Empress Dowager Cixi: Women in power at the peak of power At the end of the 19th century, the second industrial revolution swept through Europe and the United States, and new technologies such as electricity were widely used, and the economy developed rapidly. However, during this period, China was still in a feudal society, and the policy of isolation made the entry of newly invented modern objects slow.
Empress Dowager Cixi, as the de facto ruler of the late Qing dynasty, had a significant impact on the development of China. However, as a woman who grew up in a feudal society, her knowledge of Western technology was very limited, and she even appeared abroad due to misunderstandings. This article will explore Empress Dowager Cixi's role during the period of technological innovation from the pinnacle of her power, shouting eggplant during photographs, and misunderstanding light bulbs.
First, Empress Dowager Cixi ascended to the pinnacle of power and became the de facto ruler of the late Qing dynasty in China. As one of the few female rulers in history, Empress Dowager Cixi occupied an important position in feudal imperial power. Born in 1835, she entered the court at a young age and became a concubine of the Xianfeng Emperor. However, when he first entered the palace, he did not attract the attention of the Xianfeng Emperor.
In order to win the attention of the emperor, Empress Dowager Cixi did not hesitate to come up with advice, and even sent gifts to the great eunuchs beside Xianfeng. In the process, Empress Dowager Cixi met the great eunuch An Dehai, through whom she conveyed her merits and interests to the emperor. In the end, Empress Dowager Cixi won the favor of the emperor and gave birth to her son Zaichun a few years later.
From then on, Empress Dowager Cixi rose in stature, eventually becoming the supreme ruler of China during the late Qing dynasty. At the pinnacle of power, however, Empress Dowager Cixi had limited knowledge of Western technology. At that time, the capitalist countries had already completed two industrial revolutions and began the pace of modernization. However, due to the closed-door policy, China is backward in science and technology.
Empress Dowager Cixi had an attitude of rejection and misunderstanding of new technologies from the West. However, Yu Deling, a female official beside her, tried to open Cixi's eyes and introduce Western technology products to her. Yu Deling also brought a camera and wanted to take pictures of Cixi. In order to keep Cixi smiling while shooting, Yu Deling taught her to shout "eggplant" the moment the shutter was pressed.
This habit has been passed down to this day, and it has become a tradition for people to shout "eggplant" during group photos. However, Empress Dowager Cixi did not pay enough attention to these Western novelties, believing that these technologies were ingenious and did not realize their potential to promote China's development. What is even more surprising is that Empress Dowager Cixi once appeared because of a misunderstanding of light bulbs.
A British engineer visits Empress Dowager Cixi with a newly invented incandescent light bulb and shows the light of the light bulb. Empress Dowager Cixi mistook it for a camera and immediately took a pose and shouted "eggplant". This made foreigners secretly ridicule, thinking that the Qing ruler was isolated and unheard. When Yu Deling explained to Cixi that this was a new technology for lighting, Cixi suddenly realized.
However, this misunderstanding has allowed the habit of shouting "eggplant" when taking photos to this day. In short, Empress Dowager Cixi, as the ruler of China's late Qing dynasty, displayed tough methods in politics, gaining and maintaining her power through ruthlessness. However, in the period of scientific and technological innovation, her understanding of Western technology is very limited, and she has even appeared in many foreign appearances.
In the face of new technologies, we should accept them with a progressive vision and mentality, and cannot rest on our laurels, otherwise it will restrict our development. In this modern era, we should be more open and inclusive, take science and technology as the driving force, and promote social progress and development. 【Discussion question】How do you think those in power should face and use new technology when facing technological innovation?
How important is science and technology to the development and progress of the country? Please leave a message to share your opinion.