Wang Lianshou

Wang Lianshou was born in 1887 in Renqiu County (now Jiaoyuanzhuang, Dacheng County, Hebei Province). At the age of 13, she fled to Beijing due to floods in her hometown. She married a servant who died of illness after she gave birth to a daughter. In the year Puyi was born, a recruitment notice was posted at the palace gate, looking for a wet nurse for Puyi. After she saw the notice, she applied and was selected among 20 candidates. Two years after entering the palace, her own biological daughter starved to death, which she did not learn about until 6 years later.[6][4][7]

During the time she was feeding Puyi, they established a very tight bond. It has been said that she was a guiding light on the road of Puyi's life. She was the only person from the Northern Mansion allowed to go with Puyi. Puyi did not see his biological mother, Princess Consort Chun, for seven years. He developed a special bond with Wang and credited her as the only person who could control him; once, Puyi decided to "reward" a eunuch for a well done puppet show by having a cake baked for him with iron filings in it, saying, "I want to see what he looks like when he eats it". With much difficulty, Wang talked Puyi out of this plan.[8]

When Puyi was weaned at the age of 9, the dowagers decided that she was useless, so they threw her out without telling Puyi. After she left the palace, Puyi lost his temper and didn't listen to anyone. He kept asking the eunuchs and court ladies to find his wet nurse. Puyi especially hated Empress Dowager Longyu for expelling Wang from the Forbidden City. After Puyi married, he would occasionally bring Wang to the Forbidden City to visit him. After Puyi became the emperor of Manchukuo, he sought her out and brought her back to live in the palace. When Japan surrendered, Wang Lianshou and Wanrong were beaten to death by Japanese prisoners during the transfer process on 3 February 1946.[6][9][4]

• Portrayed by Jade Go, as the character of Ar Mo, in 1987 film The Last Emperor