How does Cixi evaluate the slender woman who is so ugly?

Cixi was born in a bureaucratic family in Zhenglan Banner of Manchuria (later carried into Huangqi Banner of Manchuria). Ji Lang, the great grandfather of Cixi, once served as foreign minister in the Ministry of Housing, leaving a silver deficit and passing away. Grandfather Jing Rui is a doctor of Shandong punishments, equivalent to the director of the Ministry now. In the twenty-seventh year of Daoguang (1847), he was dismissed for failing to repay his father Jilong 'a's silver loss when he worked in the Ministry of Housing. Grandfather Huixian served as deputy commander-in-chief in Cheng Guihua, Shaanxi. My father's name is Cheng Wai, and he works as a pen in the official department. He is an eight-product civil servant who is equivalent to the secretary and translator of the personnel department and has been promoted repeatedly. According to the Qing palace archives "Cabinet Inspection" (the inspection record of Beijing officials by the Qing government once every three years), Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, was a pen-paste type in Daoguang eleven years (183 1), and the inspection in Daoguang fourteen years (1834) was a second-class pen-paste type in the official department. Nineteen years (1839) was a calligraphy style with eight styles. In the twenty-third year of Daoguang (1843), it was re-examined as the first-class calligraphy of the official department. Twenty-six years (1846), he was transferred to the position of director of the department of literary selection of the official department. Twenty-eight years (1848) and twenty-nine years (1849), because of the first-class inspection results, they were received by the emperor and released to the government-level office. In April of the same year, it was appointed as Guisui Road in Shanxi. Xianfeng two years (1852), transferred to Anhui Hui (Huizhou) Ning (Ningguo) Chi (Chizhou) Tai (Taiping) Guang (Guangdezhou) Road.

Judging from the resume of Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, he worked in Beijing, Shaanxi and Anhui. So where was Cixi born?

There are almost no documents about the birthplace of Cixi, because no one expected that this woman from an ordinary official family would become the empress dowager in charge of the affairs of the Qing Dynasty for nearly half a century in a few decades. In recent years, Beijing scholars have discovered a new historical material from the archives of the Qing Palace, namely "List of Women in the Draft of the Qing Emperor", which is called "List" in the archives. It is recorded that Cixi's own sister was selected as a female practitioner in the fifth year of Xianfeng (1855). Cixi's sister later became the side Fujin of Emperor Guangxu's mother Wang Yi. It is clearly recorded in "Paidan" that this woman belongs to Manchu with a blue flag, surnamed Ye La, and her father's name is the highest-ranking Taoist priest. According to this list, some scholars believe that five years ago in Xianfeng, Cixi lived in Beipichai Hutong, Xidan Pailou, Beijing. So this should be the birthplace of Empress Dowager Cixi. According to the regulation that the Eight Banners in Beijing lived in a different place, in the thirty-fifth year of Qianlong (1770), the Manchu government of Xianglanqi was in Huajiasi Hutong, Fuchengmen; In the early years of the Republic of China, the Manchu-Dutong Yamen in Xianglan Banner used to live in Fuchengmen 14 Huajia Temple. Chai Chaihu is very close to Huajia Hutong. Cixi's father belongs to Manchu with blue flags and should live in the area of Pichai Hutong.

In addition, some people think that Cixi was born in her hometown in Dongcheng, Beijing. "Emperor Qing" describes: "Cixi's mother's home is in the east of the city, and her father's official is in Chiguangtai Road, Huining, Anhui. At the end of Daoguang, Hongyang began an affair, Cheng Wai became ill, leaving his wife and children behind, and Cixi lived a long life. " A book says: "Prince Gong once generously said:' Qing Dynasty died in Fangjiayuan'!" Note: "Fangjiayuan is located in the northeast corner of Shi Jing, where Cixi's mother is located." Cixi's younger brother is auspicious, and he is a male heir. On August 17th, the ninth year of Tongzhi (1870), the Diary of Weng Tonghe recorded the funeral of Cixi's mother: "Yesterday, I took photos of my husband's mother and wife's funeral, drew a car and installed a spirit, which is unprecedented. The whole city is out of sight. It's crazy! There were many sacrificial sheds along the way, and every palace was full of money. The courtiers were all registered, but Assistant Minister Li (Minister of Military Aircraft and Assistant Minister of Household Affairs Li Hongzao) didn't go, which was quite satisfactory. "

The specific location of Cixi's family has not been solved yet, and the "list" of draft girls when Cixi entered the palace has not been found yet, so there are still five different opinions about Cixi's birthplace and life experience.

First, Cixi was born in Lanzhou, Gansu. According to Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, he used to be a post station in Gansu. Legend has it that Cixi was born in Mafangmen (now Yongchang Road 179 Courtyard) in the Eight Banners of Lanzhou, where her father lived. However, after consulting the documents and archives, experts found that although Cheng Wai made a brush paste, his position was in the Beijing government office, not in the Lanzhou government office.

Second, Cixi was born in Zhapu, Zhejiang. According to Cheng Wai, Cixi's father, he was an official in Zhapu, Zhejiang. People's Daily once published a short article entitled "Historical Discovery-Cixi was born in Zhapu, Zhejiang". This article says: Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, was a military attache in Zhapu, Zhejiang Province from 15 to 18 (1835 ~ 1838). Cixi was born in this period, so her birthplace was in Zhapu, Zhejiang Province. The article also said: among the old people in Zhapu today, there are still legends about Cixi's childhood. At that time, Beijing officials were required to conduct an assessment every three years. Scholars refer to the records of evaluation officials in Qing Dynasty. At this time, Cheng Wai was assessed as a second-class official position, and three years later, he was also assessed as an official position by the file of "Yifei (Cixi) meets eldest brother". Visible, Cheng Wai in Beijing at this time, is a civilian. Therefore, this statement is doubtful: First, Cheng Wai cannot be an official in Beijing and Zhejiang at the same time; Second, the official position is also wrong. He is a civilian in Beijing and a military attache in Zhejiang. Third, the results are inconsistent.

