Books on last Chinese emperor's family published

Jia Yinghua, a writer on the family of the last Chinese emperor, has published four new works to add his "Last Emperor's Family" serial to nine books, in addition to his "The Later Half of the Last Emperor's Life".

The new works are about the unknown stories, respectively about the last emperor as well as the life of his sister Aixinjueluo Yunhe, his uncle Aixinjueluo Zaitao, and his brother in law Guobuluo Runqi.

The publisher of the new books is Beijing-based People's Literature Publishing House, according to a press conference held Thursday at the old house of Ching-Ling Soong, the widow of China's revolutionary forefather Sun Yat Sen. The house used to be the home of the "Last Emperor" Puyi, before he was enthroned in 1908 as "Emperor Xuantong".

Some younger members of the last emperor's family attended the briefing to thank the writer, who is no relation with the royal family.

Jia has been interested in the history of China's last feudal dynasty Qing and the family of the last emperor Puyi since he was young, the writer told a group of local and foreign journalists.

Jia was a neighbor of some of the imperial family members, who were deprived of their privileges after of the fall of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) 101 years ago. After the founding of People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949, they were moved into the neighborhood of ordinary residents in the city.

Over the past three decades, Jia has carried extensive work. "All this have been done by myself personally, in my sparetime, at my own cost," said Jia, who recently retired as the chief of the Power-supply Department of the State Electricity Regulatory Commission (SERC), a ministerial department under the State Council.

During his interviews and visits, Jia has compiled a stockpile of literal, audial and visual records and files, which have helped him build up his reputation and knowledge of the later part of the Qing Dynasty.

Jia is a member of the China Writers Association (CWA) and a deputy president of the China Biographical Literature Society (CBLS).