Cixi took countless photos throughout her life, but why didn’t Empress Ci’an take any photos?

In 1840, the British opened the door to China with artillery fire, and the Qing Dynasty began to gradually come into contact with Western things and advanced technologies. That’s when photography technology entered China. In the early days of the Opium War, many Westerners began to use cameras to record what was happening in China. However, there were still very few people who were proficient in photography technology at that time, so only very wealthy and powerful families could take photos. Ordinary families could not afford expensive photography fees.

It was not until the 29th year of Guangxu that photo technology entered the imperial ranks. It was after Yu Deling entered the palace as a female official. It was probably around 1903. Yu Deling recommended her brother Yu Xunling to take pictures of Cixi. Cixi was very happy after seeing the first photo. From then on, the Empress Dowager Cixi seemed to be obsessed with taking pictures and took many unexpected photos. In those photos, the Empress Dowager Cixi tried her best to show the charm of an oriental woman. , showing the character of the empress dowager, the supreme leader of the Qing Dynasty. ?

As the ruler of the Qing Dynasty, Cixi wanted to take photos in a matter of minutes. Cixi left many photos throughout her life, including photos of herself alone, photos with palace maids and eunuchs, and even some role-playing photos, including daily photos and artistic photos, which truly recorded Cixi's living habits and scenes at that time. .

So since she had such superior innate conditions, why didn’t Empress Dowager Ci’an leave a single photo? She is only two years younger than Cixi, so she is logically qualified to take photos like Cixi. But in fact, in eighteen years, not a single photo of Ci'an has been handed down, and future generations have no chance to see Ci'an in person. Allow.

Empress Dowager Ci'an was the wife of Emperor Xianfeng and the mother of Tongzhi. She abided by women's ethics and was virtuous and virtuous throughout her life. She was a typical good wife and mother. Although she also listened to politics from behind the curtain, most of the national affairs were handled by Cixi, and she was able to take care of herself. Ci'an was influenced by Confucianism from an early age, followed the three obediences and four virtues, and never did anything to show publicity. Even though she was a widow at a young age, she would not do anything that was against ethics or the ancestral system. This was in sharp contrast to the arrogant and domineering Cixi. Therefore, it is reasonable for Ci'an not to call the photographer into the palace to take pictures of himself.