Synopsis

The Emperor Guangxu felt a deep pain over the loss and humiliation his country faced in the Yellow Sea Battle of 1894. Despite his wishes to choose his own empress, Empress Dowager Cixi's monopoly of power left him powerless. Guided by his mentor, Weng Tonghe, and motivated by reformists like Kang Youwei, the Emperor resolved to modernize and reform his nation to restore its glory. Unfortunately, the conservative faction led by Empress Dowager Cixi refused to relinquish power and launched the Wuxu Coup, imprisoning the Emperor Guangxu and forcing Kang Youwei to flee. Tragically, Tan Sitong and others known as the "Six Gentlemen" were executed, leading to the collapse of the reform movement. Cixi was angry that some senior ministers and Westerners opposed the abdication of the Emperor. Subsequently, she manipulated the Boxer Rebellion in an attempt to save the Qing Dynasty and wipe out the Westerners. When the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, Cixi fled and had Empress Zhenfei, a supporter of the Emperor 's reform efforts, killed. With his country and dynasty falling apart, Guangxu was left with nothing but a sense of despair and helplessness.

Alternative Keywords: Qing gong mi shi