Jin Yunying

Yunying, also known as Jin Yunying (Chinese: 金韞穎; 1913–1992), was a member of the Qing dynasty's imperial family in China. She was born in 1913 into the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, the third daughter of Prince Chun and Princess Consort Youlan. Her full siblings included Puyi, the last Emperor of China, making her a full sister to the Xuantong Emperor. Yunying's family remained in the Forbidden City after the fall of the Qing dynasty following the Xinhai Revolution, although they were later expelled in November 1924 when the warlord Feng Yuxiang took control of Beijing. Subsequently, they relocated to Tianjin's Heping District.

Her original family name was Aisin Gioro; however, she adopted the surname Jin, which means "gold" in Chinese, paralleling the meaning of "Aisin" in Manchu. Her courtesy name was Ruixiu, awarded by her father Zaifeng, and her art name was Binghao, given by her brother Puyi. An English name, Lily, was provided by Reginald Johnston, the Scottish academic and diplomat who tutored Puyi.

Yunying's early life included a privileged upbringing within the imperial clan, where she was referred to as "Third Princess" and was noted to be Puyi's favored sister. Her education and social activities included learning Japanese and playing tennis during her time in Tianjin.

In 1931, her brother Puyi became the emperor of Manchukuo, a puppet state established by Japan in northeast China. Yunying was married to Runqi of the Gobulo clan, the younger brother of Wanrong, Puyi's empress. The wedding took place in Xinjing (present-day Changchun), the capital of Manchukuo. Shortly after her marriage, Puyi arranged for her to study in Japan, where she was received by members of the Japanese imperial family; she was invited to serve as honorary president of the women's association and was taught Chinese by members of the Japanese royal family.

During her stay in Japan, Yunying experienced feelings of loneliness and corresponded frequently with Puyi, with their letters compiled into a book. She returned to China in 1933 to visit her family and chose to remain in China. Her husband, Runqi, served as an instructor at a military school in Manchukuo.

Following the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War in 1945, the Soviet forces occupied northeastern China. Yunying and her family were evacuated from Xinjing; her husband, children, sister, brothers, and others left by plane for Mukden (Shenyang). Puyi was captured and detained in Siberia, with Runqi also taken prisoner until his release in 1957. Yunying, left with only a few clothing items, moved with her three children to Tonghua, where she supported her family by selling used clothes. She was later released and returned to Tonghua.

In 1949, after the Communist forces took control of Beijing, Yunying and her children were allowed to reunite with her family there. After her father's death in 1951, she inherited part of his estate and earned a livelihood through property rental. She became involved in local politics, often advocating for the new marriage law, and was elected as a subdistrict representative.

In 1954, her autobiography, derived from her letters with Puyi, was read by Mao Zedong, who commented positively on her aspirations. She subsequently participated in political and cultural activities, including visiting Puyi in the Fushun War Criminals Management Centre in 1956. Yunying died in 1992, leaving behind her children. Her husband, who operated a small gynecological clinic, was interviewed by The New York Times in 2000 and died in 2007.