| An interesting fact about the Empress Dowager of | | | | preferred this nasty one to the many beautiful, |
| the Chinese Imperial Palace is that there is only one | | | | well-bred Pekingese in her kennels. Ginger is well |
| known photo of her with Shih Tzu. The photo was | | | | known in history as biting some of the most prominent |
| taken around 1903 and shows Hai-Ling (Sea Otter) | | | | Chinese men and women of the time. |
| pictured at the Empress's feet. Also in the picture is | | | | (I THINK I WOULD HAVE BE FOND OF GINGER |
| her Chief Eunuch of the Royal Kennel and her | | | | MYSELF). Shih Tzu can become very devoted to their |
| Ladies-In-Waiting. The photograph is now at the Freer | | | | loved ones and very perceptive of their feelings and |
| Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives | | | | moods, which is another wonderful, endearing trait that |
| Smithsonian Institute. | | | | keeps me so attracted to the breed. |
| The Exmpress Dowager had dozens of pet Shih Tzu. | | | | When I think of the Imperial Palace and the Empress |
| Some were particularly favored and two were | | | | Dowager, I often only think of Shih Tzu, but in these |
| priviledged characters. Among these was one of the | | | | early accounts of the Empress, she apparently had |
| Skye variety, most intelligent and clever at tricks. One | | | | some kind of Terriers and Pekingese, which most likely |
| of his tricks was that he would lie dead at Her | | | | she bred together even in those early days to come |
| Majesty's command and never move until she told him | | | | up with the Shih Tzu as we know it today. |
| to, no matter how many others spoke to him. Another | | | | I have two Shih Tzu in particular at my house, Danny |
| of her favorites was for his beauty. He was a | | | | and Jane-Jane. They are brother and sister and |
| fawn-colored Pekingese pug (not a Shih Tzu) with | | | | almost look identical to each other. I call them my |
| large, pale brown, liquid eyes. He was devoted to her, | | | | "twins." They are both under 6 lbs. at 8 months of age. |
| and she was very fond of him, but he was not easily | | | | I hope to use my Danny Boy as an imperial/teacup |
| taught, even as a puppy, so she called him Shadza | | | | stud eventually. |
| (fool). | | | | Danny and Jane Jane have the favored golden color |
| It is possible the Skye Terrier was the solid-black Shih | | | | from the palace, the tiny size which was probably the |
| Tzu in the only known photo of the Princess with her | | | | size eventually most favored in the Palace, and they |
| Shih Tzu. It had been noted that this particular dog | | | | have a slight Pekingese look as well. |
| followed the Princess wherever she went.....and her | | | | In all the Shih Tzu I have seen, I have never seen any |
| Majesty thought it beautiful and called it Hai-ling (sea | | | | that resemble these. I keep them in a favorite place at |
| otter). | | | | my house. The Shih Tzu is related to the Pekingese |
| The Empress Dowager was in reign for nearly 50 | | | | incidentally. The breeding between the Shih Tzu and |
| years of China and during this time she had many | | | | the Pekingese took place especially to reduce size. |
| more favorites. She was also fond of an unpleasant, | | | | I have a special page on my website of Danny and |
| smelly mongrel dog she called Chiang (Ginger), which | | | | Jane Jane. Please come visit us. However, I do not |
| showed great intuition in detecting and biting any | | | | have Shih Tzu as faithful as the Empress's Ginger. |
| person T'zu Hsi did not like. It was odd that she | | | | None of mine bite! |