With the Empress Dowager of China · Character
Prince Ch'un
The Emperor's father, a prince of the seventh rank, whose palace is described in the book.
minor
Also known as The Prince
First appearance: III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince)
Prince Ch'un's tie to Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi is one of the pressures that moves With the Empress Dowager of China—worth meeting in the text, not only on a cast list.
The father of the Emperor, who is mentioned in the context of his son's birthday and his position within the imperial family.
Prince Ch'un first appears in 0005 iii the palace of the emperor s father prince ch un the seventh prince.
With Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi (family): Brother-in-law and sister-in-law, with Prince Ch'un being a loyal supporter and frequent advisor to the Empress Dowager. With Lady Yu-Keng (professional): They interact as court officials, with Lady Yu-Keng often relaying messages and coordinating with Prince Ch'un on imperial matters. With Emperor Kwang-Hsu (family): Prince Ch'un is the Emperor's uncle, but their relationship is strained due to Prince Ch'un's loyalty to the Empress Dowager.
Free preview opens at this moment — character cards, Character Web, and themes sit beside the text as you read.
Character Web
9 connectionsA slice of how Prince Ch'un sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Family
- Professional
Character groups
- Imperial Court Insiders
- Protagonist
+4 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The narrative climax occurs here because the Empress Dowager’s personal authority and the political drama of t…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingRelationships
- Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi
family · positive
Brother-in-law and sister-in-law, with Prince Ch'un being a loyal supporter and frequent… How this plays out →
- Lady Yu-Keng
professional · positive
- Emperor Kwang-Hsu
family · ambivalent
- Whar-Mou-Lahn
family · positive
- Grand Secretary Yung Lu
professional · positive
- Mrs. Conger
social · neutral
- Wang
professional · neutral
Relationship notes
How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.
See Prince Ch'un in III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince)In the story
Prince Ch'un appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- With the Empress Dowager of China
- III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince)
- VI: Continuation of the Portrait—Her Majesty’s Dogs
- IX: The Emperor’s Birthday
- XXI: A European Circus at the Palace
- XXVI: Some Social Customs—Manchu and Chinese
- XXXII: The Chinese New Year—Official Audience
- XXXIV: Finishing and Sending Off the Portrait
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Prince Ch'un unlock in the free preview.
See Prince Ch'un in III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince)