Guangxu: The Prisoner Emperor Who Championed Reform

Guangxu ascended the throne as a child and grew up under the control of Empress Dowager Cixi. He was ruler of the empire in name only. Though he possessed the passion and ambition of a young man, he had no chance to put them into practice and was powerless to shape his own fate. During his reign, Emperor Guangxu wanted to fulfill his ambitions and drive out foreign invaders, but without real authority, he could only watch the country decline step by step, unable to save it. A series of unequal treaties signed during the Guangxu era further undermined China's sovereignty and hastened its transformation into a semicolonial country. Faithful to historical sources while also featuring vivid narration and deft structure, this book creates a nuanced and relatively authentic portrait of Emperor Guangxu. It is valuable to readers seeking to understand the emperor and the defining characteristics of his era. Both general readers and enthusiasts of Qing history will find much to gain from it.