The Imperial Audience: Protocol and Personal Moments
The intricate dance of Qing court rituals comes alive through the detailed account of a high-ranking official’s audience with Empress Dowager Cixi. After four months of medical leave, the official – still suffering from rheumatism that made climbing palace steps difficult – received the rare honor of being assisted by two eunuchs at Cixi’s personal command. This small act of consideration reveals the complex interplay between rigid protocol and personal relationships that characterized late imperial court life.
The ceremonial proceedings followed centuries-old traditions: removing the official hat, kowtowing in gratitude for imperial favors bestowed upon his daughters, and kneeling on the hard palace floor awaiting the Dowager’s questions. Cixi’s unexpected gesture of providing a cushion – normally reserved only for Grand Council members – demonstrated her ability to wield both authority and calculated kindness. Their conversation touched upon the official’s diplomatic service in Paris, his daughters’ preservation of Manchu traditions abroad, and the awkward position of Chinese diplomats following the Boxer Rebellion.
The Emperor’s Birthday: Rituals and Political Realities
The elaborate preparations for Emperor Guangxu’s 32nd birthday celebration reveal much about the power dynamics within the late Qing court. The celebration had to be moved from June 26th (the actual birthday) to June 28th because the original date coincided with the death anniversary of Emperor Xianfeng – a telling detail about how ancestral veneration took precedence over living rulers.
The seven-day celebration followed strict protocols: officials wore formal court robes, morning audiences were suspended, and the entire empire was expected to participate in the festivities. Yet the subdued nature of the celebration (not being a “round-number” birthday) and Guangxu’s reluctance to have it celebrated at all pointed to the delicate political situation. With Cixi as the de facto ruler, the emperor’s position remained secondary, a reality reinforced through such ceremonial nuances.
The birthday rituals themselves formed a fascinating sequence:
– The emperor first paid respects to Cixi
– Then worshipped at the ancestral temple
– Received officials’ kowtows in the grand hall
– Accepted congratulations from the empress, concubines, and palace women
– Finally thanked Cixi again for arranging the celebrations
The unique musical instruments used – including the massive drum and the wooden tiger with its 24 scales that produced firecracker-like sounds – created an atmosphere where ceremonial commands became inaudible, leaving officials to perform their obeisances at their own pace.
Ghost Month: Grief and Memory in the Imperial Household
The seventh lunar month brought profound melancholy to the Forbidden City, particularly for Empress Dowager Cixi. This period included:
– The Qixi Festival (Double Seventh Festival) on July 7th, celebrating the celestial lovers Zhinü and Niulang
– The Ghost Festival on July 15th for honoring deceased ancestors
– The death anniversary of Emperor Xianfeng on July 17th
The court’s transformation during this period was striking. All bright colors disappeared from women’s attire, replaced by shades of blue (or black for Cixi). The normally lively opera performances ceased, and the entire palace adopted a somber atmosphere. Cixi’s emotional state became increasingly fragile, with frequent weeping spells and heightened irritability.
Her extended periods of mourning for Xianfeng – decades after his death – suggest complex layers of personal attachment, political calculation, and perhaps genuine grief for lost power and security. The Ghost Festival rituals, including the release of lotus lanterns on the lake to guide wandering spirits, took on special significance during this period.
Power and Personality: Cixi’s Inner World Revealed
During these melancholy days, Cixi opened up to her favored lady-in-waiting in remarkable confessional moments, revealing:
– A difficult childhood where she felt neglected compared to her sister
– Her rise to power through beauty and intelligence in the competitive harem
– The trauma of fleeing to Rehe during the Anglo-French occupation of Beijing
– Xianfeng’s deathbed designation of their son as heir
– The devastating loss of her son, the Tongzhi Emperor
– Her complicated relationship with the Guangxu Emperor, whom she claimed to have raised as her own
These conversations provide rare insight into how Cixi viewed her own reign – not as a period of absolute power, but as one constrained by ministers’ decisions and constant criticism. Her lament that “nothing ever goes as I wish” contrasts sharply with the typical image of her as an omnipotent ruler.
Daily Life and Cultural Clashes in the Late Qing Court
The narrative provides colorful details about court life:
– Cixi’s passion for gardening, particularly her chrysanthemum cultivation
– Her summer battles against flies (while mosquitoes mysteriously avoided the palace)
– The complex medical treatments involving multiple doctors competing with different prescriptions
– Her deep suspicion of Western medicine despite some proven results
– The constant jockeying for position among eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting
Several incidents highlight cultural misunderstandings with foreign visitors:
– An American guest unknowingly sitting on Cixi’s throne and bed
– Suspicion surrounding a mysterious package brought by Sarah Conger
– The ongoing portrait painting sessions with Katharine Carl that tried Cixi’s patience
These episodes reveal the tension between curiosity about the outside world and deep-seated suspicion of foreign influences – particularly regarding the Guangxu Emperor’s potential exposure to reformist ideas.
Conclusion: A Court in Transition
These intimate glimpses into the Qing court during its final years reveal an imperial system maintaining elaborate traditions while increasingly encountering modern challenges. The detailed accounts of rituals, personal interactions, and cultural clashes provide valuable historical documentation of a world that would soon disappear. Through the eyes of a court insider, we see both the splendor and the fragility of China’s last imperial dynasty, where personal relationships and ancient protocols coexisted with growing awareness of a changing world order.