The Tragic Life of Guangxu Emperor---Part II.An Emperor's Love Story

In 1889, Guangxu Emperor was already 19 years old and his formal reign could no longer be retarded.(According to Qing rules, young emperors should begin their formal reign at 14 years old, however, Empress Dowager Cixi wanted to grip power in her hands as long as possible). What would come alongside formal reign of the emperor was his marriage.


Cixi planned both Guangxu's formal reign and marriage tactically. She published an edict in Guangxu's name announcing that though the Empress Dowager would retire, she would still give supreme rulings on important state matters, which meant that Cixi would still be the ruler de facto of China.

Cixi threw yet more influence on the marriage of her nephew. She made Guangxu Emperor marry his own cousin, Lady
Yehenara Jingfen, who was also her niece, which was totally out of Guangxu's will. By making this alliance, Cixi meant to unite the

Aisin-Gioro and Yehenara clans, as well as to restrict the emperor more through her own niece. Jingfen thus became Longyu Empress. The new empress had a horse face,a crooked back and was 2 years older than Guangxu. The deemed unhappiness of this arranged marraige could already be perceived even before the wedding.

Yet the wedding ceremony cost the treasury a lot of money, which added considerable burden on the Chinese empire already under siege.

Besides Longyu Empress, the Tatala sisters were called into the palace to become Guangxu's concubines. Lady Tatala the elder was made Jin Consort and the younger Zhen Consort (which litterally means 'the Pearl Consort').

At first, Guangxu Emperor felt so disappointed for being bound by Cixi that he didn't like any of the three women. However, he would soon discover that the then 14-year-old Pearl Consort was by every means a delightful creature: Pretty, intelligent and outgoing, her exuberant nature wasn't left in ruins by strict court courtesies. On the contrary, she became a sort of 'rebel' against that system, which implicitly formed an empathy with the constrained emperor.

Guangxu Emperor and Pearl Consort respected and loved each other. And they were both loyal and devoted to their romance. Guangxu Emperor simply ignored any other woman including Longyu Empress (He even detested her as she was meant to fill in the role of a 'spy') and Jin Consort. He would never select more concubines and after the tragic death of his beloved, he would abstain from any woman until his death (Which was so rare a phenomenon among Chinese emperors)

In ancient China, the relationship between an emperor and his concubine was usually based on very unequal terms, that the concubine was no more than a sexual object in the eyes of the emperor. However, it was totally not the case here. Guangxu Emperor allowed the Pearl Consort to eat with him by the same table and to accompany him not only throughout the night, but also when he was working. The Pearl Consort, in return, would often put on men's clothes to delight the emperor. And it is said that it was her who first introduced photography into Chinese imperial court. Only for fun, she would often lead the emperor to the royal garden to take photos together.


At first, Empress Dowager Cixi quite liked the Pearl Consort as she had always favored clever people. Hearing that the Pearl Consort could draw, she even ordered private tutors for her. And seeing that Guangxu Emperor loved the Pearl Consort, Cixi would often led the other two women of Guangxu to live in the Summer Palace with her while leaving the loving couple in the Forbidden City. However, political conflicts would soon arise between the so-called 'Emperor's party' and 'Empress Dowager's party' as both internal and external crisis drew close, which would shed a shadow even on this beautiful love story.

The Tragic Life of Guangxu Emperor---Part I. From Prince to Emperor

Guangxu Emperor's calligraphic writing

The young Guangxu Emperor riding a horse, accompanied by eunuchs

Guangxu Emperor (1871.8.14~1908.11.14) was the second to last Chinese emperor. He was a handsome, intelligent and open-minded man who selflessly loved his people throughout his reign and embraced western ideologies such as that of constitutional monarchy. However, such a man was doomed to become one of the most tragic rulers in Chinese history.

Born as the eldest living son to the 1st Prince Chun and Lady Yehenara the younger , and being given the birth name Zai'tian in 1871, it seemed that the little boy would spend all his life in the quiet prince manor and devote all his heart to family affections, as his father Prince Chun never meant to pursue an ambitious political career. However, the death of the 19-year-old Tongzhi Emperor who was Zai'tian's cousin in 1875 changed the whole destiny of the 4-year-old boy. As Tongzhi Emperor died without any issue and had no brothers, the question of who would be the heir to the throne was immediately raised. Tongzhi's mother, Lady Yehenara the elder, the then Empress Dowager Cixi decided to adopt Zai'tian, son of her sister and her brother-in-law as her own son and thus make him the new emperor , by intent of her gripping the supreme power still, despite the fact that Zai'tian was not next in line of succession according to Qing rules. But as real power had always been in Cixi's hand, no one could oppose her decision effectively. It is said that when Prince Chun received the imperial edict that his son would succeed as Emperor of China, he wept so bitterly that he fainted on the floor.

