Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China (61 page)

Old Beijing streets. Visible in the foreground are mule-carts, taxis of the time. It was one of these that bore Cixi to the Forbidden City in 1852 to be inspected by Emperor Xianfeng, who chose her as one of his concubines.

A caravan of camels passing in front of a Beijing city gate. It was said that some five thousand camels came into Beijing every day.

When Emperor Xianfeng died in 1861, Cixi’s five-year-old son succeeded to the throne. She launched a coup against the regents appointed by her husband and made herself the real ruler of China. She is carried to the regular morning audience, surrounded by eunuchs in richly-coloured robes. Cui, front left; Lianying, front right.

THE EMPRESS DOWAGER’S MEN

Prince Chun, who was married to Cixi’s sister.

Prince Gong, Cixi’s right-hand man and adviser.

Viceroy Zhang Zhidong, major supporter of Cixi and renowned moderniser.

Li Hongzhang (Earl Li), the most important reformer to serve Cixi. In Britain in 1896, with Lord Salisbury, British Prime Minister (on the left), and Lord Curzon (on the right).

General Yuan Shikai, later first President of the Republic of China.

Junglu (front centre), a fierce devotee of Cixi, entertaining Western female visitors.

CIXI’S WESTERN FRIENDS

Anson Burlingame, President Lincoln’s first Minister to China (1861—7), and afterwards China’s first Ambassador to Western countries. Standing in the middle of his delegation, he is flanked by his two (seated) Chinese deputies, Zhigang and Sun Jiagu, and the two secretaries of the mission, one British, one French (seated).

Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Gordon (‘Chinese Gordon’), who helped defeat the Taiping Rebellion. This victory paved the way for the Cixi era.

Sir Robert Hart, with his Western band of Chinese musicians. He was Inspector General of Chinese Maritime Customs for the entire period of Cixi’s political life.

Sarah Conger (in dark dress), wife of the US Minister to China (1898-1905), holding hands with Cixi with other ladies of the American Legation.