Zhoudi's English name is Dick, and many of his foreign friends call him Yellow Dick, since Zhoudi surrounds himself with yellow things, as yellow was an honorable color entitled only to the emperor in the past.

Born in Guangzhou of South China's Guangdong Province, Zhoudi was the seventh child of his large family. In his memory, his father, a loyal court official, often instructed his children not to forget their ancestral origin. However, for a long time, Zhoudi's family kept a low profile and hid their royal identity. Still, the family kept some royal traditions by wearing yellow clothes even in the days of severe supply shortage.

Zhoudi underwent various twists and turns in his life. In 1976, he was sent to the countryside for reeducation during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). In 1980, he got the permission to settle in Hong Kong. With little education, he earned his living as a taxi driver, film-developing store operator, and the like. Now, Zhoudi mainly lives in Guangzhou.

Zhoudi used to like visiting supermarkets and shopping malls and reading newspaper and magazines. He also was a vegetarian, which made it difficult for him to order dishes at restaurants. Therefore, he began to bring his own menu with him.
Now, Zhoudi no longer needs to hide his identity and status. Since 2002, Zhoudi, in a resolution to keep as much tradition as possible, began to wear bright yellow clothes and the long braid of the Qing Dynasty, not caring about other people's opinion of him.

Zhoudi's home is like a grand princely mansion: The modern house has an air of antiquity with paintings and calligraphy covering the interior wall, and a sword, bow, and arrow hanging in the doorway; All the furniture is bright yellow and of ancient style, while in the living room the drawings of the founding Qing emperors are enshrined.

In Zhoudi's visit to pay homage to his deceased ancestors in Fu Shun, Liaoning Province, he met Fu Ren, brother of Fu Yi, the last emperor of China. At the sight of Zhoudi's dressing, Fu Ren said to him, "Please do not be so attached to the Qing Dynasty, and also stop trying to act special. Remove your Qing costume and go back to being a common person."

Author: Cindy

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