my book club. Chang did a deep dive into Cixis life and her years ruling. Apparently most historians who have written about her make her out to be vile, manipulative and not the effective ruler who was actually prescient about saving China under terrible pressures from western countries. Very complex times and people's from differentvworlds. The abuse against China by many other nations is still be playing out today. Everybody wanted a piece of China on their own terms. The fact that she navigated through those years and stayed alive and in charge is extrodinary.

  • @samilsam
    @samilsam Před 2 lety +1

    I am reading a book about her life and i can say that she was very smart

  • @coQsI9
    @coQsI9 Před 3 lety +1

    Merci à tous

  • @celestephelps144
    @celestephelps144 Před 3 lety +1

    Can you do a documentary about Yinglou? She fascinates me, and in Drama Forever, the actress who plays her, does a beautiful job! Thank you!

  • @juanaherrera6260
    @juanaherrera6260 Před 3 lety +1

    Me gusta mucho la cultura china, sobre todo lo k se relaciona c el emperador y sus concubinas, pero sería posible k los subtítulos fueran en español, gracias

  • @EarlofMcCleaster
    @EarlofMcCleaster Před 3 lety +6

    I never know that ronglu was a police officer and also could do a video about him please

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +1

      I'll perhaps make a video of him someday, but not anytime soon. I'll talk more about him in Cixi part 2 though

  • @nefosworld
    @nefosworld Před 3 lety +3

    What I’m absolutely desperate to see is a more modern remake of a drama based around Cixi’s life. I’ve been looking for one for ages but they’re all so old I can’t find anything apart from clips, and those don’t even have English subs😢😭😭

    • @JanooseCanada
      @JanooseCanada Před 3 lety +1

      dramacool.bz/drama/the-confidant.html
      This was by hong kong eight years ago with eng sub. this is about Cixi with her eununch don't know how accurate it is to actual.

    • @nefosworld
      @nefosworld Před 3 lety

      Janice Kwok oh my gosh thank you so much!!!! I’ve wanted to see one for agessssss

    • @ff82800
      @ff82800 Před 3 lety +2

      Check out "Firmament of the Pleaides"

    • @nefosworld
      @nefosworld Před 3 lety

      F F I literally found that yesterday! It’s so good, I’ve been watching it!

    • @frankyong7740
      @frankyong7740 Před 3 lety

      @@JanooseCanada usually very dramatized

  • @maryharvey6909
    @maryharvey6909 Před 3 lety

    “Nothing Gold Stay” is a drama that takes place in about the same time in history as this video. It is on CZcams. Do you need the close captioning on. And choose one of the episodes that says English subs. And they had the whole thing starting with number one. So try it and see what you think

    • @annieoakley2925
      @annieoakley2925 Před 3 lety

      I found it. Do you know if this is a long running series, or what?

  • @finalfantsyx
    @finalfantsyx Před 3 lety +2

    Would it be possible to make an in depth video on Prince Gong, and whether he had a positive impact on China?

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety

      I'm afraid I don't really have enough time for that subject. I have many more projects planned first

    • @finalfantsyx
      @finalfantsyx Před 3 lety

      @@History_of_China In that case, looking forward to your other videos.

  • @reythejediladyviajakku6078

    At least kid was related to the emperor even if he was a cousin

  • @jarmel4339
    @jarmel4339 Před 3 lety +16

    "The state of the Qing Dynasty was catastrophic."

    • @lungchan1729
      @lungchan1729 Před 3 lety +4

      This dynasty supressed the han like there's not tomorrow. They forced their subjects to have a specific of hair cut to remind the people they been conquer . It's either you got the hair cut or leave your head... Also what kinda stupid culture is that you have to keep the hairs because it's what your ancestor gave you??? Is that confucianism??? Really thousands of year and they find that's normal that hair can't be cut because it's what you father and mother gave it to you??? And then they build statues of Confius??? Ok the statues are build, don't destroy it, but At least in elementary schoool can someone remind how stupid is that. Anyway which dynasty in the end was not catastropic? All dynasty sucks big time. Most dynasty will encouter one or two idiot emperor who will be too coward to embrace modernity and progress because thoses things can overthrown him. They are too occupy to have as sex and eat as they can. In all dynasty you will encounter a idiot emperor like that and then downward spiral will follow. Imagine a big country and decisions need to pass through one person???? maybe not all things, but most things... he has the veto right all the time. It's amazing that system work for so long.

