THE SATURDAY EVENING POST 13

O N MARCfl NINTH, Pu-yi, last emperor of

the Celestial Empire, was inducted into oRce
as head of the newly created state of Man-
ehoukuo in Manchuria, under the militar}^ domi-
nance of the Japanese. A more pathetic figure in the
world today than Pu-yi cannot be found, and there
are many such as the result of fallen empires and
kingdoms. Since the day he was born, in 1906, he has
been buffeted by fate and forced to suffer untold
hardships and indignities.
Pu-yi, the title of whose reign was Hsuan Tung,
was the tenth Manchu emperor to sit on the Dragon
Throne of the Ching Dynasty, which ruled China for
268 years, and now he has become the puppet of
Japanese aggression in Manchuria.
The Manchu race seems to be little known or
understood in the Western world. Very few people
know the difference between the Manchu and the
Chinese l'aces. The Manchu people originally came
from the White Mountains near the Sungari River in
Manchuria, along the border of Siberia, and up to
the time of their coming into China in 1644, Man-
churia and China were two separate countries. The
Manchus were great fighters and mighty hunters,
and lived, for the most part, an outdoor life. They
were very big physically, light of skin, veryfierceand
strong, and were known to the world as Tartars or
Manchu Tartars.
The INIanchus had an empire and emperor of their
own, and the first emperor of the Manchu Dynasty in
China, Shen-chih, Avas the son of the emperor of
Manchuria. By a strange coincidence Slien-chih
was six years old when he was piaced upon the
Dragon Throne of China, and Pn-yi, the last em-
peror, was not quite three years old when he as-
cended his throne. The djiia-sty began ^^^th a baby
emperor and ended with one.
It has been said of the INIanehu race that they are
a savage, illiterate people, but such is not the fact,
as they have a separate and distinct written lan-
guage of their own and are highly cultured. Their
language has a number of M ords which are similar
to Russian, and it may be that the^^ came origi-
nally from Russian stock. Binding the feet of
women was unknown in Manchuria; in fact, these
women might have been called the Amazons of the
Par East, as they were wonderful horseback riders
and as well skilled in archeiy as the men, with
whom they often hunted.
Seizing the Spoils of Victory
reign of great purity." The Prince of
Amur could easily have seized the throne
for himself had he so desired, but he was
a great soldier and preferred life in the
open, so he became regent and ruled onl^'-
until the small emperor was old enough
to rule for himself.
Yuan Shi'kai's Coup d'tat
D URING the 26Syears of Alanchu rule
in China, there were ten emperors
and one ruling empressthe Empress
DowagerTsu-hsithe fij'st six being pow-
erful rulers. From the time of Hsien-feng,
1S50-1861, the seventh emperor, who
was a degenerate and very fond of pleas-
ure, the dynasty gradually declined until
it ceased to be in 1912, the date of its
downfall. Hsien-feng was the husband of
the gi'eat Empress Dowager Tsu-hsi.
When he died she seized the reins of power,
ruling the country for nearly half a cen-
tury with a very strong hand. The eighth
emperor was Tung-chi, son of the empress
dowager, but he did not rule in truth, as
he died afthe age of nineteen. His suc-
cessor, the ninth emperor, was Kwang-su,
the nephew of the empress dowager. His
reign was A^ery short, and he was great y
misunderstood, it being thought that he
was a weakling. He was the only em-
peror who seemed to realize that it was
necessaiy to reform the laws if the dy-
nasty was to last, and it was his inten-
tion to adopt Western ideals as far as they
were suitable to Chinese life. He was
much interested in Christianity, anrl
studied the Bible deeply. That lie was
yi and His Wife Jifter They Had Been Driven
From the Forbidden City by the So^CaHed Christian
General, FengYu^hsian^, /924, Jit Left^Paryi at the
Time of His Coronation as Emperor of China,
to curry out a number of reforms he luvd long con-
templated, but the situation was not without dan-
ger, as the empress dowager was a.s conservative as

r 'i 1644 thei'e was a very serious revolution rag-

ing in China, and the emperor of the Ming Dy-
nasty feared for his throne. The arch rebel, Li
Tzu-cheng, was storming the walls of Peking, and
the emperor, fearing that ail was lost, dispatched a
messenger, the famous statesman, Wu San-kwei,
to the emperor of Manchuria, asking his assistance
in putting down this rebellion. Wu San-kwei
pleaded the emperor's case well, gained the sym-
pathy of the Manchurian emperor, and a large
army was sent to the relief of Peking. This army
was led by Prince Juiknown as the Prince of
Amurthe emperor being too old. This prince
and his army of fierce fighters soon suppressed the
rebellion, and he entered Peking with his soldiers.
