Li Yuqin (formally known as Noble Lady Fu) was the fourth wife of Puyi, the Last Emperor of China. Li Yuqin was China’s Last Imperial Concubine. Li Yuqin was a schoolgirl when she was chosen to become a concubine to Emperor Puyi. Yet, her legendary life was often tumultuous. Li Yuqin was the last living symbol of Imperial China.
On 15 July 1928, Li Yuqin was born in Shandong Province.[1] She came from a very poor family.[2] Her father, Li Wancai, spent his life working as a waiter at various restaurants.[3] Her mother was Wang Xiuru. She was the sixth child in the family. She had two older brothers, three older sisters and one younger sister. When she was seven, the family moved to the slums of Changchun.[4] In her early childhood, Li Yuqin learned to sing from Catholic priests.[5] She and her younger sister also enrolled in a free primary school. She was very diligent in her studies.[6] After she graduated from primary school, Li Yuqin enrolled in Nanguan National High-grade School, which was famous for its highly qualified teachers.[7]
On 14 August 1942, Imperial Consort Tan Yuling suddenly died. Puyi (the puppet Emperor of the Japanese state of Manchukuo) did not have the will to choose another concubine but was pressured by Yoshioka, the Lieutenant General of Japan.[8] Yoshioka wanted him to choose a Japanese wife, but Emperor Puyi did not trust the Japanese.[9] Instead, he insisted on having a Chinese wife.[10] The Japanese went to Li Yuqin’s school and took photographs of all the girls, including Li Yuqin.[11] The girls did not know why they were being photographed.[12] The photographs were then sent to Emperor Puyi. Emperor Puyi looked at the photographs, and his eyes rested on Li Yuqin. He chose her because she seemed innocent and easy to manipulate.[13]
Once he made his decision, the Japanese went to her home and told the family that Li Yuqin was selected to become Emperor Puyi’s student.[14] She would study under Emperor Puyi and go to college. Her parents were suspicious about what it meant to be the Emperor’s student.[15] They initially refused but submitted to the Emperor’s will.[16] Li Yuqin packed her schoolbooks and bade farewell to her family.[17] Before she arrived at Changchun Palace, she was taken to Princess Yunhe (Emperor Puyi’s younger sister), who subjected her to an intense medical examination.[18]
Li Yuqin was taken to Changchun Palace. Upon her arrival, she was brought to the Emperor’s study. She met Emperor Puyi for the first time. She made three kowtows. Emperor Puyi pulled her up and was alarmed that her hands were hot.[19] He asked if she had a fever, and she replied that she had a headache.[20] Emperor Puyi sent for a doctor to give her an injection.[21] After she was injected, he told her to get some rest. Emperor Puyi’s care and attention left a favourable impression on her.[22] He seemed kind and caring. Li Yuqin believed that she would have a comfortable life in the palace as the Emperor’s student.[23]
The next day, Li Yuqin and Emperor Puyi had another meeting. Emperor Puyi showed Li Yuqin his portrait and asked if she liked it.[24] However, Li Yuqin told him that it did not resemble him at all, to which Emperor Puyi agreed.[25] Emperor Puyi asked Li Yuqin about her background. After she told him about her life, she asked Emperor Puyi about meeting her new teacher.[26] Emperor Puyi told her that they were still looking for one.[27] This raised Li Yuqin’s suspicions, and she wondered if she had been tricked into entering the palace.[28] Emperor Puyi did not know the Japanese had tricked her into coming to the palace as his student.[29] He assumed that she already knew that she would become his new concubine.[30] He still did not trust her because he thought that she may be a Japanese spy.[31] The two ate dinner quietly. The conversation consisted of him liking a dish and insisting Li Yuqin eat more.[32] After dinner, they prayed and retired to their own rooms.
