As the British-born Tutor to the Dragon Emperor, Johnston was the only foreigner in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty. Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace. Twilight in the Forbidden City reflects his eyewitness accounts of the memorable events of the time. He provides an first hand account of daily life in the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and gives many detailed descriptions of ceremonies including Pu-yi's wedding. Johnston provides a good deal of anecdotal material for the last days of the Ch'ing Dynasty court before the 1911 Revolution He knew many of the active players in those events, and of historical significance are his observations on the Ch'ing court's political structure, and in particular the Nei Wu Fu or Imperial Household Department. If you are planning to travel to China, or want to understand China better, then this book is a must read as it provides an eyewitness account of the events of period! A 'must read' for anyone interested in China!
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This work is the record of Johnston's time spent in Beijing between 1919 and 1924, where he served as tutor to Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the last emperor of China. As a foreigner, Johnston had unprecedented access to the imperial palace. He provides a unique Western perspective on this tumultuous period.
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62 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Historical events from a unique perspective,
By Richard Wertz (dickie66@webtv.net) (Pittsburgh, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Twilight in the Forbidden City (Hardcover)
Twilight in the Forbidden City is considered by The University of Pittsburgh to be out of date due to the use by R.F.J. of the Yale pronounciation of the Chinese language. However, despite that fact, the author manages to capture some of the most historicaly decisive events in Chinese history due to his close relationship with the Emperor, Pu-Yi. He also manages to reflect on some of the events prior to becoming tutor to the Emperor, including the Boxer Rebellion and the downfall of the Empress Tzu-Hsi, that contributed to the twilight in the Fobidden City. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a student of East Asian studies.
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
History of China and of colonialism,
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This review is from: Twilight in the Forbidden City (Hardcover)
Johnston's book is a fascinating study of the end of imperialism in China, but also, as an object of study itself, of the agencies of colonialism. I recommend the book on that basis as much as on the value of Johnston's firsthand account of the last days of the Manchu emperors. "Enjoy with..." as the foodies say, James Morris' lively "Pax Brittanica" trilogy, for example, or letters/memoirs of Gertrude Bell and TE Lawrence. To my mind all of these give a fascinating insight into the good-hearted, brilliant-minded but often disastrously wrong-headed players in colonialism. It's clear in Johnston's book that he went into his job as imperial tutor with an agenda: within days of starting he's outlined a plan to radically disrupt the status quo. All with best intentions, true integrity, and a thorough knowledge of the country and culture. There's a lot for us to learn here. FWIW, I consider myself a history "dabbler" and these books keep my limited attention,intellect and curiosity fully engaged, so don't be put off by worrying that they're too like the classes we all slept through...
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
An unusual insider history and biography if the last emperor of China.,
By Michael Poore (Hilo, Hawaii) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Twilight In the Forbidden City (Kindle Edition)
I found the book to be on the dry side and a bit difficult to read as histories often are. What made this book really unusual and worth the effort is that it is written in English by someone who knew and was intimate with the last emperor. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the history of China.
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