China’S1asteunuchSunYaotingdiedinDecember1996atage94.HetookwithhimintimatestoriesofthelastvestigesofImperialChinaandwashimselfthe1astinthelineofeunuchswhohadservedtheroyalfamilyformorethan2,000years.HispersonaliourneyfrompoorfarmboytoreveredservanttoPUYiandWanrong.China’Slastemperorandempress,iSanamazingiourneywhichalsochroniclesnearlyonecenturyofturbulenceandupheavalinChinesehistoryandculture.
ThisengrossingbiographybyChinesehistorianJiaYinghuafcaturesfirst.handaccountsbySunYaotingofhisadventuresintheForbiddenCity.hisreunionwithPuYiinJapanese—heldManchukuointhe1930s.hisreturnto“normal”1ifcasacommunityorganizerintheBuddhisttemplewherehe1ivcdouttherestofhislifc.
Beginningintheearly1900s.Sun’SstoryfollowseventsinChinasuchasPuYi’Sabdicationoflmperialrule.theJapaneseoccupation0fChinawhichendedwiththeconclusionofWorldWar1J.China’ScivilwarandtheeventualvictoryoftheCommunistPartyin1949.theCulturalRevolutionf1966—1976),andthesubsequent"openingup"policyfromwhichChinahasemergedasaleadingeconomicandpoliticalpowerworldwide.
TheLastEunuchofChina:TheLifeol’SunYaotingiSauniqueglimpseintoChina’SstoriedpastfromtheperspectiveofamanwhofaithfullyservedChina’sImperialFamilYintheForbiddenCitybutwaslaterforcedtomaneuverhimselfamongthctremendousandoftenturbulenteventsthatbecamethehistoryof20thcenturyChina.ASSunYaotingrecallshisexperiences,healsorecountsthelireofthedwindlingeunuchcommunityinChina.