When Empress Dowager Cixi was born, the book “Shun Tian Fu Zhi” recorded: “In the 15th year of the Daoguang era, on the 10th day of the 10th month of the Year of the Goat, the sacred crows gathered, and did not disperse for three days.”
In ancient Chinese society, there was a strong belief in the connection between heaven, earth, and humanity. People believed that many strange natural phenomena or astronomical events predicted the rise and fall of dynasties.
For example, the phenomenon of “the seven stars appearing together”—meaning that if a person was born under the auspices of a Qilin, Dragon, or a thousand-year-old Turtle, it was considered to predict an extraordinary future.
Empress Dowager Cixi (1833-1908).
However, on the very day Empress Dowager Cixi was born, a strange phenomenon appeared in the sky over the Qing Dynasty, causing fear among everyone.
The book “Shun Tian Fu Zhi” states: “In the 15th year of Daoguang, on the 10th day of the 10th month of the lunar calendar, a flock of crows covered the sky, and did not disperse for three days.” This means that on the 10th day of the 10th month of the 15th year of Daoguang, a black flock of crows covered the sky, refusing to disperse for three days. It was on that very day that Cixi was born.
According to various reports, when Empress Dowager Cixi was born, she did not cry for three days and three nights. The family thought she was mute or had a strange illness, worried that they could not raise her. At the same time, many black crows appeared in the backyard of Cixi’s home, covering the sky, continuously cawing in the courtyard. While Cixi remained silent for three days and three nights, the crows kept cawing non-stop.
Moreover, historical records indicate that a flock of crows flew around the Forbidden City, circling back and forth, eventually stopping over the Central Sea and the Southern Sea in the Forbidden City. When the people witnessed this, they all proclaimed that the one who would end the Qing dynasty had been born, and that this dynasty would not last long. However, the Daoguang Emperor at that time saw it as a rare good omen. He was very pleased and even held a grand banquet for the officials for three consecutive days.
Black crows covering the sky on the day of Cixi’s birth – (Illustrative image).
The reason is that the Manchus followed Shamanism. In this belief, crows are considered sacred birds, symbols of luck and good omens. Furthermore, in the legends of the Nüzhen people, crows once helped their ancestors. Therefore, when a large number of crows appeared and flew around the Forbidden City, Emperor Daoguang regarded it as an extremely rare good omen in centuries. But he did not realize that the good omen he was celebrating was actually a ‘signal’ that would lead the Qing dynasty towards its doom.
As Cixi grew up, she became beautiful. Additionally, her family, the Yehe Nara clan, was large and had been officials for many generations. Cixi received a very thorough education from a young age, excelling in poetry, literature, and etiquette, which made her stand out during the selection of consorts for Daoguang’s son, Xianfeng. Later, she became the favored consort of Emperor Xianfeng.
Cixi bore the only son of Xianfeng, which allowed her, after his death, to instigate a coup, seize control of the Qing dynasty, and rule the country for 47 years. Her 47 years of power led the Qing dynasty to miss repeated opportunities for reform and revival, pushing the dynasty further along the path to collapse.
Not only at her birth, but even after Empress Dowager Cixi’s death, there were many rumors about mysterious phenomena occurring.
Continuous Thunder and Lightning
According to historical records, on the day of Empress Dowager Cixi’s funeral, the weather became abnormal. It alternated between sunny and rainy, and there were even thunder and lightning in clear skies. Everyone believed that this was heaven’s dissatisfaction with Empress Dowager Cixi. Some even thought this was an omen, foretelling impending misfortunes.
However, historians argue that the erratic weather was simply a natural phenomenon and had no relation to Empress Dowager Cixi’s death.
Life-Like Figures
There were many rumors about the life-like paper figures decorating Empress Dowager Cixi’s funeral. Those present at the ceremony claimed that the figures of soldiers and horses suddenly appeared so lifelike that it frightened everyone.
Modern historians explain that this was merely a psychological effect. The strangeness occurred because these paper figures swayed in the wind, creating an illusion for onlookers.
The funeral of Empress Dowager Cixi was filled with strange occurrences that terrified everyone – (Photo: Sohu).
Blood Oozing from the Coffin
There were many rumors that during Empress Dowager Cixi’s funeral, a lot of blood oozed from her coffin, staining the ground red. Historians suggest that this could have been liquid from the coffin leaking out, leading people to mistakenly believe it was blood. Others argue that this phenomenon was merely fabricated to frighten people.
The Corpse Did Not Decompose
Years after Empress Dowager Cixi’s death, Sun Dianying led soldiers to her tomb to steal gold and jewels. However, when they opened the coffin, they were horrified to find that Empress Dowager Cixi’s body was still intact, appearing as if she were merely asleep. This terrified the grave robbers.
However, the real reason was that certain chemicals from ancient embalming methods preserved the empress’s body well. Historians also note that ancient peoples commonly used mercury or wax for embalming, making corpses difficult to decompose.
The Mysterious Pearl
According to various accounts, Sun Dianying, at that time, was not afraid; what he wanted was the pearl placed in the mouth of Empress Dowager Cixi. Surprisingly, as soon as the pearl was removed, Empress Dowager Cixi’s corpse suddenly shriveled and began to rot. Many grave robbers, unable to maintain their composure, fled in panic.
Modern science proves that Empress Dowager Cixi’s body, after being exposed to air when the coffin was opened, oxidized and began to decay. The pearl could not have activated any mysterious function that caused the body to change in this way.
Empress Dowager Cixi (1833-1908) was the favored consort of Emperor Xianfeng of the Qing dynasty. She became Empress Dowager when Emperor Xianfeng died in 1861 and subsequently played a regent role during the reigns of her two sons, Emperor Tongzhi, and Emperor Guangxu, and her grandson, Emperor Xuantong. She is considered the one who held real power in the Qing court for 47 years. In 1908, when both Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fell seriously ill. After three days in the palace, both Emperor Guangxu and Cixi passed away in succession. On December 2, 1908, Puyi officially ascended the throne, taking the era name Xuantong, becoming the last emperor of the imperial dynasty in China. By February 12, 1912, the Qing dynasty in China officially ended after 276 years due to the abdication decree of Empress Longyu. With the fall of the Qing dynasty, the royal family gradually changed their surname to avoid being hunted down. Not only the royal family but also the Eight Banners Manchu nobility had to change their surnames to escape unforeseen dangers. |
