XI
A Ci Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

得到太多忘记怎么
一起度过风浪
得到了的实际不多
若你知道他跟野花作伴
掩饰太多蒙蔽许多
真相别要隐瞒
解释了么恨怨许多
别再花费青春怨天怨地

他别去无谓再回味
不属你的请他早远飞
由衷自信总会找到转机
明知亦陪他玩这把戏
若是抱怨是他伤你心
谁当天掀起战争
如果你当初不哑忍
如果他当初肯专一
如果你不跟他似伴侣般亲近
今天错失或会很多
不需太早失落
终于有天回你身边
若你肯放开总有天知晓
空想太多烦恼很多
哭声没有帮助
拖拉太多别要啰唆
别要把痛悲转化灾劫祸
他别去无谓再回味
不属你的请他早远飞
由衷自信总会找到转机

明知亦陪他玩这把戏
明天是由我玩这把戏

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of A Ci’s song “Ba Xi” describe the process of moving on from a relationship that was not meant to be. The singer has gotten too much, forgetting how they passed through challenges together. They don't have much practical knowledge, and the person they were with is now with someone else. They have tried to hide the truth and conceal their pain, but it's time to stop blaming the world and wasting their youth. They should let go of the person who doesn't belong to them anymore and who's playing a game with them. They need to be confident that they will find a turning point and move on. They shouldn't think too much and turn their sadness into disaster.

Line by Line Meaning

得到太多忘记怎么
Having obtained too much, one forgets the means to achieve it all.

一起度过风浪
Together, we weathered the storms.

得到了的实际不多
What we've gained is much less than what we've got.

若你知道他跟野花作伴
If you knew he was keeping the company of wildflowers.

掩饰太多蒙蔽许多
There's too much deception, too many hidden truths.

真相别要隐瞒
Don't conceal the truth.

解释了么恨怨许多
Despite explaining, there's still a lot of resentment.

别再花费青春怨天怨地
Don't waste your youth on blaming fate or the world.

他别去无谓再回味
Let him not ponder over fruitless thoughts.

不属你的请他早远飞
If he's not yours, let him fly away soon.

由衷自信总会找到转机
Confidently seeking a turning point.

明知亦陪他玩这把戏
Knowing full well that she's also a player in this game.

若是抱怨是他伤你心
If complaining helps soothe the pain he caused you.

谁当天掀起战争
Who started the war that day?

如果你当初不哑忍
If you hadn't kept silent from the start.

如果他当初肯专一
If he had been faithful from the start.

如果你不跟他似伴侣般亲近
If you hadn't been so intimate with him like a partner.

今天错失或会很多
Today, we've lost a lot of what could have been.

不需太早失落
Don't be too despairing too soon.

终于有天回你身边
Eventually, he'll come back to your side.

若你肯放开总有天知晓
If you let go, you'll eventually understand.

空想太多烦恼很多
Too much daydreaming can lead to too many woes.

哭声没有帮助
Crying won't help.

拖拉太多别要啰唆
Don't procrastinate, don't complain.

别要把痛悲转化灾劫祸
Don't turn sadness into disaster or misfortune.

明天是由我玩这把戏
Tomorrow, I'll be the one playing this game.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@konrox

3y↑229

Can we take a moment to appreciate the narrator’s immaculate pronunciation of ALL the languages heard in the video?!

@johnsy4306

2y↑11

Indeed. I have to say I enjoyed this video all the more because of the beautiful pronunciation of the Chinese names. Bravo!

@paulsharp2565

2y↑1

I would have preferred him to use the English pronunciation. I found it spoilt the documentary for me.

@Teleshit667

ever considered that he might be chinese who also speak english idiot

@Serjo777

1y↑4

@@paulsharp2565 lol

@BridgeFour05

45w↑4

@@paulsharp2565you sound like an American. Are you?

5 More Replies...

@The_Food_Police

4y↑434

Cixi seizing power of a celestial empire at 25 kinda makes all of us look like underachievers lol

@cconyap

4y↑45

So true so true considering shes swimming in a sea of extreme patriarchal culture during her time

@mandya6697

3y↑18

Food Police
She triggered the fall of that empire by putting a 3 tear old on the throne.

@esto85

3y↑7

She can kill an entire clan in an instant

@zimbomah12

3y↑5

Her hands were kind of tied though, for the first Decade of regency. Empress Dowager Ci’an was still her senior and many believe she had a secret will left by her husband that allowed her to stop anything that was deemed threats to her power. But it seems in the end Cixi won.

@N0N4M30

3y↑1

Not that impressive there have been younger ones like wu zeitan at 16 years

10 More Replies...

@juliennegracearcenal6273

3y↑291

I love how instead of fighting each other for more power, Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci'an worked together.

