The rise of Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi was how the girl born as Yehe Nara Xingzhen would ultimately be known. She had many names during her lifetime, reflecting her meteoric rise through the Forbidden City to ultimately seize power in all but name over the Chinese Empire. For consistency in this post, she will be called Cixi, as that is the name history knows best.
Cixi was a member of the Yehe tribe of the Nara clan, a family of Manchu origin that belonged to the Bordered Blue Banner. The Eight Banners were ranks to which all Manchu families belonged. The Eight Banners were organized by Manchu leader Nurhaci of the House of Aisin Goro. He organized the Manchu houses under the Eight Banners and they took power from the Han ethnic Ming Dynasty. The Qing Dynasty, founded by Nurhaci’s son, ruled China begining in 1644. After this, all subsequent Emperors were Manchu of the House of Aisin Goro. These emperors would then primary select wives and concubines from the other Manchu Houses of the Eight Banners.
As Cixi was a member of the Bordered Blue Banner, she was of sufficient background to be eligible for selection by the Emperor to join his household. In 1851, when the Xianfeng Emperor was selecting candidates for wives, Cixi was one of sixty Manchu girls who participated in the process. The Emperor’s previous primary…
