Infamous Chinese Emperors

In ancient China, an emperor is regarded as tianzi or "Heaven's son", one who is sent from Heaven to rule the nation and its people. Little wonder that he held sway over the masses and is deemed sacred and inviolate. Literally, a dynasty's rise and fall, and the people's weal and woe, are intimately linked to his calibre and character. Much has been written about the great emperors of China. But what about those rulers who, through their whims and fancies, had the commoners gnash their teeth in grief and hate? Here are 12 stories on China's most notorious emperors—a motley crew of squanderers, murderers, thugs, lechers and idiots swaggering under the holy cloak of a tianzi! Read on and see how they got their just deserts!

This book contains 27 inspiring stories of China’s most well-loved rulers. There were the Three Sage Kings and the Five Legendary Rulers who painstakingly laid the foundation for Chinese civilisation. They were followed by luminaries like Emperor Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty who first unified China, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty who brought unprecedented prosperity to the land, and Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty who contributed to the progress of the sciences. All these eminent emperors had one thing in common: their love for their people.

This adventurous guide sheds light on the culture of violence and power in Asia during ancient times. Through vivid language and detailed sidebars, young readers will be drawn to all kinds of gory and unsavory topics, including foot binding for young women, the murderous Empress Wu, the deadly search for immortality, and the origins of acupuncture. This narrative grabs readers' attention and will allow them to explore history in a new, exciting way.

An English-language translation of core principles by the seventh-century emperor popularly credited as China's greatest historical leader is comprised of his dialogues with his wisest advisors and critics and covers strategies in the arenas of government, business, the military, athletics, philanthropy and parenting. --Publisher.

From the beloved, internationally bestselling author of Wild Swans, and co-author of the bestselling Mao: The Unknown Story, the dramatic, epic biography of the unusual woman who ruled China for 50 years, from concubine to Empress, overturning centuries of traditions and formalities to bring China into the modern world. A woman, an Empress of immense wealth who was largely a prisoner within the compound walls of her palaces, a mother, a ruthless enemy, and a brilliant strategist: Chang makes a compelling case that Cixi was one of the most formidable and enlightened rulers of any nation. Cixi led an intense and singular life. Chosen at the age of 12 to be a concubine by the Emperor Xianfeng, she gave birth to his only male heir who at four was designated Emperor when his father died in 1861. In a brilliant move, the young woman enlisted the help of the Emperor's widow and the two women orchestrated a coup that ousted the regents and made Cixi sole Regent. Untrained and untaught, the two studied history and politics together, ruling the huge nation from behind a curtain. When her boy died, Cixi designated a young nephew as Emperor, continuing her reign till her death in 1908. Chang gives us a complex, riveting portrait of Cixi through a reign as long as that of her fellow Empress, Victoria, whom she longed to meet: her ruthlessness in fighting off rivals; her curiosity to learn; her reliance on Westerners who she placed in key positions; and her sensitivity and desire to preserve the distinctiveness of China's past while overturning traditions (she, as Chang reveals--not Mao, as he claimed--banned footbinding) and exposing its culture to western ideas and technology.