Rare photos of the Qing Dynasty: Revealin.g the life of kings, the shocking photo of the concubine who abandoned Pu Yi

Rare photos have been released revealin.g the life of Empress Dowager Cixi and Emperor Puyi in the final days of the feudal era in the Forbidden City. There are many things that future generations did not expect.

The precious photos of the Forbidden City are not only valuable historical documents but also evidence of the decline of the Qing Dynasty. Each photo contains its own historical story. Nowadays, posterity still preserves many photos capturing moments of the royal family's daily life and ancient palace architecture.

First images of the Forbidden City

This is a photo of the central throne of the Huangji Palace during the late Qing Dynasty. The Huangji Palace was built in the 28th year of the Kangxi era (1689), and was originally called the Ningshou Palace. In the 37th year of the Qianlong era (1772), the Ningshou Palace was renamed the Huangji Palace, and it was where Emperor Qianlong continued to hold court and receive his birthday celebration after his abdication. He once held a "Thousand People Birthday Banquet" here, entertaining seniors aged 90 and above, with more than 5,000 officials, elders, and those without seats.

In the 20th year of the Guangxu reign (1894), Empress Dowager Cixi also held a birthday celebration at the Huangji Palace. After her deat.h, she was laid to rest and her funeral was held there. In the 30th year of the Guangxu reign (1904), the Huangji Palace was used by Emperor Guangxu to receive envoys from nine countries, including the United States and Austria-Hungary.

Empress Dowager Cixi goes boating

This is a photo taken by a palace photographer of Empress Dowager Cixi and others on a junk on July 16, 1903. This outing also included a photo of Cixi dressed as Guanyin. The photo was recorded in the records of the Department of Internal Affairs in the 29th year of the Guangxu reign (1903):

"July 16th, take pictures at sea, go by boat, no need for a canopy. Tu Cach Cach plays Thien Tai Dong Tu, wears a lotus shirt, headband. Ly Lien Anh plays Vi Da, remember to bring helmet, Vi Da's costume. Tam Co Nuong, Ngu Co Nuong plays the boat rowing fairies, wears conical hats, plain white shirts, remember to bring costumes. Red, green is fine. The boat needs two oars. Prepare more than ten bamboo trees with leaves in the royal garden."

Fire incident at Kien Phuc Palace

This is a photo of the Jianfu Palace Garden and the Yanchun Pavilion in 1920. The Jianfu Palace Garden is the western garden of the Forbidden City. It was built in the 7th year of the Qianlong reign (1742) on the land of the Western Five So and the long, narrow area to the south. It is a palace garden that is both majestic and grand, yet delicate and beautiful. It was originally built so that Emperor Qianlong "would stay here after he turned a hundred to maintain his filial piety".

Jianfu Palace is also related to the abolition of the eunuch system of feudal society for thousands of years. In June 1923, a fire broke out in the garden of Jianfu Palace, destroyin.g most of the buildings and treasures. Later, the last emperor Pu Yi investigated and found that the cause of the fire was eunuchs stealing and setting fire to destroy the evidence.

The month after the fire, he announced that all eunuchs would be expelled from the Forbidden City, except for 20 eunuchs per imperial concubine. From then on, the eunuch system of feudal society officially ended, marking a historical turning point.

The Life of the Last Emperor

This is a photo of the last emperor Pu Yi taken in 1911. That year, the Xinhai Revolution broke out, and he was forced to abdicate the following year, ending the rule of the Qing Dynasty. In addition, many images of his concubines such as Empress Wanrong and Consort Wenxiu are also preserved.

Wenxiu was the one who wrote a divorc.e petition, "abandoning" Puyi. This was the famous revolutionary Dao Phi event in history. The reason was because she did not want the man who sold out his country for glory, the puppet emperor in the hands of the Japanese, to be her husband, and even harbored resentment towards Puyi.

Leaving the Forbidden City

On the morning of November 5, 1924, Pu Yi's sleep in the Yangxin Hall was interrupted by a eunuch's call. He was informed that Feng Yuxiang's army had surrounded the Forbidden City and demanded that the entire imperial family leave within three hours. Panicked by the situation, Pu Yi sent people to negotiate to stall for time while hastily packing his luggage. The image of the chaotic dragon bed shows the urgency and unexpectedness of the situation at that time.

Feng Yuxiang's army quickly sealed off Qianqing Palace. The doors and windows were sealed. Under the supervision of the army, the palace staff busily prepared their luggage. The amount of belongings that Puyi brought with him was said to be more than 80 boxes of belongings.

On the same day, Pu Yi was officially expelled from the Forbidden City under the supervision of Lu Zhonglin and Zhang Bi. Lu Zhonglin was led by Shao Ying, the Minister of the Interior, and Aisin Jiao Luo Bao Xi, to inspect the Yongshou Palace. The image recorded Pu Yi leaving the palace, marking the end of his imperial life.

After leaving the Forbidden City, Pu Yi and Empress Wanrong moved to Zhangyuan in Tianjin. A photograph of Pu Yi posing with Canadian Governor General Freeman Freeman-Thomas, Marquis of Willingdon, reveals a new chapter in the former emperor's life.

The oldest photograph was taken in the Forbidden City

This is an old photo taken by Liang Shitai of Shenji Ying in Nanyuan of Yixuan and the guards in 1863, the oldest photo whose date can be verified and is currently kept in the Palace Museum.

Aisin Gioro Yi Xuan was the seventh son of Emperor Daoguang, the biological father of Emperor Guangxu and the grandfather of Puyi. Like Empress Dowager Cixi, he loved taking photos, so he left behind many photos. Yi Xuan's direct consort was Cixi's biological sister, Yehe Nara Wanzhen.

Pu Yi was ashamed of his posterity, his image was expose.d for the first time, there was something strange on the bed? Kim Oanh17:39:24 22/03/2025Aisin Gioro Puyi, the last emperor in Chinese history, abdicated on February 12, 1912, ending the rule of the Qing Dynasty. However, after his abdication, Puyi and his concubines and palace maids were still allowed to reside in the Forbidden City.