@terence_k

3y↑74

Tbf, Ci'an was the only real friend Cixi had back when they were nobodies in the imperial selection process, and was the reason that Cixi got noticed by the Emperor.

Ci'an likewise couldn't undertake any hostile action against Cixi as the biological mother of the Emperor lent considerable legitimacy and influence.

@organizedchaos4559

3y↑20

Not really Cixi pulled all the strings Cian only just throw her support behind her, she never had political ambitions.

@emilybarclay8831

3y↑36

Ci’an had all the ritual and traditional power and Cixi had all the political power. They made up for each other’s low points

@asheru9254

Just like Map and Chiang Kai Shek

@crazyhorse3344

@@terence_k cian was killed by cixi ! Cixi’s only friend was the eunuch who fucked her and make her pregnant many times

6 More Replies...

@bluestrife28

3y↑38

Chinese history is so fascinating. Very few cultures have survived since the dawn of man, and one that recorded its own history so well, I’m still learning new stuff all the time.

@alesto3202

https://youtu.be/zBtHgHy2iyM

@roro4787

1y↑2

agreed

@bluntblackjew

4y↑200

FINALLY, someone who knows how to pronounce her name! Bless you! Very good doc, so you've earned a new subscriber

@topherpadilla

4y↑17

I was watching another video about Cixi and the voice over kept pronouncing her name as "Sick-see". Though video was good, I really can't stand hearing "Sick-see" over and over again 😐, and stopped watching.

@reneefuller5609

4y↑1

I can't hear clearly how it is being pronounced. It sounds more like su-see to me. Please tell me how it is said. This has bothered me for a while.

@reneefuller5609

4y↑1

@@topherpadilla Suhk-see?

@reneefuller5609

4y↑4

@@topherpadilla Suh-shee? I'm going mad.

@bluntblackjew

4y↑2

@@reneefuller5609 Suh-shee

20 More Replies...

@TalliferUpplands

3y↑41

Thank you for such a clear explanation of a complex topic. (I also appreciate the natural and accurate Chinese pronunciation of the names! Such a big help for non-Chinese like myself.)

@History_of_China

3y↑2

Thanks for your comment :)

@thylaneofedgewater6595

3y↑1

@@History_of_China your french pronunciation was also on point, i was shocked

@gaspardbillaux4993

3y↑13

So so impressed by your perfect prononciation of French names ! And congrats your videos are excellent ! Thank you ✨

@History_of_China

3y↑1

Thank you so much!

@jingyun4323

3y↑1

He's half French I read somewhere. I'm so impressed with his Chinese pronunciation.

@marcuslee74239

3y↑193

Cixi : When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die. There is no middle ground.

@dougr.2398

3y↑4

Oh yes there is. That is a two-valued Aristotelian exaggeration to dramatize the realities of life by going to extremes. There are as many gradations of successes and failures as there are real numbers on the number line.... an incalculable infinitude with different types of infinities beyond your comprehension.

@dougr.2398

@Lor Ein thanks. I don’t play “Games of toilets” :-D (or read or watch)

@dougr.2398

@Lor Ein I’m a serious kind of person.... at times

@debishvebishwish4839

3y↑4

@@dougr.2398 it's just a reference, there's no need to for the further insult. It was uncalled for.

@dougr.2398

@@debishvebishwish4839 sorry you are offended, and have no sense of humor

2 More Replies...

@liyanxu

3y↑12

this channel deserves much more subscribers

@raadas.s.6161

3y↑77

The automatic generated subtitles are displaying Cixi as Cersei LOL

@justinianthegreat1444

10w↑2

She does make Cersei look like a noob

@SaveSoilSaveSoil

4y↑99

Chinese here. Han ethnicity with overall positive sentiment towards my country's last emperial dynasty. Cixi aka 孝钦显 was a reluctant "moderniser" with limited understanding of what "modernization" meant (not her fault) and absolutely no willingness to relinquish an iota of power. I don't blame her for not having saved China from foreign invasion and colonization during the 50 or so years when she was the de facto ruler of my country -- it was mission impossible, which I sometimes think only God himself can do. Her greatest crime was to place her personal comfort before the wellbeing of the nation. I wouldn't think that people would criticize her so harshly had she not built the 颐和园, not spent so lavishly on her meals, birthdays, and funeral, not run away to safety when foreign troops invaded Beijing, etc.

Cough, cough, cough. Some Chinese blame Cixi for failing to install constitutional monarchy in China. This is again not her fault. Constitutional monarchy mostly likely wouldn't have worked.

@mandya6697

3y↑2

ye tian

Shouldn't she stay at her place instead of putting a puppet? She did do that, didn't she ?

@OhPieDyeSki

3y↑12

Of course it's her fault. There is no excuse for the ignorance of the Qing Dynasty after the first Opium War. That should have been a wake up call. She wasn't stupid, she could have learned these things if she had wanted to. It's not only her fault, there are a lot of people to blame but she's definitely one of them. You can't hold absolute power for 45 years and not take the blame.

@700gsteak

3y↑5

She squandered the countrys money, failed to modernise the country and screwed the countrys leadership.

@phantasmagora6542

2y↑2

Cixi repeatedly killed off earnest efforts for reformation. If saving China was "mission impossible", it was made even more so with her at the top. Placing one's personal comfort before the wellbeing of the nation is a serious crime that should not be downplayed particularly when said nation is on the verge of collapse.

@Justiceforall3799

2y↑2

You are talking nonsense. Not only Han Chinese but also Chinese of the whole country were shamed of the Qing dynasty, which brought China over a hundred years of humiliation. The money Cixi used to build the marble ship in the summer palace ( 颐和园） was supposed to be used to build a Chinese Navy.

4 More Replies...

@markboudreau1410

3y↑7

These documentaries are incredible. Most westerners could never find this information on our own and your presentation is exceptional.
I did notice there were no advert spots in the video. You should definitely get paid for all this incredible work you put into these. I and many others would have no problem watching a few commercials for watching your videos. Please consider it and thank you for these great vids!🙏🙂❤️

@frankyong7740

no commercials please

@adelesoh4392

3y↑42

i love everything about your videos!! from how you pronounce every single name perfectly, to how you represent Chinese history in an objective way!!! I’ve seen so many documentaries of cixi portrayed in a very, i would say ‘coloniser’ perspective, but you put it in such an authentic manner. love your videos and i hope you keep it up!!!

@bw7754

24w↑1

And the irony that China has now turned into a colonizer themselves 😂

@francessealexis160

3y↑11

I really love learning about Chinese history.

@mbegum3249

3y↑6

I really appreciate your voice and summary of events. Very dramatic and enjoyable to listen to the historical events.

@History_of_China

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed

@johnyricco1220

4y↑109

Cixi was a modernizer up to a point. The Qing Empire was over 90% Han with the ruling Manchus a tiny minority. Modernization inevitably leads to the increase in wealth and position of the Han thus threatening the balance of power. This was the main reason earlier emperors refused to modernize. Cixi would soon run into the same problem.

At this point in history it was too late to save the Qing dynasty, but it was still possible to save China. Cixi would chose the interests of the dynasty over the country and kill reforms when it threatened her power.

@thefalconflame

4y↑8

Yet she failed to save the dynasty

@jackieclan815

4y↑7

That's why they should've intermarried with the Han then

@jackieclan815

@Matthew Who knows

@sophiawilson8696

3y↑6

@@thefalconflame so she gave power to a 3 years old? crazy man 😲 and kill the 37 years old man who going take over?. Lack of sense.

@thefalconflame

3y↑5

@@sophiawilson8696 Yes, and the 3 year old grew up to be a sociopath, who liked to torture and beat his servants to death.

5 More Replies...

@jjc5475

4y↑15

excellent video. i barely know anything about China so these videos are a great watch for me!

@History_of_China

4y↑2

Thanks for following ! I'm glad you enjoy :)

@markboudreau1410

3y↑5

So awesome! That's about the best documentary on CiXi and China I've even seen!🙂 Notifications are on, keep them coming.❤️

@nicosalazar4726

3y↑85

Quite interesting, Empress Cixi, together with the Empress of India, Queen Empress Victoria ruled the world. They were both the most powerful women in the world at that time.

@detroitcoffeeartdetroit6502

3y↑11

And yet both did little to nothing for women's suffrage

@jikan114

3y↑15

Empress of India is a vastly self-deluded title

@jolp9799

3y↑4

this is empress wu erasure lol

@aliabdallah102

2y↑1

Not really, one was a powerful player in a decaying empire and the other one was Chinese.

@donniedewitt9878

She damned the Chinese to stagnation and by doing so,let her peoples teeth get kicked in by the Japanese

2 More Replies...

@zimbomah12

4y↑110

Could you do a series on “The Step Empress”. One of the most misunderstood Consorts in Chinese history

@History_of_China

4y↑37

Yes, I probably will make a video on her some time ;)

@mimakeo

4y↑8

YESSS SHES MY FAVE

@catherinefink9114

3y↑7

Empress Nara?

@Ashley-vs8nu

3y↑2

The would be beyond awsome

@adinaqasenivanua8377

3y↑1

@@History_of_China yes please do i really wanna see a video about her

1 More Replies...

@sheenObeenO

3y↑3

I'm over here getting distractedly entranced by the instrumental version of "painted heart" in the background music. 😍

@batmanplusjoker

3y↑5

Reading “China” by Edward Rutherford. These videos have helped my comprehension immensely. Thank you for sharing. Excellent animations and easy to understand.

@History_of_China

Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed

@michaelh5416

4y↑6

Excellent video: superior analysis of history, great narration and terrific graphics

@History_of_China

Thank you so much!

@michaelh5416

4y↑1

@@History_of_China Keep up the great work

@TheLoyalOfficer

3y↑5

Excellent work! I might show this to my World History students!

@danawinsor1380

1y↑1

This is a wonderful documentary! Thank you so much!

@History_of_China

1y↑1

I'm glad you liked it!

@JP-nt5vb

4y↑4

I'm glad you started to post the info about the songs you use in the description.

@MrGuyJacks

4y↑44

Somehow I think I now know from where George R R Martin got his inspiration for Cersei in ASOIAF, even the name kind of fits

@sampuatisamuel9785

3y↑1

Maybe also from Circe of ancient legends

@dayangmarikit6860

3y↑2

Wu Zetian was even more brutal than Cixi.

@haodeplorable266

3y↑1

I love cersei. She's just trying to survive

@blue_diamond_gem

3y↑73

I like how we glossed over a healthy 18 year old emperor “dying” lol

@didijean7735

3y↑1

@InquisitorThomas

3y↑18

I mean to be fair this was the 1800s, there some diseases that are easily treatable now that were death sentences back then, and that’s assuming the medical treatment you’re receiving isn’t bunk pseudoscience like bloodletting or consuming mercury pills.

@goldreverre

3y↑7

It's disputed. There's evidence for two arguments, small pox (the official line) or syphilis (the common rumor at the time), but either way, traditional Chinese medicine, with it's focus on blocking wind and balancing qi with soup made of boiled bark is hardly going to do the job.

@OhPieDyeSki

3y↑3

Lot of very suspicious deaths. Some of these people were definitely murdered. People who were disgraced or inconvenient seemed to have very sudden health problems.

@xxgamin6986

He probably had syphillis

@ashleysteinhaus9447

4y↑8

Wow so glad you made this! I actually briefly know about this empress through a WEBTOON called Phantom Paradise. I wasn’t sure if she was actually real though

@History_of_China

Glad you enjoyed!

@SheBeastJehanne

4y↑1

Obviously the author of Phantom Paradise took A LOT of artistic liberties with the story, especially since it's set in hell after all the characters have died already, but I recall them mentioning when they were originally posting it on Tapas that part of their purpose for creating the story was to teach readers about Chinese history.

@sarahlachman1349

21w↑4

i think it can be safe to say that Cian likely held more power behind the scenes to keep Cixi in check, as Cian was the true Empress and matriarch of the family as the late Emperor's main wife.
Cixi without Cian become the most corrupt person in the Late Qing and had noone to check her power, which she used to remove all threats to her power playing everyone off eachother to the destruction of the Qing.

@franciscomm7675

4y↑73

“The dragon lady”- awesome nickname

@peuppeuppeup

the chinese version of dragon isnt nearly the same as european version of dragon, i would prefer verbose transliterate it into english as "long" 龙 {second tone}.

@peuppeuppeup

verbatim

@albertovilla3039

Dragon lady...was M.mme Nu in Vietnam

@MinhNguyen-ff6xf

@@albertovilla3039 it’s madame Ngo Dinh Nhu

@dougr.2398

3y↑15

Great history rarely taught in Western high Schools. Worth watching at least twice

@History_of_China

3y↑2

Thank you ! Glad you njoyed it :)

@postscript5549

19w↑2

Thank you.

@reythejediladyviajakku6078

3y↑13

I like that she got along with the empress. I mean, how often does that happen that the empress will actually have a concubine in her good books?

@nomagea2684

14w

Many many thanks for this

@History_of_China

13w

Most welcome!

@NubianGirl7

4y↑5

Very interesting knowing about empress Cixi life 👍🏽

@AmericanFUBAR33

2y↑2

You're a very good narrator for such complex as Chinese history even for me being half Chinese!

@History_of_China

Thank you!

@silentone11111111

Liking this deep dive format to your vids. The pics and film clips are a nice backdrop to what could have been a big info dump. Great work. Loving the channel

@History_of_China

Thank you!

@pablorr24

3y↑2

Awesome video, really enjoyed it. Thanks for your effort!

@History_of_China

Glad to hear it :)

@pyrocentury

4y↑13

Great work. I think a rather interesting series to do will be one centered around Wang Anshi and the New Policies, the problems that plagued the dynasty at the time and the context as to why these problems developed in the first place. This has a lot of parallels and lessons learned that can be applied to understanding current events and modern political discussions.

@lessQQmorePewPew.

4y↑10

How on earth you only have 9.8k subscribers?
Great stuff you have here.

@History_of_China

Thanks so much ! Feel free to share my work around ;)

@j.louisv.123

3y↑3

Very well done. Very well written. Moore please on all the Royalty of Asia.

@MeimeiLovesmusic

4y↑3

Wonderful!! Never learned any of China’s history in school. This is real education!

@History_of_China

3y↑1

Glad you enjoyed :)

@MeimeiLovesmusic

3y↑1

History of China your videos are fantastic! Keep up the great work. Your audience is benefiting so much from your dedicated high quality work.

@philliphamilton3591

3y↑3

Wow, i have learnt so much. Thank you👏👏👏👏👏👏

@History_of_China

Glad to hear it :)

@chilldragon4752

3y↑10

Ancient Chinese history is so cool.

@kurzges4105

3y↑1

hardly ancient

@EUGENIUS60

3y↑5

Impressive presentation. I subscribe for more.

@scottgeorge4268

Great series, thank you ❤

@History_of_China

Glad you enjoy!

@sjewitt22

4y↑57

Did the two Empresses stay friends. I find their relationship interesting, especially if the trust between them stayed strong.

@History_of_China

4y↑31

I think they continuously had more or less good relations

@celestephelps144

Weren't they cousins, and Zu'An had a sister who was the Empress, and when she died was automatically chosen as the new one?

@liendiep3404

3y↑9

She murdered her. This lady is cersi Lannister but in real life. She found out the other queen had a second will left by the emperor. He knew that there was a possibility she would over step her boundaries. And when she did the other queen took the will out putting her in her place. Thinking she would change. But in the end she was murdered by cixi servant. The great empire started its decline because of this women. Because she didn’t want to give up her power she kept insisting replacing the king with younger and young princes.

@celestephelps144

3y↑3

So true. She almost had her karma strike back when her adopted son was in collusion with others who wanted her dead.

@tokugawanimatsu5532

3y↑1

@@celestephelps144 nope, Cixi from yehenara clan while cian from niohuru, they might didn’t even know each other before entering the forbidden city, the previous wife of emperor from sakda clan died a month before he descended the throne and yet Cian and the sakda wife’s related by marriage, Cian’s paternal aunt married Sakda’s Maternal uncle nam Duanhua who was one of Tongzhi’s regent. But still, they weren’t sister.

3 More Replies...

@moonyasnow36

3y↑7

Here after reading chapter 67-71 of Phantom Paradise. So minor spoilers ahead.

The comic showed her life in a more sympathetic light. Some things I found interesting that were changed around is that Cixi was not the emperor's birth mother, and instead his stepmother. And it seems like that British guy and the eunuch she was suspected of having an affair with were sort of mashed together to create Javert. Also I believe the comic made her birth name was 'Lan-er', and in the comic she's the adopted/servant to the daughter of her irl family.

@mssamsung7651

TQ.a good presentation of past history of China.love your command of history of the middle kingdom.

@musiclover-tf6fu

4y↑6

Very informative and interesting ....... Particularly with what's going on in China right now❗️❗️❗️

@History_of_China

4y↑2

Thank you !

@GeneralLiuofBoston1911

4y↑2

It is pivotal to understand Chinese history to understand why they act as they do now.

The Belt and Road Initiative is very reminiscent to similarities of the old Silk Road sea routes and the areas where Zheng He had onced voyaged during the Ming Dynasty.
Not to mention the control of Xinjiang having been gained and lost multiple times since the Han Dynasty
Or the push for Hong Kong to remain under Chinese rule, let alone Taiwan or the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands

@angelamagruder5911

3y↑2

Very interesting,fascinating information,learn something new and different everyday and year,bless the Lord!!!!!?

@chanchoykein6670

Many thanks for the elaborate history

@History_of_China

Glad you enjoyed!

@johnchristiancanda3320

42w↑1

Empress Dowager Tz'u Hsi was also portrayed as a villainess in the Canadian animated series "Twins of Destiny".

@sunofwinter888

Love ur channel !!!!

@veljaycopalmes506

I love that you pronounced her name correct 👍

@lucastaylor2321

I love Empress Cixi ... she was lovely 😊

@milominderbinder6209

3y↑1

Video Idea: Clan system in Chinese history. What were these clans like Sima, Cao, etc? Why was at times entire clan killed? Do Chinese still have clan identity?

This video can be a brief sociological history of China.

@Luboman411

3y↑1

At 18:26. Well, well, well. No only is someone really good with the British English accent and the Mandarin Chinese accent, but he's also got the French accent down pat. Congrats! That's hard to do with two languages, let alone three!

@CALEBBYPRODUCTIONS

4y↑1

Part 2 Part 2! Cant wait for it!

@History_of_China

There probably will be 2 videos in between before part 2 ;)

@LOLERXP

3y↑6

You can practically see the dynasty grow weak and frail at 23:35

@reythejediladyviajakku6078

3y↑1

Talk about power behind the throne. I gotta wonder if they discussed what they would advise before audience meetings

@nilanjanchanda597

3y↑1

from which series/film you have collected those video clips??

@History_of_China

All video credits are in the descritption :)

@mikehunt9884

2y↑2

that charles gordon really got to wear a yellow/gold vest? thats the official qing dynasty color, only royals can wear those colors, supposedly

guess he did:

The Emperor promoted Gordon to the rank of tidu (提督: "Chief commander of Jiangsu province" – a title equal to field marshal), decorated him with the imperial yellow jacket, and raised him to Qing's Viscount first class, but Gordon declined an additional gift of 10,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury. Only forty men were allowed to wear the Yellow Jacket, which was the Emperor's ceremonial bodyguard, and it was thus a signal honour for Gordon to be allowed to wear it.

That is impressive, this guy deserves his own tv series!

@History_of_China

Definitely! He was one of the rare foreigners to ever receive such an honour.

@SixthDivison

2y↑1

After watching the history of the last Emperor Puyi I just had to subscribe.

@annieoakley2925

3y↑3

I first found out about Cixi from reading a fictionalized story written by Pearl S. Buck. I thought it was a great story. Then I got a a non-fiction book about her. The stories about how she maneuvered her way to the top were incredible. Try it. Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China by Jung Chang

@History_of_China

3y↑3

I know this book! It was one of the sources I used while making this video :)

@frankyong7740

3y↑1

@@History_of_China Please tell me how reliable and credible is Jung Chang's book work on Cixi? She is no historian in training, and her earlier book work on Mao was much criticised by political scholars and historians alike.

@mio780308

generous words for a corrupted power loving old hag

@louisedalessandro4903

50w

Yes...I too just finished reading JUNG CHANGS BOOK AND AM PRESENTING IT Monday at my book club. Chang did a deep dive into Cixis life and her years ruling. Apparently most historians who have written about her make her out to be vile, manipulative and not the effective ruler who was actually prescient about saving China under terrible pressures from western countries. Very complex times and people's from differentvworlds. The abuse against China by many other nations is still be playing out today. Everybody wanted a piece of China on their own terms. The fact that she navigated through those years and stayed alive and in charge is extrodinary.

@bluestrife28

3y↑1

And I thank you so much for helping fix many mispronunciations I’ve made over the years , like totally Anglicanizing Chengde as “Chengh-dee” 👍👍

@itsmee3604

4y↑2

Please tell me what movie is in there the clips what movie are they from

@History_of_China

All video credits are in the description :)

@Engelhafen

4y↑5

The Catholic Church and missionaries were very prominent in China all the way back to the 16th century, including priests who were part of the imperial circle.

@TimSmyth23

So?

@gsabo1000

I find it so interesting.

@juanaherrera6260

3y↑1

Me gusta mucho la cultura china, sobre todo lo k se relaciona c el emperador y sus concubinas, pero sería posible k los subtítulos fueran en español, gracias

@samilsam

2y↑1

I am reading a book about her life and i can say that she was very smart

@cheikhAmarezzahi

Thank you do for your video , unfortunatly looks like you been running to finish this video , talking so quickly which didnt gave the story its real charme

Hopefully next videos will be much better

All the best

@nefosworld

4y↑3

What I’m absolutely desperate to see is a more modern remake of a drama based around Cixi’s life. I’ve been looking for one for ages but they’re all so old I can’t find anything apart from clips, and those don’t even have English subs😢😭😭

@JanooseCanada

4y↑1

http://dramacool.bz/drama/the-confidant.html
This was by hong kong eight years ago with eng sub. this is about Cixi with her eununch don't know how accurate it is to actual.

@nefosworld

Janice Kwok oh my gosh thank you so much!!!! I’ve wanted to see one for agessssss

@ff82800

4y↑2

Check out "Firmament of the Pleaides"

@nefosworld

F F I literally found that yesterday! It’s so good, I’ve been watching it!

@frankyong7740

@@JanooseCanada usually very dramatized

@Cam-ty9zd

32w

Where did you get the photo of Li Hongzhang sitting with a small dog on his lap ?

@History_of_China

27w

I'm sorry, which one are you referring to?

@celestephelps144

3y↑1

Can you do a documentary about Yinglou? She fascinates me, and in Drama Forever, the actress who plays her, does a beautiful job! Thank you!

@History_of_China

I have many different projects planned, but I'll think about it :)

@celestephelps144

Thank you very much!

@celestephelps144

This is so true.

@quondo88

Awesome video and accurate retelling of latter Ching dynasty history!

@History_of_China

Thank you !

@sammelland469

3y↑1

What show did you get the footage from?

@seu6238

You are hot

@finalfantsyx

3y↑2

Would it be possible to make an in depth video on Prince Gong, and whether he had a positive impact on China?

@History_of_China

I'm afraid I don't really have enough time for that subject. I have many more projects planned first

@finalfantsyx

@@History_of_China In that case, looking forward to your other videos.

@raymondyu412

4y↑21

Her nickname was called “Old Buddha”

@History_of_China

4y↑4

Correct. I'll talk about it in part 2 :)

@Luboman411

3y↑2

At 14:42. I don't know, that still looks like pretty good Classical Chinese to me. There are a few wonky characters here and there, but dyslexic this woman was not. Learning written Classical Chinese is hella-hard, so even ill-educated Classical Chinese is a million leagues better than what I can attempt. LOL...

@gordonwan6284

2y↑3

Imagine Prince Gong being the Emperor

@EarlofMcCleaster

4y↑6

I never know that ronglu was a police officer and also could do a video about him please

@History_of_China

4y↑1

I'll perhaps make a video of him someday, but not anytime soon. I'll talk more about him in Cixi part 2 though

@dougr.2398

I am profoundly puzzled regarding Why internal government documents are consistently (across differing production sites) called “memorials”. A) who died in order to write the MEMO? B) a “ memo” according to Webster’s dictionary (online) is short for MEMORANDUM, a Latin term stemming from the same root as memorial (obviously), memory, the Greek goddess of memory (and the mother of the nine Muses) Memosyne (spelling correct?). How did this bizarre appellation originate? Why has it been allowed to perpetuate? It seems to me to imply a state fascination with death, rather than life.

@dracokaiser

Can’t find part 2. Is it not made yet?

@History_of_China

I'm afraid not. Since I resumed my studies, I have very little time to make videos. It should be released in 1 - 2 weeks though !

@haroldbridges515

Good video. Worth noting that Reginald Johnston was spying for the British the whole time he was tutoring Puyi.

@jagvillani338

4y↑37

I've always perceived strong parallels between Cixi and Empress Wu Zetian. I wonder if she did too.

@82leegary

4y↑5

Maybe she was Empress Wu in her past life.

@mdstanton1813

4y↑2

I have read that the perception of Wu was not very favorable after her reign so it's a curious idea. Would she have identified with Wu Zetian or avoided the comparison? Interesting

@cconyap

@@mdstanton1813 cixi enjoyed the the political and cultural effect of the severe national turmoil and transition due to foreign political culture poking on their native political upbringing.

@cerebrumexcrement

3y↑2

dont see the similarities except whats between their legs.

@respawnsoar9844

3y↑1

More three kingdoms vids please

@finalfantsyx

4y↑3

I'm curious how much research was put into making these videos? and how accurate is it? From my research previously, I learned that Cixi was against modernization due to fear of losing her power and did her best to undermine Guanxu at any attempts to modernize and attempts to instill other administration reforms along with school reforms.

@thefalconflame

4y↑1

wait until part 2

@History_of_China

4y↑6

Basically : in her early rule (described in this video), she saved the Qing from collapse. In her late rule (that I'll cover in next video), she sabotaged Guangxu's attempts to reform China. Her role overall was neither completely positive nor completely negative

@finalfantsyx

4y↑2

@@History_of_China Thanks for the clarification. Love the videos, very informative!

@History_of_China

@@finalfantsyx Glad you enjoy :)

@Sunotaiga

4y↑1

Where have you found Cixis name as a child? I've found no source where it was mentioned

@History_of_China

4y↑4

This is according to a descendant of the Yehenara clan, Yehenara Gengzheng (aka Na Gengzheng). He claims Cixi's grandfather gave her that name. Since her personal name was never officially written down, it is the only source available.

@Sunotaiga

@@History_of_China thank you!

@DowntownChris

You go girl!

@nathanpas6743

4y↑11

Would anyone else be inclined to reward his work in some way? (Patreon, paypal)....

@RandiPoitras

Pretty sure there is no link in the description to the other video you mentioned about the concubines

@History_of_China

I must have forgotten to add it. It's fixed now! I'll also provide the link here : https://youtu.be/RlCtb_7zGeg

@edwardschneider7385

26w

Are Beijing And Peking Interchangeable names for the Chinese Capital?

