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In 1952, a woman named Jin Moyu worked in obscurity in the Compilation Bureau. Her life may seem ordinary, but it hides unfathomable secrets. Who would have thought that this simple translator would be the last Gege of the Qing Dynasty, Aixin Jueluo Xianqi?
After 15 years in prison, she chose to live incognito, away from the glory and pain of the past, and lived a low-key and secret life. As the years passed, she spent her old age quietly in a small town until her death in 2014. However, who would have expected that this seemingly ordinary old man, on his deathbed, revealed a royal scandal that shocked the world, what is the scandal?
The end of the Qing Dynasty and the changes of the times
In 1840, warships sent by the British army arrived on the southern coast of China, and the roar of cannons echoed over the quiet sea, which was the beginning of the Opium War. At that time, China's Qing government adhered to a policy of seclusion and seclusion, and was conservative about foreign goods and influence.
However, in order to open up the Chinese market, Britain did not hesitate to use force to settle the dispute. At the beginning of the war, the Qing army used traditional tactics against the modern British army, and this asymmetry of power led to the Qing army's gradual defeat. With the continuous bombardment of British artillery, many important port cities along the coast of Guangdong suffered serious damage.
Local officials and residents were caught off guard by the sudden external force. In Guangzhou, once-bustling markets have been turned into battlefields, shops have closed, and abandoned goods and furniture on the streets testify to the hasty evacuation of residents. As the smoke of the war spread to other provinces, the Qing government's response was slow and ineffective.
The war continued northward, and in 1842, the signing of the Treaty of Nanking marked the humiliation of the Qing Dynasty's unequal treaty, ceding Hong Kong Island to Britain and opening a number of treaty ports. This war not only deprived the Qing Dynasty of the autonomy of large territories and customs, but more importantly, shook the foundation of the entire dynasty.
In the decades that followed, the Qing Dynasty tried to revitalize the country through various reforms. From the "Westernization Movement" to the "Wuxu Reform," these reforms attempted to introduce Western technology and management methods, establish new-style schools, set up industrial and mining industries, and develop new-style armies. However, the pace of reform has been hampered by conservative forces, and corruption within the government has made it difficult for reform to achieve the desired results.
The introduction of new armies and weapons has failed to fundamentally change the effectiveness of the military, and the new generation produced by the academy has oscillated between tradition and modernity. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Qing Dynasty was once again facing external challenges and internal crises. The Boxer Rebellion of 1900 and the invasion of the Eight-Nation Coalition once again exposed the weakness of the Qing government.
The Qing government was forced to sign more unequal treaties, and the reparations and loss of territory further weakened the state. This series of events almost became the final blow to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty.
Through these successive defeats and humiliations, the foundations of Qing rule were completely shaken, and the people and intellectuals in the country began to seek new solutions, and this call for change eventually led to the Xinhai Revolution of 1911. The success of the revolution marked the end of more than 400 years of rule by the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of a new chapter in China's modern history.
A difficult transformation of the royal family
With the gradual decline and eventual collapse of the Qing Dynasty, many members of the royal family faced unprecedented pressure to survive. Many of them had to make difficult choices, giving up their innate identity and glory to go incognito and integrate into folk life.
Aixin Jueluo Xianqi, also known as Jin Moyu, is such a former Gege, whose life trajectory shows a painful transformation from a royal family to a commoner. Jin Moyu originally lived in an environment full of opulence and dignity, but with the fall of the Qing Dynasty Empire, her life changed completely.
Family fortunes are gradually drying up, and the once-carefree life is replaced by the pressures of reality. Faced with the difficulties of life, she was forced to make a decision: to sell the house she had lived in for many years. This house is not only a place to live, but also carries the memories of her past and the glory of the royal family, but in order to survive, she has to give it all up.
After selling the house, Jin Moyu didn't get enough money, but she decided to use the money to start a new life. She chose to open a small laundry, a relatively low-cost and stable industry that suited her to run alone. The laundry room is small, but it's big enough to support her basic life.
She starts her work every morning and handles the laundry delivered by her guests, from soaking and scrubbing to drying. This manual labor was a huge challenge for the former royalty, but she had no other choice.
At night, when the work in the laundry room is over, Jin Moyu still needs to continue to work to earn more living expenses. She would knit sweaters with the needle and thread in her hands under the dim oil lamp. These sweaters are very popular on cold winter days, and she often sells them to her neighbors or at a small stall in the market. Despite her modest income, these jobs have become an important addition to her life.
The process of knitting a sweater is long and painstaking, and Jin Moyu needs to carefully calculate the distance and tightness of each stitch to ensure the quality and warmth of the sweater. Her hands had become rough from the long hours of immersion and labor, and her fingertips were often pricked with needles, but she never complained. She understands that all this is necessary to maintain a basic life.
