清代人物系列之慈禧太后

清代人物系列

你不知道的慈禧太后

编者:陈人豪

图片来源:https://bashapedia.pbworks.com/w/page/13960456/Empress-Cixi

参考资料:

1)吴国雄:《文化大补贴》,(玲子传媒私人有限公司,2005年,新加坡)。

2)www.baidu.com

3)www.wikipedia.org

4)叶赫那拉·根正,郝晓辉:《我所知道的慈禧太后》(金城出版社,2005年)

5)李福杰:《信不信由你,你可能不知道的1000个历史细节(清代卷)》(时代文艺出版社,2009年,中国)。

6)www.nciku.com

姓名:叶赫那拉•杏贞(人称慈禧太后)

介绍:被人称为“最毒妇人心”的慈禧,闭关锁国,让外国人侵略中国,不守着紫禁城却落荒而逃。在逃难的日子,她“仍然生活奢侈,每天吃饭有十多个厨师预备,还要有荤、素、饭、茶、点心等。”[1]她还垂帘听政,囚禁光绪皇帝等。让后人对慈禧这名历史人物展开了激烈的辩论。本文将呈现出不一样的慈禧太后。

*闭关锁国:不和外国人接触,限制各方面的交流。
*外国人:这里指的“外国人”是八国联军。英国、法国、
普鲁士 (德国) 、沙俄、美国、日本、意大利、奥匈帝国(今奥地利和匈牙利)的八国联合军队。

*垂帘听政:皇后不能干预朝政,因此当暂时代理朝政的时候,必须隔着帘子听政。

*光绪皇帝:推出“百日维新”政策,想要让清朝强大起来。生母是慈禧太后的妹妹。

光绪皇帝

图片来源:http://baike.baidu.com/image/f6428f8f4e3124c5503d923a

生活:慈禧太后的出生地不止是个谜,连她的身份都有点不可思议。《慈禧童年考》这本书写说“慈禧是汉族人出身”[2],出生地也被在内蒙古、安徽、河南、北京等。[3]各自都说得很有各自的根据。

在慈禧小时候,曾因为写毛笔字被父亲打过,“慈禧非常伤心…从此以后,慈禧就下决心一定要学好书法,所以很多慈禧晚年的书画都是非常有水准的。”[4]有一次,对于弟弟桂祥没有把一个“寿”字写好,慈禧说:“中国书法的规矩不但不能错,每个字都有一个解释,你不但字写得不好,而且你还破坏了字的艺术。”[5]

图片来源:http://bbsqw.chinanews.com.cn/attachments/month_0712/20071210_c639f633b8171053e615AnTjeGJVZPcP.jpg

慈禧太后不仅喜欢京剧,对戏剧表演也很是热爱。据《清稗类钞·宫闱类》记载,“慈禧很喜欢读小说。”[6]对于她喜欢的小说,“就节选出来,编入戏剧,然后亲自教太监怎么去饰演,以此为乐。”[7]她在看的当儿说:“我国要是现在有这样的人物,给他们委以兵权,哪里还用得着怕外国人的枪炮呢?”[8]从这些慈禧私生活的细节能看出,她尊重文化遗产,也有意要复兴中国。

Name: Yehenala Xingzhen (popularly known as Empress Dowager Cixi)

Introduction: Empress Dowager Cixi has been known to be very vicious. Not only did she cut off China from the outside world, but while foreigners were invading China, she did not stay back and defend the Forbidden City, yet fled in panic. She still led a luxurious life during her escape, being served by various chefs a platter of meat, vegetables, rice, tea and snacks. During her reign, she held court behind a screen, imprisoned Emperor Guangxu etc. Her acts are widely debated by the people of later generations. We will be presenting a different Empress Dowager Cixi in this short essay.

*Cut off China from the outside world: Restricts contact with the foreigners.

*Foreigners: The allied forces joined by Britain, France, United States, Germany, Russia, Japan, Italy and Austria.

*Held court behind a screen: (of an empress regent) sit behind a screen to receive ministerial reports; hold court from behind a screen (an empress regent was supposed to be concealed from the sight of ministers at audience)

*Emperor Guangxu: The son of Empress Dowager Cixi’s sister, he introduced the “Hundred Days Reform”, intending to save the declining feudal rule.

Emperor Guangxu

Picture Source: http://baike.baidu.com/image/f6428f8f4e3124c5503d923a

Her life: Not only is her birthplace a mystery, her ethnicity is also unbelievable. A book states that she is of Han ethnicity. Inner Mongolia, Anhui Province, Henan Province and Beijing have left traces of her and evidence showing she is born there.

She reprimanded her brother for not writing the Chinese character “longevity” properly, highlighting to him the importance of proper strokes in calligraphy, respecting Chinese characters as an art. During her younger days, she received a beating from her father, from that day onwards; she is determined in perfecting her skills in the art of Calligraphy. Thus during her later years, her calligraphy works are of very high quality.

Picture Source: http://bbsqw.chinanews.com.cn/attachments/month_0712/20071210_c639f633b8171053e615AnTjeGJVZPcP.jpg

Not only does Empress Dowager Cixi love Chinese Opera, she has strong interests in theatre plays too. According to some historical notes, she has a liking for novels and often picks out favourite chapters for eunuchs to act out. During the performance, she uttered: “If there are these people that I can entrust the army to,
why should we fear the foreigners? From the details of her private life, it is shown that she respects cultural heritage and intends to let China be strong again.

编者申明:本文尽心还原真确如实的史料,但其中可能会出现资料上的讹误。此外,抑或有翻译不准确,不恰当之处等。冀望读者自行判断,后果自负。编者欢迎任何评点意见或修正建议,让下一期的文章写得更好!

Editor’s note: This article deems to provide true and accurate historical facts in this entry. However, there may be factual errors or typos. In addition, there may also be inaccurate or inappropriate translations. Readers please determine on your own and read at your own risks. The editor welcomes all comments and feedback.


[1] 吴国雄:《文化大补贴》,(领子传媒私人有限公司,2005年),第80页。

[2] 叶赫那拉·根正,郝晓辉:《我所知道的慈禧太后》(金城出版社,2005年)参考自序。

[3] 叶赫那拉·根正,郝晓辉:《我所知道的慈禧太后》(金城出版社,2005年)参考自序。

[4] 叶赫那拉·根正,郝晓辉:《我所知道的慈禧太后》(金城出版社,2005年)第24页。

[5] 叶赫那拉·根正,郝晓辉:《我所知道的慈禧太后》(金城出版社,2005年)第27页。

[6] 李福杰:《信不信由你,你可能不知道的1000个历史细节(清代卷)》(时代文艺出版社,2009年)第198页。

[7]李福杰:《信不信由你,你可能不知道的1000个历史细节(清代卷)》(时代文艺出版社,2009年)第198页。

[8] 李福杰:《信不信由你,你可能不知道的1000个历史细节(清代卷)》(时代文艺出版社,2009年)第198页。

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