a
reference to the
court of the
Dowager Empress of
China, Tsu-Hsi (1835-1908),
consort of Emperor Hsien-Feng. (A
dowager is a woman who
holds some
title or
property from her deceased husband, especially the widow of a
king, emperor, etc.) After the Emperor's
death she and the
late Emperor's wife became
dowager empresses and her young son was named the new Emperor. When her son died she arranged for her nephew to be put on the throne, but when he began a
radical modernization
program she forced him to renounce
power, allowing her to rule in his
place. One of the most powerful women in
China's
history, with a career
marked by ambition and cruelty, Tsu-Hsi ruled
China for three decades, resisting westernization and any
effort at reform.