Chinanews, Beijing, Oct 11 – Since China's last emperor Puyi had no offspring to inherit his property and he did not name any inheritors in his will before he died, the property resulting from his autobiography, The First Half of My Life, was recently applied as ownerless property, the Beijing Times reported.

 

Recently, the book publisher, Qunzhong Publishing House, submitted its request to the Beijing Xicheng District People's Court.

 

In its application to the court, the publisher says since the 1960s, Qunzhong Publishing House, by carrying out the instructions of related department, published the book, The First Half of My Life. The book gained good recognition among readers in society. In 1967, Puyi died and his wife, Li Shuxian, became the copyright owner of the book. In 1997, Li died. Since Li had no children or relatives, and she did not name any inheritors in her will, Qunzhong Publishing House now applies to the court to announce the book's copyright as ownerless property.

 

Beijing Xicheng District People's Court investigated the case and found what Qunchong Publishing House had stated was true – Li had no inheritors and nor did she leave any wills before she died. On September 25, the Xicheng district court issued a notification saying that if no one makes any application to the court claiming the book's copyright in a year, then the copyright will belong to the state and any gains resulting from the book afterwards will belong to the state, too.