In 1898, he joined the Colonial Service and was initially posted to Hong Kong. In 1906, he was transferred to the British leased territory at Weihaiwei on the coast of the Shandong Peninsula as a District Officer, working with Sir James Haldane Stewart Lockhart. For his extreme industry, Johnston was noted from his superiors as a capable colonial magistrate. Johnston was a keen traveller, in 1902 exploring Tonkin, Laos and Siam. In 1904 he visited Kiautschou, Jinan and later Korea. In January 1906, he undertook a year-long journey from Peking to Mandalay, publishing an account of his experiences in 1908.[3][2]
A "militant anti-Christian" whose criticism of missionaries in China possibly hindered his promotion, Johnston was fascinated by Chinese Buddhism. In 1908, he had a private audience with the 13th Dalai Lama, one of the few westerners to do so. He wrote three books during his time in the service: From Peking to Mandalay (1908), Lion and Dragon in Northern China (1910), and Buddhist China (1913).[citation needed]
Tutor to Puyi, in the Forbidden City
In 1919, he was appointed tutor of thirteen-year-old Puyi who still lived inside the Forbidden City in Peking as a non-sovereign monarch.
As the Scottish-born tutor to the Dragon Emperor, Johnston and Isabel Ingram, daughter of an American missionary and the empress's tutor, were the only foreigners in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty. Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace. Johnston met the Ming dynasty Imperial descendant, the Marquis of Extended Grace Zhu Yuxun and arranged for him to meet Puyi in the Forbidden City.[4]
Johnston and Puyi at the British Legation in Peking, 1924.
More than a tutor, Johnston befriended the isolated adolescent. In his account of his time at the Forbidden City, Johnston notes the rampant corruption of the imperial household, with eunuchs selling off dynastic treasures. He obtained a bicycle and telephone for Pu Yi, and against the wishes of the retainers, much-needed spectacles.[5]
After Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924, Johnston served as Secretary to the British China Indemnity Commission (1926). In 1927, he was appointed the second civilian Commissioner at Weihaiwei. He ran the territory until it was returned to the Republic of China on 1 October 1930.[2] Johnston tried to get the British diplomatic legation in Peking to host Puyi, and although the British authorities were not very interested in welcoming the former emperor, the British representative eventually gave Johnston his consent. However, he later discovered that Puyi - in view of the situation and that Johnston was not returning from his efforts - had taken refuge in the Japanese legation after being advised by Zheng Xiaoxu.[6]
Johnston was appointed Professor of Chinese in the University of London in 1931, a post based at the School of Oriental and African Studies, to which he bequeathed his library in 1935. This library, one of the finest collections of Chinese and East Asian books in the country, consists of over 16,000 volumes.[citation needed]
He retained his ties with Puyi, hosting one of his sisters and her husband at his house in Mortlake road, Kew in London during the 1930s. [7]
Johnston in England with Puyi's sister (1932).
Johnston retired in 1937, having acquired the small island of Eilean Rìgh in Loch Craignish, Scotland, Pu Yi granted Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston permission to fly the Imperial flag of Manchukuo on the Island, making it the only location outside of China to do so, and grew and Chinese style garden.[8][9] After a short illness, he died in Edinburgh. In his will, he requested that no religious ceremony be conducted. In accordance with his wishes, he was cremated. His ashes were scattered on his island and the surrounding loch.
He never married but was at one stage engaged to the historian Eileen Power, and was close to author Stella Benson. Elizabeth Sparshott, to whom he was engaged at the time leading up to his death, burned many of his letters and other materials, at Johnston's request.[9]
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1892). Queen of the Fairies. UK. ISBN979-8617662728.
Anonymous (1904). The Last Days of Theodoric the Ostrogoth and Other Verses.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1905). Remarks on the Province of Shantung. Cornell University Library. ISBN978-1-112-55778-1.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1908). From Peking to Mandalay: A Journey from North China to Burma Through Tibetan Ssuch'uan and Yunnan. Soul Care Publishing. ISBN0-9680459-7-9.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1910). Lion and Dragon in Northern China. Nabu Press. ISBN978-1-148-73250-3.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1911). A Chinese Appeal to Christendom Concerning Christian Missions. Nabu Press. ISBN978-1-149-01612-1.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1913). Buddhist China. Soul Care Publishing. ISBN0-9680459-3-6.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1918). Letters to a Missionary. Cornell University Library. ISBN978-1-112-04861-6.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1921). The Chinese Drama. Kelly and Walsh. ISBN978-1481220675.
Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1935). Confucianism and Modern China. Soul Care Publishing. ISBN0-9680459-4-4.
