Imperial Secret Archives of Xuantong Last Emperor

Author: Shengye edited by Yin Nan, photography by
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: Step into the real and illusory mysteries of the Qing Dynasty, truly feel the imperial life that is either thrilling, tender, unrestrained, or filled with intrigue; get close to their inner depths, touch their beating hearts, and explore the hidden world behind the twelve emperors. In the chaotic maze of worldly affairs, often the players are blinded by their own perspective, and what can easily see as right or wrong is often unclear to historical figures at the time, leading them to make wrong choices. This is the tragedy of those who lived in the transitional era of the Republic of China, the tragedy of Puyi, and also the tragedy of an era. The Guangxu Emperor was imprisoned on the island of Zhongtai, while the Empress Dowager Cixi established a new heir to the throne. Adoption, abolition, and re-establishment—facing a dying feudal dynasty, the autocratic Empress Dowager was powerless to turn back the tide. Ascension, abdication, and restoration—amidst intense social transformation, the last Qing emperor Puyi found his wishes unfulfilled. Palaces, residences, prisons—once the Son of Heaven, the former emperor wandered and drifted under the whims of history. Emperors, war criminals, citizens—the abdicated Qing emperor ultimately became a self-reliant citizen of the Republic.
The Empress Dowager, who held absolute power and appointed relatives to key positions, in the final moments of the Guangxu Emperor, hastily chose Puyi as the successor of the Qing Dynasty, thrusting a three-year-old child onto the throne. What was the reason behind this? Puyi was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty and also the last emperor of China's two thousand-year imperial system. As the last emperor, Puyi's life was tumultuous. Three years as an emperor, yet uninitiated to the ways of the world—how did he spend those three years? Through several marriages and multiple disappointments, how did he endure this complex and mysterious emotional life? The story of the Qing Dynasty, the last emperor, truly portrays the extraordinary life of an ordinary citizen.