The Qing Dynasty at a Crossroads By 1873, the Qing Dynasty found itself caught between centuries of Confucian tradition and […]
The Origins of China’s Eunuch System The eunuch system in China traces its roots back over two thousand years to […]
The Fragile Throne: Qing China in Crisis The mid-19th century marked one of the most turbulent periods in Qing Dynasty […]
The Coup of 1861 and the Foundations of Power The suppression of the Zaichang rebellion marked a pivotal moment in […]
The Ailing Emperor and the Rise of the Regents In the spring of 1861, the Xianfeng Emperor contemplated returning to […]
A Nation in Crisis: The Road to the Second Opium War The mid-19th century marked a period of profound upheaval […]
The Ancient Roots of the Yehenara Clan The Yehenara tribe stands as one of the oldest lineages within the Manchu […]
A Brush with History: The St. Louis Exposition Commission In the wake of the successful St. Louis World’s Fair of […]
A Historic Commission: Painting the Empress In the spring of 1904, an extraordinary cultural exchange unfolded within the walls of […]
A Portrait Steeped in Cosmic Timing In the spring of 1904, within the marble pavilions of Beijing’s Three Seas (Sanhai) […]
A Reign of Contradictions: The Historical Context of Cixi’s Rule Emerging from the shadows of the Xianfeng Emperor’s death in […]
From Noble Birth to the Forbidden City Contrary to popular myths portraying Empress Dowager Cixi as a low-born Han Chinese […]
The Historical Roots of Heaven Worship in China China’s religious landscape has long been shaped by three dominant traditions: Buddhism, […]
The Imperial Commission: A Portrait for the World Stage The winter of 1903 found an unusual resident within the frost-laden […]
The Heartbeat of a Nation: Gift-Giving in the Forbidden City The Forbidden City, known as the “Great Within,” stood as […]
The Twilight of Imperial China: Setting the Scene The late 19th century witnessed the Qing Dynasty in its declining years, […]
A Sanctuary from National Trauma The Summer Palace stood as Empress Dowager Cixi’s cherished retreat, a haven from the painful […]
A Monarch’s Solitary Burden The Forbidden City’s marble pathways echoed with uncharacteristic silence as Empress Dowager Cixi walked alone through […]
The Power Behind the Dragon Throne Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908), the de facto ruler of China’s Qing Dynasty for nearly […]
The Summer Palace as a Stage for Cross-Cultural Exchange In the twilight years of the Qing Dynasty, the Summer Palace […]
The Imperial Portrait Project Begins Following the conclusion of court garden parties, Empress Dowager Cixi found herself with more leisure […]
A Grand Gesture of Cross-Cultural Diplomacy In the autumn following the Mid-Autumn Festival, Empress Dowager Cixi hosted an elaborate garden […]
