Puyi

{{Contains special characters|Manchu}}

{{Contains special characters|Manchu}}

'''Puyi'''{{efn|[[Courtesy name]]: Yaozhi ({{zhi|c=曜之}})}} ({{lang-zh|c=溥儀|p=Pǔ Yí|w=P'u-i}}; 7 February 1906{{snd}}17 October 1967), or the '''[[Regnal year|Xuantong]] Emperor''', was the last [[emperor of China]], reigning as the eleventh monarch of the [[Qing dynasty]] from 1908 to 1912, and a brief return in 1917, when he was forced to abdicate. Later, he sided with Imperial Japan and was made ruler of [[Manchukuo]]—[[Empire of Japan|Japanese]]-occupied [[Manchuria]]—in hopes of regaining power as China's emperor. After over 10 years of imprisonment for war crimes following the end of [[World War II]], Puyi worked for four years as a gardener in [[Beijing]], China.

'''Puyi'''{{efn|[[Courtesy name]]: Yaozhi ({{zhi|c=曜之}})}} ({{lang-zh|c=溥儀|p=Pǔ Yí|w=P'u-i}}; 7 February 1906{{snd}}17 October 1967) — [[Regnal name|officially referred to]] as the '''Xuantong Emperor''' per [[Chinese era name|Chinese regnal conventions]], and later known as the '''Kangde Emperor''' during his reign over [[Manchukuo]] — was the last [[emperor of China]], reigning as the eleventh monarch of the [[Qing dynasty]] from 1908 to 1912, and a brief return in 1917, when he was forced to abdicate. Later, he sided with Imperial Japan and was made ruler of Manchukuo — [[Empire of Japan|Japanese]]-occupied [[Manchuria]] — in hopes of regaining power as China's emperor. After over 10 years of imprisonment for war crimes following the end of [[World War II]], Puyi worked for four years as a gardener in [[Beijing]], China.

When the [[Guangxu Emperor]] died without an heir, [[Empress Dowager Cixi]] picked two year old Puyi, the nephew of the late emperor, to succeed him as the '''Xuantong Emperor'''. Puyi's father, [[Zaifeng, Prince Chun]], served as [[regent]] before Puyi was forced to abdicate as a result of the [[Xinhai Revolution]], which ended two millennia of [[Chinese Empire|imperial rule]] and established the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]].

When the [[Guangxu Emperor]] died without an heir, [[Empress Dowager Cixi]] picked two year old Puyi, the nephew of the late emperor, to succeed him as the '''Xuantong Emperor'''. Puyi's father, [[Zaifeng, Prince Chun]], served as [[regent]] before Puyi was forced to abdicate as a result of the [[Xinhai Revolution]], which ended two millennia of [[Chinese Empire|imperial rule]] and established the [[Republic of China (1912–1949)|Republic of China]].

[[Empress Dowager Longyu]] signed the [[Imperial Edict of the Abdication of the Qing Emperor]] on Puyi's behalf, and in return the royal family was offered the [[Articles of Favourable Treatment of the Great Qing Emperor after His Abdication|Articles of Favorable Treatment]], which allowed him to retain his imperial title and continue to live in the [[Forbidden City]]. From 1 to 12 July 1917, Puyi was briefly [[Manchu Restoration|restored to the Qing throne]] by the loyalist general [[Zhang Xun]]. In 1924, he was expelled from the capital by warlord [[Feng Yuxiang]] after [[1924 Beijing Coup|a coup]], after which he found refuge in [[Tianjin]] and began to court both various warlords and the Japanese, who had long desired control of China.

[[Empress Dowager Longyu]] signed the [[Imperial Edict of the Abdication of the Qing Emperor]] on Puyi's behalf, and in return the royal family was offered the [[Articles of Favourable Treatment of the Great Qing Emperor after His Abdication|Articles of Favorable Treatment]], which allowed him to retain his imperial title and continue to live in the [[Forbidden City]]. From 1 to 12 July 1917, Puyi was briefly [[Manchu Restoration|restored to the Qing throne]] by the loyalist general [[Zhang Xun]]. In 1924, he was expelled from the capital by warlord [[Feng Yuxiang]] after [[1924 Beijing Coup|a coup]], after which he found refuge in [[Tianjin]] and began to court both various warlords and the Japanese, who had long desired control of China.

After the Japanese [[Japanese invasion of Manchuria|invaded Manchuria]] and established the puppet state of [[Manchukuo]] in 1932, they installed Puyi as the state's chief executive. In 1934, Puyi was declared emperor of Manchukuo under the era name "Kangde". He largely resided in the [[Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo|Manchukuo Imperial Palace]] in [[Changchun]], where he was closely watched by the Japanese as a puppet ruler. At the end of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] in 1945, Puyi fled the capital and was captured by the Soviet [[Red Army]]. On 16 August 1946, he testified at the [[Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal]], and in 1950, was repatriated to the [[People's Republic of China]]. Puyi was then [[Fushun War Criminals Management Centre|imprisoned and re-educated]] as a [[war criminal]] until his release in 1959.

After the Japanese [[Japanese invasion of Manchuria|invaded Manchuria]] and established the puppet state of [[Manchukuo]] in 1932, they installed Puyi as the state's chief executive. In 1934, Puyi was declared emperor of Manchukuo under the era name ''Kangde''. He largely resided in the [[Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo|Manchukuo Imperial Palace]] in [[Changchun]], where he was closely watched by the Japanese as a puppet ruler. At the end of the [[Second Sino-Japanese War]] in 1945, Puyi fled the capital and was captured by the Soviet [[Red Army]]. On 16 August 1946, he testified at the [[Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal]], and in 1950, was repatriated to the [[People's Republic of China]]. Puyi was then [[Fushun War Criminals Management Centre|imprisoned and re-educated]] as a [[war criminal]] until his release in 1959.

After his release, Puyi published an autobiography ([[ghostwriter|ghostwritten]] by Li Wenda{{Cite web |title=隐身在"末代皇帝"背后的人_中华读书报_光明网 |url=https://www.gmw.cn/01ds/2008-09/17/content_838653.htm |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.gmw.cn}}{{Cite web |title=出版史上最复杂的继承案-中华读书报-光明网 |url=https://epaper.gmw.cn/zhdsb/html/2013-06/05/nw.D110000zhdsb_20130605_1-05.htm?div=-1 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=epaper.gmw.cn}}) under the pressure of the Communist government and became a member of the [[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]]. He died in 1967 and was ultimately buried near the [[Western Qing tombs]] in a commercial cemetery. Puyi married five times, but had no children.

After his release, Puyi published an autobiography ([[ghostwriter|ghostwritten]] by Li Wenda{{Cite web |title=隐身在"末代皇帝"背后的人_中华读书报_光明网 |url=https://www.gmw.cn/01ds/2008-09/17/content_838653.htm |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=www.gmw.cn}}{{Cite web |title=出版史上最复杂的继承案-中华读书报-光明网 |url=https://epaper.gmw.cn/zhdsb/html/2013-06/05/nw.D110000zhdsb_20130605_1-05.htm?div=-1 |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=epaper.gmw.cn}}) under the pressure of the Communist government and became a member of the [[Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference]]. He died in 1967 and was ultimately buried near the [[Western Qing tombs]] in a commercial cemetery. Puyi married five times, but had no children.