Biography of Puyi, the Last Imperial Prince

Author: Jia Yinghua
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: The biography of Puyi, the Last Imperial Prince, is not only authentic but also rich in historical materials, making it a rare historical figure biography.
1. The Mystery of the Will "The eighth and ninth sons of Emperor Kangxi died after Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, and people suspected they were poisoned by Yongzheng. Due to the lack of concrete evidence, it became one of the major unsolved cases of the late Qing Dynasty. This book finally reveals the historical truth with undeniable historical records." This matter was already discussed by Puyi in his articles long ago, and he also mentioned it in his autobiography published in 1994. Everyone already knew about it. Mr. Jia himself might have forgotten, as he already mentioned it in the book he published over a decade ago. Such a well-known fact doesn’t require Mr. Jia to "clarify" it for us again as if it were "the first time."
2. The Mystery of the Suicide of Puyi’s Mother "Legend has it that Puyi’s mother committed suicide due to a conflict with the Grand Empress Dowager Duan Kang, who scolded and made her kneel as punishment. The book reveals that Puyi’s mother was involved in secret activities to restore the Qing Dynasty. The Grand Empress Dowager Duan Kang discovered that the activities failed and accused Puyi’s mother of embezzling a large amount of treasures from the palace under the guise of the "restoration" effort. Unable to bear such a great shame in her life, Puyi’s mother took opium and died."
It’s no news that Puyi’s mother was involved in the secret activities of the Qing Dynasty, and Mr. Jia doesn’t need to explain it. We all know it from "My Half-Life" and "Puyi’s Autobiography." The direct reason for Puyi’s mother’s suicide was the accusation by the Grand Empress Dowager Duan Kang. The accusation stemmed from a conflict between Puyi and the Grand Empress Dowager Duan Kang. Even if the accusation mentioned embezzlement during the restoration, it would at most be an indirect cause. To be more precise, how does Mr. Jia know for sure that the Grand Empress Dowager Duan Kang must have mentioned embezzlement during the restoration when she accused her? Don’t take speculation as an accurate answer. To claim this as a new discovery is far too superficial for Mr. Jia.