That was the beginning of all tragedy. When the carriage came to the prince manor to take Zai'tian to the Forbidden City that night, the boy was sound asleep in his sweet dreams, unaware of the glory and misfortune awaiting him, of which the glory would be but a shell while the misfortune be the substantial fruit. As soon as Zai'tian arrived at the imperial palace, Empress Dowager Cixi proclaimed him to be the Guangxu Emperor (which means 'the Glorious Succession'.In fact, Cixi only meant to make him the continuation rather than the successor of her own dead son, as she ordered Guangxu Emperor to succeed the reign of her husband instead of that of her son, thus the heir to throne after Guangxu would succeed her son). Cixi also forbade Zai'tian from visiting his birth parents except on official occasions when he could see his father, but only as emperor and minister. In order to tame Guangxu and to make him obey her even after he grew up, Cixi made every effort to make herself an authoritarian father figure in front of the child emperor. She ordered Guangxu to call her 'biological father' while he would call Empress Dowager Ci'an (Empress consort of Xian'feng Emperor, to whom Cixi was only a high-rank concubine) 'mother'. Cixi treated the young emperor with harsh words and severe countenance, even whipping him on several occasions for his 'misconduct'. Guangxu would fear her throughout his life and would always submit to this 'father' in front of her, but on the other hand, a strong will of resistence and rebel to Cixi grew from the bottom of his heart. The emperor's double personality layed down the pebbles of path towards his own doom.

The young Guangxu Emperor was a sickly child, often unfit for any study or entertainment. In addition, he was afraid of the thunders and often stuttered when speaking. Yet, such a sensitive child by no means received the care he needed. The eunuchs in court often made better of him due to his youth. The food served to him was neither rotten or cold, and if the young emperor asked the imperial cooks to remake one, the eunuchs would report this to Cixi, who would in return reproach the emperor for his 'not being frugal'.

Guangxu Emperor began to receive formal education when he reached 5. The famous scholar and calligraphor Weng Tonghe was appointed as his tutor. Weng made up his mind to cultivate Guangxu into a sage and benevolent ruler who could hopefully save China from being humiliated and pillaged. He not only taught the boy Confucian classics, but also provided him with new books introducing basic knowledge about the Western world. After a difficult start, Guangxu Emperor gradually grew an

enduring interest in learning. He became proficient in calligraphy as well as in writing poems and essays. He especially enjoyed reading books about the Western way of living and thinking. Under Weng's guidance, Guangxu also formed the conception of loving his people at an early age, which can be reflected in his juvenile writings. He once pointed the character of 'wealth' to Weng, saying that he prefered 'frugality' to the former.

Without the love of parents and companionship of friends, Guangxu regarded the caring Weng Tonghe as his mentor, protector and even a loving father. During a holiday period for Weng, the young emperor stayed depressed all day long.Once Weng returned, Guangxu grabbed both of his hands and exclaimed delightfully, 'I have been missing you for such a long time!' Then the emperor returned to his study and began to work more diligently than ever before.

Another loving figure in Guangxu's childhood was Empress Dowager Ci'an, whom Guangxu addressed as 'Mother'. Affectionate, generous and benevolent, Ci'an was an entirely different woman from Cixi. She should have been a model of good mother, the only pity was that she had no child of her own. However, when Cixi's son was alive, he preferred Ci'an to his own mother, which irritated Cixi. And again, Cixi's own nephew, Guangxu, would feel closer to Ci'an than to his aunt. Unfortunately, Empress Ci'an died suddenly in 1881( many attributed her death to poisoning by Cixi, but no strong proof has been found). The sentimental emperor would weep for her even one month after her death. Indeed, Guangxu Emperor should be sad: he might only know by that time that he had lost a motherly figure, however, he might not be aware that the strongest political balance against Cixi also extinguished in the meantime. Since then, Cixi would become the absolute authoritarian ruler of the Empire without constraint.

Bound by sophiscated court rituals and courtesies, Guangxu Emperor had to attend the levee of Empress Dowager Cixi every morning and do 'Kowtow' to her. Cixi sometimes also took care of the young emperor's education. However, her focus of teaching was on the notion of being obedient to the superior and the elder, which referred to herself in front of Guangxu. Her instruction proved to be effective, Guangxu Emperor would indeed become a very filial 'son' to her and would actually remain filial to the end. However, later on, Cixi wouldn't choose to believe so.

Film: The Last Emperor (1987)

It will soon be the Chinese New Year, which is on the 26 of January this time. Last evening, I made and ate Chinese dumplings with all the Chinese students and the students who learn Chinese in our FAC. Afterwards was the weekly 'Cineclub', fortunately, the film of this week was the one I had desired to watch: 'The Last Emperor' , a hollywood production in 1987 on the last emperor of China, which won the Best Film in Academy Awards. Watching such a nostalgian film seemed to be suitable for the coming Chinese New Year.

The last emperor of China, Aisin-Gioro Puyi (1905~1967) was the eldest son of Prince Chun, who was half brother of the precedent ill-fated yet admirable Guangxu Emperor. Guangxu Emperor died at 37 in 1908 without leaving an issue to succeed the throne. The then Empress Dowager Cixi, Guangxu Emperor's aunt, who was also dying, appointed Puyi as the new 'Son of Heaven' , then immediately died afterwards. (It was found out by the end of last year that the Guangxu Emperor had been poisoned to death, the most suspicious assasinator being his aunt Cixi).

