Even Empress Dowager Cixi’s drinking water was beyond the reach of the wealthy at the time.
Empress Dowager Cixi (1835 – 1908) is regarded as a woman who wielded ultimate power during the late Qing Dynasty. Despite being a significant female political figure in history, there are still many contrasting opinions from experts and scholars regarding her legacy.
Empress Dowager Cixi faced criticism for her authoritarian rule and extravagant lifestyle amidst the suffering of the people. Notably, even when the Qing Dynasty was in dire straits, she did not alter her luxurious lifestyle.
Not only did she possess magnificent clothing and jewelry, but her dining and travel experiences were also incredibly lavish. Empress Dowager Cixi had a private kitchen built in the Forbidden City, known as The Western Kitchen. Chefs could only serve her after undergoing rigorous selection processes. They were among the most renowned chefs in Beijing, capable of preparing over 400 types of pastries and 4,000 different dishes.
The water Empress Dowager Cixi drank had to be pure spring water.
According to records in the book “Empress Dowager Cixi” by Từ Triệt, an expert on the Qing Dynasty, during each meal, Empress Dowager Cixi was served up to 120 different dishes. However, she would only eat a few items, taking just one or two bites of each due to fears of poisoning. The leftover food would be distributed to her concubines, officials, and eunuchs, which was considered an honor as it was bestowed by the empress.
Even the water she drank was beyond the means of the wealthy at the time.
Unlike us who merely drink plain water, the water Empress Dowager Cixi consumed had to be pure spring water. As we know, natural spring water contains many minerals.
Moreover, the water she drank was not just ordinary water from a mountain spring; it had to be boiled with rose-scented tea. When drinking tea, she instructed her servants to place fruits in front of her, and she would only drink the tea after smelling the fragrance of the fruits.
We all know that modern women enjoy drinking flower-scented tea. These types of tea not only have delightful aromas but also various health benefits. Among them, rose tea is particularly known for its beautifying properties. It is surprising that Empress Dowager Cixi valued beauty care so highly even back then.
Empress Dowager Cixi only drank tea infused with flower essence and did not use plain water.
In addition to drinking flower-scented tea, Empress Dowager Cixi would use morning dew to rinse her mouth every morning, causing considerable hardship for the eunuchs and palace maids. They often had to wake up at midnight to collect the night dew into delicate containers and ensure that it maintained its purity. If they failed to fill the containers properly, the empress would be displeased and impose severe punishment.
The lavish habits that Empress Dowager Cixi invented included not only drinking flower tea but also drinking milk tea and breast milk. Milk tea was relatively easy to prepare, but breast milk was a challenging requirement to fulfill. They would select beautiful young women to enter the palace to breastfeed the princes from birth. Besides providing milk for the princes, these young women also had to supply breast milk to the noble ladies in the palace, including some who specifically provided fresh milk for Empress Dowager Cixi.
