Puyi lookalike acts in numerous dramas, even fools AI in viral role as last emperor of China

A man in China with a striking resemblance to the country’s last feudal emperor, Puyi, has garnered considerable attention on social media.

Fu Qiang, 29, rose to fame last year after releasing a short video in which he donned Puyi’s signature jacket – a Chinese tunic suit, commonly known as a Mao suit – paired with round glasses, while walking through the Forbidden City. The video has amassed over 10 million views, according to the news portal The Cover.

Puyi (1906-1967), the last emperor of the Qing dynasty, is one of the most recognisable emperors among mainland Chinese audiences due to his connection to numerous significant historical events.

The Qing dynasty came to an end in 1912 following the Xinhai Revolution, which established the Republic of China.

Numerous TV dramas and films depicting Puyi’s life have gained popularity in mainland China over the past few decades.

After making a successful entrance into social media, Fu, who hails from Anhui province in eastern China and has previously worked as a real estate salesperson, a cook, and a flier distributor, moved to Beijing to pursue a full-time career as a blogger, leveraging his striking resemblance to Puyi.

Fu has amassed 660,000 followers on a prominent social media platform under the alias “Little Puyi.”