Puyi’s “imperial poem” caused a sensation in the cultural circle: You are speechless, and I am speechless

Pu Yi’s imperial poem not only has special historical significance as it was written by the last emperor; in the entire history of Chinese classical literature, it also opened up a new style and genre of imperial poetry, which can be regarded as An isolated case.

Although the 1911 Revolution of 1911 fired the last emperor of China from his throne. But the last emperor still lives in the Forbidden City. He is Puyi (1906-1967). Outside the palace, the Republic of China followed the Three People's Principles, but in the palace, the basic etiquette and treatment of the imperial era remained the same. In 1921, when Puyi was about 16 years old, the palace ministers commented that the emperor's Mid-Autumn Festival was in full swing, and it was appropriate to appoint the palace as early as possible. Ever since, still in accordance with the royal rules, the queen and concubine began to be selected on a large scale. Rong Yuan's daughter Wanrong and Duan Gong's daughter Wenxiu were finally judged to be the queen and concubine, and the wedding ceremony of the last emperor was about to be held.

On December 1, 1922, Puyi sent someone to put a handle of Ruyi in Feng Yu, and then set off with Zaizhen holding it. There was a large sedan carried by 16 people, and a full set of wedding ceremony ceremony was used. In addition to umbrellas, sticks, flags, cards, pumpkins, axes, axes, knots, fans, etc., 100 pairs of horns and drums were also added. The military and constitutional organs sent cavalry and infantry to protect them, amounting to about 2,000 people. The streets along which the bride-to-be are passing will be closed as usual. There were huge crowds of people on both sides of the road, and everyone was vying to see the grand wedding of the last emperor. When dignitaries of the Beiyang Communist Party and foreigners come to visit, each person is given a steel badge before they are allowed to pass. During the wedding, three palace dramas were performed in succession, and all the top famous actors from Beijing and Shanghai, such as Chen Delin, Tian Guifeng, Mei Lanfang, Shang Xiaoyun, Xiao Cuihua, etc., came.

The wedding of the last emperor shocked the Chinese government and the public, and all the dignitaries sent congratulatory gifts. It goes without saying that the princes of Manchu and Mongolia, as well as the remnants of the old ministers, even the dignitaries of the Republic of China who bombarded the Qing Empire in the past, from the president to the warlords of various places; politicians in the opposition and celebrities who were not in the opposition, all came one after another and were frightened. Li Yuanhong sent Ruyi, gold bottles and silver pots; Cao Kun sent Ruyi and clothing materials; Feng Yuxiang sent gold watches and gold and silver utensils; Zhang Zuolin sent Ruyi and clothing materials; Xu Shichang sent complete sets of new wooden utensils. In addition to sending polished jade screens and saltpeter plates for Napoleon's wedding, Kang Youwei also wrote a couplet in his own handwriting: The eight kingdoms are dressed in jade, and the sun and moon shine on the golden platform for nine days. It is really apt description, and it describes this final scene. The grandeur of the emperor's wedding is summed up.

But as everyone knows, the young emperor also had his own way of celebrating. On his wedding day, he wrote an imperial poem. This is Puyi's own youthful handwriting. He did not ask princes and ministers to write for him, so it is naturally of unique value. Moreover, this imperial poem is not in the classical format of quatrain verse, but a modern poem in vernacular style deeply influenced by the New Culture Movement, which highlights the value of the times and is unique. Poetry:

I also have a day like today!

We went inside!

If you go, I will go,

If you don’t go, I won’t go either.

Is it better to go? How about not going?

You are speechless, and I am speechless.

Are you mute?

Scary, it looks good,

Don’t look bad!

You are always affectionate,

I am always speechless.

You can drive a car,

I can also ride a horse.

It is said that this imperial poem was originally hung in the Leshou Hall of the Qing Palace and was inscribed by Puyi on the famous "Wedding Commemorative Photography" photo. On November 5, 1924, Feng Yuxiang launched a coup to force the palace and drove Puyi out of the Forbidden City. The photo with the imperial poem was also taken down and moved to another place before it became known to the outside world. On May 15, 1926, the Shanghai "Liangyou" magazine (Issue 4) published the poem publicly, and it became widely known. More than a year later, the famous martial arts novelist Bai Yu (1899-1966, formerly known as Gong Wanxuan, author of 20 martial arts novels such as "Stealing Fists" and "Twelve Golden Darts") still remembers this imperial poem. , for this reason, he wrote an article "Written at the beginning of the Psalm" to comment on it. This article was published in Peiping's "***" on January 16, 1927, and was placed on the headlines of the column by Zhang Henshui, editor-in-chief of the newspaper's Pearl Supplement at the time. From this point of view, this imperial poem was still very popular among the new intellectuals in the Republic of China era in the public cultural circles, whether in Peking, Shanghai, or all over the north and south.

Gong Baiyu commented in the article that although this poem is plain and has no essence, it is still like the childish work of a young man. It is always stronger than the imperial system, blindly reserved, and has the airs of an emperor. And those who lack true emotions. In this way, Puyi's imperial poem not only has special historical significance as it was written by the last emperor; in the entire history of Chinese classical literature, it also pioneered a new style and genre of imperial poetry, which can be regarded as an isolated example. .