Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston

Born in 1874, he was a Scottish diplomat, colonial administrator, and noted scholar of China. He is most closely associated with his years in Beijing, where he served as tutor and adviser to Puyi, the last emperor of China, gaining the experience that later shaped his best-known book, Twilight in the Forbidden City.

Before and after his time in China, he built a career in British imperial service, including work connected with Hong Kong and the Chinese-speaking world. His writing reflects both deep engagement with Chinese history and the perspective of a man who witnessed major political change at close range.

He died in 1938, but his work remains valuable for readers interested in late imperial China, the fall of the Qing world, and the complicated personal story of Puyi. He is remembered today not only as an observer of history, but as someone who stood unusually near its center.