How much does Empress Dowager Cixi like taking pictures?

The photos of Empress Dowager Cixi are widely circulated on the Internet. In the photo, she is either sitting in danger, dressing up in front of the mirror, or leaning against a stone in the snow. ...

These photos were taken at 1903. Under what circumstances did Cixi come into contact with photography?

Cixi enjoys the snow in the Summer Palace.

Since March 1903, the two daughters of Yu Geng, the Qing ambassador to France, have been called to accompany Cixi in the Summer Palace. One day in summer, Cixi suddenly entered De Ling's residence and saw a photo of De Ling. She is quite envious, so she also wants to take some photos.

Just limited to the strict rules of the royal family, not everyone can take pictures in the palace, and Cixi also has many concerns.

Cixi posed in the mirror.

At this time, Yu Geng's wife interjected that De Ling's brother Xun Ling had studied photography and could take pictures of the Empress Dowager. Cixi showed great interest in this and ordered Xunling to start filming the next morning. Cixi was particularly surprised to hear that it only took a few seconds to take a photo.

Empress dowager cixi, who is sitting still.

The next day, Xunling moved the camera, and Cixi was very curious, so she fiddled with it. She saw the eunuch's handstand posture through the lens, as if frightened, and shouted, "Why is your head down there?" Are you standing upside down or standing on your feet? " Xunling and others introduced her to the imaging principle, saying that it would be normal after the photo was taken, and Cixi was happy.

On this day, the meeting between Cixi and the ministers actually lasted only 20 minutes. When Deling was hiding behind the screen, I heard that she was anxious to go out and take pictures.

Cixi took a group photo with the families of foreign envoys at the Le Shou Tang in the Summer Palace.

Since she had a camera, Cixi has been fascinated, carefully selecting clothes, making up and posing in various shapes, and her enthusiasm is no less than that of selfie enthusiasts on social networks. She takes this as a very serious matter. Before taking pictures, she will look through the almanac and choose a good day.

More interestingly, Cixi even played Cosplay in the Summer Palace, dressed as Guanyin Bodhisattva, and asked people around her to dress up as Wei Tuo and the boy, creating a Buddhist scene.