As he was at the gates of the city, the Ming emperor,
Chung-cheng, not knowing that the Manchurian
army had arrived and driven the rebels off, thought
that all was lost and committed suicide. The Prince
of Amur, finding the throne empty, gazed upon the
luxury and splendor of the Imperial Palace and
promptly decided to seize the reins of power for the
Manchurian emperor. M\ opposition having been
quelled, there was none to oppose, so the little em-
peror, Shen-chih, was placed upon the throne and
the new dynasty named the Ta-ching Dynasty** the
betrayed by one of his trusted statesmen. Yuan Shi-
kai, who later became the first president of the re-
public, was one of the great tragedies of the Manchu
rgime. This event is known to the world as the
*'coup d'tat of 1S9S."
Shortly before this time, Kwang-su having become
of age, the empress dowager relinquished the reins of
power to him and retired to the Summer Palace in
the Western Hill of Peking, to have a well-earned
rest, as she expressed it, and to recuperate from
a recent severe illness. This was his opportunity
he was progressive, and lie knew she would never
approve the steps he wished to take. To be sure that
he would not be interfered with, he summoned Yuan
Shl-kai, who was in command of some Western
trained and equipped soldiers, and ordered him to
surround the Summer Palace and stay there until
such timeas his reforms had been put in tooperation.
Instead of obeying His Majesty's order. Yuan Shi-
kai went at once to the Summer Palace and begged
an audience. It was about ten o'clock at night when
he arrived there, and when the empress dowager
was informed of his request she became very much
alarmed, as no official was allowed to enter the
palace grounds after four o'clock in the afternoon.
Yuan told part of his story to the head eunuch, Li
Lien-ying, who carried the message to Her Majesty
and suggested that the message must be of grave im-
portance. Her Majesty finally consented to receive
him, and he, v^vy much excited, was ushered into the
throne room. He knelt and kotowed to Her Majesty,
then breathlessly blurted out his important news,
not forgetting to add considerable ideas of liis own to
the real facts. He told that the emperor had become
a Christian through the influence of his unscrupulous
advisers; that he was about to issue many edicts of
reform, among which was one ordering that all
(Continued, on Pago

\
70 THE SATURDAY EVENING POST Mprll SO, I9S2

"I've never set foot in Wisconsin. '*
That seemed to be pretty definite.
There was nothing to do but get back
to conundrums.
"What's the difference,*' Ilowdy be-
gan, feeline: lower than lhe price of a
used tire. " between " He stopped
again. "Hold on. You say you were
never iu Wisconsin, but you visited in
Fox Lake, Illinois?"
" You remember Hanson's Grist
MiU?"
She nodded.
"And the Superba Pea Cannery?
And the haunted house with all thttse
broken windows on the Horicon Road?"
"Yes, 1 remember. Fox Lake, Illi-
nois."
Howdy snorted. "Foxlake, Wiscon-
sin. You've got your states mixed."
She frowned. "Whj'' do you say
that? We were visiting relatives in
ago before we went to Fox Lake."
"How old were vou?"
"That's how you g:ot mixed up,"
said Howdy.
"Mixed u p ? "
"Too young to know your geog-
raphy. You were visiting relatives in
Illinois, then you visited some more at
Foxlake, and you took it for granted
that you'd gone to Fox Lake, Iilinuis.
instead of FoxJake in the southerD part
of Wisconsin."
"Maybe," she said slowly. " B u t kids yelled it at me for years. They "Why is a kiss," she asked. **like a
what's the difference?" nicknamed me for it." big red apple in a box of other big red
"You don't know?" "They nicknamed you for i t ? " She apples?"
" I haven't the remotest idea." laughed incredulously. " I don't know. Why is a kiss like a
"Fo.xlake, Wisconsin. You visited "The note said," Howdy repeat-ed big red apple in a box of other big red
our school. Miss McCarthy's room." slowly, "'How do you do? How do apples?"
The water was blowing and foaming you like Foxlake? How do you think "Because even if you should reach
all around them, but Evelyn paid no it would be if I was to see you after out and take it, there'd be a lot left."
attention. "Miss McCarthy's room? school and walk home with you ? ' I've They hadn't entirelyfinisheddem-
Seems to me I remember " been 'Howdy' ever since. And ma3'"be onstrating that conundrum when some-
"Sure 3'ou remember." you won't believe it, but they rubbed body yelled, "Sweethearts, ahoy!"
