The Empress Dowager Cixi is a monumental ten-volume work in which Gao Yang depicts late Qing society in sweeping detail through the form of a novel. The series comprises The Empress Dowager's Early Years, The Beaded Curtain of the Throne (Volumes One and Two), The Qing Court's Outer History (Volumes One and Two), Mother and Son, Ruler and Subject, The Rouge Well (Volumes One and Two), and Sunset at Yingtai (Volumes One and Two). Following Cixi as its central figure, the story begins with the Xianfeng Emperor's death at Rehe and Cixi's alliance with Prince Gong to seize power from the regents led by Sushun and rule from behind the curtain. It continues through Cixi's death and Puyi's accession to the throne, spanning more than forty years.
Gao Yang was deeply familiar with Qing history and its lore. Notes, unofficial histories, miscellaneous writings, poetry, and folk tales were all at his fingertips, and he wove them seamlessly into the novel. A master storyteller as well as a novelist, he transformed a complex and unpredictable period of late Qing history into a gripping tale, vividly recreating a flesh-and-blood “Queen Victoria of the East”: Cixi.
Some say that after reading The Empress Dowager Cixi, you'll become a die-hard Gao Yang fan, develop “transmigration dissociative disorder,” and turn into an obsessive analyst of historical forces. The book will become embedded in your inner world and a part of your life.
I particularly like the character of Cixi, her resourcefulness and methods are amazing. The plot of the story has ups and downs, and every chapter is full of suspense. After reading it, I have a deeper understanding of the history of the late Qing Dynasty. Recommended to anyone interested in history!
I bought a few copies at a street stall decades ago and I still remember them!
The language is brilliant and the description techniques are diverse. It is worth reading in detail. A masterpiece
Excellent writing and compact plot
The emperor's wedding is really detailed