The Twisted Tale Of China's Last Consort 

Never heard a more poetic way of describing a gay man. " preferred the land way rather than the water way"😂😂😂

"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.

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 :

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

"He preferred the land way to the water way" Those Chinese euphemisms man💀

Well done! Thank you for not using AI. Looking forward to more from you.

He never reigned as Emperor in China - the Dowager Empress Longyu acted as Regent during his infancy and abdicated on his behalf in 1912. His position in Manchuria was purely nominal. It was a Japanese colony.

& to think of Diana Princess of Wales once saying . “Well there were 3 of us in this marriage” or something to that effect.

Besides having the far wealthier, nobler family there was the fact that Wanrong was 16 while Wenxiu was only about 12 to 13. The most urgent duty of the empress was to birth a son to secure the dynasty, and control the imperial Harem. Wenxiu was simply too young to do the job, while Wanrong was old enough and she was far more ready for the job than Wenxiu was.

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

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.

GREAT👏job narrating im sure Wenxiou was more happier as a poor civilian than as a Consort

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.

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

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.

Yeap thats why it was easy for him to be so cruel. He hated them because he wanted to be them

Wow, what horrible people. I remember watching The Last Emperor and feeling some kind of sympathy for him. I guess not anymore!

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.

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

Very sad lives for all of them, as it turns out. Thanks for this episode. ♥

The movie “The Last Emperor “ was beautiful but this info (his sexuality, the wives’ ages, etc. )wasn’t included at all, or maybe I just have forgotten it. I felt sorry for him as a child…a ruler and a prisoner, all in one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this history, as it played well to fill-in the backdrop of this period. As a fan of the Anime, The Apothecary Diaries, it spoke to the pomp and circumstance, the dirty tricks and the intrigue of the back-Palace. This story is all the better for being true.

A fuller picture of Puyi's life is available on Wikipedia. It is even more extraordinary than portrayed here.

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

You are by far the most enjoyable story teller on RU-vid

I dont think she would have had a choice to refuse the marriage?

You held my attention with every word. You are a great relayer of information, and storytelling. Thank you. 😊

8:24 “ people were so childish back then. You wouldn’t say that these days” 😂 touché ! 👏

I didn't know she was Mongolian. That is so cool.

You know it’s bad when the rival wife tries to calm things down.

The emperor was a jerk

Thank you so much for this. Really caught my attention and I was hooked! Looking forward to seeing more! Terribly sad story. So sad the wife who divorced puyi didn’t have a happy ever after. The empress was vile too but she was obviously jealous and was never truly loved. So she was to be pitied a bit too. Obviously Puyi was a tyrant and monster, but in a way it wasn’t entirely his fault. He was ruined as a human being by the total power he was given and the fact his every wish was granted. No one ever said no or that’s not right. If any child has no boundaries and is spoilt utterly then I think it’s safe to say they won’t be very nice people. For him though, as a gay man, it must have been awful to have to keep up the pretence of being straight all his life. It doesn’t excuse his behaviour, but it may go some way to explain why he was such a terrible human being.

WOW , gay man and married to two women at the same time !

I saw the movie, The Last Emperor, and that was quite the story!

This story blew me away, and you told it very well 👍🏽

At near the same time in history, Edward the VIII held his mistress Wallis Simpson above the Royal Court.

Puyi reminds me of Russia's Peter III. Feeble minded at best.

"spineless rulers doom their kingdom" - a perfect thing to say here

FYI. Back when all this happened it was Peking as they hadn’t changed the name to Beijing until communist rule and the spelling of the name became romanized. 🙂

The Last Emperor by Bertalucci is a beautiful Film.

Thank you for the sharing👍

Amazing story telling!

None of these people had a good life.

Fascinating history and so well told. Liked and subbed💙

I saw the movie last Emperor it was very sad and made me cry but of course being a movie you can't believe everything you see and hear. But I think he did have a very sad life.

short version: he was gay (probably)

Interestingly, there were no children with either woman.... Sad, sad story.

When were you going to get to why he ran screaming from his wedding night?

Abuse is so horrible

Really interesting and well presented! Thank you!

Interesting story of " not so glamorous " life of the royals

Poor Wenxiu!! To suffer so much at such a young age too... I'm so glad she escaped

Wonderful presentation! Thank you.

Great narrator. I’ll add my comment to all the others. My fav on the channel.

Excellent presentation on this video!

Awesome Job👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

Fascinating. Well told.

💚✌🏽Throughout Chinas history various hats were worn. I would love to know the significance of these hats.

Fascinating story ❤ Thank you!

Great video! Very informative and well made! Loved all the original footage and photos to accompany the excellent narration! Yay! No AI!! 😊

I've watched a few vids of your content, you're the best narrator by far 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Thank you 🙏🏻

Just a small observation here: I am just a few minutes into the video and it is worth to say that she was not a "meager" consort. She could had it worst, being below the consort rank (concubine, noble lady, 1st attendant, 2nd attendant), but of course she could have it better, anyways, above her there was only the empress. And as a consort she was officially a wife, unlike the ranks below her, so she got enough, considering her family background. The other thing is that she didn't get remote quarters for her, she was given the Changchung Palace, which was previously inhabited and expanded by Cixi in her latest years, compounding two palaces into one; Wan Rong was given the Chuxiu Palace, next to the gardens which had become a compound as well by being expanded by Cixi, joining the Yikun and Chuxiu palaces together when the alley between them got removed. And both were the most well kept palaces available at the time, from all the twelve for the concubines. Also, both were on the West side that had a more updated accomodations than the East side. In any case Wenxiu was the closest to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, where Puyi resided.

Wow, Such an amazing interesting story! And, you are a master at storytelling👏 THANK YOU!

"Puyi preferred the land way to the water way" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

So very entertaining thank you

So he married a child.

Thanks for another fine video and education.

Loved the video.

Well then, the movie hid more than it told.

Awesome story telling. You actually have to feel bad for both women. He was an immature person who never grew up and may not have known it himself - gay.

Puyi was messed up. Glad she got away.

Well-done. I learned a lot.

Poor child! How disgusting, a 12 year old child. What a horrible life.

This video was actual snagging, understandable, digestible, and week or together! Thank you!

Wan rong, ya wrong but wan empress, ya right 😅

I recommend watching Raise the Red Lantern 🏮🏮🏮!

Excellent historical overview. What a sad thing.

Thank you 😊

I found your channel, I like it, and just subscribed. Amazing story, and your voice is so calm and peaceful. Keep uploading ❤.

I enjoyed this narration! ASMR voice. 😌

👍⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐You are one of the most enjoyable story teller on RU-vid

I like your narration style and tone of voice. It's very beguiling.

This video is a complement to the film The Last Emperor. Thanks

So, a quick search to find out some of the ages of these people…. and I’m horrified and disgusted. He was 10ish and the consort was 13ish when they first married, and I’m not sure about the empress… It was also said he was 2 when he was put on the throne. I can understand the immaturity and ignorance, they were children and were never taught properly…. pretty much the same problem’s going on in the modern age .

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 :(

THE LAST EMPEROR was a great movie but didn't even come close to depicting how fucked up Puyi was.

I also _"prefer the land way than the water way"_ . Lol. Thank you for this excellent and gripping documentary.

Loved the movie “The Last Emperor”

Wouldn’t Consort Wenxiu be Guifei? She’d ONLY be below the empress. How would her palace be so far away from the central palace?

Thank you.

Nooooo BET need to bring this show back

You’ve gained a new follower ❤.

Thanks for telling us what WhanWong with PuYi's marriages, I mean WhenChu think about it .. it was a nightmare