Thirdly, Cixi was born in Wuhu, Anhui. According to Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, Cixi worked as a Taoist in Guangtai Road, Huining, Anhui Province, and her official position was in Wuhu, so she was born in Wuhu. Because Cixi grew up in the south, she was good at singing Jiangnan ditty and won the favor of Emperor Xianfeng. Some novels and movies say so. There is a plot in the movie "Burning the Yuanmingyuan", in which Lan Guiren (later Cixi) sang a moving ditty in the "deep place of Tongyin" in Yuanmingyuan, and Emperor Xianfeng was fascinated by it and was deeply loved from then on. Obviously, Cixi cannot be isolated as evidence that she was born in the south just because she is good at singing southern ditty. Just as northerners can sing Huangmei Opera, it doesn't prove that they were born in Anhui. According to historical records, Zheng Hui became a monk in Huiningchi, Guang Tai in February of the second year of Xianfeng (1852) and officially took office in July of the same year. Cixi entered the palace in the first year of Xianfeng (185 1) and was made a noble; There is also a reward list for Lan Guiren in the file. It can be seen that Cixi is not from Wuhu, Anhui.

Fourth, Cixi was born in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia. According to Cheng Wai, Cixi's father, he was a Taoist priest in Suiyuan Road, Guihua, Shaanxi Province. Suiyuan City in Qing Dynasty, which is now Hohhot City in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, is also called Inner Mongolia Theory. Cheng Wai, the father of Cixi, was a Taoist in Guisui, Shaanxi Province, and his Ministry was in Guihuacheng (now Hohhot). It is said that there is a Phoenix Street in Hohhot, and Cixi was born in the Taoist temple of Phoenix Street. It is said that Cixi often went to play by the Cheng Guihua River when she was a child. However, according to documents, in the 29th year of Daoguang (1849), when Zheng Hui became a Taoist in Guisui, Shanxi, Cixi was 15 years old, so Cixi could not have been born in Cheng Guihua. However, Cixi may live in Guihua City with her father Zheng Hui. Huixian, the grandfather of Cixi, was an official in Cheng Guihua and served as deputy commander-in-chief from 11th to 17th year of Daoguang (183 1 ~ 1837). Cixi may have lived in her grandfather's house. The above has become the historical shadow of Cixi's birth naturalization theory (now Hohhot). It is impossible for Cixi's mother to go back to her parents' home from Beijing to have a baby, because the journey is long and it was impolite at that time. Therefore, it is unlikely that Cixi was born in Hohhot today.

Fifth, Cixi was born in Changzhi, Shanxi today. This is a new saying in recent years. According to this theory, Cixi is not Manchu, and her biological father is not Zheng Hui. Today's local legend in Changzhi, Shanxi Province: Cixi was originally the daughter of Wang Zengchang in Xipo Village, Changzhi County, Lu 'an District, Shanxi Province. Her name is Wang Xiaoyu. At the age of 4, she was sold to Song Siyuan's home in Shangqin Village because of her poor family, and changed her surname to Song Ling 'e, 1 1. At the age of 4, the Song family suffered misfortune and was sold to the magistrate of Lu 'an (now Changzhi City) as a maid. On one occasion, his wife, Fu Cha's, found that Ling E had a wart on each foot. She thought she was blessed, so she accepted her as her adopted daughter, changed her surname to Ye La's and named her Yulan. Later, Yulan was elected to the palace and became Lan Guifei. The local basis for saying that Cixi is the daughter of the Wang family is: (1) The Wang family tree has continued from the fifty-ninth year of Qianlong (1794) to the modern age. Wang's genealogy even said, "Later she became Empress Dowager Cixi". However, this genealogy is not the original genealogy, but was copied later. (2) There is also a local legend: at the foot of the mountain outside Xipo Village, there is also a tomb that is said to be the birth mother of Cixi. There is a monument in front of the grave. It turned out to be a wooden sign, and later it was erected. It is said that Cixi is the daughter of the Song family. The local basis is: (1) There is also a Queen's Courtyard in Shangqin Village, which is considered to be the courtyard where Cixi lived before she entered the palace. (2) On the kang of the Song family, a letter written by Cixi to the Song family was dug up. It is said that six generations of her grandnephew still have this letter. (3) The old Song family living in Shangqin Village said, "Empress Dowager Cixi belongs to our family." To this end, the Song family once signed a letter asking the government to investigate and clarify this matter. The legend above, with articles and objects, is concrete and vivid. There is a consensus in Changzhi that Cixi is a Changzhi native. Changzhi City also established Cixi Childhood Research Association for this purpose. The above touching legends are really legendary. According to experts' research, during this period, seven prefects served as the satrap of Lu 'an, but they didn't sign it. Since Cheng Wai was not an official in Lu 'an, Shaanxi Province, how could Cixi be sold to Zheng Hui's home in Lu 'an?

In short, wherever Cixi grew up, she was born in an official family. Coupled with Cixi's political experience before and after Xianfeng, she has vision, courage, wit, strategy and skills that ordinary women do not have. After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, the Empress Dowager Group and Emperor Yin jointly launched a palace coup to destroy the Eight Ministers Group of Zanxiang Government Affairs. This coup took place in the eleventh year of Xianfeng (186 1), which means that there is a year in the heart of the lunar calendar, so it is called "Xinyou coup" in history.