Pu Yi was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty and officially abdicated on February 12, 1912. During his time as emperor, although he was a puppet emperor, he received a good education from an early age. Therefore, he is proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. In addition to this, he also has two special skills, which can be said to be incomparable to the ancient Chinese emperors, one of which is impressive.
Pu Yi's first special skill is to be proficient in many Chinese, especially English. Despite his abdication, he still enjoyed the honorific title of "Emperor" and lived the life of a small court in the Forbidden City. During this time, he not only studied Chinese under the careful guidance of the scholar Lu Runzhen and the squire Chen Baochen, but also became proficient in Manchu under the tutelage of the Dutong Iktan. Under Johnston's tutelage, he began his journey of learning English.
Pu Yi's attitude towards learning is extremely hard, and he absorbs the essence of various languages like a sponge. His English proficiency is particularly outstanding, not only is he fluent in daily speaking, but his writing is also neat and neat, revealing everyone's demeanor between the lines. Before being driven out of the Forbidden City by Feng Yuxiang, Pu Yi and Wanrong often communicated in English, and their conversations not only enhanced each other's feelings, but also demonstrated Pu Yi's English prowess.
What's even more amazing is that Pu Yi can not only communicate fluently in English, he can even translate the esoteric Four Books and Five Classics into English. This achievement not only demonstrates his high linguistic talent, but also highlights his deep cultural heritage. Among all the emperors of the feudal dynasty, Pu Yi's English proficiency was undoubtedly unmatched. This special skill has not only earned him accolades, but also added a touch of color to his life.
Pu Yi possessed a second special skill - needlework. In our impression, the emperor is always pampered, and every move is served by palace maids and eunuchs, so how can he personally handle such trivial matters? What is even more surprising is that even after he was forced to abdicate and lost his former power and glory, he did not choose to live in seclusion and enjoy leisure like other emperors. Instead, he picked up a needle and thread and began his unique career as a "female worker".
Some people may say, needlework is just work, who wouldn't? However, there is much more to this than meets the eye. In traditional Chinese culture, needlework is often seen as a skill exclusive to women, a symbol of their carefulness, patience and dexterity. And Pu Yi, as the former Ninth Five-Year Honor, is willing to put down his body and devote himself to such a seemingly ordinary but unconventional work, how can the courage and determination contained in this be understood by ordinary people?
What's even more admirable is that Pu Yi's needlework skills are comparable to those of ordinary women, and even surpassed. Behind this is his persistent pursuit and unremitting efforts in craftsmanship. Perhaps, it is this love and persistence in craftsmanship that has left him a unique mark in the torrent of history.
So, why did Pu Yi, the former emperor, put down his noble status and was willing to devote himself to ordinary and even trivial needlework? The story behind this is full of the vicissitudes of history and the vicissitudes of life.
Pu Yi has experienced a great transformation from the emperor to the puppet head of Manchukuo and then to the prisoner in his life. After Japan's defeat in 1945 and the disappearance of the puppet state of Manchukuo, Pu Yi was forced into exile and eventually fell into the hands of the Soviet Red Army, where he began a five-year prison sentence. This experience was undoubtedly a huge shock to his soul and a turning point in his life.
In early August 1950, Pu Yi was escorted back to China and began his reform journey at the Fushun War Criminals Management Center. Here, he is no longer the emperor above 10,000 people, but an ordinary person who needs to re-examine himself and reposition himself. He went through about 10 years of "revolutionary education" and "ideological transformation", which was a painful but hopeful process.
In the process of transformation, Pu Yi gradually let go of the dignity and stubbornness of the past, and began to accept new ideas and new ways of life. He began to learn how to mend worn quilts and make insoles by himself. These seemingly insignificant needlework reflect a great change in his heart and his love for life.
This spirit of actively accepting transformation and loving life has been affirmed by the organization. After ten years of hard work and change, in December 1959, Pu Yi was pardoned and regained his freedom. From then on, he became an ordinary Chinese citizen and began a new chapter in his life.