Original language:
English Translated from: English
Authors: Min, Anchee
Translated by: Antanina Banelytė
ISBN: 978-5-415-02039-3
Published in: Vilnius
Published on: 2008
Publisher: Vaga
“The Last Empress” – is a sequel of real historical facts based novel „Empress Orchid“, which tells a story about very controversial person in Chinese history, strong and ambitious emperor who ruled China in the last decades of Qing Dynasty. Empress Tzu Hsi – already grown up woman and ruler, referred as a „mistress of evil and intrigue“, but at the same time a gifted diplomat , trying her best to save Chinese empire, sensitive mother, wise and loving woman.
Empress Orchid, who survived Opium Wars and lost her husband, the Emperor, starts ruling China together with other regent Empress Nuharu. Her long and troubled ruling lasted until the end of the next century. Throughout her all life makes effort to preserve the empire, as well as she aims to raise her own son, who was entrusted with the Empress Nuharu. Being not only the mother, but also a powerful imperial ruler, she makes every effort to ensure that her son grows up to be a magnificent ruler, capable of making China strong and united empire as it was before. But as the time passes Orchid realises that the mother‘s and regent‘s duties are often incompatible and that China must change, otherwise the empire will collapse.
The Last Empress is the story of Orchid’s dramatic transition from a strong-willed, instinctive young woman to a wise and politically savvy leader who ruled China for more than four decades.
The novel describes not only an important historical events of China‘s history, but also great attention is being paid to the narrator‘s, Empress Tzu Hsi feelings and experiences. Also we have a great opportunity to have a look at life at Forbidden City, wich was an unreachable dream of a hundreds of girls. The main character admits that once she dreamed about seeing all the dragons of this palace but now this place became her personal prison, where she had to give up on all er dreams.
Anchee Min was born in Shanghai, 1957. At the age of seventeen she endured three years of physical, mental and emotional abuse in a labor camp during China’s Cultural Revolution under the command of Chairman Mao Zedong. 1984 fled to the United States, graduated from the Chicago School of Arts, learned English. Her fictions emphasizes strong female characters. Anchee Min has published two memoirs and six historical novels, including Empress Orchid, which was a finalist for the British Book Awards.