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paola_mobileread's review against another edition
3.0
This book has a remarkable flow - it took me a while to read it for the simple reason that these days I have very little time.
The other side of the "readability coin" is that this book lacks proper probing of the issues: Chang seems too much in love with her project (offering a portrait of Cixi which is very different from conventional wisdom - at least as far as China's assessment of her goes) to remember to educate her readers on so many other aspects of that long reign that just a modest amount of curiosity makes any reader wonder about. In this sense, then, it is a lost opportunity: we get a lot of the facts, and this is remarkable given that the official Chinese position on Cixi is very different - but a lot is left unexplained. We know that there are the Manchu minority and the Han minority, but beside different dress codes, what else is there to distinguish these two cultures? How did this environment affect Cixi? How did the Manchu manage to achieve and retain power? What was the general situation of China at the time? On these themes it seems that Pearl Buck is more instructive than Jung Chan, which is a pity. Sure, this is not intended to be scholarly work, which is fine of course, but I felt shortchanged nonetheless.
All the narration points towards showing how great a ruler Cixi was - with some flaws, for which however plenty of justifications. Yet there are some sudden changes, both of Cixi's attitude and in the attitudes towards her, that are left unexplained and which are difficult to make sense of: for instance, after the Boxer troubles, first she flees Bejing to escape not just the invaders but the resentful population, then all of a sudden it seems that her people love her again: what happened to bring this change about?
Jung glosses over what are very obviously serious shortcomings in Cixi's personality: in places the facts we are presented with show a woman of many contradictions, and great passions (from allowing almost any licence to her son, to some chilling displays of callousness, e.g. Pearl's murder). But in other places she mellows down (e.g. after returning to Bejing: why?).
It is a real pity that there is no real exploration of Cixi's character - this is a good book, but it could have been much better.
EDIT: I found this review by Patricia Crossley in the London Review of Books illuminating, HT to SteveEisenberg on MobileRead.
The other side of the "readability coin" is that this book lacks proper probing of the issues: Chang seems too much in love with her project (offering a portrait of Cixi which is very different from conventional wisdom - at least as far as China's assessment of her goes) to remember to educate her readers on so many other aspects of that long reign that just a modest amount of curiosity makes any reader wonder about. In this sense, then, it is a lost opportunity: we get a lot of the facts, and this is remarkable given that the official Chinese position on Cixi is very different - but a lot is left unexplained. We know that there are the Manchu minority and the Han minority, but beside different dress codes, what else is there to distinguish these two cultures? How did this environment affect Cixi? How did the Manchu manage to achieve and retain power? What was the general situation of China at the time? On these themes it seems that Pearl Buck is more instructive than Jung Chan, which is a pity. Sure, this is not intended to be scholarly work, which is fine of course, but I felt shortchanged nonetheless.
All the narration points towards showing how great a ruler Cixi was - with some flaws, for which however plenty of justifications. Yet there are some sudden changes, both of Cixi's attitude and in the attitudes towards her, that are left unexplained and which are difficult to make sense of: for instance, after the Boxer troubles, first she flees Bejing to escape not just the invaders but the resentful population, then all of a sudden it seems that her people love her again: what happened to bring this change about?
Jung glosses over what are very obviously serious shortcomings in Cixi's personality: in places the facts we are presented with show a woman of many contradictions, and great passions (from allowing almost any licence to her son, to some chilling displays of callousness, e.g. Pearl's murder). But in other places she mellows down (e.g. after returning to Bejing: why?).
It is a real pity that there is no real exploration of Cixi's character - this is a good book, but it could have been much better.
EDIT: I found this review by Patricia Crossley in the London Review of Books illuminating, HT to SteveEisenberg on MobileRead.
emeraldgarnet's review against another edition
3.0
The prose is easy to understand and I learnt a lot about China and its history. However, while I am not expert in Chinese history, it was obvious that the book was veering into hagiography in its treatment of Cixi at times.
suzumemizuno's review against another edition
4.0
Muy sencillo de leer. Jung Chang insiste en desmontar los mitos alrededor de Cixí, lo cual en ocasiones la lleva a intepretar libremente las intenciones de la emperatriz, igual que hicieron otros historiadores (en el caso de estos, convirtiéndola en un monstruo). La perspectiva de Chang alza a Cixí como una reformadora con una especial obsesión por la «modernidad», y dedica relativo poco espacio a las ocasiones en las que Cixí promovió ejecuciones sumarias, pero también da el peso que se merece a la lucha por intentar que China pudiera estar en pie de igualdad con el resto de potencias.
