,with the ,empress ,dowager of ,china ,by ,katharine ,a4 ,carl ,illustrated by the ,author and with ,photographs ,illustration3 ,printer ,logo ,new ,york ,the ,century ,co4 #aijg ,copyright1 #aije1 by ,,the ,,century ,,co4 ,published ,november1 #aije4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,this is the portrait which was exhibited at the ,st4 ,louis ,exposition1 is now owned by the ,united ,states ,government1 and is in the ,national ,museum at ,washington ,,to ,,sir ,,robert ,,hart ,to whose helpful encouragement ,i owe so much1 ,i affectionately dedicate this account of my experiences at the ,court of the country he has so long and faithfully served4 ,,katharine ,a4 ,,carl4 ,new ,york1 ,may1 #aije4 ,contents ,,page ,,chapter ,i4 #c ,,my ,,presentation ,,and ,,first ,,day ,,at ,,the ,,chinese ,,court ,drive ,out to the ,summer ,palace--,presentation--,beginning the ,portrait--,luncheon--,the ,palace ,theater--,my ,pavilion within the ,precincts4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 #ah ,,personal ,,appearance ,,of ,,her ,,majesty--,a ,,chinese ,,repast-- ,,boating ,second ,sitting--,the ,siesta--,her ,majesty's ,barge--,a ,promenade on the ,lake4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 #bg ,,the ,,palace ,,of ,,the ,,emperor',s ,,father ,a ,chinese ,palace--,gardens--,the ,chinese ,poem--,tombstones of ,pets--,the ,highway from ,peking to the ,summer ,palace--,chinese ,modes of ,locomotion--,the ,seventh ,prince4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 #cd ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,throne-,,room ,clocks--,third ,sitting--,a ,promenade in the ,gardens--,the ,orchard--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,love of ,flowers--,customs as to ,fruits and ,flowers4 ,,chapter ,v4 #db ,,the ,,young ,,empress ,,and ,,ladies ,,of ,,the ,,court ,the ,young ,empress--,the ,secondary ,wife--,the ,princesses-- ,children by ,adoption--,chinese ,widows--,the ,princess ,imperial-- ,the ,relationships of the ,princesses of the ,blood--,the ,maids and ,tiring-women--,women of the ,eighth ,banner--,the ,chinese ,woman at ,court--,slaves4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 #ej ,,continuation ,,of ,,the ,,portrait ,advantages and ,disadvantages of ,painting in the ,throne-room-- ,the ,empress ,dowager's ,voice--,chinese ,opinion as to ,portraits of ,royalty--,walks with ,her ,majesty--,her ,dogs--,their ,pavilions--,cats--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,gift of 8,me-lah40 ,,chapter ,,vii4 #eg ,,festivities ,,at ,,court ,the ,celebration of ,his ,majesty's ,birthday--,invitation from the ,empress ,dowager to be ,present--,birthday ,plays--,the ,imperial ,actors--,birthday ,decorations of the ,palace ,courts and ,buildings--,presents--,first ,gala ,performance--,luncheon in the ,court of the ,theater--,the ,mat-sheds at the ,palace-- ,visitors--,chinese ,courtesy--,the ,imperial ,theater at ,summer ,palace--,actresses--,customs of ,manchu ,women4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 #fd ,,his ,,majesty ,,the ,,emperor ,beginning of his ,reign--,the ,name of an ,emperor--,the ,manchu ,dynasty--,personality of the ,emperor--,appearance--,his ,orientalism--,his ,dreams of ,progress--,his ,edicts--,despatches-- ,the ,emperor's ,palace and ,attendants--,his ,studies and ,talents-- ,early ,rising--,his ,meals--,conventionalities ,observed--,dislike of ,public ,functions4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 #gc ,,the ,,emperor',s ,,birthday ,morning ,salutations--,his ,majesty's ,throne-room--,the ,imperial ,pearl-,buttons ,denoting ,rank of ,officials--,manchu ,buttons-- 8,lever0 of the ,empress ,dowager--,court ,costume--,young ,empress in ,court ,attire--,going in ,state to ,audience ,hall--,official ,congratulation by ,high ,officials and ,princes--,the ,young ,empress's ,palace--,presentation of ,jade ,emblem 7,ruyie7--,young ,empress's ,official ,congratulation to the ,emperor--,simplicity of ,attire of ,empress ,dowager--,grand ,theatrical ,representation at ,palace ,theater--,imperial ,congratulatory ,poem--,splendid ,costumes--,luncheon in the ,court of the ,theater--,children at ,court--,the ,emperor's ,presents to the ,manchu ,nobles and ,high ,officials--,the ,finale at the ,theater--,spectacular ,procession-- ,thanks of the ,princes and ,nobles--,bowing to the 8,great ,ancestress0--,the ,procession to the ,hall of ,ancestral ,tablets4 ,,chapter ,x4 #hg ,,peking--,,the ,,sea ,,palace ,his ,majesty's ,sacrifice to his ,ancestors--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,favorite ,summer-house--,the ,sacred ,picture--,the ,united ,states ,legation at ,peking--,mrs4 ,conger's ,relations with ,chinese ,ladies--,the ,sea ,palace--,the ,boats of the ,lake--,our ,resting-place at the ,sea ,palace--,promenade on the ,lake--,the ,eunuch ,li-,wun-ti--,memory--,story-telling--,t he ,island--,temple ,gardens--,two ,temples--,cathedral within the ,precincts--,theater4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 #ajj ,,some ,,characteristics ,,of ,,her ,,majesty--,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,sea ,,palace ,the ,empress ,dowager's ,magnetic ,personality--,interesting ,study--,her ,chinese ,appellations--,hall of ,mongolian ,princes-- ,dragon ,wall--,fruits ,sent to the ,palace--,repast at the ,sea ,palace--,promenade in the ,train of ,her ,majesty--,the ,imperial ,gourds--,a ,promenade in the ,rain--,rest in ,hall of ,mongolian ,princes--,archery in ,china--,the ,sunset ,call4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 #aaa ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,the ,empress ,dowager as a ,psychological ,study--,seeing ,her ,face to ,face--,work on ,portrait ,resumed--,easels and ,cases for ,materials for ,work on ,sacred ,picture--,walks--,refreshments for the ,promenades--,imperial ,tea--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,tea and ,tea-cups--,her ,deftness with her ,fingers--,her ,thoughtfulness4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 #aag ,,the ,,steam-,,launch--,,semi-,,annual ,,sacrifices ,,to ,,confucius ,chinese ,tolerance in ,religious ,matters--,halls of ,confucius-- ,the ,odes to ,peace--,burning the ,offerings4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 #abc ,,the ,,palace ,,eunuchs ,their ,grades--,the ,chief ,eunuchs--,li ,lien ,ying--,his ,power with the ,courtiers--8,l',eminence ,grise0 of the ,court--,the ,shut-in ,position of ,chinese ,imperial ,rulers--,need of an ,unofficial ,messenger--,personal ,appearance of ,li ,lien ,ying-- ,sui1 ,her ,majesty's ,second ,eunuch--,punishment of ,eunuchs-- ,pupils--,opium ,smoking--,pets--,good ,manners of the ,eunuchs4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 #acj ,,literary ,,tastes ,,and ,,accomplishments ,,of ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace--,co-,regency--,her ,majesty's ,literary ,tastes--,her ,love of ,heroic ,poems--,her ,memory--,the ,chinese ,joan of ,arc--,the ,empress1 ,widow of ,tung-,chih--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,reader and her ,favorite ,authors--,her ,love of the ,theater--,her ,humor--,a ,great ,stickler for ,purity of ,language--,li-,hung-,chang's ,chinese--,how the ,empress ,dowager ,speaks ,it--,her ,writing of the ,great ,characters--,the ,chinese ,written ,character--,painting--,embroidery--,her ,designs for ,floral ,decorations--,cultivation of her ,person--,the ,empress ,dowager an ,epicure--,her ,soaps and ,perfumes--,her ,personal ,magnetism as a ,power over ,animals--,the ,escaped ,bird--,the ,katydid4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 #adb ,,the ,,great ,,audience ,,hall ,hours of the ,audiences--,the ,audience ,hall at ,summer ,palace-- ,its ,interior--,ancient and ,modern ,thrones and ,dais--,audiences of ,heads of ,departments--,the ,grand ,council--,official ,despatches--,telegrams--,the ,cushions for ,members of the ,grand ,council--,special ,audiences--,the ,introducing ,eunuch--,amusing ,subterfuge of ,officials at ,audience--,the ,young ,emperor and ,tiresome ,official--,sacred ,quality of the ,imperial ,person-- ,mode of ,address of ,courtiers--,the ,kow-tow4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 #adi ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,the ,empress ,dowager's ,favorite ,palace--,the ,marble ,terrace-- ,the ,hills of the ,summer ,palace--,the ,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas--,memorial ,arches--,the ,marble ,bridge--,the ,canals--,camel-back ,bridges--,chinese ,architecture--,utilitarian ,spirit of the ,chinese--,flowers and ,fields in the ,park of ,summer ,palace--,grand ,peony ,mountain--,the ,sacred ,buddha-,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas--,ruins of ,old ,summer ,palace-- ,views from the ,summer ,palace ,belvederes--,when ,their ,majesties ,go ,abroad4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 #aef ,,festival ,,of ,,the ,,harvest ,,moon ,the ,chinese ,love of ,festivals--,the ,fruit of ,immortality--,the ,little ,handmaiden and her ,white ,rabbit--,the ,play at the ,palace ,theater on the ,mid-,autumn ,festival--,dinner in the ,imperial ,loge--,procession to the ,moonlit ,terrace--,floral ,pai-lou to the ,moon--8,bowing0 to the ,moon--,the ,poem to the ,moon--,the ,burnt-,offering--,return to the ,palace on the ,moonlit ,lake--,continuation of the ,portrait--,some ,disadvantages of ,too ,much ,pleasure--,hospitality of the ,empress ,dowager--,chinese ,conventions and ,traditions--,wonderful ,opportunities for ,picturesqueness in ,painting the ,empress ,dowager--,restrictions ,imposed by ,chinese ,tradition--,first ,exhibition of the 8,sacred ,picture0--,description of ,first ,portrait of the ,empress ,dowager--,how ,i ,should ,have ,liked to ,paint ,her4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 #afe ,a ,,garden ,,party ,reception to the ,diplomatic ,corps and ,ladies of the ,legation--,the ,ceremony of ,reception of the ,ladies--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,cordiality--,taking ,tea in the ,audience ,hall--,luncheon in the ,throne-room--,promenade on the ,lake-- ,visit to the ,palace and ,temple on the ,island--,the ,marble ,boat--,lack of ,harmony among the ,guests at ,garden ,party-- ,chinese ,comment on our ,costumes and ,appearance--,dislike of ,blonde ,hair4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 #aga ,,beginning ,a ,,second ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,putting the ,characters ,representing ,her ,majesty's ,titles and her ,two ,seals on the ,portrait--,beginning the ,small ,portrait-- ,toilette d',intimit--8,hailo0 and 8,shadza0--,the ,palace ,painters--,their ,manner of ,working--,new ,variety of ,chrysanthemum--,the 8,peafowl ,feather0--,the ,audience ,hall ,pianos--,her ,majesty's ,ideas of ,dancing4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 #agh ,a ,,european ,,circus ,,at ,,the ,,palace ,the ,posters--,sites for the ,ring--,the ,turnip ,field--,their ,majesties ,go in ,state across the ,lake--,the ,houseboats--,the ,young ,empress's ,state ,boat--,the ,imperial ,loges at the ,circus--,invited ,officials--,bands of ,music--,a ,glimpse of the ,manchu ,princes and ,some ,high ,officials--,the ,son of the ,imperial ,princess--,the ,opera ,glasses of ,their ,majesties--,what ,interested ,them ,most4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 #ahe ,,palace ,,customs ,early ,rising--,when the ,empress ,dowager ,sleeps--,her ,bedroom-- ,irregular ,hours except for the ,audience--,domestic ,duties-- ,her ,favorite ,game--,her ,luck--,her ,meals--,conventions ,observed at the ,empress ,dowager's ,table--,her ,dishes--,the ,hour of the ,siesta--,her ,promenades--,the ,days of the ,theater--,when ,their ,majesties ,dine ,together--,rigorous ,observance of ,fasts at the ,table of the ,empress ,dowager--,court ,etiquette--,the ,graceful ,bow--,rigid ,observance of ,court ,customs--,her ,majesty's ,reproof of ,too ,indulgent ,mother4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 #aid ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,anxiety--,,her ,,birthday ,her ,anxiety--,exterior and ,interior ,troubles--,preparations for ,her ,majesty's ,birthday--,her ,desire to ,have ,everything as ,simple as ,possible and to ,spare ,expense--,the ,emperor's ,wish to ,celebrate with the ,usual ,pomp1 and ,desire to ,bestow a ,new ,title upon the ,empress ,dowager--,difference of ,her ,majesty's ,interest in her ,own and the ,emperor's ,birthday-- ,when ,she ,received the ,congratulations--,early ,hour of ,congratulation--,the ,interior of the ,throne-room and ,decorations for the ,birthday--,winter ,court ,dress of the ,ladies--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,fatigue4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 #bjj ,,the ,,winter ,,palace ,the ,empress ,dowager's ,love of the ,summer ,palace--,return to ,peking--,young ,empress and ,ladies ,precede and ,receive ,her on the ,threshold of her ,own ,throne-room--,city of ,peking1 the ,palace within the ,forbidden ,city--,its many ,walls within ,walls--,the ,guard-,houses--,the ,ceremony of ,reception--,the ,throne-room of the ,winter ,palace--,the ,interior ,dome--,her ,majesty's ,sitting-room--,private ,chapel--,portraits of ,queen ,victoria--,the ,three ,great ,halls--,the ,spirit-,stairway--,the ,central ,hall--,presents from ,european ,royalties--,where ,i was to ,paint--,the ,emperor's ,precincts--,tradition at the ,winter ,palace4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 #baa ,,peking--,,beginning ,,the ,,portrait ,,for ,,st4 ,,louis ,legation ,quarter--,morning ,ride to the ,palace--,splendid ,walls of the ,palace and ,city--,the ,streets in the ,forbidden ,city--,a ,funeral--,the ,mongolians--,beggars at the ,gate-- ,unsatisfactoriness of ,studio at ,winter ,palace--,her ,majesty ,orders ,it ,remodeled--,beginning ,portrait for ,st4 ,louis-- ,imperial ,paraphernalia and ,insignia of ,royalty--,importance of ,propriety--,the ,throne--,her ,majesty's ,costume for the ,portrait--,pearl ,mantle--,first ,sketch--,stretching the ,great ,canvas4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 #bai ,,some ,,social ,,customs ,manchu ,ladies of the ,palace--,presentation1 on ,their ,marriage1 of ,manchu ,noblewomen--,bridal ,costume--,sedan ,chairs--,by ,whom ,bride is ,presented--,the ,young ,empress's ,graciousness--,a ,daughter in a ,manchu ,family--,comparison of ,manchu and ,american ,girl--,the ,unmarried ,daughter of the ,manchus--,her ,position in the ,family--,social ,qualities--,the ,manchu ,men-- ,sports--,costume--,young ,dandies--,concubinage--,early ,marriages of ,men--,secondary ,wives--,the ,family--,secondary ,wives of an ,emperor--,their ,rank--,position in the ,palace--,title4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 #bcj ,,present-,,giving ,the ,palace as the ,heart of ,empire--,occasions on which ,presents are ,given 7,private1 ,official1 and ,festivals7-- ,style of ,presents ,given by the ,empress ,dowager--,presents to the ,ladies of ,legation--,birthday ,presents--,some ,presents ,received by ,me from ,her ,majesty4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 #bcg ,,some ,,winter ,,days ,,at ,,the ,,palace ,the ,portrait for ,america--,details and ,accessories of the ,same--,days at the ,palace--,the ,meals in ,winter--,winter ,evenings--,learning ,chinese--,occupations of the ,ladies--,the ,young ,empress's ,birthday--,days of ,mourning at the ,palace-- ,anniversary of ,death of the ,emperor ,tung-,chih--,the ,empress ,dowager's ,sorrow4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 #bde ,,religious ,,rites ,the ,three ,great ,religions--,the ,temple of ,heaven--,the ,emperor as ,high ,priest--,preparations for the ,sacrifice to ,heaven-- ,buddhism and ,taoism--,confucius--,origin of ,chinese ,religious ,ceremonies--,vitality of ,china as a ,nation--,its ,amalgamation of ,conquering ,races--,the ,manchus--,some ,nature ,worship--,the ,festival of the ,awakening of ,spring at the ,palace--,guardians of the ,cocoons4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 #bec ,,her ,,majesty ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,her ,family--,presentation at ,court--,fifth ,wife of the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng--,favorite of ,empress ,mother and ,first ,wife--,birth of a ,son--,death of ,emperor ,hsien-,feng--,empress of ,western ,palace--,co-,regents for ,young ,emperor ,tung-,chih--,friendliness of the ,two ,co-,regents--,state of ,china at ,beginning of ,regency--,intrigue--,the ,anti-foreign ,princes--,prince ,kung-- ,first ,political ,act of ,young ,empress of ,western ,palace-- ,support of the ,princes of the ,blood--,the ,emperor ,tung-,chih ,begins to ,reign--,death of ,tung-,chih--,resumption of the ,regency by the ,empress ,dowager--,minority of ,kwang-,hsu--,death of ,empress of ,eastern ,palace--,policy of ,empress ,dowager--,the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu ,begins to ,reign--,his ,policy--,the ,war with ,japan--,change of ,policy by the ,emperor--,the ,progress ,party-- ,the ,ultra-,conservatives--,return from ,retirement of the ,empress ,dowager--,the ,emperor's ,edict--,so-called ,coup d'tat--,rout of ,progress ,party--,punishment of ,ringleaders--,effect on the ,emperor--,reign of ,emperor 8,assisted0 by ,empress ,dowager--,the ,secret ,society of the ,boxers--,its ,growth--,boxers in the ,capital--,boxers among the ,princes of the ,blood--,the ,outbreak in ,peking--,reported ,cause of ,outbreak--,the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager's ,attempt to ,check ,movement--,the ,imperial ,military ,forces--,position of ,legation ,quarter in ,peking--,british ,legation--,return of ,their ,majesties to ,peking--,edicts ,issued-- ,arrival of ,allies in ,peking--,flight of ,her ,majesty and the ,court--,the ,route to ,singan ,fu--,hardships ,endured--,incidents4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 #bgj ,,her ,,majesty ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager 7,,continued7 ,her ,charities--,incident of the ,boxer ,rising--,widows' ,petition to the ,empress ,dowager--,her ,majesty's ,action thereon--,her ,extravagance--,extravagance in the ,palace--,efforts of ,past ,emperors for ,economy--,cost of ,food in the ,palace--,her ,majesty's ,personal ,extravagance--,her ,jewels--,wardrobe-- ,examples of ,her ,economy--,her ,patriotism--,scheme of ,taxation-- ,her ,penetration--,her ,judgment--,her ,prejudices--,sarcasm--,her ,determination--,tact--,social ,instinct--,reception of ,young ,german ,prince4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 #bgi ,,the ,,chinese ,,new ,,year ,greatest ,festival of the ,year--,decorations of the ,palace-- ,imitation ,money--,new ,year's ,presents--,work on ,portrait--,some ,changes--,removal of the ,court to ,sea ,palace--,my ,studio at ,sea ,palace--,new ,year's ,audience of ,ladies of the ,legation-- ,congratulations--,lantern ,festival--,the ,illuminated ,procession--,the ,double ,dragon--,the ,flaming ,pearl--,fireworks in the ,palace--,day ,rockets--,old ,customs as to the ,fireworks in the ,palace ,grounds4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii4 #bhg ,,continuation ,,of ,,the ,,st4 ,,louis ,,portrait ,propitious ,date for ,finishing it--,changing ,ornaments--,frame for ,portrait--,spring ,days--,her ,majesty's ,walks--,inspecting the ,new ,buildings--,the ,jinrikisha--,the ,miniature ,railway--,her ,majesty's ,automobiles--,kite ,flying--,his ,majesty the ,emperor ,plows and ,sows the ,seed of a ,furrow4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 #bid ,,finishing ,,and ,,sending ,,off ,,the ,,portrait ,nineteenth ,day of ,april--,invitations to ,ladies of the ,legation to see the ,portrait--,visit of the ,ladies to the ,palace--,the ,portrait--,princes and ,nobles see the 8,sacred ,picture0--,attempt to ,photograph--,portrait taken to ,wai-,wu-,pu--,visit of ,corps ,diplomatique--,packing the ,portrait-- ,special ,railway built from ,foreign ,office to ,railway ,station-- ,departure of ,picture--,en route--,tientsin--,shanghai-- ,embarkation for ,san ,francisco--,reception by ,prince ,pu ,l'un and ,imperial ,commission at ,st4 ,louis--,unveiling the ,portrait--,placing the ,portrait in the ,gallery of ,fine ,arts-- ,arrival at ,washington--,presentation to the ,government4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv4 #cjj ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,return to the ,summer ,palace--,the ,palace of the ,emperor's ,father in ,spring--,the ,grounds of the ,summer ,palace--,the ,studio--,at ,work ,again--,the ,theater--,his ,majesty's ,theater ,program--,work of the ,vermilion ,pencil--,his ,majesty's ,interest in the ,russo-,japanese ,war--,spring ,garden ,party to the ,ladies of the ,legation--,another large ,portrait of ,her ,majesty--,showing it to the ,ladies--,her ,majesty's ,desire for ,highly ,finished ,detail--,her ,delight in her ,new ,hobby--,final ,days4 ,list of ,illustrations ,portrait of the ,empress ,dowager ,frontispiece ,,facing ,,page ,the ,empress and the ,ladies of the ,court in the ,imperial ,barge #bd ,princesses of the ,court #dj ,the ,young ,empress ,ye-,ho-,na-,lah #dd ,at the ,american ,legation1 ,peking #hh ,chinese ,architecture #ajd ,on the ,road from ,peking to the ,summer ,palace #aab ,the ,empress ,dowager ,writing a 8,great ,character0 #acf ,the ,empress ,dowager in the ,gardens of the ,summer ,palace #adj ,the ,official ,audience of ,their ,majesties #adf ,old ,ruins in the ,summer ,palace #aeb ,the ,secondary ,wife of the ,emperor #afh ,pai-lou in the ,grounds of the ,summer ,palace--on the ,shore of the ,lake #agf ,princesses of the ,court #ahh ,court in the ,winter ,palace--8,her ,majesty ,comes0 #bjd ,confucian ,temple--8,spirit-,stairway0 in ,central ,flight of ,steps #bjh ,prince ,ching #baf ,the ,author in ,chinese ,costume #bcd ,temple of ,heaven--,peking #bdf ,altar to the ,invisible ,deity #bej ,slave ,girls #bhj ,the ,portrait of the ,empress ,dowager in its ,frame #cjd ,,introductory ,in ,april1 #aijc1 while ,i was visiting in ,shanghai1 ,i received a letter from ,mrs4 ,conger1 wife of the ,minister of the ,united ,states to ,peking1 in which she said there was a question of ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager's having her portrait painted1 and asking me if such a thing should be arranged would ,i be willing to come to ,peking and undertake it4 ,mrs4 ,conger hoped1 if the project should materialize1 that ,her ,majesty might later consent to send the portrait to the ,exposition at ,st4 ,louis4 ,she thought such a portrait would be of great interest to the ,american people and might prove an attractive feature to the ,exposition1 in which she and ,mr4 ,conger were1 naturally1 much interested4 ,she also felt1 as she had had an opportunity of seeing a good deal of the ,empress ,dowager1 that if the world could see a true likeness of her1 it might modify the generally accepted idea which prevailed as to ,her ,majesty's character4 ,i answered ,mrs4 ,conger's letter1 saying ,i should be delighted to undertake the work1 should it be decided upon1 and ,i awaited further developments4 ,the idea of sitting for her portrait met with ,her ,majesty's approval1 and she said she would arrange an ,audience and set a day for beginning4 ,but the 8mills of0--,chinese ,officialdom 8grind slowly10 and not until ,july did ,mrs4 ,conger receive an official notification from the ,wai-,wu-,pu 7,chinese ,foreign ,office7 requesting 8,her ,excellency ,mrs4 ,conger to present the ,american artist1 ,miss ,carl1 to ,her ,imperial ,majesty on the fifth day of ,august1 for the purpose of painting a portrait of ,her ,majesty40 ,mrs4 ,conger immediately informed me of the reception of this document1 and ,i left ,shanghai for ,peking on the #bith of ,july4 ,i was cordially received1 on my arrival in ,peking1 by ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,conger at the ,american ,legation1 and on the fifth of ,august was presented by ,mrs4 ,conger to ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager at the ,summer ,palace in private ,audience4 ,as it was a great innovation in ,chinese customs and a breaking away from long-established tradition for an ,imperial portrait to be painted1 there was no precedent to follow and all arrangements were of the vaguest kind2 and when ,i went into the ,palace for my first ,audience1 ,i did not know whether ,i would have one sitting or ten1 and no one else seemed to have any more definite information4 ,all was uncertainty4 ,everything depended upon ,her ,majesty's inclination1 and future developments must be awaited4 ,i felt that ,i was really going into the ,palace on trial and that my reception and the work depended upon the fantasy and whims of a great ,personage from whom1 according to current reports1 ,i had but little to expect4 ,on the day of my first ,audience1 ,i was told at the ,foreign ,office that ,her ,majesty was to give me but one sitting1 hence it was not in a very tranquil state of mind that ,i went up to be presented to the ,great ,empress ,dowager1 ,tze-,shi6 ,but all this was changed when ,i saw her4 ,she received me kindly1 was very gracious4 ,a ,palace was set aside for me1 and every facility afforded me for my work3 during my sojourn at the ,chinese ,court ,i painted not only the portrait for the ,exposition at ,st4 ,louis1 but three others of ,her ,majesty4 ,unique as my experiences at the different ,palaces of ,their ,celestial ,majesties were1 ,i concluded1 after ,i had lived at ,court for a few months1 ,i would never make these experiences public4 ,the ,empress ,dowager received me in so friendly a manner1 ,i met with such consideration at her hands and such unfailing courtesy from all with whom ,i came in contact1 ,i felt ,i should requite this kindness by an equal consideration1 and that it was my duty to respect ,chinese prejudices and conform to their ideas of 8,propriety0 by refraining from any relation of my charming experiences4 ,after ,i returned to ,america1 ,i was constantly seeing in newspapers 7and hearing of7 statements ascribed to me which ,i never made4 ,her ,majesty was represented as having stood over me in threatening attitudes1 forcing me to represent her as a young and beautiful woman6 ,it was reported that she refused to give me any compensation for the portraits1 and a number of other statements1 equally false1 were daily appearing in the papers4 ,the ,london 8,times10 in speaking of the ,empress ,dowager1 said3 8,some one has said #8she has the soul of a tiger in the body of a woman1' and ,miss ,carl found the old lady shrewd and tempestuous40 ,the latter statement1 which ,i never made1 seemed to me enough to have on my shoulders1 but the article was copied in ,american papers and ,i was put down as the author of the first1 as well as of the second statement4 ,the power of the ,press has become such that it cannot be ignored4 ,it is of no avail to say nothing in such a case as mine2 when you do this1 words are put into your mouth and sentiments ascribed to you at the will of the newsmongers4 ,if a correction be made1 it never seems to get the same circulation or publicity as the first statement4 ,these erroneous statements continue to appear1 and ,i have finally decided that1 in justice to my ,august ,patroness as well as to my humbler self1 it is incumbent upon me to correct them1 and it seems to me the only proper way to do so is to write a full and true relation of my life at the ,palace and my experiences while painting the portraits of ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager4 ,i know ,i publish this account at the risk of offending the sensibilities of my ,chinese friends1 for many of them will never know what called it forth4 ,i know that by so doing ,i may change any favorable opinion they may have formed as to my good-breeding and discretion4 ,i was on sufficiently intimate terms with ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies of the ,court to know that this account will be looked upon by them as an 8indiscretion10 to say the least of it4 ,in this story of my life at the ,palace1 ,i must naturally give some description of ,their ,majesties and necessarily make some comment upon their characters4 ,in doing this1 ,i will transgress another long-established rule of ,chinese ,propriety1 which makes any comment1 favorable or unfavorable1 upon the ,sacred ,persons of ,their ,majesties1 a breach of etiquette4 ,no act of theirs is ever criticized1 no report in reference to them is ever explained1 no slander about them is ever refuted by loyal ,chinese1 and the generality of ,chinese are loyal4 ,thus the falsest statements1 not being refuted by those in a position to know1 gain in credence until they are reported as facts4 ,if my comment on ,their ,majesties and discussion of their acts be favorable1 this will be no palliation from the ,chinese standpoint4 ,any sort of comment will be looked upon as a breach of hospitality4 ,i have absolutely nothing to gain1 should ,i suppress any disagreeable facts ,i may have learned as to ,her ,majesty4 ,should ,i be willing to sacrifice the truth1 in order to please my ,chinese friends1 this would avail me nothing1 for should my account of ,her ,majesty be construed by them into an apology for her1 ,i would be considered most presumptuous and the enormity of my offense aggravated4 ,thus ,i am between two fires4 ,those who read my account may imagine ,i am trying to justify ,her ,majesty and thereby gain her favor2 and should the ,chinese put this construction on it1 my indiscretion will become an offense4 ,knowing all this1 and with the memory of the charming consideration ,i received at the ,chinese ,court1 ,i nevertheless feel it is my duty to publish a simple and truthful narrative of my experiences1 and ,i hope ,i may be pardoned for thus breaking ,chinese conventions4 ,the ,boxer rebellion was a frequent topic of conversation at the ,palace and ,i heard a great deal about it from the ,ladies of the ,court4 ,it was not considered at all indiscreet to ask questions on this subject1 and ,i did not hesitate to inform myself by asking about things ,i wished to know4 ,if it be true1 as the philosophers say1 that 8the proper study of mankind is man under his own environment10 ,i had an opportunity of studying ,her ,majesty on the right principles4 ,my account of her should1 therefore1 have some little value1 for ,i am the only ,european who has ever had a chance to study this remarkable woman in her own milieu1 or to look upon the facts of her life from the standpoint within her own circle4 ,in this simple relation of what ,i saw of the customs1 religious rites and ceremonies1 ,i have also preferred to rest upon my own personal interpretation of the same1 rather than to study the learned explanations of the many clever ,sinologues1 whose works abound4 ,these works may be consulted by those who desire to enter more deeply into things4 ,i had no time to make a comprehensive study of any works on the subject1 and ,i purposely have read nothing and consulted no books on ,china1 wishing to give a fresh impression4 ,as all their curious ceremonies were a matter of course to the ,chinese1 they had become so petrified by long use and tradition1 as to have1 in many instances1 lost their original signification to most of those who went through them4 ,i could thus get very little help from the ,chinese and was forced to put my own interpretation upon things4 ,i feel that1 with my limited capacities1 and my inexperience as a writer1 the only reason for my entering this field at all lies in the interest of what ,i saw1 as ,i saw it4 ,notwithstanding the attitude of the ,court in this matter1 ,i have decided to run the risk of incurring their displeasure and reprobation1 for ,i feel assured that what ,i have to say may serve to clear up certain misapprehensions and place ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager in more favorable light4 ,what follows is but the simple narration1 the unsophisticated interpretation1 of an observant painter4 ,illustration3 ,ornamental ,design ,,with ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,,of ,,china ,,chapter ,i ,,my ,,presentation ,,and ,,first ,,day ,,at ,,the ,,chinese ,,court ,the day of my first ,audience at the ,chinese ,court1 ,august #eth1 we were up betimes at the ,american ,legation1 for it takes full three hours to drive out to the ,summer ,palace from ,peking2 and punctuality is the etiquette of ,oriental as well as of ,occidental potentates4 ,our audience was for half-past ten o'clock1 and the portrait of the ,empress ,dowager was to be begun at eleven2 that hour1 as well as the day and the month1 having been chosen1 after much deliberation and many consultations of the almanac1 as the most auspicious for beginning work on the first likeness ever made of ,her ,majesty4 ,we left the ,legation at seven ,a4,m4 in the trap of the ,united ,states ,legation ,guard1 that being the only vehicle available large enough to carry the party1 ,mrs4 ,conger and her interpreter and myself and my painting materials1 which included a large canvas and a folding easel4 ,after leaving the ,city1 the drive out to the ,summer ,palace is through fertile fields and a fair1 smiling landscape4 ,it had rained the night before and everything was beautifully fresh4 ,the wet1 stone-paved road stretched ahead like a shining stream2 the wheat and corn fields along the road were of a brilliant green1 with here and there the somber note of a clump of arbor-vit1 out of which rose the walls of a temple6 ,the distant hills1 where lay the ,summer ,palace1 were delicately limned against a soft blue-gray sky1 and the whole made an entrancing picture4 ,soon after leaving ,peking the mounted official ,legation servants that followed ,mrs4 ,conger's carriage were joined by a ,chinese ,guard of ,honor sent by the ,wai-,wu-,pu 7,foreign ,office7 to escort us to the ,palace4 ,after an hour and a half's drive we rattled through a busy village1 past the yellow ruins of a great lama temple1 and along the park walls of the summer homes of several ,princes of the ,imperial ,family1 and soon came within sight of the beautiful grounds of the ,summer ,palace with its hills1 valleys1 canals1 and lakes2 the hills crowned with tea-houses and temples1 the waters of the canals lapping the marble terraces of the ,palaces4 ,the red walls and glazed tiles of the yellow and green roofs1 the brilliant foliage1 freshened by the rain1 made a gay picture2 and the temples1 arches1 pagodas1 and the many buildings that constitute a ,chinese palace gave it the appearance of a whole town rather than of a single palace4 ,as in all ,oriental palaces1 upon the very threshold of the outer courts sit the beggar1 the lame1 the halt1 and the blind1 gathering rich harvests from the generosity of the high nobles and officials and their myriad retainers as they pass in and out of the ,foreign ,office and the outer courts of the ,palace4 ,the ,foreign ,office1 during the residence of the ,court at the ,summer ,palace1 sixteen miles from the ,capital1 has offices on the left of the great ,imperial entrance1 in order that state business may be more easily transacted while ,their ,majesties are in villeggiatura4 ,we alighted at the ,foreign ,office and were met by a number of officials with their interpreters1 coming out to receive us4 ,after readjusting ourselves in the waiting-room1 we were met1 when we came out1 by the ,chief ,eunuch of the ,palace1 who conducted us to the red-covered ,palace chairs1 each carried by six men4 ,they bore us past the ,imperial gateway 7used only for ,their ,majesties71 through a door of entrance at the left1 when we were within the sacred precincts of one of the residences of the ,sons of ,heaven and within the walls of the favorite ,palace of the ,empress ,dowager6 ,before we could take in our surroundings1 we had been rapidly carried through various courts and gardens1 and had come at last to a larger1 quadrangular court1 filled with pots of rare blooming plants and many beautiful growing shrubs4 ,here the bearers put down our chairs2 we descended and walked through the court1 preceded and followed by a number of eunuchs4 ,the great plate-glass doors of the ,palace in front of us1 blazing with the huge red character 8,sho0 7longevity71 were swung noiselessly back1 and we were at last within the ,throne-room of ,her ,imperial ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager of ,china6 ,a group of ,princesses and ,ladies-in-waiting stood to receive us4 ,the ,ladies ,yu-,keng1 wife and daughter of a former ,chinese ,minister to ,france1 stood near the ,princesses2 and their perfect knowledge of both ,chinese and ,english rendered them delightful mediums of communication between the ,princesses and ourselves4 ,having known these ladies in ,paris1 it was almost like seeing old friends4 ,they seemed a link between the real1 every-day world and this ,arabian ,nights ,palace into which we had been wafted4 ,as we arrived at a quarter-past ten1 we were in the ,throne-room a few moments before ,their ,majesties appeared6 ,their entrance was so simply made1 so unobtrusive1 that the first ,i knew of it1 noticing a sudden lull1 ,i looked around and saw a charming little lady1 with a brilliant smile1 greeting ,mrs4 ,conger very cordially4 ,one of the ,ladies ,yu-,keng whispered1 8,her ,majesty02 but even after this it seemed almost impossible for me to realize that this kindly looking lady1 so remarkably young-looking1 with so winning a smile1 could be the so-called cruel1 implacable tyrant1 the redoubtable 8old0 ,empress ,dowager1 whose name had been on the lips of the world since #aijj6 ,a young man1 almost boyish in appearance1 entered the ,throne-room with her3 this was the ,son of ,heaven1 the ,emperor of ,china6 ,after greeting ,mrs4 ,conger1 the ,empress ,dowager looked toward me1 and ,i advanced with a reverence4 ,she met me half-way and extended her hand with another brilliant smile which quite won me1 and ,i spontaneously raised her dainty fingers to my lips4 ,this was not in the protocol program4 ,it was an involuntary and surprised tribute on my part to her unexpected charm4 ,she then turned and with graceful gesture extended her hand toward the ,emperor and murmured 8,the ,emperor10 and watched me closely while ,i made ,his ,majesty the formal reverence4 ,he acknowledged the salutation by a slight bow and a stereotyped smile1 but ,i felt that he1 too1 was closely scrutinizing me as his shrewd glance swept my person4 ,after a few moments' conversation1 interpreted by the ,ladies ,yu-,keng1 ,her ,majesty ordered my painting things brought in1 while she retired to be dressed in the gown she had decided upon as appropriate for the portrait4 ,after she had left the ,throne-room1 ,i tried to take in the conditions of the place for painting4 ,the hall was large and spacious1 but the light was false1 the upper parts of the windows being covered with paper shades4 ,the only place in the hall where there was any sort of light for painting was in front of the great plate-glass doors1 and this was but a small space in which to begin so large a picture4 ,to get a light upon the portrait1 as well as upon the sitter1 ,i should be forced to place my canvas very near the throne where she was to sit2 and1 with so large a portrait as ,i was to paint1 this would be a great disadvantage4 ,when ,i thought ,i must paint here1 and begin at once upon the canvas which was to be the final picture1 my heart fell6 ,her ,majesty wished1 above all1 to have a large portrait1 and ,i was told she would not understand my beginning on a small canvas or making any preliminary studies--that if ,i did not begin on the big canvas at once she would probably not give me any more sittings2 in fact we had that morning been told at the ,foreign ,office that ,her ,majesty was to give me but two sittings1 so there was no alternative6 ,there could be no preliminary poses1 no choice from several sketches1 and only a few moments in which to choose the pose1 which must be final--and ,i totally ignorant of the possibilities of my sitter or her characteristics4 ,luckily1 ,i had but a few moments to consider all these adverse circumstances1 for ,her ,majesty soon returned6 ,she had been clothed in a gown of ,imperial yellow1 brocaded in the wistaria vine in realistic colors and richly embroidered in pearls4 ,it was made1 in the graceful ,manchu fashion1 in one piece1 reaching from the neck to the floor2 fastened from the right shoulder to the hem with jade buttons4 ,the stuff of the gown was of a stiff1 transparent silk1 and was worn over a softer under-gown of the same color and length4 ,at the top button1 from the right shoulder1 hung a string of eighteen enormous pearls separated by flat pieces of brilliant1 transparent green jade4 ,from the same button was suspended a large1 carved pale ruby1 which had yellow silk tassels terminating in two immense pear-shaped pearls of rare beauty6 ,at each side1 just under the arms1 hung a pale-blue1 embroidered silk handkerchief and a scent-bag with long1 black silk tassels4 ,around her throat was a pale-blue1 two-inch-wide cravat1 embroidered in gold with large pearls4 ,this cravat had one end tucked into the opening on the shoulder of her gown1 and the other hanging4 ,her jet-black hair was parted in the middle1 carried smoothly over the temples1 and brought to the top of the head in a large1 flat coil4 ,formerly all ,manchu ladies who have marvelous hair carried the hair itself out from this coil over a golden1 jade1 or tortoise-shell sword-like pin1 into a large-winged bow4 ,the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies of the ,court have substituted satin instead of the hair1 for this wing-like construction1 as being more practicable and less liable to get out of order4 ,so satin-like and glossy is their hair that it is difficult to tell where it ends and the satin begins4 ,a band of pearls1 with an immense 8flaming pearl0 in the center1 encircled the coil4 ,on either side of the winged bow were bunches of natural flowers and a profusion of jewels4 ,from the right side of the head-dress hung a tassel of eight strings of beautiful pearls reaching to the shoulder4 ,she wore bracelets and rings1 and on each hand had two nail-protectors1 for she wore her nails so long the protectors were necessary adjuncts4 ,these nail-protectors were worn on the third and fourth fingers of either hand2 those on the left being of brilliant green jade1 while those on the right hand were of gold1 set with rubies and pearls4 ,her ,majesty advanced with animation and asked me where the ,double ,dragon ,throne was to be placed4 ,after the eunuchs had put it where ,i said1 she took her seat4 ,although not more than five feet tall1 as she wears the ,manchu shoes with six-inch-high1 stilt-like soles1 to avoid throwing the knees up higher than the lap she must sit upon cushions1 and when she is seated she looks a much larger woman than when standing4 ,she took a conventional pose and told me ,i might make any suggestion ,i wished2 but ,i had made up my mind that the pose and surroundings must be as typical and characteristic as possible1 and as ,i had had no time to study my ,august ,sitter ,i thought she would know best as to her position and accessories4 ,it was nearing eleven6 ,beginning anything is momentous4 ,every artist knows how the wonderful possibilities of the bare canvas in its virgin purity standing before him inspires him with almost a feeling of awe2 how he hesitates about beginning1 so great is the responsibility4 ,this bare canvas may become a masterpiece1 the full expression of his thought1 or it may come forth a maimed and distorted effort4 ,to-day in these strange surroundings1 with these unusual and unfavorable conditions1 my hesitancy was greater than usual2 for upon this beginning depended my being able to go on with the portrait4 ,my hands trembled6 ,the inscrutable eyes of the wonderful woman ,i was to paint1 fixed piercingly upon me1 were also disconcerting2 but just then the eighty-five clocks in this particular ,throne-room began to chime1 play airs1 and strike the hour in eighty-five different ways4 ,the auspicious moment had come6 ,i raised my charcoal and put the first stroke upon the canvas of the first portrait that had ever been painted of the ,empress ,dowager of ,great ,china1 the powerful 8,tze-,shi40 ,the ,princesses1 ,ladies-in-waiting1 the high eunuchs and attendants1 stood in breathless silence around1 intently watching my every movement1 for everything touching ,her ,majesty is a solemnity4 ,for a few moments ,i heard the faintest ticking of the eighty-five clocks as if they were great ,cathedral bells clanging in my ears1 and my charcoal on the canvas sounded like some mighty saw drawn back and forth4 ,then1 happily1 ,i became interested1 and absolutely unconscious of anything but my sitter and my work4 ,i worked steadily on for what seemed to be a very short time1 when ,her ,majesty turned to the interpreter and said 8enough work had been done for that day02 the conditions had been fulfilled and the picture begun at the auspicious moment4 ,she added that she knew ,i must be tired from our long drive out from ,peking1 as well as from my work4 ,she said ,i must rest and we must partake of some refreshments4 ,she then descended from the throne and came over to look at the sketch4 ,i had blocked in the whole figure and had drawn the head with some accuracy4 ,so strong and impressive is her personality1 ,i had been able to get enough of her character into this rough whole to make it a sort of likeness4 ,after looking critically at it for a few moments1 she expressed herself as well pleased with what had been done1 and paid me some compliments on my talent as an artist6 ,i felt instinctively1 however1 this was due more to her natural courtesy--her desire to put me at ease--than to an actual expression of her opinion4 ,after she had looked at the portrait1 she called ,mrs4 ,conger and the ,princesses to see what had been done1 and it was discussed for a few moments4 ,then she turned to me and said the portrait interested her greatly1 that she should like to see it go on4 ,she asked me1 looking straight into my eyes the while1 if ,i would care to remain at the ,palace for a few days1 that she might give me sittings at her leisure4 ,this invitation filled me with joy4 ,the reports ,i had heard of ,her ,majesty's hatred of the foreigner had been dispelled by this first ,audience and what ,i had seen there4 ,i felt that the most consummate actress could not so belie her personality1 and ,i accepted1 without a moment's hesitation1 the invitation so graciously tendered4 ,i thought thus ,i should be able to get a good beginning for a satisfactory likeness of this most remarkable and interesting woman4 ,my sanguine heart even leaped forward to the possibility of probably finishing the portrait entirely at the ,palace4 ,her ,majesty seemed pleased at my acceptance and said she would try to make me happy4 ,she then withdrew and we were served to luncheon4 ,the ,empress ,dowager always eats alone4 ,when she has guests the ,princess ,imperial1 as the first of the ,ladies of the ,palace1 acts as hostess4 ,the guests of honor are placed at her right and left4 ,the ,princesses1 ,ladies ,yu-,keng1 ,mrs4 ,conger1 and myself formed the guests on this occasion4 ,the table1 decorated with flowers and fruit1 groaned under the many ,chinese dishes placed thereon4 ,foreign dishes were served la ,russe4 ,the ,chinese dishes1 attractive to the eye as well as to the senses of smell and taste1 appealed to me at once2 though ,i had been told one must cultivate a taste for them4 ,there were foreign table waters and wines as well as ,chinese drinks4 ,we did full justice to the viands1 tasting everything and trying to use the chop-sticks1 though knives and forks were also placed for each of the guests4 ,after the repast ,her ,majesty and the young ,empress1 the first wife of the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu1 came in4 ,her ,majesty presented the young ,empress with the same grace with which she had indicated the ,emperor at the morning ,audience1 repeating her title1 8,the ,empress10 as she did so4 ,immediately behind the young ,empress was the only secondary wife of the ,emperor1 who was also presented by the ,empress ,dowager4 ,then ,her ,majesty told ,mrs4 ,conger she had her ,players at the ,theater that day1 and she invited us to come and hear them4 ,the ,empress ,dowager and ,mrs4 ,conger led the way and ,i followed with the young ,empress and ,princesses4 ,we passed through several courts1 all gay with flowers1 and finally reached the largest of all1 the ,court of the ,theater4 ,the ,theater projects into this rectangular court and consists of a covered rostrum1 open on three sides with doors at the back for the entrance and exit of the actors4 ,in front of the stage and across the open1 flower-filled court1 with splendid bronze ornaments here and there1 is a building which might be called the ,imperial loge4 ,this is from sixty to eighty feet long with a pillared stone verandah and occupies one entire side of the court4 ,huge panes of plate-glass1 the full height of the building1 enable ,her ,majesty and the ,emperor to see1 from within1 all that passes on the stage1 and they can1 of course1 hear everything perfectly4 ,the buildings which form the other sides of this court1 those which run at right angles to the ,imperial loge1 are divided into small stalls1 each about the size of an ordinary opera box4 ,there are no chairs in these boxes1 the occupants sit ,turkish fashion upon the floor1 for no courtier can occupy a chair when in the presence of ,their ,majesties4 ,these side rooms are for the use of the high officials and ,princes who are sometimes invited by ,their ,majesties to be present at the ,imperial ,theatrical ,representations4 ,on my first day at ,court there were no other invited guests2 the ,players had been summoned in our honor4 ,her ,majesty sat in a yellow-covered chair on the red-pillared verandah of the ,imperial loge4 ,the ,emperor was seated on a yellow stool at her left1 the place of honor in ,china4 ,mrs4 ,conger and ,i were on ,her ,majesty's right1 the young ,empresses1 ,princesses1 and ,ladies-in-waiting standing around4 ,after seeing two or three acts of a play of which we understood little more than the pantomime1 but which was interesting from its very novelty1 ,mrs4 ,conger arose to take leave of ,their ,majesties and the ,princesses4 ,after this was accomplished1 ,i accompanied her to one of the outer courts and there told her good-by4 ,when she left1 ,i was alone in the ,palace1 the first foreigner to be domiciled in any residence of a ,son of ,heaven since the time of ,marco ,polo1 and the only foreigner who had ever been within the ,ladies' ,precincts4 ,i had a curious feeling of having been transported into a strange world4 ,a sense of loneliness crept over me1 and ,i feared the strangeness of my position might affect my work1 and that1 after all1 ,i should not accomplish what ,i had remained in the ,palace to do4 ,i stood for a few minutes pondering my position1 but was soon joined by the ,ladies ,yu-,keng with a message from the ,empress ,dowager that ,i need not return to the ,theater1 as she had gone to rest4 ,she sent word that she thought it would be well for me to go to my apartments and try to sleep a little4 ,she hoped ,i would be happy in the ,palace and find the pavilion she had set aside for me comfortable4 ,she added that ,i must not hesitate to order anything ,i wished and must make myself perfectly at home4 ,the ,summer ,palace1 like all ,chinese palaces and temples1 and even the dwelling-houses of the rich1 consists of a series of verandahed buildings1 built on stone foundations which rise about eight feet from the ground1 generally of one story1 around the four sides of rectangular or square courts1 connected by open verandah-like corridors4 ,the apartments set aside for my private use1 while in the ,precincts1 were to the left of the ,empress ,dowager's ,throne-room and quite near it--in order that ,i might go and come to my painting with ease4 ,these apartments occupied an entire pavilion4 ,it was charming4 ,its shining marble floors and beautifully carved partitions1 its painted walls and charming outlook over flowery courts1 made it a delightful spot4 ,these pavilions at the ,palace have movable partitions and the rooms may be made as small as closets or as large as the whole building4 ,my pavilion consisted of two sitting-rooms1 a dining-room1 and a charming bedroom1 separated from each other by screen-like walls of beautifully carved open woodwork1 with blue silk showing through the interstices4 ,in the larger spaces were artistic panels of flowers painted on white silk1 alternating with poems and quotations from the classics1 in the picturesque1 ideographic writing of the ,chinese4 ,on one of the solid walls was a large water-color painting on white silk1 representing a realistically painted peafowl in a flowery field2 an immense mirror formed the other solid wall4 ,the plate-glass lower windows had blue silken curtains1 the upper windows of white paper were rolled down1 and the rich perfume of the flowers in the court came in4 ,in my honor1 several foreign 8objets de virtu0 adorned the tables and window-shelves4 ,the bed1 a couch built into an alcove1 was covered with blue satin cushions2 and the windows were shaded from the outside by blue silken awnings1 which gave a soft subdued light to the room1 that made it very cool and restful-looking4 ,i found the couch so inviting ,i was soon really resting1 and the events of the day passed before my mental vision in kaleidoscopic array4 ,although the cushions of the bed were harder than ,i had been accustomed to1 and the dozen or more eunuchs1 who had been set aside for my service1 were whispering just outside my window to be ready for any call1 ,i soon fell asleep from sheer exhaustion and reaction from the unusual events of the day4 ,at five o'clock one of the ,ladies ,yu-,keng knocked at my door to tell me the ,empress ,dowager was awake1 and had asked that ,i come up to the ,throne-room as soon as ,i was ready4 ,when we went up she called me to her side and said she hoped ,i had rested well1 that ,i found my apartments comfortable2 she repeated again the wish that ,i would be happy with her4 ,she said we would not paint any more for that day1 but on the morrow we would have another and longer sitting for the portrait4 ,she begged me to let her know if there was anything ,i cared for particularly1 that she might order it for me4 ,the ,empress ,dowager then dined alone1 after which the young ,empress and the ,princesses led me into the ,throne-room1 and we dined at ,her ,majesty's table1 her seat being left vacant4 ,the young ,empress occupied the place at the left of this vacant seat1 and had me on her left4 ,when we had finished dinner1 at which the young ,empress and the ,ladies were most considerate of me1 seeming to try to make me feel at ease1 we went up to take our leave of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,after this was accomplished we left the ,throne-room1 and made our adieus to the young ,empress and ,princesses1 and left the ,imperial inclosure for the ,palace of the ,emperor's ,father1 which ,her ,majesty had set aside for the use of the ,ladies ,yu-,keng and myself while ,i was at work on the portrait4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,personal ,,appearance ,,of ,,her ,,majesty--,a ,,chinese ,,repast--,,boating ,i was eager to be off the next morning1 to have the promised long sitting from ,her ,majesty4 ,the sitting of the day before had but whetted my desire for further work on the portrait4 ,when we arrived within the ,precincts we met the ,empress ,dowager and the ,emperor coming out of the ,great ,audience ,hall from their joint ,audience4 ,when ,her ,majesty saw us she stopped1 as did the whole train of her attendant ,ladies and eunuchs4 ,she called me up to her side1 took my hand1 and asked me how ,i had rested and 8whether ,i felt ready for work40 ,this question showed her penetration1 for she had seen the day before1 from my eagerness and the breathless haste with which ,i used every moment1 that my work was my first object1 and she smiled when she put the query4 ,i walked along by her side from the ,audience ,hall to the ,throne-room where ,i had begun the portrait of the day before4 ,when we reached the ,throne-room she was divested of her official vestments1 took a cup of tea1 and called one of her tiring-women to bring her the dress and ornaments worn the day before1 and she prepared to sit for me the second time4 ,at this second sitting ,i looked at the ,empress ,dowager critically4 ,i feared that the agreeable impression ,i had formed1 the day before1 of herself and her personal appearance had probably been too hasty1 the result of the unusual glamour in which ,i had begun the portrait2 ,i thought perhaps the ,oriental environment had dazzled me and prevented my seeing the ,empress ,dowager as she really was1 and ,i looked forward to a disillusion4 ,as she sat there1 upon the throne1 before she was quite ready for me to begin1 before she had transfixed me with her penetrating glance1 before she knew ,i was looking at her1 ,i scanned her person and face with all the penetration ,i could bring to bear1 and this is what ,i saw3 ,a perfectly proportioned figure1 with head well set upon her shoulders and a fine presence2 really beautiful hands1 daintily small and high-bred in shape2 a symmetrical1 well-formed head1 with a good development above the rather large ears2 jet-black hair1 smoothly parted over a fine1 broad brow2 delicate1 well-arched eyebrows2 brilliant1 black eyes1 set perfectly straight in the head2 a high nose1 of the type the ,chinese call 8noble10 broad between the eyes and on a line with the forehead2 an upper lip of great firmness1 a rather large but beautiful mouth with mobile1 red lips1 which1 when parted over her firm white teeth1 gave her smile a rare charm2 a strong chin1 but not of exaggerated firmness and with no marks of obstinacy4#a ,had ,i not known she was nearing her sixty-ninth year1 ,i should have thought her a well-preserved woman of forty4 ,being a widow1 she used no cosmetics4 ,her face had the natural glow of health1 and one could see that exquisite care and attention were bestowed upon everything concerning her toilet4 ,personal neatness and an excellent taste in the choice of becoming colors and ornaments enhanced this wonderfully youthful appearance1 and a look of keen interest in her surroundings and remarkable intelligence crowned all these physical qualities and made an unusually attractive personality4 #a ,in the firmament of the ,son of ,heaven ,a brilliant new star has risen6-- ,supple as the neck of the swan ,is the charm of her graceful form4 ,from the firm contour of charming chin ,springs the faultless oval of her fair face1 ,crowned by the harmonious arch ,of a broad and noble brow4 ,the stately profile1 chiseled clear1 ,is dominated by the pure line of noble nose ,straight and slender and singularly mobile1 ,sensitive to all the impressions of the soul4 ,dewy lips with gracious curves ,are the portals of a dainty mouth ,where often blooms the sweet flower ,of a most alluring smile4 ,her face is lit by black and sparkling eyes1 ,whose flames1 in hours of ease1 ,with oblique caress1 envelop and thrill ,that happy mortal allowed to see4 ,when stern circumstance demands1 ,her graceful form an attitude of firmness takes1 ,the soft glow of her brilliant eyes ,grows penetrating and holds one with proud authority4 ,o beauty ,supreme6 ,o brilliant ,star ,shining but for the ,son of ,heaven6 ,from thy glowing soul radiate ,love1 daring1 hope1 intellect1 ambition1 power6 ,from a ,chinese poet--written when ,her ,majesty was twenty-five years old4 ,when ,i was so far in my study of her appearance1 the ,empress ,dowager had finished speaking to her attendants1 had settled herself to her satisfaction on the throne1 and she turned to me and asked 8what part of the portrait ,i was to work on40 ,i had been told she would be much pleased if ,i would paint in the face4 ,thinking it was important to please her at the outset1 instead of perfecting and advancing the drawing of the whole figure1 as ,i should have done1 ,i began on the face2 first correcting the drawing as far as possible and then putting in a thin wash of color4 ,during the sitting the ,ladies1 attendants1 and eunuchs were coming and going2 she took tea and conversed1 but she seemed to understand that she must keep her head in the same position1 and she would look over apologetically at me when she moved it4 ,i did not wish her to be stiff1 and preferred her moving a little to sitting like a statue4 ,her ,majesty1 like all ,oriental ladies1 smokes1 and during the sitting the eunuchs or some of the ,princesses brought her either the graceful water-pipe1 of which she would take a few whiffs1 or she would indulge in ,european cigarettes4 ,she never allowed the latter to touch her lips1 but used a long cigarette-holder4 ,she was extremely graceful in her use of both the cigarette and water-pipe4 ,after little more than an hour's work ,her ,majesty decided that enough had been done for the morning and that we both needed rest6 ,she came over to look at the face1 and it was easy to see that she liked it much better now that the color was being put in4 ,she stood behind me1 discussing it for some time1 and said she wished it were possible for some one else to pose for the face1 so that she might sit and watch it grow4 ,she thought it very wonderful that on the flat canvas the relief of the face could be represented4 ,she then turned to me and said she knew ,i must be tired both mentally and bodily1 as ,i stand to my work1 advised me to go to my pavilion1 have lunch1 and rest1 and added that she would try to give me another sitting in the afternoon before we went out for some sort of promenade4 ,i returned to my pavilion with the ,ladies ,yu-,keng1 whom ,her ,majesty had appointed to keep me company for the meals in my own quarters4 ,there was a young ,manchu girl at ,court whose father had been an attach at ,berlin1 who spoke ,german and ,english2 she1 also1 had been ordered by ,her ,majesty to take her meals with us1 so that ,i might have pleasant company and be able to converse in my own language and have proper relaxation during my meals4 ,besides1 ,i did not know enough ,chinese to direct the servants or make my wants known1 and these ,ladies were ,her ,majesty's interpreters4 ,the meals at the ,palace were all of the most lavish description1 twenty or thirty dishes being placed upon the table at the beginning of the meal1 while macaroni1 rice1 and a few other things were served from a side table4 ,the ,chinese are passed masters in the culinary art1 and the delicacies seen at good ,chinese tables are fit for a repast of ,lucullus4 ,sharks' fins1 deers' sinews1 birds' tongues1 rare fish1 bird's-nest soups1 fish brains1 shrimps' eggs1 and many other extraordinary dishes make up the every-day menu4 ,no one can cook goose1 duck1 and in fact all fowls and game1 to such perfection as the ,chinese4 ,their soups are of a delicacy and flavor quite unequaled4 ,their breads and cakes seem to the foreigner1 at first1 the least delectable of their viands2 their bread particularly1 which is steamed instead of baked1 is not tempting2 but when you get over or rather through the raw-looking outside1 with its five cochineal spots surmounting its pyramidal form1 it is very sweet and wholesome4 ,it is made of gray flour1 as the ,chinese do not believe in whitening the flour as we do4 ,they make delicious creams1 as to consistency2 and these and their sweets generally are much esteemed by the foreigners4 ,at the ,palace the food is served in tall dishes of painted ,chinese porcelain1 and everything is placed upon the table at once--soups1 roast1 sweets1 all except the rice and macaroni4 ,these latter dishes the ,chinese eat boiling hot1 and they are kept on chafing-dishes until served4 ,each person has a bowl1 a small saucer1 and a pair of chop-sticks4 ,a small square of very soft cloth is used as a napkin4 ,there is never any salt upon the table4 ,the small saucer at the side of each guest contains a very salty sauce2 if extra salt is needed1 this sauce is used4 ,the ,chinese consider powdered salt too coarse for seasoning food after it is cooked6 ,they rarely drink at meals1 and when they do1 only tiny cups1 about the size of a liqueur-glass1 of heated wine4 ,this is poured out of silver teapots1 and is kept hot by being placed in receptacles containing boiling water4 ,their wines are more like liqueurs than ours2 they are generally distilled with flowers and herbs and have a delightful 8bouquet40 ,some of these wines have most poetic names1 such as 8,dew from the ,early ,morning ,rose10 and 8,drops from the ,hands of ,buddha40 ,the ,chinese never drink cold water1 nor do they take tea at meals4 ,for me1 being a foreigner1 champagne was always provided1 as well as claret or ,burgundy4 ,the ,chinese do not drink coffee4 ,after leaving the table1 they take tea without milk or sugar4 ,the middle of the day is set aside for the siesta1 and during the heat of the summer1 every one goes to her apartments for two hours after luncheon4 ,as ,i found the ,chinese bed-cushions too hard to rest well upon1 ,i took to my pavilion a foreign1 eiderdown cushion1 which ,i used for several days1 until one day1 on going to my room1 ,i found two lovely new cushions with pale-blue silk1 removable slips4 ,on touching them1 ,i found them to be soft and deliciously cool and fragrant as well4 ,they were made of tea-leaves and had been sent as a present from the ,empress ,dowager4 ,i found them a great improvement over eiderdown or feather cushions1 especially for summer use4 ,though ,i did not care for this long midday rest1 ,i was forced to go to my room and remain there1 as there was nothing else to do4 ,when ,her ,majesty awakes1 the news flashes like an electric spark through all the ,precincts and over the whole inclosure1 and every one is on the 8qui vive0 in a moment4 ,the young ,empress and the ,princesses go up to ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room to be present at her 8lever40 ,when her afternoon toilet is made1 the ,empress ,dowager comes out of her private apartments into the ,throne-room and generally partakes of some light refreshment1 or drinks a cup of tea or some fruit juice4 ,she gave me a short sitting after her nap this second day and then ordered the boats for a row on the lakes4 ,attended by the young ,empress and ,princesses1 and with the usual train of attendants and eunuchs1 we went out into the court of the ,throne-room1 passed through a small pavilion opening directly upon the beautiful white marble terrace1 with its quaintly carved marble balustrade1 which stretches all along the southern side of the lake4 ,her ,majesty's own barge lay at the foot of the marble steps and numbers of other barges and boats lay around1 forming quite a little fleet4 ,she descended the steps and entered the barge4 ,the young ,empress1 ,princesses1 and ,ladies followed4 ,her ,majesty sat in the yellow1 throne-like chair in the middle of the raised platform of the barge4 ,the young ,empress1 ,princesses1 and ,ladies took their places as decreed by centuries-old tradition4 ,they sat upon cushions placed upon the carpeted floor of the raised platform of the barge4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,empress ,,and ,,ladies ,,of ,,the ,,court ,,in ,,the ,,imperial ,,barge ,on the ,lake of the ,summer ,palace ,when ,i stepped on1 ,her ,majesty motioned me to come near her and sit at her right4 ,the young ,empress was on her left4 ,several of the high eunuchs stood at the back of the ,empress ,dowager's chair with her extra wraps1 bonbons1 cigarettes1 water-pipes1 etc4 ,there were two rowers on the barge who stood with their long oars to guide it1 for it was attached by great yellow ropes to two boats1 manned by twenty-four rowers each1 and was towed along by them4 ,only the eunuchs of the highest rank1 ,her ,majesty's personal attendants1 went on the barge with her1 and the two boatmen simply guided it4 ,all the ,palace boatmen stand to their oars1 for they cannot sit in the presence of ,her ,majesty1 even though not upon the ,imperial barge4 ,and it is only on the barge that the ,empress and ,ladies sit in the presence of the ,empress ,dowager without being invited by her to do so4 ,a number of flat boats followed the ,imperial barge with the army of eunuchs that go to make up the train of ,their ,majesties when they move about the ,palace or grounds4 ,one boat carried portable stoves and all the necessary arrangements for making tea1 as this is taken so frequently by ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies1 it may be called for at any time4 ,we were rowed across the lake to one of the islands2 and when we looked back at the ,palaces1 the memorial arches1 the temple-crowned hills1 the curious camel-back bridges1 and the beautiful white marble terraces jutting out into the lake with its islands1 the scene was indeed fairy-like4 ,we were then rowed into a field of beautiful lotus flowers1 and ,her ,majesty ordered some pulled by the eunuchs to be given to the ,ladies4 ,she seemed delighted at my sincere admiration of this beautiful water-plant1 so dear to the ,chinese4 ,after an hour on the lake1 we were rowed back to our starting-point and disembarked4 ,this time the ,princesses and ,ladies left the barge first and stood to receive the ,empress ,dowager when she landed4 ,when she had dined she asked us to dine with the young ,empress and ,ladies at her table in her ,throne-room1 after which we made our adieus and returned to our own ,palace1 without the ,precincts4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,the ,,palace ,,of ,,the ,,emperor',s ,,father 7,,prince ,,ch',,un1 ,,the ,,seventh ,,prince7 ,the ,palace of the ,emperor's ,father1 which the ,empress ,dowager had set aside for me to live in while ,i was at work on her portrait1 was a splendid demesne1 with a noble park and spacious buildings4 ,it had been much injured by the foreign troops in #aijj and had been unoccupied since1 until ,her ,majesty decided it would be a suitable dwelling-place for her 8,portrait ,painter40 ,she had it hastily restored and refurnished for our occupation1 but many of the pavilions and summer-houses in the grounds were in ruins1 and the stables but partly rebuilt4 ,except the grounds immediately surrounding the buildings in which the ,yu-,kengs and ,i lived1 which were well kept and garnished1 the greater part of the extensive park was in a fascinating state of natural wildness4 ,the ,palace1 like all others in ,china1 consisted of a network of verandahed pavilions built around spacious courts4 ,there was a small ,theater with the ,prince's loge and stalls for his guests1 and numerous tea and summer houses were scattered over different parts of the grounds4 ,i selected1 as my abiding-place1 a charming group of buildings in a walled-in garden1 fronting on a lotus-covered lake1 with a winding stream at the back1 spanned by a picturesque bridge4 ,the principal pavilion of this group had a lofty central hall1 out of which opened1 on one side1 bedrooms and dressing-rooms1 and on the other dining-room and dependencies4 ,great doors in the center of the hall1 which ,i had decided to use as my living-room1 opened on a wide verandah which ran the whole length of the building4 ,marble steps led from this into a court filled with flowering shrubs4 ,two sides of the charming court had smaller pavilions similar to the central hall1 and opposite this latter was a quaint stone wall1 the upper part of tiled lattice-work1 with curiously shaped openings at irregular intervals4 ,in the center of this wall1 massive wooden doors opened out on a beautiful terrace1 shaded by fine old elms1 over the lake4 ,it was a charming dwelling-place1 and this group of buildings soon came to be known as the 8,ker-,gunia ,fu10 8,ker-,gunia0 being 8,miss ,carl0 rendered into ,chinese1 and 8,fu0 meaning 8,palace10 for the ,chinese are very fond of nicknames4 ,i learned later that these pavilions had been the dwelling-place of the ,seventh ,prince's son1 the present ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu1 after he had been chosen as ,heir to the ,throne and until he went to live regularly at the ,imperial ,palace4 ,as ,her ,majesty gave me my morning sittings after the ,audience was finished 7which lasted from eight ,a4,m4 to ten or eleven71 ,i had plenty of time1 after my cup of tea1 to explore the grounds of our ,palace1 and ,i discovered new beauties each day4 ,the ,park was inclosed by high walls1 for the ,chinese are jealous of their privacy4 ,parts of the grounds were gently undulating1 and all the eminences1 where views could be had1 were surmounted by charming summer-houses and belvederes4 ,in one of these1 where ,i loved to go in the early morning to refresh myself by the contemplation of the calm and peaceful lake beneath1 and drink in the faint perfume of the stately lotus flowers1 which grew in rich profusion on its bosom1 ,i found an inscription on a large flat stone at the left of the entrance4 ,i had seen enough of ,chinese characters to know the inscription looked like a 8poem40 ,the ,chinese poem is rarely more than a phrase3 the expression1 in elegant and concise form1 of some dainty fancy1 some bit of philosophy1 and is more properly a 8verse0 than a poem4 ,i found1 later1 the inscription on the stone at the entrance of the summer-house was really a 8poem10 and had been written by no less a personage than the ,seventh ,prince himself6 ,this had been his favorite place for rest and contemplation1 and one day1 as he reclined upon a cushion at the entrance1 he had written this poem on the flat stone which lay conveniently near4 ,the ,chinese write with a brush well charged with liquid ,india ink1 and their writing accommodates itself to almost any surface4 ,their characters1 one for each word1 take up less space than our combination of letters1 and are infinitely more picturesque6 ,chinese gentlemen1 or some attendant1 generally carry about with them tablets of writing-ink and a brush1 and they thus have the means at hand for jotting down a thought as it comes to them4 ,this little poem had been written with a brush1 and some of the ,prince's followers had afterward cut the characters in the stone1 so that it became a permanent record of a fleeting thought4 ,it had evidently been inspired by the lotus flowers growing beneath2 so gloriously beautiful to-day1 and to-morrow shorn of their splendor4 ,it was a plaint on the transience of worldly glory-- 444 ,which to-day1 like the lotus fair1 ,lifts its head in pride2 ,but to-morrow lies low1 ,bathed in the stagnant waters of oblivion4 ,one day ,i came upon a number of small tombstones1 in a beautiful shady corner1 near the stables4 ,i learned that these marked the last resting-places of the ,prince's favorite dogs and horses4 ,each stone had an inscription with the name1 and extolled the virtues of the favorite1 whose bones lay beneath it4 ,the ,prince was a great lover of animals1 and is said to have had the best kennels and stables of any of the ,imperial ,princes4 ,in my morning rambles1 ,i also often came upon stones engraved with some character or a phrase from the classics4 ,the ideographic ,chinese characters1 always picturesque1 are doubly so when deeply engraved1 or standing out in high relief on some rugged stone in a charming spot in the landscape4 ,the picturesque form of the characters is sometimes heightened by being painted in vermilion or gilded2 and the glowing color makes a delightful contrast with the cool gray of the stone4 ,even though ,i could not decipher the characters1 nor read the phrases1 ,i loved to come upon them in my morning walks4 ,how much more interesting they must have been to the scholarly ,chinese who understood them6 ,how fine1 when out for rest and contemplation1 to come upon some thought of their great ,sages cut in the living rock1 or to see some character meaning 8,peace0 or 8,prosperity0 standing out1 in bold relief or glowing color1 from some shady nook1 as if to bless him6 ,from another of the summer-houses in the ,park ,i could see the stone-paved highway leading from the ,capital to the ,summer ,palace4 ,during ,their ,majesties' residence at the ,summer ,palace1 this is a busy thoroughfare4 ,when ,i did not care for peaceful contemplation or quiet rambles over the grounds1 ,i would go to this summer-house1 whence ,i could see the carts and 8chairs0 of the officials1 with their outriders1 going to and from the ,palace2 messengers galloping past1 bearing despatches2 all sorts of itinerant venders1 with their wares2 heavily laden wagons1 with small yellow banners flying1 which showed they carried supplies to the ,palace4 ,sometimes a group of horsemen would dash gaily past1 the retainers of some splendidly attired young ,prince1 who rode in their midst on a red-saddled1 handsomely caparisoned horse with silver trappings4 ,anon1 the cumbersome1 red1 fringe-bedecked cart of some ,princess1 preceded and followed by from fifteen to thirty outriders1 according to her rank in the ,princely hierarchy1 the black carts of her women bringing up the rear4 ,one can tell the rank of the ,chinese from the outsides of their chairs or carts4 ,only a reigning ,emperor and ,empress can go abroad in yellow chairs4 ,the ,emperor's secondary wives ride in orange-colored chairs4 ,the relicts of an ,emperor1 first or secondary1 go in yellow or orange-colored carts4 ,princesses go abroad in red carts4 ,mandarins of the first and second degrees ride in green chairs2 those of the third and fourth in blue chairs2 and there is still another shape and style of chair for the ordinary individual1 who may prefer a chair to a cart4 ,the rank and file go in carts4 ,these carts1 peculiar to ,peking1 curious two-wheeled vehicles with heavy1 iron-studded wheels1 are uniformly covered in blue cloth4 ,the wealth and standing of their occupants are discernible from the quality of the cloth and its trimmings1 and the richness of the harness and trappings of the mule which is always used in the ,peking carts4 ,the mule in ,north ,china is a magnificent animal1 much finer than the ,chinese horse1 which is only a pony4 ,the ,seventh ,prince 7,prince ,ch'un7 must have been a most interesting personality4 ,he was brother to the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng1 the husband of the present ,empress ,dowager2 and his wife1 the mother of the present ,emperor1 was ,her ,majesty's sister4 ,this ,prince was a valued friend of the two ,empresses1 the present ,empress ,dowager and ,she of the ,eastern ,palace1 while they were ,co-,regents during the minority of the late and a part of that of the present ,emperor1 and he remained1 up to the time of his death1 one of the most trusted advisers of the ,regency4 ,he was recognized by foreigners1 as well as by the ,chinese1 to be an enlightened ,prince as well as a man of fine character4 ,the esteem in which he was held may have had something to do with the choice of his second son as the ,successor of the late ,emperor ,tung-,chih1 who died childless4 ,the ,chinese ,emperors and their ,council may choose the ,successor to the ,throne4 ,if there be but one son1 he is chosen as the next ,heir2 if there be a number1 a selection may be made from them of the one seeming to be most suited for the exalted position4 ,if there be no sons1 the ,successor is chosen from the nephews without reference to their age or to their being the sons of an elder or younger brother4 ,the present ,emperor's ,father1 ,prince ,ch'un1 was the seventh brother of the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng1 hence his ,chinese name of 8,seventh ,prince40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,throne-,,room--,,some ,,personal ,,characteristics ,we arrived at the ,palace in good time the next morning1 as ,her ,majesty and suite were coming out of the ,great ,audience ,hall4 ,she greeted us with a charming smile and made her usual inquiry for my health4 ,we joined her suite and went along to the ,throne-room where the portrait had been begun4 ,this ,throne-room is a very spacious and lofty hall2 one side of the great room is almost entirely of glass1 with only the wooden columns that support the roof between the windows--the lower half of plate-glass1 the upper of lattice-work with ,corean paper as shades4 ,in the center of this side of windows is a huge plate-glass door1 reaching from ceiling to floor4 ,the other three sides of the hall1 which separate it from the apartments at the side and back1 are of the same beautiful1 open woodwork carving ,i have mentioned as serving as partitions in my pavilion4 ,those in ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room were1 however1 of greater delicacy of workmanship and were more beautiful as to the painted panels4 ,the poems1 written on white silk1 and alternating with the painted panels1 were from ,her ,majesty's favorite authors1 original poems written by an ,emperor or ,empress1 or laudatory verses dedicated to ,her ,majesty4 ,there were satin portires at the doorways1 and blue silk curtains over the plate-glass windows4 ,blue1 being the ,empress ,dowager's favorite color1 is used for all the hangings in the ,palaces which are not intended for official purposes2 where yellow is the color4 ,on the right of the ,throne-room is a small chapel with an altar1 over which presides a figure of the contemplative ,buddha seated on the lotus4 ,this altar was always sweet with offerings of fresh flowers and fruit4 ,in front of the figure of ,buddha stood the incense-burner1 with perfumes constantly burning4 ,on the left of the ,throne-room are ,her ,majesty's sleeping apartments1 and behind the open-work partition at the back of the hall is a large ante-chamber where the attendants and ,ladies await their turn to make their entrance into the ,throne-room4 ,in the rear of the hall is a magnificent five-leaved screen of teakwood1 inlaid with lapis lazuli1 chalcedony1 and many other semi-precious stones4 ,in front of this screen1 on a dais1 stood an immense1 couch-like throne1 with a large footstool4 ,these couch-like thrones1 where ,their ,celestial ,majesties may recline when holding ,audiences1 are not at all favored by the ,empress ,dowager1 who always sits extremely erect1 without leaning upon a cushion or the back of the throne4 ,except in the ,great ,audience ,hall1 where she uses the traditional throne of state of the ,dynasty1 she prefers a much lighter and quite modern one1 which she has introduced into the ,palaces4 ,the thrones favored by ,her ,majesty are of open carved teakwood1 circular in form1 with cushions of ,imperial yellow4 ,one of these stood in the front part of this hall1 on which she sat for the portrait4 ,the great throne1 which ,i have described above1 was hence relegated to the back of the ,throne-room and kept for the sake of tradition1 but never used by ,her ,majesty4 ,on either side of it stood two immense1 processional fans of peafowl feathers1 with ebony handles placed in magnificent cloisonn supports4 ,superb cloisonn vases stood at either side of these ceremonial fans2 and huge bowls of rare old porcelain held pyramids of fruits--apples1 sweet-smelling quince1 and the highly perfumed 8,buddha's hand40 ,and there were flowers everywhere6 ,it was the season of the year when bloomed a sort of orchid1 of delicious fragrance1 of which ,her ,majesty is very fond4 ,these were growing in rare porcelain jardinires1 placed at intervals around the hall4 ,there were also vases of lotus flowers and bowls of lilies4 ,the combined odors of all these fruits and flowers gave a subtle1 composite perfume quite indescribable and delightful1 but not at all overpowering1 for the ,empress ,dowager is so fond of fresh air that there are always windows open in the ,palace1 even in the coldest weather4 ,aside from the fruits and flowers1 clocks were the dominant feature of this ,throne-room1 as well as of every other one ,i ever went into in any of the ,chinese ,palaces4 ,the love of the ,chinese for clocks and timepieces is well known1 and there are thousands in each of the ,palaces ,i visited4 ,in this ,throne-room there were1 as ,i have said before1 eighty-five3 magnificent jeweled and gold clocks1 and specimens of all the varieties that were ever made2 some with chimes2 some with crowing cocks and singing-birds2 some with running water2 some with musical-box attachments1 and others with processions of figures that came out at every hour and moved around the dial2 some rare works of art and some commonplace examples of the clockmaker's trade4 ,there are many foreign ornaments in the ,palace1 but1 aside from the clocks and watches1 ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager does not seem to care much for ,european 8objets de virtu40 ,unfortunately1 what they have at the ,palaces1 aside from a few presents from ,european sovereigns1 are generally very poor specimens of ,european art1 and compare but lamentably with the beautiful ,chinese curios4 ,they are principally cheap modern stuff1 bought by the ,chinese nobles when abroad and sent as presents to ,their ,majesties4 ,these presents1 when they are accepted1 are placed in apartments of the ,palace not in general use4 ,when ,her ,majesty had her official garments removed 7she always changed her dress after the morning ,audience71 and when the portrait had been placed upon the easel1 she came over to look at it4 ,after studying it for some time1 she concluded that the nail-protectors on both hands were not artistic1 and that she would have the gold ones 7set with pearls and rubies7 taken off1 and show the uncovered nails on the right hand4 ,i was delighted at this decision1 for the nail-protectors destroyed the symmetry of the hand and hid the beautiful tips of her fingers4 ,i had1 of course1 not presumed to make any suggestions as to her costume or ornaments4 ,as the nail-shields are characteristic of the high-class ,chinese ladies1 it was well to have them on one hand4 ,after this change had been decided upon1 she went over to a great vase1 standing near1 and took from it a lotus flower1 held it up1 in a charmingly graceful way1 and asked me if that would not be pretty in the portrait1 adding that the lotus was one of her attributes4 ,as the color did not harmonize with the general scheme1 ,i did not care for this suggestion1 but temporized by saying 8,i was not ready to put it in then40 ,after a little more than an hour's work1 with the usual interruptions1 she decided that enough had been done for that morning4 ,when ,i suggested that ,i might work even after ,her ,majesty was tired1 she said 8,no10 that if she were tired sitting still1 ,i could not fail to be more so doing the work and standing as ,i did4 ,she said there was no hurry1 that ,i had plenty of time to finish the picture1 and must not run the risk of making myself ill4 ,after a short sitting in the afternoon ,her ,majesty ordered the boats1 and we went out to the marble terrace1 beneath which lay moored the ,palace fleet1 manned by blue-gowned oarsmen4 ,we again took the ,imperial barge1 the ,empress ,dowager in the center1 on her yellow chair1 the young ,empress and ,princesses sitting around1 ,turkish fashion1 on cushions4 ,the barge1 drawn along by the two great boats1 glided as gently as a swan over the still waters of the lake4 ,the air was soft and balmy4 ,two of the eunuchs were ordered to sing1 and the minor chords of a curious air mingled their rhythm with the soft swish of the water4 ,beyond us lay the hills1 the beautiful ,western ,hills1 unchanging in form1 but ever varying in color--sometimes blurred and gray1 or a soft1 warm violet2 again a clear1 deep blue1 as if hewn out of lapis lazuli1 and now and then1 as a cloud passed over the sun1 dark and threatening almost4 ,i drank in deep breaths of delight6 ,the quaint picturesqueness of the marble-terraced banks1 the summer-houses1 the green and yellow-tiled roofs1 the vermilion walls and lacquered columns of the buildings1 