This Hardcover Book item from The John Day Company was reviewed on 4-Nov-2008.
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1) Hardcover Book Imperial Woman by The John Day Company. There are some slight weaknesses to this so this could be 4 1/2 stars.
When I realized what this book was about I was quite surprised to find that a woman had ruled all of China to as recently as 1908, and for that reason alone it seemed like a promicing read, but it´s even more then that.
This is a rare look into a different time and place with a different perspective. Principally this book is something of a biography of the Empress of China from 1861-1908, but starts some years before this period. One weakness is so little of the common China is dealt with. But it´s a good look behind the palace walls and the thinking that transpires behind it, and indeed it is written from the empress´s eye view...so little if any is seen from the eyes of the common people or even of her immediate suboordinates.
This is undoubtedly something of a romantisized and probably softened look at this ruler, and it would be interesting to find a second "opinion" story or even an autobiography of this Empress, if such a work exists (does it? anyone know?). This would give the reader a couple of views, as indeed Pearl speaks of the existance of a very negative view that also prevailed about this ruler at the time, but she never seems to take this on or expound this perspective.
No doubt this could be a eye opener to those who are not too in favour of women in power. But this book has some curious things to say about women in power as well, which come from the women themselves...which might serve as a cautionary note as well.
Though I found this book quite interesting for these reasons alone, it did something for the reader that I found facinating, though it took a while before this became evident. We are allowed to become so submerged into the thinking and ways of the Chinese ruler during this period, we begin to see from their perspective on the intrusions of the colonials making inroads into China during this time. We can empathise with them when they try to ward off and obfuscate the forceful traders, and we even find ourselves not liking those who would force thier ways and goods onto the Chinese for their own gain. One wonders what might have been had the Chinese been equal in military capacity to the intruders.
This is a very interesting book and it gives the reader a rare glimpse in behind a wall that is usualy closed to the outsider. One got the feeling of a rare freedom to "look around" and out from behind the Great wall.
¤ 2) Hardcover Book Imperial Woman by The John Day Company. Although the language at times was dry, and failed to fully engage me, I really enjoyed Imperial Woman by Pearl S. Buck.
Tzu Hsi´s was a character to be reviled and pitied. Her unequaled ambition led to her eventually claiming the throne for herself (as a Regent of her son) and and ruling all of China. She was spoiled rotten with the good life - she had excellent food, amazing clothing, a home of beauty I can´t even imagine - yet in spite of all the indulgences she allowed to her body she never let herself have any spiritual indulgences. She was passionately in love with Jung Lu, her kinsman and her fiance before she was called to be the Emperor´s consort, but throughout her life she denied those feelings again and again. It was so sad that for all her power she was lonely and often unhappy. I can´t imagine making the choices she made, not because I find them repulsive but simply because I don´t think I could have the willpower to be alone. She couldn´t see her family because they weren´t as socially prominent as she (how could they be when she was an Empress?) or corrupted by the Court. Indeed, in Court she could trust no one because there was intrigue in every heart. I don´t think I could live such a isolated life; I would feel trapped like a bird in a cage.
As ruler of China, Tzu Hsi often made choices that seem terrible by today´s standards. Again and again she sought to rid the country of foreigners, and refused to have them in her Court because men would not bow to the ground before her. She resisted anything to do with the West - she wouldn´t even allow toy trains in her palaces. Near the end of her reign she even authorized the murder of all white foreigners currently living in China.
Yet at the same time, who could blame her? This was the age of Imperialism, when European nations sought to expand their borders and gain control over all of Asia. She needed to fight back to preserver her realm, which was chipped away at the edges all the time by ruthless Europeans hungry for territory. Many of her edicts seem cruel and harsh, but had the situation been reversed I´m sure Queen Victoria would have reacted in a similar manner. (Tzu Hsi was quite fond of Victoria, and often referred to her as the sister-Empress to the West.)
This Empress of the East was a fascinating woman, and this novel does an excellent job of introducing her to the western world.¤ Page Updated: Robert N. Goolsby, 2-Dec-2008, , 570-360-990-730-270-381-MSB-8 
Imperial Woman, Book, Image © The John Day Company
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