HISTORIC ARTICLE

Feb 12, 1912 CE: Last Emperor of China Abdicates

On February 12, 1912, the last emperor of China abdicated his throne, ending more than 2,000 years of imperial government.

Grades

5 - 8

Subjects

Arts and Music, Social Studies, World History

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On February 12, 1912, Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, was forced to abdicate. This meant that Pu Yi had to give up his title and power. Pu Yi was only six years old. He was too young to understand what abdication meant, so his father and adoptive mother helped him. Even though he was no longer emperor, Pu Yi was still treated like one! He lived in a palace, called the Forbidden City, and had hundreds of servants. He was served 40-course meals. If he misbehaved, his friends were punished—not Pu Yi. When he was 17 years old, Pu Yi was forced to leave the Forbidden City. When Japan invaded China, Japanese leaders made Pu Yi emperor again, but that did not last long. Finally, Pu Yi became a gardener.

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Writer

National Geographic Society

Producer

National Geographic Society

other

Last Updated

October 19, 2023

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