A major new biography from the internationally bestselling author of wild swans, mao and empress dowager cixi. Jung changs empress dowager cixi the new york times. Jung chang at a gate of the forbidden city where empress dowager cixi lived. Jung chang is the internationally bestselling author of wild swans. Jung chang writes groundbreaking new biography books. She ruled china for decades and brought a medieval empire into the modern age. Jung changs revisionism means that this book reveals a new and different woman. The dowager empress cixi was humane and far seeing.
In her groundbreaking new biography, empress dowager cixi. Empress dowager cixi, the concubine who launched modern. Under her the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state. Knopf, 20, jung chang tells the extraordinary life story of chinas empress cixi 18351908, who ruled china for 47 years and almost singlehandedly dragged it into the modern age. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines and sexual partners. In this groundbreaking biography, jung chang vividly describes how empress dowager cixi fought against monumental obstacles to change china. The spectator this is a rich, dramatic story of rebellions, battles, plotting. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers all about empress dowager cixi. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang penguin books new zealand. Empress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. A new york times notable book an npr best book of the year in 1852, at age sixteen, cixi was chosen as one of emperor xianfengs numerous concubines. Jung changs 20 release, now available as an ebook, reflects on one of modern chinas most influential figures. The death of the former empress zhen, which some would add to cixis account, left cixi in sole charge and her reluctance to hand over the reins on the boys maturity was palpable.
Jung chang s revisionism means that this book reveals a new and different woman. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. The unknown story with jon halliday, which was described by time as an atom bomb of a book. The concubine who launched modern china jung chang on. In her concluding judgment on the character and achievements of cixi, the qing dynastys legendary empress dowager, jung chang observes. Empress dowager cixi van jung chang boek en recensies. In her view, the empress was a protofeminist who, despite the narrowminded, misogynistic male elite that made up the imperial bureaucracy, brought medieval china into the modern age. The book, empress dowager cixi, has immense historic value and i would suggest it as a must read to every history enthusiast, for even though it is a history book in itself, it does not, in case make you feel as if youre back in a classroom, trying to cram all. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines. Jung changs new book gives the infamous concubine cixi her due.
She reluctantly retired in 1889 and devoted herself to building a pleasure ground on the outskirts of beijing. Jung chang is the bestselling author of wild swans, which the asian wall street journal called the most widely read book about china, and mao. The concubine who launched modern china is a 20 biography written by jung chang, published by alfred a. The concubine who launched modern china jung chang s 20 release, now available as an e book, reflects on one of modern chinas most influential figures. Discover the extraordinary story of the woman who brought china into the modern age, from the bestselling author of wild swans in this groundbreaking biography, jung chang vividly describes how empress dowager cixi the most important woman. The concubine who launched modern china by jung chang january 6, 2020 patrick t reardon 0 as a world leader, empress dowager cixi hasnt had good press, nothing like, say, queen elizabeth i or queen victoria.
The unknown story, has set out to reverse such negative verdicts. She is the first to devote a whole book to cixi and place her at the very heart of modern chinese history. At the age of 16, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was chosen as one of the emperors numerous concubines. Far from depicting her subject as a sinister conservative who obstructed reforms, chang portrays cixi as smart, patriotic and openminded. Jung chang writes groundbreaking new biography this article is more than 6 years old empress dowager cixi, which promises to overturn conventional understanding of the chinese ruler, is jung. With this authoritative and epic biography, chang harnesses cixi s ambition and makes a bold attempt to broadcast cixi s achievements against the weight of history while chronicling china at the crossroads of a new era of change. Booktopia has empress dowager cixi, the concubine who launched modern china by jung chang. In this extraordinary biography chang, coauthor of mao. In some four decades of absolute power, her political. Writer jung chang pictured after speaking at the edinburgh international book festival about her book empress dowager cixi. Chang presents a sympathetic portrait of the empress dowager cixi, who. Her books have been translated into over 40 languages and sold more than 15 million copies outside mainland china where they are banned. To say her life was difficult is a gross understatement, but the detail in this book reveals a person who always tried to improve china and the lives of its people.
Under her, the ancient country attained virtually all the attributes of a modern state and it was she who abolished gruesome punishments like death by a thousand cuts and put an end to footbinding. She ruled china for decades and brought a medieval. Buy a discounted paperback of empress dowager cixi. The concubine who launched modern china by jung chang. A new york times notable bookempress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. The concubine who launched modern china by jung chang reads so smoothly like a novel but is strictly historical. Jung chang reveals the truth of another chapter in chinese. Chang presents a sympathetic portrait of the empress dowager cixi, who unofficially controlled the manchu qing dynasty in china for. Jung chang not only records the empress dowager s conduct of domestic and foreign affairs, but also takes the reader into the depths of her splendid summer palace and the harem of beijings forbidden city, where she lived surrounded by eunuchsone of whom she fell in love, with tragic consequences.
In her absorbing new book, she laments that cixi has for so long. Jung chang, author of the acclaimed memoir wild swans and a coauthor of the contentious biography mao. All of this adds up to make empress dowager cixi a powerful read. A new york times notable book an npr best book of the year in 1852, at age sixteen, cixi was chosen as one of emperor xianfeng s numerous concubines. At the age of sixteen, in a nationwide selection for royal consorts, cixi was c. The pillow book by sei shonagon empress dowager cixi by jung chang. A new york times notable book empress dowager cixi 18351908 is the most important woman in chinese history. In this groundbreaking biography, jung chang vividly describes how empress dowager cixi the most important woman in chinese history brought a medieval empire into the modern age. Well done that keeps to the facts, not adding speculation, but adding what the what the surroundingsclothingjewelryetc would look like. Empress dowager cixi a new york times notable bookan npr best book of the year in 1852, at age sixteen, cixi was chosen as one of emperor xianfengs numerous concubines. Simon sebag montefiore bbc history magazine a truly authoritative account of cixis rule. I havent read a history book so well done in a long time. Near fine, reprint internally unmarked, slight spine rounding.
Chang argues that cixi has been deemed either tyrannical and vicious, or hopelessly incompetentor both, and that this view is both simplistic and inaccurate. An extract from jung changs new book about the concubine who came to rule china. In october 20, chang published a biography of empress dowager cixi, who led china from 1861 until her death in 1908. Empress dowager cixi by jung chang penguin books australia. Empress dowager cixi, the concubine who modernised china. Jung chang portrays the empress dowager cixi as a protofeminist who. The concubine who launched modern china 9780307271600. Jung chang not only records the empress dowagers conduct of domestic and foreign affairs, but also takes the reader into the depths of her splendid summer palace and the harem of. Simon sebag montefiore bbc history magazine if there is one woman who mattered in the history of modern china. Jung chang has written a pathbreaking and generally persuasive book.
When he died in 1861, their fiveyearold son succeeded to the throne. Jung chang tells a story and what a colourful tale it is this is history at its most readable. Author jung chang describes in masterful prose, how cixi, in a ruthlessly male environment, leapfrogged over the heads of the emperor, princes and grandees to rule over the chinese empire, demonstrating outstanding qualities as a gifted political tactician and major reformer of a feudal society. An extract from jung chang s new book about the concubine who came to rule china 23 sep 20 the key challenge that faced china during cixi s lifetime was the growing might of the european powers. Chang has a wonderful eye for the telling detail and excels at unraveling palace intrigues and corridor politics.
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