Twilight In the Forbidden City

by Reginald Fleming Johnston

This illustrated edition contains all original illustrations and a bonus previously unpublished chapter. As the British-born Tutor to the Dragon Emperor, Johnston was the only foreigner in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty. Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace. Twilight in the Forbidden City reflects his eyewitness accounts of the memorable events of the time. He provides an first hand account of daily life in the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace,and gives many detailed descriptions of ceremonies including Pu-yi's wedding. Johnston provides a good deal of anecdotal material for the last days of the Ch’ing Dynasty court before the 1911 Revolution He knew many of the active players in those events, and of historical significance are his observations on the Ch'ing court's political structure, and in particular the Nei Wu Fu or Imperial Household Department. If you are planning to travel to China, or want to understand China better, then this book is a must read as it provides an eyewitness account of the events of period! A 'must read' for anyone interested in China!

Genres: China, History, Biography, Nonfiction, Asia, Memoir, Asian Literature

490 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1934

About the author

Academic, diplomat and tutor to the last Emperor of China. Johnston was born in the Morningside district of Edinburgh, the son of a lawyer. He entered the University of Edinburgh, but discontinued his studies there to take up a place at Magdalen College, Oxford (1894). In 1898 Johnston joined the Colonial Office and was posted to Hong Kong, becoming a District Officer in China. Johnston became famous as the tutor to Pu Yi, the Last Emperor of China and as the first foreigner to enter the Forbidden City of Beijing. In 1919, Johnston elected to take on the teaching of the 13 year old, having a great influence on the emperor, whose trust and friendship he gained. As Chinese Nationalism swept through the country in 1924, Johnston was forced to flee. He returned to Britain, becoming the Professor of Chinese at the University of London.

In 1934, Johnston looked for a residence in Scotland to retire to. He found a house on Eilean Righ, a small island in Loch Craignish, some 9 miles (15 km) NW of Lochgilphead. He moved there with his enormous library, which included a Chinese Encyclopaedia in 1734 volumes and a complete collection of Buddhist scriptures in 1500 volumes.

Johnston died in Edinburgh and was quietly cremated at Warriston Crematorium, with his ashes scattered on his beloved Eilean Righ.

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fans of Bertolucci's The Last Emperor will remember Peter O'Toole playing the British (NB - Scottish, like so much of the British Empire) tutor of Pu Yi, the last emperor of the Qing, and doing so as an ironic, gentle, charming (and hot) presence. Reading the actual book by this actual guy is a salutary contrast between what people like to imagine we're like and what we're actually like: in this case, tedious, myopically obsessed with minor slights, paleolithically conservative, sycophantic towards royalty, and possessed of the belief that if only everywhere was more like Britain, they wouldn't get in so much bother (so, if only China had copied the British constitutional monarchy, it could have gradually become as marvellous as we are). There's virtues even within that though, so this is also tart and erudite and very nicely produced, with fold out documents and samples of the son of heaven's calligraphy, in both Chinese and English.

[Yigal Zur · Rating 4 out of 5]

great tale of the last period of the forbidden city in the beginning of the 20 century before it became what we see today an empty and ghostly hugh palace with no soul just amazing building. it tells the story of pu-i the last emperor. i had the pleasure to meet his brother few months before he passed away.

[Curt Carpenter]

A fairly difficult read for me. I wish I had a better understanding of the people and events of the day. I also wish the book would be republished with proper pinyin (with tones) for all names instead of whatever system he used. I can't figure out how to pronounce most proper nouns, which drives me nuts. There are so many people that I wish there were a quick reference list of who's who, and maybe some background on each. I guess that's what you get form a first person account.

There are some really interesting stories, such as someone cutting out a chunk of their own flesh from their leg to use as medicine for someone else.

[Memnoch d devil · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Had the Boxers appeared a generation later, they would have learned much from the principles and practices of Hitlerite Germany8. They would have sought justification for their anti-foreign activities on grounds almost identical with those on which German anti-Semitism is based today. As for the swastika, they would have had at least as good a right as the Germans to make it their badge, for their religion was Buddhistic, and the swastika was and is a familiar object in all Buddhist temples."

Comparing Boxer Rebellion with Nazi fascism? This author must have been insane.
I decided to not finish reading this book not worth my time.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a personal account of pivotal events in world history, and as such is worth reading. However, Johnston's interpretations of political events, especially concerning the Empress Dowager Cixi are deeply flawed. Anyone wishing to understand the events of this era is cautioned that Johnston's impressions reflect the propaganda of the time, and are divorced from the facts we are able to objectively confirm with benefit of hindsight. For example, K'ang, the dissident republican that Johnston seems to revere was later shown to be in collision with the Japanese. For years, he engaged in assasination plots against Cixi and worked to help the Japanese conquer China in order to further his own ends. This is just one of many examples where Johnston's first-person perspective can lead to a misunderstanding of history if not balanced against other, more objective accounts of these times.

Overall, the book reads like a conversation one might have with an opinionated yet amiable drinking companion, but as an eye witness account of momentous events, Johnston's tale is a legitimately valuable contribution to the historic record.

[Shin Toyotomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book if you told about WW2 in China. And history about puppet emperor Pu-Yi his tragedy and his happiness as young dreamer. You can see what is real loneliness life emperor was living.

[Marina Koerber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emperor or not Emperor? - this is the question. China bevore and during the Revolution. What to do with the emperor? Incredible live stories ... as if you were there. Now is the good time to read such old books. I am not surprised how China has been developing till now. 中国加油!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inside look at the last Emperor of China, as seen and recounted by his personal tutor. Fascinating!

