Puyi History

Puyi Tomb Aixinjueluo Puyi (1906-1967 AD), emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Xuantong (late) of the Qing Dynasty, commonly known as Emperor Xuantong, or the last emperor, also revered as Emperor Xun of the Qing Dynasty (1906 February 7, 1967 - October 17, 1967) was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty. His courtesy name was Haoran, taken from Mencius, which means "I am good at nourishing my awe-inspiring spirit". The English name Henry is Manchu. The grandson of Prince Chun Yixuan (the seventh son of Emperor Daoguang and Prince Chunxian, the younger brother of Emperor Xianfeng) and the eldest son of Zaifeng (Prince Chun), his mother was Suwanguarjia Youlan (the daughter of Ronglu). Guangxu (uncle) succeeded to the throne after his death. He was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty and the tenth emperor after the Qing Dynasty entered the customs. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he underwent transformation and became a new citizen. He later died of kidney cancer at the age of 62. After cremation, the ashes were placed in a side room of the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing. Then-Premier Zhou Enlai instructed that they be moved to the main room and later moved to the Hualong Royal Cemetery.

Young Puyi

Xuantong Emperor Puyi was born on the 14th of the first lunar month in the 32nd year of Guangxu (February 7, 1906) in Prince Chun Mansion on the Shicha Seaside in Beijing. He is the great-grandson of Emperor Daoguang and the eldest son of Emperor Guangxu's brother Zaifeng. In October of the thirty-fourth year of Guangxu's reign (1908), Empress Dowager Cixi and Guangxu became seriously ill at the same time. The day before Emperor Guangxu died, the Empress Dowager Cixi was also dying. Since Emperor Guangxu had no heir, the Empress Dowager Cixi summoned the Minister of Military and Aircraft in Zhongnanhai to discuss the candidates for the throne. The Minister of Military and Aircraft believed that when there were internal and external troubles, an older person should be appointed. Empress Dowager Cixi was furious after hearing this, and finally decided to make three-year-old Puyi emperor and let Puyi's biological father Zaifeng supervise the country. After the minister informed Emperor Guangxu of the matter, Emperor Guangxu was very satisfied because Puyi was his nephew and he asked his brother to supervise the country. Then, Guangxu and Cixi died one after another in two days. Half a month later, Puyi ascended the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and was regent by Queen Longyu and Zaifeng of Guangxu. The next year, the reign name was changed to Xuantong, and thus Puyi ascended the throne as the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty for the first time. He was only 3 years old when he ascended the throne.

The Revolution of 1911 broke out in the third year of Xuantong (1911). On February 12 of the following year, Queen Mother Longyu was forced to issue the "Abdication Edict" on behalf of Puyi, but she retained the title of non-ruling emperor, and Puyi retreated to the Forbidden City. The Yangxin Hall in the center announced the demise of the Qing Dynasty and the end of the feudal monarchy that lasted for more than two thousand years.

In 1917, Puyi came to Tianjin. In June, Zhang Xun led the braided army to Beijing, and together with Kang Youwei and other royalists, announced the restoration of Puyi on July 1. On the 12th, amid nationwide condemnation, Puyi once again announced his abdication. During the Restoration, a bomb and an airplane dropped small bombs over the Forbidden City, causing minor damage. This is considered the first air raid bombing in East Asia. On November 5, 1924, Feng Yuxiang sent Lu Zhonglin and his troops into the Forbidden City to force Puyi to leave the palace. This was called the "forcing incident" in history. Puyi moved into Beifeng (Zaifeng's residence) and then fled into the Japanese legation. After Puyi was forced into the palace, major newspapers in Japan published articles sympathetic to Puyi to build momentum for the establishment of the puppet Manchukuo in the future. Ironically, during the Eight-Nation Alliance, Japan sent the most troops and fought the hardest. Soon, he was escorted to Tianjin by the Japanese.

Manchukuo Regime

On March 1, 1932, Japan supported Puyi as the ruler of the Japanese puppet regime "Manchukuo". Puyi served from March 9, 1932 to February 1934. On August 28, he was appointed as the ruler of Manchukuo, and his reign was named "Datong". In 1934, the country's name was changed to "Manchu Empire", the emperor was changed, and the reign name was changed to "Kant". He ascended the throne on March 1. It was the abbreviation of Kangxi and Dezong Guangxu, which was intended to commemorate and entrust the continued inheritance of the Qing Dynasty's foundation. willing.

On August 15, 1945, Japan was defeated and surrendered. On August 17, Puyi was captured by the Soviet Red Army while preparing to flee in Shenyang and was taken to the Soviet Union.

After World War II

After World War II, Puyi was designated as a war criminal. In early August 1950, he was escorted back to China and studied and reformed at the Fushun War Criminals Management Center. He received "revolutionary education" and "ideological reform" for about ten years. On December 4, 1959, he received an amnesty order from Chairman Mao Zedong of the People's Republic of China and said: "The prisoner has been detained for ten years. During his detention, through labor reform and ideological education, some people have actually changed their evil ways and become good. If he meets the provisions of Article 1 of the amnesty order, he will be released." From then on, Puyi became a citizen of the Republic of China. In March 1960, Puyi was assigned to work at the Beijing Botanical Garden. In 1964, he was transferred to the Cultural and Historical Data Research Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference as a data specialist, and served as a member of the Fourth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. Puyi married four times in his life and married five women, but he never left any descendants. The last marriage was to Li Shuxian in 1962. Puyi wrote his autobiography "The First Half of My Life", which was published by Qunzhong Publishing House in April 1964. His unique and dramatic experience has been adapted into film and television works many times. Among them, the film "The Last Emperor" won the 1988 Academy Award and many other awards.

In 1967, Puyi fell ill due to uremia. After hearing the news, Premier Zhou Enlai personally called the CPPCC staff to instruct Puyi's illness. Later, he was instructed to arrange for him to be sent to the Capital Hospital for consultation with traditional Chinese and Western medicine.

When his condition was at its most critical, Premier Zhou assigned the famous old Chinese doctor Pu Fuzhou to see him and convey Premier Zhou's greetings to him. Later, due to ineffective treatment, he died at 2:30 a.m. on October 17, 1967.

It is also said that Puyi died of cancer, and Puyi's body was cremated in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations of the People's Republic of China, instead of being buried as the remains of his ancestors. After cremation, the ashes were placed in Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing.

On May 29, 1980, 13 years after Puyi’s death, the Chinese government held a memorial service for Puyi. On January 26, 1995, Puyi's widow was allowed to bury his ashes in the Hualong Royal Cemetery near Chongling (Guangxu Mausoleum) in the Qingxi Mausoleum. The Hualong Royal Cemetery is located next to the Chongling Mausoleum of the Qing Dynasty in Yi County, Hebei Province. It is only 200 meters away from the back wall of the Chongling Tomb. The Hualong Cemetery is a commercial cemetery run by individuals.

Puyi had the wish to be buried in peace before his death, and the Qingxi Mausoleum was also the burial place determined by Puyi before his death. Puyi's burial in this cemetery was carefully arranged by his fifth wife, Li Shuxian, and was personally presided over by his wife Li Shuxian.

Puyi’s Tomb Ms. Li Shuxian passed away on June 9, 1997.