Li Yuqin took etiquette lessons taught by Princess Yunhe. Since she was about to become a member of the imperial family, Li Yuqin’s every move had to be perfect.[33] If she was not, the servants and the Emperor’s relatives would laugh at her behind her back.[34] After two weeks of etiquette lessons, Li Yuqin realized that she was not in the palace to become the Emperor’s student but to be his wife.[35] Li Yuqin was not unhappy with the prospect of marrying the Emperor.[36] Instead, she had become fond of him because he was helpful and caring.[37]
In April 1943, Li Yuqin married Emperor Puyi. They were married in a European style rather than a traditional Chinese wedding.[38] The ceremony was held at a Catholic church, and Emperor Puyi put a diamond ring on Li Yuqin’s finger.[39] Emperor Puyi was very happy with Li Yuqin and had genuinely fallen in love with her.[40] In May, he conferred upon Li Yuqin the title of Noble Lady Fu. After the ceremony, Emperor Puyi held a grand banquet for his new concubine, which all the ministers attended.[41]
Shortly after Noble Lady Fu’s conferment ceremony, Noble Lady Fu saw her parents for the first time.[42] Her parents were honoured to be related to royalty and were guests at Changchun Palace.[43] When Emperor Puyi learned of Li Wancai’s occupation as a waiter, he was so embarrassed by his father-in-law’s lowly job that he ordered him to quit.[44] Emperor Puyi was afraid that people would mock him for having a waiter as his father-in-law.[45] Li Wancai agreed, but he was so poor that he could not make ends meet. Emperor Puyi refused to help his wife’s family with their money problems.[46] Therefore, Li Wancai had no choice but to return to his job as a waiter.[47]
Noble Lady Fu spent time in the palace watching Charlie Chaplin movies and listening to music.[48] She instructed the daughters of Emperor Puyi’s siblings in the Confucian classics.[49] She would play tennis and knit sweaters.[50] Noble Lady Fu also spent her time singing to Emperor Puyi. Emperor Puyi also became her teacher. He taught her Chinese Classics and Buddhism.[51] Due to her husband’s influence, Noble Lady Fu became a staunch Buddhist.[52]
While Noble Lady Fu and Emperor Puyi were happy, their marriage remained unconsummated.[53] Emperor Puyi was sexually abused as a child, and it had traumatized him.[54] Emperor Puyi tried to get over his trauma and consummate his marriage by taking hormone injections and medicines.[55] However, it remained ineffective.[56] Noble Lady Fu was so disappointed that their marriage remained unconsummated that she began to yell at her servants.[57] She even stopped singing for Emperor Puyi.[58]
On 18 August 1945, Manchukuo collapsed, and the imperial family were forced to leave Changchun Palace. With the downfall of the Manchukuo state, Li Yuqin’s life as an imperial concubine ended. Li Yuqin would no longer live a life of luxury. She would soon learn that being married to the Emperor would have consequences. In my next article, I will detail the hardships that Li Yuqin faced while being married to Emperor Puyi and her eventual decision to divorce him.
Sources:
Laitimes. (November 6, 2021).“Originally a poor girl, why did Li Yuqin become the “fugui person” of the puppet Manchukuo emperor?”. Retrieved on 11 November 2022 from https://www.laitimes.com/en/article/m01m_mff1.html.
Poole, T. (June 27, 1997). “The Last Concubine”. The Independent. Retrieved on 11 November 2022 from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/the-last-concubine-1258129.html?amp.
Wang, Q. (2014). The Last Emperor and His Five Wives. (Translated by Jiaquan Han et al.). Beijing, China: China Intercontinental Press.
[1] Wang, 2014
[2] Wang, 2014
[3] Wang, 2014
[4] Wang, 2014
[5] Wang, 2014
[6] Wang, 2014
[7] Wang, 2014
[8] Laitimes, 6 November 2021, “Originally a poor girl, why did Li Yuqin become the “fugui person” of the puppet Manchukuo emperor?”
[9] Laitimes, 6 November 2021, “Originally a poor girl, why did Li Yuqin become the “fugui person” of the puppet Manchukuo emperor?”
[10] Laitimes, 6 November 2021, “Originally a poor girl, why did Li Yuqin become the “fugui person” of the puppet Manchukuo emperor?”
[11] Wang, 2014
[12] Wang, 2014
[13] Wang, 2014
[14] Poole, The Independent, 27 June 1997, “The Last Concubine”
[15] Wang, 2014
[16] Wang, 2014
[17] Wang, 2014
[18] Wang, 2014
[19] Wang, 2014
[20] Wang, 2014
[21] Poole, The Independent, 27 June 1997, “The Last Concubine”
[22] Wang, 2014
[23] Wang, 2014
[24] Wang, 2014
[25] Wang, 2014
[26] Wang, 2014
[27] Wang, 2014
[28] Wang, 2014
[29] Wang, 2014
[30] Wang, 2014
[31] Wang, 2014
[32] Wang, 2014
[33] Wang, 2014
[34] Wang, 2014
[35] Wang, 2014
[36] Wang, 2014
[37] Wang, 2014
[38] Wang, 2014
[39] Wang, 2014
[40] Wang, 2014
[41] Wang, 2014
[42] Wang, 2014
[43] Wang, 2014
[44] Wang, 2014
[45] Wang, 2014
[46] Wang, 2014
[47] Wang, 2014
[48] Wang, 2014
[49] Wang, 2014
[50] Wang, 2014
[51] Wang, 2014
[52] Wang, 2014
[53] Wang, 2014
[54] Wang, 2014
[55] Wang, 2014
[56] Wang, 2014
[57] Wang, 2014
[58] Wang, 2014
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