CHAPTER SIX

The First Week of Our Honeymoon

The news of Puyi and Li Shuxian getting married was the top story that night in all the major newspapers in Hong Kong. Up until then, for more than forty years, thousands upon thousands of newspapers and magazines had reported about Puyi's every movement, but the only report Puyi had cut out and kept was the one entitled "Newly-married Puyi's house crammed with well-wishers".

[Beijing] April 30. Puyi got married to a lady named Li Shuxian. The bride, a native of Zhejiang Province, aged 38, worked at a hospital in Beijing. At their wedding ceremony, Puyi made a speech. He said:

"Now I am an academic on culture and history. We are delighted to be setting up a happy, new-style family home." He expressed his intention that in the future he and his wife would encourage and help each other so that they could make progress together. Li Shuxian also made a speech.

On May Day, 1962, Guo Morou (left) and Bao'erhan cordially receive the bride and groom at the auditorium of the CPPCC HQ.

Among those who joined the wedding ceremony were Puyi's relatives zaitao and his wife, Pujie and his wife, his younger sisters and their husbands and Mr. Zheng Dongguo, Mr. Tan Yizhi, Mr. Li Jue, Mr. Lu Chongyi, Mr. Du Yuming, Mr. Lao Yaoxiang, Mr. Fan Hanjie, Mr. Soong Xilian, and Mr. Wang Yaowu plus many relatives and friends of the bride and groom. All together there were more than 100 guests. They lined up to wish Puyi and his wife a happy life together."

The next day, May 1st, was the "International Labour Day". At 9 am, the annual "celebration" meeting and various performances were to be held in the auditorium of the CPPCC HQ. Shortly after 8 am Mr. Xing, the Secretary General of the CPPCC, came to our home, telling us that Mr. Guo Moruo, Deputy Premier of the State Council and Mr. Bao'erhan, Deputy Chairman of the CPPCC and Uyghur Nationality leader, were in the lounge of the auditorium. They wanted very much to see us, before the start of the celebrations. When Puyi and I followed Mr. Xing into the lounge of the auditorium, Mr. Guo and Mr. Bao'erhan stood up immediately and eagerly came over to shake hands with us. Puyi introduced me to the two highly-esteemed old men. Mr. Guo greeted us with a smile.

"Congratulations! Mr. Puyi, I congratulate you on your marriage and starting a new life together! I hope your love will last forever!" Afterwards he asked: "Where is your bride from?"

"Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province," Puyi answered.

"Oh, she is a southerner, too!" Mr. Guo commented positively.

Mr. Guo Moruo was from Sichuan Province, in the South of China. As his gift for our marriage he gave Puyi two luxurious tins of "DoubleHappiness" cigarettes, one of the best brands in China at that time. "I wish you great joy!" he said. Before the celebration performances started, Mr. Guo and Mr. Bao'erhan invited Puyi and I to take a commemorative photo with them. Puyi was very happy indeed.

Puyi was still excited when we had lunch at the CPPCC HQ Canteen. First of all he praised the food which was fried pork-balls, fish fried in batter and stir-fried sliced pork and steamed rice, saying how delicious they were, and then he talked with me about Mr. Guo Moruo.

"Mr. Guo Moruo is one of the greatest Chinese modern writers, an accomplished poet, archaeologist and social activist. "Puyi said, asking me:"Have you ever seen the modern drama Wu Tsetian?"

"I haven't seen it," I replied.

"It has been performed in public. I really appreciate it. It's very interesting. Mr. Guo Moruo wrote the script, he is also a well-known calligrapher and has been invited to put his calligraphic works on display in many places. Furthermore, Mr. Guo is an historian of great distinction and his wife, Madam Yu Liqun is one of the few noted female calligraphers in China."

Puyi told me that he once met Mr. Guo Moruo at a banquet.

Mr. Guo said to him with a smile, "You should help experts in the Qing Dynasty with their study!"

Puyi replied: "I'm sorry I don't know the Manchu dialect. It is impossible to study the history of the Qing Dynasty without knowing Manchu." He recalled that Mr. Guo Moruo had respected him highly and greeted him enthusiastically, whenever they met.

