Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi (November 29, 1835 to November 15, 1908) was a regent of the Qing dynasty. She was a consort of the Xianfeng emperor, mother of the Tongzhi emperor, and adoptive mother of the Guangxu emperor. In 1889, Cixi retired as regent and took up residence in the Summer Palace. During the "Hundred Days" of 1898, Guangxu issued numerous edicts inspired by reformist officials. Conservatives appealed to Cixi, who staged a coup that restored her authority. Cixi confined Guangxu at the palace for the rest of his life.
| Empress Dowager Cixi | |||||||||
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| Chinese | 慈禧太后 | ||||||||
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After foreign armies occupied China in 1900 to suppress the Boxer Rebellion, Cixi turned to Yuan Shikai, who implemented sweeping reforms similar to those proposed in 1898. An edit against footbinding was issued in 1902, the Imperial Examinations were abolished in 1905, and a National Assembly, with half the membership elected, met in 1910. Guangxu was poisoned, presumably at Cixi's command, the day before she died in 1908.