慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)60歲(sui)(sui)生(sheng)日(ri)(ri)(ri),是(shi)(shi)1894年(nian)(nian)陰歷甲午年(nian)(nian)十(shi)(shi)月(yue)初(chu)十(shi)(shi)。為了(le)(le)舉(ju)辦隆(long)重的(de)(de)(de)(de)慶典,一(yi)(yi)年(nian)(nian)前就(jiu)已(yi)著(zhu)手籌備。慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)晚年(nian)(nian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)行事作(zuo)派(pai),處處刻意模仿乾(qian)(qian)隆(long)。乾(qian)(qian)隆(long)晚年(nian)(nian)營建(jian)了(le)(le)寧(ning)壽(shou)宮(gong)(gong),以(yi)備將皇(huang)位傳給(gei)兒子嘉(jia)慶之(zhi)后(hou),做(zuo)太上(shang)皇(huang)時養老居住(zhu)。慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)也于1889年(nian)(nian)55歲(sui)(sui)時,宣布(bu)撤簾歸政(zheng)(zheng)給(gei)已(yi)經(jing)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)婚親政(zheng)(zheng)的(de)(de)(de)(de)光緒皇(huang)帝之(zhi)后(hou),搬入(ru)寧(ning)壽(shou)宮(gong)(gong)居住(zhu)。乾(qian)(qian)隆(long)過生(sheng)日(ri)(ri)(ri)時,要(yao)去圓(yuan)明園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)慶賀(he),并在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)沿途(tu)(tu)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)擺排場,慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)也計(ji)(ji)劃去頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)風光一(yi)(yi)回。慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)具體計(ji)(ji)劃是(shi)(shi),到了(le)(le)60歲(sui)(sui)生(sheng)日(ri)(ri)(ri)那(nei)天(tian),早上(shang)先在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)皇(huang)宮(gong)(gong)接受(shou)王公大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)臣的(de)(de)(de)(de)朝賀(he),然后(hou)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)排鑾駕,浩浩蕩蕩,出皇(huang)宮(gong)(gong)西(xi)(xi)華(hua)門(men)(men),走北(bei)長街(jie),折向西(xi)(xi)安門(men)(men)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)街(jie),經(jing)西(xi)(xi)四路口,往北(bei)沿西(xi)(xi)四北(bei)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)街(jie),經(jing)新街(jie)口,出西(xi)(xi)直(zhi)門(men)(men),直(zhi)奔頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)。然后(hou)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)內聽大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)戲(xi)(xi),開(kai)大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)宴。為此(ci),慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)命(ming)軍機大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)臣、禮親王世鐸擔任慶典總辦,按照當(dang)年(nian)(nian)乾(qian)(qian)隆(long)的(de)(de)(de)(de)氣派(pai),除(chu)將皇(huang)宮(gong)(gong)、頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)妥為籌辦外,還(huan)要(yao)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)西(xi)(xi)華(hua)門(men)(men)至頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)幾十(shi)(shi)里大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)道旁,沿途(tu)(tu)點綴景(jing)(jing)觀(guan),搭建(jian)經(jing)壇、戲(xi)(xi)臺、彩殿(dian)、牌樓(lou)(lou),組織僧道念經(jing),戲(xi)(xi)班演戲(xi)(xi),夾道歡迎,供她途(tu)(tu)中(zhong)(zhong)觀(guan)覽,這(zhe)就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)慶壽(shou)“點景(jing)(jing)”工(gong)程。西(xi)(xi)四路口的(de)(de)(de)(de)兩座轉角樓(lou)(lou),就(jiu)是(shi)(shi)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)這(zhe)次“點景(jing)(jing)”工(gong)程中(zhong)(zhong)營建(jian)的(de)(de)(de)(de)。建(jian)此(ci)樓(lou)(lou)作(zuo)用,一(yi)(yi)是(shi)(shi)可(ke)以(yi)遮掩后(hou)面(mian)不(bu)(bu)夠(gou)美觀(guan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)民(min)居,二是(shi)(shi)增(zeng)添喜慶氣氛,三是(shi)(shi)可(ke)以(yi)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)樓(lou)(lou)上(shang)制高點設置警戒。不(bu)(bu)料,正(zheng)當(dang)慶典籌備緊鑼密鼓(gu)進行之(zhi)中(zhong)(zhong),1894年(nian)(nian)7月(yue),日(ri)(ri)(ri)本艦(jian)隊在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)黃海(hai)挑起甲午戰(zhan)爭。8月(yue)1日(ri)(ri)(ri),中(zhong)(zhong)日(ri)(ri)(ri)互下宣戰(zhan)書。眾所(suo)周知,慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan),是(shi)(shi)挪用了(le)(le)海(hai)軍經(jing)費建(jian)成的(de)(de)(de)(de),所(suo)以(yi)后(hou)來有(you)人作(zuo)詩諷刺說,北(bei)洋水(shui)師的(de)(de)(de)(de)鐵艦(jian)全軍覆沒(mei),倒是(shi)(shi)頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)石頭船(chuan)永不(bu)(bu)會(hui)沉(chen)。戰(zhan)爭攪(jiao)亂了(le)(le)慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)慶壽(shou)計(ji)(ji)劃。沒(mei)有(you)心(xin)情,也沒(mei)有(you)臉面(mian)再大(da)(da)(da)(da)(da)事鋪張的(de)(de)(de)(de)慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi),不(bu)(bu)得(de)不(bu)(bu)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)9月(yue)25日(ri)(ri)(ri)下旨(zhi),取消在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)頤(yi)(yi)和(he)園(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)慶典及(ji)沿途(tu)(tu)的(de)(de)(de)(de)“點景(jing)(jing)”工(gong)程。史(shi)載,1894年(nian)(nian)11月(yue)7日(ri)(ri)(ri)(即(ji)陰歷十(shi)(shi)月(yue)初(chu)十(shi)(shi)),慈(ci)禧(xi)(xi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)60歲(sui)(sui)生(sheng)日(ri)(ri)(ri),只是(shi)(shi)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)寧(ning)壽(shou)宮(gong)(gong)中(zhong)(zhong)黯然度過的(de)(de)(de)(de)。