That afternoon, Mr. Tong Xiaopeng, the Deputy Secretary General of the State Council and the Director of the Premier's office came to convey to us Premier Zhou Enlai's congratulations, which made us very excited. Mr. Tong was fond of joking. Pointing at Puyi, he said: "Puyi, now that you are married, it seems that there's hope of seeing your Crown Prince this time next year! Ha! Ha! " Those present all burst into laughter and Puyi was beside himself with laughter too.

After Mr. Tong Xiaopeng left, Mr. Liao Mosha, the Director of the United Front Work Department of the Peking Municipal Committee of the CPC, came to see us, with one of his deputy directors. Mr. Liao carried himself with dignity and was a noted writer, winning a high reputation in Chinese literary and art circles. He enquired, with friendly concern, about our life after marriage.

At noon on May 2rd, the CPPCC gave a banquet in honour of the former Aixinjuelo Royal Clan, with Puyi's seventh uncle and all of his younger brothers, sisters and brothers-in-law in attendance. The principle leaders of the CPPCC and the members of the Aixinjuelo Clan dined happily together, to celebrate our marriage.

On the evening of May 3rd, the United Front Work Department of the Peking Municipal Committee of the CPC and the Civil Affairs Bureau of the Peking Municipal Government jointly held a banquet at the Fangshan Restaurant. The Fangshan Restaurant located on the Qionghua Islet, with a hill behind and a lake in front and being situated in Beihai Park, is popular at home and abroad for serving traditional Imperial-quality meals, in Qing Dynasty style. Mr. Liao Mosha and Mr. Wang, the Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, personally proposed toasts to the bride and groom, respectively. By Chinese custom, it would be ungracious for the bride or groom not to accept a glass of wine, but I really couldn't drink wine. Mr. Liao assured me: "Don't worry; we'll escort you home if you get drunk." He held a glass of wine, insisting that I must drink it; we were locked in a stalemate.

It was Puyi who stepped forward bravely to rescue me: "She can't drink wine. She never drinks wine."

"That's unheard of! The bride must drink wine at her own wedding dinner!" Mr. Wang wouldn't back down, "And I have been holding this glass for a long time, what are you going to do about it?"

"All right, all right, I'll drink it instead of her." Puyi took the glass from the hand of Mr. Wang and drank it in one gulp. The second one who wanted to propose a toast to us then stood up. "Thank you!" Puyi said to him and drank it too. Heartily laughing, he drank the third glass, the fourth glass... The sight caused the whole room to resound with laughter and applause, again and again. Director Wang heartily remarked: "Puyi knows how to take care of his wife! Shuxian is fortunate to find such a good husband." He turned to ask Puyi: "Did you treat your former empress and concubines as well as this?" Puyi confessed openly, "In the past I didn't know that husband and wife should be equal and take care of each other."

Finally when exquisite pastries were served up, Director Wang announced: "Today's pastry was made by an experienced chef who cooked before in the Royal Kitchen in the Forbidden City." He suggested to Puyi: "How about inviting the chef out to see you?" Shortly a kind, stout older man, about seventy years old came out to meet us. Taking Puyi's hand in his, he told us about his past when he worked in the Royal Kitchen of the Forbidden City. Puyi was delighted:

(from left) Pujie's mother-in-law, Husheng(Pujie's daughter), Puyi and Zaitao

"I left the Forbidden City when I was 18 years old. For about forty years I haven't had the opportunity to eat this kind of delicious pastry. I never expected to eat it again today." He added: "It tastes even better than before!" The veteran chef then told Puyi, "Please tell me whenever you want to eat the royal pastry. I'll go to your home to cook it for you." Puyi thanked him profusely.

At that moment, a lovely young girl, about twenty years old, walked up to the chef and made a deep bow to him, saying: "I'd like to learn from you how to make 'royal' pastry." She was Miss Husheng, the younger daughter of Mr. Pujie. Born in Changchun in 1940, she had grown up in Japan. In May 1961, she came to Beijing with her mother to see her father who had already got a special amnesty and returned to Japan afterwards. This time she had come to China to join her uncle's wedding ceremony and to be reunited with her parents in Beijing. The old chef agreed to teach her. Later, for several days, he went to Pujie's home personally, to teach Hushen how to cook the royal pastry.

