Introduction: Cixi, as one of the few female politicians in China's thousands of years of history, ruled China for 48 years. During her half century in power, China suffered from internal troubles and foreign invasion, including the Opium War, the Sino-Japanese War, the Westernization Movement, the Reform Movement of 1898, the Boxer Rebellion and Eight-Nation Alliance's invasion. Most of the impressions left by Cixi to the world are related to "bringing disaster to the country and the people". In the face of the shaky declining dynasty, Cixi, as the king of a country, certainly has unshirkable responsibilities, but it seems that it is not in line with the dialectical view of history to completely deny her life. Besides being a "queen", as a woman, Cixi's growth experience, personality characteristics and emotional world can serve as evidence of her life's merits and demerits. From the Opium War to the Revolution of 1911, the whole modern history of China is related to Cixi, and there are many materials about Cixi. "It takes years to climb out of so many materials and extract some flesh and blood to complete a biography." . At present, there are different opinions about the birthplace of Cixi. Through my own historical materials about Cixi, Xiang Si said in the book that Cixi was born in today's Beijing Xisi Bicai Hutong-a well-off Manchu bureaucratic family. Cixi was very clever when she was a child. Because of her strong personality, she is not liked by her parents. Influenced by my father who likes the Book of Songs, I have been interested in poetry and painting since I was a child. The family hired a teacher for Cixi. She began to learn poetry and painting at the age of four until 16 entered the palace, which laid a solid cultural foundation for her. Cixi became the Empress Dowager at the age of 26. She often recited poems, played the piano and painted with other concubines and eunuchs in Palace of Gathered Elegance.

Cixi is proficient in temperament, can sing many folk songs, and is familiar with ancient books such as The Book of Songs and The Analects of Confucius. Even in the face of Emperor Xianfeng, she can talk about Kan Kan. "From a woman's point of view, Cixi can be regarded as a natural beauty with outstanding wisdom and courage, especially the ability to control political power and serve ministers. Cixi in life loves cleanliness and has a very regular schedule. Full of emotional appeal, with a wide range of hobbies, reading, painting, walking, listening to books, watching movies, raising small animals, planting flowers and grass, and dressing up. These are very healthy and beneficial tastes. " Summarizing the other side of Cixi, Xiang Si said, "She has almost no bad hobbies, and is a woman with a healthy life and delicate heart." Aside from all kinds of life interests, Cixi is a woman with a soft personality and a strong personality. This personality and extraordinary wisdom make her stand out in the harem. From the age of 16 when she entered the palace and was made a noble, to the age of 26 when she became the empress dowager, all these showed Cixi's ability to seize the opportunity. When introduced to Sri Lanka, Cixi appreciated the famous saying of Emperor Kangxi: Be small in heart and bold. Her life principle is: whoever makes me unhappy for a while, I will make him unhappy for life! This has been reflected many times in her life's decisions.

Although there is little description of Cixi's emotional world in the book, her fate with Rong Lu is still remarkable. What is the relationship between them? "I might as well take my opinion of Cixi as a family statement, but I didn't mean to joke. According to historical records, Cixi's first love was indeed Rong Lu, and the fate between them was well documented. " In the second year of Xianfeng, Rong Lu was just an eight-product officer, and he didn't get promoted for a long time in this position. Since Cixi came to power and found him, his career has flourished and he soon rose to the position of the top scholar in Beijing. Why does the suspicious Cixi trust him so much? Why did Yung always appear at Cixi's side in time at the most critical time, from the coup in Qixiang to her escape to xi 'an? There is no denying that Rong Lu is one of many mysteries in Cixi's life.

Cixi, the "queen" who made great achievements and made selfish mistakes, entered the palace at the age of 16. Emperor Xianfeng soon discovered that the young girl Laner had amazing political enthusiasm and talent for employing people. Therefore, Emperor Xianfeng enjoyed it and let Laner intervene in government affairs. Cixi, who is in her early twenties, has started her ups and downs political career. She experienced four emperors, from the nobility to the imperial concubine and then to the empress dowager, and gradually approached and took control of the political power. Ruling China for nearly half a century, Cixi has both a positive and open side and a selfish, narrow and autocratic side. With her old age, the Qing Empire finally came to an end.

