The first is the theory of worshiping Buddha and sitting in meditation. According to the "Grand View of Unofficial History of the Qing Dynasty": "When Xiao Qin was not in power, he once made Guanyin makeup. He used the internal eunuch Li Lianying as a benefactor and Sister Li as the dragon girl. He used Western methods to take a large picture and hung it in the bedroom. Everyone in the palace called him. Lafayette."
The second is to add your own emblem. Cai Dongfan said in "The Romance of the Empress Dowager Cixi" that on the occasion of Cixi's 60th birthday, "he added his own emblem and ordered the attendants to call him Lafayette, or call him ancestor."
The third is along the lines of Mongolian folklore. Wang Wusheng said in "The Secret History of Shu'an": "In the palace, he is called Lao Buddha, following Mongolian custom." There is also a saying that the Empress Dowager Cixi once chanted sutras and prayed for rain, and it actually rained two or three days later. The great eunuch Li Lianying complimented her as "Lafayette", so the maids and eunuchs around her called her that, and it gradually became a title used by both the government and the public.
The above three opinions all believe that the title "Lafayette" is exclusive and unique to the Empress Dowager Cixi. This is a misunderstanding. In fact, the title "Lafayette" is not exclusive to the Empress Dowager Cixi, because all emperors of the Qing Dynasty called her "Lafayette" specifically. It turns out that in addition to their respective temple names, posthumous titles, and honorary titles, emperors in history also had special titles. For example, the emperor of the Song Dynasty had a special title of "Guan Jia" and the emperor of the Ming Dynasty had a special title of "Master." So what is the special name of the Qing emperor "Lao Buddha"? This is because the Qing Dynasty was established by the Jurchen tribe, and the earliest leader of the Jurchen tribe was specifically called "Manzhu". "Manzhu" is the transliteration of "Yanzhu" for Buddha, which means "auspiciousness" for Buddha. Therefore, the Jurchen leader has been passed down from generation to generation and is specially called "Manzhu". Later, some prominent families and leaders who held high positions were named "Manzhu". Therefore, after the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchu "Manzhu" was translated into "Buddha" and became the special title of the emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The Empress Dowager Cixi had a special purpose in letting others call her "Lafayette". She was trying to compare herself to the emperor.