Twice An Emperor; Died A Gardener

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31754, 10 August 1968, Page 5

Twice An Emperor; Died A Gardener

ously known as Manchuria. Before long the Japanese set up the puppet state of Manchuko, and as President they appointed none other than Pu Yi. In 1934, the Japanese confirmed their intention of restoring the Manchu dynasty —but under their own tute-

lage. So Pu Yi become emperor for the second time in his life—and achieved the remarkable distinction of having a second set of enthronement stamps issued in his honour, 25 years after the first. He assumed the name of Kangteh, and in accordance with Chinese custom the ere-

ation of the empire ushered in a new “era,” the Era of Peaceful Benevolence. For 11 years he reigned under Japanese protection.} But stamps in 1941 for national conscription and two} more in 1942 for the first anniversary of the “Greater East Asia War” boded ill for the Era of Peaceful Benevol-i ence, which came to an abrupt} end in August, 1945, with the occupation of Manchuko by the Russians.

Kangteh was imprisoned until 1950 when he was handed over to the Chinese Communists. For nine more years he was detained as a war criminal. Then at last, in December, 1959, he was set free —and was employed as a gardener in the Peking Botanic Garden. He even found time to write his autobiography. When his death was reported in October. 1967, the old Manchu dynasty finally faded into history—leaving behind the stamps of Manchuko, a country which no longer exists, as a reminder of the man who was twice an emperor and once a president, but ended his days as a humble gardener.