Page "Empress Dowager Ci'an" Paragraph 43

Katherine A. Carl, who spent 9 months with empress dowager Cixi in 1903 described Ci ' an, even though she never met her, as follows: Ci ' an was known as the " Literary Empress ".

While Cixi handled all state affairs, Ci ' an gave herself up to literary pursuits and led the life of a student.

She was a woman of such fine literary ability that she herself sometimes examined the essays of the aspirants for the highest literary honors at the University of Beijing.

She was also a writer of distinction.

Ci ' an and Cixi lived amicably together, appreciated each others qualities, and are said to have had a sincere affection for each other, which never weakened during the whole of their long association.

Their amicable relation ended with the death of Ci ' an in 1881.