She was a
radical leader of China that wanted to preserve her country and its history of
dynasties. She was an Imperial concubine that had gained the throne upon the
death of the Emperor in 1856. Cixi refused to adopt Western models of
government but she highly supported technological and military reforms. She is
known famously in history as the woman who made a decree of banning foot
binding in the practice of Chinese culture. Cixi was also the woman responsible
for turning China into a Constitutional Monarchy.
