Born: 7 February 1906 · Died: 17 October 1967 · Age at death: 61
How old was Puyi when he died?
Puyi died aged 61. He was born on 7 February 1906 and died on 17 October 1967.
The last emperor of China and the final Qing dynasty ruler
Did you know?Following his release from prison, the former emperor spent his final years working as a gardener and an editor.
Quick facts
Date of birth7 February 1906
Date of death17 October 1967
Age at death61
Cause of deathKidney cancer
NationalityChinese
BirthplaceBeijing, China
Occupationgardener, archivist, aristocrat
Editor's Take:
Puyi's life traced China's turbulent passage from empire to communism. He was a child emperor who lost his throne before he could understand it, then lived on inside the Forbidden City as a relic. Bitterness and ambition led him to accept Japan's offer to rule Manchuria, a choice that made him a collaborator in the eyes of most Chinese. After the war he spent years in Soviet and Chinese prisons. Released in 1959, he worked as a gardener and editor. His memoir, From Emperor to Citizen, presented him as a reformed man.
Key Milestones
1908: Becomes emperor at the age of two
1912: Abdicates as the Qing dynasty falls
1934: Crowned emperor of Japanese-controlled Manchukuo
1959: Released after a decade in prison
Puyi (Chinese: 溥儀; pinyin: Pǔ Yí; Wade–Giles: P'u-i; 7 February 1906 – 17 October 1967) was the last emperor of China, having reigned as the Xuantong Emperor of the Qing dynasty (1908–1912, with a brief restoration in 1917) and later as the Kangde Emperor of Manchukuo, a Japanese puppet state during World War II.
