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| Last Emperor Pu Yi |
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.
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. 
As Qing's Emperor
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. By terms of Agreement Pu Yi and his family could remain within the Forbidden City (he was not allowed to leave) and maintain the life style of the Imperial Court. During the next few years changing political and military activities in Peking area brought Pu Yi back into the spotlight. General Chang Hsuan occupied Peking and proclaimed Pu Yi emperor again, only to see his movement fall a few days later and Pu Yi was forced to announce yet another abdication. In December of 1921, when Pu Yi was nearly seventeen it was decided that he should marry. To choose a bride, he was given four photographs of young women and directed to mark the one he chose (he later said he couldn't see them clearly because of the poor photography). He marked the photograph of Wen Xiu but his advisors "suggested" he pick another, which he did (Wan Rong). Thus his wedding was held with a great ceremony on December 1, 1922. 
Emperor & Empress Wan Rong
By 1924, continuing warfare amongst the warlords and the increasing power of Chaing Kai-shek brought pressure to revise the Agreement and to require Pu Yi to surrender the Imperial seals. On November 25th Peking was surrounded by general Feng Yu-hsiang who ordered the abolition of the imperial title and the eviction of Pu Yi and his followers from the Forbidden City. Fearing for their safety from numerous factions, Pu Yi et al sought asylum from the Japanese Embassy, where they were warmly received. Several months later they were transferred to the Japanese concession of Tianjin, a move Pu Yi called his "flight to freedom". He was to later refer to it as "he entered the tiger's mouth". In 1931, Japan occupied the province of Manchuria and Pu Yi was asked to help establish an independent Manchuria. He was smuggled into Manchuria on February 13, 1932 and the independence of Manchuria, now called Manchukuo, was proclaimed on the 18th. Throughout World War Two he was a "rubber stamp" or propaganda image for the Japanese. When the Japan surrender was announced on August 15, 1945, he was "asked" to abdicate, which he did.
In attempting to flee to Japan, Pu Yi and his compatriots were captured by Russian soldiers. They were taken to Siberia where they were separated and he was kept under "house arrest" until August of 1946 when he was flown to Tokyo to appear as a witness in various War Crimes trails. After several months he was returned to Siberia. He remained there until the end of July 1950 when, in response to a request from Mao Tse-tung for his return, he was sent back to China.
Chairman Mao met Pu Yi(right)
He was placed in a camp for political prisoners undergoing "re-education". He remained there until his release as "rehabilitated" in 1959, receiving full rights as a citizen on November 20, 1960. During and after his imprisonment he was frequently paraded before visitors and gave numerous interviews. He was authorized to write his autobiography, which was published in 1964. He died on October 17, 1967.
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. In 1943, Puyi married his fourth wife, a 15-year-old student named Li Yuqin (1928?–2001), a Han. She divorced him in 1958. She was diagnosed with cirrhosis in 1995 and died six years later at the age of 73. In 1962, he married his fifth and last wife, a Han nurse, Li Shuxian (1925–1997), who died of lung cancer in 1997. The Emperor had no children.
Bernardo Bertolucci's 1987 film "The Last Emperor" is a biographical film of Puyi. Pu Yi's autobiography "The First Half of My Life", ghost-written by Li Wenda, is well known as "From Emperor to Citizen" in the Western world. It was released in China again in 2007 as a newly and correctly revised version. Many sentences which had been deleted in the 1964 version will be correctly included. Add to your favorite Bookmarking sites              
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Emperor of Qing