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Serialised book readings, featuring works from various genres

Serialised book readings, featuring works of non-fiction, biography, autobiography, travel, diaries, essays, humour and history

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Book of the Week: Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

Jung Chang

Sara Davies

Pik Sen Lim

Gemma Jenkins

Book of the Week: Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China: Episode 3

Factual: Life Stories

Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

Episode 3

BBC Radio 4 - Book of the Week, Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China, Episode 3

Cixi adopts the three-year-old son of her sister and names him Emperor.

With the death of her son in 1875, Cixi adopts the three-year-old son of her sister and names him Emperor, thus orchestrating her return to power.

Jung Chang's biography of this remarkable 19th century stateswoman continues. Following the death of her son, Emperor Tongzhi, in 1875, Cixi adopted the three year old son of her sister and named him the new Emperor. This saw her return to power as the Empress Dowager and she continued to push through her reforms.

Read by Pik-Sen Lim
Abridged by Sara Davies
Produced by Gemma Jenkins.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Jung Chang's fast-paced and gripping biography of the formidable 19th-century stateswoman

Jung Chang's fast-paced and gripping story reassesses the reputation of the formidable 19th-century stateswoman. Read by Pik-Sen Lim. Abridged by Sara Davies

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Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China

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