Jin Youzhi
Encyclopedia
Jīn Yǒuzhī born Pǔrèn (born 17 August 1918), is the fourth and youngest son of Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
, and is, at age , the only surviving brother of Puyi
, the last Emperor of China
and of Manchukuo
.
Instead of using his Manchu clan name, Aisin Gioro
, as a surname, the prince
has adopted the surname "Jīn" (金). This name means "Gold" in Chinese, as does "Aisin" in Manchu
. His courtesy name is Yǒuzhī. In the Chinese media, he has been described as “最后的皇弟” (final emperor's younger brother).
Prince Youzhi was born in the Prince Chun Palace in Shichahai
, Beijing
. After an education in classics and traditional art, he established a public primary school in the Prince Chun Palace in 1947, with his father's support. He acted as principal while his sister taught as a teacher. The school was later donated to the People's Republic of China
government, and he continued working as a teacher until his retirement in 1988. After retirement, Jin has written and edited a number of books on Qing Dynasty history and literature.
Jin has served three terms as a delegate to the Municipal Political Consultative Conference of Beijing, and has also served as a researcher with the Beijing Research Institute in Chinese History.
Had Jin not repudiated his claims to the imperial throne, he would be the imperial pretender to the Qing throne. This is somewhat complicated by the fact that Puyi in his autobiography states that he proposed to adopt a distant cousin (Yuyan
) in order to secure his assistance while they were imprisoned in the Soviet Gulag
. Rules of succession to the throne of Manchukuo are determined by the Law Governing Succession to the Imperial Throne, adopted by Puyi on 1 March 1937.
Jin is the father of Jin Yuzhang
.
Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun
The 2nd Prince Chun was born Zaifeng , of the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan . He was the leader of China between 1908 and 1911, serving as regent for his son Puyi, the Xuantong Emperor.His courtesy name was Yiyun...
, and is, at age , the only surviving brother of Puyi
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...
, the last Emperor of China
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
and of Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
.
Instead of using his Manchu clan name, Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro was the family name of the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The House of Aisin Gioro ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which established a republican government in its place. The word aisin means gold in the Manchu language, and "gioro" is the name of the place in...
, as a surname, the prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
has adopted the surname "Jīn" (金). This name means "Gold" in Chinese, as does "Aisin" in Manchu
Manchu language
Manchu is a Tungusic endangered language spoken in Northeast China; it used to be the language of the Manchu, though now most Manchus speak Mandarin Chinese and there are fewer than 70 native speakers of Manchu out of a total of nearly 10 million ethnic Manchus...
. His courtesy name is Yǒuzhī. In the Chinese media, he has been described as “最后的皇弟” (final emperor's younger brother).
Prince Youzhi was born in the Prince Chun Palace in Shichahai
Shichahai
Shichahai is an historic scenic area consisting of three lakes in the north of central Beijing in China. They are located to the north-west of the Forbidden City and north-west of the Beihai Lake. Shichahai consists of the following three lakes: Qianhai , Xihai and Houhai...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
. After an education in classics and traditional art, he established a public primary school in the Prince Chun Palace in 1947, with his father's support. He acted as principal while his sister taught as a teacher. The school was later donated to the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
government, and he continued working as a teacher until his retirement in 1988. After retirement, Jin has written and edited a number of books on Qing Dynasty history and literature.
Jin has served three terms as a delegate to the Municipal Political Consultative Conference of Beijing, and has also served as a researcher with the Beijing Research Institute in Chinese History.
Had Jin not repudiated his claims to the imperial throne, he would be the imperial pretender to the Qing throne. This is somewhat complicated by the fact that Puyi in his autobiography states that he proposed to adopt a distant cousin (Yuyan
Yuyan
Yuyan , style name Yanrui , nickname Xiaoruizi , was a Chinese calligrapher and a member of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, the imperial clan of the Qing Dynasty. He claimed that he was appointed heir by Puyi, the Last Emperor of China...
) in order to secure his assistance while they were imprisoned in the Soviet Gulag
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
. Rules of succession to the throne of Manchukuo are determined by the Law Governing Succession to the Imperial Throne, adopted by Puyi on 1 March 1937.
Jin is the father of Jin Yuzhang
Jin Yuzhang
Jīn Yùzhàng is a descendant of the Qīng Dynasty , the Imperial Family of the Aisin-Gioro clan. He is the eldest grandson of Zaifeng, 2nd Prince Chun, and the eldest son of Jin Youzhi, formerly Pǔrèn, making Jin an heir to the Chinese throne. According to a succession law adopted in 1937, the...
.