Evelyn was perking up visibly. it in so that even today every time I The voice eame from a little sailing
"Wait a minute! Were you the boy try to talk with a girl I get all balled yacht that had sneaked through the
with the red-striped sliirt who sat down up." fog on her way to a landing. After some
in front?" Evelyn was laughing as they braced more kidding and some profane ma-
"That was me." themselves for a fresh wave. neuvering, the yacht got near enough
"And 3'ou wrote me a note that Miss "So you're Howdy?" to let Evel^m and Howdy scramble up
McCarthy got and read to the school." "Howdy, the Tongue-tied Wonder." over the side. Which was that.
Howdy bit his upper lip. A good "That's why you talked tires?"
many years had passed, but as often as "That's wh}^ I went in for conun-
he thought of that note he felt bad. drums. But. say, when I'm anywhere
He nodded.
"What did the note say?"
near yon I'm lucky to be able to talk at
all. Ask me another."
S INCE the wedding Howdy's got
along a good deal better, because
he's so changed. Though he never talks
"Don't you remember?" "Why don't you do something to get tires except to prospects and, in general,
" I haven't the least idea." over i t ? " avoids conundrums, he's slowly but
"Well," said Howdy slowly, " i t "I'd like to. Ask me another." surely making up for those long years
didn't say at all what I wanted most to As far as a girl can look pretty when of silence.
tell 3'ou. Why, 1 rould never even look most of her is soaked with sea water, "Howdy," Evelyn breaks in when
at 3'ou without getting hot and cold all Evelyn looked prett}''; though she'd she feels he's been monopolizing the
over. Three weeks ago when I saw you have looked pretty to Howdy no mat- conversation more than usual, "give
drive into my shop 1 got the same way ter what condition she was in. that girl a chance. Maybe she wants
again." " Fve just made up a conundrum to say something herself."
"Please tell me what was in the myselfH o wdy. ' ' "Was I doing all the talking?"
note." "" What IS it''he sort of choked lnit Howdy asks in a surprised way.
In spite of the water's chill, Howdy's finally manai^ed to get the name out "Howdy, there's only one possible
face got red. "I'll never forget it. The "Evelyn?" ' answer to that. Ask me another."

TIME PUPPET
Continued from Page 13'

queues pigtails should cease to the families that these two were to at the head of the new government in the kotow before Her Majesty, striking
adorn the heads of the Chinese men; marry. This childhood romance was Manchuria. her bead three times on the cold stone
that man^' na\^' sliips were to be pur- never realized, as fate steyjped in and I remember as well as if it happened fioor. When this ceremony was over,
chased abroad, as China had no na\^^ she was selected to be the secondary oiiiy yesterday, the day that Pu-jn she took her son, then two months old,
and that ^Aestern attire was to be wife of the Emperor llsien-feng. was first brought into the Forbidden and bent his little body three times in
adopted. "But that is not all. Your Yun-lu's unselfish love and devo- City by his mother to perform his the performance of his kotow, signify-
^Majesty! I was ordered to surround tion to the emi^ress dowager and the obeisance before the empress dowager. ing that he too was a A-^assal of the
your palace with my soldiei's and keep unswerving loyalty he gave her during It was a beautiful day in early spring, great woman, to do with as she wiUed.
you a prisoner for the rest of your life." his lifetime make one of the greatest and the sun was shining gloriously in
The empress dowaijer, when the full love stories in the liistorj' of Cliina. He the cloudless heavens. The trees and Jin Eventful Year for China
import of tliis astonishing tale had was faithful to the end, without hope tlowers were just beginning to send
penetrated her mind, tlew into a tower- of reward. In contradiction of those forth theii' early shoots and buds, and After mother and child had departed,
ing rage, at once ordered that prepara- who would blast the character of this the birds were singing blithely in the 1 was alone with Her Majesty for a
tion be made for the journey to the extraordinary woman, she treasured trees. The lake witliin the imperial short time. She was \*\y silent and
Forbidden City, and set out on her this one great love of her lifeher love grounds shone like a mirror of glass, so thoughtful; hardly aware of my pres-
journey. That it was the middle of the for the handsome and dashing Yung- still was the air. Great preparation had ence; and though I did not give much
night did not deter tliis determined lu. That she was forced to become the been made to receive the grandson of thought to this episode in my life at
woman. When she arrived she imme- wife of the emperor, Hsien-feng, ac- her only love, Yung-lu, and all was Court, being too young to be much
diately ordered the emperor to cancel cording to the laws and customs of the bustle and stir; the eunuchs and serv- impressed by the weighty things of
all edicts he had issued, to inform the empire, was her great love misfortune, ants hurrying here and there, carrj^ng life, I now am certain she was looking
country' that he was incapable of ruling and it made her a sad, bitter woman to out the orders of tlieir imperial mis- into the future and planning great
such a vast empire wisely, and thut the end of her daj^s. Some might su}', tress. things for the grandson of Yung-lu.
