Chinese New Year's Eve in 1901 was approaching, and according to the old calendar, the daughters of Fujin, Mingwu, Gege, and some senior members of various provinces entered the palace for the New Year. On this day, Cixi held a tailoring competition, ordering each person to cut a piece of clothing, and handed it over within two days. When some Fujin heard this, they were immediately frightened and sweated.
In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, although the regime was on the verge of extinction, the court still lived a life of luxury and pleasure.
In the imperial palace of the Qing Dynasty, the atmosphere of the Spring Festival began after the sacrifice on the 23rd day of the lunar month. After this day, the Fujin, the women, and the daughters of the first and second rank officials in each mansion will enter the palace on the 25th to celebrate the New Year.
At 8 o'clock in the morning of the 25th, the girls all wore bright red embroidered shirts and pink shirts, which looked particularly festive. Gege is even more dressed up like a blooming flower. Under the leadership of the chief administrator Li Lianying, they came to the Ningshou Palace of the Empress Dowager Cixi.
First of all, it was Gege who met the Empress Dowager Cixi. One by one, they walked into the palace and saluted the Empress Dowager Cixi. Then, they stood on the left and right sides of the Empress Dowager Cixi. The Empress Dowager Cixi looked at these young girls with a kind smile on her face. She said auspicious words to them and asked them about their ages and knowledge.
Next, it was the Fujin and the wives of each prefecture to enter the palace. At this time, the queen, the concubines and the geges in the palace were responsible for entertaining them. When everyone arrived, the Empress Dowager Cixi spoke: "The New Year is here, and we will celebrate happily." However, we cannot be idle. In my dynasty, family law was very strict. Women need to know how to manage their families, especially how to do needlework. You see, the clothes worn by the emperor have always been made by the queen and the concubine. However, I had heard that none of these geese were very good at needlework, so how could this be done, and what would happen when they got married? So I decided to hold a tailoring competition. Queens, concubines, fortunes, and wives, each of you has to cut a piece of clothing, and the geges have to sew one piece each. It was completed in two days. ”
As soon as the Empress Dowager Cixi's words came out, some of the Fujin were so frightened that their faces turned white, because they knew that their daughters could not do needlework at all. And some Fujin are very happy and hope that their daughters can show their skills in the competition.
According to the requirements of the Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Lianying prepared clothes and needles and threads and put them on the case.
The Empress Dowager Cixi said: "After cutting the clothes, you can go to the stage to watch the play." Gege only watch the play today, and on the 26th and 27th, you have to make your clothes. Don't panic, take your time. ”
Those who can't do work, when the Queen Mother and the Fujin are immersed in the fun of fighting cards, they see this opportunity. They quietly put the fabric in the hands of the sisters who can cut and sew, and then wait for the delicate garments to be born in skillful hands. Then I put the beautiful clothes on the case and pretend that I made them myself. Of course, there are also those who don't want to cheat, so they do it according to their own level, and when they do it, they put it there.
Cixi asked these Gege to make clothes, which is to show her attitude. So for all kinds of cheating, no one in the palace cares. Two days later, the clothes made by Gege were marked with their surnames and placed on the table. Cixi came to inspect it, and she made a quick round, and then left. Finally, the queen and concubines are ranked, and rewards are given according to the rank.
On the twenty-eighth and ninth days, the Empress Dowager Cixi and the elderly Fujin continued to fight cards or watch plays. Gege can play cards if they want to play cards, and they can go to the play if they want to watch a play, and they can eat, drink and play in the palace. There were a lot of young girls chattering in the palace all of a sudden, and the originally dull atmosphere became lively.
Nowadays, people are immersed in the sea of mahjong during the Chinese New Year, and the Empress Dowager Cixi loved to roll the dice during the New Year. In every dice game, she generously gives each participant a little bit of money to make them feel more confident to participate. And the Empress Dowager Cixi is also happy to have fun with everyone and enjoy the joy of this gambling table. Of course, everyone knows how to please the Queen Mother, and always deliberately loses to Cixi so that she can win a lot of money. Whenever Cixi won money, she would be full of joy, and sprinkled the silver taels she won on the ground, allowing everyone to scramble for them, as if to reward them.
During the Spring Festival, the Empress Dowager Cixi did not hesitate to reward everyone with rich bounties and red envelopes, and her generosity was amazing. However, compared to the gifts she would receive on the eve of the New Year, her expenses were a drop in the ocean.