References
^"Family history of Sir Reginald A. Fleming Johnston KCMG CBE". Lasbury Family History. Retrieved 28 October 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ abcAirlie, Shiona (1 October 2012). Scottish Mandarin: The Life and Times of Sir Reginald Johnston. Hong Kong University Press. ISBN978-988-8139-56-9.
^Johnston, Reginald Fleming (1908). From Peking to Mandalay: A Journey from North China to Burma Through Tibetan Ssuchʻuan and Yunnan. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company. pp. 6–10.
^Johnston, Reginald F. (1934), Twilight in the Forbidden City, Cambridge University Press, pp. 349–351, ISBN1108029655
^Fairbank, John K. "Born Too Late" New York Review of Books. 18 February 1988
Robert Bickers, "Coolie work: Sir Reginald Johnston at the School of Oriental Studies, 1931-1937", Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Series III, 5, 3 pp. 385–401.(November, 1995) JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25183064
Raymond Lamont-Brown, Tutor to the Dragon Emperor: The Life of Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston, 1999. ISBN0-7509-2106-4
reginald, johnston, confused, with, alexander, robert, johnston, reginald, fleming, johnston, kcmg, chinese, 庄士敦爵士, pinyin, zhuāngshìdūn, juéshì, johnston, october, 1874, march, 1938, british, diplomat, served, tutor, advisor, puyi, last, emperor, china, also,. Not to be confused with Alexander Robert Johnston Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston KCMG CBE Chinese 庄士敦爵士 pinyin Zhuangshidun jueshi Sir Johnston 13 October 1874 6 March 1938 was a British diplomat who served as the tutor and advisor to Puyi the last Emperor of China He was also the last British Commissioner of Weihaiwei Johnston s book Twilight in the Forbidden City 1934 was used as a source for Bernardo Bertolucci s film dramatization of Puyi s life The Last Emperor SirReginald JohnstonKCMG CBEJohnston at the Forbidden City in 1924Commissioner of WeihaiweiIn office 1927 1930Preceded byWalter Russell BrownPersonal detailsBorn 1874 10 13 13 October 1874Edinburgh ScotlandDied6 March 1938 1938 03 06 aged 63 Edinburgh ScotlandNationalityBritishAlma materUniversity of EdinburghMagdalen College OxfordOccupationEducatorKnown forTutor to Puyi the last emperor of ChinaFrom left to right Johnston Lockhart and Johnston s best friend Cecil Clementi Infront of Weihaiwei s government house 1905 Contents 1 Early life 2 Tutor to Puyi in the Forbidden City 3 After China 4 Published works 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life EditJohnston was born in Edinburgh Scotland 1 He studied at the University of Edinburgh and later was awarded a scholarship to read modern history at Magdalen College Oxford University 2 In 1898 he joined the Colonial Service and was initially posted to Hong Kong In 1906 he was transferred to the British leased territory at Weihaiwei on the coast of the Shandong Peninsula as a District Officer working with Sir James Haldane Stewart Lockhart For his extreme industry Johnston was noted from his superiors as a capable colonial magistrate Johnston was a keen traveller in 1902 exploring Tonkin Laos and Siam In 1904 he visited Kiautschou Jinan and later Korea In January 1906 he undertook a year long journey from Peking to Mandalay publishing an account of his experiences in 1908 3 2 A militant anti Christian whose criticism of missionaries in China possibly hindered his promotion Johnston was fascinated by Chinese Buddhism In 1908 he had a private audience with the 13th Dalai Lama one of the few westerners to do so He wrote three books during his time in the service From Peking to Mandalay 1908 Lion and Dragon in Northern China 1910 and Buddhist China 1913 citation needed Tutor to Puyi in the Forbidden City EditIn 1919 he was appointed tutor of thirteen year old Puyi who still lived inside the Forbidden City in Peking as a non sovereign monarch As the Scottish born tutor to the Dragon Emperor Johnston and Isabel Ingram daughter of an American missionary and the empress s tutor were the only foreigners in history to be allowed inside the inner court of the Qing Dynasty Johnston carried high imperial titles and lived in both the Forbidden City and the New Summer Palace Johnston met the Ming dynasty Imperial descendant the Marquis of Extended Grace Zhu Yuxun and arranged for him to meet Puyi in the Forbidden City 4 Johnston and Puyi at the British Legation in Peking 1924 More than a tutor Johnston befriended the isolated adolescent In his account of his time at the Forbidden City Johnston notes the rampant corruption of the imperial household with eunuchs selling off dynastic treasures He obtained a bicycle and telephone for Pu Yi and against the wishes of the retainers much needed spectacles 5 After Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City in 1924 Johnston served as Secretary to the British China Indemnity Commission 1926 In 1927 he was appointed the second civilian Commissioner at Weihaiwei He ran the territory until it was returned to the Republic of China on 1 October 1930 2 Johnston tried to get the British diplomatic legation in Peking to host Puyi and although the British authorities were not very interested in welcoming the former emperor