she. Her Majesty, would again attend "Why didn't she marrj^ Yung-lu after In the light of subsequent events, Two years passed before the momen-
to state affairs. the emperor died?" but that would who shall say that this suent, disap- tous events took place which were to
Years later, when I was first lady in have been impossible, as. according to pointed woman had not long pondered change the life of little Pu-yi; events
waiting to Her Majesty, Kwang-su the ancient virtues, a widow should on a plan to do such honor to Yung-lu which were to be so tragic and far-
told me he much regretted that he was never remarry. as la}^ Nsathin her power, by placing one reaching, and so epoch-making in the
prevented from becoming a Christian. of his descendants on the throne of history of the Celestial Empii'e and the
He said, "If I f-annot go up to heaven, Enters the Forbidden City China? Certain it is that she was most now republic of China, that the world
Yuan Shi-kai will be to blame." After anxious to see this childthis grand- today is floundering around in a sea of
the coup d'tat of 1S9S he was vir- In order to stiile all possibility of son of Yung-luand the preparations \var and intrigue, desperately trying to
tually a pnsoner to the end of his life, criticism, she made Yung-lu marry made that day were much more elabo- prevent another world war that is
and always carefulh^ watched bj' the one of her Court ladies. Her word was rate than on similar occasions when being fomented in that unfortunate
empress dowager. Even Kwang-su's law, and no matter how much it may the children of other oicials high in the countiy.
death was tragic, as he was poisoned, have been against his own wishes, he councils of government were brought The year 1908 was an eventful year
and the last of the Manchu emperors, had to obey the royal command; so in in for her inspection. for China. I t witnessed the death of
Pu-jn, seems to be following in thedue course the marriage was solemnized When mother and child arrived at that extraordinary woman, the Em-
footsteps of his uncle, for his life thus amid great pomp and splendor. She the Court, they were received at the press Dowager Tsu-hsi; the death, by
far has been most tragic and pathetic. had made the supreme sacrifice, and palace gates with great ceremony and poisoning, of the Emperor Kwang-su,
Pu-j-i on his paternal side is Kwang- on that day buried the last vestige of conducted into the presence. The em- and the placing of the boy Pu-yi on the
su's brother's child, which makes him her girlhood dreams. press dowager looked very keenly at throne by tho empress dowager just
the grandnepliew of the famous em- A daughter was born of this nnion, the small morsel of humanity that was before she died and ascended the
press dowager. Tsu-hsi. On his ma- and when this cliild grew up Her Pu-yi, and her old eyes went carefully Dragon Throne on liigh. The year 1908
ternal side he is the grandson of the Majesty arranged a marriage with over his tiny features, one by one. has gone down in history as the great
grand councilor, Yung-lu, his mother Prince Chun, of the imperial family, Catching a very curious expression on turning point in Far Eastern politics.
being Yung-lu's daughter. This gTand thereby placing a possible descendant her face, I felt that she was trying to Even placing Pu-yi on the throne
councilor played a very important part of Yung-lu in hne for the throne. Her discover some resemblance to Yung- and the attendant ceremony of corona-
in Court affairs during the reign of the plan succeeded well, for a son was born lu. Whether she was satisfied with her tion were fraught with stark tragedy.
empress dowager. He was the empress of tliis union, and tliis son is Pu-yi, scrutiny can only be surmised. Accord- Her Majesty was desperately ill. The
dowager's childhood sweetheart, and last emperor of the Celestial Empire ing to ancient custom, the mother of Emperor Iiwang-9U was dead, and if
there was an understanding between and the man the Japanese have placed Pu-yi bent her knees and performed
74
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THE SATURDAY
(Continued from Page 10)
her deep-laid phins were to be carried
out, she must make all haste or it
initrht be too late. Kwang-su had
died in the early part of the night, and
MS soon as the news was brouglit to
Her Majesty she at onee ordered her
oilicials and palace attendants to co to
the residence of Prince Chun and bring
lhe child, Pu-yi, to the Court. All was
haste and confusion, and the tenseness
of the situation was so j^rreat it was
t'ven communicated to the people out-
side the imperial grounds, and a hush
Tell upon the multitude wliich gath-
ered, curious to know what wa hap-
It was midiiitiht when little Pu-yi
was summoned to the palace. A terrible
sandstorm was raping, which so elec-
Iriiied the air that it caused the actors
in this strange drama to liave a pre-
nioaitory feeling of evil. The tiny child
was wrapped in many silks and furs,
and his head was muffled in a silk scarf
to keep the dust from his mouth and
eyes. Truly a most unpropitious occa-
sion on which to have such a momen-
tous change take place in one's life.