  • @matthewmann8969
    @matthewmann8969 Před 3 lety +1

    A fright to be known

  • @nilanjanchanda597
    @nilanjanchanda597 Před 3 lety +1

    from which series/film you have collected those video clips??

  • @dougr.2398
    @dougr.2398 Před 3 lety

    I am profoundly puzzled regarding Why internal government documents are consistently (across differing production sites) called “memorials”. A) who died in order to write the MEMO? B) a “ memo” according to Webster’s dictionary (online) is short for MEMORANDUM, a Latin term stemming from the same root as memorial (obviously), memory, the Greek goddess of memory (and the mother of the nine Muses) Memosyne (spelling correct?). How did this bizarre appellation originate? Why has it been allowed to perpetuate? It seems to me to imply a state fascination with death, rather than life.

  • @DowntownChris
    @DowntownChris Před 3 lety

    You go girl!

  • @Luboman411
    @Luboman411 Před 2 lety +2

    At 14:42. I don't know, that still looks like pretty good Classical Chinese to me. There are a few wonky characters here and there, but dyslexic this woman was not. Learning written Classical Chinese is hella-hard, so even ill-educated Classical Chinese is a million leagues better than what I can attempt. LOL...

  • @gordonwan6284
    @gordonwan6284 Před 2 lety +2

    Imagine Prince Gong being the Emperor

  • @SY-jq4yw
    @SY-jq4yw Před 3 lety +2

    She finished the dynasty.

  • @katlynwebb8474
    @katlynwebb8474 Před 3 lety +1

    You should check the china tv show "The Empress Of China" which is a show "supposedly" based on her life.

    • @ramilangelodeleon1321
      @ramilangelodeleon1321 Před 3 lety +2

      It’s about Wu Zetian China’s only female emperor which is much more superior than cixi.

  • @magallanthepenguin9132
    @magallanthepenguin9132 Před 2 lety +1

    thumbnail... queen looks like the earth queen from legend of korra just pointing that out there

  • @dracokaiser
    @dracokaiser Před 3 lety

    Can’t find part 2. Is it not made yet?

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety

      I'm afraid not. Since I resumed my studies, I have very little time to make videos. It should be released in 1 - 2 weeks though !

  • @egillskallagrimson5879

    Btw this is the first video on Cixi, the second preceeded this one so it's a little bit confusing.

  • @johnkrieg9368
    @johnkrieg9368 Před 3 lety +1

    How about a video about the Self-Strenghtening Movement

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety +2

      I'll talk more about it in part 2, but probably won't make a video specifically on it

    • @GeneralLiuofBoston1911
      @GeneralLiuofBoston1911 Před 3 lety

      @@History_of_China Maybe put it together in some form of video about Chinese modernization in the late Qing period?
      Hanyang Arsenal, Fuzhou Arsenal, Jiangnan Arsenal, the expansions of the Dagu Forts, Chinese Ironclad Battleships Zhenyuan and Dingyuan, Zuo Zongtang, reformists like Kang Youwei, the New Army, etc

    • @History_of_China
      @History_of_China  Před 3 lety

      @@GeneralLiuofBoston1911 I'm more interested in making a dedicated video about the Imperial Chinese Navy. I would also talk about the Hai Chi warship.

  • @econometrics469
    @econometrics469 Před 3 lety +1

    What show did you get the footage from?

  • @nathanpas6743
    @nathanpas6743 Před 3 lety +11

    Would anyone else be inclined to reward his work in some way? (Patreon, paypal)....

  • @NoelleIsTheGeoArchon
    @NoelleIsTheGeoArchon Před 3 lety +2

    Its amazing that neither empresses tried to liquidate each other.... The frienship is strong.

  • @haroldbridges515
    @haroldbridges515 Před rokem

    Good video. Worth noting that Reginald Johnston was spying for the British the whole time he was tutoring Puyi.