[Jenna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Skip to halfway through the book for the author to actually meet the Emperor. The rest is like an old long-winded professor who barely gets to the point.

[Jaap Grolleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly personal (and therefore subjective) telling of Chinese history, spanning 1898 to 1934, and also a rare first-hand experience from inside the Forbidden City. Johnston is an intellectual tutor who grows into a surrogate father to Puyi, and talks in rich detail about China's transition from a monarchy in chaos, to that of a republic in chaos (Johnston is hugely biased in favour of the monarchy). The book helps you understand the foundation of the 1911 revolution, which was a bigger historical event than the advent of Mao. Equally, the book itself is of historical importance as it was used against Puyi in his trail in 1946 at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo.

[Marcus Irving]

An interesting account of the last days of the Qing Dynasty from the perspective of an outsider brought in to educate the emperor. Johnston is not unbiased and would readily admit that, so certain areas regarding the political situation should be taken with a grain of salt. Just bear in mind that it comes from an upper class British man who spent his life in the colonial service and to whom monarchy was the meaning of life. And that's fine for me because I like those, but it might put some people off. He's also quite funny, and the best parts of the book are when he's poking fun at the various people he disliked. Honestly he writes some of the meanest things I have ever read in the most polite possible way.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that was not at all what I expected. I thought this would be more about what the author taught the last emperor of China. Instead it is more about the political upheaval that took place in China at the time. Which I understand significantly impacted the Manchu Empire. However, practically the first half of this book was about the political upheaval. I was hoping for more of a description of the Forbidden City and the emperor.
Since this book was published in 1934 and the author died in 1938, I can’t help but wonder what he would think about the China of today. And what he would have thought about how the life of the last Emperor of China turned out.

[Ufuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gives a wonderful view of the last emperor of China during his last palace days in the Forbidden City and how he dealt with all the plots against him: warlords, all kinds of republican movements and political parties.
The last emperor of China is often seen as a traitor of his own people because he let himself be "used" by the Japanese as a puppet of the Japanese Empire as the emperor of Manchukuo. Traitor or no traitor, after reading the book you understand a lot better why he decided to choose this path.
Wonderfully written by his teacher Johnston.

[Manuel Giménez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinario relato del último período de la dinastía Quing,entronización de P'u-Yi, la revolución que instauró una república y todos los hechos subsiguientes narrados por el que fue tutor del pequeño emperador. En esta crónica se basó la gran película "El último emperador" de Bertolucci. El libro de Johnston es una crónica muy ajustada a los hechos reales de aquella turbulenta época y sus secuelas. Ha recibido, desde su publicación (1934) excelentes críticas. Ver el largometraje y leer a Johnston.

[Guillem Sabaté · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! It gives you a first hand insight in the live of the last chin emperor and the political turmoil of the first 30 years of the previous century in China. I really recommend it, although you be familiar with Chinese geography and the most important episodes in Chinese history to fully comprehend it.

[Neil Crowle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and enlightening history of the early Chinese republic and its attitude to the abdicated Emperor. A little repetitive in places as Johnston had clear points he wished to make, and he stressed them through repetition.

[Sue Chaplin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been meaning to read this book ever since watching the film "The last Emperor." It certainly gave details that I did not understand from the film and gave me more of a perspective on Chinese politics of the time. I now want to watch the film again.

[Lito Lampitoc · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for people who want to understand China and those who want to know the reality behind the movie The Last Emperor. The book reveals the complicated life in Qing's court and the events that unfold before China became what it is today.

[Y Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

她可以摒弃所有的皇室成员，任命一个摄政委员会，该委员会由5个人组成，两个满族人（但不能有皇族），其余的三人是汉人。这5个人需要极高的才干和极开明的态度，这样一来，摄政委员会中的汉人超过了满人，将可以堵住孙逸仙等人的反满口实。百年过后再读此书，百味呈杂。悠悠我大清，泣涕湿襟裳。嗟乎哉！

[DEBORAH Weidenhamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story of the forbidden city in Beijing.

[Chris Chan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A recollection of what the last emperor’s life was like. Rare perspective from a Scottish colonial officer.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the few if not the only true remaining accounts of the last days of the forbidden city. Johnston was the last emperor's tutor (portrayed by Peter O'Toole in the movie). Since Johnston was a westerner, his records were not destroyed by Mao in the communist attempt to destroy Chinese history.

[Arbet Bernardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather illuminating look at the imperial court, but I think Johnston's view of Pu Yi was rather too positive. But he was proven correct that Pu Yi's unideal youth and unhealthy surrounding ultimately had a negative effect.

The book is also a good look at the failure of republicanism in China, and put Sun Yat Sen in a rather bad light. I need another view, though, just to balance things.

[Shin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this book when I was 15 years old. I could know about forbidden city and this twisted world. Author was teacher of emperor Pu-Yi, so he wrote his experiences in detail. But in Japanese translation, publisher twisted origin, so I recommend to read by English.

[Mr.david · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a bit of a slog (the writing's stiff), but it forms the basis for a portion of the Bertolucci film, "The Last Emperor" and provides more context for the teacher's role in the royal household.

[Mark OMeara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent bonus chapter of when Johnson met the 13th Dalai Lama!

[CAMERON · Rating 3 out of 5]

Far better than I expected from a stuffy, Scottish nobleman.

[Marijn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rare gem, pretty byzantine at points, but a readable and fascinating story.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I hope you all know that he turned out to be a complete fraud.

[Jack Ziegler]

Since I decided to be a chaperone for Jenny's trip to China in the spring, I figure I should learn some more about the country. This is a recommendation from http://wikitravel.org/en/China.