Also to congratulate us on our marriage, was the editor who had been assigned by the Masses Publishing House, to help Puyi edit the manuscript of The First Half of My Life. He held a banquet for us in the Western Dining Hall of the Cultural Club. Mr. Cha Cunqi, the fifth uncle of Empress Wanrong, was also invited to join us. He not only had an intimate understanding of Puyi's domestic affairs, but had also, for a long time, held the position of being his English translator. He and Puyi had formed a deep friendship. In the course of amending the book, they often worked together. He helped Puyi call to mind many historical events to include in the book.

As is well known, Puyi was cared for by his wet-nurse Mrs. Wang Lianshou, having been breast-fed by her until he was nine years old. After his "Grand Nuptials" in 1922, Puyi often sent people to fetch her to stay with him for a few days. Towards the end of "the Manchukuo" period, Puyi took her to Changchun and supported her until he left the Northeast. Sadly she was hit by a stray bullet and died in Tonghua, in August 1945. After Puyi returned to Beijing in 1960, he soon found her adopted son and his three children.

On May 4th, we took Miss Wang Peiying, his wet-nurse's granddaughter to the Beijing Botanical Garden. Puyi had considered the Botanical Gardens as his second home, so he should return there after his wedding ceremony, according to Chinese traditional custom. (According to traditional Chinese custom, following the wedding ceremony, both bride and groom should return to their parents' homes with presents, to show their gratitude for being raised well.)

When we arrived at the Beijing Botanical Gardens at 10 am, Mr. Tian Yumin, the director, was waiting outside the gate to welcome us. Puyi introduced Miss Wang and I to Director Tian first, then he led us into the reception room. Director Tian expressed his congratulations on our marriage and asked how we were.

Director Tian invited us to his home for lunch. His wife had already cooked a lot of tasty dishes for us. We thanked her for giving us such a delicious lunch. Director Tian said to me: "Puyi is lucky to marry you. He can't do any housework, so you will have to do it all. We hope you take good care of him, treating him like your own elder brother." Both Mr. Tian and his wife were respectful, kind-hearted veterans of the CPC. They cared sincerely about Puyi. I fully understood what they were asking of me.

After lunch, Director Tian accompanied us to view the various plants in the garden, while Puyi told us their varying features. In the greenhouse, we saw a kind of plant as big as a tall tree. Puyi told Miss Wang and I: "It came from abroad and needs careful cultivation. Like 'mimose', it is a kind of pamper plant." He picked up a small iron spade and skillfully loosened the soil around it. He then explained, "The soil around it must be loosened frequently. I couldn't even use this kind of small spade when I first came here. Ha! Ha! "

Previously, I had been taken to visit Puyi's bedroom. It had only two single beds, several chairs and an office desk with a thermos flask and a few cups on it. I noticed that Puyi's bed still had the quilt and the cotton-padded mattress he had brought from the Fushun War Criminals Prison, the special prison for the politically important and high-ranking war criminals. Puyi had continued returning to the Botanical Garden, once a week, for manual labour, after he had been transferred to work at the CPPCC HQ. After work he liked to stay there during the night, and then he would return to the CPPCC HQ the next morning.

We had a joyful time that day, like a bride returning to her native home after her wedding ceremony. It was already 6 pm when we said our farewells to Director Tian and his wife, outside the gate of the Botanical Garden. When we arrived at the CPPCC HQ, it was already dark.

That evening, Puyi shared with me about the original impression he had of me at our first meeting: "I fell in love with you at first sight that very day! I had never before talked so easily with a lady for a whole afternoon. I was longing to marry someone I really loved and considered that we must have a common language. I felt that I would be sick at heart each time when I saw the lady if I didn't really love her. I appreciated the fact that you were sincere and dressed simply. (In the time of Chairman Mao, Chinese people were expected to dress simply) Your troubled life experiences especially won my sympathy. I'm glad that you are a nurse as I like medicine too. I'm now an ordinary citizen, hoping to set up a home where the married couple both work, just like thousands upon thousands of citizens in Beijing. Neither of us will stay at home like parasites. Now that we are married, I'm sure that our life together will continue to be a happy one, admired by others."