The day the last emperor of China abdicated – level 2

The last Chinese emperor, Puyi, was born in 1906. He came to the throne when he was only two years and 10 months old.

Three years later, a revolution started in China. The people didn’t want an empire. They wanted a republic. The revolution was successful. Puyi had to abdicate on February 12, 1912, but he could keep many privileges, and he continued to live in his palace with his servants.

In 1932, the Japanese invaded China and created a new state on its territory. The Japanese made Puyi an emperor of this new state, but he had to do what the Japanese wanted.

At the end of World War II, Puyi was arrested by the Russians. He was sent back to China where he was sent to a re-education camp for 10 years. After the camp, he lived a normal life. He worked as a gardener. He died at the age of 61 in Beijing.

Difficult words: emperor (a leader of an empire), revolution (a change in government or the way a country works), empire (a place ruled by a king), republic (a government that has many leaders that work for its people), throne (a special chair used by a king), abdicate (to agree to lose the power), privilege (good things which other people don’t have), invade (to enter a country by force), re-education (new education which wants to change your old education).

What were the privileges that Puyi kept after he abdicated?

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