The imjKTJal yellow sedan chair had
been brought, in which to convey this
liny morsel of humanity to meet liis
fate. Court otlicials and attendants
wagged their wise old heads and said,
'This droad night and wild storm is
indeed a bad omen, but we can but
bend to the will of our Imperial One.'*
From Cradle to Throne
Immediately Pu-yi arrived, Her
iMajesty gave orders for tlit^ ceremony
of placini:: him on the throne to be per-
formed. All was soon ready, and in a
short time Pu-yi was declared em-
peror, and the name of his reign was
designated as Ilsuan Tung"pro-
claiming universality."
Pathetic Pu-yi had been snatched
from his warm bed and hurriedly
taken to the palace. Being a healthy
child, ho was, of course, very sleej^y
and complained bitterly; crjng and
making a big fuss at being so uneere-
nioniously disturbed and having his
)eaoeful slumbers so rudely inter-
rupted. He was, however, given scant
consideration. Had not the Great One
ordered him into her presence, and was
he not to be made emperor of the Celes-
tial Empirethe vSon of lloaven?
Pu-yi was dressed in the royal robes
of an emperor and placed upon the
Dragon Throne in spite of his cries
and fjrotests. That tragedy attended
tliis dramatic moment the world now
knows, but few, if any. know the fate-
ful words that were uttered by Prince
Chun, father of Pu-yi, when he sought
to paeify the child and stop its er>'ing.
As the cliild sat upon the throne and
the coronation ceremony was proceed-
ing, his father was talking to him in a
soothing voice, repeating over and
over again, *'In a short time all will be
over." Prince Chun could not know he
was predicting the future of his son,
but in 1912 the Emperor Pu-}-! ceased
to be the Son of Heaven, supreme
ruler of tlie Celestial Empire, and those
present recalled the fateful words that
had been uttered by the prince on that
fearful night four years before.
The great revolution, which started
in 1911, proved too strong for the tot-
tering Manchu Dynasty, and in 1912
an agreement of abdication was signed,
depriving Pu-yi of all power. This
agreement permitted the imperial fam-
ily to live in the Forbidden City and to
receive from the new government a
yearly sum of four millions of dollars
for their maintenance. But liko so
EVENING POST April SO, 1932
many treaties and agreements, this one and the Imperial Guardian wanted to
proved wortliless, and the deposed sell it to some Western people who
emperor was again the puppet of fate. might be interested in acquiring such
The new republic of China haWng rare objects of Chinese art.
failed to keep its word with the impe- I immediately thought of Mr. J, P.
riiil family, and there being very little Morgan, Sr., who was known to have
cash left in the old imperial treasur>', it a marvelous collection of art objects
was not long before a very serious situ- from all parts of the world. I t so hap-
ation confronted Pu-}^, and had it not pened that a representative of the
been for the assistance of members of House of Morgan was in Peking at the
the Maochu clans who had managed time, and I knew him. We had a confer-
to save some of their fortunes from the ence, and a cable was sent to Mr.
wreck of the downfall of the empire, Morgan, with the result that negotia-
the ex-emperor might have been com- tions with the Imperial Guardian were
pelled to slars^e amid what was left of immediately taken up. Everything
the glory and splendor of the palaces. was progressing nicely; an expert from
London had valued the collection
Confucius Protects Yuan Shi'kai at eight hundred thousand English
poundsabout four million dollars
Though the Forbidden City was and it looked as if the financial difB-
filled with countless priceless treasures, culties at the palace were at last about
which could have been sold, in case of to be ameliorated.
necessity, for huge sums, even this Avas At this juncture somebody informed
denied the unluck*^' Pu-yi. The first Yuan Slii-kai of what was going on,
president of the republic. Yuan Shi- and again he prevented the imperial
kai, used a part of the palace grounds family from obtaining money; saying
as liis official residence and used his that this collection belonged to the new
own personal troops as a bodyguard, government, and that it was his inten-
also to see that no treasure was re- tion to bring it to Peking and establish
moved. His hatred for the imperial a museum. In the agreement of abdi-
family was intense, because Kwang-su, cation it was expressly set forth that
the emperor he betrayed in 189S, on all such things should remain the prop-
his deathbed requested liis brother, erty of the Manehus, but that did not
Prince Chun, to have Yuan decapi- deter Yuan from continuing his venge-
tated immediately the empress dowa- ful attitude.
ger died. After the death of Her This collection was later brought to
Majesty, Prince Chun consulted the Peking, and after Yuan had selected
g-and couneil about his brother's last such things as he wanted for himself,
wish. After gravely considering this the balance was placed in a museum.
weighty subject, they replied: " T h e What is left of it can now be seen in the
Creat Sage, Confucius, says: *The Forbidden City, and poor little Pu-yi
wishes of parents should ahvays be re- never even had a chance to see this
spected, even after death. Those whom priceless treasuretreasure which onee
our parents have favored should not be had been the proud possession of liis
ill-treated, even our enemies.' Yuan ancestors.
8hi-kai was a favored statesman of our
great empress dowager, therefore the Too Many Mothers to Guide Him
teacliings of our sage should be fol-
lowed with reverence." During the years these events were
The new republic, although impor- taking place, Pu-ja was growing up
tuned many times ly the head of the into a young man, and his life was any-
inij)erial household to paj' the four thing but happy. According to the
iiiillioQ dollars a year, never paid it, strict customs and traditions of the
and the ex-emperor and his retinue imperial family, Pu-j had to leave his
were soon in dire straits. Some few own mother when he became the em-
niillions were still left in the imperial peror, and she was not allowed to go to
treilsur>^ l)ut this wealth was in tlie the Court to sec him except on special
form of gold and silver bars, and could occasions. When he was placed on the
not be used in payment of expenses in throne, the empress dowager had him
its bullion form. I was li^'ing in Peking adopted as the son of Tung-chi, her
at the time, and the head of the impe- own son, in order to make the succes-
rial household, the Imperial Guardian, sion regular and to have a son to wor-
came to me for assistance. He told me ship at his tomb. Tung-chi had no son
what he had and what he wanted to do, of his own. The secondary ^Aife of Tung-
lml he himself had never had any expe-- chi was sti-ll living, and she, therefore,
rience in dealing with foreigners or became Pu-yi's mother. Also the widow
foreign banks. He wanted to have of Kwang-su became his mother. So
some foreign bank buy the gold and the poor child had two mothers in the
silver bullion, as he could not trnst the palace to contend with, besides his
Chinese banks ; besides, he did not want own mother, an unhappy lot for any
what he intended doing known to the child; and to make matters worse,
new government. I went to the Amer- these two mothers in the palace were
ican bank in Peking, explained the jealous of each other, and one counter-
circumstances, and asked them to buy manded any order given by the other.
this bullion, but tho manager was more Both claimed the right to bring up the
of a diplomat than a banker, and said child; so there was no doubt about his
he was afraid to handle the transaction having had a hard time of it. In fact,
for fear of diplomatic complications. his life was made so miserable by these
So the plan of the Imperial Guardian two women that he continually cried
failed. for his own mother. The rule was very
A year passed. The imperial family strict in this respect, and, according to
still struggled on as best it could. The the law. he ceased to be the son of Iii3
Imperial Guardian came to see me real parents after his adoption.
again, and said he liad another plan for In addition to all this he had his
raising money. In the old palace of the tutors. These men were very solemn,
Manchus at Mukden was a very large ceremonious and strict in their teach-
collectionthis collection contained ing of the young ruler. They never
some one hundred and fifty thousand smiled, and no matter how well the
piecesof art treasures, such as jade, pupil did, the tutor would always say,
pearls, porcelain, brocades, paintings, " I know Your Majesty can do much
bronzes and many pieces of beautiful better." This was the Manohu method
red-laequer furniture. Thia entire col- of teaoliingnever to praise, and so
lection belontred to the imperial family, on
 THE SATURDJiY EVENING POST 77

(Continued from Pagm Heaven, but to her he was just her own quickly spread among the palace offi- concession in Tientsin, where he has
make the pupil more diligent in his precious baby. Pu-yi remained with cials and attendants, and allfledpre- lived secure these few years.
studies. Above all, he had to know his his mother to the end, and she died cipitately, leaving Pu-yi to escape as In Tientsin, Pu-yi felt safe and
classics, and liis hours of study were happy and content that she had been best he could. He was not even given thought that he could enjoy a little
long. He had to learn to ride a horse allowed to have one last look at her time to gather together his personal freedom. Instead of being a dethroned
and make himself an expert in archery, son. This visit to his old home and belongings, but was forced to leave emperor living in poverty in the For-
in accordance with the ancient rites the loss of his mother made him very just as he was. This happened in the bidden City at Peking, in constant fear
and traditions of lus ancestors. The sad, and changed liim almost overniglit earlj"- morning as he was having his of his life, he was now free to live the
Manchus, before coming to Cliina, from a child to a serious-minded young breakfast. I \'isited the scene of this life of an ordinary person. The worst
were marvelous riders andfighters,and man. tragedy two j'ears later, and through had happened! He was penniless, but
it was always the duty of the emperor Living in that huge palace, \sith but the ^^^ndows could see* his breakfast had been taken care of by officials of
to set an example for his followers. few attendants left to serve him and dishes and other things just where he the old rgime, and they now came to
Learning all these things kept his scarcely money enough to keep it up, had left them in his hasty flight. The his rescue again. One wealthy official
wyaking hours fully occupied, and he was indeed most diflicult. The ever- buildings were sealed, and no one had had a fine residence in Tientsin, which
had no time for play. Truly, fate was a present topic of conversation was the taken the trouble to dear the room out; he placed at the disposal of Pu-yi. He
relentless taslcmaster, and little Pu-jd devising of ways and means to raise ever^'thing was in confusion. I noticed adopted foreigrn attire, became quite
had none of the joys and pleasures ex- money, all of which was very wearying. a packageuf American crackers lying on democratic, and tried to make friends
perienced by the ordinary boy. For Whenhereached the age of sixteenyears, one of the tables, pots of dried chrysan- in the ordinary way.
foxu" years he was forced to live this in 1922, the imperial clans met in solemn themums near the windows, and n large As soon as it became known that
kind of life, when the revolution broke conclave and informed him that it was glass bowl in which had been t^oldfish Pu-yi had fled to the Japanese Legation
out and he was deposed. time for him to marr5\ Even if there and which still contained a little water. and was under the protection of the
Since the abdication of the emperor was no money in the family purse, tra- A most forlorn sight indeed, afler the Japanese, the wise old oficiuls of the
the Manchus have had no desire to re- dition must be observed. Like many priceless treasures which had l)fen the palace shook their heads and i)ondered.
store the monarchy. Chang Hsun, a other things in the life of an emperor, intimate possessions of emperors and Always suspicidus of Japan, they were
general of the old imperial type, did he had nothing to say about this, and empresses for centuries had been re- sure that the Japanese must have some
tiy in 1917, for personal ambitious an eligible young ladj^ from a noble moved l)y Feng Yu-hsiung and those deep-laid plan for the future. They had
reasons of his own, and verj' much Manchu family was selected and prep- in league with him. not done this for altruistic reasons.
against the ^\ishes of the imperial fam- arations for the marriage ceremony When Pu-yi fled from the Forbidden But what was the reason? However,
ily. This attempt failed dismally, caus- were begun at. once. In fact, two young City, he went at once lo his fatbi-'r's there lieing no other place of safety for
ing a gi'eat deal of trouble, and Pu-yi ladies were chosen, for it was the an- house and into kidlntr, as he feared he their imperial master, there was noth-
was again made the puppet of fate. cient tradition that an emperor, ou would be killed. The e.xcuse friven for intr that could be done at Ihe time but
According to the agreement of abdi- reaching the marriageable age, should driving him out of the palace was that accept this hospitality. In the light of
cation, the ex-emperor and the imperial have two wives with whom to start out he was intriguing to restore the mon- present-day events, the fears and sur-
family were to be allowed to reside in on the sea of matrimony. Pu-ji was archy; that the Manchus were respon- mises of those wise old men were nol so
the Forbidden City as long as they not allowed to be an exception to that sible for the unequal treaties V;etween Fur wrong and seem fully justified.
