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The Dragon Empress: Life and Times of Tz'u-hsi, 1835-1908, Empress Dowager of China
The Dragon Life and Times of Tz'u-hsi, 1835-1908, Empress Dowager of China
271 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
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152 people want to read
About the author
Marina Warner
177 books343 followersMarina Sarah Warner is a British novelist, short story writer, historian and mythographer. She is known for her many non-fiction books relating to feminism and myth.
She is a professor in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre at the University of Essex, and gave the Reith Lectures on the BBC in 1994 on the theme of 'Managing Monsters: Six Myths of Our Time.'
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 25, 2012
Well this woman sounds like the mother-in-law from He double hockey sticks.
And I think that's why I liked this book. Too often, writers try to rescue people from the history that springs up around them. In some cases (perhaps in many cases) this is called for, but sometimes people were just not nice. Warner does seem to find Tz'u-Hsi to be a fasnicating and intersting woman, and Warner does not apolgize for her. While Warner does dismiss some of the rumors (and considering Warner is a Westerner who doesn't speak Chinese and is writing in the 1970s, this is pretty good), she doesn't dress the Emperess as a saint highly maligned. It is a rather intersting read with some scary pictures of nails and feet.
And I think that's why I liked this book. Too often, writers try to rescue people from the history that springs up around them. In some cases (perhaps in many cases) this is called for, but sometimes people were just not nice. Warner does seem to find Tz'u-Hsi to be a fasnicating and intersting woman, and Warner does not apolgize for her. While Warner does dismiss some of the rumors (and considering Warner is a Westerner who doesn't speak Chinese and is writing in the 1970s, this is pretty good), she doesn't dress the Emperess as a saint highly maligned. It is a rather intersting read with some scary pictures of nails and feet.
August 16, 2008
On my reread list along with Seagrave's version of Tz'u-hsi.
A fascinating read on China's last imperial reign with the Empress Dowager, Tz'u-hsi and the fall of the Ch'ing Dynasty. If the author's descriptions of the colorful empress fails to keep you entertained, the concubines and eunuchs certainly will. Only three stars because the book can get stale at certain points. Warner (and other authors) paint the Empress as the Wicked Witch of the East and now I look forward to reading Seagrave's version where he pokes holes in the inflated notion that T'zu-hsi was a monster.
A fascinating read on China's last imperial reign with the Empress Dowager, Tz'u-hsi and the fall of the Ch'ing Dynasty. If the author's descriptions of the colorful empress fails to keep you entertained, the concubines and eunuchs certainly will. Only three stars because the book can get stale at certain points. Warner (and other authors) paint the Empress as the Wicked Witch of the East and now I look forward to reading Seagrave's version where he pokes holes in the inflated notion that T'zu-hsi was a monster.
November 7, 2017
Empress Dowager Cixi is one of history’s most controversial empresses. It was during Cixi’s rule that the rule of imperial China ended. Empress Dowager Cixi ruled for nearly fifty years. In this biography of the Empress Dowager, Cixi is portrayed as ruthless, power-hungry, and malicious. Despite her negative qualities, the author shows how she was a strong and politically-adept woman.
Marina Warner largely portrays Empress Dowager Cixi in a bad light. Unlike Sterling Seagrave’s biography that describes Cixi as an illiterate woman, who had no experience in politics, Marina Warner portrays her as an intelligent woman who knew how to rule. When she was the favored concubine of Emperor Xianfeng, she mostly ruled during his reign and criticized him for being a coward. During her reign as regent, she was shown to be morally corrupt, indulging in earthly pleasures such as picnics, boat rides, and theater. She was portrayed as so evil that sometimes it almost seemed very cartoonish, and at times I found it utterly comical and unbelievable.
Overall, there is not much new in this biography. It portrayed Empress Dowager Cixi in the traditional light. There was so much negativity about her that I honestly questioned its validity in some aspects. When I looked at the sources that the author mentioned, I found that some of them were questionable. However, it was very easy to read. I also loved the illustrations and thought it enhanced the reading experience. Therefore, it was an entertaining read. However, I suggest that you should read it with caution. The best and most balanced biography of Cixi to date that I have read is Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang. After you finish reading the biographies by Marina Warner and Sterling Seagrave, immediately read the biography by Jung Chang in order to form a well-rounded portrait of the Empress Dowager.
Marina Warner largely portrays Empress Dowager Cixi in a bad light. Unlike Sterling Seagrave’s biography that describes Cixi as an illiterate woman, who had no experience in politics, Marina Warner portrays her as an intelligent woman who knew how to rule. When she was the favored concubine of Emperor Xianfeng, she mostly ruled during his reign and criticized him for being a coward. During her reign as regent, she was shown to be morally corrupt, indulging in earthly pleasures such as picnics, boat rides, and theater. She was portrayed as so evil that sometimes it almost seemed very cartoonish, and at times I found it utterly comical and unbelievable.
Overall, there is not much new in this biography. It portrayed Empress Dowager Cixi in the traditional light. There was so much negativity about her that I honestly questioned its validity in some aspects. When I looked at the sources that the author mentioned, I found that some of them were questionable. However, it was very easy to read. I also loved the illustrations and thought it enhanced the reading experience. Therefore, it was an entertaining read. However, I suggest that you should read it with caution. The best and most balanced biography of Cixi to date that I have read is Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang. After you finish reading the biographies by Marina Warner and Sterling Seagrave, immediately read the biography by Jung Chang in order to form a well-rounded portrait of the Empress Dowager.
May 9, 2017
I liked learning a part of history I hadn't known really any of before. The eventfulness of her life and reign, the strength of her will and her great ambition, how her rigid beliefs shaped history was really fascinating.
June 23, 2023
Great book, absolutely fascinating history !
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews