Two Years in the Forbidden City

For two years, Princess Der Ling was the favorite lady-in-waiting to the Empress Dowager Cixi in the imperial palace in Beijing. This book provides a unique and surprisingly intimate portrait of the Dragon Lady, who ruled China for 47 years, and brought the country to the brink of destruction. In this book, Princess Der Ling refers to the larger political context on many occasions. But the fascinating thing about the book is the small things - how the Empress Dowager spends her time, what her favorite color is, where she keeps her jewelry, what she thinks of the dress and complexion of European women, the meals and manners, and the fact that she always wanted to be a man. What emerges is a detailed portrait of the life and personality of the Empress Dowager, and a sense of the inner workings of the highly secretive world of the imperial palace.