The Empress Dowager

Plot

Although the Empress Dowager Cixi of the Qing Dynasty had promised her nephew, Emperor Guangxu that he had complete autonomy, he found that this was not the case as he attempted to exert his authority over corrupt eunuchs and officials who undermined him with the backing of the Empress Dowager. Young, inexperienced and without a strong cadre of loyal officials to support him, he tries to juggle affairs both public and private. His loveless marriage to Empress Jingfen and dislike of the Empress further leaves him all the more bereft of any power lever. His only bright spark in a cold gloomy palace was his love for Concubine Chen and a young eunuch who wholeheartedly supports him.

Cast

Lisa Lu as Empress Dowager Cixi

Ti Lung as Emperor Guangxu

Siu Yiu as Consort Zhen

Miao Tien as Eunuch Li Lianying

David Chiang as Eunuch Ko Lien-tsai

Ivy Ling Po as Empress Jingfen

Tien Lie as Li Chieh

Chen Ping as Consort Jin

Shum Lo as Eunuch Wang Shang

Cheung Ying as Tutor Weng Tonghe

Ku Feng as Lord Li Hongzhang

Hao Li-jen as Prince Gong

Lee Pang-fei as Prince Shun

Cheng Miu as Official Yung Lu

Yeung Chi-hing as Official Hsu Tung

Wang Hsieh as Official Kang Li

Chiang Nan as Official Tai Yi

Ching Miao as Ronglu

Tin Ching as Cheng Yueh Lou

Ouyang Sha-fei as concubine

Law Bing-ching as Kiang governor's daughter

Chan Si-gai as Kiang governor's daughter

Wong San a court official

Liu Wai as court official

Wang Han-chen as court official

Kong Yeung as court official

Wong Ching-ho as eunuch in charge of conjugal record

Tung Wai as eunuch

Chan Mei-hua as lady in waiting

Lau Nga-ying as lady in waiting

Ofelia Yau as lady in waiting

Yuen Man-tzu as lady in waiting

Ling Hon as court official

Gam Yam as court official

Kwan Yan as court official

Fuk Yan-cheng as court official

Lui Hung as lady in waiting

Yeung Kei as lady in waiting

Awards

1975 Golden Horse Awards

Best Actress: Lisa Lu

Best Supporting Actress: Ivy Ling Po