Fascinating anecdotes, but how many are true?, Dec 19 2002
By George Reynolds - See all my reviews

This review is from: Empress Dowager CIXI (Paperback)
This is probably the most detailed account in English of the court of Tz'u-hsi. You get character sketches of the prominent figures that reaveal far more of their motivations and personality than any normal history of the period. Most of the book is based on solid factual information from diaries and Chinese histories. It's a pity that this is mingled with legendary anecdotes and no attempt is made to ..... their veracity. Professor Woo could have supplied some endnotes to help with this. Still, it's an entertaining read and very helpful for understanding the late Ch'ing.