Empress Dowager Tzu His

In spite of her last words, "Never again allow a woman to hold the supreme power in the State,"1 Tzu Hsi survived three waves of succession to rule over China for almost half a century. During a period that was racked by internal turmoil and foreign invasions, Tzu Hsi overcame tremendous odds to hold on to the reins of power. Her character contributed greatly to her skills as a consummate politician. She was a charismatic leader that attracted the adoration of her subjects including common people who had never seen her in person.2 Furthermore, she was driven by a fiery ambition to ensure that the Manchu dynasty did not disintegrate in the face of the pressure brought on by rebels and the foreigners. She cemented her grip on power by surrounding herself with powerful and loyal men from the very beginning. They also served as intimate and invaluable counselors for her in times of crises.

In this paper, the ways used by Tzu Hsi to seize and maintain political power over government will be explored. By analyzing her life and the significant events, a portrait of a leader and woman with incredible tenacity and political skill will emerge.

Even though she entered the emperor's harem of concubines as a fifth-rank concubine, Tzu Hsi made use of her position by reading state annals and works of art from the well-stocked libraries. She also consulted scholar-officials who assisted her in the interpreta

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nd her power proven, she restored most of his responsibilities, except for one; he was expunged from the Annals of the reign. By doing so, she demonstrated her political wisdom because she knew at the time, she did not have enough support from the Manchu princes to banish Prince Kung completely. Her main objective was to put Prince Kung down and demonstrate her power.17 During the first regency, Tzi Hsi flourished because of her beauty and feminine charm. Even when her beauty faded in the later years, her charm remained to help her woo her political opponents and command the support of her people: "A magnetic forced seemed to go out of her, hypnotizing her environment and making instruments of all who came within the radius of its operation."18 In addition, because she was well-educated in a variety of literature, she knew how to entertain her audience, regardless of status, thus contributing to her attractive qualities.19 Furthermore, she displayed tremendous leadership qualities that surpassed her predecessors in her successful suppression of the Tai-ping rebellion. Unlike the later Manchu emperors who left the fighting of the war to their subordinates without adequate provision of resources, Tzu Hsi offered the military
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Approximate Word count = 2597
Approximate Pages = 10 (250 words per page)