Puyi

Puyi (Chinese:溥儀; Pronounced P'oo-y'ee) (February 7, 1906 - October 17, 1967) of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro ruling family was the Xuantong Emperor (宣統皇帝) of China between 1908 and 1924 (ruling emperor between 1908 and 1912, and non-ruling emperor between 1912 and 1924), the tenth and last emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to rule over China.

Portrayal

Puyi's life was portrayed in Bernardo Bertolucci's renowned 1987 film The Last Emperor. Although containing some elements of dramatic license, the film is considered to be a plausible portrayal of his life.

Related Topics:
Bernardo Bertolucci - Film - The Last Emperor

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In both his autobiography and the film, Puyi is portrayed as a largely-innocent pawn controlled by more powerful figures. Some historians are skeptical about this account; indeed, Puyi had a very strong interest in minimizing his own role in history, because any admission of active control would most likely have led to a death sentence.

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