The Fragile Balance After the Tongzhi Emperor’s Death
The death of the Tongzhi Emperor in 1875 marked a critical juncture in Qing Dynasty politics. Following elaborate funeral rites conducted on an auspicious date, the young emperor was interred in the imperial mausoleum. The court faced an unprecedented succession crisis—Tongzhi had left no heir. Under pressure from censor Wu Kedu’s memorials, Empress Dowager Cixi reluctantly agreed to a compromise: when the newly enthroned Guangxu Emperor produced a male heir, that child would be posthumously recognized as Tongzhi’s successor to maintain dynastic continuity.
This arrangement temporarily stabilized the court under the joint regency of Cixi and her co-regent, Empress Dowager Ci’an. Yet beneath the surface, tensions simmered. The selection of Guangxu—Cixi’s four-year-old nephew—had been her strategic move to maintain control. Few anticipated how quickly this calculated decision would unravel into one of the Qing court’s most bitter power struggles.
The Growing Rift Between the Two Empresses
As Guangxu matured, clear favoritism emerged toward the gentler Ci’an, whose straightforward nature contrasted sharply with Cixi’s imperious demeanor. Court observers noted the young emperor’s frequent visits to Ci’an’s chambers, where he found respite from Cixi’s domineering presence. This preference ignited Cixi’s notorious jealousy—she interpreted the bond as both personal betrayal and political threat.
The situation worsened during an 1880 imperial procession to the Eastern Mausoleums. At the tomb of the Xianfeng Emperor, Ci’an—invoking her superior status as Xianfeng’s principal wife—demanded center position in ritual ceremonies, forcing Cixi to stand subordinate on her right. Ci’an’s pointed reminder that Cixi had originally been merely a concubine (elevated to empress dowager only through her son’s reign) struck a raw nerve. Though Cixi prevailed in the confrontation, the public humiliation cemented her resentment toward Ci’an and the princes who had allegedly orchestrated the incident.
The Scandal That Shook the Court
Amidst this tension, a shocking scandal erupted involving Ronglu, Cixi’s trusted military commander and confidant. In 1880, Grand Tutor Weng Tonghe exposed Ronglu’s illicit affair with one of Tongzhi’s widowed consorts—a transgression considered especially egregious given the consort’s status. Contemporary accounts suggest Cixi personally caught the lovers in flagrante. True to her uncompromising nature, she stripped Ronglu of all positions despite their longstanding alliance.
This episode had far-reaching consequences. Cixi became convinced that Ci’an’s faction had engineered the scandal to weaken her, exacerbating regental tensions. Though historical evidence remains inconclusive, the incident demonstrates how personal relationships and perceived slights could influence high-stakes Qing politics.
The Mysterious Death of Empress Dowager Ci’an
Matters reached a crisis point in March 1881 when Ci’an suddenly died at age forty-five after a brief, unexplained illness. The official court records describe a peaceful passing, with Ci’an’s final edict expressing satisfaction with her life and confidence in Cixi’s governance. However, several anomalies fueled suspicions:
– The unusually abbreviated twenty-seven-day mourning period (versus the traditional twenty-seven months)
– Ci’an’s reputed robust health prior to her abrupt decline
– The edict’s conspicuous avoidance of contemporary political issues
Historians remain divided. Some attribute Ci’an’s death to natural causes, noting her frugal lifestyle may have masked health issues. Others point to Cixi’s pattern of eliminating obstacles—from the executed eunuch An Dehai to later purged officials—as circumstantial evidence of foul play. What remains undisputed is that Ci’an’s removal left Cixi unchallenged as Qing China’s supreme ruler.
The Purge of Prince Gong and Reshaping the Power Structure
With Ci’an gone, Cixi turned against her last major rival: Prince Gong, the influential statesman who had helped her seize power during the 1861 Xinyou Coup. Their relationship had deteriorated since Gong allied with Ci’an to execute Cixi’s favorite eunuch in 1869.
The 1884 French invasion of Vietnam provided Cixi her opportunity. Blaming Qing military defeats at Ma River on Gong’s “dereliction of duty,” she issued a masterfully worded edict stripping him and his allies of power. The document—a masterpiece of political rhetoric—combined specific grievances with veiled warnings about “conspiring against imperial authority.”
Gong’s dismissal marked a watershed. Where the Qing had previously balanced power between imperial clansmen and bureaucrats, Cixi now centralized control. She replaced Gong with less formidable figures like Prince Li and installed rival factions (notably Sun Yuwen versus Weng Tonghe) to prevent unified opposition—a divide-and-rule strategy characteristic of her reign.
The Controversial Elevation of Prince Chun
Cixi’s next move provoked widespread criticism: appointing Guangxu’s biological father, Prince Chun, as de facto prime minister. This 1885 arrangement violated multiple precedents:
1. Succession Principles: Undermined the 1875 pledge to eventually designate Tongzhi’s heir
2. Administrative Norms: Contravened the 1799 Jiaqing Emperor’s decree barring imperial relatives from routine governance
3. Hierarchical Order: Created confusion between state and imperial household authority
Prominent officials like Sheng Yu and Zhao Erxun submitted impassioned memorials warning of constitutional crisis. Their arguments highlighted Qing political philosophy’s delicate balance—while emperors held absolute theoretical power, practical governance required institutional checks against imperial relatives exploiting blood ties.
Cixi’s response echoed Elizabethan England’s “royal prerogative” defenses: claiming emergency powers justified temporary measures. The reality proved otherwise—Chun’s influence persisted until his 1891 death, demonstrating Cixi’s willingness to bend rules when consolidating control.
Legacy: The Making of Absolute Rule
These 1881-1885 maneuvers transformed Qing governance. By eliminating Ci’an, marginalizing Prince Gong, and co-opting Prince Chun, Cixi dismantled the shared power structures established after the 1861 coup. The consequences reverberated through late Qing history:
– Guangxu’s Failed Reforms: The emperor’s 1898 modernization attempts faltered partly because Cixi had systematically weakened alternative power centers that could have supported him
– Boxer Catastrophe: Absolute control enabled Cixi’s disastrous 1900 Boxer Rebellion endorsement without effective opposition
– Dynastic Collapse: The eroded institutional checks contributed to the Qing’s inability to adapt to twentieth-century challenges
Modern assessments remain polarized. Some view Cixi as a pragmatic leader stabilizing a fractious court; others see her consolidation as accelerating imperial decline. What’s undeniable is that these pivotal years reshaped China’s trajectory—demonstrating how personal rivalries in the Forbidden City could determine the fate of millions.