Yangwen Zheng, a Professor of Chinese History, and Rana Mitter, the S.T. Lee Professor of US-Asia Relations, delve into the life of Empress Dowager Cixi, the powerful matriarch of the Qing dynasty. They discuss her rise from concubine to ruler, her political savvy in a turbulent time, and the modernization reforms she attempted amid external pressures. The conversation highlights her complex legacy, exploring how her decisions shaped modern China's trajectory and the perception of her role during crises like the Sino-Japanese War.
