Decline, Fall, and Aftermath of the Qing Empire 109
to grant it special trading and taxation privileges in its own “sphere of
infl uence,” in what became known as the “scramble for concessions.”
Preoccupied with the anti-Spanish rebellion in Cuba and the Span-
ish-American War, the United States did not get deeply involved in the
scramble for concessions, but after defeating Spain and taking over
Empress Dowager Cixi rose to power in 1860 when her young son was enthroned
as the Tongzhi Emperor. Because of the importance of fi lial piety, even adult
emperors often felt obliged to obey their mothers. By manipulating the imperial
succession when the Tongzhi Emperor died in 1874, Cixi was able to become
one of the most powerful women in all of Chinese history, second only to Tang
Empress Wu. Library of Congress, LC-USZ62–56127