The Twisted Tale Of China's Last Consort

When Wenxiu married Emperor Puyi of China and became his Imperial Consort, she likely imagined a life filled with luxury. Instead, she got tragedy.

[thesussexbunion]

"If she'd known, she might have run the other way. "
Sadly, that wouldn't have been possible for her. Her family would not have taken her back, and she would have no way to make a living.

[sleepysuga]

It's good to know she had a loving husband the second time even if they fell into poverty later on. It's a million times better than living in a palace with a horrible person.

[traceyashton]

An interesting documentary, excellently narrated. Pu Yi was a deeply damaged & damaging individual; the film Last Emperor romanticised him & this is a far more accurate portrait. These two unfortunate women never had a chance.

[lengl]

I would always choose being alone and poor than stuck in such an awful and toxic relationship. Glad Wenshiu managed to break free eventually.

[thesussexbunion]

I love hearing a Scots accent correctly narrating this. Thank you!❤

[HelenaMikas]

What a terrible life Wenxiu had between a happy childhood and being divorced .Her tiny home was at least filled with real love.She actually proved she was superior to those who have taunted her- As for Puyi she lost nothing there. Many thanks liked and subscribed :

[playinglifeoneasy]

This was so hurtful to both women. They show some of this in ‘Last Emperor of China’

[cisio]

Yes it's been said that he had a " fondness" for his handsome teenage pageboys during his puppet rule in Manchukuo . There was one who was his favorite who was even referred to as the male concubine. One of his pageboys even ran away to escape his advances and it was ordered by a furious Puyi that he be given his favored punishment ( which occurred at least once a day ) in being very harshly flogged for it .. which caused the pageboys death...which then of course got the floggers flogged. His younger brother when questioned said he was "biologically incapable of reproduction" which was a polite way of saying someone is gay in China at the time. It has also been said he did have a near pedophilic attraction to very young girls too ...along with being something of a sadist in his relationships with women . It's confusing and has been argued if he was actually bi or truly gay. Either way he really was just a huge nasty mess sexually and as a human being . He really was ruined as a decent human being in becoming the Emperor far too young.

[ncox]

It should be noted that Wenxiu married the Emperor after the later had actually lost the throne. so it was an empty title - at least until the Japanese-controlled Manchukuo empire, by which time they were divorced. It is true that the Imperial Family were expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924, but it was the Revolution of 1912 which led to PuYi's abdication.

[sandicmxr]

People on the outside think it's a wonderful life but the agony of loneliness has got to be gut wrenching

[justkiddin]

Puyi really had no right to agree that anyone was ugly.😡

[halimasultan]

I think it should be emphasized a bit more how miserable Wanrong was. The video makes her an antagonists, but many time she was just as tortured and lonely. Also, the end of Wenxiu's life as "quiet sorrow, I wouldnt say. She and her husband were very poor, but they were truly in love and happy with each other. When she passed, her husband was by her side, holding her hand. She was happy that he was there and that they were truly in love. I think it is more triumphant than sorrowful. We should see her strength and end as a victory story, than solemn sorrow. Wanrong lived a miserable life and had a very horrible end. I think that should be more noted. Really all 3 of them were victims of the cruel times :(

[andreaandrea]

This was well made! I was so surprised. So many documentary type videos on youtube are rubbish. This was NOT! It was really well done and interesting (and humourous in bits). Thank you.

[milascave]

By the time, the emperor was a total figurehead. While the rest of China was being torn apart by rival warlords and their personal armies, The emperor was in a golden cage. The forbidden city was the only place where he had power, and he was not permitted to ever leave it.I expect that it was the same of these wives. He was taken care of by unicks, but they were completely corrupt and were robbing him, until he finally fired them all. Can you imagine how distorted his view of the world must have been, treated like an absolute ruler within the city, but completely isolated from the events going on around him.
It was the same when the Japanese made him the official ruler of "Manchu, " the section of Manchuria that they controlled. He was given the title of emperor and a lavish house and villa, but again, he could not leave it.
As soon as the Japanese left, the Communists captured him, and he was put in a real prison. He claimed to have converted complexly to Maoism when he was let out, and, even though he still had no basic life skills, like flushing the toilet or remembering to keep his bus ticket, he found work as a gardener. But, just as the Cultural Revolution started, he got cancer. He got trapped between high government officials that wanted to give him special privileges and radical young red guards who did not, and invaded the hospital by force to try and enforce their will.. So the hospital staff pretty much ignored him, didn't give him pain medication, and he died a miserable death.

[lidzyboo]

12 years ago, I was 14, and found a beautiful red book called empress orchid. An interesting and poignant read, beautiful at times, hilarious in others, it’s not quite the historical biography of wenxiu but it’s clearly based off of the conflicts that arose between wanrong and wenxiu. The book was actually so macabre by the end I didn’t read the sequel, the last empress, but this video covers the history well. It seems pertinent that mao could have easily used the wildly dysfunctional throuple in this video as a firm basis of rhetoric for his own madness.

[maureenshepheard]

JUST LOVE THE SOUND OF THIS MANS VOICE, AND HIS STORY TELLING. GIMME MORE❤❤❤

[beverlychase]

Wow what a story - I totally enjoyed hearing this story - it was a haunting and sad epic tale.

[bonitabosse]

You are by far the most enjoyable story teller on YouTube

[soniareyes]

What a elegant way of learning! The narrator was perfect and I even added the movie "The Last Emperor", to my movies list. KUDOS

[prarthitaghosh]

Can we just agree that Pu Yi deserved none of the 2 beautiful women 🤷🏻‍♀️