Sir Reginald Fleming Johnston (simplified Chinese: 庄士敦爵士; traditional Chinese: 莊士敦爵士; pinyin: Zhuāngshìdūn juéshì; lit. 'Sir Johnston'; 13 October 1874 – 6 March 1938) was a Scottish diplomat and colonial official 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.
Early life
Johnston was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh and later was awarded a scholarship to read modern history at Magdalen College, Oxford. While at Oxford Johnston had begun a friendship with Cecil Clementi. Both shared an interest in sinology; Clementi and Johnston would keep in contact for the rest of their lives.
In 1898, he joined the Colonial Service and was initially posted to Hong Kong. In 1904, 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 Stewart Lockhart. For his extreme industry, Johnston was noted from his superiors as a capable colonial magistrate. Johnston was also a keen traveller. In 1902, he explored 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.
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).
