From Peking to Mandalay: A Journey From North China to Burma Through Tibetan Ssuch'uan and Yunnan
- 554 pages
- 20 hours of reading
Reginald Fleming Johnston Book order
Drawing from a background as an academic and diplomat, this author delves into the intricacies of Chinese culture and history. His unique perspective, amplified by his role as tutor to the last emperor of China, allowed him to explore profound cultural shifts and personal influence. His writings capture a foreigner's fascination with the Forbidden City and the depth of cross-cultural relationships that shaped his life and work. Through his prose, he offers insights into a dynamic era and his own journey within its heart.
- 2022
- 1988
Twilight in the Forbidden City
- 496 pages
- 18 hours of reading
From 1919 to 1924, Reginald F. Johnston, a British colonial official, scholar, writer and great admirer of Chinese culture, served as tutor and adviser to the last emperor of China. The emperor P'u-i had abdicated his throne in 1912. However, in order to ensure a rapid and peaceful transfer of authority, he was allowed to retain his title and was permitted to remain in residence in the Forbidden City in Peking, which he did until the winter of 1924. This book, first published in 1934, is Johnston's account of that period, during which he was uniquely placed to observe the twilight years of the Ch'ing dynasty. This edition is now reprinted with the addition of an Introduction by Pamela Atwell, author of British Mandarins and Chinese Reformers: The British Administration of Weihaiwei (1989-39) and the Territory's Return to Chinese Rule.