the curious fleet silently moving along1 the eunuchs singing1 the ,empress ,dowager sitting in state surrounded by her ,ladies1 the camel-back bridges--everything was strange1 and1 stranger still1 ,i formed a part of this curious pageant6 ,only the beautiful hills beyond seemed familiar4 ,after drifting about for some time1 we landed and went into the orchards and among the apple trees4 ,the apple is a favorite fruit of the ,chinese1 and esteemed as much for its fragrance as its taste4 ,it is emblematic of ,peace and ,prosperity1 and is always placed among the offerings to ,buddha1 hence has also a sacred quality2 but1 though beautiful in form and color1 the ,chinese apple has very little taste1 and the least savor of any of their fruits4 ,her ,majesty walked about among the trees and ordered several apples gathered1 which she ate with greater relish than ,i could1 for she graciously offered me one1 and then told me to pull some for myself4 ,a eunuch brought a basket and took them as ,i gathered them1 and she told me to have them taken to my own apartments4 ,from the orchard she continued her walk to the flower gardens1 where she picked some small blooms and placed them behind her ears1 ,spanish fashion1 telling the ,ladies to do likewise1 and herself choosing some for me and placing them over my ears4 ,i knew these little marks of favor she showed me were not due so much to regard for me as to her desire to make the 8stranger0 feel at home4 ,she hoped by showing me these special favors to insure a similar treatment of me by the ,ladies and eunuchs4 ,i have already alluded to ,her ,majesty's love of flowers4 ,this was the one of her characteristics which seemed most incompatible with the idea ,i had formed of her from what ,i had heard1 and her love of flowers and all nature caused me first to change that idea4 ,it seemed to me no one could love flowers and nature as she did and be the woman she had been painted4 ,she had flowers always about her4 ,her private apartments1 her ,throne-rooms1 her loge at the ,theater1 even the ,great ,audience ,hall where she only went to transact affairs of state and hold official ,audiences1 all were decorated with a profusion of flowers1 cut and growing--never1 though1 of but one kind at a time4 ,she wears natural flowers in her coiffure always1 winter and summer1 and however careworn or harassed she might be1 she seemed to find solace in flowers6 ,she would hold a flower to her face1 drink in its fragrance and caress it as if it were a sentient thing4 ,she would go herself among the flowers that filled her rooms1 and place1 with lingering touch1 some fair bloom in a better light or turn a jardinire so that the growing plant might have a more favorable position4 ,illustration3 ,,princesses ,,of ,,the ,,court ,,the ,,princess ,,imperial1 ,,first ,,lady ,,of ,,the ,,court ,a ,,princess ,,in ,,winter ,,costume--,a ,,princess ,,in ,,summer ,,costume ,the ,chinese do not place certain cut flowers in water1 but keep them dry in bowls or vases1 to get their full fragrance4 ,the ,empress ,dowager had some quaint conceits about the arrangements of these4 ,she would have the corollas of the lily bloom or the fragrant jasmine placed in shallow bowls in curious1 star-like designs1 beautiful to look at1 as well as most fragrant4 ,her passion for flowers being generally known among the courtiers1 ,princes1 and high officials1 they send daily offerings to the ,palace of all that is rare and choice in the way of plants and flowers1 for they know this is one present ,her ,majesty will always accept and appreciate4 ,there are some quaint customs in the ,palace1 as to flowers and fruits that grow within the ,precincts4 ,though the ,princesses and ,ladies have the freedom of the gardens and may pull as many flowers and cull as many fruits as they wish1 it is not etiquette for them to gather the smallest flower or to touch a fruit when in the presence of the ,empress ,dowager1 unless they are especially told to do so4 ,when ,her ,majesty tells them to pull a flower or fruit1 the permission is gratefully accepted and that special flower or fruit religiously kept4 ,the first fruits of every tree and vegetable1 the first flowers of every plant and growing shrub in the ,palace grounds1 are considered sacred to ,their ,majesties1 and no ,princess1 attendant1 or eunuch would touch a flower or fruit until the ,empress ,dowager had been presented with the first of them4 ,all these1 apparently trivial1 marks of respect to the ,sacred ,persons of ,their ,majesties were religiously observed6 ,,chapter ,v ,,the ,,young ,,empress ,,and ,,ladies ,,of ,,the ,,court ,the young ,empress1 the first ,lady of the ,court after ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager1 was1 to me1 a charming character4 ,she is the daughter of the ,duke ,chow1 ,general of one of the ,manchu ,banner ,corps and a brother of the reigning ,empress ,dowager4 ,she is thus a first cousin of the ,emperor1 and is his senior by three years4 ,her mother1 a lady of high birth1 ancient lineage1 and great distinction1 brought her up with much care4 ,she also had the advantage of being a great deal at the ,court with her august ,aunt1 and is highly accomplished1 according to ,chinese standards4 ,she was affianced at an early age to the ,emperor1 but1 as the custom is1 their marriage did not take place for several years later4 ,it was celebrated with great pomp at the ,winter ,palace in ,february1 #ahhi1 the week before the young ,emperor himself took in hand the reins of ,government1 held1 up to that time1 by the ,empress ,dowager1 and became ,emperor in reality4 ,the young ,empress has the erect carriage and light1 swift walk of ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager4 ,she is small1 not quite five feet tall1 with exquisitely dainty hands and feet1 of most patrician type4 ,she has a narrow1 high-bred face1 with a thin1 high nose4 ,her eyes are more of the ,chinese type1 as we conceive it1 than either the ,emperor's or ,empress ,dowager's4 ,her chin is long and of the type generally called strong4 ,her mouth is large and extremely sensitive4 ,her eyes have so kindly a look1 her face shines with so sweet an expression1 criticism is disarmed and she seems beautiful4 ,she has a sweet dignity1 charming manners1 and a lovable nature1 but there is sometimes a look in her eyes of patient resignation that is almost pathetic4 ,i should not say she possessed any great executive ability1 though full of tact1 but while ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager was in retirement and she was the first ,lady at ,court1 she is said to have shown great capability in her conduct of affairs4 ,her dignity1 perfect breeding1 and natural kindness of heart would insure this4 ,the next ,lady1 after the young ,empress1 is the only secondary wife of the ,emperor4 ,she is said to have been extremely beautiful at the time she was chosen as his second wife by the ,empress ,dowager4 ,she belongs to an excellent family1 being the daughter of a ,viceroy1 but though only twenty-eight years old when ,i knew her1 she was already very stout1 and there were few remains visible of great beauty4 ,she has very large1 full-orbed1 brown eyes1 and still has a beautifully clear complexion1 but her nose is flat1 her mouth large and weak2 the contour of her face is marred by layers of flesh1 her forehead does not indicate much intelligence1 and she has very little distinction in appearance4 ,she seems good-natured1 but is neither very clever nor tactful4 ,she is not a favorite among the ,ladies generally1 and is not nearly so interesting1 in any way1 as the young ,empress4 ,she is1 however1 treated with the most kindly consideration by the young ,empress and has precedence over all the other ,ladies1 and her position at ,court is second only to that of the young ,empress4 ,whenever ,i mention the young ,empress1 it may be understood that the secondary wife followed immediately after her1 coming before the ,princesses or any other of the ,ladies forming the ,court of ,her ,majesty4 ,i have often seen allusions made to the 8,imperial ,harem02 there is no such thing as an ,imperial ,harem at the ,court of ,his ,majesty the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu4 ,he has only these two wives4 ,her ,majesty's ,ladies-in-waiting are principally ,princesses of the ,blood or the widows of ,imperial ,princes4 ,her first ,lady1 ,sih-,gerga 7,fourth ,princess71 daughter of ,prince ,ching1 the ,prime ,minister1 is a widow of twenty-four4 ,she married1 at the age of sixteen1 a son of a high ,manchu official1 ,viceroy of ,tientsin1 and was left a widow a few months later4 ,she is a beautiful young woman1 with face a perfect oval1 large brown eyes1 and a clear1 magnolia-leaf complexion of exquisite texture4 ,she would be called beautiful1 judged by any standard4 ,she has no children of her own1 but1 like most ladies of position who are widows or childless1 has an adopted son4 ,adopted children in ,china are much closer relationships than is a child1 by adoption1 with us4 ,in many instances their own parents are still living when they are adopted1 and even these parents speak of their child as the son of the adopted mother or parents1 and bow to her wishes in bringing up the child4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,young ,,empress ,,ye-,,ho-,,na-,,lah ,first ,wife of the ,emperor of ,china ,the next two ,ladies of the ,court are two ,duchesses--also widows4 ,widows in ,china never remarry1 or if they do1 they lose caste and reputation4 ,they are not sacrificed on the funeral pyres of their departed husbands1 as in ,india2 but a voluntary suicide on the part of a widow in ,china is still looked upon as a noble act4 ,a widow who remains faithful to the memory of her husband during a long life is rewarded by the greatest respect and consideration during her life1 and honored after death4 ,if a girl prefers to remain unmarried1 if a widow remains faithful to the memory of her husband1 she is honored after her death with much pomp and ceremony6 ,and great memorial arches are erected in her memory6 ,all over ,china1 one is constantly coming upon these arches to widows and virgins4 ,if the family is not sufficiently wealthy to raise these monuments themselves1 public subscriptions are taken1 all the relatives contribute1 and often the inhabitants of the village or the country where the heroine lived beg to be allowed to have their part in raising a monument to her memory4 ,these arches1 of stone or wood1 are elaborately carved1 sometimes with remarkable sculptures of fabulous animals1 flowers1 and thousands of birds of every kind 7these latter showing the immortality the soul has acquired74 ,across the entablature of the arch1 cut deep into the stone or wood1 and gilded or painted in glowing vermilion1 shines the name of the virgin or widow to whom it is erected1 and on the sides of the arch is inscribed an account of her virtuous acts4 ,a girl is sometimes affianced at the early age of from six to eight years1 and the affianced is from that time spoken of as her husband4 ,should he die before they marry1 which is never earlier than sixteen for the bride1 she is considered a 8widow10 and must henceforth live the life of a recluse4 ,she can never marry any one else4 ,she may adopt a son1 who will call her 8mother02 but she may never hope for the joys of family life of her own1 without calling down upon her head the obloquy of all whose respect she desires4 ,she wears deep mourning the first three years after his death1 and then second mourning2 and she can never again put on the festive red1 joyous green1 or any other color except blue or violet--second mourning4 ,the ,northern ,chinese and the ,manchu ladies use a great deal of paint and powder on their faces2 but a widow can never add one artificial iota to the rose of her cheek1 to the cherry of her lips1 or the lily of her brow4 ,she can nevermore use paint or powder4 ,in most instances the ,chinese ladies are but the prettier for this1 for they have beautiful skins1 and the use of powder and paint is carried to such an excess as to be quite unnatural4 ,there are only eight of ,her ,majesty's ,ladies who live always in the ,palace1 but this number is increased about four times on festive occasions4 ,the ,princess ,imperial1 the ,empress ,dowager's adopted daughter1 is the first of the ,princesses at ,court1 and1 when she comes to the ,palace1 ranks next to the ,empress and the secondary wife of the ,emperor4 ,one evening1 at dinner1 in the ,throne-room1 ,sih-,gerga undertook to tell me the relationships of the different ,princesses to each other and to the young ,empress4 ,incidentally1 this made them related to the ,emperor and the ,empress ,dowager1 but neither of ,their ,majesties' names was mentioned in this connection1 for such would have been a great piece of presumption1 amounting almost to sacrilege4 ,they might be related1 but no ,princess would dare mention such a thing4 ,it would be against all the laws of ,chinese proprieties4 ,i found1 after this explanation of ,sih-,gerga's1 that the ,ladies were all related by consanguinity or marriage to each other and to the young ,empress4 ,there are a number of tiring-women and maids in the ,palace who are called by outsiders 8slaves02 but they are not slaves1 or1 if they are so1 it is but for a time1 a space of ten years4 ,every spring1 the daughters of the lowest of the ,manchu families1 the ,seventh and ,eighth ,banners1 are brought into the ,palace to be chosen from1 by the ,empress and ,empress ,dowager1 for maids and tiring-women4 ,one day1 on going to the ,palace1 ,i saw a number of ordinary carts near one of the ,postern ,gates1 and ,i learned they had brought crowds of these girls of the families of the ,eighth ,banner4 ,they are first passed in review by the ,head ,eunuch1 and he selects from them1 those he thinks may please ,her ,majesty4 ,these pass before her1 and she tells the ,head ,eunuch which ones are to remain in the ,palace4 ,they are brought to the ,palace from the ages of ten to sixteen years4 ,they remain in service for ten years1 after which time they are allowed to return to their families2 and in case they have been satisfactory and pleased ,their ,majesties1 they are given a comfortable dot and are provided with a handsome marriage outfit1 which causes them to make much better marriages than they would otherwise do4 ,during their so-called ten years' slavery in the ,palace1 they live upon the fat of the land1 have beautiful clothes and many advantages4 ,they wear1 while in ,her ,majesty's service1 blue gowns1 with their hair plainly parted at the side and braided in a single long braid 7tied with red silk cords71 which hangs down the back4 ,they wear bunches of flowers over each ear4 ,the young ,empress and secondary wife1 as well as each of the ,princesses1 have their own maids and tiring-women1 who remain in the private quarters of these ,ladies4 ,besides these young maids1 there are in the ,palace a number of old women1 servants of ,her ,majesty1 who have been married and have children2 these overlook the younger women1 direct the work of the lower eunuchs1 and are in a position somewhat similar to housekeepers with us4 ,among these is a ,chinese woman who nursed ,her ,majesty through a long illness1 about twenty-five years since1 and saved her life by giving her mother's milk to drink4 ,her ,majesty1 who never forgets a favor1 has always kept this woman in the ,palace4 ,being a ,chinese1 she had bound feet4 ,her ,majesty1 who cannot bear to see them even1 had her feet unbound and carefully treated1 until now she can walk comfortably4 ,her ,majesty has educated the son1 who was an infant at the time of her illness1 and whose natural nourishment she partook of4 ,this young man is already a ,secretary in a good yamen 7,government ,office74 ,no ,chinese lady of position ever dresses herself or combs her own hair1 and she generally has three or four personal maids4 ,these are1 in many instances1 bought outright from their parents1 and might be considered really slaves2 but they are treated with great consideration and even friendliness by their mistresses1 and have in most instances a happy lot4 ,as these maids are bought when they and their mistresses are children1 they grow up together1 and though the maid never forgets the respect due her mistress1 they are on a much more friendly footing than mistress and maid could ever be in ,europe in such cases4 ,the first of a lady's maids stands behind her at table1 no matter how many servitors there may be2 goes out with her1 sits with her1 and sleeps either in her room or at her door1 and is almost her constant companion4 ,when the time comes for them to marry1 they are given a comfortable outfit by their mistresses1 and are cared for to the third and fourth generation2 but the children of the so-called slaves are free1 unless the mother or parents decide1 of their own free will1 to sell them1 as they have been sold1 to some good family4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,continuation ,,of ,,the ,,portrait--,,her ,,majesty',s ,,dogs ,i had daily morning sittings from ,her ,majesty for the portrait1 but always surrounded by the whole ,court1 with eunuchs coming and going4 ,the sittings were long enough1 for ,i had an hour in the morning and a half-hour in the afternoon with ,her ,majesty1 but she did not expect me to work except when she posed1 and this was not enough to make any headway on the picture1 as there was a great deal ,i might have done at other times4 ,though there was so much going and coming in the ,throne-room1 it was a great advantage working in ,her ,majesty's own 8milieu10 surrounded by her favorite furniture1 flowers1 and fruits4 ,this was some compensation2 but ,i saw1 if ,her ,majesty insisted upon my resting when she did--if ,i were allowed to work only in the ,throne-room and only when she posed--the work could not go on as it should4 ,sitting for her portrait seemed to be looked on somewhat in the light of an amusement by the ,empress ,dowager1 as a time for conversation and relaxation4 ,she put me many questions while she sat1 and ,i felt she was studying me as closely as ,i was studying her during that time4 ,my interest in the personality of this wonderful woman increased each day4 ,i loved to watch the extreme mobility of her countenance when she was at ease and was not invested in her official expression1 nor her ,buddha-like pose4 ,her voice was most musical1 with no indication of age in it4 ,her enunciation was clear1 and ,i loved to hear her talk4 ,though understanding but little of what she said1 the music of her voice1 the grace of her gesticulations1 and the charm of her smile made her conversation most delightful to watch and listen to4 ,i was delighted that ,her ,majesty seemed to like me1 and ,i appreciated her consideration in not wishing me to tire myself out with my work1 and her kind hospitality which desired to make me acquainted with the charms of the ,summer ,palace and which allowed me to participate in her promenades and the simple amusements of her ,ladies2 but ,i felt it was important to advance the work on the portrait as quickly as possible4 ,i knew that the 8favor of kings0 is uncertain1 and ,i feared ,her ,majesty might soon tire of this new departure1 of having her portrait painted6 ,i feared the openly expressed opposition of the ,chinese to a foreign lady being made a member of the ,court circle1 their superstition regarding the painting of a portrait of one of ,their ,majesties1 which was against all ,chinese tradition1 might any day put a stop to the work2 but1 notwithstanding my fears and my desire to work1 the days passed with little painting1 and this was the only flaw in my perfect enjoyment of the fairy-like days and the unique experiences through which ,i was passing4 ,the walks with ,her ,majesty had all the pomp and ceremony of the boat-rides--,her ,majesty's and the ,empress's yellow satin sedan chairs1 with their six bearers1 leading off1 followed by the red chairs of the ,princesses and ,ladies-in-waiting1 according to their rank1 with a rigorous adherence to precedence1 and attended by an army of eunuchs and chair-bearers1 etc4 ,no one ever knew what our destination was to be when we started out on these walks1 ,her ,majesty directing her chair-bearers as she was carried along1 and the others following this lead2 but we were always taken to some interesting spot1 where there was something quite worth seeing4 ,when ,her ,majesty's chair stopped1 all the others were immediately put down by the bearers1 and the ,ladies got out and went up to where the ,empress ,dowager's yellow camp-stool was placed4 ,she had excellent taste in the choice of stopping-places1 and the views were always picturesque4 ,she seemed to take great pleasure in showing off the charming points of view1 as well as the flowers1 grounds1 and buildings4 ,on one of our walks1 her dogs were brought out by their attendant eunuchs4 ,dogs are great favorites with all the ,chinese1 and especially with the ,empress ,dowager4 ,she has some magnificent specimens of ,pekingese pugs and of a sort of ,skye terrier4 ,the pugs are bred with great care and have reached a high state of perfection1 their spots being perfectly symmetrical and their hair beautifully long and silky1 and they are of wonderful intelligence4 ,the ,king ,charles spaniels are said to have been bred out of the first of these dogs ever carried to ,europe4 ,the ,empress ,dowager has dozens of these pets1 but she has favorites among them1 and two are privileged characters4 ,one of these is of the ,skye variety1 and is most intelligent and clever at tricks4 ,among other tricks1 he will lie as dead at ,her ,majesty's command1 and never move until she tells him to1 no matter how many others may speak to him4 ,her other favorite she loves for his beauty4 ,he is a splendid1 fawn-colored ,pekingese pug1 with large1 pale-brown1 liquid eyes4 ,he is devoted to her1 and she is very fond of him1 but as he was not easily taught1 even as a puppy1 she called him 8,shadza0 7fool74 ,her dogs all have most appropriate names1 given by herself4 ,they know ,her ,majesty's voice and will obey her slightest word4 ,the ,empress ,dowager does not care for the small sleeve-dog2 she hates the thought of their being stunted by being fed only on sweets and wines4 ,she says she cannot understand animals being deformed1 at man's pleasure4 ,the day we first met the dogs in the garden was the first time ,i had seen them4 ,they rushed up to ,her ,majesty1 not paying the slightest attention to any one else4 ,she patted their heads and caressed and spoke to her favorites4 ,after a while they seemed to notice that a stranger was present1 and they bounded over toward me4 ,some of them growled and showed other evidences of displeasure1 some seemed surprised almost to fear2 but as the instinct of a dog never deceives him as to who is his friend1 this was all soon changed to friendly greetings4 ,i bent down to caress them1 and forgot my surroundings1 in my pleasure at seeing and fondling these beautiful creatures4 ,i glanced up1 presently1 never dreaming ,her ,majesty had been paying any attention to me1 as ,i was standing at a little distance behind her1 and ,i saw on her face the first sign of displeasure ,i had noticed there4 ,it seems her dogs never noticed any one but herself1 and she appeared not to like her pets being so friendly with a stranger at first sight4 ,noticing this1 ,i immediately ceased fondling them1 and they were presently sent away4 ,it was but a momentary shadow that passed over her face1 and ,i quite understood the feeling4 ,one does not like to see one's pets too friendly with strangers1 and ,i had been tactless in trying to make friends with them at once4 ,a few days later1 on another of our walks1 some young puppies were brought to be shown the ,empress ,dowager4 ,she caressed the mother and examined critically the points of the puppies4 ,then she called me up to show them to me1 asking me which ,i liked best4 ,i tried not to evince too much interest in them this time1 but she called my attention to their fine points and insisted upon my taking each of them up4 ,she seemed to be ashamed of her slight displeasure of the day before1 and to wish to compensate for it4 ,the dogs at the ,palace are kept in a beautiful pavilion with marble floors4 ,they have silken cushions to sleep on1 and special eunuchs to attend them4 ,they are taken for daily outdoor exercise and given their baths with regularity4 ,there are hundreds of dogs in the ,palace1 the young ,empress1 the ,princesses and ,ladies1 and even the eunuchs1 having their own4 ,some of the eunuchs are great fanciers and breeders of them4 ,one of them still breeds the sleeve-dog4 ,her ,majesty's known dislike to these latter is probably the cause of fewer being bred in the ,palace now than formerly2 and the race is slowly dying out4 ,all the other dogs in the ,palace1 except ,her ,majesty's1 are kept in the apartments and courts of their owners1 and are not seen by her4 ,she dislikes cats very much1 but some of the eunuchs have very fine specimens of the felines4 ,they keep them1 however1 8sub rosa0 and within rigid bounds1 on no condition allowing them to come within ,her ,majesty's ken4 ,the pavilion at the ,summer ,palace where the ,empress ,dowager's dogs were kept was near her ,throne-room1 and also near the pavilion she had set aside for me4 ,when the ,court was taking its siesta1 ,i used to go out where the dogs were basking in the sun in their court and look at and play with these interesting little animals4 ,i was free to do as ,i pleased1 and no one but the dogs' guardian eunuchs saw me there4 ,among the younger set1 of these pampered pets1 was one that caught my fancy--one of those which had been brought for ,her ,majesty to look at in the garden4 ,he was a beautiful white-and-amber-colored ,pekingese pug4 ,he soon learned to know me and would come running to me when ,i crossed the threshold of the court4 ,not long after ,i had discovered where the dogs were kept and had been paying them my daily visits1 one night1 when we had finished dinner at ,her ,majesty's table1 one of her eunuchs brought in this very little dog and put it in my arms1 saying ,her ,majesty had presented it to me from her own kennel6 ,she had evidently learned of my visits to the dogs1 though none of the eunuchs around her person had seen me go there1 at least so ,i thought6 ,i was delighted to own this beautiful animal1 and when the ,empress ,dowager came into the ,throne-room from her own apartments1 ,i went up to her and kissed her hand and thanked her for it4 ,she seemed much pleased that ,i liked it1 and remarked that she had heard it was my favorite of her dogs1 that ,i was to call him 8,me-lah0 7,golden ,amber71 from the color of his spots4 ,her ,majesty and the ,princesses were all much amused at the way he followed me around1 not leaving my side for an instant1 nor paying any attention to their frequent efforts to attract his attention4 ,from that day1 he became my constant companion and faithful friend4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,,festivities ,,at ,,court ,preparations were now beginning at the ,palace for the celebration of ,his ,majesty the ,emperor's ,birthday4 ,this is not celebrated on the anniversary of the day he was born1 but two days earlier4 ,his ,majesty must make the ,autumnal ,sacrifices to his ,ancestors three days after the real date of his ,birthday1 and he must prepare himself for these sacrifices by a rigorous fast of three days4 ,as it would be impossible to accomplish the ceremonial prescribed for the ,imperial ,birthday while fasting1 the celebration of the ,birthday was advanced1 a special edict having been issued by the two ,empresses1 when ,co-,regents for the young ,emperor1 ordering the ,birthday celebrations to be advanced by two days1 for the date of the sacrifices could not be changed--the sacrifice to one's ,ancestors being the most sacred of obligations to the ,chinese1 and most rigidly and religiously observed4 ,even the ,chinese ,emperor's ,birthday is not celebrated for two years after the death of his predecessor1 so rigorous are the rules of respect to the dead and the rites accorded to one's ,ancestors in ,china4 ,i knew no painting could be done during these festivities1 and ,i expected to go back to the ,united ,states ,legation4 ,i never dreamed ,i should be invited to participate in this celebration1 hitherto unseen by any foreigner4 ,a week before the ,birthday itself1 when out for one of our walks with ,her ,majesty1 she called me up to her side and said the ,emperor's ,birthday was to be celebrated the next week1 and invited me to remain in the ,palace for these festivities4 ,i was1 of course1 overjoyed at this gracious mark of her favor1 and delighted to be able to see the ,oriental pomp and pageantry that accompanied these ceremonial celebrations in ,china4 ,there were to be magnificent theatrical performances1 splendid fireworks and decorations1 and all sorts of pageants4 ,the ,imperial company of actors had already begun rehearsing special poems and plays1 written to celebrate the occasion4 ,eunuchs were constantly bringing ,her ,majesty specimens of the work of the decorators and painters who were carrying out her designs as to special scenes and tableaux1 or coming to ask for further instructions4 ,the literati1 who were preparing the original poems1 sent in their manuscripts1 that she might judge of their merits and make suggestions4 ,she herself overlooked every detail1 and seemed most interested and anxious to have everything successful4 ,the festivities began four days before the ,birthday with gala performances at the ,theater4 ,each day the decorations of the buildings1 the courts1 and gardens increased in beauty4 ,in the principal courts1 magnificent bronzes1 all sorts of antique instruments of music1 used only on these great occasions1 were brought out as decorations2 for music forms part of every ceremonial1 official or religious1 in ,china4 ,among the curious instruments were splendid bronze frames1 with several superposed octaves of triangular musical-stones suspended therefrom2 elaborately carved supports for different-toned bells2 huge 8triangles02 immense bronze 8tam-tams10 curiously and beautifully wrought2 big drums on splendid bronze stands2 wonderfully chased bells2 and many other quaint instruments1 used only for official and state processions in honor of ,their ,celestial ,majesties4 ,the slanting and projecting1 upturned roofs of the different buildings forming the ,palaces were decorated with scarfs of vari-colored silk1 knotted into a curious sort of fringe of rosettes1 about two feet long2 yellow1 the ,imperial color1 and red1 the festive color1 predominating1 but other colors were introduced into the color-scheme to accentuate these4 ,the large ,square in front of the ,imperial gateway1 outside the ,precincts1 was filled with huge1 tent-like1 yellow satin umbrellas1 with deep curtains around the edge4 ,these umbrellas are used for all great festivities in ,china1 and are generally of red4 ,those for the ,emperor's ,birthday were1 of course1 of the ,imperial yellow1 and were richly embroidered with emblematic designs4 ,presents for the ,emperor were arriving daily from all parts of the ,great ,empire1 and though everything was directed by splendid system the commotion was nevertheless great4 ,finally1 there was the first gala performance at the ,theater4 ,her ,majesty occupied her loge nearly all day1 overlooking every detail1 sending now and then to the stage one of her eunuchs to transmit her ,imperial commands as to the speaking of certain lines or the using of certain postures4 ,on the day of this gala performance she invited all the ,ladies of the ,palace to lunch1 for the first time since ,i had been there1 in the court of the ,theater4 ,her ,majesty lunched in the ,imperial loge1 and then ordered our repast to be served in the court1 where tables were laid and served with all the pomp and ceremony that characterized the meals at the ,palace4 ,even this 8al-fresco0 entertainment was ceremonious4 ,most of the large courts of the ,summer ,palace have roofs of matting erected over them1 to keep out the sun4 ,these mat-roofs make1 of the flower-filled courts1 delightfully cool1 outdoor parlors4 ,the mat-sheds at the ,palace are almost works of art4 ,tall poles1 reaching from twenty to thirty feet above the roofs surrounding the courts to be protected from the sun1 are painted in festive designs1 and they support transversal beams1 also gaily painted4 ,over these roof-beams are stretched strips of the beautiful matting which the ,chinese excel in making4 ,matting-curtains drop from the roof of the sheds to a level with the ,palace roofs4 ,these side-curtains1 as well as huge sections of the matting-roof1 are movable1 and may be opened and raised by means of cords and pulleys attached to the supporting pillars4 ,the whole structure1 supporting pillars and transversal beams1 is tied together with ropes the same color of the beams1 and not a nail is used4 ,the mat-sheds are put up in ,june and taken down in ,september4 ,new ladies were arriving at the ,palace every day for a week before the ,birthday--members of the ,imperial ,family from a distance1 and the wives and daughters of ,manchu nobles who were of sufficient rank to present their congratulations in person4 ,the young ,empress never failed to introduce me to these ladies4 ,a foreigner in the ,chinese ,court is a much more extraordinary circumstance than a ,chinese at a ,european ,court would be1 and this was1 in most instances1 the first meeting of these ,princesses with any foreigner2 but they were uniformly courteous and even cordial1 never evincing the slightest curiosity as to my dress or my habits4 ,i doubted whether a ,chinese at a ,european ,court1 or at our ,white ,house1 would have been treated with the same consideration by all1 even to the servants4 ,the children1 of whom there were several at ,court at this time1 were as well-bred as their elders in their treatment of the 8foreign lady40 ,after our first lunch in the court of the ,theater1 when the theatrical performance of the day was finished and the actors had left1 ,i approached the stage of the ,theater and began examining1 with interest1 its construction and appointments4 ,the ,palace ,theater is raised about twelve feet from the ground1 and its main floor is on a level with the ,imperial loge4 ,the building consists of three stories and a cellar4 ,the latter is used for the few pieces of scenery of the scenic plays1 and is where the simple devices used for moving it are manipulated4 ,like the ,greek theater1 the stage is open on three sides2 and the actors come out and speak their parts1 their entrance being to the left and the exit to the right of the stage4 ,her ,majesty was within her loge while ,i was examining the construction of the ,theater2 but she evidently noticed my movements1 for the eunuchs soon threw open the great plate doors and she descended the steps of the ,imperial loge and came across the court to where ,i was standing4 ,she asked me if ,i would not like to go on the stage and look over the building and examine things thoroughly4 ,she added1 8,you probably may never have such a chance to see a good ,chinese theater again40 ,she1 herself1 went up the steps leading from the court to the stage1 and told me to follow her4 ,the stage is about twenty-five feet square1 is roofed over1 and projects into the court1 its three sides being open4 ,the fourth side has doors and curtains for the entrance and exit of the actors4 ,there are no actresses in ,china4 ,the men perform the parts of women1 and represent them with such success that ,i was much surprised when ,i learned there were no actresses4 ,at the back of the stage sit the musicians1 who accompany all the theatrical performances in ,china4 ,her ,majesty1 herself1 led the way across the stage and we went behind the scenes4 ,here1 ,i examined closely a number of 8,floats0 that were to be used1 in the procession in honor of the ,emperor1 on the day of the ,birthday4 ,these floats had all been designed by the ,empress ,dowager4 ,after we had looked at these1 she suggested that ,i had better see the upper floors4 ,these latter are not in general use in ,chinese theaters4 ,the theaters1 even at the other ,palaces1 have but one stage4 ,the steps which lead to the second stage1 and thence to the third stage1 are behind the scenes4 ,the two upper stages are used for spectacular plays and tableaux1 when certain of the players group themselves in pyramidal form on these superposed stages and speak their lines therefrom4 ,the upper stages have also trap-doors and pulleys for use in the spectacular plays4 ,her ,majesty went up1 herself1 to show me these stages4 ,she mounted the steep and difficult steps with as much ease and lightness as ,i did1 and ,i had on comfortable ,european shoes1 while she wears the six-inch-high ,manchu sole in the middle of her foot1 and must really walk as if on stilts4 ,neither the ,empress ,dowager nor any of the ,manchu ladies bind their feet2 that custom prevailed in ,china before the ,manchu conquest4 ,the ,manchus have adopted many of the manners and customs of the ,chinese1 but the ,manchu women have retained their own individuality2 and to-day1 after more than two hundred and fifty years in ,china1 they still wear their native costume1 entirely different from the ,chinese women4 ,they still dress their hair in the picturesque ,manchu fashion4 ,they not only have never bound their feet1 but they have as great a horror of it as ,europeans have4 ,manchu ladies are not bound by the same rigid social conventions as are the ,chinese women4 ,they are less circumscribed and have more individual freedom than any other ,oriental women4 ,in fact1 the ,manchu woman seems to be1 to other ,oriental women1 what the modern ,american woman is to her ,european sisters4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,,his ,,majesty ,,the ,,emperor ,,kwang-,,hsu ,the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu was barely eighteen years old when ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager1 ,regent of the ,empire1 handed over to him the reins of ,government1 admonishing him in a parting ,imperial ,decree to 8discipline his body1 develop his mind1 love his ,people1 and give unceasing attention to the administration of ,government10 which ,decree ,his ,majesty responded to in fitting terms1 by another ,decree1 begging 8,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager to continue to advise him in important affairs10 saying he 8would not dare to be indolent10 that only after prayer and sacrifice 8to ,heaven and ,earth and his ,ancestors would he ,himself begin to administer affairs of ,state on the #aeth day of the ,first moon of the #acth year of his ,reign06 ,he began to reign by our count the #beth day of ,february1 #ahhi1 under the appellation of 8,kwang-,hsu0 7,glorious ,succession74 ,the name under which an ,emperor of ,china reigns is not his own1 but one chosen for him1 and has generally some appropriate signification or some symbolic meaning4 ,his ,majesty ,kwang-,hsu is the twelfth ,emperor1 who has reigned over ,china1 of the ,dynasty of the 8,great ,purity10 as the ,manchu ,dynasty is called4#b ,his reign began at the age of five years1 under the ,co-,regency of the ,empress of the ,eastern and ,empress of the ,western ,palaces4 ,the former died in #ahha1 and from that time on ,her ,majesty1 the present ,empress ,dowager1 ruled alone as 8,regent40 ,his reign1 counting the years of the ,regency1 has already lasted thirty years1 the third in point of length of any of the ,emperors of the ,manchu ,dynasty4 #b ,confucius says 8,purity is the ,essence of ,heaven40 ,did the ,manchus call theirs the 8,dynasty of the ,great ,purity0 with a knowledge of ,confucian teaching1 that the descendants of the ,dynasty of the ,great ,purity 7,essence of ,heaven7 might become literally the 8,sons of ,heaven10 the appellation borne by the ,emperors of ,china8 ,his ,majesty the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu was nearing the completion of his thirty-second year when ,i was first presented to him4 ,i found him an interesting study1 but not to the degree of ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager1 who has charm and is so fascinating4 ,the ,emperor is singularly devoid of this quality of 8charm10 and has but little personal magnetism4 ,he interests one1 nevertheless4 ,her ,majesty is ,universal1 the ,emperor is typically ,oriental4 ,in person he is of slight and elegant figure1 not more than five feet four in height4 ,he has a well-shaped head1 with the intellectual qualities well developed1 a high brow1 with large brown eyes and rather drooping lids1 not at all ,chinese in form or setting4 ,his nose is high and1 like most members of the ,imperial ,family1 is of the so-called 8noble0 type4 ,a rather large mouth with thin lips1 the upper short with a proud curve1 the lower slightly protruding1 a clear-cut1 thin jaw1 a strong chin a little beyond the line of the forehead1 with not an ounce of superfluous flesh on the whole face1 give him an ascetic air and1 in spite of his rather delicate physique1 an appearance of great reserve strength4 ,his complexion is not so white and clear as that of the other members of the ,imperial ,family1 for the ,manchus have whiter skins than the ,chinese2 but this seems more the result of delicacy than natural with the ,emperor4 ,his luxuriant1 very long hair1 a characteristic of the ,manchus1 is beautifully silky and glossy and always arranged with the greatest care4 ,it is said he much dislikes being shaved1 but tradition1 immutable in ,china1 does not allow a man under forty1 even if he be the 8,son of ,heaven10 to wear a mustache or whiskers4 ,like all well-bred ,chinese1 he has small feet and hands1 the latter long and thin and most expressive4 ,the ,emperor dresses with extreme neatness and great simplicity1 wearing few ornaments and no jewels except on ,state occasions4 ,his face is kindly in expression1 but the glance from his rather heavy-lidded eyes is shrewd and intelligent4 ,his manner is shy and retiring1 but this does not seem to be so much from a lack of confidence in himself as from the absence of that magnetic quality1 which gives one an appearance of assurance4 ,he seemed to me the ideal of what one would imagine an ,oriental potentate to be1 whose title is the 8,son of ,heaven40 ,there is a ,sphinx-like quality to his smile4 ,in his eyes one sees the calm1 half-contemptuous outlook upon the world1 of the fatalist4 ,there is an abstractness in the subtilty of his regard1 an abstractness that embodies one's idea of the 8,spirit of the ,orient40 ,at first it is difficult to tell whether this comes from a sense of power or from a knowledge of the lack of it1 but that firm and fleshless jaw1 that ascetic face and keen eye1 show there must be reserve strength1 that there can be no lack of power1 should he wish to exert it4 ,over his whole face there is a look of self-repression1 which has almost reached a state of passivity4 ,does he dream of future greatness for the ,empire8 ,does he feel that though his first efforts at governing have failed1 he can bide his time--that all things will come to him who waits8 ,enigma1 difficult to divine6 ,but it almost seems so6 ,he appears to fully realize1 now1 that he made a mistake in the choice of his instruments and time1 in his efforts for ,progress4 ,but the look of eternal patience in the half-veiled regard of those large eyes seems to show that he will yet try to accomplish ,china's salvation--that he is but waiting his opportunity4 ,there is no evidence of the ,emperor's feeling any animosity toward the ,empress ,dowager4 ,their relations1 though rigidly formal1 as is necessary from their exalted positions1 seem to be most friendly4 ,if there is any feeling on his part as to the check his ,government received by the 8coup d'tat0 of #ahih1 he does not seem to feel that ,her ,majesty is responsible for it4 ,it was not she who put a momentary stop to his dreams of ,progress4 ,it was ,chinese conservatism1 a coalition of powerful ministers who put up the barriers of the 8coup d'tat0 before him when ,his ,majesty thought to drive on to ,progress4 ,the ,empress ,dowager returned from her retirement and took up the reins of ,government again1 at the earnest prayers of the wisest ,statesmen of ,china4 ,she was persuaded by them1 and she also believed1 that the ,emperor was driving the ,chariot of ,state too fast over the difficult and ill-kept roads of traditional ,chinese routine4 ,she felt that ,his ,majesty1 as well as the state1 would soon be dashed to pieces if he continued as he was then going4 ,it seems as if the ,emperor realizes it all now4 ,his unfathomable eye hides an infinity of possibilities1 perchance a world of events4 ,is he quietly studying how to seize opportunity1 when it next passes1 and leap upon its back and lash it on to ,progress or to--,ruin8 ,he would meet either with that same stoical1 ,sphinx-like smile1 ,i feel confident4 ,he seems1 now1 to give but little advice4 ,he holds ,audiences1 however1 and sees many of the officials alone4 ,he issues edicts independent of ,her ,majesty2 but on all grave affairs1 and at the meeting of the ,grand ,council1 ,her ,majesty is always present1 and the decisions are the results of their two opinions4 ,when despatches were brought into ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room when the ,emperor was present1 they were first handed to her1 and1 after glancing them over1 she would give them to him4 ,he1 after carefully reading them1 handed them back to her with rarely a comment4 ,one could see1 though1 that this was not from ignorance of the subject1 but that he trusted1 for the time being1 to ,her ,majesty's greater experience4 ,though the ,emperor does not seem to feel that the time has come for him to act1 he studies every event with the closest attention1 and is well informed upon every subject connected with the welfare of the state4 ,as long as the ,empress ,dowager sits upon the throne with him1 ,i think he will not try to make any of his ideas paramount to hers4 ,he knows that she also wishes ,progress for ,china1 and that her methods1 more conservative and necessarily slower than his1 may1 in the end1 accomplish just as good results4 ,he seems to trust her thoroughly1 and to be willing to have her take the lead4 ,he knows1 and the world will soon see1 that ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager is also vowed to ,progress for ,china2 that she is not anti-progressive1 nor against reform1 now that she feels the time has come for ,progress and ,reform4 ,her late edicts show this4 ,whether the remodeling of ,china's laws1 which will bring her into line with the ,great ,nations of to-day1 will come during the ,emperor's life2 whether his power of waiting and his patience may enable him to reach the time when accomplishment shall crown his efforts1 who can tell6 ,in the meantime1 he fulfils his duties as ,official ,head of the ,empire1 rigidly observing all public and private ceremonies incumbent upon him as ,emperor4 ,the ,emperor occupies a ,palace fronting on the ,great ,lake as elegant and luxurious as ,her ,majesty's4 ,he has his own eunuchs and attendants1 and leads his own life1 quite independent of ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies4 ,he pays his respects to his 8august aunt and adopted mother0 every morning before the ,audience1 and they go together to transact affairs of state1 after which he returns to his own ,palace and follows his own pursuits4 ,on festivals1 when the ,theater is going1 he comes into the ,imperial loge during the representations1 and1 on these days1 joins the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies in their walks around the gardens or in boating on the lake4 ,he also dines with ,her ,majesty on these occasions4 ,he does not seem to care as much for the ,theater as she does1 nor to follow it with so much interest4 ,he often leaves the ,imperial loge in the middle of a play1 and goes to his own ,theater ,throne-room1 just behind the great ,imperial loge1 where he passes the time in reading or smoking1 which he never does in the presence of ,her ,majesty4 ,he occupies himself daily with his studies1 among which is ,english4 ,he is a great reader4 ,there is a special official1 at the ,palace1 who buys ,his ,majesty's books1 and they say this is no sinecure1 as he does not devote himself only to ,chinese literature and the classics1 but devours translations of foreign works and is constantly calling for new ones4 ,they say he always reads a book a day1 besides attending to his other duties4 ,he is passionately fond of music1 plays on a number of ,chinese instruments1 and has even tried the piano4 ,he has a good ear for music1 and can pick out any air he has heard upon any instrument at his disposal4 ,he is very clever1 also1 in a mechanical way1 and can take to pieces and put together a clock1 with fair success4 ,he has been known1 however1 to fail in getting the very complicated mechanism of some of the ,palace clocks properly together again4 ,the ,empress ,dowager is constantly fearing that ,his ,majesty will take some of her favorite clocks to pieces and not be able to put them into working order again2 and he will not allow any one else to finish what he has begun4 ,he is a very early riser1 often getting up as early as two ,a4,m4 ,when there was some ceremony in ,peking or some sacrifice to his ,ancestors1 he would go the sixteen miles1 perform the ceremony or sacrifice and return in time for the ,audience at eight o'clock1 and it takes two hours and a half for the ,emperor's swift runners to carry him the sixteen miles between the ,summer ,palace and ,peking4 ,he does not seem to care for young associates1 either men or women1 though he is very fond of children4 ,he had but few favorites in the ,palace1 and quite ignored the pretty young girls and women of ,her ,majesty's 8entourage40 ,he seems to have great respect for cleverness4 ,there are certain distinctions made with reference to ,her ,majesty and the ,emperor1 which are rather curious4 ,her ,majesty1 being his ,ancestress1 is first in everything4 ,she sits upon the ,throne in the ,great ,audience ,hall1 while ,his ,majesty sits on a stool at her left4 ,he walks beside her chair when they go out1 and stands in her presence1 but when they dine together he sits in the place of honor at the end of the table4 ,when ,her ,majesty dines alone1 her chop-sticks and spoons1 as well as the covers of her yellow porcelain dishes1 are of silver4 ,when ,their ,majesties dine together1 the covers of the dishes are of gold1 and ,his ,majesty's chop-sticks and spoons are also of gold4 ,i never knew what kind of covers or chop-sticks were used when the ,emperor dined alone2 for this was always in his own ,palace1 and ,i never saw his ,palace except from the outside4 ,it was not considered good taste1 nor according to the 8,proprieties10 even to look that way when the ,ladies happened to pass it in their promenades4 ,when ,his ,majesty walked in the grounds with only his own attendants1 without being in the train of the ,empress ,dowager1 his walks were in parts of the grounds not frequented by the ,ladies4 ,on ,festival days1 when he went out in the ,imperial barge1 or walked with ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies1 as he sometimes did1 he went through these promenades with his usual courteous demeanor1 but he did not seem to enjoy them1 and when they were finished he would return with his own attendants to his own ,palace4 ,he assisted ,her ,majesty when she was entertaining the ,foreign ,representatives1 but one1 who knew him1 could plainly see that he was bored by these ,audiences4 ,he would slip away at the first opportunity1 not because he objected to the foreigners1 but that these state functions were not to his taste4 ,her ,majesty would have preferred him to do his share in the entertainment of the ,foreign ,representatives and be more 8en vidence40 ,though never out of temper or disagreeable on these occasions1 and while he seemed to wish to do his duty1 he seemed anxious to get them over4 ,whether from shyness or dislike at the functions1 ,i could not tell4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,,the ,,emperor',s ,,birthday ,we went to the ,palace early the day of ,his ,majesty's ,birthday1 and were in the ,empress ,dowager's ,throne-room at six o'clock in the morning2 but long before that time1 the outer court was filled with the red and yellow chairs and carts of the visiting members of the ,imperial ,family1 who had come in from ,peking and from the neighboring ,palaces for the day4 ,the high eunuchs were in gala costume1 wearing silken gowns of great beauty1 embroidered in the ,double ,dragon4 ,the eunuchs of lower rank were more simply gowned1 as the representation of the ,double ,dragon on the ,court gown is only allowed to those of a certain rank4 ,our chair-bearers were clad in the festive red1 with brocaded figures1 representing the characters for ,longevity4 ,we passed through the beautifully decorated courts1 past the gaily decked ,palaces to the ,throne-room of ,her ,majesty1 where the ,emperor had come to receive the private congratulations of the ,princesses of the blood and the ,ladies of the ,court4 ,it would have been against the laws of ,chinese etiquette for these ,ladies to go into the ,emperor's ,palace to congratulate him1 even on such an occasion as his ,birthday4 ,when we entered the ,throne-room1 the ,emperor was seated1 or rather1 reclining upon a lounge in the most informal manner4 ,he was not averse1 as was ,her ,majesty1 to the reclining position when on the ,throne4 ,his greater ,orientalism was evidenced here1 for the ,oriental proverb says1 8',tis better to be sitting than standing1 to be lying than sitting10 etc4 ,he sat up a little straighter on our entrance1 and the ,ladies made the formal ,chinese bow1 which he returned by a friendly nod and kindly smile4 ,i made the ,european reverence as usual4 ,his ,majesty was dressed a little more elaborately than usual1 in a yellow gown1 tightly belted in around his slender waist with a handsome belt buckle of jade4 ,at this morning salutation by the ,ladies of his family1 his hat lay beside him on the couch1 which showed it was unceremonious1 for ceremonies are carried on by the ,emperor and all ,chinese with their hats on4 ,the great ,imperial ,pearl1 one of the most precious of the ,imperial jewels1 formed the button of his hat on his ,birthday4 ,the seven official ranks of ,mandarins are shown by the different colors of the buttons worn on their hats4 ,the color of these buttons denotes the rank acquired by their wearers1 those of the ,manchu ,princes1 alone1 being hereditary4 ,the buttons of these latter are generally of jewels or semi-precious stones4 ,the ,emperor1 the most simply dressed man ,i saw in ,china1 wears1 as a rule1 a plain red silk button1 but the ,pearl1 which can only be worn by a reigning ,emperor1 is used on state occasions4 ,after we had greeted ,his ,majesty1 we moved further into the ,throne-room to await the 8lever0 of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,when she came out of her sleeping apartments1 the ,ladies fell upon their knees and simultaneously repeated the words of greeting used every morning to ,her ,majesty1 8,lao-,tzu-,tzung ,chee-,siang0 7,great ,ancestress1 be happy74 ,after acknowledging their salutations1 she advanced and held out her hand to me1 and ,i took it and1 as was now my custom1 raised the tips of her fingers to my lips4 ,i1 of course1 never made any but a ,european salutation to either ,her ,majesty or the ,emperor4 ,she was very gracious and said ,i would be the first foreigner who had ever seen the birthday celebration of any of the ,sons of ,heaven1 and she hoped ,i would enjoy it6 ,she then commented on my dress and ornaments1 examining the few jewels ,i wore4 ,after this she turned to the ,ladies and1 with a quick glance1 took in all the details of their ,court costumes1 calling their attention to the way their official beads hung and signaling any little deviation from traditional forms that she noticed in their attire4 ,she was extremely rigid as to all the details of ,court dress4 ,the ,court costume of the ,ladies is magnificent4 ,that worn at the ,emperor's ,birthday 7the summer costume7 was of the stiff transparent silk ,i have described in the gown worn by ,her ,majesty for the portrait4 ,the ,court costume of the married ladies is of dark red1 embroidered in golden dragons4 ,the widows wear blue2 the unmarried girls1 bright red--all with the ,double ,dragon embroidered thereon4 ,the married ladies and widows1 when in ,court attire1 wear a magnificent court head-dress with jeweled crown4 ,the young girls1 even in ,court dress1 wear the ordinary ,manchu coiffure1 with the long red silk tassels falling to their shoulders4 ,the young ,empress was charming on the ,birthday4 ,her head-dress was of golden filigree1 thickly set with jewels4 ,across the front1 nine beautifully chased golden phenix1 with jeweled tails outspread1 held in their bills strings of pearls that fell to her shoulders and veiled her forehead4 ,square1 conventionalized bunches of flowers projected from either side of this curiously and elaborately wrought head-dress4 ,her gown was of the ,imperial yellow1 embroidered with the golden ,double ,dragon4 ,she had1 around her neck1 a solid piece of chased gold1 like a huge open ring1 with balls at the ends2 and she wore the official beads that are always worn in ,court dress by ,princes and ,officials and their wives4 ,the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager are the only members of the ,court who wear1 neither the ,double ,dragon on their ,court dress1 nor the official beads4 ,suspended from the ,empress's neck was a magnificently embroidered stole1 about four inches wide1 which reached to the hem of her gown4 ,this stole is only worn by the wives of ,emperors1 during their husband's lifetime4 ,the young ,empress seemed unusually happy to-day1 and this was the first time ,i had ever seen her and the ,emperor in conversation4 ,next to the young ,empress came the only secondary wife of the ,emperor4 ,she was dressed exactly as the young ,empress was2 the same gown1 the same head-dress1 the same embroidered stole1 only her jewels were not so handsome1 and her dress1 instead of being of the ,imperial yellow1 was of orange4 ,yellow can only be worn by the first wife of an ,emperor6 ,after the salutations to the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager in ,her ,majesty's private ,throne-room1 ,her ,majesty went out into the court and took her place in her yellow chair of ,state1 the ,emperor following1 on foot1 as was his custom4 ,the cymbals clashed4 ,the flutes sounded and all the instruments of the ,imperial ,band played the curious minor air1 with its tragic undertone of sound1 its rhythm like a ,gregorian chant1 which is only played at the passing of ,their ,majesties for some great ceremony or official function1 and which ,i soon called the 8,imperial ,hymn40 ,this is the only approach to a ,national air that ,i ever heard in ,china4 ,their ,majesties went in ceremonious procession to the ,great ,audience ,hall1 where the ,princes1 ,nobles1 and high ,officials privileged to enter ,precincts1 were to present their homage and congratulations to the ,son of ,heaven on the happy occasion of his ,birthday4 ,besides these privileged visitors1 there were a number of officials whose rank was not high enough to allow them to enter the ,great ,hall of ,ceremonies4 ,these kneel and make the prostrations in the outer courts4 ,the young ,empress and ,ladies of the ,court did not follow ,their ,majesties to the ,great ,hall1 but stopped at the ,palace of the young ,empress1 to await there their turn for the official congratulations1 which were not to be made until after those of the ,princes and ,nobles4 ,the young ,empress is a charming hostess1 and her eunuchs and women handed us tea and cigarettes while we were waiting4 ,she also had her dogs brought in for me to see4 ,her apartments opened on a sunny court1 full of flowering shrubs and fruit trees4 ,around the other three sides of the court were built the pavilions for the use of her attendants and ladies4 ,we spent half an hour in her pavilion1 waiting for the congratulations of the ,princes and ,nobles to be finished4 ,the ,emperor1 for these official congratulations1 was seated upon the ,dynastic ,throne1 erect and stiff as an archaic figure2 no longer the shy boy1 but the ,monarch clothed in all his power1 and1 for to-day1 alone upon his great ancestral ,throne4 ,he was attended by his ,master of ,ceremonies1 gorgeously attired1 who stood in the rigid attitude prescribed for this ceremony4 ,each splendidly garbed ,prince and ,noble knelt and made the prostration prescribed by the ,book of ,rites1 and each presented ,his ,majesty with a jade emblem1 called by the ,chinese 8ruyie10#c erroneously supposed to be a scepter by most foreigners2 but the 8ruyie0 is simply an emblem of ,good ,luck1 and may be presented on festive occasions to any one whom the givers wish to honor1 and is not an emblem of ,imperial authority4 ,the ,emperor held each of these 8ruyie0 in his hands for a few seconds after their presentation1 bowed profoundly to the kneeling ,prince1 and then handed the emblem to an attendant eunuch1 who placed it on a ,dragon table at the left of the ,emperor4 ,when the ,princes and ,nobles had congratulated ,his ,majesty and left the ,throne-room1 the young ,empress and secondary wife1 followed by the ,princesses and ,ladies1 went in to make their official congratulations4 ,the greeting in ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room in the morning had been but a friendly salutation1 without any official signification4 ,the young ,empress knelt and made her bow first and presented--as did each of the ,ladies--a 8ruyie40 ,she made the same official salutation as did the others1 but her 8ruyie0 was of a much richer style than those presented by the other ,ladies4 #c ,generally written 8jui10 but pronounced as ,i have written it4 ,after the ceremony of formal congratulations was over1 ,her ,majesty1 the ,emperor1 and ,empress1 followed by the ,ladies and attendants1 went in state to the ,theater1 with the same ceremonial and pomp with which they had gone into the ,hall of ,ceremonies4 ,the ,empress ,dowager1 who was always the most gorgeously attired person at ,court1 was1 on ,his ,majesty's ,birthday1 dressed with an extreme simplicity that amounted almost to plainness1 and she wore no jewels4 ,this plainness of attire was not an accident1 but had been arranged with her usual forethought4 ,she wished the ,emperor and ,empress to be the central figures of this day's festivities1 and did not wish to vie with the ,empress even in her attire4 ,the ,princes and ,nobles1 who had come to the ,palace for the official congratulations1 were invited to the theatrical performance4 ,they occupied the boxes that ran at right angles to the ,imperial loge1 which ,i have already described as forming the other two sides of the court of the ,theater4 ,a huge screen of painted silk1 twelve feet high1 was stretched from the last of the boxes occupied by the ,princes to the stage--allowing the latter to be perfectly seen by the occupants of the boxes1 but cutting off their view of the ,imperial loge1 whence ,their ,majesties1 the ,empress1 and ,ladies viewed the play4 ,these invited guests are thus neither seen by the ,imperial party1 nor can they see the latter4 ,when ,their ,majesties and the ,empress were seated in their loge1 the principal actors came to the front of the stage1 knelt1 and 8kow-towed0 to the ,imperial box4 ,then the play began4 ,there was first a noisy burst of weird music1 then the chief actor recited a laudatory1 congratulatory poem in honor of the ,birthday of the ,emperor1 wishing ,his ,majesty 8ten thousand years0 of happiness and all the blessings possible4 ,the poem was intoned like a chant by the actor1 dressed in the gorgeous historic costume of an ,imperial ,herald of the time of ,kublai ,kahn4 ,this poem was most impressive4 ,one of the verses ran thus3 8,the vast merits of ,his ,imperial ,majesty's ,august ,ancestors have been handed down to ,him from generation to generation4 8,to the wisdom of ,his whole ,dynasty we owe it1 that we have lived in happiness1 8,ever ready to comply with the lofty teaching of our ,rulers1 leading us unto ,good44440 ,the poem went on to recite ,his ,majesty's merits as a son1 his respect for his ,august ,mother1 his filial piety1 and ended with a wish that ,great ,china might flourish and prosper--grow strong outwardly and inwardly1 through the blessings of his reign and his desire for ,progress4 ,after this poem had been intoned by the chief actor1 with the whole company of players grouped around on the lower1 as well as on the two superposed stages1 all in splendid historic costumes1 there was another noisy clash of weird music and the play itself began4 ,the ,chinese theater1 which goes on from morning to night with a series of plays1 generally begins with a short one1 a curtain-raiser of a quarter to half an hour's length4 ,to-day it began at once1 after the poem was intoned1 with a great historic drama4 ,the exploits and high deeds of former ,emperors were shown1 and the actors were magnificently costumed in superb historic gowns which had been handed down from antiquity and were absolutely authentic4 ,at half-past eleven1 with the ,theater still in full swing1 the eunuchs brought out tables of sweetmeats on the verandah of the ,imperial loge1 and set them before the young ,empress and the ,princesses and ,ladies1 and we were served to refreshments4 ,sweets and fruits in ,china are served between the regular meals4 ,the sweetmeats to-day were 8birthday food10 and were all inscribed with some character meaning 8,longevity10 8,good ,luck10 8,happiness10 8,peace10 etc4 ,there were pyramids of the delicious crystallized fruits which the ,chinese excel in making2 macdoines of queer fruits1 nut pastes1 almond creams1 and all the fresh fruits in season4 ,with this preliminary repast were served1 also1 some delicious ,chinese wines4 ,soon after the repast of sweetmeats was finished1 we were served in the court of the ,theater this time to the regular meal4 ,it was an immense table to which we sat down on the ,emperor's ,birthday4 ,there were so many ,princesses1 ,duchesses1 and ,ladies of high degree from a distance1 that our usual number was more than quadrupled4 ,the repast was a joyous one4 ,the ,chinese are very witty and gay1 and though ,i could not understand all the scintillations of wit1 their gaiety was contagious6 ,each gave me special delicacies that she liked1 to try1 and each seemed to vie with the other in endeavoring to make the 8stranger0 feel at ease4 ,some of the ,ladies drank champagne in my honor1 and held up their glasses toward me as they had seen the foreigners do4 ,when the elders had finished eating1 the young people sat down4 ,these were the children of the ,princesses and ,nobles who had been invited to join their parents for these festivities at the ,palace4 ,no girl or boy under sixteen is allowed to sit down with their elders to a ceremonious dinner at the ,palace4 ,soon after we had finished our gay luncheon in the court of the ,theater the ,ladies retired within their loge1 next to that of ,their ,majesties1 and the screen which hid the visiting ,princes and ,nobles from the ,imperial party was removed by the attendant eunuchs4 ,when it was taken away1 there sat1 ,turkish fashion1 the great ,princes and high ,nobles in their splendid ,court dress4 ,those of the highest ranks occupied the boxes nearest the ,imperial party4 ,the ,princesses pointed out to me1 from their box1 their brothers and kinsmen and others whom they recognized2 but we saw without being seen1 and were only looking from behind the scenes4 ,the eunuchs then handed around refreshments to the ,princes and gentlemen1 sweetmeats and fruits1 such as we had partaken of before our luncheon4 ,then there were some huge steaming silver caldrons brought into the court1 and from these caldrons the eunuchs ladled into bowls some sort of white drink4 ,as we had had nothing of this kind at our repast1 ,i was curious to know what it might be4 ,i knew it could not be wine1 for that is served only in tiny cups1 and this was served in the ordinary-sized eating-bowls4 ,i was much surprised to learn that this drink was simply hot milk1 flavored with almonds1 and slightly sweetened1 a drink of which the ,manchus are very fond1 and which is a special mark of ,imperial favor1 given only on great occasions4 ,the gentlemen raised their bowls to their lips with both hands and drank it off with great ceremony1 as if it were a sacred beverage1 and seemed1 in drinking it thus1 to pledge the ,emperor's ,health and ,happiness4 ,after the ,princes had partaken of these refreshments1 and while some eunuchs were removing the caldrons and dishes1 another army of eunuchs came in1 in pairs1 each pair carrying between them trays of ,imperial yellow1 decorated with the red characters for ,longevity4 ,these trays contained presents from the ,emperor to each of the invited guests1 for ,his ,majesty gives as well as receives presents on his ,birthday6 ,there was no difference made in the presents given1 each tray being the exact counterpart of every other4 ,each contained a pair of porcelain vases from the ,imperial ,potteries1 a bronze ,incense-burner1 a scroll with a quotation from the classics or an aphorism of ,confucius written thereon4 ,the scrolls were inclosed in silken covers1 tied with the ,imperial colors4 ,there was also a jade 8ruyie0 in each tray1 such as had been handed the ,emperor at the morning ceremony1 and an ,archer's ring4 ,after the contents of the trays had been delivered to each gentleman present1 and the empty trays borne away by the ,palace eunuchs1 the dividing screen was again placed between the visiting ,princes and ,their ,majesties1 and the young ,empress and ,ladies went out of their loge to the verandah once more1 and the theatrical performance again went on4 ,in fact1 it had been going on throughout our luncheon and the subsequent entertainment of the ,princes1 but we had paid no attention to it4 ,at four o'clock there was the grand 8finale40 ,the three superposed stages were occupied by all the gorgeously attired actors1 and another ,hymn of praise to the ,emperor was intoned4 ,he was extolled as the ,son of ,heaven and representative on earth of ,buddha1 and other extravagant wishes for 8ten thousand years0 of happiness were made4 ,when this ,hymn was finished1 the floats1 which we had seen the day before behind the scenes1 came out in procession4 ,these floats represented mythical animals1 ,buddhas1 fairies1 and personifications of the higher attributes4 ,there were gigantic fruits which opened1 disclosing figures representing eternal beauty1 perfect happiness1 and serene old age4 ,prominent among the gigantic fruits was the peach1 the emblem of ,longevity4 ,last of all1 in this curious procession1 came the ,imperial ,dragon1 of huge proportions4 ,its contortions1 as it struggled for the ,flaming ,pearl1 emblematic of the unattainable1 were most curious4 ,all these figures made their obeisances to ,their ,majesties and the ,empress4 ,they were accompanied by splendidly clothed warriors1 heralds1 princes1 and many gorgeously attired attendants1 bearing banners and escutcheons4 ,after the procession had made the tour several times1 the dragon stopped with his huge head in the middle of the stage1 made an obeisance to ,his ,majesty1 then raised it with a mighty roar and spouted forth--a copious shower of fresh spring water1 which sprinkled the whole flower-filled court6 ,the ,empress and ,princesses were all in the secret and knew what was coming1 but they kept it from me1 and much enjoyed my start of surprise as some of the spray fell upon me1 as ,i had advanced to the very edge of the verandah in order to miss nothing4 ,when all was finished1 the screen was again removed and the great glass doors of the ,imperial loge were thrown open1 so that ,her ,majesty and the ,emperor could be seen4 ,the visiting ,princes and ,nobles came forward from their places and knelt in a body1 though still observing the laws of precedence as to their ranks4 ,they knelt three times1 and bowed their heads to the ground nine times to thank ,their ,majesties for the entertainment they had received4 ,to receive these prostrations from the ,princes1 the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager assumed their ,buddha-like poses and acknowledged the genuflexions by a formal inclination of their heads4 ,when the ,princes had retired1 the actors1 clothed in their usual garments1 came to the front of the stage and knelt and 8kow-towed10 but ,their ,majesties did not return this salutation4 ,when the ,princes and players had left and the ,imperial party was alone1 cushions were brought into the middle of the court1 the ,emperor and ,empress and secondary wife knelt thereon1 while their 8,great ,ancestress10 the ,empress ,dowager1 preceded by acolytes1 swinging golden incense-burners which gave forth azure clouds of perfumed smoke1 came down the steps to the weird accompaniment of the flutes and cymbals playing the 8,imperial ,hymn40 ,the ,emperor and ,empress knelt to do ,her ,majesty homage1 as the greatest living member of their ,ancestors4 ,when she reached them1 they arose and followed her1 and the three moved along in stately procession to the slow beating of the cymbals1 followed by the ,princesses and ,ladies and all the attendant eunuchs4 ,the subtle perfume of the incense1 the stately rhythm1 the splendid costumes1 the flashing jewels and brilliant colors1 made a magnificent picture never to be forgotten4 ,the ,imperial procession moved through several sunlit courts until it finally came to the entrance of the ,sacred ,hall1 containing the ,ancestral tablets2 here the ,empress ,dowager stopped at the threshold until ,his ,majesty and the young ,empress had passed within1 to complete the ceremonies of the day by worshiping and kneeling together before the tablets of their ,ancestors4 ,the music ceased4 ,the ceremony was finished4 ,his ,majesty the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu had accomplished another year4 ,,chapter ,x ,,peking--,,the ,,sea ,,palace ,the ,autumnal ,sacrifices to his ,ancestors and ,his ,majesty's consequent three days' abstinence1 to prepare for them1 put a stop to further festivities after the ,birthday1 which would have otherwise continued for several days longer4 ,the day after the ,birthday was a quiet one at the ,palace4 ,her ,majesty was feeling tired and did not care to pose1 after the ,audience in the morning4 ,the visiting ,princesses and ,ladies were preparing to leave the ,palace2 the eunuchs and ,her ,majesty's maids were bustling around1 preparing for the moving of the ,court to ,peking1 for ,her ,majesty and the ,court1 as well as the ,emperor1 were to go into one of the ,city ,palaces the following day4 ,her ,majesty ordered luncheon to be served in one of the beautiful summer-houses in the gardens1 about a mile from the ,palace1 for she said a change would be good for all4 ,this summer-house1 or rather ,palace1 situated on a hill overlooking the lake1 was one of ,her ,majesty's favorite resorts4 ,she often went to it1 after a tiring ,audience1 and spent the rest of the day there1 lunching and dining1 and even taking her siesta there4 ,whenever she went to any of these ,palaces inside the inclosure1 she always invited all the ,ladies of the ,court to accompany her4 ,it made a change in the monotony of their lives4 ,this ,palace was very luxuriously fitted up1 and contained a splendid library1 with thousands of volumes of the classics and ,her ,majesty's favorite authors4 ,the view from its broad verandahs and fair marble terraces was one of the finest1 even of the many beautiful ones1 in the grounds4 ,we lunched on the wide verandah and drank in the beauty of the scene4 ,no wonder ,her ,majesty loved this spot6 ,beneath lay the beautiful grounds of the ,summer ,palace1 with its calm lake and winding streams4 ,on an eminence beyond1 the graceful seven-storied pagoda that forms so characteristic a feature in all the views of the ,summer ,palace1 proudly reared its stately height4 ,on the right lay the temple-crowned hills1 the upturned roofs of their buildings nestling on their slopes like a flight of gigantic gaily-hued birds1 with wings outspread4 ,in the distance1 beyond a soft gray undulating landscape1 with fields of brilliant green here and there1 lay ,peking1 with its walls and towers1 enveloped in a golden haze4 ,illustration3 ,,at ,,the ,,american ,,legation1 ,,peking ,after luncheon and the siesta1 ,her ,majesty called me up and said she was to go into ,peking on the morrow1 and asked whether ,i wished the portrait to be taken in for the three days the ,court was to remain in the ,city4 ,she said she would be much occupied with ceremonies and sacrifices1 and there would be but little time for painting1 but if ,i wished to work she might be able to give me a short sitting6 ,i told her ,i did not care to have the portrait taken into the ,city1 for ,i knew it would not be possible to get a room with the same light as that in which ,i had begun the picture4 ,when she found ,i did not care to paint in ,peking1 she suggested that ,i go to the ,united ,states ,legation and spend the time of the ,court's sojourn at the ,sea ,palace4 ,it had been more than two weeks since ,i had seen ,mrs4 ,conger1 or been in the ,legation quarter1 and ,i was delighted at ,her ,majesty's kind forethought in allowing me to spend these days at the ,legation4 ,she1 however1 suggested that1 as ,i had not seen the ,sea ,palace1 where the ,court was to go1 ,i might enjoy coming there for the day--and spending some of the time in seeing the ,palace and grounds4 ,she knew how ,i enjoyed seeing these beautiful ,palaces1 and this was another proof of her consideration4 ,she said she would be much occupied with the ceremonies1 but that she would map out a nice day for me1 and would herself take me for a walk6 ,she added1 8,this will give you a chance to study me1 so your time will not be entirely spent in vain40 ,she said we would resume the portrait on the ,court's return to the ,summer ,palace4 ,after our return to her ,throne-room1 and when we had finished dinner1 she told me ,i had better go into the room where the portrait and my materials were kept1 when ,i was not working on it1 and said ,i had better overlook its being put away myself4 ,she followed me into the room1 and herself aided and directed the arrangement of things4 ,she ordered the 8sacred picture0 7for this is what the ,chinese call a likeness of a reigning ,emperor or ,empress7 to be attached to the wall with yellow cords and covered with a transparent yellow silk1 box-like screen1 which had been especially made to protect it from dust4 ,the portrait was treated1 from its very beginning1 as an almost sacred object1 with the respect a reverent officiant accords the ,holy ,vessels of the ,church4 ,even my painting materials seemed to be invested with a sort of semi-sacred quality4 ,when ,her ,majesty felt fatigued1 and indicated that the sittings were finished1 my brushes and palette were taken by the eunuch from my hands1 the portrait removed from the easel and reverently consigned to the room that had been set aside for it4 ,the next morning early1 ,i preceded the ,court into ,peking and went directly to the ,united ,states ,legation1 where ,i was warmly welcomed by my kind friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,conger4 ,the ,united ,states ,legation occupied1 at this time1 a ,chinese temple near the 8,water ,gate40 ,this building had been given to the ,united ,states ,government by the ,chinese after the ,boxer rebellion1 and was occupied temporarily by the ,minister of the ,united ,states during the construction of the new ,legation on ,legation ,street4 ,the temple had been transformed into a comfortable ,american dwelling-place--its ,chinese individuality having been preserved wherever possible1 consistent with comfort4 ,the shaded court1 filled with beautiful1 growing flowers 7many of them gifts from the ,empress ,dowager to ,mrs4 ,conger71 was a charming spot4 ,while distinctly ,american as to its artistic comfort and furniture1 the interior construction and decoration of the drawing-room were purely ,chinese1 which gave a touch of ,oriental 8couleur locale0 to this pleasant haven of ,american hospitality1 where ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,conger dispensed their kindly favors4 ,mrs4 ,conger1 by her own individual initiative1 has done much to bring about a friendly social feeling between the ,chinese and foreign ladies4 ,it was she who first thought of entertaining the ,princesses and ,ladies of the ,court in her own home2 and the ,united ,states ,legation was the first of the ,legations in ,peking to issue an invitation to the ,ladies of the ,court1 or to entertain them4 ,it is the first ,legation to entertain other ,chinese ladies1 wives of officials or of the gentry4 ,several other ,legations have since entertained the ,ladies of the ,court1 but in doing so they were only following ,mrs4 ,conger's initiative4 ,while doing so much to bring about friendly social relations with the ,chinese1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,conger receive all ,americans1 regardless of their importance or social position1 with a kind cordiality4 ,i was delighted to be in their charming family circle once more4 ,i found my room at the ,legation1 with its sweet touches of homeliness1 a delightful haven1 and my visits to the ,legation seemed always like going home4 ,the next morning at seven1 a green official chair with its bearers came to take me to the ,sea ,palace4 ,i was first carried to the ,hsien-,liang-,hsu1 the 8,temple of the loyal and virtuous10 where ,li-,hung-,chang formerly had his home in ,peking1 and a part of which the ,yu-,kengs had arranged for their home after their return from their mission at ,paris1 their own semi-foreign house having been destroyed by the ,boxers4 ,at the ,hsien-,liang-,hsu ,i was joined by the ,ladies ,yu-,keng1 and we continued on to the ,sea ,palace4 ,our chairs1 with their bearers1 were preceded and followed by mounted attendants4 ,the ,sea ,palace is a comparatively new ,palace1 most of it having been built within the last fifty years4 ,our chairs were met at the northern entrance by the same eunuchs who had been set aside for our service at the ,summer ,palace4 ,they led us to the boats in waiting to carry us across the lake1 to the buildings occupied by ,her ,majesty and the ,court4 ,these boats were of the houseboat variety1 with an inclosed cabin forming the center1 and a platform running all around1 on which the rowers walked up and down propelling it4 ,the interior was carpeted1 with a cushioned lounge1 tea-tables1 and chairs4 ,the eunuchs and attendants sat outside on the prow4 ,it takes twenty minutes to row across the lake in one of these boats1 but the movement is delightful4 ,when we reached the other side1 we landed and went through several courts to that of one of ,her ,majesty's private chapels4 ,she1 herself1 had just been making an offering here1 and was coming out1 preceded by acolytes swinging incense-burners1 the musicians playing the 8,imperial ,hymn40 ,when she saw us1 ,her ,majesty called us to her side1 asked if ,i had had a good trip into ,peking1 and how ,mrs4 ,conger was4 ,she then ordered the eunuchs to show us our apartments4 ,we were led through corridors and courts to a charming pavilion which was to be our resting-place while at the ,sea ,palace4 ,it had exquisitely and elaborately carved woodwork arches with heavy satin curtains1 which divided it into five rooms4 ,after we had rested a few moments here1 we returned to the ,throne-room4 ,her ,majesty told me she had arranged for me to go out in one of the boats1 and that ,i was to be shown all that ,i cared to see1 or at least as much as ,i could see in that day4 ,a eunuch standing near her held a number of strips of embroidery in his hand4 ,they were embroidered head-dresses1 which are placed upon the heads of the ,buddhas during the great ceremonies in the ,palace temples4 ,she explained their use to me and then dismissed us1 and we went out to the landing-place on the lake4 ,a number of boats lay at the foot of the steps--among them a charming open barge with blue silken awnings4 ,as ,i had not been in a boat of this kind before1 and as ,i was told to choose1 ,i selected it for our row2 and we started off1 followed by several other boats carrying eunuchs and refreshments1 with the necessary utensils for serving them4 ,our head eunuch1 one of the six highest in the ,palace1 who had been appointed to look after me and the 8sacred picture10 was very intelligent1 an enlightened lover of ,chinese art1 and a great collector of old ,chinese paintings and curios4 ,he had been1 in his youth1 one of ,her ,majesty's favorite players1 was said to have great dramatic talent1 and1 when he was younger1 had a fine voice for singing4 ,memory is among the most esteemed of the intellectual faculties by the ,chinese and reaches a high state of cultivation with them4 ,many of the eunuchs can repeat whole pages from the classics1 and some are accomplished literati4 ,this eunuch had a good speaking voice1 and recited poems and told stories in a charming way4 ,as we were rowed along1 he stood at the prow and recited verse after verse of classic lore and told stories of the heroic times4 ,he intoned them like a recitative--the rhythm so perfectly observed1 the intoning so musical1 it was a pleasure to listen to him1 though ,i could not understand4 ,i lay back among the cushions1 as we glided softly along1 past beautiful pavilions1 with splendid trees overhanging the lake and lovely flowers growing wherever there was a place to plant them4 ,the tall figure of the splendidly attired eunuch1 standing in the prow1 repeating1 with rhythmic cadence1 poems and stories1 gave one the illusion and charm of the 8,arabian ,nights10 which ,i had fed upon in my childhood1 and which ,i seemed to be living through to-day4 ,we soon came to a tiny islet in the lake1 with a sort of open temple built over a black marble tablet which bore an incised inscription4 ,i asked to land and examine it1 and ,san-,gunia1 the eldest of ,lady ,yu-,keng's daughters1 a remarkably clever girl and well posted in ,chinese literature1 translated the characters4 ,the inscription was a poem1 a tribute to the ,great ,father who had graciously placed there this island1 which 8by night was bathed in the glory of the ,moon and ,sun-kissed by day1 while the crystal waters of the lake formed a brilliant necklace on its breast40 ,beyond the island ,i saw a temple4 ,there was no landing-place1 and the temple was under repair4 ,the head eunuch1 however1 seeing how much ,i wished to go up1 had the boat draw near and steps brought1 up which we clambered1 as best we could4 ,this was one of the temples so ruthlessly destroyed and unnecessarily desecrated by the ,allies during their occupation of ,peking4 ,we passed through the vegetable garden of the monks--all shorn of its glory1 but where a few vegetables and flowers still grew--and we went on through a beautiful grove of arbor-vit1 with centuries-old trees1 planted in the form of a cross1 and came into the court of the temple4 ,even in its dilapidated state1 with the workmen still in it1 it was beautiful1 and before it was so injured it must have been a splendid example of ,chinese temple architecture4 ,the cells of the lama monks were now unoccupied1 and there were no officiating priests4 ,workmen were repairing and regilding the ,great ,buddha1 and most of the effigies of the saints and images of the personified attributes were standing in dejected rows in the corridors awaiting the completion of their niches and chapels4 ,the