Discover the extraordinary story of the woman who brought China into the modern age, from the bestselling author of "Wild Swans". In this groundbreaking biography, Jung Chang vividly describes how Empress Dowager Cixi – the most important woman in Chinese history – transformed a medieval empire into a modern state. Under her leadership, the ancient country acquired nearly all the characteristics of a modern state and she abolished horrific punishments like "death by a thousand cuts" and ended practices such as foot-binding. Jung Chang completely overturns the traditional view of Cixi as a fierce conservative and spiteful tyrant, leading us deep into her magnificent Summer Palace and the Forbidden City harem in Beijing, where she lived surrounded by eunuchs – falling in love with one of them, with tragic consequences. Full of drama, fast-paced and fascinating, it is both a comprehensive portrayal of the birth of modern China and an intimate portrait of a woman: as a concubine of a monarch, as the absolute ruler of one-third of the world's population, and as a unique politician.

“Powerful” - Simon Sebag Montefiore

“Truly authentic” - New York Times

“Splendid” - Sunday Times

Nominated for the James Tait Black Biography Prize

Pages: 528, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm