Henry Pu Yi

During my freshman year in college, my history professor extensively stressed China's golden history during the days of the emperors of each dynasties. Among China's emperors, Henry P'u Yi of the Ching dynasty was my favorite.

Pu Yi was born during the time China was dominated by the West. His life was also turned into major motion film titled "The Last Emperor", in 1987. The film perfectly portrayed the pressure, dilemmas, and concerns of Pu Yi as China's emperor. Proclaimed as emperor by Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi at the age of three. Life as a young and alone emperor is hard for Pu Yi. His life at the Forbidden City was truly monotonous and depressing. Pu Yi did not see a child like him until he was seven. Also, his mother re-appeared when he was ten years old. She eventually died, and his father rarely visited him. Such treatment resulted to Pu Yi's indifference to motherly love or any paternal affection. On the other hand, the last emperor of China was educated by a British English tutor named as Reginald Johnston. It was noted that Johnston made Pu Yi wear glasses since the emperor had some minor visual problems. Moreover, Pu Yi was also known as the puppet Emperor and the remaining details of his story is indeed a very interesting piece of Chinese historical fact.

To sum things up, Henry Pu Yi played a significant role in China's history, as the said country paved its way to Communism. Records said that Pu Yi died of a developing heart disease and cancer in 1967.