interior1 of splendid proportions1 glowed in beautiful somber colors4 ,the carved wood ceilings were in pendentive designs1 recalling those ,i had seen in the ,alhambra2 but the painting1 in primary colors1 of this elaborately carved ceiling gave it a greater richness of coloring and lent to the interior a warmer1 deeper harmony than the white ,moorish designs4 ,the chapels behind the high altar were separated from the main temple and from each other by beautifully carved wooden screens1 with rich brocaded silk of brilliant green 7the color of ,buddha71 stretched behind the open-work and showing through the interstices of the carving4 ,these chapels are for the ,sacred writings and for the vestments of the priests1 and are also used for robing- and retiring-rooms for the officiants4 ,they correspond to the sacristies of the ,catholic ,churches in ,europe4 ,the space behind the altar was of apse-like form1 and opened upon a semi-circular marble terrace1 thirty feet high1 with a balustrade of the conventionalized lotus design so dear to the ,chinese architects4 ,from this terrace we had a beautiful view of the ,coal ,hill1 surmounted by the curious ,dagoba1 so well known in all views of the ,imperial ,city1 as well as of the belvedere that marks the spot where the last ,emperor of the ,mings committed suicide when he was conquered4 ,at the two extremities of the terrace were charming octagonal summer-houses1 where the priests could go for rest and contemplation1 and1 while murmuring their prayers1 could feast their eyes upon a charming view4 ,after a few moments on the terrace1 enjoying the beautiful view1 we passed through the cells of the monks1 which were large and comfortable1 and1 finally1 out again into the sun-flecked shade of the marble-paved court1 where we sat under low-hanging boughs of a splendid elm1 and the eunuchs brought out tables and served us with tea and refreshments4 ,then we took the boats and were rowed on further1 till we came beneath a steep battlemented wall1 surmounted by the rich green of arbor-vit trees4 ,i was surprised to learn that this was another temple1 for it looked more like an old feudal castle than a peaceful temple to the mild ,buddha4 ,we landed at the foot of the beautiful white ,marble ,bridge that spans the narrow northern portion of the lake1 just under the stone wall on which the temple was built4 ,we were carried up the steep1 winding incline in our chairs4 ,it was a most picturesque approach1 and when we reached the top1 with the beautiful temple lying peacefully on these martial heights1 we found it well worth the climb4 ,there was a grove of arbor-vit trees leading to this temple4 ,these trees seem to be sacred to the temples and burial-places in ,china1 for all ,i ever visited in ,china were either built in a grove of arbor-vit1 or had some of these evergreens growing near4 ,did the ,greeks get their idea and name of the ever-living tree from the ,chinese1 who regard the arbor-vit as the tree of life and emblem of ,immortality8 ,this temple has a great ,buddha of white jade1 with jeweled stole and cuffs4 ,its expression of placid contemplation and kindly thought is typically ,chinese4 ,when ,buddhism was first brought into ,china from ,india1 the ,buddhas had an ,indian type2 and not until the religion had taken firm hold of the people1 was its divinity clothed in a ,chinese personality1 and a national individuality assumed4 ,the day of our visit1 the great jade ,buddha was decked in a mantle of ,imperial yellow satin1 with a richly embroidered ,manchu hood1 such as ,i had seen that morning in ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room1 on its head4 ,tall1 lighted candles1 fresh offerings of fruit and flowers1 and the smoking censer standing on the altar1 showed there had been services that morning1 and added to the religious atmosphere of the interior4 ,the service had been a continuation of the commemorative celebrations in honor of the ,emperor's ,birthday and his sacrifice to his ,ancestors4 ,the principal court of this temple is one of the most picturesque in the ,sea ,palace1 shaded by magnificent cedars and stately elms4 ,in the center1 there was a magnificent cistern of verd-antique1 splendidly carved in dragons4 ,over this cistern was a marble portico1 its columns supporting a curious concave1 copper roof4 ,this roof had been a ,palace 8cooking utensil10 that had been used in former times to prepare food for the poor2 hence its extraordinary size4 ,when it was worn out in this capacity it was used as the interior of the dome over the temple well1 where the poor and weary could come to rest under its shadow and drink of the water of the well it protected4 ,there were cells and outhouses for the monks in this temple also4 ,but as we sat in the shady court1 looking across the sunlit lake1 the sky became suddenly overcast1 and we took our chairs and hurried down the steep1 paved road that led from the temple to the lake4 ,we did not take the boats again on reaching the lake1 but were carried1 in our chairs1 across the beautiful ,marble ,bridge4 ,just beyond us1 we saw the towers of the first ,catholic ,cathedral ever built in ,peking4 ,it was built on land given to the ,catholics by the ,emperor2 but1 when finished1 its towers were found to overlook the ,palace grounds2 so the ,cathedral was bought by the ,emperor1 and land was given the ,mission further on1 and another ,cathedral was built4 ,the first ,cathedral is now within the ,walls of the ,sea ,palace1 and is visible from every part of the grounds of the two ,peking ,palaces4 ,it seems a strange anomaly to see this ,christian ,church within the ,precincts of the ,palace of an ,oriental potentate1 who is one of the representatives on earth of the 8,great ,buddha40 ,it began to rain1 and the chair-bearers ran along to the ,palace without stopping again1 and we were soon called to dinner in the ,throne-room1 overlooking the small ,theater1 for there are two ,theaters in the ,sea ,palace1 one for winter use and one for summer4 ,the latter is built on piles over the waters of a canal4 ,building the stage over water is supposed to give a peculiar musical resonance to the voices of the actors1 softening the sounds and making them more pleasant to the ear4 ,after dinner in the beautiful summer ,throne-room1 with the rippling waters just beneath the windows1 we made our adieus1 first to ,her ,majesty and then to the young ,empress and ,ladies1 and went out to be again rowed over the beautiful lake to the outside gates4 ,the sun was setting6 ,the arches of the ,marble ,bridge had become a beautiful1 deep violet hue1 and spanned the waters of the lake1 now a gleaming mass of liquid gold4 ,the sky beyond shone through the masses of foliage with a golden glow1 and the towers of the old ,cathedral were strongly silhouetted against this brilliant background4 ,the scene was an ideal one4 ,a beautiful silence pervaded everything1 made the more rhythmic and intense by the regular movement of the oars in the water4 ,when we reached the other side of the lake we were conducted to our green chairs1 which were waiting without the gate1 and were swiftly carried back to the ,legation4 ,,chapter ,,xi ,,some ,,characteristics ,,of ,,her ,,majesty--,,second ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,sea ,,palace ,i spent the next day at the ,legation1 and thoroughly enjoyed it1 but ,i was glad to think that ,i was to spend the following day at the ,palace again4 ,the study of ,her ,majesty had now become to me like a thrilling novel4 ,i could not bear to lay it down2 and when ,i was forced to do so1 ,i was longing to be able to resume it4 ,she was such a delightful surprise to me4 ,i had heard and read so much of her1 before ,i went to the ,palace1 and nothing that ,i had heard or read had at all prepared me for the reality1 so charming1 so unusual was her personality4 ,not charming and interesting by fits and starts1 but always so6 ,she was so considerate and tactful1 and seemed so really kind in her relations with those who surrounded her4 ,i had been now nearly a month in daily contact with her4 ,i saw her1 not only when she sat for the portrait2 ,i was with her the greater part of the day1 and ,i began to let myself go in my admiration of her4 ,the days seemed flat and stale when ,i could not see her--so full of interest and charm ,i found her4 ,she was a woman of such infinite variety6 ,there was always something new and fresh to study in her4 ,she was the very embodiment of the ,eternal ,feminine4 ,she was at once a child and a woman with strong1 virile qualities4 ,she would go into the ,audience ,hall1 transact weighty affairs of ,state for three hours1 and then go for her walks or excursions1 and take a childish interest in the simplest pleasures4 ,she would be seated in one of her ,throne-rooms in trivial conversation with her ,ladies1 when an ,official ,despatch1 in its yellow silk case1 would be brought in1 and presented by the eunuch on bended knees4 ,her face would immediately become full of serious interest2 she would bend her brows and become the statesman2 a few moments later1 when she had duly considered1 and given orders relative to the despatch1 she became again the woman1 full of interest in her flowers1 dresses1 and jewels4 ,a distinguished ,frenchman once said of ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager1 8,c'est le seul homme de la ,chine10 and she deserves the appellation of 8man10 if it goes to mean superior intelligence and executive ability2 but it was not the 8statesman0 that ,i had the best opportunity of studying4 ,it was the woman in her private life2 and ,i had unusual advantages for this study1 and the more ,i saw of her1 the more remarkable ,i found her6 ,her favors to the ,ladies of the ,court were very impartially distributed4 ,she had her favorites1 but she did not allow them to gain any supremacy over her1 nor to warp her judgment4 ,although her 8entourage0 never expressed an opinion contrary to hers1 in her presence1 and though she always accepted their expressed views in the most courteous manner1 one could see she was not imposed upon1 and that she knew1 perfectly well1 their real opinions1 so great was her natural penetration4 ,i was astonished to find in what veneration the ,empress ,dowager was really held by the ,ladies of the ,court and her 8entourage40 ,her favorite title1 and that by which she has been longest known to the courtiers1 is1 8,lao-,fo-yeh10 the 8,old ,buddha10 which shows that they invest her with sacred qualities4 ,after her return from ,hsi-,an ,fu1 where the ,court went when the allied troops occupied ,peking1 and where the sacred ,persons of ,her ,majesty and the ,emperor suffered so many hardships and endured them so bravely1 the courtiers gave her another1 a closer and more affectionate appellation1 8,lao-,tzu-,tzung0 7,the ,old ,ancestress74 ,this was the title by which she was called in the ,palace1 by the ,emperor1 ,empress1 and ,princesses1 and by which she allowed me to address her4 ,on our arrival at the ,sea ,palace1 the day of my second visit there1 after making our bows to ,her ,majesty1 we started1 in our chairs1 to the ,hall of the ,mongolian ,princes4 ,this is a magnificent hall in the northeastern part of the park1 some distance away from ,her ,majesty's and the ,emperor's ,palaces4 ,it is of one story1 as usual1 but this nearly forty feet high4 ,the interior is spacious1 with only a few dragon tables and chairs and no ornaments or other furniture4 ,there is a raised dais at the back1 with several steps leading up to it4 ,upon the dais stood a splendid ,throne of archaic design1 and over the ,throne there are two huge tablets of black marble1 with inscriptions in ,chinese and ,manchu characters4 ,this great hall is used only for receiving the ,mongolian ,princes on their annual visit to ,peking1 when they come in state1 with hundreds of followers and retainers1 to pay homage and tribute to the ,emperor of ,china4 ,the rear of the hall opens on a court surrounded by smaller buildings1 which are used as waiting-rooms for the retainers and followers of the ,princes4 ,from this hall we were carried in our chairs along the banks of the lake1 beyond the ,marble ,bridge to a distant part of the grounds1 where stands the famous ,dragon ,wall4 ,most of the ,chinese houses have a sort of stone screen opposite the principal gate of entrance4 ,this screen1 called 8,a ,wall of ,respect10 often has some sort of painted or carved representation of a dragon1 which is supposed to chase away evil spirits4 ,this superstition does not seem to obtain as regards the residences of the ,son of ,heaven1 for ,i never saw a dragon wall built in front of any of the entrances to the buildings in the ,palace inclosures4 ,perhaps the ,son of ,heaven is immune from the visit of demons1 or is it that the rampant ,double ,dragon on everything ,imperial serves as sufficient protection to the ,palace8 ,the ,dragon ,wall1 in the ,sea ,palace1 must have formed a part of some of the outside palaces or temples which were brought into the sacred inclosure when the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng decided to make it a place of residence and enlarge its domain4 ,many foreigners in ,peking can remember when the beautiful ,marble ,bridge1 of such noble proportions1 of such exquisite design1 now within the ,precincts1 was used by the public4 ,however it got there1 the ,dragon ,wall is at present within the ,palace inclosure1 though in an unused part of the grounds--not in front of any 8residence10 and hence not filling its mission as a 8,wall of ,respect10 to keep the wicked spirits from crossing the threshold4 ,this ,dragon ,wall of beautiful white marble is of great beauty1 exquisitely carved in its minutest details1 and fine in general conception and line4 ,illustration3 ,,chinese ,,architecture ,her ,majesty had returned from the ,audience when we got back to the ,palace from our morning promenade4 ,she was now attending to household affairs4 ,the eunuchs were bringing up1 for her inspection1 the baskets of splendid fruits1 which are daily sent into the ,palace4 ,among others1 there was a basket of magnificent grapes4 ,she was delighted with their beauty1 and held up one splendid bunch against the light1 before she tasted them1 remarking that 8the beautiful color lent an added zest to the delicious fruit40 ,her ,majesty then lunched1 while we joined the ,empress and ,princesses on the verandah1 after which we lunched again in this beautiful ,throne-room4 ,the meals taken with the young ,empress and ,ladies of the ,court had now come to be gay reunions4 ,her ,majesty would ask us every day to lunch or dine at her table1 and ,i rarely took a meal in my own quarters4 ,i had discarded the knife and fork and was learning to use the chop-sticks4 ,i thought them such graceful implements when wielded by the beautiful hands of the ,chinese ,ladies1 that ,i determined to learn their use4 ,though ,i never became an adept with them1 ,i found these dainty implements perfectly adapted for eating the ,chinese food4 ,they are used both in the same hand like twin fairy wands1 and seemed to me much more delicate and graceful than a knife and fork4 ,my efforts at using them1 and my desire to try all the new dishes1 amused and pleased the ,ladies4 ,each would give me special tidbits from her favorite dishes2 they tried to teach me the ,chinese names of the viands4 ,my efforts at pronouncing these names1 or my giving them to the wrong dishes1 sometimes raised peals of laughter from the whole table4 ,her ,majesty often heard the merriment1 and would ask us1 when we went into her private apartments after the meal1 what had been the cause2 and sometimes she would say1 8,what has #8,kergunia'#d said80 #d ,my ,chinese name4 ,we had scarcely finished luncheon1 on this my second day at the ,sea ,palace1 before the chairs were ordered for a promenade4 ,it had begun to rain1 and the air was chilly2 but ,her ,majesty had made up her mind to have a walk at that hour1 and nothing ever interfered with her plans1 in so far as she was able to carry them out4 ,no weather1 however disagreeable or severe1 ever kept her from an outdoor promenade that she had planned4 ,the open chairs were brought1 as if the day were fine4 ,her ,majesty and the ,empress took their seats in their yellow chairs4 ,their attendant eunuchs unfurled the huge yellow umbrellas1 used only for ,their ,imperial ,majesties and the young ,empress2 the second ,empress took her orange-colored chair2 the ,princesses and the rest of us seated ourselves in our red chairs1 and our eunuchs raised the red umbrellas over us4 ,her ,majesty the ,empress and ,princesses1 clothed in the brilliant colors daily worn1 the eunuchs still wearing their richly embroidered gala costumes1 the chair-bearers still clad in the festive red1 the yellow and red chairs with the big yellow1 orange1 and red umbrellas made a quaint procession1 bright with color1 that started off through the courts into the gardens4 ,her ,majesty loves every phase of nature and every kind of weather2 but it seemed to me as if she particularly loved rain4 ,she once said it lent such a poetic charm to the landscape1 bathing it in a soft mystery and washing away all defects4 ,peking is a dry place1 and rain is a rarity1 which probably accounts for this predilection4 ,her ,majesty was in great good humor1 but her partiality for rain was not shared by the other ,ladies of the ,palace1 and these rainy promenades were never indulged in by them with any great show of delight4 ,her ,majesty likes moving swiftly1 and the chair-bearers always run when she leads the procession4 ,we sped along for about fifteen minutes1 when the chairs suddenly stopped4 ,i looked to see for what reason1 as we were in the open1 with no shelter anywhere near1 and the rain still falling4 ,i was surprised to see ,her ,majesty was already out of her chair and walking off toward a 8gourd-arbor0 at the side of the paved walk4 ,the gourd is much esteemed by the ,chinese4 ,it is emblematic of ,fruitfulness and ,prosperity1 and is a special favorite of ,her ,majesty's4 ,those cultivated at the ,palace1 and known all over ,china as the 8,imperial ,gourd10 have long been famous2 but have reached a greater state of perfection than ever before1 under the special care and training given them during ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager's reign4 ,they are of one shape only1 with a contracted neck and two equal parts above and below2 but they are of all sizes1 from one to twelve inches1 the one-inch size being as perfect as the larger ones4 ,they are grown on trellises1 about seven feet high1 and the vines are very carefully trained1 so that each of the much-prized fruit may attain its best development and have its proper quota of light and sun4 ,her ,majesty walked through the mud to the arbor4 ,the white kid six-inch-high soles of her shoes sank deep into the soft1 rain-soaked soil4 ,the eunuchs made vain attempts to protect her from the rain1 but she went imperturbably on and was soon under the gourd-arbor4 ,here she leisurely tried several of the gourds1 to see if they were properly ripe2 for they must be pulled at a certain time or they do not dry well4 ,after looking at and trying a number1 she had several gathered and went back to her chair4 ,the young ,empress and the other ,ladies had1 of course1 got out of the chairs when ,her ,majesty stopped4 ,luckily1 she did not ask us to go into the arbor with her2 but etiquette obliged us to stand on the marble walk1 which though not muddy and not so disagreeable as the walk to the gourd-arbor1 was1 however1 running with water4 ,when ,her ,majesty took her chair again1 we resumed ours1 with a sigh of relief2 for1 though we were unprotected even in the chairs1 we felt the truth of the ,oriental saying1 8,it is better to be sitting than standing10 etc4 ,after another quarter of an hour1 the chair-bearers stopped again4 ,we had come to another gourd-arbor6 ,her ,majesty got out of her chair and examined the gourds in this arbor with the same deliberation and interest as she had looked at those where we first stopped4 ,the rain was now falling in torrents1 but ,her ,majesty's spirits seemed to go up in proportion to its coming down4 ,the ,ladies were again obliged to get out of their chairs6 ,they stood in two dejected lines1 with the eunuchs holding1 as best they might1 the red umbrellas over each1 and they vainly tried to keep up an appearance of interest and enjoyment4 ,the brave finery of the eunuchs1 who may not carry umbrellas when on service1 was now hanging in limp folds about them1 and their fine feathers were much bedraggled4 ,the ,chinese ,ladies had their two-inch-high1 kid-covered cork soles to protect their feet from the water2 but mine1 in thin kid slippers1 were soaking4 ,the picture of the dejected ,ladies1 the rain-soaked eunuchs1 was1 however1 so amusing1 that ,i quite forgot my own discomfort and thoroughly enjoyed the situation4 ,after another twenty minutes' run1 with the rain still falling1 ,her ,majesty gave the word and the procession turned toward the ,hall of the ,mongolian ,princes4 ,the great doors were thrown open1 and we were1 at last1 under shelter4 ,a yellow chair was placed for ,her ,majesty in front of the dais1 and she had some of the gourds she had gathered brought to her4 ,she selected one for herself1 gave one to her principal ,lady-in-waiting1 ,sih-,gerga1 and handed one to the ,chief ,eunuch ,li--the ,princess and the ,chief ,eunuch both being proficient in the art of scraping them4 ,a sharpened piece of bamboo was brought to ,her ,majesty and she began to work on the gourd she had taken1 scraping off the outer skin4 ,she told me to stand near and watch her scrape it1 as it was a very difficult thing to do well6 ,she certainly did it well1 and it was most interesting to watch her beautiful little hands1 as they gracefully moved the piece of bamboo back and forth1 quickly removing the outer skin1 in the most approved way4 ,though apparently thoroughly interested in scraping her gourd1 she asked me how ,i had enjoyed my promenade of the day before1 and what ,i thought of the ,sea ,palace4 ,she called my attention to the inscriptions on the tablets behind the ,throne1 saying they were in ,manchu and ,chinese characters1 pointing out their difference of form and also speaking of the differences in the two languages4 ,she said she thought ,manchu would be easier for a foreigner to learn than ,chinese1 as ,manchu has an alphabet and is constructed more on the lines of a ,european language4 ,presently ,her ,majesty turned to speak to some one else1 and ,i immediately withdrew1 as is the custom at the ,palace4 ,we went out and joined the ,empress and ,princesses1 who had already retired from the ,throne-room and were having tea and cigarettes reclining on the couches in one of the rooms in the rear4 ,after an hour's rest in the ,mongolian ,hall1 the rain having ceased1 we continued our promenade through the grounds much more pleasantly than we had begun it1 and ,her ,majesty took me for a walk in the ,gardens of the ,sea ,palace1 as she had promised4 ,after dinner1 we were rowed over the lake to the ,gates4 ,just beyond them a company of archers was practising with their bows and arrows2 for archery is still in vogue in ,china1 and fine marksmanship among the archers is rewarded by substantial advancement in the army4 ,archery is also practised as a sport by the young ,manchu nobles4 ,it is said to educate the eye and materially develop the chest and arms4 ,the ,chinese pay great attention to position in archery4 ,they stand stiffly erect1 the chest thrown well forward1 the head held high1 the bow and arrow at rigidly prescribed angles2 and if this position be not observed1 however true the flight of the arrow1 it goes for naught4 ,from the shelter of my chair1 ,i watched the company's practice until ,i heard the 8,sunset call0 resounding through the ,palace grounds2 echoed and rechoed until it reached the outer gates1 which began to move upon their huge hinges until they clanged together for the night4 ,,chapter ,,xii ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,the next day the ,court returned to the ,summer ,palace4 ,the festivities and sacrifices in connection with the ,emperor's ,birthday being now over and the ,court settled down to its usual routine1 ,i hoped ,i might be allowed to go regularly to work on the portrait1 and that ,her ,majesty would allow me to paint when she was not posing4 ,there was much ,i could do between times1 and she could pose but for a short time each day4 ,up to that time1 ,her ,majesty had treated me as a guest at ,court1 whose amusement was the most important thing to be looked after4 ,she seemed much interested in the work1 but my painting was an incident and even the 8,sacred ,picture0 a secondary consideration4 ,all these walks1 these delightful excursions1 were perfectly charming1 and1 had ,i gone to the ,palace to enjoy myself1 or to study ,her ,majesty and ,chinese manners and customs1 ,i would have been perfectly satisfied4 ,i had1 in the ,empress ,dowager1 a psychological study full of ever varying and constant interest4 ,i was living through a unique experience1 seeing what ,i could never hope to see again1 but ,i was not allowed to paint on the portrait as much as ,i should have liked4 ,could ,i but have had permission to work more1 ,i should have been very happy4 ,had ,i been able to speak ,chinese well enough1 ,i felt ,i would obtain what ,i desired2 she had shown herself so uniformly kind4 ,she probably felt ,i was enjoying myself more in this way than working at my painting4 ,while ,i thoroughly enjoyed the promenades with ,her ,majesty1 ,i loved the daily sittings4 ,every portrait painter knows the sort of intimacy that establishes itself between him and his sitter1 however unsympathetic the latter may be at first sight1 which was certainly not the case in this instance4 ,the effort of the painter to get under the exterior and discover the real person of his sitter2 the desire to see the best side and make the most of it1 meets generally with a sympathetic response4 ,if the 8rapport0 is properly established1 they get to know each other better by the time the portrait is finished than they could otherwise have done1 perhaps in years4 ,though ,i saw ,her ,majesty so intimately at other times1 ,i felt ,i was not seeing her 8face to face0 7figuratively speaking71 except at the sittings4 ,illustration3 ,,on ,,the ,,road ,,from ,,peking ,,to ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,the morning after our return to the ,summer ,palace1 my easel was again placed in the ,throne-room4 ,the portrait was taken down from its resting-place and work resumed4 ,her ,majesty gave me a long sitting1 and the portrait made a step ahead4 ,if ,i had only had a place to work alone1 where ,i might study the picture1 when she was not posing1 ,i could have made so many improvements6 ,but ,i was obliged to possess my soul in patience1 and work along for the short space of an hour or so a day and stop the moment ,her ,majesty felt fatigued1 when my brushes and palette were whisked away1 as if by magic4 ,there was no chance to study the portrait or to do anything1 except when the ,empress ,dowager and the crowd of attendants were present4 ,i had taken to the ,palace only a small folding easel1 which was not at all suitable for regular work on so large a portrait1 but it was impossible to get a better one in ,peking4 ,her ,majesty1 who observed everything1 noticed that it was not convenient1 and suggested that ,i draw a design for a large easel and give it to the ,palace carpenters to copy4 ,she thought they would be able to make me one4 ,i did so1 and they made me a very satisfactory working easel4 ,when the eunuchs found that this ,palace easel suited me1 five others of different sizes were made4 ,i asked for what reason1 and was told that everything for ,her ,majesty was made in sixes4 ,it would have been establishing a precedent1 making an innovation1 to have fewer than six easels for her portrait4 ,her ,majesty also ordered some large flat boxes1 with lock and key1 to be made for my materials4 ,these boxes were covered in yellow1 for they were to be used for the ,sacred ,picture1 and must be in the ,imperial color4 ,i forgot to say the six easels had all been stained a bright yellow6 ,a table1 surmounted by one of these yellow boxes1 occupied a prominent place in the ,throne-room during the whole time this portrait was being painted4 ,when ,i finished painting each day1 the ,chief ,eunuch1 himself1 removed the picture from the easel1 and a number of others came and took my brushes and palette1 put away the easel and closed the yellow box and locked it4 ,our head eunuch carried the key to the box4 ,when the afternoon sitting was finished1 we went out for another of those delightful promenades around the grounds4 ,the days were now growing visibly shorter1 and the evenings were beginning to be cool4 ,as we went through the gardens1 ,her ,majesty stopped at all her favorite points and looked for a few moments at the view1 as if to greet it again1 after her absence4 ,she loved the ,summer ,palace and it always seemed a pleasure to her to return to it4 ,we had tea in one of the tea-houses where there were tables and seats4 ,she ordered the eunuchs to make a sort of blanc-mange of lotus-root flour1 which was delicious1 and1 as she said1 most wholesome4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager goes for a walk1 portable stoves and all the paraphernalia necessary for cooking a light repast are taken along4 ,it seemed wonderful to me to see the way the ,chinese could cook1 with apparently so few conveniences4 ,after this we had tea4 ,the finest tea in ,china is sent to the ,palace4 ,the first leaves of the plantations all over the ,great ,empire are reserved for ,their ,majesties4 ,her ,majesty1 who is a great epicure1 has her choice of these chosen leaves4 ,she adds to the delicacy of its already fine flavor by putting into her tea-cup the blooms of dried honeysuckle1 the flowers of jasmine1 or other fragrant blooms4 ,the honey from these flowers slightly sweetens the tea1 besides giving it a delicate1 subtle flavor1 quite unique4 ,these dried blooms are brought in a jade bowl1 with two long cherry sticks1 with which ,her ,majesty takes the flowers and places them in her cup1 stirring them into the tea with these graceful wands4 ,the ,chinese never use a teaspoon4 ,her ,majesty drinks her tea from a jade cup1 which is placed in a curiously fashioned1 cunningly wrought1 open-work1 silver saucer4 ,the ,chinese take their tea boiling hot1 and the jade does not get so hot as a porcelain cup4 ,we continued our walk through the gardens after leaving the tea-house1 and when we were passing a bed of flowers ,her ,majesty spied some curious grass1 which she ordered the eunuchs to gather4 ,when it was brought to her she deftly wove several blades of it into a perfectly recognizable representation of a rabbit4 ,she did it so quickly ,i did not realize she was trying to make anything until she tossed the finished result over to me and asked me what ,i thought it was4 ,it was unmistakable4 ,when we reached our objective point1 one of the highest eminences in the grounds1 with the whole panorama of the ,western ,hills spread out beneath us1 and the setting sun glowing over all in brilliant splendor1 it was a glorious scene4 ,she called me up to her side and made a graceful1 sweeping gesture of the hand that said1 8,this is all mine1 but you may share it with me40 ,she had that sense of possession of nature's beauties which all artistic souls feel1 for their appreciation makes what they view their own4 ,she felt it was hers1 because she loved it so1 and she knew ,i would appreciate it1 which few of her 8entourage0 did1 as none of them were such passionate lovers of nature as the ,empress ,dowager1 and custom had dulled their perception of the beauty of the scene4 ,the exquisite pleasure the contemplation of this glorious view gave me1 made me tremble with delight4 ,as the day was fading and as ,i was thinly clad1 ,her ,majesty thought ,i was cold1 and1 seeing ,i had no wrap1 she called to the ,chief ,eunuch to bring me one of hers4 ,he selected one from the number that were always brought along for these promenades1 and gave it to ,her ,majesty1 who threw it over my shoulders4 ,she asked me to keep it and to try to remember to take better care of myself in the future4 ,,chapter ,,xiii ,,the ,,steam-,,launch--,,semi-,,annual ,,sacrifices ,,to ,,confucius ,we began now to go out on the lake in the steam-launches1 instead of the picturesque ,imperial barge4 ,the ,empress ,dowager is artistic and conservative enough to like the old-fashioned barge2 but she is also intelligent enough to appreciate the advantages of other modes of locomotion1 and has no prejudices2 in fact1 she rather likes trying new things4 ,when the days were long1 the air soft1 and the bosom of the lake engirdled with its chain of blooming lotus1 she preferred the barge2 but when the shorter and cooler days came1 when the lotus were no longer in bloom1 she ordered the steam-launch for our promenades4 ,she seemed now to like its swift and noisy progress as much as she had before enjoyed the softly gliding motion of the barge4 ,her ,throne on the launch was on the prow1 just outside and above the cabin1 where the ,princesses and ,ladies sat4 ,her ,majesty always wanted the fresh air and the view1 and never went inside4 ,the young ,empress and the ,ladies sat within the luxuriously fitted up cabin with its lounges and tables4 ,the first day we went out in the launch the engineer seemed not to have it quite under control1 and we soon ran aground in a field of water-plants near the island4 ,there was great consternation among the eunuchs when it was found the launch could not advance1 even by putting on full steam4 ,the engineer didn't seem to know what to do4 ,her ,majesty ordered the engines reversed1 and this was tried1 but it was some time before the launch moved4 ,the ,princesses and eunuchs became quite excited1 but ,her ,majesty was perfectly unconcerned1 and laughed at their fears for her safety4 ,she said it would be no great matter for her to walk over to the island4 ,it would only mean one pair of shoes the less6 ,when the launch finally moved1 the ,chief ,eunuch1 not wishing to run the risk of another mishap1 wanted to give word to the engineer to return2 but ,her ,majesty would not hear of this1 and insisted upon completing the excursion as she had at first planned it4 ,we had several other mishaps1 and the launch finally ran aground2 and no effort of the engineers1 no putting on of extra steam1 was able to get us off again4 ,her ,majesty kept her good humor1 ordered her barge brought alongside1 and we were all 8transshipped40 ,we finished our tour on the lake as she had planned it1 but in the barge instead of the launch4 ,she is too intelligent not to use any means at hand to attain her ends1 and she is intelligent enough to see that these ends can be attained1 by some means or other1 before she fixes upon them4 ,the ,emperor of ,china1 with the usual ,chinese tolerance1--and the ,chinese are the most tolerant people in the world as to religious faith1--is not only the head of one church1 but of all the churches in ,china4 ,he is1 as ,emperor1 the ,great ,high ,priest of ,heaven1 the ,high ,priest of ,buddhism and ,taoism1 and is1 of course1 a ,confucian2 though this is a philosophy rather than a religion4 ,but though a philosophy1 there are certain rites and ceremonies observed by the ,confucians4 ,all the great ceremonies of the different cults are celebrated in the ,palace temples with rigid impartiality and equal pomp4 ,whatever may be the individual leanings of the ,emperor1 and1 of course1 he must have his own preferences1 he participates in each of these celebrations4 ,but his official1 public exercise of religion1 is limited to the worship of ,heaven and ,earth1 to which he makes annual public sacrifices in the ,great ,temple of ,heaven at ,peking4 ,the afternoon of our first steam-launch excursion1 finished in ,her ,majesty's barge1 there was a splendid ceremony in the chapel at the foot of the hill crowned with the ,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas1 to the memory of ,confucius1 the great ,sage1 whose philosophy has directed the lives and laws of the ,chinese people for nearly twenty-five hundred years4 ,though a philosopher like ,plato1 he is appreciated and his teachings followed by the masses1 as well as the classes1 in ,china4 ,he is not a religious leader but an ethical teacher1 and though many temples have been erected to his memory1 they are like ,halls of ,science and not temples to a divinity4 ,there are no images either of ,confucius or the ,sages in these temples4 ,they are classic halls1 bare of all church-like ornamentation4 ,quotations from the 8analects10 painted on scrolls1 cut into wood1 and carved out of stone1 adorn the walls1 not only of the interiors of the temples1 but of the courts and verandahs of the buildings4 ,at the place where the altar would be in a temple1 there is a plain niche1 painted in red with a tablet bearing an inscription in gold1 8,the ,seat of the ,perfect ,one40 ,on either side are similar niches1 containing the tablets of four other great ,sages1 among whom was ,mencius4 ,these semi-annual sacrifices are in commemoration of ,confucius as an ethical teacher1 a wise philosopher1 a ,sage4 ,at this service in the ,palace1 the participants and celebrants were all in full ,court dress4 ,there was an address to the memory of the great ,sage1 with music and hymns2 the latter were rhythmic verses1 containing some truth inculcated by the ,sage4 ,there was an altar with a dragon table in front for offerings4 ,there were sacrifices1 incense1 and music4 ,the altar was rich with splendid vases1 rare old bronze bowls1 and incense-burners1 and sweet with flowers and fruit4 ,on the dragon table1 which stood in front1 were offerings of millet1 meat1 and wine4 ,tall cressets of open iron-work containing huge1 burning pine-knots were placed in front of the raised platform1 on which stood the altar1 which was beautifully illuminated with tall candles in square1 silver candelabra4 ,the court in front of this temple1 as well as the surrounding buildings1 were hung with charming painted lanterns4 ,their ,majesties1 with the ,empress and ,ladies1 preceded and surrounded by eunuchs and officials1 in full ,court dress1 went in ceremonious procession through the verandahed corridors1 from ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room to the temple4 ,their approach was accompanied by the slow beating of drums4 ,when they reached the temple1 three yellow cushions were placed on the paved floor for ,their ,majesties and the ,empress1 and red cushions for the ,ladies4 ,the music was played in rhythmic strains1 while ,their ,majesties knelt and prostrated themselves three times2 the ,empress and ,ladies doing likewise4 ,the officials and other participants knelt outside in the court4 ,when the prostrations were finished1 a yellow chair was brought for the ,empress ,dowager4 ,she sat during the rest of the service1 but the ,emperor1 the ,empress1 and ,ladies remained standing during the whole celebration4 ,this consisted of a number of genuflexions and prostrations by the celebrants1 and a moving about of the offerings on the dragon table in a ceremonious and reverent manner4 ,the chief officiant read the address from a long scroll4 ,after finishing it1 he placed it on a casket on the altar4 ,the first part of the ceremony took place inside the temple1 then the celebrants went out into the court and intoned the six hymns and made renewed prostrations4 ,i was not able to understand enough of the hymns1 or to get them sufficiently translated to make out their meaning4 ,they were all of uniform length4 ,they were in praise of ,confucius and were called 8,odes to ,peace40 ,when all the verses were intoned1 the scroll with the address1 some of each of the offerings1 were placed in the huge iron incense-burner1 that stood in the center of the outer court1 and set on fire by the chief celebrant1 while one of the several flagons of wine that had made part of the offerings was poured over the blaze4 ,i had not expected to enter the temple with ,their ,majesties and the ,ladies1 but when we reached the door1 the ,empress drew me in with her4 ,they seemed to realize that ,i enjoyed seeing these celebrations and to perfectly understand my not taking any active part in them4 ,i always remained standing1 but ,i listened reverently to the intoning of the hymns and the reading of the address4 ,i conducted myself as ,i would at any religious ceremony1 and they seemed to appreciate it4 ,when all was finished1 ,her ,majesty told me to go up to the altar and examine the rare1 old1 bronze ornaments1 the candelabra1 etc4 ,they explained to me that the address1 which had been read1 was burned1 as it had filled its mission when it was read2 that the ashes of a literary essay were a most fitting offering to the memory of ,confucius1 the great philosopher4 ,when all was over1 ,their ,majesties ordered the boats to come to the foot of the terrace1 where the last part of the celebration had been made1 and we returned to the ,palace by way of the lake4 ,,chapter ,,xiv ,,the ,,palace ,,eunuchs ,the internal affairs of the ,palace are managed by eunuchs1 among whom there are all grades1 all sorts and conditions4 ,some are clever literati given to study2 some have the polished1 insinuating manners of the courtier2 some have a ,mandarin rank of high degree2 some are menials4 ,there are actors and singers1 cooks and gardeners1 teachers and pupils1 writers and readers4 ,they occupy all sorts of positions1 from ,their ,majesties' body-guard to gate-keepers4 ,in this hierarchy1 ,their ,majesties' ,chief ,eunuchs held the first place4 ,under each of these there are six eunuchs of high rank1 all exceptionally clever1 who have raised themselves to the positions they occupy in the ,palace by their own efforts or by some special qualification4 ,each of the hundreds of pavilions and palaces in the inclosures has a corps of eunuchs1 presided over by a head eunuch4 ,these act as guards to the premises1 as well as servants1 and keep things in readiness for a visit from ,their ,majesties4 ,there is a head eunuch who directs the large corps of ,palace gardeners2 another who presides over the dozens of cooks in the ,imperial kitchen2 one is at the head of each of the departments1 and each of these head eunuchs1 chiefs of the different departments1 is under the jurisdiction of the ,chief ,eunuch1 for ,her ,majesty's ,chief ,eunuch may be called the real ,chief ,eunuch of the ,palace4 ,he is not only older than the ,emperor's ,chief ,eunuch1 but is more capable4 ,the two ,chief ,eunuchs1 from their position near the sacred persons of ,their ,majesties1 have unusual power4 ,they may make or mar the career of the eunuchs beneath them2 and they not only have this power inside the ,palace1 but from their exceptionally fine opportunities to present petitions1 to speak for or against certain people1 they also have a great deal of power with people outside the ,palace4 ,her ,majesty's ,chief ,eunuch has almost the power in ,peking1 among officials and courtiers1 that 8,son ,eminence ,grise0 had at the ,court of ,louis ,,xiii of ,france4 ,he is courted and fawned upon1 receives magnificent presents1 and nobles of high degree wait upon his pleasure2 but while he occupies this high position with outsiders1 in the ,palace ,i saw no evidence of his having any unusual power with ,her ,majesty1 beyond that of one who has been in the life-long service of his master and who has the privileges resulting therefrom4 ,the peculiar position of a ,chinese ,emperor1 which shuts him in his ,palace like a ,buddha in a temple1 makes some sort of confidential private messenger an absolute necessity4 ,there is much business of an unofficial kind1 which must be transacted in a private way4 ,the ,chief ,eunuchs are naturally called upon in such cases4 ,when the ,ruler of the ,celestial ,empire is a woman1 the ,palace becomes more of a gilded prison1 a shut-in shrine1 than even in the case of an ,emperor4 ,she cannot see officials1 or even members of the ,imperial clan1 except in the ,audience ,halls4 ,thus a ,chief ,eunuch under an ,empress would have even greater power than under an ,emperor2 and in this instance1 ,her ,majesty's ,chief ,eunuch1 ,li ,lien ,ying1 is really of exceptional ability6 ,in person he is tall and thin4 ,his head is1 in type1 like ,savonarola's4 ,he has a ,roman nose1 a massive lean jaw1 a protruding lower lip1 and very shrewd eyes1 full of intelligence1 that shine out of sunken orbits4 ,his face is much wrinkled and his skin like old parchment4 ,though only sixty years old1 he looks seventy-five1 and is the oldest eunuch in the ,palace4 ,he has been there since the age of ten4 ,he has elegant1 insinuating manners1 speaks excellent ,chinese--having a fine enunciation1 a good choice of words1 and a low1 pleasant voice4 ,if one may judge from appearances1 he possesses ability in a marked degree4 ,of ,his ,majesty's ,chief ,eunuch ,i can say nothing4 ,i only saw him on the days of the ,theater1 or some festival1 when ,his ,majesty passed the day with the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies1 when he was always accompanied by his suite4 ,her ,majesty's second eunuch1 ,sui1 who is of equal rank with ,li ,lien ,ying1 is as unlike him as two people could possibly be1 both as to person1 character1 mental and moral nature4 ,this one has none of the qualities of the intriguer--no ,machiavellian schemes would be forwarded by him4 ,he is almost a giant in size1 tall and heavy4 ,he is forty-six years old1 and has a round1 full face1 without a line--a typical ,chinese face1 as we know it from pictures1 benevolent and kind4 ,he1 also1 is a good ,chinese scholar1 and1 of course1 speaks it elegantly4 ,her ,majesty will have no one around her person who does not speak it well4 ,if it be true that ,her ,majesty1 in choosing her ministers1 tries to have them the opposites of each other1 so that she may thus hear the different sides of a question and arrive at more just conclusions1 her two ,chief ,eunuchs seem to have been chosen in the same way4 ,there is a eunuch appointed to administer the punishment1 ordered by ,their ,majesties for the eunuchs around their persons4 ,for the higher eunuchs1 this is generally the deprivation of a certain amount of their annual wages1 or the loss of their buttons1 for the buttons on the hats of ,chinese denote their rank1 and to be deprived of a button1 or to have one of lower rank given1 is considered a disgrace4 ,i once saw ,her ,majesty very angry over the failure to carry out one of her orders1 by two of the high eunuchs1 and she ordered them to be deprived of two months' pay4 ,the head eunuchs of the different departments administer whatever punishment they see fit1 to those over whom they are placed4 ,this punishment is generally corporal4 ,sometimes they abuse their authority and are very cruel in administering this1 but1 as a rule1 the eunuchs seem to be of a mild and peace-loving nature1 rather than cruel and vindictive--inclined to condone the faults of their inferiors rather than punish them to the full extent of their authority4 ,there seemed to be a feeling of 8esprit de corps0 among them--a spirit of mutual helpfulness4 ,each of the higher eunuchs has a number of pupils among the lower grades1 who call him 8,master10 and whom he trains in manners and teaches his own specialties4 ,the higher eunuchs seemed to take the liveliest interest in the good conduct1 and literary1 or other1 advancement of these pupils1 and they push their interests with ,their ,majesties in every way possible--each one1 of course1 trying to advance his pupils beyond those of some other eunuch4 ,her ,majesty has a great horror of opium smoking4 ,if a eunuch1 however high his position1 indulged in it1 the severest punishments she ever ordered were administered4 ,they were not only deprived of so many months' pay and loss of their buttons1 but were sometimes banished from the ,palace for a certain length of time1 and even severe corporal punishment would be ordered4 ,these stringent measures did not prevent some of them1 however1 from indulging surreptitiously in the narcotic1 but they took the most extreme precautions to prevent its being found out4 ,her ,majesty has unusually acute olfactories1 especially for opium4 ,this1 it seems1 can be detected by its odor1 which hangs around the clothes1 and1 like the odor of the rose1 one 8can break the vase1 it lingers there still40 ,but it seems the eunuchs have special linen clothes1 which they put on for smoking1 and these are given to be washed1 immediately the fascinating pipe is finished4 ,unless one is an habitual smoker1 the drug has very little outward effect and1 except by the odor1 it cannot be detected4 ,the eunuchs are very fond of all sorts of pets1 and have in their quarters dogs without number1 cats and birds4 ,while the younger eunuchs generally depend for their advancement upon their teachers1 who report favorably on them to ,their ,majesties1 they sometimes attract the attention of ,their ,majesties1 and may be raised out of their places by ,imperial favor4 ,among the eunuchs assigned to my service in the ,palace1 was one who was fortunate enough to attract the ,emperor's notice4 ,his ,majesty had happened to notice him1 carrying my wraps on one of the promenades with ,her ,majesty4 ,he liked his face and manners and took him into his own service4 ,the eunuch had a 8button0 bestowed on him and promised to mount very fast in grade4 ,this eunuch had been in the ,palace about fifteen years2 and had ,his ,majesty not happened to notice him1 he might have lived and died in oblivion1 and never had a button1 for his 8master0 was dead and he had no protector to push his interests6 ,when one realizes that the ,palaces of the ,chinese ,emperor are like towns1 that their affairs are administered principally by the eunuchs1 one can see there must be a good deal of intelligence among them1 as well as great opportunities to add to their personal wealth4 ,i heard1 before ,i went into the ,palace1 of the great power and unscrupulousness of the ,chief ,eunuchs2 that it would be necessary to be very conciliatory toward them and make them many handsome presents4 ,i did not find it so4 ,i never made an effort to conciliate any of them1 nor gave any handsome presents1 and ,i found them all respectful1 and ,i had every consideration shown me by them1 and found them1 on the whole1 pleasant enough to deal with4 ,some of them were clever and interesting even1 and they all had very good manners4 ,in fact1 ,i cannot too highly praise the manners of the ,chinese1 as a race4 ,i quite concur in the opinion of a clever ,frenchman1 who said of ,china1 8,aujourd'hui c'est l o les bonnes manires se sont refugies40 ,,chapter ,,xv ,,the ,,literary ,,tastes ,,and ,,accomplishments ,,of ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,when ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager was ,empress of the ,western ,palace1 ,co-,regent with the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace1 who died in #ahha1 the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace was known as the 8,literary ,empress40 ,all ,state affairs were left to the stronger executive ability of the ,empress of the ,western ,palace2 while she of the ,eastern ,palace gave herself up to literary pursuits and led the life of a student4 ,she was a woman of such fine literary ability that she1 herself1 sometimes examined the essays of the aspirants for the highest literary honors in the ,university of ,peking4 ,she was also a writer of distinction4 ,during the long ,co-,regency of these two remarkable women1 widows of the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng1 one led the life of a student2 the other1 the active1 militant life of the ruler4 ,for the present ,empress ,dowager has been the real ruler of the great ,chinese ,empire for the last forty-five years4 ,had the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace not been such an exceptional light as a literary woman and had not ,her ,majesty1 ,tze-,hsi1 possessed so many other and more remarkable qualities1 the latter's name might also go down to history as a 8literary ,empress10 for the ,empress ,dowager has literary qualities of no mean kind4 ,she writes a graceful poem1 is able to express herself in elegant ,chinese1 as well as in the ruder1 more forcible ,manchu language4 ,she can write in literary style1 fine idiomatic ,chinese1 and this is a rare accomplishment for a woman4 ,the written ,chinese language is quite different from that spoken by even the most cultivated4 ,imagery and figure abound to such a degree1 literary form is so important1 that many fine scholars are unable to write the language acceptably1 except for practical purposes4 ,aside from ,her ,majesty's literary acquirements1 she has an enlightened taste1 is a great reader of the classics1 and a fine critic4 ,she also loves poems of heroic adventure4 ,one of her favorite historical characters is the ,chinese ,jeanne d',arc1 the warlike ,maiden1 ,whar-,mou-,lahn1 who went forth to battle in masculine guise1 had many heroic adventures in her twelve years' service1 and1 through them all1 remained a virgin pure4 ,the ,empress ,dowager has a wonderful verbal memory4 ,memory1 so highly esteemed by the ,chinese1 is most carefully cultivated1 and is generally better developed with them than with us4 ,her ,majesty's memory is1 however1 considered exceptional1 even among the ,chinese4 ,she can repeat pages1 not only of the classics1 but of her favorite authors4 ,one of the widows of her son 7the ,emperor ,tung-,chih71 who came regularly every week to pay her respects to ,her ,majesty1 is a very clever woman and a great favorite of her august mother-in-law4 ,this lady also possesses a remarkable memory4 ,on her visits to the ,palace ,i used to hear ,her ,majesty and this ,empress quoting from some of their favorite classics or poems4 ,the quotations would pass from one to another1 sometimes for a half-hour without stopping1 and1 at times1 they would repeat in concert some favorite phrase4 ,i will never forget how they looked3 ,her ,majesty sitting at her ,throne-table with her flowers or some light occupation1 her daughter-in-law standing beside her1 each of their faces lighted up with pleasure as they repeated line after line4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager went to her own apartments for her 8siesta10 her reader would come bringing volumes of her favorite authors4 ,some days ,i could hear his voice rising and falling in regular cadence during the whole time she was resting in her apartments4 ,when she was particularly interested in what had been read to her she would have the book taken out when she went for her daily promenade and would sit and read as she was carried along in her open chair1 or was rowed along on the barge4 ,this did not often happen1 however1 for she took such keen delight in all its manifestations1 she preferred to read in ,nature's book when out-of-doors4 ,she is a great lover of the theater and prefers the classic1 the old plays1 to the modern ,chinese drama4 ,she had one new play staged1 while ,i was in the ,palace1 with which she seemed to be much pleased4 ,she studied the play for several days before it was given for the first time1 and1 at the first representation1 she followed every line with intense interest4 ,she sent her eunuchs several times to the stage to suggest changes in the rendering of certain parts and in the interpretation of certain lines4 ,the ,theater generally begins with a short play1 which is often a light farce4 ,she seemed sometimes to enjoy these very much and would laugh heartily at the good hits1 which were often original additions by the actors1 allusions to some passing event4 ,contrary to my preconceived idea as to the ,chinese1 they are witty and appreciate humor in others4 ,the ,empress ,dowager has a fine sense of humor4 ,she not only sees the point of a joke1 but she can turn one very cleverly herself4 ,she is very particular about the way ,chinese is spoken1 a great stickler for purity of expression and elegance of style4 ,there are as many dialects in ,china as there are ,provinces in the ,great ,empire2 and although the literati and gentry speak1 what is called ,mandarin ,chinese1 some of the most highly educated of the literati from the ,provinces speak it with an accent4 ,her ,majesty1 who has a musical ear and great discernment as to sounds1 gets very impatient when listening to ,chinese spoken with an accent4 ,it is said1 other things being not quite equal1 she will give the preference1 in an appointment1 to an official who speaks perfect ,chinese and who has a good voice1 especially if his office brings him often into the ,presence4 ,however1 particular as she is1 bad ,chinese in a man of merit is not a bar to advancement1 for ,li-,hung-,chang1 whom she appreciated so highly1 and to whom she gave such preferment1 is said to have spoken very indifferent ,chinese4 ,whether it be1 that ,her ,majesty's musical and exquisitely modulated voice1 so fresh and silvery1 so youthful1 adds to the charm of her ,chinese1 when she speaks it1 it sounds like beautiful rhythmic poetry4 ,she speaks it so graphically1 with such expression and graceful gestures1 that it charms one even who does not understand the language4 ,one day when she was out for a walk1 one of the directors of the gardeners was brought up to explain something to her1 some change in the laying out of new flower beds4 ,she listened a few moments1 but ,i saw her frown and begin to look impatient4 ,after a few more words from the poor man1 who was evidently overcome by timidity and probably speaking worse ,chinese than usual1 ,her ,majesty turned to the ,chief ,eunuch and said1 8,let him tell you and you can translate to me2 ,i can't stand any more of that language10 and she walked away1 still frowning4 ,another day1 ,i heard the ,empress ,dowager tell one of the ,ladies at ,court 7her daughter-in-law71 who was also a great purist in the matter of language1 about her own ,chinese having been misunderstood by one of the eunuchs4 ,there are many ,chinese words almost exactly alike in sound1 which are only differentiated by the inflection or tone4 ,thus there must be great accuracy of enunciation1 and there must also be great accuracy of ear4 ,her ,majesty had given an order to one of the eunuchs4 ,the stupid fellow had misunderstood the inflection and had done the exact opposite4 ,she was so amused and astonished1 when she found that her tone had been misunderstood1 that she did not reprove him for his stupidity4 ,one day1 she corrected one of the ,princesses for the pronunciation of a word1 and she said 7in an aside7 it was not strange this ,princess did not speak better1 for her father's ,chinese was 8execrable10 thus showing that even ,princes do not always speak the language correctly4 ,one of the most precious gifts the ,empress ,dowager makes1 and which is sacredly treasured by its recipients1 is a scroll with a single great character written upon it by ,her ,majesty's own hand4 ,this is considered one of the most difficult feats of a ,chinese writer4 ,these characters are sometimes four feet long4 ,one day we were invited to go into the ,throne-room to see ,her ,majesty make some of these characters4 ,when ,i went into the ,great ,hall1 ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies were already there4 ,she was stirring a great bowl of ,india ink1 for she is very particular as to its consistency and fluidity4 ,when the ink suited her1 she took from a eunuch standing near1 who held a number1 a huge short-handled brush1 which she could hardly clasp in her small hand4 ,she tried two or three1 before she found one that pleased her1 and1 turning to me1 said1 8,you see ,i also have my choice in brushes40 ,i asked ,lady ,yu-,keng to tell her that ,i thought her large brushes were more suitable for my hands and that my smaller ones would have been more appropriate for her4 ,she laughingly replied she preferred the ,chinese brush1 and that her hands1 small as they were1 were able to wield it very satisfactorily1 which was no vain boast4 ,when all was ready1 and the huge scroll spread out before her on a table1 she dipped her brush into the bowl of ink1 held by the eunuch1 and began the first stroke of one of these famous characters1 in which she is said to equal the most proficient writers in ,china4 ,i was amazed to see the firmness of her wrist and the beautiful clearness of her stroke1 which deviated not a hair's breadth from the line she wished to follow4 ,she made six great characters on six of the scrolls4 ,these characters meant 8,peace10 8,prosperity10 8,longevity10 etc4 ,when she had finished these1 she said she feared her hand had no longer the firmness necessary for doing another4 ,while she was writing1 the young ,empress1 the ,princesses1 and the eunuchs stood around1 watching her with intense interest4 ,they seemed to take great pride in her firmness of touch and her accuracy of line4 ,the ,chinese written character must be made in a certain way4 ,it must begin at a given part4 ,the strokes must follow a given direction4 ,the transversal strokes must be placed with mathematical precision4 ,nothing is left to the caprice or individuality of the writer4 ,any one1 knowing the ,chinese written characters1 can tell you whether these complicated hieroglyphs were begun at the proper place or made in the proper way4 ,they may look perfectly correct to the uninitiated observer who has a most accurate eye1 and still not be so considered by the connoisseur4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,,writing ,a 8,,great ,,character0 ,the firmness of ,her ,majesty's touch is also very apparent in her painting1 for she is very artistic1 and paints flowers in a charming way2 in fact1 she is remarkably clever with her fingers4 ,she does not embroider now1 as she formerly did1 nor does she paint so much1 for she says her eyes are not so good as they were1 though she does not and has never worn glasses4 ,there are a great number of artificial flowers made in the ,palace1 as no ,manchu lady's coiffure is considered complete without flowers4 ,her ,majesty is very particular about the way these flowers are made1 and when they were brought to her for inspection1 with a deft touch she would give a defective flower the required form4 ,she often makes new designs for the flowers1 having them woven into quaint figures1 or having a number of small blooms made into a representation of some large flower4 ,she sometimes had her diadem made of the snowy blooms of the fragrant jasmine1 set with leaves and other small flowers1 representing jewels1 and she would wear this instead of her real jewels4 ,she is a great believer in one of the rules that ,confucius lays down for the attainment of 8,illustrious ,virtue02 she 8cultivates her person40 ,she is always immaculately neat4 ,she designs her own dresses1 and has her jewels set according to her own directions4 ,she is very artistic in the arrangement of her flowers and jewels1 and sees that they harmonize with her toilet4 ,she has excellent taste in the choice of colors1 and ,i never saw her with an unbecoming color on1 except the ,imperial yellow4 ,this was not becoming1 but she was obliged to wear it on all official occasions4 ,she used to modify it1 as much as possible1 by the trimmings1 and would sometimes have it so heavily embroidered that the original color was hardly visible4 ,she is a great epicure1 and often designs new and dainty dishes4 ,she has perfumes and soaps for her own use1 made in the ,palace4 ,although there are quantities of ,french and ,german soaps and perfumes bought for the ,palace1 she prefers an almond paste that she has made and often uses the soap made in the ,palace4 ,the maids would make these under her supervision4 ,i have frequently seen them bring the mortar in which they were stirring it to ,her ,majesty1 that she might see its progress1 and she would energetically stir it herself4 ,she is also a great lover of perfumes1 and herself combines the oils of different flowers so as to produce most subtle and delightful perfumes4 ,the ,chinese say 8colors1 odors1 and perfumes are good for the soul40 ,the ,empress ,dowager's soul was certainly well cared for in this respect4 ,the ,chinese are so near to nature1 so simple in every way1 that their influence over animals and birds is extraordinary1 and seems to us almost magical4 ,they are very fond of all animals1 and especially so of birds4 ,they train and teach these latter in wonderful ways4 ,i have often seen a ,chinese go near a singing bird's cage and tell it to sing1 and it would pour forth its little heart in melody4 ,birds never seem to have any fear of them4 ,in the afternoons1 in early spring1 or on a fine day in winter1 one may see hundreds of well-dressed and dignified men each carrying a covered bird cage1 taking the birds out for the air4 ,when they arrive at some open space in the city1 or beautiful spot in the environs1 they uncover the cages and hold them aloft1 or simply sit with them on their knees1 and the bird will sing as if its little throat would burst4 ,they have absolutely no fear1 and1 though caged1 seem to have a perfect understanding with their owners and obey their voices4 ,they are often let out of the cages when taken out for exercise1 but they will return to them at the call of their owners2 and these birds are not hatched in cages--they are taken from the forests and trained4 ,two of the religious precepts of the ,chinese--8,hurt no living thing10 8,protect all living things0--are carried so far1 they will allow an animal to live in misery rather than put him out of it by a speedy death4 ,they love all animals and fear none4 ,they say if you do not attack an animal1 however dangerous he is1 he will not harm you4 ,the ,empress ,dowager seemed also to possess this almost magical power over animals4 ,her dogs never paid the slightest attention but to her voice1 and would obey her slightest gesture2 but1 fond as she was of them1 she rarely caressed them2 and she was so particular about her hands that1 when she did stroke or fondle one of her pets1 she would immediately after have a cloth wrung out of hot water brought to wipe her fingers4 ,i never saw a dog in her arms but once1 and this was a puppy which she took a fancy to when visiting her kennels one day1 and she brought him back to the ,throne-room in her arms and played with him for some time4 ,on one of our promenades in the park ,i saw a curious instance of her wonderful personal magnetism and her power over animals4 ,a bird had escaped from its cage1 and some eunuchs were making efforts to catch it1 when ,her ,majesty and suite came into that part of the grounds4 ,the eunuchs had found it impossible to entice the bird back into its cage2 nor would it come upon a long stick with a perch attached1 which they held up near the tree where it rested4 ,the eunuchs scattered at the approach of ,her ,majesty1 and she inquired the cause of their being here4 ,the ,chief ,eunuch explained what they were doing1 and the ,empress ,dowager said1 8,i will call it down40 ,i thought this was a vain boast1 and in my heart ,i pitied her4 ,she was so accustomed to have the whole world bow to her1 she fancied even a bird in the grounds would obey her mandates1 and ,i watched to see how she would take her defeat4 ,she had a long1 wand-like stick1 which had been cut from a sapling and freshly stripped of its bark4 ,she loved the faint forest odor of these freshly cut sticks1 and in the spring often had one when she went out4 ,they were long and slender1 with a crook at the top4 ,i used to think she looked like the pictures of fairies when she walked with these long1 white wands4 ,she would use them for pointing out a flower she wished the eunuchs to gather1 or for tracing designs on the gravel when she sat down4 ,to-day she held the wand she carried aloft and made a low1 bird-like sound with her lips1 never taking her eyes off the bird4 ,she had the most musical of voices1 and its flute-like sound seemed like a magical magnet to the bird4 ,he fluttered and began to descend from bough to bough until he lighted upon the crook of her wand1 when she gently moved her other hand up nearer and nearer1 until it finally rested on her finger6 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,,in ,,the ,,gardens ,,of ,,the ,,summer ,,palace--,,calling ,a ,,bird ,i had been watching with breathless attention1 and so tense and absorbed had ,i become that the sudden cessation1 when the bird finally came upon her finger1 caused me a throb of almost pain4 ,no one else1 however1 of her entourage seemed to think this anything extraordinary4 ,after a few moments she handed the bird to one of the eunuchs1 and we continued on our promenade4 ,i saw another instance of her magnetic power1 this time with a katydid4 ,one of the ,princesses1 seeing one on a bush1 tried to catch it1 but in vain4 ,her ,majesty held out her hand toward the beautiful insect1 made a peculiar sound like their own cry1 and advanced her outstretched finger until it rested upon it4 ,she stroked it gently for a few moments1 and then removed her fingers1 and the katydid made no effort to fly until she put it down6 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,,the ,,great ,,audience ,,hall--,,some ,,official ,,customs ,when ,his ,majesty the ,emperor reigned alone1 he was in the habit of holding his ,audiences as early as three o'clock ,a4,m4 ,it is said1 however1 that this custom was owing as much to his personal shyness as to his love of early rising1 for at these ,audiences he would allow but two candles on the ,throne-table in front of him1 and the ,great ,hall was lighted elsewhere only by the beautiful ,chinese lanterns1 which shine with but a dim brilliancy and are not very effective as lights4 ,thus his face could not be seen if an official should so forget the ,proprieties as to raise his eyes to the ,imperial ,person4 ,their ,majesties' ,audiences are held in the ,great ,audience ,hall1 a detached building apart and quite distinct from all the other buildings of the ,palace inclosure4 ,the inscription over its great doors points out that it is the 8,hall where ,industry is to be applied to ,state ,affairs40 ,in all the ,palaces the ,audience ,hall is nearest the outside walls and entrances1 so that the officials who are privileged to have ,audiences must only pass through the outer courts to reach the hall--,their ,majesties' ,palaces with their private apartments being at some distance beyond4 ,at the ,winter ,palace1 where there are so many walls within walls1 each of ,their ,majesties' ,palaces is surrounded with walls1 and the ,audience ,hall is also in a walled-in inclosure near one of the ,great ,gates1 but at the ,summer ,palace there are no walls except the exterior ones6 ,the interior of the ,audience ,hall1 at the ,summer ,palace1 is not by any means bare or austere4 ,it is furnished in the same style as the ,throne-rooms1 with splendid ornaments1 curios1 tea-tables and chairs1 and1 curious anachronism1 there are here three pianos6 ,the walls are hung with ornamental scrolls1 as well as with those bearing some gigantic character traced by an ,emperor's hand or some condensed bit of philosophy of the ,sages4 ,one of these scrolls has an admonition to the ,emperor to remember that 8he is responsible to ,heaven for the happiness and prosperity of his people40 ,there is a great dais in the center of the hall1 on which stands the ,throne1 with its table1 behind which is the three-1 five-1 or seven-leaved screen4 ,the ancient dais was lower than those now used1 and the antique ,throne1 with its capacious size and cushions1 was more like a lounge than the modern ,throne4 ,this seems to indicate that the administration of justice by the ,emperor was in ancient times less formal and more patriarchal than to-day4 ,in former times the ,emperor could lounge upon his ,throne at his ease when seeing his ,ministers1 and they could approach nearer the ,sacred ,person1 as the dais was not so large nor so high as that in use to-day4 ,heads of departments and ,princes with honorary official positions have ,audiences on certain days of the month1 to report upon affairs of their ,boards or to pay their respects to ,his ,majesty4 ,every day ,their ,majesties hold ,audience and see the ,prime ,minister and ,grand ,secretary1 and there are frequent meetings of the ,grand ,council4 ,the ,prime ,minister1 ,prince ,ching1 has the last ,audience of the day1 and business reported on during the other ,audiences is then discussed4 ,all telegrams and despatches go to their respective ,boards1 and are1 except in cases of extreme gravity1 only reported to ,their ,majesties at the ,audiences4 ,after eleven all ,state business is supposed to be finished by ,their ,majesties4 ,they are then free from ,state worries and cares until the following day4 ,during the times of the rebellion in the ,province of ,kwang-,si1 when the ,russian evacuation of ,manchuria was expected1 and at the time of outbreak of hostilities in ,manchuria 7the three grave events occurring during my stay in the ,palace71 telegrams and despatches were constantly being sent to ,her ,majesty out of ,audience hours4 ,they were brought to her ,throne-room1 and sometimes even during her walks in the gardens they would be handed her4 ,these despatches were sent over to the ,palace from the ,wai-,wu-,pu on their arrival4 ,of course1 it was by ,her ,majesty's express command that her privacy was thus infringed upon4 ,no official would otherwise have dared transgress the prescribed rules4 ,the despatches were received at the entrance of the ,palace by the eunuch whose province it was4 ,he placed them in the yellow-covered1 silken-lined box1 in which they were presented to ,her ,majesty on bended knees4 ,in front of the ,throne dais1 during the hours of ,audience1 there are five cushions placed on the floor for the members of the ,grand ,council to kneel upon when they are memorializing ,their ,majesties4 ,the ,prime ,minister's cushion is nearest the ,throne4 ,a cushion to kneel upon is a privilege only granted members of the ,grand ,council4 ,any other official1 when making communications to ,their ,majesties1 must kneel upon the bare marble floor1 and must kneel beyond the space occupied by these five cushions4 ,he is thus placed at a disadvantage4 ,the distance at which he is from ,their ,majesties may prevent his hearing some of their words1 especially the ,emperor's1 whose voice is very low and without any carrying quality4 ,the official may overcome this difficulty and shorten the distance by paying the eunuch who conducts him to the ,audience ,hall1 to remove some of the cushions1 so that he may kneel nearer the dais4 ,the ,prime ,minister's and ,grand ,secretary's cushions may on no condition be removed1 but the other three are subject to the will of the introducing eunuch4 ,if this latter be sufficiently paid1 and there is a fixed price for each cushion1 he will remove the three of the lower members of the ,cabinet4 ,when the official who has been granted an ,audience is conducted to the ,audience ,hall by the eunuch appointed for the purpose1 the latter throws open the great doors1 falls upon his knees at the threshold1 and announces the name and position of the official1 gives the hour and minute of his arrival at the ,palace1 and1 before he rises1 he has deftly removed the cushions for which he has received the required sum4 ,after his name has been announced1 the official enters and kneels as near the dais as is consistent with his rank and the sum paid the eunuch4 ,when the eunuch has introduced the official1 he turns from the door and must run away as fast as he can4 ,officials and eunuchs stationed at some distance watch his departure4 ,should he linger or transgress this law1 capital punishment is the result4 ,this is to avoid eavesdropping and the possible transmission of ,state secrets4 ,when the official granted an ,audience hears the last echo of the steps of the departing eunuch1 he falls upon his knees and begins the relation of his business4 ,their ,majesties question him1 if necessary1 to elicit further explanations4 ,when the ,audience is finished1 the official rises and walks out4 ,the ,chinese never back out of the ,presence1 and it is not considered a breach of etiquette to turn their backs upon ,royalty6 ,the officials who are obliged to go often to ,audiences resort to an amusing subterfuge to protect their knees from the marble floor4 ,they strap heavily wadded cushions around their knees before they go in1 and they can thus kneel in comfort4 ,the long ,chinese gown worn by the men1 of course1 hides these knee cushions4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,official ,,audience ,,of ,,their ,,majesties ,his ,majesty assumed the cares of ,state at an early age1 when he was still filled with boyish spirit4 ,many of the heads of departments are old men1 and some of them doubtless most tiresome in reiterating facts and dwelling upon details4 ,when the young ,emperor first took over the direction of affairs and held his ,audiences alone1 he would get very impatient at hearing several of these old men go over tiresome details4 ,as it is not 8according to the laws of propriety0 for the official to raise his eyes to the ,sacred ,person1 while the old man rambled on1 with prosy detail1 the young ,emperor would slip off the ,throne and quietly descend from the dais1 and when the poor official raised his eyes to make his obeisance to the ,emperor1 he would see only the vacant ,throne6 ,his ,majesty had been in the rear of the hall behind the screen for perhaps five minutes smoking a cigarette or otherwise diverting himself6 ,i noticed a curious fact as to the quality of the sacredness of the persons of ,their ,celestial ,majesties4 ,this sacredness seems to belong to them as rulers and not as individuals4 ,in the ,audience ,hall when administering justice1 they are not approached nor addressed1 except upon bended knee4 ,in the ,palace1 in their own privacy1 when they give an order or any command touching upon official affairs1 this order is received by the attendant1 be he courtier1 high official or great prince1 on his knees4 ,when any official communication is made to ,their ,majesties1 in private or elsewhere1 it is made kneeling1 but when ,their ,majesties are in their private capacity and spoken to on ordinary affairs1 they are addressed almost familiarly1 and the courtier or simple attendant stands while speaking to them4 ,if1 however1 in the midst of a familiar conversation an order is given1 the attendant immediately drops upon his knees to receive it4 ,the kow-tow 7pronounced ker-toe and meaning literally to bow the head7 is used as a form of thanks1 and is not a manner of greeting4 ,the actors kow-tow to ,their ,majesties at the beginning and end of each performance at the ,theater1 first to thank for the honor they are to receive in being allowed to act before them1 and at the end to thank for the privilege granted4 ,the officials 8bow the head0 to thank for an ,audience or any favor or gift they have received or are to receive from ,their ,majesties4 ,the kow-tow is not only made by people at the ,palace and at ,imperial ,audiences3 it is sometimes used by equals to each other as a proper manner of thanking for some great favor4 ,to make the kow-tow1 the person kneels three times and each time bows his head three times1 touching the ground with it4 ,the kow-tow could not be made by a foreigner without looking most awkward and appearing most servile1 but the ,chinese do it with dignity1 and it is neither ungraceful nor degrading-looking4 ,it is a time-honored manner of giving thanks1 a ,chinese tradition surviving from a time when the courtiers were perhaps like slaves1 but at present it does not imply any slave-like inferiority on the part of him who performs it4 ,,chapter ,,xvii ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,,and ,,its ,,grounds ,the ,summer ,palace1 the ,empress ,dowager's favorite residence1 is really a superb domain4 ,its naturally picturesque situation among the beautiful ,western ,hills1 sixteen miles from ,peking1 has been improved wherever possible1 by the devices of art4 ,the many buildings that constitute an ,oriental ,palace have been most picturesquely grouped on the banks of its great lake4 ,the eminences and natural undulations have all been made the most of as sites for ,palaces and temples1 and the grounds are laid out with all the art the ,chinese landscape artist has at his command4 ,the buildings of the ,palace proper1 where ,their ,majesties and their suites live1 are all massed in one great town-like group at the southeastern end of the lake4 ,in this group are the ,theater1 with its courts1 and the ,great ,audience ,hall4 ,palaces1 temples1 summer-houses1 tea-booths1 dot the whole surface of the great park1 and all the vantage-points have been utilized for constructions4 ,a beautiful white marble terrace runs the length of the southern side of the lake4 ,pavilions at intervals vary the monotony of this line or give accent to the natural indentations of the banks4 ,picturesque landing-places1 with their marble steps lapped by the waters of the lake1 also lend their variety to this terrace surmounted by its beautiful lotus balustrade4 ,the highest of the hills in the park of the ,summer ,palace is crowned by the ,great ,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas4 ,this is approached by hundreds of steps1 which lead up from the broadest part of the marble terrace over the lake4 ,beautiful ,palaces are built along this terraced height4 ,picturesque pai-lou 7memorial arches7 are built at such beautiful points1 that ,nature herself seems to have designed these positions for them4 ,a fair1 verdure-clad island lies peacefully on the bosom of the lake1 and the ,palace and temple built thereon seem a part of the natural formation of stone out of which they rise4 ,a graceful seventeen-arched bridge of white marble connects this island with the northern bank of the lake4 ,the canal from ,peking1 which feeds the lake1 winds in and out of the grounds in such graceful meanderings as to seem some fair mountain stream4 ,the outlets to the lakes are spanned by the graceful camel-backed bridges that only the ,chinese architects build4 ,nature and art are everywhere so blended1 so harmonized1 it is difficult to tell which is which4 ,the simple lines and beautiful proportions and harmonious colors of the one-storied ,chinese buildings make even these seem almost a part of the landscape4 ,chinese architecture--and one grows to admire it very much when studied in its own environment--is tent-building1 carried to its greatest perfection and made enduring by the use of materials that last4 ,the grouping of the ,chinese buildings is on the same order as the congregation of tents of some roving tribe of ,nomads4 ,the downward curve and upturned tilt of their roofs is but the natural slope of the canvas and its uplifting by the tent-poles4 ,these slender tent-poles have developed into the supporting pillars of the verandah1 and the raised canvas door of the tent has grown into its buoyantly curved roof4 ,the ornamental eaves are but the solidified silken fringes and embroidered valances of the tents of old4 ,the curious roof ornamentations of the modern ,chinese house replace the weights that held the tent-canvas steady4 ,these weights1 from rough stones1 have now become carven images1 cunningly wrought4 ,the ,chinese even erect their houses as their ancestors raised their tents4 ,the builder places the columns and puts on the roof before the walls are built4 ,except the pagoda--and this even seems like so many superposed tents--the ,chinese building remains to-day1 in spite of its elaborate roofs1 its lacquered pillars1 and elaborate ornamentation1 like some splendid tent1 grown into greater fixity and beautified by some magician's wand4 ,it is admirably suited to the calm pastoral landscapes in which it rests1 and seems a part of ,nature itself1 and is never out of keeping with its surroundings6 ,wherever available1 in the grounds of the ,summer ,palace1 flowers are planted1 and they succeed each other almost the whole year round1 for the ,chinese are wonderful gardeners4 ,the extensive grounds are1 however1 not given up entirely to flowers and beautiful constructions2 there are great fields of grain4 ,wheat and millet1 and even vegetables1 are raised in these pleasure grounds4 ,it was curious to me to see how picturesque so prosaic a thing as a field of turnips might become1 when properly placed in a large pleasure domain4 ,by the planting of these useful crops1 a great deal of fertile land is utilized1 without any detriment to the landscape1 and the utilitarian spirit1 so strong in the ,chinese1 is satisfied4 ,there is one terraced hillside in the grounds of the ,summer ,palace1 called the 8,flowery ,mountain40 ,in the season of the peonies1 which the ,chinese call 8,the ,king of ,flowers10 this is really a flowery mountain--one mass of blooms of exquisitely blended colors and faint evanescent perfume4 ,the ,china ,aster is also brought to great perfection by the ,chinese gardeners1 and in the time of the chrysanthemum the grounds fairly blaze with this autumnal glory4 ,the ,chinese do not go in for the cultivation of the chrysanthemum of extraordinary size4 ,her ,majesty does not care much for these2 but her gardeners arrive at some wonderful combinations of colors and some most curious shapes4 ,the year ,i was in the ,palace1 ,her ,majesty was delighted with a beautiful green variety1 that the gardeners had succeeded in getting1 and that year there was also a new variety whose petals were like threads1 they were so thin and hair-like4 ,illustration3 ,,old ,,ruins ,,in ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,the ,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas is so-called from its being built in glazed yellow tiles1 each representing a niche1 in which is seated a ,buddha1 of which there are many more than ten thousand4 ,the interior is composed of three chapels4 ,in the central one thrones the ,great ,buddha4 ,there was another famous ,buddha in this temple1 which was invested with peculiarly sacred qualities1 but it was hurled into the lake below and broken into a thousand pieces when the foreign troops were in possession in #aijj4 ,her ,majesty seemed to feel the depredations to the temples1 by the foreigners1 more keenly than anything else4 ,the ,chinese are so perfectly tolerant in matters of religion1 they cannot understand our attitude toward any other religion but our own1 and our contempt for any other kind of worship except that in which we ourselves indulge4 ,the ,chinese are said to hate the foreigner4 ,they certainly have not much reason to like him2 nor to admire our much vaunted civilization4 ,the ,european ,christian soldier in ,china has burned1 destroyed1 and killed with as much barbarity as the heathen1 and in many instances has given the latter points in cruelty4 ,on the slope behind the terraced hill of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas are the ruins of the old ,summer ,palace1 destroyed by the ,european troops fifty years ago4 ,after this1 the site of the dwelling ,palaces was changed1 and they were massed on the southern side of the lake4 ,her ,majesty has nearly hidden all trace of the #aijj devastations to the ,summer ,palace1 but these old ruins of the former ,palace still remain1 and they are not a blot upon the landscape4 ,on the contrary1 they have become picturesque with time1 and give the one note of somberness to this smiling demesne that is needed to accentuate its charm4 ,there is a small lake not far from these old ruins1 built around with smiling pavilions and a curious tower-like construction which is used as a private temple4 ,there are landing-places and small boats4 ,it looks like a charming bit of old ,venice4 ,we never went here1 however1 