The Extraordinary Life of The Last Emperor of China the envelopes; multiple drafts of Puyi's autobiography "From Emperor to Citizen"; Puyi's original medical records; glasses and glass boxes used by Puyi; mirrors used by Puyi during the Cultural Revolution; notes taken by Jia during interviews. The Extraordinary Life of The Last Emperor of China Jia had contact with Li Shuxian, Puyi's widow, for nearly 30 years, and was the first person to collect Puyi's writings and record Li's recollections of her husband. He even wrote the epigraph on Puyi's casket. Jia also interviewed over 300 people who had associations with Puyi since the late Qing dynasty, thus making the
Emperor of China it was considered a crime to compare oneself to the emperor in any way. It was taboo to refer to the emperor by his or her given name, even for the emperor's own mother, who instead was to use "Huángdì" (皇帝), or simply "Ér" (兒/儿, "son", for male emperor). The emperor was never to be addressed as "you". Anyone who spoke to the emperor was to address him or her as "Bìxià" (陛下, the "Bottom of the Steps"), corresponding to "Your Imperial Majesty"; "Huáng Shàng" (皇上, lit. "Radiant Highness"); "Shèng Shàng" (聖上/圣上, "Holy Highness"); or "Tiānzǐ" (天子, "Son of Heaven").