On this page
Overview Names Identity Roles Life and dates Family Places and affiliations References in the histories
Overview The translated histories identify Empress Dowager as a royal family member and ruler. This record brings together 7 passages from 1 chapter across 1 history, with names, dates, relationships, offices, and events preserved as source-backed claims.
Names Type English Chinese Pinyin
Personal
Empress Dowager
太后
Title
Empress Dowager
皇太后
Title
Empress Dowager
太后
Epithet
the Empress Dowager
慈聖
Identity
Historicity Historical
Identification Named
Sex Female Life and dates Attested activity Source Date: Text: 光緒二十四年Western Year: AD 1898
Source Date: Text: 光緒二十年Western Year: AD 1894
Source Date: Text: 同治元年Western Year: AD 1862
References in the histories Open any source group to read the Chinese and English passage in context.
Draft History of Qing, Chapter 436 Volume 436 Biographies 223: Shen Guifen, Li Hongzao, Weng Tonghe, Sun Yuwen · 7 passages
穆宗登極，皇太后懿旨命直弘德殿。
When Emperor Tongzhi ascended the throne, the Empress Dowager ordered him to serve in Hongde Hall.
遭母憂，皇太后懿旨，援雍正、乾隆年大臣孫嘉淦等故事，命鴻藻開缺守孝，百日後仍授讀，兼參機務。
When his mother died, the Empress Dowager cited precedents from the Yongzheng and Qianlong reigns involving ministers such as Sun Jiagan and ordered Hongzao to leave office for mourning, but after a hundred days to resume tutoring the emperor while continuing to serve on the Grand Council.
德宗間日一往頤和園侍起居，時留駐蹕。
Emperor Guangxu went every other day to the Summer Palace to attend the Empress Dowager, and sometimes remained there for extended stays.
言官有言其不便者，太后大怒，欲黜之，鴻藻謂如此必失天下臣民之望，乃止。
When censors protested the arrangement, the Empress Dowager was furious and wished to dismiss them; Hongzao warned that this would lose the trust of officials and subjects alike, and she relented.
會海陸軍皆敗，懿旨命赴天津傳諭李鴻章詰責之，同龢並言太后意決不即和。
When both navy and army were defeated, an imperial decree sent him to Tianjin to rebuke Li Hongzhang; Tonghe also reported that the Empress Dowager was firmly set against immediate peace.
八月，政變作，太后復訓政。
In August a coup occurred and the Empress Dowager resumed regency.
慈聖倦勤，經營園囿，稍事遊幸，而政紀亦漸弛矣。
The Empress Dowager grew weary of governing, devoted herself to gardens and parks, undertook occasional excursions, and governance gradually slackened.