The Intricate World of Qing Dynasty Eunuchs The story of Cui Yugui offers a fascinating window into the complex power […]
A Palace in Decline: The Final Years of the Qing Dynasty The year was 1911, the third year of the […]
A Childhood Forged in Poverty The story of Li Lianying, one of China’s most infamous eunuchs, begins in the floodplains […]
The Origins of China’s Eunuch System For over two millennia, China’s imperial courts relied on a unique and disturbing institution: […]
The Isolated Emperor: Guangxu’s Lonely Reign The Forbidden City during the late Qing Dynasty housed one of history’s most poignant […]
A Fractured Dynasty: The Qing Royal Family in Decline The incident involving the Dowager Duchess of Gui (桂公夫人) and her […]
A Palace Servant’s Unvarnished Memories The rhythmic grinding of a soybean mill fills the dim room as an elderly former […]
The Origins of the Barber’s Political Power The story of barbers in Qing Dynasty China is far more than a […]
The Western Flight of the Imperial Court In the summer of 1900, as the Boxer Rebellion reached its climax and […]
The Collapse of Imperial Order In the scorching summer of 1900, the Qing Empire found itself in unprecedented turmoil. The […]
The Fall of the Forbidden City In the sweltering summer of 1900, the imperial court of China stood on the […]
The Gathering Storm: Prelude to Crisis The year was 1900, and the Qing Dynasty faced unprecedented turmoil. Foreign powers had […]
The Twilight of Imperial Splendor In the final years of the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty’s imperial court maintained an […]
The Last Days of Imperial China The year was 1900, a time of immense turmoil for China’s Qing Dynasty. As […]
The Last Stand of a Doomed Imperial Consort In the waning years of the Qing Dynasty, as foreign powers encroached […]
Introduction: The Haunting Memories of a Former Palace Maid The wrinkled face of an elderly former palace maid still lingers […]
A Monarch’s Movement: The Logistical Marvel Behind Imperial Outings When the Empress Dowager Cixi decided to embark on a leisurely […]
The Unseen World of the Late Qing Court The Forbidden City during the late Qing Dynasty was a labyrinth of […]
A Window into the Forbidden City The Qing Dynasty’s imperial palace was a world unto itself, governed by intricate rituals […]
The Imperial Dining Rituals as Political Theater The dining customs of Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908), the de facto ruler of […]
The Stage Is Set: Cixi’s Rise to Power The Eastern Warmth Chamber of the Hall of Mental Cultivation (养心殿东暖阁) became […]
The Dawn of Power: A Regent’s Rise and Routine The Forbidden City at daybreak witnessed a meticulously choreographed ballet of […]
