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Golden Phoenix
258 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1969
6 people want to read
About the author
Der Ling
67 books8 followers"Princess" Der Ling (Chinese: 德龄, pinyin: Dé Líng) (1885 – 1944) was a Han bannerwoman, the daughter of Yu Keng (裕庚). Yu Keng was a member of the Hanjun Plain White Banner Corps(正白旗) and according to his daughter was a Lord. This is of some doubt. After serving as Chinese minister to Japan he was appointed minister to the French Third Republic for four years in 1899. He was known for his progressive, reformist views, as well as for his unvarying support of the Empress Dowager Cixi. In 1905, Yukeng died in Shanghai. YuKeng's story is retold in the movie Dai noi kwan ying.
Yu Keng's daughters Der Ling and Rong Ling (1882–1973, the future Madame Dan Paochao of Beijing) therefore got a western education, having studied dance in Paris with Isadora Duncan.Upon return from France, Der Ling became the First lady-in-waiting to Empress Dowager Cixi, as well as a translator. She stayed at court until March 1905. In 1907, Der Ling married Thaddeus C. White, an American. Der Ling had a brother, Xunling (ca. 1880–1943), who studied photography in France and later took the only photographs of Empress Dowager Cixi still in existence.[1]
Using the title of princess, which would create controversy for her in both China and the United States in the future, Der Ling wrote down her unique experience in court in her memoirs Two Years in the Forbidden City, which were published in 1911, and wrote about the experience through her next seven books. "Two Years" gives historical insights into life at court and Der Ling's service to the Dowager Empress, essentially a world that has disappeared.
Yu Keng's daughters Der Ling and Rong Ling (1882–1973, the future Madame Dan Paochao of Beijing) therefore got a western education, having studied dance in Paris with Isadora Duncan.Upon return from France, Der Ling became the First lady-in-waiting to Empress Dowager Cixi, as well as a translator. She stayed at court until March 1905. In 1907, Der Ling married Thaddeus C. White, an American. Der Ling had a brother, Xunling (ca. 1880–1943), who studied photography in France and later took the only photographs of Empress Dowager Cixi still in existence.[1]
Using the title of princess, which would create controversy for her in both China and the United States in the future, Der Ling wrote down her unique experience in court in her memoirs Two Years in the Forbidden City, which were published in 1911, and wrote about the experience through her next seven books. "Two Years" gives historical insights into life at court and Der Ling's service to the Dowager Empress, essentially a world that has disappeared.
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December 15, 2023
I am not a big fan of the current iteration of female heroines. I grew up in the 90s, and never felt I had a shortage of brave, beautiful and courageous female role models. Captain Catherine Janeway, Morticia Addams, Lydia Deetz, Harriet Winslow, were all women I looked up to growing up. I see the women celebrated and promoted as heroines for my generation and I gotta say -- I'm not terribly impressed.
And then I got a chance to read Golden Pheonix. It was such a breath of fresh air. A collection of short stories set in ancient China, every story is about a beautiful, delicate and feminine woman who finds herself in a terrible situation and, using her intellect, kindness and gentle disposition, finds a solution to her problem and her true love. Almost every story has the woman solving her problem, or at the very least, willing to make an honourable sacrifice to make things right. There is nothing prideful or boastful, there is nothing brash and aggressive, and there is no time when the women in these stories feel the need to beat someone down to succeed. I am eager to read these stories again, this time with my daughter.
And then I got a chance to read Golden Pheonix. It was such a breath of fresh air. A collection of short stories set in ancient China, every story is about a beautiful, delicate and feminine woman who finds herself in a terrible situation and, using her intellect, kindness and gentle disposition, finds a solution to her problem and her true love. Almost every story has the woman solving her problem, or at the very least, willing to make an honourable sacrifice to make things right. There is nothing prideful or boastful, there is nothing brash and aggressive, and there is no time when the women in these stories feel the need to beat someone down to succeed. I am eager to read these stories again, this time with my daughter.
Displaying 1 of 1 review