Last emperor of China abdicates
On February 12 1912 Hsian-Tung the last emperor of China is forced to abdicate following Sun Yat-sens republican revolution.A provisional government was established in his place ending 267 years of Manchu rule in China and 2000 years of imperial rule.The former emperor only six years old was allowed to keep up his residence in Beijings Forbidden City and he took the name of Henry Pu Yi.Pu Yi was enthroned as emperor in 1908 after his uncle the Kuang-hsu emperor died.
He reigned under a regency and underwent training to prepare him for his coming rule.However in October 1911 his dynasty fell to Sun Yat-sens revolution and four months later he abdicated.The new Chinese government granted him a large government pension and permitted him to live in the imperial palace until 1924 when he was forced into exile.After 1925 he lived in Japanese-occupied Tianjin and in 1932 Japan created the puppet state of Manchukuo in Manchuria under his rule.
In 1934 Henry Pu Yi was enthroned as Kang Te emperor of Manchukuo.Despite guerrilla resistance against his puppet regime he held the emperors title until 1945 when he was captured by Soviet troops.In 1946 Pu Yi testified before the Tokyo war crimes tribunal that he had been an unwilling tool of the Japanese and not as they claimed an instrument of Manchurian self-determination.Manchuria and the Rehe province were returned to China and in 1950 Pu Yi was handed over to the Chinese communists.
He was imprisoned at Shenyang until 1959 when Chinese leader Mao Zedong granted him amnesty.After his release he worked in a mechanical repair shop in Peking.
