Sorrows of the Forbidden City (Chinese: 清宮秘史; pinyin: Qīng gōng mìshǐ; lit.

[2] After the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, the film was criticized as "treasonous" for its positive depiction of the Emperor.

[5] This film is a historical drama set in the imperial court in the closing years of the Qing dynasty (late 19th and early 20th century).

However, Cixi opposed the changes, so she staged a second coup, putting Guangxu under house arrest for the remainder of his life.

This film plays on what has become the common understanding of events, according to which Cixi was extremely reactionary and concerned with maintaining her own power, even at the expense of China.