Archive for category Person in History
Chen Yuanyuan
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on October 6th, 2009
Chen Yuanyuan (1624–1681) was one of the most famous beauties in the late Ming and early Qing Dynasty. Originally, she was a famous courtesan. Then she was purchased by Tian Wan, the 60-year-old father of one of the emperor’s concubines. However, Wu Sangui, a famous general of the Ming imperial court, fell in love with her and married her later.
At that time, Wu was fighting with the Qing armies at Shanhai Fortress to prevent them from going inside China. However, Beijing, the capital of the Ming Dynasty, was fell to a rebel army led by Li Zicheng and Chen was brought to the palace as a gift to Li. Legend said that in order to rescue Chen, Wu opened the gate of Shanhai Fortress and led the Qing armies to the capital. At that time, Wu was regarded as the traitor due to his betrayal of the Ming Dynasty, while Chen was always compared to Helen of Troy.
In her late years Chen became a Taoist nun and spent the rest of her life in Yunnan province.
Wu Zetian- the Only Female Emperor in Chinese History
Posted by sharon in Notable Figures on July 23rd, 2009
She was the concubine of two Emperors; she was the mother of the next two successive Emperors; she was once a nun. However, she was also the only female emperor in Chinese history. Her name was Wu Zetian, also known as Tian Hou or Empress Consort Wu in China.
She was born in 625 in a noble family. At the age of 14, she was selected as a concubine of Emperor Taizong. She didn’t become a favorite of the Emperor. However, she managed to catch the eye of Prince Li Zhi who later became Emperor Gaozong. After Taizong’s death, she was expected to spend the rest of life as a nun as other childless concubines. However, the new Emperor Gaozong soon had her back to the palace.
She was quite successful in the struggle in the palace and became the Empress of Gaozong. After Emperor Gaozong’s death, she grabbed the power from his son, the new Emperor Ruizong, and in 690, she had the Emperor yield the throne to her and established Zhou Dynasty.
As an emperor, she was quite successful. The measures she took greatly improved agriculture production. A large number of talented people, regardless of their family status, had been appointed as officials. However, she was also condemned for her bad behaviors, such as killing her sons and baby daughters to achieve political aims.
Dragon Lady-Empress Dowager Cixi
Posted by sharon in Chinese Beauties on June 27th, 2009
Empress Dowager Cixi, also known as the West Dowager Empress in China, is one of the most powerful women in Chinese history. Actually, she was the de facto ruler of Qing Dynasty for nearly half a century, from 1861 to her death in 1908.
Empress Dowager Cixi – Bio
In 1835, Cixi, surnamed Yehe Nala, was born in an ordinary official family.
In 1851, she was selected as one of the Xianfeng Emperor’s concubines and later was promoted to “Gui Ren”, the concubine of the fifth rank.
In 1856, after her son, as the only male heir of the Xianfeng Emperor, reached his first birthday, she obtained an elevation to “Noble Imperial Consort Yi”, the rank second only to the Empress.
In 1861, Emperor Xianfeng died and Cixi’s son became the new Emperor as Emperor Tongzhi. Cixi was honored as Holy Mother Empress Dowager and began her “rule behind the curtain”.
In 1862, she was crowned Empress Dowager Cixi by Emperor Tongzhi.
In 1874, Emperor Tongzhi died. Cixi’s nephew was selected to be the heir – Emperor Guangxu. She continued her ruling behind the curtain.
In 1889, Cixi retired to a summer home Peking and left the government up to the Emperor.
In 1898, Cixi returned to the throne and reinstated her power over the Emperor to stop the new Emperor’s reform.
On November 15th of 1908, Empress Dowager Cixi died.
In the Qing Dynasty and even Chinese history, Cixi is among one of the most influential people. She had great political ability and quite good at strategies.
However, she was considered as the main cause of the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the villain who should be responsible for the fall of China to foreign powers.
If you want to know more about her, I suggest you to watch a film named The Burning Of Imperial Palace.
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