The Grand Wedding of China's Last Emperor
Updated: 2007-06-04 09:03
After 1911, the Republic government took up the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserved Harmony for its offices, leaving only the inner court of the Forbidden City for Puyi. As a result, it was no longer possible for the last empress to go through the central opening of the Meridian Gate. After lengthy negotiations with the Republic government, it was agreed the empress could enter through the Donghua Gate, while the people invited to attend the wedding had to enter through the Gate of Spiritual Valor, the back door of the Forbidden City.
People began to gather at the Gate of Spiritual Valor before midnight. According to the roster, there were 237 celebrities present at the grand wedding, ranging from foreign guests and members of the Republic parliament, to officials of the Qing government and the imperial clans.
At midnight on Nov. 30, Puyi, dressed in robe, came to Palace of Heavenly Tranquility and dispatched the phoenix sedan chair to bring back Wan Rong, starting his grand wedding.
