Page 41 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

Emperor 鹹豐皇帝(r. 1850–1861). She won the affections of the emperor when she gave

birth to his only surviving son in 1856, allowing her to rise in the consort ranks and

12
ensure that her child was named the imperial heir. Xianfeng’s rule was fraught with

conflict both within China and on foreign fronts. He ruled during the Taiping Rebellion,

the Second Opium War, and the rise of Chinese pro- and anti-Western factions that

13
resulted from these conflicts. The constant tension within the country weakened
Xianfeng, leading many scholars to speculate that Cixi had significant influence over the

emperor’s political decisions. In 1860, Xianfeng died, making his five-year-old son

Emperor Tongzhi 同治(r. 1861–1875). Prior to his death, Xianfeng appointed a group of

eight men to serve as a board of regents on behalf of his son until he came of age.

Viewing the death of the emperor and the rise of her son as an opportunity, Cixi became

increasingly involved in imperial politics. This strategic move gave Cixi immense power

within the imperial court, and she continued to wield a level of control in some capacity

for the remainder of her life.
14
With her son Tongzhi as emperor, Cixi found a powerful ally in Xianfeng’s Chief

Consort Zhen 恪順皇貴妃. Cixi took the title of junior empress dowager while Zhen

was declared the empress dowager. The duo ultimately ruled China for approximately

the next 55 years, which was a major accomplishment given the patriarchal traditions of

12 As Cixi rose in concubine rank she took on a new name, Yi.
13 In 1850, raging famine would lead to a massive uprising in the southern regions of China
known as the Taiping Rebellion. The rebellion was somewhat successful, resulting in large areas
of the south being held under rebel control. Around 1856, France and Britain would invade,
beginning the Second Opium War. Foreign troops would invade the city ultimately plundering
and destroying the Old Summer Palace. The Emperor would ultimately die prior to the resolution
of these conflicts. Many scholars conclude that the culmination of these events and the emperor’s
ailing health resulted in his death.
14 Marina Warner, Dragon Empress: The Life and Times of Tz’u-Hsi Empress Dowager of China
1835-1908 (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1972), 85.
2