Twilight in the Forbidden City
- ISBN-10
- 4871872734
- ISBN-13
- 9784871872737
- Pages
- 556
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2019-09-16
- Authors
- Reginald Fleming Johnston, Henry Puyi
Description
The term "Twilight in the Forbidden City" refers to the long period of time when the Emperor had lost all political power but continued to hold court and enjoy his status and title. Emperor Pu-Yi was chosen by Empress Dowager Cixi on her deathbed. Puyi became emperor at the age of 2 years and 10 months in December 1908 after the Guangxu Emperor died on 14 November. Titled the Xuantong Emperor, Puyi's introduction to the life of an emperor began when palace officials arrived at his family residence to take him. On the evening of 13 November 1908, without any advance notice, a procession of eunuchs and guardsmen led by the palace chamberlain left the Forbidden City for the Northern Mansion to inform Prince Chun that they were taking away his two-year-old son Puyi to be the new emperor. He ruled off and on from then until China was defeated in 1945.
