Aixinjueluo Puyi, the last emperor of China's feudal dynasty, his life is like a mirror, reflecting the dramatic changes in China in the twentieth century. From ascending the throne at the age of three to becoming an ordinary citizen, his fate is closely intertwined with the turmoil of the country.
Prisoners of the Forbidden City (1908-1924)
In 1908, three-year-old Puyi was made emperor before the death of Empress Dowager Cixi, with the reign title Xuantong. He grew up in the Forbidden City under strict palace regulations, enjoying the honor of the emperor but no freedom. When the Republic of China was founded in 1912, he was forced to abdicate. According to the preferential treatment conditions of the Qing Dynasty, he still lived in the harem and became the "Emperor in the Forbidden City." The farce of Zhang Xun's restoration allowed him to briefly return to the throne, but he abdicated again twelve days later. In 1924, Feng Yuxiang launched a coup in Beijing, abolished preferential treatment conditions, and expelled him from the palace.
The Ups and Downs of Tianjin and the Puppet Manchukuo (1925-1945)
The seven years of living in Tianjin were a turning point in Puyi's thinking. In the bustling and hustle and bustle of the concession, he came into contact with Western culture and was also deeply influenced by the restoration ideas. The Japanese invaders took a fancy to his identity and value, and supported him to establish the puppet Manchukuo in 1932. He first served as ruler and then as emperor. For fourteen years, although he wore the dragon robe again, he was just a puppet in the hands of the Japanese Kwantung Army. All his words and deeds were monitored and he had no real power.
Transformation and Rebirth (1945-1967)
At the end of World War II, Puyi was captured by the Soviet Red Army at Shenyang Airport and began his five-year life as a prisoner of war. He was extradited back to China in 1950 and underwent rehabilitation at the Fushun War Criminals Management Center. From sorting his own clothes to learning labor skills, he gradually faded away from being an emperor.
