The actual literal translation of the title of this movie is: Wishing the Empress Dowager Well.
Audience needs to know a little bit of Chinese history, and in particular, the history of the Qing Dynasty in order to understand the title of this movie. Usually, when a subject greets the emperor, what should be said is: Wishing his majesty's reign lasts ten thousand years, however, due to the rigid traditional Confucian teaching that discriminated against women, this is only for man because women can not serve as officials in the imperial courts, they could only be the concubines or servants. Wishing the Empress or Empress Dowager well is greeting phrase for women only.
Audience needs to know a little bit of Chinese history, and in particular, the history of the Qing Dynasty in order to understand the title of this movie. Usually, when a subject greets the emperor, what should be said is: Wishing his majesty's reign lasts ten thousand years, however, due to the rigid traditional Confucian teaching that discriminated against women, this is only for man because women can not serve as officials in the imperial courts, they could only be the concubines or servants. Wishing the Empress or Empress Dowager well is greeting phrase for women only.