ç å å Tz ` u-Hsi T ` ai-hou ) ( November 29 1835 â `` November 15 1908 ) , popularly known in China as the West Dowager Empress ( Chinese : è å å ) , was from the Manchu Yehe Nara Clan . She was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty and ruled over China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908 . Empress Dowager Cixi1 ( tÍ sÊ É É i ) ( 29 November 1835 â `` 15 November 1908 ) , of the Manchu Yehe Nara Clan , was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908 .