OCI Public Talk: The Last Emperor of China: Twilight of the Forbidden City

What was life really like for China’s last emperor and empress? Discover the hidden world of Puyi and Wanrong & the myths surrounding them.

In the early 1920s, China’s boy emperor Puyi and his young bride Wanrong lived in seclusion within the Forbidden City, surrounded by courtiers, servants and eunuchs. An emperor without an empire, Puyi faced an uncertain future of restoration or assassination. Just two years later, the couple were expelled into exile, bringing an end to centuries of Manchu rule.

In this fascinating talk, bestselling historian Paul French draws on previously unpublished memoirs, diaries and letters to reveal the hidden world of Puyi and Wanrong and those around them. Newly discovered material from the family archive of Wanrong’s tutor, Isabel Ingram, challenges long-held myths and reveals a far more loving relationship between the couple than is often portrayed. The talk also highlights the overlooked women surrounding the emperor and explores a wider question: as China continues to establish itself as a global superpower, what relevance does the extraordinary story of Puyi and Wanrong have to modern China?

About the speaker:

Paul French is a bestselling author and critically acclaimed historian from London, who lived and worked in Shanghai for many years. His book Midnight in Peking was a New York Times bestseller and a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week. He received the Mystery Writers’ of America Edgar award for Best Fact Crime and a Crime Writers’ Association Dagger award for nonfiction. City of Devils: A Shanghai Noir received much praise with The Economist calling him a ‘champion storyteller’. His most recent book is the acclaimed Wallis Simpson: Her Lotus Year in 1920s China.

To register via Eventbrite: The Last Emperor of China: Twilight of the Forbidden City Tickets, Friday, November 27  •  1 PM - 2 PM GMT | Eventbrite

The talk will be held on MS Teams. A recording will be made available afterwards and published on the Open University's Online Confucius Institute website.

Note: when you receive the Eventbrite confirmation email after you register, go down to the very bottom of the email to find the MS Team’s meeting link. Please do not click Go to My Ticket. 

We look forward to seeing you there!