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Succession to the Chinese throne

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Template:Former monarchic orders of succession

In 1912, the Qing dynasty was ousted and a Republic of China declared. Puyi, the last Qing emperor, was emperor of Manchukuo (Manchuria) in 1931–1945. He died without issue in 1967. His brother Prince Pujie was first in line under Manchukuo's succession law, which is the most recently published agreed upon succession rule for the house.[1] Pujie was widely regarded as Puyi's heir.[2] Since Pujie died in 1994, a half-brother, Jin Youzhi, has claimed this status, notably in a 2006 lawsuit.[3] This case was dismissed without a ruling on the issue.[3] Jin has also attempted to obtain royalties from the sale of Puyi's autobiography.[4]

In The Empty Throne, Tony Scotland tells how he found another claimant, Prince Yuyan, living in a mud floor hovel near the imperial palace.[5] Yuyan, a distant cousin of Puyi, told Scotland that the former emperor made him heir to the throne in a ceremony performed while they were imprisoned in Russia together in 1950.[6] This claim is not supported by any official document, although it was customary in the Qing dynasty that an emperor name his successor in a will or edict. Puyi's autobiography confirms merely that the idea was discussed.[7] Yuyan died in 1997. His eldest son is Prince Hengzhen, who was born in 1944.[8] There is no indication that Yuyan designated him heir to the throne, or that he claims this status.

Current pretender: Prince Puren (Jin Youzhi)

  1. Jin Yuzhang, eldest son of Jin Youzhi.[9]
  2. Jin Yuquan

See also

References

  1. ^ The Manchoukuo Year Book 1941, "Text of the Law Governing Succession to the Imperial Throne", March 1, 1937, p. 905, Tōa Keizai Chōsakyoku (Japan). In the absence of sons or descendants, the brothers of the reigning emperor, borne of the same mother, and their male-line descendants succeed according to age. (Article 5)
    Buyers, Christopher, The Royal Ark, "China".
  2. ^ Schmetzer, Uli, "Emperor-in-waiting recalls bygone age", Chicago Tribune, Oct 25, 1992.
    "Pu Jie, 87, Dies, Ending Dynasty Of the Manchus", New York Times, March 02, 1994.
  3. ^ a b "Brother of last emperor loses lawsuit", China Economic Net, 2006-12-12
  4. ^ "China's courts asked to settle dispute on last emperor's memoir", Mathaba, 11 Oct. 2007.
  5. ^ Scotland, Tony, and Patrick Leigh Fermor, The Empty Throne: Quest for an Imperial Heir in the People's Republic of China, (1993).
  6. ^ Scotland, p. 180.
  7. ^ Henry Pu Yi, Paul Kramer, The Last Manchu: The Autobiography of Henry Pu Yi, Last Emperor of China, p. 244.
  8. ^ Scotland, p. 177.
  9. ^ Heir to China's throne celebrates a modest life, The Age, November 27, 2004
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