▁the ▁film ▁was ▁critic ized ▁as ▁" tre ason ous " ▁for ▁its ▁positive ▁dep iction ▁of ▁the ▁Emperor . ▁However , ▁its ▁reputation ▁has ▁ris en ▁in ▁recent ▁years , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁ranked ▁as ▁the ▁ 3 7 th ▁best ▁Chinese ▁film ▁of ▁all ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁Film ▁Awards ▁poll ▁of ▁ 2 0 1 3 . ▁ ▁Syn opsis ▁▁ ▁This ▁film ▁is ▁a ▁historical ▁drama ▁set ▁in ▁the ▁imperial ▁court ▁in ▁the ▁closing ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁Q ing ▁dynast y ▁( late ▁ 1 9 th ▁and ▁early ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ). ▁The ▁Em press ▁Dow ager ▁C ix i ▁w ield ed ▁effective ▁power ▁during ▁much ▁of ▁this ▁period , ▁having ▁st aged ▁a ▁coup ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁that ▁made ▁her ▁reg ent ▁over ▁the ▁infant ▁Emperor ▁X ▁and ▁then , ▁after ▁his ▁death , ▁the ▁young ▁Emperor ▁Gu ang x u . ▁C ix i ▁went ▁into ▁ret irement ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 9 ▁and ▁the ▁Emperor ▁Gu ang x u ▁ruled ▁in ▁his ▁own ▁right ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁He ▁instit uted ▁the ▁famous ▁H undred ▁Days ' ▁Reform , ▁aim ed ▁at ▁strength ening ▁and ▁modern izing ▁China . ▁However , ▁C ix i ▁opposed ▁the ▁changes , ▁so ▁she ▁st aged ▁a ▁second ▁coup , ▁putting ▁Gu ang x u ▁under ▁house ▁arrest ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁his ▁life . ▁This ▁film ▁plays ▁on ▁what ▁has ▁become ▁the ▁common ▁understanding ▁of ▁events , ▁according ▁to