Biographical+Timeline+of+Cixi

Portrait of Empress Dowager Cixi painted by Katharine Carl, 1904. This screen was painted by the American artist Katharine Carl when Cixi was seventy years old.
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In the painting, the dowager appears young and healthy, her skin is smooth, her eyebrows re thick and long, and her lips were blood red. She is in a yellow satin coat embroidered wwith medallions of the charcter for longevity.

 The 'giant spread wings' that CIxi worn on her head is decorated with pearls, jade, rubies, fabricated flowers and tassels. Judging by her appearance, Cixi looks kind and considerate.

The importance of Empress Cixi's life should not be underestimated, as she effectively ruled China during the half century form the birth of her son until her death at the age of seventy three (15th November 1908). She had a great political ability and clever strategies.

Unfortunately, Cixi did not use her strength to help China; however, because of her pride, her traditional views, her ignorant and blindly anti-foreign policies, and her poor administration her rule were the main cause of the decline of the Qing Dynasty and the revolution in 1911.