Skip to main content.

With the Empress Dowager of China

Gelesen von Gail Timmerman Vaughan

(4,3 Sterne; 10 Bewertungen)

Through the eyes of an artist, With the Empress Dowager of China provides a glimpse of life in the Chinese Imperial Court, unseen by any other Westerner. In 1903, Katharine Carl, an American artist, was invited to paint a portrait of Cixi, the Empress Dowager of China, for display at the 1904 Exhibition at St Louis, USA. For nine months from the 5th of August 1903 when the painting was begun, Miss Carl lived within the Chinese Imperial Court, residing at the Summer Palace, Winter Palace and Sea Palace. During those nine months, a total of four portraits of the Empress Dowager were completed. While living in the Chinese Imperial Court, Miss Carl had the opportunity to observe the customs, personalities, entertainments and politics of the Royal household, and in particular to observe the Empress Dowager, who Miss Carl found to be graceful, warm, intelligent and generous.

Although Katharine Carl did not plan to publicise her experiences, With the Empress Dowager of China was written as a response to articles appearing in the American and British press containing statements never made by her and other misrepresentations. Words were being put into her mouth, she was being put into a very difficult position, and corrections needed to be made. By writing an account of life in the Imperial Court she risked “offending the sensibilities of her Chinese friends” since any comments on the personalities of the Emperor or Empress Dowager were considered to breaches of etiquette. Nevertheless, she did publish “a simple and truthful narrative of my experiences” in 1906.

For most of the time from 1861 until her death in 1908, Cixi, the Empress Dowager of China, was co-regent or regent, and was in control of the Chinese government, due to the youth and inexperience of the Emperors during those years as well as to her capabilities. Her legacy is controversial, and she is viewed variously as a despot, a reformer, and a capable and gracious ruler and administrator.

Katharine Carl’s St Louis Exposition portrait of the Empress Dowager of China resides in the collection of the Arthur M Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC. (summary by Gail Timmerman-Vaughan) (7 hr 56 min)

Chapters

Introductory

9:56

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter I. My presentation and first day at the Chinese court

21:56

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter II. Personal appearance of Her Majesty -- A Chinese repast -- Boating

13:53

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter III. The palace of the Emperor's Father

10:20

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter IV. Her Majesty's throne-room

12:41

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter V. The young Empress and ladies of the court

12:28

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter VI. Continuation of the portrait

9:58

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter VII. Festivities at court

11:08

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter VIII. His Majesty the Emperor

14:05

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter IX. The Emperor's birthday

22:08

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter X. Peking -- the Sea Palace

20:39

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XI. Some characteristics of Her Majesty -- second visit to the Sea Pal…

16:59

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XII. Return to the Summer Palace

8:14

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XIII. The steam-launch -- semi-annual sacrifices to Confucius

8:55

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XIV. The palace eunuchs

9:49

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XV. Literary tastes and accomplishments of the Empress Dowager

18:39

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XVI. The Great Audience Hall

10:38

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XVII. The Summer Palace

9:54

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XVIII. Festival of the Harvest Moon

13:36

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XIX. A Garden Party

9:11

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XX. Beginning of a second portrait of the Empress Dowager

9:47

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXI. A European circus at the palace

11:22

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXII. Palace customs

14:01

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXIII. Her Majesty's anxiety -- her birthday

9:32

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXIV. The Winter Palace

16:57

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXV. Peking -- beginning the portrait for St. Louis

12:15

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXVI. Some social customs

17:09

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXVII. Present-giving

10:39

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXVIII. Some winter days at the palace

12:01

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXIX. Religious rites

12:36

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXX. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager

26:31

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXXI. Her Majesty the Empress Dowager (continued)

15:03

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXXII. The Chinese New Year

12:41

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXXIII. Continuation of the St. Louis portrait

10:38

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXXIV. Finishing and sending off the portrait

9:32

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Chapter XXXV. Return to the Summer Palace

11:07

Read by Gail Timmerman Vaughan

Bewertungen

Wonderful narration!

(5 Sterne)

Absolutely fantastic narration! Very soothing and informative.