but once4 ,there are some unhappy associations connected with this beautiful spot1 and ,her ,majesty did not seem to care to visit it4 ,the promenade in the direction of the old ,palace also seemed to sadden her1 for she had passed the early years of her married life in these now crumbling ruins4 ,from the highest elevations in the grounds of the ,summer ,palace1 we could see the road from ,peking6 ,sometimes ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies would watch from some of the summer-houses1 the carts and chairs and vehicles as they passed along4 ,several times we saw the ,emperor and his suite returning from some ceremony in ,peking1 over the road cleared for his passage4 ,her ,majesty1 herself1 would be the first to descry him1 and she would say1 8,the ,emperor comes40 ,then the ,empress and ,ladies would all look1 for it was not against the ,proprieties for them to look at ,his ,majesty at such a distance4 ,these views of the high road from the eminences of the ,summer ,palace were all ,her ,majesty and the young ,empress ever saw of the outside world and common humanity2 for neither at the ,winter nor ,sea ,palaces could they get any views from a distance1 nor was there any opportunity of seeing beyond the walls4 ,when ,their ,chinese ,majesties go abroad--and this is generally only from one ,palace to another--quaint1 triangular flags are placed along the ,imperial route1 warning the people that ,their ,sacred ,majesties are to pass1 and that the road will be reserved for them between certain hours4 ,no vehicles or pedestrians are allowed for some time before and after the ,imperial passage4 ,in the ,city of ,peking1 the inhabitants1 even on the streets where the ,imperial cortge is to pass1 are shut into their houses and not allowed to go out of their doors during the time1 and at the intersection of the transversal streets huge curtains are hung1 shutting them off from the ,imperial way4 ,for these progresses of ,their ,majesties1 the roads are covered with yellow sand4 ,,chapter ,,xviii ,,the ,,festival ,,of ,,the ,,harvest ,,moon--,,work ,,on ,,the ,,portrait ,we think the ,chinese so unemotional1 so little given to pleasure or amusement2 but there are more popular festivals in ,china1 indulged in by all classes of people1 than in any country in the world1 except perhaps ,japan4 ,the people1 from the highest to the lowest1 enter into these celebrations with whole-souled earnestness and real enjoyment1 and all the popular festivals1 as well as the religious ceremonies1 are celebrated in the ,palace with apparently the same zest as among the people4 ,the ,mid-,autumn ,festival1 popularly known as the ,festival of the ,harvest ,moon1 which is at its full at the time of the celebration1 was1 of course1 observed with due ceremony at the ,palace4 ,for these festivals there are always representations at the ,palace ,theater1 and one of the plays on such days is the dramatization of the ,legend of the ,festival4 ,the legend of the ,harvest ,moon is this3 ,one day an ,emperor received the visit of a fairy4 ,when she left she gave the ,emperor an herb1 saying1 should he eat it1 he would be endowed with ,immortality4 ,the ,emperor was called out1 soon after the fairy's visit1 and forgot the gift for a time1 and the herb lay upon his table4 ,during his absence from the ,throne-room1 a young handmaiden entered and1 seeing the root on the table1 with childish curiosity1 tasted it1 and1 finding it good1 ate the whole of it4 ,when the ,emperor again thought of his precious gift from the fairy1 he hastened back to the ,throne-room1 to remove it from the table where he had left it4 ,what was his horror to find it gone6 ,learning that the little handmaid was the only person who had been in the ,throne-room1 he called her up to find out what she had done with it4 ,when he found she had eaten it1 he ordered her killed1 that he might thus again obtain the herb4 ,before the eunuchs could accomplish their task1 the charm began to work1 and she felt the wings of ,immortality2 and borne up by them1 she flew to the skies and took refuge in the ,moon1 where she still lives with the pet white rabbit she had in her arms at the time she flew away from the earth4 ,she is now an ,immortal1 and in the ,moon she compounds the ,elixir of ,immortality4 ,the rabbit1 also1 shares her immortality1 and ever watches at the lunar threshold4 ,the drama1 with this little maiden as heroine1 was played by ,her ,majesty's actors on the day of the ,moon ,festival1 and the finale of the plays that day was one of the most beautiful spectacular tableaux ,i have ever seen4 ,the ,chinese obtain most artistic effects in their illuminations1 and by the most simple means4 ,the stage represented a lake covered with luminous lotus1 with the full moon floating above4 ,throned on a gigantic lotus flower in the center of the lake sat an immense1 golden ,buddha1 impassible and serene1 ingeniously illuminated lotus flowers and luminous birds1 emblems of ,immortality1 hovered over the lake1 and the whole tableau was supposed to represent ,nirvana1 when the soul is absorbed into ,nature and forms a part of it4 ,it was really fairy-like4 ,the ,ladies dined in ,her ,majesty's loge1 and this beautiful1 illuminated tableau was scarcely finished before we were obliged to hurry away to join ,their ,majesties1 who had already started for the gardens where the ceremony was to take place4 ,the procession1 with the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager and ,ladies in full dress1 as usual for a ceremony1 was accompanied by hundreds of lantern-bearing eunuchs4 ,it wound1 in and out1 through the verandahed corridors and the paths of the garden like some great glow-worm1 until it came to the marble terrace beneath the ,temple of the ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas1 on the great terrace over the lake4 ,here1 in an open space bathed in the rays of the softly glowing moon1 with the glory of the setting sun still in the west1 in front of the great ,stone ,pai-lou stood a beautifully illuminated floral pai-lou and an altar decorated with the usual pyramids of fruits1 floral offerings1 and flagons of wine4 ,the pai-lou to the ,moon was entirely of chrysanthemums1 with an inscription 8,to the ,glory of the ,chaste and ,pure ,celestial ,orb0 in white blooms1 like gleaming stars1 across the top4 ,their ,majesties first made the bows and prostrations to the ,moon1 and placed floral offerings on the altar4 ,then the young ,empress and ,ladies did likewise1 while the eunuchs recited a poem in melodious and rhythmic cadence4 ,the ,chinese 8recitative0 is very musical1 much more so1 to the foreign ear1 than their music4 ,this poem to the ,moon was recited by two voices in alternating rhythm with wonderful effect4 ,when the recitation was finished1 an 8auto da fe0 was made of the offerings1 to which were added sticks of sweet incense and paper cut in curious designs4 ,over all was poured some of the inflammable wine from the flagons on the altar1 and the flames leaped high above the huge incense-burner that stood on a great bronze tripod in the center of the moonlit terrace4 ,it was a wonderfully picturesque sight--the brilliant circle of splendidly gowned ,ladies1 with the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager in their midst1 around the flaming censer1 whose leaping flames glinted and glowed upon the jewels and gold embroidery of their costumes4 ,the lantern-bearing eunuchs formed a faintly glowing circle around this shining center2 and over the whole fantastic picture the brilliant ,harvest ,moon shone with unwonted splendor1 as if to show itself worthy of the obeisances it had just received from this brilliant group4 ,when the flames no longer leaped from the censer1 when only the white smoke of the incense curled through the interstices of its cover1 ,their ,majesties turned away1 and the lantern-lit procession followed them to the banks of the lake1 where the whole ,palace fleet1 brilliantly illuminated1 lay moored beneath the marble terrace4 ,the eunuchs1 holding aloft their gleaming lanterns1 stood along the terrace and knelt on the steps leading into the water1 while ,their ,majesties descended them4 ,on two of the boats1 at either side of the ,imperial barge1 the eunuchs held their lanterns to form the characters 8,peace0 and 8,prosperity40 ,the waters of the lake were now glowing with the reflections of the myriad lanterns and dancing under their many-colored lights4 ,a faint glow still illumined the western sky1 while the reflection of the resplendent ,moon gleamed like liquid diamonds across the lake6 ,when we reached the ,imperial landing-place1 its great arc-lights on the two tall1 painted poles sent their reflections shimmering1 in long1 wavy lines1 far out into the lake1 and almost rivaled in their splendor that of the celestial orb itself4 ,although ,i took part in all these ,palace festivals1 my work on the portrait was advancing1 but ,i longed for more opportunity to quietly study it and for a little more freedom in working4 ,i felt ,i needed more time also for my painting4 ,i ardently desired to be able to work some when ,her ,majesty did not pose1 and ,i finally decided to ask her to allow me to remain at my painting when she and the ,ladies went for their morning walks after a short sitting4 ,it was a deprivation for me to give up even one of these delightful walks1 when ,i saw such a charming side of the ,empress ,dowager's character1 but ,i felt it must be done4 ,she reluctantly consented to excuse me on a few occasions1 but she seemed to feel it was not hospitable on her part to leave me alone2 and when she did so she would remain out a shorter time than usual4 ,she seemed so concerned at my working while the others enjoyed themselves1 that ,i soon ceased to ask to be left at work2 ,i could only try to make the best of the time ,i had at my disposal4 ,my desire to have more time for my painting and more opportunity for studying the work was not the only cloud in the heaven of these delightful days4 ,as the portrait progressed ,i found myself constantly running up against ,chinese conventionalities as to the way it was done4 ,they wished so much detail and no shadow4 ,had ,her ,majesty been alone to be considered1 she was artistic and progressive enough to have1 in the end1 allowed me more liberty2 but she1 also1 was obliged to conform to tradition1 and no fantasy could be indulged in painting the portrait of a ,celestial ,majesty4 ,it was necessary to conform to rigid conventions4 ,i had such a fine opportunity to do something really picturesque in painting this great ,empress and most interesting woman1 and ,i found ,i was to be bound down by the iron fetters of ,chinese tradition6 ,i could neither choose an accessory1 nor even arrange a fold according to the lines of the composition4 ,i was obliged to follow1 in every detail1 centuries-old conventions4 ,there could be no shadows and very little perspective1 and everything must be painted in such full light as to lose all relief and picturesque effect4 ,when ,i saw ,i must represent ,her ,majesty in such a conventional way as to make her unusually attractive personality banal1 ,i was no longer filled with the ardent enthusiasm for my work with which ,i had begun it1 and ,i had many a heartache and much inward rebellion before ,i settled down to the inevitable4 ,the ,empress ,dowager1 however1 knew nothing of my discouragement1 and seemed perfectly contented with the progress of the portrait then on hand--so pleased1 in fact1 she asked me if ,i would not like ,mrs4 ,conger to come and see it4 ,i1 of course1 replied that ,i would1 and an invitation was accordingly sent1 through the ,foreign ,office1 inviting ,mrs4 ,conger to come to see the portrait4 ,as ,her ,majesty was to receive her in the ,throne-room where ,i painted1 it was decided ,i could not work on that day4 ,i fully expected the portrait would be exhibited in the ,throne-room1 the only place where it had a proper light2 but1 to my disappointment1 ,mrs4 ,conger was asked to look at it in the small room where it was kept when ,i was not working on it4 ,when we went in1 the ,chief ,eunuch ceremoniously removed the yellow covering over the 8,sacred ,picture10 which hung flat against the wall in a very bad light1 with annoying reflections4 ,the small room was also uncomfortably crowded with ,her ,majesty and suite1 so that it was impossible to see the whole canvas at once4 ,mrs4 ,conger was1 however1 so pleased with the likeness and lifelike expression in the eyes1 the upper part of the picture being in a fairly good light1 that the comment stopped here4 ,this first portrait represented the ,empress ,dowager sitting on one of her favorite ,cantonese carved ,thrones4 ,the figure was life-size4 ,in one hand she held a flower1 and the other lay over a yellow cushion4 ,the tip of one small embroidered shoe1 with its jeweled1 white kid sole resting on a dragon footstool1 showed under the hem of her gown4 ,the head was a three-quarters view1 with the eyes looking at the observer4 ,a jardinire1 with her favorite orchid1 stood behind the ,throne at the right4 ,it was painted in full light4 ,the canvas was four by six feet in size2 and there was thus no place for any of the emblems or insignia of ,her ,majesty's rank1 save that she was clothed in her official costume of ,imperial yellow4 ,this was the conventional reality1 and ,i had dreamed of painting ,her ,majesty in one of her ,buddha-like poses1 sitting erect upon an antique ,throne of the ,dynasty1 with one beautifully rounded arm and exquisitely shaped hand resting on its high side1 contrasting in their grace with its severe lines4 ,i should have exaggerated her small stature by placing her upon the largest of these ,dynastic ,thrones4 ,her wonderfully magnetic personality alone should have dominated4 ,at the left of the ,throne1 ,i should have placed one of those huge ,palace braziers1 its blue flames leaping into the air1 their glow glinting here and there upon her jewels and the rich folds of her drapery2 the whole enveloped in the soft azure smoke of incense1 rising from splendid antique bronze censers4 ,across the base of the picture1 under her feet1 should have writhed and sprawled the rampant double dragon4 ,the ,eternal ,feminine1 with its eternal enigma shining from her inscrutable eyes1 should have pierced1 with almost cruel penetration1 the mystery of her surroundings4 ,her face should have shone out of this dim interior1 as her personality does above her real environment4 ,i should have tried to show all the force and strength of her nature in that characteristic face1 exaggerating every feature of it1 rather than toning down one line4 ,with all these possibilities that the ,empress ,dowager's person and surroundings would suggest to the most unimaginative of artists1 and with the conventional traditions1 which ,i was obliged to follow1 no wonder ,i became discouraged4 ,but ,i had always the solace of her personality--the fascinating study of herself to delight and console me4 ,new phases of her character and personality were constantly opening out before me4 ,she dominates everything and everybody in the ,palace1 and is far and away1 the most interesting personality there1 not because she is the first figure at the ,court1 but because she is really the most interesting one1 and she would be that in any position4 ,no wonder that when she smiles the ,court is gay--her smile is so entrancing4 ,no wonder that when she frowns the ,court trembles1 for she excites sympathy in all her moods4 ,,chapter ,,xix ,a ,,garden ,,party ,,at ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,not long after this1 ,her ,majesty gave a garden party for the ladies and gentlemen of the ,legations4 ,these garden parties occupy two days1 for ladies and gentlemen are not received at the same time by ,their ,majesties of ,china4 ,the ,corps ,diplomatique and attachs were entertained the first day1 and the ladies of the ,legations the following day4 ,the entertainment was the same for each4 ,the gentlemen were formally received in the ,great ,audience ,hall by ,their ,majesties1 after which a repast was served them in a pavilion near4 ,when this was finished1 they were taken for a tour of the gardens and lakes1 and they left the ,palace about two o'clock4 ,none of the ,ladies of the ,court1 except1 of course1 the ,empress ,dowager1 were present at the receptions of the gentlemen of the ,corps ,diplomatique4 ,the ladies of the ,legations were received the following day4 ,i was rather embarrassed as to what ,i should do1 at this first formal reception1 for the ladies of the ,legations1 since my arrival in the ,palace4 ,being a foreigner1 ,i thought it looked incongruous for me to receive with the ,chinese ,ladies4 ,my uneasiness seemed to be divined by ,her ,majesty 7she was always wonderful for her tact72 she said1 as ,i had been presented first in private ,audience1 it would be well for me to be presented also in public ,audience4 ,she suggested that ,i should go to the ,foreign ,office1 meet ,mrs4 ,conger on her arrival1 and come into the ,throne-room with her4 ,when the eunuchs announced that the ladies had arrived at the ,foreign ,office1 ,her ,majesty ordered my red ,palace chair to take me there4 ,the ,foreign ,office is only a few hundred yards to the left of the ,imperial entrance to the ,palace4 ,mrs4 ,conger was one of the first ladies to arrive4 ,when the other ladies came1 all walked over to the gate of the ,palace1 and1 after entering1 went to a pavilion at the right of the ,audience ,hall1 where they arranged themselves in the order in which they were to be presented4 ,the verandah and large marble platform of approach to the ,audience ,hall were shaded with tent-like silken awnings and covered1 for the day1 with red carpets1 the latter a concession to foreign taste2 for ,her ,majesty1 though having many beautiful carpets stored up1 has none in use1 and only in winter and for certain functions are the courts carpeted4 ,she never uses them in the interior4 ,a double line of ,princesses1 led by the ,princess ,imperial1 descended the steps of the ,audience ,hall and met the ladies on the marble platform4 ,the ,princesses then turned and preceded them into the ,audience ,hall4 ,here they separated and stood in a picturesque group on either side of the ,throne dais4 ,here1 in the dim obscurity1 sat the ,empress ,dowager on the ,dynastic ,throne1 with the ,emperor seated at her left4 ,in front of ,her ,majesty stood the official table1 with its cover of ,imperial yellow reaching to the floor4 ,to the ladies standing below the dais only the heads and shoulders of the ,empress ,dowager were visible above the table1 with its pyramids of fruits and flowers4 ,the ladies made three reverences on entering1 and each advanced and went up on the dais at her presentation4 ,her ,majesty's interpreter1 the elder ,miss ,yu1 stood at her right1 a little behind1 and repeated the ,chinese name and title of each lady presented4 ,her ,majesty1 who has a royal memory for faces1 recognized each lady who had been presented before1 but treated all with equal cordiality4 ,this cordiality was sometimes construed by the ladies1 on their first presentation1 as a special mark of interest in themselves2 but it was the ,empress ,dowager's invariable position toward all the foreigners at these diplomatic receptions4 ,like all well-bred hostesses1 she was most particular to show no difference even to those ladies she liked best4 ,when all had been presented1 the eunuchs removed the official table behind which the ,empress ,dowager received the formal presentations1 and she descended from the dais4 ,one of her yellow satin chairs was brought and she sat down at the right side of the ,audience ,hall4 ,the ladies were then1 collectively1 presented by ,her ,majesty to the young ,empress and the ,princess ,imperial1 and tea was ordered4 ,while the ladies were drinking tea1 standing around the ,empress ,dowager's chair1 she said a few words to each1 informally4 ,when the tea was finished1 the ladies1 conducted by the eunuchs and accompanied by the ,princesses1 went through the court of the ,theater1 past the ,palace of the young ,empress1 through ,her ,majesty's court to her ,throne-room1 where luncheon was served4 ,this was in alternate courses of foreign and ,chinese food4 ,there were foreign wines and table waters1 as well as ,chinese1 and quantities of sweet champagne1 without which1 the ,chinese imagine1 no foreigner can eat4 ,after luncheon1 at which the ,imperial ,princess and ,princesses acted as hostesses1 the visiting ladies went to the marble terrace overlooking the lake4 ,here they were met by the young ,empress and the secondary wife of the ,emperor1 for they were never present at the table when the foreign ladies were entertained1 any more than ,her ,majesty herself4 ,the ,empress ,dowager's barge did not lead the ,palace fleet that day4 ,there were three big houseboats1 each of which ponderous affairs had a large cabin with a yellow-covered seat for ,her ,majesty1 which1 though she never used1 was never occupied by any one else4 ,anything covered with yellow is sacred to ,their ,majesties1 and is never used except by them4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,secondary ,,wife ,,of ,,the ,,emperor ,in ,summer ,coiffure ,we were rowed across the lake1 first to the island1 where the ,palace and small temple adjacent were visited1 after which the ladies took the boats again and continued the tour of the lake to the ,marble ,boat4 ,this ,marble ,boat was built over the lake as a summer-house for one of the ,emperors1 and is on the plan of the ,palace houseboat1 but with an upper1 as well as lower deck4 ,it is one of the things in the ,summer ,palace most talked about by foreigners1 and it is a curiosity1 though not a thing of beauty4 ,it was never made the objective point of any of ,her ,majesty's promenades1 nor visited1 except when foreigners were invited to the ,palace4 ,on the lower deck of the ,marble ,boat1 where was the best view of the lake1 light refreshments1 sweets1 and fruits were served4 ,when the tour of the lake was finished1 the ladies made their adieus to ,their ,majesties and the young ,empress and ,princesses1 and left the ,palace grounds for the ,foreign ,office1 where they took their own chairs and carriages for ,peking4 ,in spite of ,her ,majesty's cordiality and the efforts of the ,princesses and ,ladies1 these garden parties were not always as pleasant as they might be4 ,there seemed an absolute lack of harmony among the ladies of the ,legation4 ,each seemed to watch the other with a jealous eye1 in constant fear that some one might overstep her place4 ,some did not hesitate1 even1 to show their private animosities on the steps of the ,throne1 or before their hostesses at the table4 ,they seemed to act on the principle that the ,chinese1 not understanding the language1 would not understand anything else4 ,it was unfortunate that this most punctilious of people1 the ,chinese1 should have had this apparent lack of friendliness to judge the ,european ladies by4 ,they received all with equal favor and perfect etiquette1 and it was a pity that the lack of harmony among the foreign ladies should have led them to commit what seemed to be breaches of etiquette1 which the ,chinese could not have failed to observe4 ,i was astonished to see how observant the latter were and how accurately they gauged our standing4 ,their comments on our costumes were also very interesting4 ,her ,majesty seemed to like foreign dress1 especially when in pretty colors1 for she reveled in color4 ,she said the foreign costume was very becoming to well-made and well-proportioned people2 but she thought1 while it showed off to advantage a good figure1 it was unfortunate for any one who was not so blessed4 ,she thought the ,chinese costume1 falling in straight lines from the shoulder1 was more becoming to stout people1 for it hid many defects4 ,one universal comment1 among these ,chinese ladies1 on us1 was that we look old for our years4 ,the well-bred ,chinese repress1 from early childhood1 all outward evidences of emotion4 ,they lead such simple1 wholesome lives--8,early to bed and early to rise0--that there are rarely any lines visible in their faces until they reach an advanced age1 when they seem to go suddenly from ripe womanhood into extreme old age4 ,they have a particular aversion to blond hair4 ,they did not tell me so1 as ,i have blond hair2 but on the stage all the demons are represented with blond hair1 and the more blond it is1 the more wicked the demon4 ,one day1 one of the ,ladies suggested to me that there were some very fine vegetable hair dyes for turning the hair black without injuring it2 in fact1 the growth was increased thereby4 ,she said if ,i used this1 my hair 8might in time become black2 at least1 it would grow much darker40 ,,chapter ,,xx ,i ,,begin ,a ,,second ,,portrait ,,of ,,her ,,majesty--,,the ,,palace ,,painters ,i had several days of good work on the portrait after the garden party1 when ,her ,majesty decided it was sufficiently advanced for the characters1 giving her name and titles1 to be placed across the top of the canvas4 ,as she has sixteen appellations1 represented by sixteen characters1 and as they were all to be placed upon the picture1 together with her two seals1 official and personal1 it required some manuvering to get them into the space required4 ,this lettering was looked upon as a very important detail2 there were numbers of models of the characters made before the proper size and style was arrived at4 ,the seals1 about three inches long1 had to be placed at either end of the sixteen characters1 and there was a great deal of deliberation as to the color in which the characters were to be painted4 ,red was finally decided upon4 ,the two seals were to be painted1 one in red characters on a white ground1 and the other in white characters on a red ground4 ,as ,i had not known these appellations were to be placed across the top of the canvas when ,i began the portrait1 ,i had not allowed for them1 and putting them on took away from the space above the head and detracted from the general effect4 ,this was another discouragement4 ,i left the discussion of the lettering to ,her ,majesty and the writers1 and ,i decided to give the canvas over entirely to the latter for a few days1 in order that they might place the characters thereon1 and that ,her ,majesty might have time to decide upon their color at her leisure4 ,her ,majesty had told me1 a few days before1 she wished me to paint a 8number of portraits0 of her1 so ,i decided to begin another now1 and ,i hoped to be able1 as this was not to be an official portrait1 to have a little more liberty in painting it4 ,her ,majesty decided that it should be painted in her ordinary dress and without the ,manchu coiffure1 which she only wears at her ,audiences1 as it is very heavy and very tiring to her head4 ,the day ,i began the portrait she had on a gown of soft1 embroidered blue4 ,her hair1 in a coil at the top of her head1 was beautifully dressed1 with the jasmine flowers so quaintly arranged1 a realistic butterfly poised above them2 her jewels so discreet and picturesque1 ,i asked her to pose and let me paint her as she was then4 ,her coiffure1 without the ,manchu head-dress1 is much more becoming to her than with the huge1 wing-like construction which made her look top-heavy2 for when she wore it1 being in official costume1 she was obliged to wear a great profusion of jewels and ornaments4 ,in this portrait she was seated upon her ,throne1 but not in a traditional attitude1 and ,i began it full of hope2 for1 at least1 ,i had more choice as to the surroundings and accessories1 which were not obliged to be 8according to tradition40 ,as it was only to be seen by her intimates1 ,i asked her to let me paint her two favorite dogs lying beside her footstool1 the blond 8,shadza0 and dusky 8,hailo40 ,her ,majesty gladly consented1 and 8,hailo0 was ordered to be decorated in his 8gala costume40 ,this consisted of two huge chrysanthemums tied in his hair over his ears4 8,shadza10 the ,pekingese pug1 resented any such accoutrement and was painted in his natural state4 ,she took the liveliest interest in the painting of the dogs' portraits1 and seemed to think it much more wonderful to paint these little animals1 so that they were recognizable1 than to make a likeness of herself4 ,i was obliged1 of course1 to do them very quickly4 ,she sat behind me all the time ,i was painting them1 and the rapidity with which they grew much astonished her4 ,i discovered about this time ,i was not the only painter in the ,palace4 ,her ,majesty has a corps of painters always there4 ,these painters decorate the thousands of lanterns used in the ,palace ceremonies and processions4 ,they paint the scenery for the spectacular plays at the ,theater1 and the flowers used for the decorations of the screen-like walls ,i have already alluded to4 ,some are very clever flower painters1 and one even paints portraits1 but they have never seen the ,empress ,dowager except from afar6 ,though ,mandarins of the ,third rank1 the painters were obliged to withdraw from the court where they worked when ,her ,majesty and suite passed by4 ,it was amusing to see these dignified1 handsomely gowned officials being hurried out of the court on ,her ,majesty's approach by the eunuchs who precede her4 ,their paintings were submitted to her by one of the eunuchs1 by whom she sent her instructions to them4 ,i saw these painters first1 at the time of the chrysanthemums4 ,there were some new varieties in one of ,her ,majesty's courts that she wished painted4 ,one day1 on going into this court1 ,i saw a group of bebuttoned officials studying the flowers4 ,they gravely inclined their heads with the customary dignity of the ,chinese1 and ,i found later they were 8confrres40 ,it was interesting to me to see their methods--so different from ours1 but arriving at a very artistic result4 ,i never spoke to them2 but1 as ,i was an outer barbarian1 ,i took advantage of my position and watched them work from my windows1 though ,i took care to keep myself hidden behind the curtains1 in true ,oriental style4 ,they worked in the court quite near my pavilion4 ,the chief painter selected the flower to be copied1 and the others stood around while he painted1 petal by petal1 with most laborious and minute attention4 ,while he worked1 the others took notes and made studies of the same flower4 ,when this laborious first study was finished1 it was copied with a freer hand by one of the painters1 and this copy was copied until they finally arrived at a dashing study1 which seemed to be done 8de premier coup40 ,when the chrysanthemums were in their full glory1 one day when ,her ,majesty had allowed me to remain at my work while she and the ,ladies went for their walk1 she brought me1 on her return1 a curious new variety4 ,when she handed it to me she said1 8,i will give you something nice if you guess what ,i have named this flower40 ,it was one of those new varieties with hair-like petals and a compact center1 like the bald head of an old man4 ,i told her ,i was afraid ,i couldn't guess1 but ,i thought 8it looked like an old man's head40 ,she was delighted1 and said1 8,you have guessed4 ,i have just given it the name of the ,old ,man of the ,mountain40 ,we were still having daily walks in the gardens1 and there was always some delightful little incident to make them pleasant and memorable4 ,one day1 when we were out and were resting1 while ,her ,majesty was sitting alone before the 8,peony ,mountain10 the young ,empress and ,ladies stood in a group at a little distance4 ,we were near some arbor-vit trees1 and the young ,empress picked a piece that looked like a 8peacock's feather40 ,she told me to kneel and let her 8decorate0 me4 ,she stuck the curiously shaped branch in my hair so that it hung over the neck and looked like the 8peacock feather10 which is given as a reward of merit to the highest officials1 and is always worn upon their hats4 ,when she had placed it1 she told me to rise1 and called me 8,your ,excellency ,carl10 which is the title of those who possess the decoration of the peacock feather4 ,i kept it in my hair and soon quite forgot my 8decoration40 ,when we were walking on1 ,her ,majesty noticed it4 ,she had been preoccupied and sad that day1 but when she saw it she smiled1 and said1 8,who decorated you with the peacock feather80 ,i told her the young ,empress had done so4 ,she said that was her prerogative1 but she added1 8,if you were a man you would win it1 and probably a yellow jacket also1 for you are fearless40 ,why did she think me fearless8 ,could she have heard that the foreigners in ,peking seemed to think it was almost as much as taking my life in my own hands to go and live entirely alone among the ,chinese at ,court1 and put myself in ,her ,majesty's power1 after the ,boxer trouble8 ,illustration3 ,,pai-,,lou ,,in ,,grounds ,,of ,,summer ,,palace--,,on ,,the ,,shore ,,of ,,the ,,lake ,another afternoon we went into the ,great ,audience ,hall when we were passing it1 and ,i had an opportunity of studying in detail the interior of this magnificent hall4 ,i examined closely some of the rare old nielle bronzes and wonderful ,chinese cloisonn1 for here are some of the finest specimens in the ,summer ,palace4 ,in the back of the hall were three pianos1 two upright and a new ,grand piano1 which had but lately arrived at the ,palace4 ,her ,majesty wished us to try the ,grand piano1 and one of ,lady ,yu-,keng's daughters1 who had studied music in ,paris1 played a few airs4 ,her ,majesty thought the piano a curious sort of instrument1 but lacking in volume and tone for so large an instrument4 ,she asked me to play also1 and then said she would like to see how the foreigners danced1 and suggested my playing some dance music4 ,the ,misses ,yu-,keng waltzed1 and she thought it very amusing to watch them4 ,she could not1 however1 understand how ladies and gentlemen could enjoy dancing together1 nor what pleasure they found in it4 ,she said the ,chinese pay others to dance for them1 and would not think of doing so themselves for pleasure4 ,it seemed to her the charm was rather in watching the graceful movements of the dancer than in executing those movements one's self4 ,i wondered what she would say1 could she see one of our crowded ,european ball-rooms1 with hundreds of couples on the floor at the same time1 making violent efforts to steer through the crowd4 ,i fancy she would not have found pleasure even in watching these dancers4 ,,chapter ,,xxi ,a ,,european ,,circus ,,at ,,the ,,palace ,chinese ceremonies and celebrations were not all ,i was destined to enjoy while at the ,summer ,palace4 ,there began to be talk of some 8foreign entertainment0 soon to be given1 and when ,i found this foreign entertainment was to be a circus1 a real ,european circus1 ,i was delighted4 ,i had been out in ,china two years1 and had not had much ,european entertainment during that time1 and--shall ,i confess it8--,i dearly loved a circus if the horses and animals were fine4 ,this circus was then in ,tientsin1 and some one had suggested to ,their ,majesties it would be an interesting thing to see4 ,a young ,manchu was sent to ,tientsin to investigate4 ,when he returned1 flaming posters were submitted to ,their ,majesties by the ,chief ,eunuchs4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager saw the vulgarly colored picture of a summarily clad young woman of the show1 ,i was watching her face and ,i saw a look of contemptuous scorn pass over it4 ,she brightened up1 however1 when she saw the pictures of the animals at their tricks1 and the men on horses1 and it was decided that the circus should be brought up from ,tientsin6 ,the animals and performers were to be domiciled in one of the parks near by1 but the tent was to be stretched within the inclosure of the ,palace4 ,sites for the ring were discussed1 and it was finally decided to have the tents pitched at the extreme western end of the lake4 ,there was a large open field here1 planted in turnips6 ,as the turnips were ready to be gathered1 it was decided that the crop should be pulled up and this place prepared for the tents4 ,one day we went out into the turnip field1 and the ,empress ,dowager herself pulled the first turnip2 then the ,empress and all the ,princesses pulled some1 and when they found a curiously shaped one1 it was given to ,her ,majesty4 ,it was a strange sight to see the ,great ,empress ,dowager1 sitting there at the side of the field1 on her yellow camp-stool1 smiling and interested1 with the turnips piled around her1 and the gaily dressed ,empress and ,princesses in their silken gowns flitting in and out of the field1 apparently enjoying1 to its utmost1 the simple task of pulling these prosaic vegetables4 ,the eunuchs and attendants stood in crowds around to take the turnips when pulled4 ,they were not allowed1 however1 to pull any themselves4 ,when a small square was denuded1 ,her ,majesty and the ,ladies returned to the ,palace1 and an army of workmen came and pulled up the whole field and began to prepare the ground for the circus tents4 ,as the performance of the circus was to be on the first day of the month1 the ,imperial players were at the ,theater4 ,when the morning ,audience was finished1 ,their ,majesties and the ,empress and ,ladies went to the ,theater and listened to two or three plays4 ,after luncheon1 taken in the ,imperial loge1 ,their ,majesties started for the landing-place1 followed by the young ,empress and ,ladies4 ,the lake was gay with beautiful barges1 great houseboats1 and numbers of flat boats for the eunuchs4 ,the barges and houseboats were picturesquely decorated with flying banners1 pennants1 and tasseled wands4 ,two steam-launches1 puffing away1 gave an air of modernity to this most ,oriental fleet4 ,one of the steam-launches was splendidly decorated with yellow banners1 with gorgeous yellow silk scarfs festooned around the cabin and the ,imperial flag flying above it4 ,the ,empress ,dowager and the ,emperor descended the marble steps to this gaily decked launch1 and started off alone for the other end of the lake1 the ,imperial banners and colors flying4 ,the ,empress and ,princesses went in the ,empress's ,state boat2 the visiting ladies followed in another of these ponderous but picturesque affairs4 ,in size they are as large as an ordinary ,chinese pavilion4 ,the ,empress's cabin was carpeted and splendidly upholstered in cloth of gold1 with the usual tea-tables and lounges4 ,it had one of those gallery-like prows with silken awnings1 where the ,princesses stood4 ,the young ,empress sat within1 on one of the gold-covered couches4 ,as she had been brought up with several of the ,princesses as playmates1 the young ,empress generally waived ceremony with them2 but she knew how1 when necessary1 to maintain a sweet dignity that was charming and perfectly in accord with her exalted position4 ,to-day was a ,state occasion4 ,she sat alone1 and the ,ladies remained outside on the prow4 ,she asked me to come in and showed me the interior and some of the curiously inlaid tables4 ,she knew ,i was interested in all these things4 ,she made me sit at her side1 and when ,i demurred she said she knew it was not the foreign custom to sit on cushions on the floor1 as was the habit of the ,ladies when in her presence1 and that ,i must sit beside her4 ,this was the consideration they always showed me at the ,palace1 which ,i fully realized was not due to any special liking for me1 but simply to their exquisite breeding--their desire to make me feel comfortable and at home4 ,when we arrived at the other side of the lake1 the ,empress and ,ladies stood while ,their ,majesties landed4 ,they were welcomed by a great burst of music from the bands4 ,a number of ,princes and ,officials stood waiting to receive them and conduct them to the handsome loges that had been prepared for them4 ,it was a picturesque procession that started from the landing-place-- the ,empress ,dowager and the ,emperor1 under the big1 embroidered1 yellow silk1 ,state umbrellas1 preceded and surrounded by gorgeously attired attendants and splendidly gowned officials1 the young ,empress and ,ladies1 in gala attire1 following after1 with their eunuchs and attendants4 ,the day was perfect1 and glorious sunshine added to the brilliant effect4 ,the side of the tent toward the ,imperial loges was open4 ,there was a railed platform before the pavilions that had been erected as 8loges40 ,these pavilions were luxuriously fitted up3 ,their ,majesties' loges were hung with the ,imperial yellow4 ,a yellow satin chair 7with a smaller one at its left7 was placed in the center of the raised platform1 under the silken awning1 and ,their ,majesties could sit here or within as they chose4 ,the ,empress and ,ladies stood in groups on either side of this platform4 ,about two hundred officials had been invited to see the circus1 and1 contrary to the usual custom1 there was no screen between them and the ,imperial party4 ,on the right were two bands of foreign music1 or rather of ,chinese musicians who played foreign music on ,european instruments4 ,these were the bands of ,yuan-,shih-,kai1 ,viceroy of ,tientsin1 and of ,sir ,robert ,hart1 the ,inspector-,general of ,imperial ,customs4 ,sir ,robert's band was formed about eighteen years since1 when1 as music is his hobby1 he decided to try to have some ,chinese taught ,european music on ,european instruments4 ,he has now a well-equipped band of twenty trained ,chinese musicians under a competent ,european conductor4 ,they play on both brass and stringed instruments4 ,his efforts have been so successful that his example has lately been followed by several high ,chinese ,officials1 first among whom was ,yuan-,shih-,kai4 ,the latter's band is military1 with fifty musicians1 who play only on brass instruments4 ,the two bands played alternately during the intervals of the performance4 ,for the first time during my residence at the ,palace1 ,i now had an opportunity of seeing the ,imperial ,princes and many of the great nobles and officials4 ,though they were often asked to the ,theater at the ,palace1 the screen between them and the ,imperial loge was never removed1 except at the end of the performance1 when they bowed their thanks and when the ,ladies retired to their own loge4 ,the gentlemen1 however1 could be well seen at the circus2 and though the ,chinese ,ladies did not glance in their direction1 ,i took advantage of being a foreigner1 and when ,i was behind the others1 and could do so without being seen1 ,i closely scanned their faces and attire4 ,several of the ,princes of the ,imperial ,family came up to the platform where ,their ,majesties sat and made their bows to them1 afterward slightly saluting their relations among the ,ladies and ,princesses4 ,among these young ,princes at the circus was a son of ,prince ,kung and an adopted son of the ,imperial ,princess4 ,this young man not only had a remarkably fine figure1 tall and slender1 with broad shoulders1 but his face was very handsome4 ,his bow1 on coming up to pay his respects to ,their ,majesties1 was as graceful as that of a young chevalier4 ,his regard was so ingenuous1 his expression so clever and withal so modest1 his whole demeanor so gracious1 ,i was much struck with him4 ,his dress was elegant1 and his jewels chosen with discretion4 ,there was none of that overloading of belt ornamentation that the young dandies of the ,imperial set were then affecting4 ,his father was one of the great ,princes of ,china1 and if this young man develops and carries out the promise of his youth 7he was then only seventeen71 ,i fancy he will be heard of also4 ,like most of the young ,manchu ,princes1 he held a position in the ,imperial household1 such as ,master of the ,horse or ,captain of the ,archers4 ,it was not much of a circus1 but none of the ,imperial party had ever seen one before1 and the setting was so gorgeous1 it was unique as a circus performance even to me4 ,the ,empress ,dowager and the ,emperor had splendidly jeweled opera glasses1 which a eunuch held ready for their