With the Empress Dowager of China

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By Listen TheBook Posted on May 31, 2023

In Category - Memoirs, Social Science (Culture & Anthropology)

Authors: Katharine Carl In Year : 1905

Book Language: English

Audiobook: With the Empress Dowager of China

Introductory
Chapter I. My presentation and first day at the Chinese court
Chapter II. Personal appearance of Her Majesty -- A Chinese repast -- Boating
Chapter III. The palace of the Emperor's Father
Chapter IV. Her Majesty's throne-room
Chapter V. The young Empress and ladies of the court
Chapter VI. Continuation of the portrait
Chapter VII. Festivities at court
Chapter VIII. His Majesty the Emperor
Chapter IX. The Emperor's birthday
Chapter X. Peking -- the Sea Palace
Chapter XI. Some characteristics of Her Majesty -- second visit to the Sea Palace
Chapter XII. Return to the Summer Palace
Chapter XIII. The steam-launch -- semi-annual sacrifices to Confucius
Chapter XIV. The palace eunuchs
Chapter XV. Literary tastes and accomplishments of the Empress Dowager
Chapter XVI. The Great Audience Hall
Chapter XVII. The Summer Palace
Chapter XVIII. Festival of the Harvest Moon
Chapter XIX. A Garden Party
Chapter XX. Beginning of a second portrait of the Empress Dowager
Chapter XXI. A European circus at the palace
Chapter XXII. Palace customs
Chapter XXIII. Her Majesty's anxiety -- her birthday
Chapter XXIV. The Winter Palace
Chapter XXV. Peking -- beginning the portrait for St. Louis
Chapter XXVI. Some social customs
Chapter XXVII. Present-giving
Chapter XXVIII. Some winter days at the palace
Chapter XXIX. Religious rites
Chapter XXX. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager
Chapter XXXI. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager (continued)
Chapter XXXII. The Chinese New Year
Chapter XXXIII. Continuation of the St. Louis portrait
Chapter XXXIV. Finishing and sending off the portrait
Chapter XXXV. Return to the Summer Palace

Through the eyes of an artist, With the Empress Dowager of China provides a glimpse of life in the Chinese Imperial Court, unseen by any other Westerner. In 1903, Katharine Carl, an American artist, was invited to paint a portrait of Cixi, the Empress Dowager of China, for display at the 1904 Exhibition at St Louis, USA. For nine months from the 5th of August 1903 when the painting was begun, Miss Carl lived within the Chinese Imperial Court, residing at the Summer Palace, Winter Palace and Sea Palace. During those nine months, a total of four portraits of the Empress Dowager were completed. While living in the Chinese Imperial Court, Miss Carl had the opportunity to observe the customs, personalities, entertainments and politics of the Royal household, and in particular to observe the Empress Dowager, who Miss Carl found to be graceful, warm, intelligent and generous.

Although Katharine Carl did not plan to publicise her experiences, With the Empress Dowager of China was written as a response to articles appearing in the American and British press containing statements never made by her and other misrepresentations. Words were being put into her mouth, she was being put into a very difficult position, and corrections needed to be made. By writing an account of life in the Imperial Court she risked “offending the sensibilities of her Chinese friends” since any comments on the personalities of the Emperor or Empress Dowager were considered to breaches of etiquette. Nevertheless, she did publish “a simple and truthful narrative of my experiences” in 1906.

For most of the time from 1861 until her death in 1908, Cixi, the Empress Dowager of China, was co-regent or regent, and was in control of the Chinese government, due to the youth and inexperience of the Emperors during those years as well as to her capabilities. Her legacy is controversial, and she is viewed variously as a despot, a reformer, and a capable and gracious ruler and administrator.

Katharine Carl’s St Louis Exposition portrait of the Empress Dowager of China resides in the collection of the Arthur M Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. (summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan)