CONTENTS

PAGE
I
THE PARENTAGE AND YOUTH OF YEHONALA [1]
II
THE FLIGHT TO JEHOL [14]
III
THE TSAI YÜAN CONSPIRACY [30]
IV
THE FIRST REGENCY [51]
V
TSENG KUO-FAN AND THE TAIPING REBELLION (1864) [64]
VI
TZŬ HSI AND THE EUNUCHS [81]
VII
A QUESTION OF ETIQUETTE [110]
VIII
MAJORITY AND DEATH OF THE EMPEROR T’UNG-CHIH [117]
IX
THE PROTEST AND SUICIDE OF WU K’O-TU [132]
X
TZŬ HSI BECOMES SOLE REGENT [148]
XI
TZŬ HSI “EN RETRAITE” [161]
XII
THE REFORM MOVEMENT OF 1898 [178]
XIII
THE HUNDRED DAYS OF REFORM [190]
XIV
THE COUP D’ÉTAT OF 1898 [201]
XV
TZŬ HSI RESUMES THE REGENCY (1898) [211]
XVI
THE GENESIS OF THE BOXER MOVEMENT [246]
XVII
THE DIARY OF HIS EXCELLENCY CHING SHAN [251]
XVIII
IN MEMORY OF TWO BRAVE MEN [307]
XIX
SIDELIGHTS ON TZŬ HSI’S STATECRAFT [327]
XX
THE FLIGHT FROM PEKIN AND THE COURT IN EXILE [340]
XXI
HOW THE BOXER LEADERS DIED [363]
XXII
THE OLD BUDDHA PENITENT [375]
XXIII
THE RETURN OF THE COURT TO PEKING [387]
XXIV
HER MAJESTY’S NEW POLICY [417]
XXV
THE VALEDICTORY MEMORIAL OF JUNG LU [436]
XXVI
HER MAJESTY’S LAST DAYS [443]
XXVII
TZŬ HSI’S DEATH AND BURIAL [464]
XXVIII
CONCLUSION [476]
APPENDIX [499]
INDEX [517]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

FACING PAGE
THE “HOLY MOTHER,” HER MAJESTY TZŬ HSI[Frontispiece]
MAP OF PEKING[xii, xiii]
THE REGENT PRINCE CH’UN, WITH HIS TWO SONS, THE PRESENT EMPEROR (STANDING) AND PRINCE P’U CHIEH[4]
THE IMPERIAL DAÏS IN THE CHIAO-TAL HALL[18]
H.I.H. P’U JU, COUSIN OF THE PRESENT EMPEROR, SON OF THE BOXER PRINCE TSAI-YING, AND GRANDSON OF PRINCE KUNG[20]
HER MAJESTY TZŬ HSI IN THE YEAR 1903[36]
EXTERIOR OF THE CH’IEN CH’ING PALACE[54]
H.M. TZŬ HSI, WITH THE CONSORT (LUNG YÜ) AND PRINCIPAL CONCUBINE (JEN FEI) OF H.M. KUANG-HSÜ, ACCOMPANIED BY COURT LADIES AND EUNUCHS[90]
FACSIMILE OF LETTER WRITTEN BY CHIEF EUNUCH LI LIEN-YING[98]
INTERIOR OF THE YANG HSIN TIEN. (PALACE OF “MIND NURTURE.”)[122]
INTERIOR OF THE I KUN KUNG[148]
INTERIOR OF THE TAI HO TIEN[166]
CIRCULAR THRONE HALL IN THE GROUNDS OF THE LAKE PALACE LOOTED BY ALLIED TROOPS IN 1900[208]
PAVILION ON LAKE TO THE WEST OF FORBIDDEN CITY[208]
THE “BEILEH” TSAI YING, SON OF PRINCE KUNG (CASHIERED BY TZŬ HSI FOR PRO-BOXER PROCLIVITIES), AND HIS SON[252]
H.M. THE EMPRESS DOWAGER AND LADIES OF HER COURT (1903)[256]
THE TA-A-KO, SON OF PRINCE TUAN, THE BOXER LEADER[280]
REPRODUCTION OF PICTURE PAINTED ON SILK BY HER MAJESTY TZŬ HSI[284]
FACSIMILE OF A FRAGMENT OF THE DIARY[299]
DAUGHTERS OF A HIGH MANCHU OFFICIAL OF THE COURT[302]
MARBLE BRIDGE IN THE GROUNDS OF THE LAKE PALACE[350]
IN THE GROUNDS OF THE PALACE IN THE WESTERN PARK[350]
HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE TSAI HSÜN[386]
VIEW, FROM THE K’UN MING LAKE, OF THE SUMMER PALACE[452]
THE EMPRESS DOWAGER, WITH THE CHIEF EUNUCH, LI LIEN-YING[454]
THE SON OF HEAVEN[458]
MARBLE BRIDGE OVER THE LAKE IN THE WESTERN PARK WHICH SURROUNDS THE LAKE PALACE[474]
“TI WANG MIAO” OR TEMPLE TO THE MEMORY OF VIRTUOUS EMPERORS OF PREVIOUS DYNASTIES[474]
PORTRAIT OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER[482]
THE IMPERIAL DAÏS IN THE CH’IEN CH’ING HALL[498]
CEILING AND PILLARS OF THE TAI HO TIEN[510]

INDEX TO NUMBERED MAP OF PEKING