Pu Yi(February 7, 1906-October 17, 1967), the last emperor of China between 1908 and 1924 (ruling as the Xuantong Emperor between 1908 and 1911, and non-ruling emperor between 1911 and 1924), the twelfth emperor of the Qing Dynasty to rule over China.

He was One of the most interesting people living in China during the transition period from the Empire to the Republic, the warlord times, the Japanese governance of Manchuria/Manchukuo and the Peoples Republic of China.

Emperor of Qing

Chosen by Dowager Empress Cixi while on her deathbed, Pu Yi ascended the throne at age 2 years 10 months in December 1908 following his uncle's death on November 14. Pu Yi's upbringing was hardly conducive to the raising of a healthy, well-balanced child. Overnight, he was treated as a god and unable to behave as a child. The adults in his life, save his wet-nurse Mrs. Wang, were all strangers, remote, distant, and unable to discipline him. Wherever he went, grown men would kneel to the floor in a ritual kow-tow, averting their eyes until he passed. Soon the young Puyi discovered the absolute power he wielded over the eunuchs, and frequently had them beaten for small transgressions......

Emperor Abdicated

On October 10, 1911, the garrison of Wuchang rebelled and declared China to be a republic; within 2 months thirteen of China's eighteen provinces had joined the rebellion. The government was unable to react as many military leaders were allied with the republicans. When republicans occupied Peking they delivered an ultimatum to Prince Chun that required the abdication of Pu Yi but guaranteed his title, safety, income, etc., in the Articles of Favorable Treatment. With no alternative available, this was accomplished on February 12, 1912. Thus the Republic of China, complete with many competing warlord armies, came into being, with the recent Imperial general Yuan Shih-kai becoming President......

Emperor and his five wives

In 1922, at the age of 16, Puyi married two women. His first choice for wife was Wen Xiu (1907-1951), whom court officials deemed not beautiful enough to be an Empress; Wen Xiu was designated as a concubine, and eventually divorced him in 1931. Puyi's second choice, a Manchu named Wan Rong (1906-1946, a.k.a. Radiant Countenance), became the Empress; she later became addicted to opium, and died in a Chinese prison.

His third wife was a Manchu, Tan Yuling, whom he married around 1937. Although only a teenager at the time of marriage, she died mysteriously five years later while being treated for an illness by a Japanese-occupation doctor.

written by  adamsguo on September 17, 2008 from Beijing, China
from the travel blog: Beijing Tour
tagged ChineseEmperor
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