When the princess saw Tu Hi bathing, why was she so scared that she immediately left the palace?

The princess mentioned is Du Duc Linh, a mixed-race c.hild of Chinese and French descent. Many people wondered what was so scary about Tu Hi bathing that she had to leave and never return.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty in China, there was a young lady from a rich family named Du Duc Linh - who Ci Hi recruited into the palace and made her a princess. Also during this time, she suddenly discovered something about Ci Hi that made her unable to continue living in this royal palace anymore.

According to historical records, Du Duc Linh was a mixed-race c.hild whose father was a Chinese diplomat and his mother was French. She lived abroad with her father for more than six years. This time allowed her to learn very new things and understand many languages and cultures of many other countries around the world.

In 1902, Du Duc Linh returned to China at a time when Cixi desperately needed someone who knew foreign languages and Western etiquette to help him communicate with envoys from many different countries.

During the Qing Dynasty, Western countries looked at her, and with the love of Du Duc Linh's talent, the old Buddha recruited her into the palace, made her a princess, and became an interpreter of the Qing dynasty. Mrs. when foreigners come.

In addition, Du Duc Linh was also Emperor Quang Tu's English teacher. He once praised him for having a talent for learning foreign languages, but his pronunciation was a bit incorrect.

While serving in the palace, the Queen Mother intended to marry Du Duc Linh to Vinh Loc's son in order to tie her to her side. But Du Duc Linh, who grew up abroad, really dislikes this type of blind marriage.

Thanks to Emperor Guangxu's help, Duc Linh escaped being f.orced into a marriage and Cixi no longer mentioned this issue. But from that moment on, the mixed-race princess began to hate life in the palace.

After working in the Forbidden City for two years, Du Duc Linh was tired of the inner-cities squabbles, so she took advantage of the news that her father was seriously ill to ask Cixi for permission to leave. Here, go home and take care of your father.

At that time, Queen Mother Tu Hi was very reluctant and even shed tears for this princess, but as soon as Duc Linh left, she never came back. There are documents that say that, in addition to being disgusted with the scheming life in the palace, there was another reason why the mixed-race princess had to quickly leave, which was that she accidentally saw the old Buddha taking a bath and lost consciousness. a lot of hope and even fear.

It is known that at this time, there were dozens of palace maids next to the noble Queen Mother, some preparing water, some changing clothes, some sprinkling flower petals, and others scrubbing her.

The chair used by Empress Dowager Cixi for bathing is very sophisticatedly designed, has four legs, each leg carved with two dragons, looking very majestic. The back of the chair can be moved, designed to make the Buddha sit more comfortable and convenient for the maids to serve.

Cixi bathed with two silver bathtubs, one for washing the upper b.ody and one for the lower b.ody. The serving maids are very careful, not daring to make mistakes, otherwise the Queen Mother will punish them.

In a later book, Du Duc Linh said that Empress Dowager Cixi's towels, neatly folded like a hill, were silk towels embroidered with precious golden dragons. There are more than 100 such scarves, and the strangest thing is that each scarf is folded into a different flower pattern.

The scene before his eyes made Du Duc Linh shocked, even a little scared. She realized many things from this Queen Mother. Tu Hi sat alone in a high position enjoying luxury, while people out there lived in misery.

The princess seemed to see that the Qing dynasty had no future, and that many humiliations were unbearable. This is the reason why she had to leave the forbidden palace immediately.

After his father's d.eath, in 1915, Du Duc Linh married Thaddeus C. White, US Vice Consul in Shanghai, and went to live in the United States. In her heart, Cixi was not a dictatorial woman as later generations commented.

The princess wrote emotionally in the book: "Ci Xi is just an old woman, who also likes beautiful things, regrets the past and the cruelties of the era she went through." .

Du Duc Linh lived abroad for a long time after getting married, but then divorced in middle age, working as a university teacher. She enjoyed a peaceful life, but ironically died in a car accident in 1944 at the age of 58.

Let's talk more about Empress Dowager Cixi's unnecessary extravagance when bathing. In her most private place, wealth covers elaborate, expensive items as well as complicated bathing procedures.

First of all, the old Buddha's bathtub was made of rare sandalwood and covered with silver on the rim. The shower chair that Cixi uses is unique in the world, specially designed to fit her b.ody shape while still providing comfort.

Illustration

Regarding towels, there are about hundreds of towels for use. Each scarf is embroidered with golden silk thread to form a golden dragon, very sophisticated. Towels must be flat and placed on a purple wooden tray to look elegant and luxurious.

As mentioned, during the bathing process, Cixi would sit motionless on a luxurious bathing chair, allowing the palace maids to serve her. Any small mistake can make her unhappy and lead to serious consequences. The eunuchs were also busy outside, ensuring the temperature and clarity of the bathing water.

The entire bathing process made the palace maids and eunuchs feel stressed, but it was to maintain the normalcy of Cixi's lavish life.

How did Empress Dowager Cixi handle dozens of people who accidentally saw her "carpentry face"? Phi Yến22:19:29 07/12/2023According to historical records, Empress Dowager Cixi used to be a lovely beauty with extreme beauty. But few who witnessed her true beauty ended well.