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Although many people looked up to Empress Dowager Cixi, she also faced much animosity.

Bibliography:

Cambridge Press- The Much Maligned Empress Dowager

'''Chinese historians have traditionally held a negative prejudice of female historical figures. The Empress Dowager was also a more conservative leader, which was not common for a female leader of those times. Because of this and the bias of historians, the narrative of Empress Dowager Cixi has been presented with a one-sided, narrow view. For decades, the Empress Dowager was referred to in a negative light and called names that resembled that. She was often called “she dragon” or the “usurper of a throne”. Despite the backlash and harsh evaluation of her leadership, many historians have set out to display the intelligence and courageousness of the Empress. '''

Potential rephrase:

'''Chinese historians have traditionally held a negative prejudice of female members of court. The Empress Dowager was also a more conservative leader, which was not common for a female leader of those times. This has resulted in Empress Dowager Cixi being portrayed in a one-sided, negative and narrow view where she was called names such as “she dragon” or the “usurper of a throne” and viewed as either a tyrant or incompetent. Writers such as Jung Chang have criticized this narrative and have written works such as Chang's Empress Dowager Cixi: The Concubine Who Launched Modern China in order to offer an opposing view.'''