About the book: 1979 / The life of the imperial court in China, surrounded by special secrecy, remained sealed until the beginning of our century, until the monarchy was overthrown. At the last stage of the Qing (Manchu) dynasty, a significant role in the life of the country was played by the cruel, cunning and voluptuous Cixi, a former concubine who became an all-powerful empress. Her half-century-long reign was filled with intrigues, coups, murders, and reprisals against popular uprisings. All these events are reflected in the historical, memoir and fiction literature on which this book is based.