the British representative eventually gave Johnston his consent However he later discovered that Puyi in view of the situation and that Johnston was not returning from his efforts had taken refuge in the Japanese legation after being advised by Zheng Xiaoxu 6 After China EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed December 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message Johnston was appointed Professor of Chinese in the University of London in 1931 a post based at the School of Oriental and African Studies to which he bequeathed his library in 1935 This library one of the finest collections of Chinese and East Asian books in the country consists of over 16 000 volumes citation needed He retained his ties with Puyi hosting one of his sisters and her husband at his house in Mortlake road Kew in London during the 1930s 7 Johnston in England with Puyi s sister 1932 Johnston retired in 1937 having acquired the small island of Eilean Righ in Loch Craignish Scotland Pu Yi granted Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston permission to fly the Imperial flag of Manchukuo on the Island making it the only location outside of China to do so and grew and Chinese style garden 8 9 After a short illness he died in Edinburgh In his will he requested that no religious ceremony be conducted In accordance with his wishes he was cremated His ashes were scattered on his island and the surrounding loch He never married but was at one stage engaged to the historian Eileen Power and was close to author Stella Benson Elizabeth Sparshott to whom he was engaged at the time leading up to his death burned many of his letters and other materials at Johnston s request 9 Johnston s book Twilight in the Forbidden City 1934 describes his experiences in Peking and was used as a source for Bernardo Bertolucci s film dramatization of Puyi s life The Last Emperor He was portrayed by Peter O Toole in the film Published works EditJohnston Reginald Fleming 1892 Queen of the Fairies UK ISBN 979 8617662728 Anonymous 1904 The Last Days of Theodoric the Ostrogoth and Other Verses Johnston Reginald Fleming 1905 Remarks on the Province of Shantung Cornell University Library ISBN 978 1 112 55778 1 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1908 From Peking to Mandalay A Journey from North China to Burma Through Tibetan Ssuch uan and Yunnan Soul Care Publishing ISBN 0 9680459 7 9 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1910 Lion and Dragon in Northern China Nabu Press ISBN 978 1 148 73250 3 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1911 A Chinese Appeal to Christendom Concerning Christian Missions Nabu Press ISBN 978 1 149 01612 1 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1913 Buddhist China Soul Care Publishing ISBN 0 9680459 3 6 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1918 Letters to a Missionary Cornell University Library ISBN 978 1 112 04861 6 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1921 The Chinese Drama Kelly and Walsh ISBN 978 1481220675 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1934 Twilight in the Forbidden City Soul Care Publishing ISBN 0 9680459 5 2 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1935 Confucianism and Modern China Soul Care Publishing ISBN 0 9680459 4 4 References Edit Family history of Sir Reginald A Fleming Johnston KCMG CBE Lasbury Family History Retrieved 28 October 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link a b c Airlie Shiona 1 October 2012 Scottish Mandarin The Life and Times of Sir Reginald Johnston Hong Kong University Press ISBN 978 988 8139 56 9 Johnston Reginald Fleming 1908 From Peking to Mandalay A Journey from North China to Burma Through Tibetan Ssuchʻuan and Yunnan New York E P Dutton amp Company pp 6 10 Johnston Reginald F 1934 Twilight in the Forbidden City Cambridge University Press pp 349 351 ISBN 1108029655 Fairbank John K Born Too Late New York Review of Books 18 February 1988 Airlie 2012 p 198 Richmond Herald 17th December 1932 KEW S PRINCESS via British Newspaper Archive Knight Frank LLP p 4 http media rightmove co uk 42k 41048 45266378 41048 EDN120116 DOC 03 0001 pdf a b Arnold C Brackman The Last Emperor New York Scribner s 1975 p 206Further reading EditShiona Airlie Reginald Johnston 2001 ISBN 1 901663 49 3 Robert Bickers Coolie work Sir Reginald Johnston at the School of Oriental Studies 1931 1937 Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society Series III 5 3 pp 385 401 November 1995 JSTOR www jstor org stable 25183064 Raymond Lamont Brown Tutor to the Dragon Emperor The Life of Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston 1999 ISBN 0 7509 2106 4 Shiona Airlie Scottish Mandarin The Life and Times of Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston Royal Asiatic Society 2012 ISBN 978 9888139569External links EditWorks by Reginald Johnston at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Reginald Johnston at Internet ArchiveGovernment officesPreceded byWalter Russell Brown British Commissioner of Weihaiwei1923 1930 Weihaiwei returned to China Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Reginald Johnston amp oldid 1139481122, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
