Manchu Sued

Nine years is a long time to be the concubine of any man, especially of the deposed Emperor of China, weak-eyed and sapless Mr. Henry Pu Yi. Last week pretty Shu Fei, that Imperial concubine known euphemistically as "The Empress of the Eastern Court," was the sensation of all China. She had run away from Mr. Pu. She had hired lawyers. Terming her concubinage "marriage" she presumptuously sued for a "divorce."

Japan subsidizes spidery-limbed Mr. Pu, provides him with a life of modest splendor in the Japanese quarter of Tientsin, holds him up her sleeve as a possible puppet emperor whom she might place on the throne of any part of China which might secede (see p. 19) and prefer a monarchy to a republic. Last week aggrieved Concubine Shu Fei told what life is like at Mr. Pu's queer court.

"The imperial eunuchs have most avaricious habits," she complained. "They were to blame for most of my misfortunes and their intrigues never cease. I am 25 years old and so is my husband, but in nine years he never consummated our marriage. He kept me locked up and the first wife treated me as an intruder."

Chinese lawyers seemed agreed last week that Concubine Shu Fei can establish her "wife" status under the new Chinese Legal Code (TIME, July 27) and obtain a "divorce," if she can prove the neglect and mistreatment she alleges. Her cause celebre made other Chinese concubines prick up their ears, made Chinese husbands cogitate.

A sister of Concubine Shu Fei aided her suit last week, kept her comfortably at a good Peiping hotel. But most reprovingly her brother, Wen Chi, wrote:

"My sister, you are too thoughtless. You must realize you can never dare to face your ancestors in the world to come if you carry through this action.

"Our family has been enjoying the generosity and kindness of the Manchu royal family for over 200 years, and our ancestors for four generations have received the highest royal decorations. The former Emperor has never ill-treated you, and even if he did, you should endure it, for it is your fate, which should be endured until death if necessary to reciprocate all the generosity bestowed upon our family by the Manchu rulers.

"Do you not remember that at the time the Emperor was forced out of the Forbidden City, you carried a knife under your sleeve, ready to commit suicide should any mishap occur to the Emperor or yourself? What a holy and divine spirit was that, and how you have changed now into a different person!

"Take my advice, my sister, and go back to the Emperor to beg his forgiveness for your lack of common sense. If you do not, you must surely die of shame and be reviled by all right-thinking persons."

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