Satellite Overview of Yi Kung Gong and adjacent Chang Chun Gong and surrounding area of the Palace Museum (Gugong).
Satellite Overview of Six Western Palaces and surrounding area of the Palace Museum (Gugong).
Hidden Secrets and China's love & hate affair with the Forbidden City !
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The Evil Empress-Dowager Cixi and her control over the Reign of the Guanxu Emperor. Great Costumes and Historic Drama in the Forbidden City !
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Schematic Map depicting the area's of North-Eastern China overtaken by the Yi Ho Tuan Movement of 1900 AD (The Boxers).
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Empress Dowager Zsu Hsi / Cixi's History :
After she had come to the Emperors' Court in 1852AD , Cixi managed to become the Emperor Xianfengs' foremost Concubine in the short time of only 5 Years. -Mind you , a rank not easily achieved with over a 1000 concubines present and ever-occuring infighting.-
Cixi was a clever , cunning , and dangerous Lady and after Emperor Xianfeng (Hsien Feng) died she managed to get control of the "Dragon Throne" (see Descendancy of Ching House resources page).
From 1861AD through 1873 she functioned as Regent to her own son Tongzhi. He was crowned Emperor in 1873AD. Only 2 short years later Tongzhi found a mysterious death at his own Court ( according to Aisin-Gioro Pu Yi it was from smallpox), after which Cixi adopted her Nephew Guangxu in a plot to keep almost dictatorial control
over the Chinese Empire (for the Manchu Aisin-Gioro Clan) . Guangxu was then crowned Emperor and Ruler of the Dragon Throne. However ,
Guangxu and Cixi soon differed on opinions on which course to take for the Empire. Cixi , -who may have been ruthless and cunning but was certainly not known for her good government- , resented Guangxu's attempts at reform. When Guangxu became 17 and independant as Emperor, he immediatly instituted a National Political Reform Movement. Soon Cixi seized power over him and had The Emperor placed under house arrest , first at YinTai Island at NanHai, another Imperial Garden just west of the Forbidden City, later here at the Summer Palace.
It was here at the Palace of Benevolence and Longevity where Cixi and her stooge Emperor Guangxu would hold court, handle court affairs and receive diplomatic emmisaries, as vividly described and portraited in the excellent historic Chinese Film Drama "Reign behind a Curtain". After 1900 the Ching Family, however, again had to relocate, temporarily fleeing The Summer Palace to escape new invading European Forces in the Boxer Rebellion and Wars. The Summer Palace was damaged once more and severely looted. The Imperial Ching Family, Cixi and her court ended up in Xian (Shaanxi Province, N-W China), later returning to Beijing. In 1903 AD the Summer Palace was repaired of damage incurred during the "Boxer" Wars.
