gems, jade, fei cui, pyroxene jade, Burma, China, Chinese history, Imperial China

Puyi recounts his life from his accession to the Qing throne as a small child in 1908 through the fall of the dynasty, his continued privileged existence in the Forbidden City after abdication, his expulsion from the palace in 1924, residence in Tianjin, association with the Japanese, and installation first as chief executive and later emperor of Manchukuo. He describes the ceremonies, hierarchy, eunuchs, possessions, and customs of the late Qing imperial household, as well as the political intrigues surrounding attempts at restoration and his increasingly dependent relationship with Japanese authorities. The second part follows the collapse of Manchukuo in 1945, his capture by Soviet forces, return to China as a prisoner, years at the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre, pardon in 1959, and subsequent life as an ordinary citizen in Beijing. Of particular interest for the history of Chinese art and precious objects are his accounts of the enormous collections remaining in the Forbidden City and the removal of paintings, calligraphy, antiquities, jewelry, and other imperial treasures during the years preceding his expulsion. The autobiography is therefore both a personal account of the last Qing emperor and a source for the dispersal of objects from the imperial collections during the early Republican period. This English translation by W. J. F. Jenner was issued by the Foreign Languages Press in Peking in two volumes in 1964–1965.