Who was Empress Dowager Cixi?
Q: Who was Empress Dowager Cixi?
A: Empress Dowager Cixi was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and ruled over China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908.
Q: What clan did Cixi belong to?
A: Cixi belonged to the Manchu Yehe Nara Clan.
Q: How did Cixi gain power?
A: Cixi quickly took over the power after the death of Emperor Xianfeng, who was one of her husbands.
Q: Who was Cixi's son?
A: Cixi was the mother of Emperor Tongzhi.
Q: How did Cixi rule China?
A: Cixi ruled China alongside the #1 concubine Zhin, who had been raised to Empress. The two women ruled together, with Cixi as the more dominant personality.
Q: What wars and rebellions did Cixi oversee during her reign?
A: Cixi was in charge during the Opium Wars, First Sino-Japanese War, and the Boxer Rebellion.
Q: How is Cixi's reign viewed by some historians?
A: While Cixi was largely conservative during her rule, some historians consider her reign despotism and think that she might be responsible for the fall of the Qing Dynasty, and therefore Imperial China, as a result of Cixi's rule.
