I have recently bought a book on the well known empress dowager of China named "Empress Orchid". I love history, so I have read quite a number of accounts over this well known empress that had been blamed to have caused the downfall of China's monarchy, or more specifically the Ch'ing Dynasty. This book shows a totally different aspect of Tzu Hsi. It basically humanized her and rationalised her actions. I find this a good read as it gives me a fresh perspective. After lodging my mind with all the accounts of her tyrannies, viciousness and superficialities, this book refreshed my ideology that people are not born good or bad, but moulded and perceived as what they are. And what anybody else think will not matter except to the person himself/herself. All things said and done, there is no way to judge or really know a person. How many of us know our ownselves? She may be a victim of circumstances, or she may be a fighter in situations. All I know is that it certainly needs a lot of character to be where she was. Histories changes as people and ideas evolves. If looking backwards really help us to move forward, I think 1 simple lesson learnt here is that although things may be dampen if 1 person do not proceed with the chain effect of the environment, things will not stop just because 1 person stops.
We are all but a grain of dust in the revolving universe...
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