Thirty-four years after Guangxu, on October 21, 1908, the 38-year-old Guangxu Emperor died. The history of the Qing Dynasty records that the Guangxu Emperor died of illness, but the famous doctor Guiting at the end of the Qing Dynasty recorded that the Guangxu Emperor had unbearable stomach pain before his death, rolling on the bed, and his tongue was yellow and black, which was a sign of poisoning. So what is the truth about the death of the Guangxu Emperor?
Since the time of the death of the Guangxu Emperor was not long ago, with the development of science and technology, the real cause of death of the Guangxu Emperor could be analyzed using modern science and technology. In 2003, the Qing Guangxu Emperor's Cause of Death Research Group was established, which lasted five years, using a series of modern professional means such as "neutron activation, X-ray fluorescence analysis, atomic fluorescence luminosity and so on to analyze and test the bones, hair, clothes and other items of the Guangxu Emperor."
On November 2, 2008, finally, the research team announced the cause of death of the Guangxu Emperor - arsenic poisoning.
Who poisoned the Guangxu Emperor? Empress Dowager Cixi was the most suspicious. Empress Dowager Cixi died the day after Emperor Guangxu's death, which was hardly suspicious, and was Empress Dowager Cixi's last decision to eliminate Emperor Guangxu before she left. Coupled with the fact that the contradiction between Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi was well known, Empress Dowager Cixi disliked Emperor Guangxu's rebellion against her authority.
After the change of law, the Guangxu Emperor was imprisoned by Empress Dowager Cixi in Yingtai in Zhongnanhai. Earlier there were two meals, and then only one was left, both of which were just dry and cold spoiled leftovers. The eunuchs were also arrogant, sometimes even not sending at all. Emperor Guangxu's favorite concubine was also thrown into the well by Empress Dowager Cixi.
There are also claims that others murdered the Guangxu Emperor. During the Wushu Rebellion, the Guangxu Emperor planned to kill Empress Dowager Cixi in a coup d'état, but was informed by Yuan Shikai that his plan failed. The Guangxu Emperor was therefore very resentful of Yuan Shikai. Empress Dowager Cixi was old and her life was short, and Yuan Shikai was afraid that Guangxu would retaliate against him after he returned to power, so he first poisoned Guangxu.
However, exactly who poisoned the Guangxu Emperor has not yet reached an accurate conclusion, and it can only be said that Empress Dowager Cixi is the most suspicious. Poor Guangxu Emperor, thirty-eight years of life, lived in the shadows.