En particular he encontrado interesante que Chang no se limite a la bibliografía oficial, sino que recurra a las experiencias personales de mujeres occidentales que conocieron a la emperatriz. Así podemos verla más como un ser humano antes que como mera imagen estereotipada de concubina, madre, madrastra o emperatriz. Al evadir las fuente exclusivamene masculinas se nos abre un mundo distinto, y al menos a mí me despierta interés por leer aún más sobre Cixí.
En definitiva, un buen libro de divulgación para cualquiera que pretenda conocer a Cixí.
Ahora, las opiniones acerca de sus enemigos y los movimientos revolucionarios no van a satisfacer a nadie, siendo un libro que se inclina ante todo por la emperatriz.
En particular he encontrado interesante que Chang no se limite a la bibliografía oficial, sino que recurra a las experiencias personales de mujeres occidentales que conocieron a la emperatriz. Así podemos verla más como un ser humano antes que como mera imagen estereotipada de concubina, madre, madrastra o emperatriz. Al evadir las fuente exclusivamene masculinas se nos abre un mundo distinto, y al menos a mí me despierta interés por leer aún más sobre Cixí.
En definitiva, un buen libro de divulgación para cualquiera que pretenda conocer a Cixí.
Ahora, las opiniones acerca de sus enemigos y los movimientos revolucionarios no van a satisfacer a nadie, siendo un libro que se inclina ante todo por la emperatriz.
constancely's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Minor: Torture, Violence, Murder, and War
Feminist historymogreig's review against another edition
5.0
A fascinating account of the woman who modernised China. An astute politician and ruler who deserves her correct place in history.
Beautifully written, this gripping account of Cixi a powerful read.
Beautifully written, this gripping account of Cixi a powerful read.
sarahlreadseverything's review against another edition
5.0
*Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of this book thanks to Goodreads First Reads. I recieved no other form of compensation and all opinions are my own*
I really enjoyed this one. It's readable, and the subject matter is fascinating. I have to admit, Chinese history is not my strong point and this served as an all encompassing introduction into the time period as well as a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman. I am a little sad that I haven't read more about Empress Dowager Cixi before, as Chang's perspective is obviously a revisionist one. I'm looking forward to doing more reading, so I can see others perspectives on her.
The book starts with Cixi's birth, and traces her life all the way through to her death as the (almost) undisputed ruler of China. I enjoyed Chang's effort to make this a portrait of a woman as well as a ruler - effort is obviously made to explore who Cixi was in everyday life, not just as a head of state. I also enjoyed that even though her perspective is obviously revisionist (I understand that Cixi is usually portrayed as a tyrant or a despot, whereas Chang portrays her as a wise moderniser) she does not flinch from stating fact: Cixi did sanction murder, and torture, on multiple occasions and she made political decisions that turned out to be the wrong ones.
The picture of China Chang shows us is also a fascinating one and she does a beautiful job of showing a country undergoing extreme transition without it becoming the focus of the story she is trying to tell. Under Cixi's watch, China moved from the traditional to the modern, and later we see the beginnings of a society about to collapse.
Overall? Fascinating and interesting, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China is well worth reading (although I do wish Chang had cited her sources better. There are notes at the end of the book, but no endnote notations in the text!)
I really enjoyed this one. It's readable, and the subject matter is fascinating. I have to admit, Chinese history is not my strong point and this served as an all encompassing introduction into the time period as well as a fascinating biography of an extraordinary woman. I am a little sad that I haven't read more about Empress Dowager Cixi before, as Chang's perspective is obviously a revisionist one. I'm looking forward to doing more reading, so I can see others perspectives on her.
The book starts with Cixi's birth, and traces her life all the way through to her death as the (almost) undisputed ruler of China. I enjoyed Chang's effort to make this a portrait of a woman as well as a ruler - effort is obviously made to explore who Cixi was in everyday life, not just as a head of state. I also enjoyed that even though her perspective is obviously revisionist (I understand that Cixi is usually portrayed as a tyrant or a despot, whereas Chang portrays her as a wise moderniser) she does not flinch from stating fact: Cixi did sanction murder, and torture, on multiple occasions and she made political decisions that turned out to be the wrong ones.
The picture of China Chang shows us is also a fascinating one and she does a beautiful job of showing a country undergoing extreme transition without it becoming the focus of the story she is trying to tell. Under Cixi's watch, China moved from the traditional to the modern, and later we see the beginnings of a society about to collapse.
Overall? Fascinating and interesting, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China is well worth reading (although I do wish Chang had cited her sources better. There are notes at the end of the book, but no endnote notations in the text!)