Puyi was only 3 years old when he left home for the unfathomable forbidden city. He grew up within those high pink walls without love from a mother or friendship among ordinary children and the eunuchs became his only companions. Manchu officials and court servants made every effort to prevent the young emperor from getting in touch with the outside world, so that Puyi was deceived to believe that he had always been the emperor of China even long after the fall of the Qing Dynasty in 1911( As the imperial family were still allowed to live in the Forbidden City after the bourgousie revolution, though lost all their power and glory), while in fact he was no more than a noble prisonner inside the decaying palace, worshipped by a group of people forgotten by that new age.

Puyi soon found out the truth as he grew older. He thus felt so rebellous towards his 'guardians' that he wanted to learn new things and change everything. He found himself a Scottish tutor, who would teach him English and western culture. Under the guidance of his tutor, Mr. Johnson, Puyi would also cut off his own pigtail and begin to wear spectacles for the sake of his eyes .

It was when Puyi decided to attend Oxford that the imperial family arranged a marriage for him. His empress was the 17-year-old Wan Rong, a pretty and intelligent manchu girl who had also received occidental education. A consort was also chosen, who was the 12-year-old Wen Xiu.

The fruit of the new republic was soon gripped by warlords and opportunists, who brought China back to wars and chaos. In 1924, the imperial family in the Forbidden City were finally expelled by another coup d'etat, that Puyi and his wives had to seek asylum in Tianjin.

Due to the omnipresent anti-manchu sentiment at that time, Puyi felt like an outsider of society once stepped out of the Forbidden City. As he was feeling frustrated, the vicious and insidious Japanese took their chance. The Japanese volunteerly offered to help Puyi, however, the condition was that Puyi must follow them to Manchuria (North East of China, hometown of manchus) and be the emperor of the state of 'Manchukuo' , which was actually a puppet state established by the Japanese after they occupied manchuria by invasion. Despite the constant persuasion from his wife Wan Rong and his father Prince Chun ( Wen Xiu had already divorced him by that time), Puyi was too naive to realize the real intent of the Japanese while too eager to be restored to emperor, so that he approved of this deal and went with the Japanese to manchuria in 1931. 'China has turned its back on me.' Was his last remark before leaving for 'Manchukuo'.

However, Puyi would soon realize that he was used only as a puppet by the Japanese. There were Japanese spies all around his court that even all details of his private life were penetrated . Meanwhile, Empress Wan Rong fell into depression due to the daily supervision by the Japanese and became addicted to opium. In order to bear an heir for Puyi, she commited adultery with his driver and was then pregnant. After she gave birth to a child, a Japanese doctor immediately killed it by an injection. Wan Rong went totally hysterical and was sent out of the palace by the Japanese, even Puyi was not allowed to fare her well.

In the meantime, the Japanese troops commited unimaginable atrocities in China during the Second Sino-Japanese War which lasted from 1937 to 1945, including doing biochemical experiments on live human beings in manchuria, of which event Puyi must had known. However, due to his almost detestable frailty of nature, he signed all those papers presented by the Japanese with approvement. He must had felt the guilt and shame, however, he was too weak-minded to rebel and to sacrifice.

With the Japanese surrender in 1945, Puyi, along with his 'ministers' became war criminals and was transfered by the Soviet Red Army to the Chinese Communist army in 1950. To Puyi's surprise, the communists didn't kill him but only kept him in a labor camp to 'reform his thoughts' and were relatively kind to him. Puyi was finally released in 1959 and became a citizen of the PRC. In fact, unlike Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette or the last Russian Tsar, who were proved to be largely innocent, Puyi really had been guilty, yet he was kept alive by the communists. The fact was that he was used again by the Communist regime to show their 'generosity' at the beginning of their rule in China.

The last scene of the film can really inspire reflections. It was in 1967, at the time when the disastrous Cultural Revolution had broken out. Puyi was walking alongside a long group of red guards, who were raising a huge portrait of Mao above their heads, yelling in one voice to wish him live for 'ten thousand years'. On the other hand, the so-called 'counter-revolutionaries' were wearing heavy hats and being persecuted by the mob of guards. Puyi suddenly sighted his past-day guardian in labor camp among those being persecuted, so that he went to explain to the red guards that the man must be innocent. The red guards wouldn't listien to Puyi's words and asked him not to stand in their way. After seeing these last scenes, I cannot help but think ,' Was there really no emperor after Puyi? Do all atrocities and dictatorship necessarily extinguish with the fall of an empire ? Do rule of law and democracy necessarily flourish when the imperial regime has been overthrown? The answers are probably all negative.

'The Last Emperor' is overall a great film. It reached excellency in both picture and depth of thought. The latter part seems to me more natural than the former part in the Forbidden City, perhaps due to the fact that American producers were not familiar with what life was like really in the imperial palace, so that the Qing court part was made a little artificial.

I sympathize with Puyi, yet, it's a sympathy mixed with detest rather than partiality.(Which is so different from my sympathy towards his predecessor, Guangxu Emperor) I feel sorry for his lamentable life, which had been always in the hand of others. However, I can never forgive his betrayal to China when he had the chance to make a better choice.