Empress Dowager Cixi dies in Beijing, ending her nearly half-century influence.
Empress Dowager Cixi passed away on November 15, 1908, inside the Hall of Graceful Bird at the Forbidden City, Beijing, after reigning as a dominant political force in China for nearly five decades. Her death marked the end of an era characterized by her transformative yet tumultuous reign. Despite controversies surrounding her leadership, her strategic modifications to traditional governance practices, and advocacy for reforms shaped China's trajectory towards modern statehood.