lived, and had this agreement been rule, so, in addition to his many other China and the foreitrn [lowersit was
kept we should not now see this unfor- troubles and misfortunes, he now had during the Manchu rgime that these Back to the Land of His JJncestors
tunate young man in the clutches of two wives. Anyway, this gave Pu-yi a treaties were madeand that great
the Japanese invaders of Manchuria. new interest in life, and perhaps has suffering had been brought upon the Japan has lon^^ had sdiemes and
helped him to forget other responsi- Chinese people as a result. plans for controlling Manchuria, and,
Discarding Imperial Dignity bilities. From historic mandates it can be it would now af)pear, plans to make
The j''oung ex-emperor's troubles seen that it was always the desire of good use of ex-Kmperor Pu-yi. He has
From 1917 to 1924 nothing of par- were by no means over. In 1924 the the rulers of China to be left in peace, now l^een made head of the newly
ticular import occurred in the life of so-called Christian General, Feng Yu- so thorp is no reason why Pu-yi should created inde|)en(lent state of Man-
Pu-yi after the revolutionary' fiasco of hsiang, who had long coveted Ihi^ have been held responsible for FnreifiQ churia, called Mandioukuo, and is
General Chang Hsun; but at the same great wealth stored in the palace build- aggression. While he was in liding, issuing edicts and mandates; under
time his position was uncertain and he ings of the Forbidden City, together news came that his life was in danger. Japanese control, of course,
lived under a cloud of suspicion. In with several other unscrupulous offi- At this opportune moment the Jap- Jaj)an fears to take the drastic step
1917 Pu-yi was onlj^ eleven years old, cials, invaded the sanctuary of Pu-yi anese offered him an asylum in their of annexing Manchuriti, as she did
hut as yonng as he was, the many wi Ihou t a momentos warning, rutlilesslj'" legation, which he accepted at once, with Korea, so is doing the next best
troubles and difficulties he had been ordered him to get out, and gave him there being no other place to which he thingthat of making a puppet gov-
through had matured him beyond his half an hour to do so. Pu-yi was could ilee and be safe. He remained ernment with Pu-yi as its head. It is
years, and he realized liis situation was speediless with surprise at this sudden in their legation for several months, certain that he is not accepting this
most delicate. An ill fate continued to and unsusper'tf'd invasion, and much until the excitement had subsided, doubtful honor voluntiirily, luit is be-
pursue him, and in the spring of 1918 alarmed for his safety, Constematiou and was then spirited to the Japanese ing made to pay for the protection he
his mother. Princess Chun, fell seri- has enjoyed at the hands of the
ously ill. At that time Pu-yi had not Japanese since he left the Forbidden
seen his mother for many months, and City in 1924. And it is also certain
when the news of her illness was brought that the Japaiiese are not playing the
to the palace, he forgot his imperial gooil Samaritan, but. on the eontrar}',
dignity and cried pitifullj^ for her. He are placing tho life of Pu-yi in extreme
demanded that he be allowed to go to jeoi)ardy.
her at once. His adopted mothers and What a pathetic figure the last of the
the members of the imperial family Manchu emperors is today. He is aman
said that that was impossible; that, ac- without acountry, and should the plans
cording to the law, an emperor could of the Japane.se in Manchuriu for any
not leave his palace to visit a person's reason fail, his life may well be forfeit.
house; that his mother had ceased to Since China became a republic, in-
be when he became emperor and had stead of working to build a strong,
no further connection vh him. Pu-> stable government to enable her to take
kotowed to his adopted mothers and her place amoni^^ the family of nations,
begged them on bended knee to be al- there has been constant strife among
lowed to go at once. Seeing, after the many political and militaiy factions
many entreaties, that he was deter- that have grown up in the country.
mined, the imperial family went into Had the a^^reement of abdication with
weighty council and finally agreed, as the imperial family been kept, there
a great concession, that he be per- would have been no ex-emperor in the
mitted this once to have his way. Up to hands of the Japanese to place at the
this time Pu-yi had never been be- head of the newly created Manchoukuo
yond the confines of the palace walls state in Manchuria. Let this present
surrounding the Forbidden City, since conflict, which the Japanese refuse to
the dark and stormy night he was call a war, be a warning to the Chinese
snatched from his warm bed and taken people that salvation lies in all factions
to the palace to be made emperor. getting together to make a strong
When he arrived at his mother's China and presenting a united front to
house, he found her dying, and a few the world. A house divided against itself
days later she passed away. The re- shall fall.
union between mother and son was Pu->'i has returned to tho land of liis
most pathetic. She frantically hugged ancestors; not as an emperor of that
him to her breast and crooned over liim ancient domain but as the puppet of a
as she had done when he was a baby- conquering foreign power. What fate
To others he might be the emperor of PHOTO. ST H. DHITHONQ NOOSHTt
do the stars still hold for this erstwhile
the Celestjiid' Empiffl, llie Huu-t>i- and HttUido Near Sagartotvn, Pennsylvania Son of Heaven?