Family ties between transnational countries
In 1952, Jin Moyu's life ushered in an unexpected turning point. This year, her brother in Japan successfully quit years of opium addiction, and it was a year of rebirth for him. After freeing himself from the yoke of opium, he began to reorganize his life, actively looking for a new direction in life and sources of income, and finally found a stable job and income in Japanese society.
After regrouping, his brother empathized with Jin Moyu's hard life in China for many years. In order to support his sister and express his gratitude, he decided to send a sum of money to Jin Moyu. This money is an unexpected aid for Jin Moyu, and it is also the first time in many years that her brother has the ability to give her substantial help.
In addition to financial support, he also sent an invitation to Jin Moyu, hoping that she could move to Japan and live with him so that he could take better care of her. However, in the face of her brother's sincere invitation and generous help, Jin Moyu made the decision to stay in China.
Although Japan has her relatives and may offer a more comfortable living environment, she chooses to stay in her home country and maintain the lifestyle she has become accustomed to. At this time, Jin Moyu found a job at the Compilation Bureau in Beijing. The Compilation Bureau is mainly responsible for translating and collating foreign literature, a job that is not only stable, but also matches her abilities and interests.
In the day-to-day work of the Translation Bureau, Jin Moyu is responsible for the conversion of foreign languages into Chinese, handling mostly technical and academic literature. Although the job is boring and requires a high degree of concentration and meticulousness, it provides a sense of psychological stability, and Jin Moyu is able to earn respect for herself and a sufficient income to support herself by working hard.
The doubt of identity and the burden of truth
In Jin Moyu's life, her past and identity have always been a shadow that cannot be completely shaken off. Although she never voluntarily revealed her royal ancestry, her study abroad in Japan and her work at the Compilation Bureau inevitably made her an object of suspicion among the public and colleagues.
In her day-to-day work, she deals with a large amount of technical and academic literature from Japan, which requires her to use Japanese frequently. This linguistic ability was uncommon among the average Chinese, especially during that period, raising doubts about her background and loyalties among those around her.
Although her work performance has always been very professional and diligent, her fluency in Japanese and familiarity with Japanese culture sparked whispers among colleagues from time to time. In the broader social context, Chinese society maintains a deep sense of distrust of Japan for historical reasons.
Any connection to Japan could be magnified as an act of disloyalty or treason. The history of Jin Moyu's sister, Yoshiko Kawashima, has exacerbated this distrust. As a well-known traitor during World War II, Yoshiko Kawashima's behavior left a deep imprint in the hearts of the Chinese people, and also made Jin Moyu suffer additional suspicion and misunderstanding.
In this environment, Jin Moyu's daily life is full of challenges. At work, although she is always dutiful, her every move seems to be magnified and observed. Sometimes, some colleagues will even deliberately talk about sensitive topics related to Japan in front of her, trying to see how she reacts.
In the pantry or in the document room, she could sometimes hear her own name whispered, and although most of her colleagues were polite to her, beneath the polite surface, there were occasional scrutinizing and doubtful glances at her.
In prison, in order to protect her husband from being implicated, Jin Moyu resolutely decided to apply for a divorce agreement. Her husband was very puzzled at first and strongly opposed, but finally reluctantly agreed to the divorce at her insistence. After the divorce, Jin Moyu spent nearly 15 years in prison alone.
The seclusion of old age and the salvation of the soul
After 15 years in prison, Jin Moyu chose to leave her former hometown and start a new life, incognito, trying her best to break away from all previous connections and memories. In such an environment, Jin Moyu's daily life has become very regular. She used to take a walk every morning and then go to the local market to buy fresh ingredients.
She likes to cook herself, and despite the simplicity of the dishes, they always taste authentic. In the afternoon, she would work in the small garden of her home, pruning plants and tending to the flowers. In the evening, she would sit under the verandah in front of the house, reading quietly with a book in her hand.
Despite her peaceful life, Jin Moyu met several neighbors here. She occasionally talks to them and attends community events such as festivals or fairs. These activities gave her the opportunity to make simple social connections with the people around her, and she gradually found a sense of belonging in this small community.
As time passed, Jin Moyu's body began to age, and her health gradually declined. Despite her poor health, she remains independent and tries not to cause trouble to others.
In 2014, Jin Moyu's health took a sharp turn for the worse. In the last months of her life, she was admitted to a local hospital. It was during this time that she decided to reveal a secret that she had been hiding all along—her sister was the historical traitor Yoshiko Kawashima. This news caused a certain shock in the local area, and many people's views on Jin Moyu changed as a result.
However, for Jin Moyu, this is her last attempt on earth, as a way to calm her heavy burden for many years. Ms. Jin died peacefully in 2014, and her funeral was simple and unobtrusive, attended only by a few neighbors and friends.
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Resources:
[1] Ma Rongrong. Personnel World,2007(12):50-52