Niuhuru, The Empress Xiao Zhen Xian - Death and Entombment

Death and Entombment

On 8 April 1881, during an audience at court, Empress Dowager Ci'an became ill and was accompanied to her private apartments, where she died within a few hours. Her sudden death was a shock to many people. Although her health was good, Ci'an had been seriously ill twice according to Weng Tonghe, tutor of the Guangxu Emperor, once in March 1863 for 24 days, and another time in January 1870. The official cause of her death between 9PM and 11 PM was a sudden stroke. Thirty years after her death rumors would be spread that she had been poisoned by Empress Dowager Cixi. However, such claims have never been substantiated and new evidence has not appeared in the many years since.

One of the most believed rumors is that Ci'an was given a secret edict by the Xianfeng Emperor just before his death. The edict was related to Cixi. If Cixi caused any problems she would be executed. After many years Ci'an revealed the edict to Cixi. The naïve Ci'an burned the edict which was the only thing that stood in Cixi's way for full power. Later that evening Ci'an died.

The posthumous name given to Empress Dowager Ci'an, which combines the honorific names which she gained during her lifetime with new names added just after her death, was:

• (Chinese: 孝貞慈安裕慶和敬誠靖儀天祚聖顯皇后)

which reads:

• "Empress Xiao ² -zhen ³ Ci'an Yuqing Hejing Chengjing Yitian Zuosheng Xian ".

This long name is still the one that can be seen on Ci'an's tomb today. The short form of her posthumous name is:

• "Empress Xiao Zhen Xian" (Chinese: 孝貞顯皇后).

After her death a valedictory degree was written for Ci'an which reads as followed:

"In spite of the ardious duties of the State, which have fully occupied my time, I was naturally of robust constitution and had therefore fully expected to attain to a good old age and to enjoy the Emperor's dutiful ministrations. Yesterday, however, I was suddenly stricken with a slight illness and his Majesty thereupon commanded his physician to attend me; later his Majesty came in person to enquire as to my health. And now, most unexpectedly, I have had a most dangerous relapse. At 7PM this evening I became completely confused in mind and now all hope of my recovery appears to be vain. I am forty-five years of age and for close on twenty years have held the high position of a regent of the empire. Many honorific titles and ceremonies of congratulation have been bestowed upon me: what cause have I therefore to regret?"

Empress Dowager Ci'an was interred amidst the Eastern Qing Tombs (Chinese: 清東陵), 125 kilometers/75 miles east of Beijing. She was denied burial next to her husband in the Dingling mausoleum. Instead she was interred in the Dingdongling (Chinese: 定東陵) tomb complex (literally: the "Tombs east of the Dingling tomb"), along with Empress Dowager Cixi. More precisely, Empress Dowager Ci'an lies in the Puxiangyu Dingdonling (Chinese: 普祥峪定東陵) (literally: the "Tomb east of the Dingling tomb in the Vale of wide good omen"), while Cixi built herself the much larger Putuoyu Dingdongling (Chinese: 菩陀峪定東陵) (literally: the "Tomb east of the Dingling tomb in the Vale of Putuo"). The Dingling tomb (literally: the "Tomb of quietude") is the tomb of the Xianfeng Emperor, the emperor of Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi, which is located indeed west of the Dingdongling. The Vale of Putuo owes its name to Mt Putuo (literally: the "Mountain of the Dharani of the Site of the Buddha's Enlightenment"), at the foot of which the Dingdongling is located.