Cixi, as the "queen", is not an isolated figure. Her life is closely related to that era. In order to get closer to the truth of her ruling career in the study, it is necessary to master the historical materials of Zeng Guofan, Zuo and Rong Lu, four important historical figures of that era. Xiang Si has no intention of doing "* * *" for Cixi in the book. He just thinks that the limited positive progress of Cixi's administration should be conveyed to readers: she boldly used * * and reused Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo and Hu Linyi; She pacified the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and brought a large number of talented people into the ranks of government ministers. She advocates taking a tough attitude towards foreigners; She resolutely opposed Xianfeng Emperor's escape from the Jehol to the north; In the twenty-sixth year of Guangxu, Enemy at the Gates and Eight-Nation Alliance, she encouraged Emperor Guangxu to boldly declare war on the allied forces; She emphasizes the independent spirit of women and thinks that women should have culture and their own living space. ...

"Cixi's life certainly has her positive side." She reused several * * * who played an important role in the country and accumulated new political power for the country. She also balanced the contradiction between Manchu and Chinese to some extent. The first batch of young children studying abroad in the history of China was also promoted with the support of Cixi. People's impression of Cixi's "disaster for the country and the people" is naturally not without reason. "Cixi seized power at the age of 26 and died at the age of 74. She ruled China for 48 years. From Xianfeng to Xuan Tong, the Qing Dynasty went from bad to worse. Naturally, she is responsible for half a century of China history. No matter how many objective reasons there are, as a ruler, Cixi bears an unshirkable responsibility first. " During this period, China developed slowly in economy, military, science and technology. In the internal struggle against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, in the face of the invasion of western foreign enemies and the signing of unequal treaties again and again, Cixi never had a good countermeasure. Therefore, people think that she is an unforgivable historical sinner. "

For these problems in the late Qing Dynasty, Cixi's personal responsibility is: "First of all, is it a game with Prince Gong? And the use of Rong Lu. Hey? Inclined to reform, Rong Lu tended to be conservative, but Cixi played a game? Abolishing it will naturally block the road of national reform, and reusing Rong Lu will make the country develop in a more conservative direction. In the face of the Reform Movement of 1898, Cixi overemphasized the mastery of personal power, rather than focusing on the overall situation of the country and the nation. She imprisoned Guangxu in the coup, killed those who advocated innovation and drove them away. When Cixi was young in Guangxu period, it was of certain significance to stabilize the political power, but on the issue of succession to the throne, Cixi's approach was a retrogression in history. During the period of Nurhachi and Huang Taiji, the succession to the throne was discussed by the aristocratic meeting, which was a little aristocratic democracy. Choosing the best heir is for the country and the nation. Cixi's choice of heir to the throne was limited to the intersection of Aisingiorro and Yehenara, and naturally she chose Guangxu, not the best but her relatives. In addition, Cixi mishandled the Boxer Rebellion and failed to solve the contradictions well in policy.

The final downfall of the Qing dynasty can be said to be due to many reasons and one fruit, and the responsibility is not entirely attributed to Cixi. If Tongzhi or Guangxu came to power at that time, it might not have changed the situation in the Qing Dynasty, and perhaps China would have declined even more. After all, Cixi is still good at employing people, and she can also win over a group of talents and maintain the basic operation of the state machine. "Qing Taizu Nurhachi not only planted the seeds of Kanggan's prosperity, but also planted the gene that Guangxu Xuan (unification) lost the world. Those genes are constantly changing and developing, and the final result is the demise of the Qing Dynasty. " It is not easy to completely restore Cixi between women and politicians. She is a woman who combines softness with rigidity. Her political life is full of femininity, and Gong Wei's life is branded as "Queen". "A delicate woman, a woman full of personality, a fearless woman; A bold woman, a reckless woman, a woman who lost her family and country. " Perhaps Xiang Si's evaluation of her is closer to the real Cixi.