Žena carica
The novel is a fictionalized biography of Empress Dowager Cixi (Tzu Hsi), the last real ruler of China. The work follows her rise from a third-rate concubine in the Forbidden City to de facto ruler of the Qing Dynasty Chinese Empire.
Tzu Hsi arrives at the palace at the age of seventeen, and thanks to her exceptional beauty, intelligence, and political acumen, she quickly rises to the position of Second Wife. After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, she becomes regent for her minor son, and later for her grandson, thus assuming real power. Her reign is marked by the dual challenges of preserving traditional values and coping with the pressures of modernization and external threats such as foreign intervention and internal rebellions.
Buck portrays Tzu Hsi as a complex person—at once ruthless and compassionate, politically astute, but also emotionally vulnerable. Through her story, the author explores themes of power, female ambition in a patriarchal society, personal sacrifice, and the cost of ruling. The novel also provides a rich portrayal of life in the Forbidden City, court intrigue, and cultural clashes between East and West.
The Empress Dowager is a powerful portrait of one of the most influential women in Chinese history and an introspective study of the rise and fall of power, ideal for readers interested in historical novels and strong female characters.
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