The history of the Qing dynasty features a particularly tragic concubine who was favored by Emperor Guangxu but deeply despised by Empress Dowager Cixi, ultimately leading to her being thrown into a well at the behest of the Empress Dowager.
Today, the well associated with this famous concubine is known as the Concubine Zhen Well, which is carefully enclosed and has become a historical attraction within the Forbidden City.
However, many people express skepticism, as the mouth of the Concubine Zhen Well in the Forbidden City is very small, making it hard to believe that a person could fit through it. So how could Cixi have possibly caused Concubine Zhen to end up in this deep well? Or is the story of the Concubine Zhen Well in the Forbidden City entirely fabricated?
Concubine Zhen.
Reconstructed image based on the famous story of “Concubine Zhen Well.”
According to many historical records, Cixi had been dissatisfied with Concubine Zhen for a long time. At that time, the Empress Dowager aimed to consolidate all power, forcing Emperor Guangxu to appoint her niece as the empress – Empress Longyu.
Guangxu, of course, had no feelings for this empress and even disliked her, focusing instead on his affection for Concubine Zhen, whom he selected during the imperial selection process. Concubine Zhen was lively, clever, and as beautiful as a flower, which endeared her to the emperor.
At that time, Emperor Guangxu began to resist Empress Dowager Cixi in various ways. Concubine Zhen supported Guangxu and encouraged him to implement reforms that threatened Cixi’s power, which made the Empress Dowager extremely displeased.
Initially, the Empress Dowager wanted to separate the couple but could not find the right opportunity. Later, amidst the panic caused by the Eight-Nation Alliance’s invasion of Beijing, Cixi seized this chance to eliminate the thorn in her side.
So how could Concubine Zhen have “fit” into the well back then? The answer is quite simple!
The Concubine Zhen Well in the Forbidden City is enclosed for visitors.
At that time, the mouth of the well was relatively large, and Concubine Zhen did indeed fall in and drown. The Concubine Zhen Well that visitors see today in the Forbidden City has been modified and “renovated” from its original form.
Originally, all wells in the Forbidden City had relatively large mouths, which could lead to accidental falls, primarily designed for convenience for the palace maids to fetch water.
Today, the Concubine Zhen Well appears “shrunk” because the well’s mouth has been repaired and redesigned. The primary purpose is to prevent anyone from falling into the well, especially children. Although the area around the well is carefully enclosed with warning signs, “being well-prepared is never excessive.”
Moreover, since this well is associated with a historical murder case of a concubine, leaving it in its old form without renovation could evoke negative associations.
Other wells in the Forbidden City have also been reduced in size to prevent unfortunate incidents.
Many may argue that modifying a historical relic is inappropriate, and that it should either be preserved in its original state or sealed off for conservation. However, the situation is not that simple. The Concubine Zhen Well is located along a tiled walkway outside a palace chamber, and sealing it off would undoubtedly disrupt visitor pathways.
Furthermore, allowing future generations to appreciate and learn about history is the right thing to do, so making partial renovations is not a significant concern.