Im a bit confused because im pretty sure it was known as Peking Back Then

Which name was more historically accurate?

@History_of_China

26w

Yes they are interchangeable, even though practically noone in the English-speaking world today would refer to Beijing as Peking. In my Qing dynasty videos, I want to give the Chinese side of the story, so I tend to call it Beijing, however Westerners at the time would have referred to it as Peking. Considering battles or treaties, I prefer to use 'Peking' (e.g. Convention of Peking in 1860, Battle of Peking in 1900) because that is their official name in historiography :)

@edwardschneider7385

26w

@History_of_China thank you that really helps clear things up a bit

So the did the Chinese back then refer to it as Peking Beijing Or Both?

@matthewct8167

4y↑33

I didn’t know she was such a modernizer. In China she’s known as the person who didn’t want to modernize.

@abmong

4y↑9

Most likely misogynistic character assassination by the warlord factions trying to legitimize their own rule.

@History_of_China

4y↑30

She was in the beginning, but wait until we get to part 2 ;)

@charsensei878

4y↑2

In the history lesson every Chinese student would learn"new policies of Qing"(清末新政)which were a series modernizing reformations led by Cixi after 1900.

@matthewct8167

4y↑2

The best case scenario would be for imperial insiders to purge majority of the Qing government and replace them with western style statesmen in the 1850s. Thus establishing a Napoleonic dictatorship. By the way, I know it’s pretty much impossible, but alternate history is fun.

@charsensei878

4y↑8

@@matthewct8167
The main issue Qing was facing in the mid 19th century was the Taiping rebellion when the central government give local governors the millitary and financial authorities thus obviously weakened the power of the Empire led to the collapse of Qing in 1911.I'm afraid a Napoleonic dictatorship ruling only Beijing would not help.

9 More Replies...

@themingwarrior6391

4y↑8

Overseas Chinese really disliked her rule of China. She tried to get rid of a lot of reformers and revolutionaries often in brutal ways in a age of Fast Modernisation. The fact that China was still run by a Powerhungry Foreign Monarch, who lived lavious luxury was seen as Backwards by many

@History_of_China

4y↑1

I'll talk about her massive conservatism, and refusal to give up power in the next part :)

@700gsteak

Probably because overseas Chinese at the time could be sent back to China at anytime and if they didnt have their pony tail they would get their heads chopped off so they had to face even further discrimination overseas with their silly qing haircut.

@jw1731

3y↑1

Do you think George R R Martin may have modeled Cersei loosely on Cixi, or was it just a coincidence? Not only are their names somewhat similar sounding, their deeds were similar too. Not only are both ambitious royal ladies controlling their sons who are the monarchs, but both cynically used religious zealots to leverage against their political opponents (The sparrows / the boxers) with disastrous outcomes.

@History_of_China

It's possible! I hadn't really thought about it before, but several people have mentioned it

@tingxuan2481

hi! do you happen to know which part of the forbidden city was cixi prohibited from entering?

@History_of_China

3y↑1

Hi, I'm not exactly sure as I haven't studied the forbidden city in depth yet. It depends at what time : As noble lady Yan, many areas where inaccessible, but as empress dowager Cixi, I believe she could access most of it

@tingxuan2481

@@History_of_China thank you for your response!

@nont18411

4y↑1

Now I’m interested in the future episodes - Great Leap Forward, Occupation of Tibet, Cultural Revolution, Gang of Four, the Rise of Deng Xiaoping, the Reunification of HK in 1997 and June 4, 1989 incident (Youtube deleted my comment when I wrote it as T.... massacre).

@jarmel4339

4y↑16

"The state of the Qing Dynasty was catastrophic."

@lungchan1729

3y↑4

This dynasty supressed the han like there's not tomorrow. They forced their subjects to have a specific of hair cut to remind the people they been conquer . It's either you got the hair cut or leave your head... Also what kinda stupid culture is that you have to keep the hairs because it's what your ancestor gave you??? Is that confucianism??? Really thousands of year and they find that's normal that hair can't be cut because it's what you father and mother gave it to you??? And then they build statues of Confius??? Ok the statues are build, don't destroy it, but At least in elementary schoool can someone remind how stupid is that. Anyway which dynasty in the end was not catastropic? All dynasty sucks big time. Most dynasty will encouter one or two idiot emperor who will be too coward to embrace modernity and progress because thoses things can overthrown him. They are too occupy to have as sex and eat as they can. In all dynasty you will encounter a idiot emperor like that and then downward spiral will follow. Imagine a big country and decisions need to pass through one person???? maybe not all things, but most things... he has the veto right all the time. It's amazing that system work for so long.

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