use4 ,the ,emperor1 disliking to be looked at1 held his own glasses before his face most of the time4 ,it seemed to me he used them principally for the purpose of screening himself4 ,the animals pleased both ,their ,majesties2 but aside from the dwarfs1 of which there were two1 the rest of the performers seemed to have but a mediocre interest for them4 ,her ,majesty was particularly interested in the dogs and trained animals1 and ,his ,majesty in the horses and fancy riding4 ,i was standing near him1 and he looked keenly at me several times to see how the performance struck me2 and one of his head eunuchs asked me in ,english--the ,emperor would not try it--whether ,i thought it was 8good or bad40 ,their ,majesties sat through the performance1 the ,empress ,dowager only retiring to her loge once during the time1 which was while one of the summarily clad young ladies was gyrating on a trapeze4 ,there was a magnificent tigress which the circus master had trained1 and which was his 8pice de rsistance40 ,the ,empress ,dowager would not allow this to be taken out of its cage1 and though it was brought out in front of the ,imperial platform1 it was too cat-like to interest her4 ,she has a great antipathy to anything feline4 ,when the performance was finished1 the ,imperial party left in the same state in which it had arrived1 ,their ,majesties accompanied to the launch by the ,princes and high ,officials1 the music of the two bands playing simultaneously4 ,the ,ladies of the ,palace and ,their ,majesties1 themselves1 have so little novelty in their lives1 ,i think1 on the whole1 the innovation of the circus was generally appreciated4 ,,chapter ,,xxii ,,palace ,,customs ,the ,empress ,dowager is an early riser1 but the joint ,audiences which ,their ,majesties now hold are never at the extraordinary hours in vogue when ,his ,majesty ruled alone4 ,when there is a press of business1 and many heads of departments to be seen1 the ,audiences begin very early1 but they rarely extend past eleven o'clock--the usual hours being from half-past seven to eleven4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager sleeps1 a maid watches in her room1 two eunuchs stand on guard in the ante-chamber to the room1 four watch at the door of the ante-chamber1 and her body-guard of eunuchs fill the building where her private apartments are situated4 ,the maid and eunuchs who watch in the night are changed every second day4 ,only the ,high ,eunuchs are intrusted with the duty of guarding her bed-chamber and ,throne-room4 ,at the ,summer ,palace1 ,her ,majesty's bedroom is not more than fifteen feet square2 the bed1 like all in ,north ,china1 is built into an alcove in the room4 ,shelves run around the three inclosed sides of the alcove1 and on these are placed ,her ,majesty's favorite ornaments--small jade curios1 books1 and1 of course1 clocks4 ,in this bedroom ,i counted fifteen timepieces on the bed shelves1 and all running4 ,their ticking and striking1 not at all simultaneous1 was enough to run a nervous ,european woman wild2 but ,her ,majesty takes so much outdoor exercise1 she seemed to have no nerves4 ,there were no flowers in her bedroom1 but the ante-chamber1 leading into it1 was always full of flowers1 pyramids of apples1 and 8,buddha's hands40#e ,the bed-alcove is separated from the room by satin curtains1 suspended from a handsomely embroidered valance1 with two long embroidered bands to loop them back4 #e 8,buddha's hand10 a very fragrant fruit of the family of lemons1 which is shaped like a hand1 with long1 curving fingers4 ,pyramids of this fruit are used for their perfume4 ,her ,majesty is a light and irregular sleeper4 ,when she wakes and finds it impossible to go to sleep again1 she rises1 is dressed1 and often goes for a walk in the grounds1 at what we would call the most unseasonable of hours4 ,she says ,nature is beautiful at every hour of the twenty-four1 with a different charm for each moment4 ,as she loves it in all its phases1 she likes to see it at every hour of the twenty-four1 at least once a year6 ,when she wakes and goes for a walk at night1 the eunuchs who are on duty in her ,palace accompany her with lanterns1 but she never takes these night walks1 except by moonlight1 and when the night is beautiful4 ,whether she has slept well or ill1 she rises at six o'clock2 for the morning is devoted to business1 and she never misses an ,audience4 ,on rising1 she takes a bowl of hot milk1 or lotus-root porridge2 then her maids and tiring-women begin her toilet for the ,audience4 ,this is the 8grande toilette0 for the day1 for full dress is worn by the ,chinese in the morning1 and in the evening they wear simple gowns4 ,when her toilet is finished1 the young ,empress and ,ladies1 having 8assisted0 7from without7 at her 8lever10 she comes out into the ,throne-room and receives their morning greeting4 ,the ,emperor then comes to pay his respects to the ,great ,ancestress1 and together they go in ,state1 accompanied by all the ,ladies of the ,court1 to the ,great ,audience ,hall4 ,the ,ladies of the ,court remain outside the ,great ,hall until the ,audience is finished1 when they accompany ,her ,majesty to her ,throne-room4 ,the business of the day is then over4 ,her ,majesty lays aside her robes of ,state and gives herself up to duties connected with the ,palace4 ,while ,i was painting the portraits1 she would pose on returning from the ,audience2 or1 if the ,audience had been too tiring1 she would first go for a walk4 ,then would begin her various self-imposed household duties4 ,she would overlook the baskets of flowers and fruits sent into the ,palace daily1 select some to be sent as presents1 and send others to the eunuchs of the kitchen to be cooked4 ,then she would look at new rolls of silk1 just arrived from the ,imperial looms1 or examine new articles of toilet1 fresh from the workshops of the ,palace tailors4 ,sometimes she would play a game1 of which she seemed very fond1 and of which ,i know no counterpart4 ,it was played on a large square board1 covered with white silk and painted in fantastic designs1 representing the ,earth and ,fairyland4 ,the object of the game was to get an ivory chessman1 representing 8man10 into ,fairyland4 ,the length of the move was decided by throwing dice4 ,there was no box for throwing the dice3 they were taken in the hands and thrown into a jade bowl4 ,the numbers uppermost were then counted and the move made4 ,she would play this game with the ,princesses2 and sometimes two of the ,high ,eunuchs1 who were proficient1 would be called in to make out the number4 ,the game was played for money1 but1 if ,her ,majesty won1 the others did not pay4 ,if1 however1 they won1 she paid1 and at once4 ,she was ever a cheerful giver4 ,she had wonderful luck1 and it was a rare occurrence for the others to win4 ,i only happened to see it three times4 ,the ,princesses were always pleased to play this game1 for they had a chance of winning and they never lost4 ,one day ,i saw her get quite angry with one of the ,ladies playing4 ,this ,lady could not bear to lose1 and would get sulky and cross if she did4 ,this annoyed ,her ,majesty1 until finally she reproved her sharply4 ,she asked her why she played a game if she were not willing to take her chances as they came1 and meet loss or gain with equal equanimity4 ,illustration3 ,,princesses ,,of ,,the ,,court ,the ,empress ,dowager only eats two solid meals a day--luncheon and dinner4 ,these were exactly similar4 ,the dishes1 so far as ,i could see1 were identical2 but they were so numerous1 and of such variety1 one could make a change of menu by eating different dishes4 ,the hours of these two meals were very irregular2 in fact1 ,her ,majesty had no fixed hour for anything except rising and attendance at the ,audience ,hall4 8,early rice10 as the ,chinese call luncheon1 was served the ,empress ,dowager at any time between half-past ten and half-past twelve4 ,she was likely to order it at any hour after she returned from the ,audience4 8,late rice10 or dinner1 was ordered with the same irregularity4 ,she was very fond of nuts and fruits1 and ate them between meals1 when she drank tea1 hot milk1 and certain fruit juices4 ,the young ,empress and ,ladies of the ,court were not bound to these irregular hours4 ,they ordered their meals in their own pavilions at the hours they wished4 ,sometimes they had but just finished their own meals1 when the ,empress ,dowager would order hers1 and1 when she had finished1 invite them to eat at her table4 ,then it would be a matter of etiquette to eat with1 at least apparent1 relish4 ,at this meal at ,her ,majesty's table1 her place remained vacant4 ,when ,i was in the ,palace and we were invited to eat at her table1 the ,ladies sat2 but when ,i was not there1 the ,ladies stood to eat1 if she were still in the building1 thus observing a very old convention4 ,the ,empress ,dowager was very rigid about the observance of all traditional customs1 and a stickler for ,court etiquette1 but she was also very considerate of the ,ladies4 ,when she had eaten1 she would leave her ,throne-room1 or would conceal herself behind some screen1 so that they might sit and eat in peace4 ,i have seen her return to the ,throne-room while the ,ladies were eating1 but she would do it stealthily1 not allowing the eunuchs to precede her1 so that the ,ladies might not be obliged to rise on her entrance4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager dined1 she sat at the head of a long table absolutely groaning under the many dishes placed thereon4 ,huge silver platters stood on side tables with sucking-pig1 steamed goose1 whole fowls1 etc4 ,before serving the latter1 they were brought to her to look at1 just as the butler1 in ,europe1 shows the pheasant and set dishes to the mistress of the house4 ,her dishes were of yellow porcelain1 with curiously chased silver covers of pyramidal shape and quaint design4 ,when she arose to go to the table1 a eunuch standing near would shout1 8,remove the covers10 the word would be repeated along the line of waiting eunuchs1 who would spring forward and whip off the covers of the many dishes on the table as if by magic4 ,at ,her ,majesty's place were two spoons1 a saucer and bowl1 a pair of chop-sticks1 and a small folded square of soft cloth1 corresponding to our napkin4 ,when she sat down1 she attached to the front of her dress1 by a quaint1 golden pin1 a large silken napkin1--for she was immaculately neat and had a horror of a spot on her clothes4 ,she was an epicure and thoroughly appreciated any new dish the ,palace cooks sent forth1 and1 like all epicures1 she ate very slowly and seemed to enjoy her food4 ,she never drank wine or anything else at meals4 ,i only saw her drink wine on two occasions1 when some new vintages had been received at the ,palace1 and then it seemed more to judge of their merits1 as a connoisseur1 than anything else4 ,when she finished her meal and left the table1 the eunuchs brought hot cloths for her hands and a golden 8rince-bouche40 ,after this1 one of the maids would bring her a silver basin1 soap1 and towels1 and she would indulge in an elaborate hand-washing4 ,after 8,early rice0 came the hour of her siesta4 ,she would retire to her bedroom1 and her reader1 bringing several volumes from which to choose1 would come to read to her4 ,she would remain in her room for an hour and a half1 whether sleeping or being read to4 ,when she awoke1 she would make another careful toilet1 the ,ladies would join her1 and she would go for a long walk before taking 8,late rice40 ,on the first and fifteenth of the month1 the ,imperial players were at the ,theater4 ,on these days1 the ,emperor1 instead of returning to his own ,palace1 would accompany the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies from the ,audience ,hall to the ,theater4 ,the ,imperial ,hymn was played on ,their ,majesties' entrance into the court of the ,theater1 and when they had entered the ,imperial loge1 the players would come in a body on the stage and 8kow-tow40 ,then the actors1 splendidly gowned1 would make the customary wishes for the ,imperial ,peace1 ,prosperity1 ,longevity1 after which there would be a posture-play in costume1 and then the plays for the day would begin4 ,on ,theater days ,their ,majesties would lunch and dine together in the ,imperial loge4 ,they did not sit at the ends of the great table1 but at right angles to each other--the ,emperor at the head of the table1 and the ,empress ,dowager at his left4 ,his ,majesty was not much of an epicure4 ,he ate fast1 and apparently did not care what it was4 ,when he finished1 he would stand up near ,her ,majesty1 or walk around the ,throne-room until she had finished4 ,the ,empress ,dowager was very rigorous in the observance of all fasts1 as well as feasts1 prescribed by the rites4 ,on fast-days1 no meat nor fish was eaten at her table4 ,the meals consisted entirely of vegetables1 bread1 and rice2 but there was always a great variety of these dishes1 and they were temptingly prepared4 ,meat dishes and fish were always prepared for me when ,i was invited to eat at the ,imperial table on fast-days1 until ,i learned that the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies were fasting1 when ,i asked to eat only what was prepared for them when ,i dined with them at ,her ,majesty's table4 ,on ,festivals and ,theater days1 ,princesses of the ,imperial ,family1 wives of ,manchu ,nobles1 and high ,officials were invited to spend the day at the ,palace4 ,sometimes their children would accompany them1 little girls and boys under twelve4 ,i never saw a boy over seventeen in the ,palace2 and only once1 one sixteen years old4 ,this was a son of ,prince ,ching4 ,when these young people came to the ,court1 they observed the same rules of etiquette as their elders1 and behaved with great decorum4 ,her ,majesty is very fond of children1 but very particular as to their manners4 ,when a little girl did not make a graceful bow1 ,her ,majesty would not correct her1 but would ask the young ,empress1 an authority on etiquette and very graceful1 to bow4 ,her ,majesty would then tell the little girl to notice how the ,empress bowed and try to do it in that manner4 ,the child1 or her parents1 generally followed this suggestion1 and the grace of the bow was improved on the next visit to ,court6 ,on one occasion1 a lady of high rank1 married to a kinsman of the ,empress ,dowager1 was invited to the ,palace with her family4 ,she had two little girls1 and when the family went up to bow and repeat the salutation to ,her ,majesty1 the younger daughter1 only five years old1 refused either to make the bow or repeat the salutation1 but sat down on the floor and cried6 ,the ,empress ,dowager waited patiently for the mother to correct the little girl1 for she is very fond of children and disposed to condone their faults4 ,the little girl would not1 however1 listen to reason and continued to show temper4 ,her ,majesty could not allow such a breach of the 8,proprieties10 even in a child of this age1 and the high rank of the family of the little girl made it the more imperative that she should conform to the rules of ,propriety and observe the etiquette of the ,court4 ,when ,her ,majesty saw that all efforts at bringing her to reason were fruitless1 she ordered the child to be taken away4 ,whereupon the mother began crying1 and begged her not to be offended with the little girl4 ,she replied1 8,do you think a person of superior intelligence could be offended with a baby8 ,i send you out of the ,palace to teach you a lesson1 which you must teach your child4 ,i do not blame her2 ,i blame you and pity her2 but she must suffer as well as yourself4 ,you must teach your child that #8it is by the rules of propriety that the character is established' 7,confucius702 and she was inexorable4 ,the family left the ,palace and was not invited again for some time4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii ,,her ,,majesty',s ,,anxiety--,,her ,,birthday ,her ,majesty was looking tired and anxious these days2 the ,audiences were unusually long1 and despatches were arriving all during the day4 ,she would often go to the ,gardens immediately after her ,audience for solitary walks1 unattended by the ,ladies1 and when she went out for the walk1 accompanied by the ,empress and ,princesses1 she would sit distraught and abstracted before the finest views and those she loved most4 ,she seemed absent-minded1 and when some eunuch with the official message would kneel before her1 awaiting her order to deliver his message1 she would recall herself with an effort4 ,one day when we were out1 after days of this anxiety1 and she was sitting alone in front of the 8,peony ,mountain10 the ,empress and ,princesses standing in a group at a little distance1 she looked a pathetic figure4 ,her strong face looked tired and worn4 ,her arms hung listlessly by her sides and she seemed almost to have given up1 and ,i saw her1 furtively1 brush a tear away4 ,the days were so like each other at the ,palace1 the ,chinese dates being different from ours1 ,i lost my reckoning until ,i had a ,tientsin paper1 and ,i saw that the date on which the ,russians had promised to evacuate ,manchuria had passed and they were making no move toward doing so2 and that there were rumors of war between ,japan and ,russia4 ,this1 then1 must be what was weighing upon the mind of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,a few days later a telegram was handed her in the ,throne-room while she was posing1 that seemed to greatly agitate her4 ,it was from ,kwang ,hsi1 and reported the ineffectual attempts of the authorities to put down a serious rebellion there4 ,thus1 there were interior as well as exterior troubles to make her anxious4 ,she seemed to take these ,state troubles to heart2 and it was touching to see her anxiety1 which she made but little effort to conceal when surrounded only by the ,ladies4 ,the ,emperor1 on the contrary1 preserved his usual calm exterior1 and if he was racked by anxiety1 showed no evidence of it4 ,this may have been because he had schooled himself to hide his feelings4 ,be that as it may1 his face had always that enigmatic smile lurking around the corners of his mouth4 ,i fancied1 though1 his eyes looked more resigned and sadder than usual4 ,the date of the ,empress ,dowager's ,birthday 7,november #af7 was approaching1 and preparations to celebrate it were beginning4 ,she was determined to keep this celebration very simple4 ,she issued edicts prohibiting the high ,officials and ,viceroys from sending the extravagant presents which always pour in at the celebration of the birthday of any one of her age in ,china4 ,she recommended great economy in expenditures for the celebration1 saying it would be improper and unworthy at this time of ,national distress1 when the ,foreign ,indemnity was not yet paid1 to make a large outlay for her ,birthday4 ,the celebration of a birthday in ,china is a great event1 almost a religious ceremony1 and is observed with great rejoicings by all classes4 ,the poorest in the land1 if they are not able to keep any other festival1 always celebrate with as much pomp as possible the birthdays of their parents4 ,this is one of the duties enjoined by the ,book of ,rites1 and1 in spite of ,her ,majesty's expressed wishes on the subject1 the ,emperor could not allow her ,birthday to pass without a fitting celebration4 ,the ,emperor beseeched ,her ,majesty 8on bended knee0 to allow him to have her ,birthday celebrated with the same pomp as usual--to permit him to add another honorific title to the sixteen she already possessed--but though she was very proud of her titles1 which the ,ministers and ,emperor had conferred upon her at different times1 she was inexorable on this point1 for the adding of a new title would necessitate an annual grant of twelve thousand dollars in gold4 ,she also insisted that everything must be on a smaller scale than usual4 ,she was1 one could well see1 in no happy frame of mind4 ,there was none of the enthusiasm she had shown over the preparations for the ,emperor's ,birthday4 ,then she was in gay good humor4 ,she then evidently fully believed that things were going well for the ,state1 that ,china would soon obtain her full rights in ,manchuria again2 then everything seemed brighter for the ,nation's outlook than now4 ,it was her duty1 however1 to go through these ,birthday celebrations1 which1 curtail as she would1 must1 nevertheless1 be very elaborate1 owing to her age as well as to her high rank4 ,the ,empress ,dowager's wishes as to the adding of a new title were observed1 and it was not conferred1 but the preparations for the ,birthday went on1 on a magnificent scale4 ,presents came pouring into the ,palace1 and even more elaborate festive decorations than those used for the ,emperor's ,birthday were being put in place4 ,her ,majesty was to receive the prostrations of the ,emperor and ,empress1#f ,princesses1 and members of the ,imperial ,family1 on a ,throne in the ,palace1 that was built half-way up the terraced hill crowned by the ,temple of ,ten ,thousand ,buddhas4 ,she did not receive these prostrations in the ,great ,audience ,hall3 this was set aside1 by tradition1 for the ,emperor1 alone4 ,had she been reigning for him1 she would have received them there1 but as she was reigning with him1 she received them in the other ,palace4 ,the elevation of this ,palace permitted all who were allowed to enter the ,precincts to offer their congratulations1 to get a glimpse of ,her ,majesty4 ,as the weather was getting cold1 the marble steps leading up to this ,palace1 the courts1 and even a large part of the terrace over the lake1 were covered with carpets of gala red4 #f ,it has been said by foreigners1 that ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager obliges the ,emperor and ,empress to make the prostrations before her on her ,birthday as an indignity to them and to show her authority4 ,the truth is1 that every son in ,china kneels before his parents on their birthdays1 and should the ,emperor fail to do so1 the whole of ,china would be horrified and cry out against his unfilial conduct4 ,her ,majesty is not only the wife of his uncle1 the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng1 but the sister of his mother1 and1 more than all else1 the ,empress ,dowager is the ,emperor's adopted mother4 ,the duties of an adopted child to his adopted parents are the same1 in ,china1 as to his own parents4 ,in the ,viceroy ,chang-,chih-,tung's famous ode to the ,emperor1 he speaks of this filial piety as one of the ,emperor's greatest qualities3 8,who does not admire the filial reverence and piety with which he waits upon his august mother8 ,setting a brilliant example to all1 he inquires early and late after her well-being and watches over her meals in person4 ,let us now add a new ode1 extolling to the skies our ,emperor's fidelity to his ,imperial mother40 ,the congratulations and prostrations were to begin at #b ,a4,m41 the hour of her birth4 ,there were three pairs of huge silver candelabra standing at either side of the ,throne to hold the enormous wax candles of ,imperial yellow1 entwined with golden dragons1 which weighed fifty pounds each4 ,they stood five feet high4 ,lanterns with the ever-present character 8,sho0 and others inscribed 8,wan-,sho-,wu-,chiang0 7no limit to ,imperial longevity7 stood on each step of the long flight leading up to the ,palace4 ,the whole terrace below1 all the temples and buildings in the grounds1 were brilliantly illuminated with splendid lanterns1 elaborately ornamented with tassels of red silk1 with the characters for longevity emblazoned thereon in vermilion4 ,with the few changes necessitated by the different season of the year of the ,empress ,dowager's ,birthday1 everything was carried out as for the ,emperor's except on a larger scale1 as she was celebrating more years than ,his ,majesty4 ,the ,palace was filled to overflowing with the many ladies invited to be present4 ,some came from the heart of distant ,manchuria1 the cradle of the ,dynasty4 ,the winter ,court dress of the ladies1 worn for ,her ,majesty's ,birthday1 was of satin1 lined and trimmed with fur1 with sable collars4 ,like the summer ,court dress1 the winter gown was elaborately embroidered in the golden double dragon4 ,the picturesque summer coiffure had also been replaced by winter hats of fur with jewels across the front and an elaborate crown1 studded with precious stones4 ,brilliant bunches of flowers were worn on either side of the coiffure1 in winter as in summer4 ,the celebration of birthday festivities in ,china is always accompanied by rites and worship of the ancestral tablets1 and ,her ,majesty was obliged to go into ,peking several times during the celebration4 ,the ceremonies1 themselves1 were also very tiring4 ,all this effort to keep up1 and to properly carry out her part of the ceremonies1 added to her real anxiety1 made the forced celebration of her sixty-ninth ,birthday far from a happy event to the ,empress ,dowager of ,china1 who found the ,empire she was trying to guide1 in so perilous a position--war threatening on its confines1 foreign complications of all kinds to deal with1 and rebellion within4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv ,,the ,,winter ,,palace ,the ,summer ,palace was always the ,empress ,dowager's favorite ,palace1 but after the ,boxer rising and the subsequent occupation of ,peking by the ,allies1 when foreign troops were stationed in both the ,peking ,palaces1 and so much damage done them1 she would have preferred to have lived the whole year round at the ,summer ,palace4 ,as it is1 she occupies it from eight to nine months of the year1 going out to it at the first opportunity in the spring1 and leaving it only when it is so cold as to make it impracticable4 ,there is a system of heating it by furnaces beneath the floors1 but ,her ,majesty never used these1 and the small ,chinese porcelain stoves1 sorts of braziers1 were quite insufficient for heating the immense halls4 ,this1 however1 would not have influenced her1 as she never minded the cold1 but it was very difficult for the officials to take the long trip to the ,summer ,palace during the winter1 and this consideration alone caused her to move into the ,winter ,palace when the weather became very cold4 ,the members of the ,cabinet and the ,princes had summer homes in the immediate vicinity of the ,palace1 but there were thousands of officials who were obliged to come out every day from ,peking4 ,the time had now come for the ,court to move in definitively to the ,winter ,palace1 and shortly after the ,birthday festivities1 ,their ,majesties took up their residence in the ,capital4 ,before ,i left the ,summer ,palace1 the young ,empress suggested that ,i should go to the ,winter ,palace the next day in time to assist in receiving ,her ,majesty on her arrival there1 for1 as usual1 ,i left the ,summer ,palace the day before the ,court1 and went in to the ,united ,states ,legation4 ,at every change of residence of the ,empress ,dowager1 the young ,empress1 ,princesses1 and ,ladies of the ,court precede her by a few hours1 and stand upon the threshold of her own dwelling ,palace to receive her when she arrives4 ,full ,court dress is worn for this reception1 and it is1 as is everything touching ,her ,majesty1 a ceremony6 ,the day of the ,empress ,dowager's entrance into her loyal ,city of ,peking for the winter1 in ,december1 #aijc1 was a typical ,peking winter day2 the air was crisp and clear1 the atmosphere positively sparkling1 and like champagne4 ,one seemed to breathe an elixir4 ,for her 8progresses0 from one ,palace to another the ,empress ,dowager always had1 what they call in ,england1 8,queen's weather40 ,the ,city of ,peking is composed of three walled towns--the ,chinese1 the ,tartar1 and the ,imperial ,city4 ,within the ,imperial ,city lies the ,winter ,palace1 its battlemented1 turreted walls surrounded by a moat4 ,after passing through one of the great gates1 in the wall surrounding the ,imperial ,city1 and crossing the stone bridge that spans 8the ,grain-bearing ,canal10 we soon came in sight of the splendid walls and lofty gates of the ,palace inclosure4 ,the red outer walls of the ,palace1 faded by ,time and weather to a charming gray-pink1 with their beautiful corner constructions of airy-looking turrets reflected in the still waters of the moat beneath1 were most picturesque4 ,we were carried along the raised road beyond the moat until we came to a marble bridge 7formerly a portcullis71 that leads into the gate of the ,palace in front of the ,manchu ,banner quarters1 at the foot of the ,coal ,hill4 ,our chairs1 by special arrangement1 were allowed to enter the inclosure proper1 of the ,winter ,palace2 but even after entering the exterior gates1 one winds in and out between high walls1 through massive gates and heavy wooden doors studded with huge iron nails and ornamental copper balls4 ,against the high wall on either side of this approach1 wooden sheds were built as sleeping-places for the guards and soldiers4 ,each shed had a front of lattice-work1 with paper pasted over the interstices4 ,within was a cemented platform1 which the ,northern ,chinese use as beds4 ,these have a place underneath for building a fire1 for they keep warm at night by sleeping on hot beds and use very little cover4 ,just beyond the last of these guard-houses1 our official 8green chairs0 were put down between two high walls1 with forbidding gates in front of us4 ,here we took the red ,palace chairs which were awaiting us4 ,we were swiftly carried through still other gates and past a very labyrinth of walls4 ,the courts were all paved in large flagstones of white marble1 and surrounded by high walls with heavy doors4 ,we finally reached a charming court1 where1 standing under the overhanging branches of a beautiful cedar1 we found the young ,empress and ,princesses1 in full ,court dress1 already awaiting the coming of ,her ,majesty4 ,it was a pretty group that stood there1 gowned in their splendid ,court costumes1 the sunlight glinting upon the jeweled crowns of their fur caps1 and giving a touch of nature to the brilliant flowers in their hair4 ,my plain1 foreign1 tailor-made gown was the only dark spot in this bright group of gorgeously attired ladies4 ,presently the cymbals and flutes sounded the weird notes of the 8,imperial ,hymn40 ,the great wooden doors of the court were thrown open and the ,imperial procession came in sight4 ,splendidly gowned eunuchs advanced in two lines1 walking with rigid bodies and stately step4 ,at a sign from the young ,empress1 a hush fell upon the chattering group of ,princesses and each took her proper place4 ,then the ,imperial chair-bearers crossed the threshold1 with ,her ,majesty sitting erect in one of her 8open chairs10 for as soon as she gets into the ,palace grounds she leaves the closed palanquin1 in which she is obliged to travel abroad and which she very much dislikes on account of its stuffiness4 ,the ,ladies1 as if moved by one impulse1 made the formal bow at her approach1 and repeated the usual ,imperial salutation 8,lao-tzu-tzung-chee-siang10 which ,i repeated with the others4 ,her ,majesty had her chair stopped in the center of the ,court and got out1 and ,i went up to salute her4 ,she shook hands1 and said she hoped ,i would be happy in the ,winter ,palace1 but that it was a dull1 depressing sort of a place1 with too many walls and gates1 after the open brightness1 of the ,summer ,palace4 ,after a few minutes' conversation she went into the ,throne-room1 followed by the ,empress and ,ladies4 ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room at the ,winter ,palace fronted on a court which was surrounded by well-built walls with curiously shaped doors and windows and ornamental yellow and green tiled designs at intervals4 ,in the center of the wall in front was the immense gateway1 with wooden folding-doors1 which had just opened for her passage4 ,the verandah of the ,throne-room had two rooms projecting upon it1 making of it a rectangular space with walls around three of its sides4 ,this verandah was quite different from any at the ,summer ,palace1 where they run the whole length of the buildings1 back and front4 ,entering1 ,i was struck by the beauty of the great central hall--the harmony of its proportions1 the somber splendor of its color4 ,it seemed to me the most satisfying1 the most picturesque of all the restful1 harmonious ,chinese interiors ,i had seen4 ,its dull red walls1 splendid coffered ceiling glowing in color and glinting in gold1 its central dome1 with elaborately carved pendentives1 was painted in brilliant primary colors1 subdued into a rich harmony by the demi-obscurity1 for it had no 8lantern0 and received its light from the windows below4 ,illustration3 ,,court ,,in ,,the ,,winter ,,palace--8,,her ,,majesty ,,comes0 ,the curious feature of the domes in several of the palaces in the ,violet ,city1 so effective from within1 giving elevation and space to the interiors1 is that they are not visible from the outside of the edifice4 ,the beautiful straight line of the roof1 with its upturned corners1 remains intact in its purity and retains its restful simplicity4 ,the hall was paved with great blocks of highly polished black marble1 which dimly reflected the glowing splendor of the walls and ceiling4 ,in the center of one side was a low dais1 richly carpeted1 on which stood a great antique throne and footstool of red lacquer1 framed in ebony and inlaid with cloisonn--the three-leaved screen behind was of bronze1 with landscapes in low relief4 ,on each leaf a poem in golden characters gave the needed touch of brilliancy to the somber massiveness of the dull bronze4 ,great wooden doors1 with huge gilded dragons in high relief1 opened into apartments on the right and left of this splendid hall4 ,these portals were always thrown wide1 and heavily padded satin portires hung from the lintels4 ,the front and rear of the hall was almost entirely of glass1 with the pillars that supported the roof standing clear between the windows--the lower half of plate-glass1 the upper1 of transparent ,corean paper4 ,the apartments to the right1 where1 at a sign from ,her ,majesty1 ,i followed the ,ladies1 were her day-rooms4 ,her sitting-room1 projecting on the verandah1 brilliantly lighted by two sides of windows1 was in dazzling contrast to the somber splendor of the ,throne-room4 ,the sun pouring through the windows1 the gay flowers and growing plants1 the fruits piled high in great painted bowls1 the divans1 beneath the windows1 with satin cushions1 the touches of femininity1 the subtle perfume1 even the small shrine to ,buddha--everything bespoke the characteristics of its august mistress1 who1 in her hours of ease1 loved sunshine and flowers1 and reveled in beauty and perfume4 ,on entering1 ,her ,majesty approached the small shrine1 lighted three slender tapers of fragrant incense1 and placed them upright in the perfumed ashes of the golden censer at the feet of ,buddha4 ,she rearranged the offerings1 placed a picture of the ,mother of ,buddha behind the ,image1 and then stood in reverent attitude a few seconds before turning to her waiting tirewomen to have her outer garments removed4 ,as ,i had now learned that my interest in her surroundings pleased her1 ,i looked around the room4 ,it was as lofty as the ,great ,throne-room1 but the rear wall was divided into two stories1 and a hidden stairway led to the upper rooms4 ,in an alcove1 under the second floor1 was built the bed where she took her siesta in the afternoon1 screened from the sitting-room by beautifully embroidered satin curtains4 ,the walls of carved teakwood had a rare frieze of panels of flying birds and bats in mother-of-pearl4 ,there were scrolls bearing quotations from the classics2 and1 of course1 many beautiful and curious clocks adorned the dragon tables1 the window-seats1 and carved chests6 ,in prominent places1 each flanked by good-luck pennants1 hung two steel-engravings3 the first representing ,queen ,victoria in regal array2 the second1 the ,queen and ,prince ,consort1 surrounded by their children and grandchildren4 ,i was surprised to see them here in ,her ,majesty's living-room1 though ,i had heard that the ,empress ,dowager had a great admiration for the ,queen1 and that she thought there were many points of similarity in their reigns4 ,they had each been widows the greater part of their lives1 and had each ruled over great empires4 ,she said she noticed in the ,queen's face the same lines of longevity that she1 herself1 had4 ,she probably dreams of as long a life as the great ,queen of ,england had4 ,the ,empress ,dowager was astonished that ,i had seen so many members of the ,english ,royal family1 and the ,queen herself1 when ,i had never had an 8,audience10 and was still more so when she learned that the ,great ,english ,empress took her daily promenade outside her ,palace ,walls in 8an open chair10 and could be seen by any one who happened to pass that way4 ,her ,majesty told me ,i might go up the hidden stairway1 leading from her bed-alcove to the floor above1 where was her private chapel4 ,here1 on special occasions1 services were held by lama priests4 ,it was a beautiful haven1 in whose dim1 religious light one might meditate or pray4 ,its high altar1 with a great golden ,buddha of fine design1 had tall1 golden candlesticks1 shining with pearls and rubies4 ,richly wrought and enameled vases held bouquets of jeweled flowers1 and censers1 damascened with gold1 sent up spirals of perfumed smoke4 ,the floor was covered with a splendid silken rug of ,imperial yellow1 and small1 exquisitely executed1 paintings of the saints and personified attributes formed a dado around the walls4 ,curiously shaped windows1 with bits of translucent shell set into the elaborate lattice-work1 shed but a dim light1 and out of mysterious depths shone the splendid jewels of the altar ornaments1 the dull gold of the ,great ,buddha1 and the gleaming dado of red-and-gold clothed saints6 ,this was ,her ,majesty's favorite chapel4 ,she had followed me up and showed it with pride4 ,she appreciated its perfect artistic quality as much1 ,i am sure1 as she loved its religious element4 ,here she could come1 from the privacy of her bed-alcove1 mount the hidden stairs when she willed1 unnoticed and unattended1 and here seek that peace which seemed so far away those troubled days of ,january1 #aijd1 when all looked so dark for her country4 ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room is in the first of three large halls in the northeastern corner of the inclosure1 which1 with their courts1 extend to the exterior walls of the ,palace4 ,the buildings are raised about eight feet above the marble-paved court and are approached by handsome1 white marble steps4 ,leading up to the second1 for the first time ,i saw a 8spirit-stairway0 used in secular architecture4 ,this 8spirit-stairway0 consists of a block of marble placed in the center and reaching from the top to the bottom of the stairway4 ,this block1 instead of being cut into steps1 is elaborately carved with the double dragon4 ,it lies in the middle of the stairway like a beautiful heavy carpet thrown over it1 too stiff to take the form of steps4 ,the 8spirit-stairway10 not to be touched by mortal feet1 is used in the approaches to all the fine temples2 and when1 as in the case of the ,temple of ,heaven at ,peking1 the stairs are high1 the effect is as beautiful as it is original and unique4 ,illustration3 ,,confucian ,,temple--,,spirit-,,stairway ,,in ,,central ,,flight ,,of ,,steps ,the hall with the 8spirit-stairway0 is the handsomest of the three in the ,empress ,dowager's inclosure4 ,its interior1 a height of fifty feet1 has a splendid coffered ceiling1 and its walls are of wonderfully carved wood1 with cloisonn medallions1 which give great richness and splendor4 ,a balcony surrounds this lofty hall1 with openings from it into rooms over the side apartments1 which are of but the usual height4 ,this great front hall1 with a dais and throne1 screen and ceremonial fans1 showed it was for more formal receptions than the beautiful domed room we had first entered4 ,opposite the ,throne dais stood a 8cistern0 of splendidly carved jade to hold water for cooling the temperature in summer4 ,a handsome music-box1 which had been sent as a present to the ,dowager ,empress by ,queen ,victoria1 and several other presents from ,european ,royalties1 stood around4 ,the apartments on the right were for ,his ,majesty's use when he came to the ,theater1 which was near4 ,on the left were ,her ,majesty's night apartments4 ,two doors led through the open-work screen which separated the hall from the entrance at the rear4 ,here there was another magnificent block of jade1 about five feet high1 elaborately carved in designs representing the manner in which the jade is mined and taken from its native mountains4 ,from the central hall1 a raised marble platform led into the third of the buildings4 ,here1 again1 the central hall occupied the entire height1 while the sides were divided into two stories4 ,this was one of the ,emperor's ,throne-rooms1 and he had graciously given it for my use while painting the ,empress ,dowager's portraits4 ,i had been told ,i was to have a 8magnificent place for working0 in the ,winter ,palace1 and so far as magnificence went1 ,i had it here4 ,but1 lofty and spacious as the hall was1 it was very dark1 and there was also a disagreeable reflection from the shining1 yellow-tiled roof of the ,palace in front4 ,the court was very small1 and the reflection from the roof was consequently unavoidable4 ,my heart fell4 ,it was a dreadful disappointment to find that my 8studio10 to which ,i had so looked forward1 was so unsatisfactory as to light6 ,the ,empress ,dowager's quarters at the ,winter ,palace are separated by high walls and guarded gates from the ,emperor's4 ,the pavilions of the ,emperor's inclosure are on a more magnificent scale even than those of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,the ,audience ,hall of the ,winter ,palace is in the ,emperor's inclosure4 ,in ,her ,majesty's inclosure1 there is a ,theater1 but the ,imperial 8loge0 is small1 indeed1 when compared with the splendid hall at the ,summer ,palace4 ,tradition seemed to be more rigidly observed here than at the ,summer ,palace1 and everything seemed to be referred to the ,emperor2 whereas ,her ,majesty seemed to be the first figure at the ,summer ,palace1 and there1 traditional laws were often in abeyance4 ,,chapter ,,xxv ,,peking--,,beginning ,,the ,,portrait ,,for ,,st4 ,,louis ,the ,legation quarter of ,peking lies in the ,tartar ,city1 just under the walls of the ,imperial ,city4 ,the ,united ,states ,legation1 in #aijd1 occupied a ,chinese ,temple on the canal1 at the left of the 8,water ,gate10 the opening of which was exacted by the ,allies in #aijj4 ,before this time1 there was no gate between the ,chien-,mn and the ,hata-,mn4 ,it was a picturesque jaunt in the early morning that ,i had from the ,united ,states ,legation to the ,palace4 ,my cart rattled down the road1 running parallel to the canal1 past the splendid inclosure of the ,english ,legation to the 8,glacis10 and across the ,marble ,bridge1 that traverses it1 to the narrow street under the great red walls of the ,imperial ,city4 ,the walls all over ,china are wonderful feats of architecture1 the culminating point of the science of the ,chinese builder4 ,the 8,great ,wall10 long counted one of the wonders of the world1 is one of many in ,china1 and only remarkable on account of its size and great length4 ,nearly every town and city in ,china has massive1 well-constructed walls1 which1 with their splendid gate-towers1 make them really remarkable works of architecture4 ,even the palaces and parks of the rich have fine walls1 the monotony of their line varied by the turreted summer-houses which surmount their angles4 ,these walls1 quite overtopping the cities and houses they inclose1 with their watch-towers permitting their defenders to see at great distances1 must1 in medieval times1 have been a splendid protection against the attacks of enemies or the inroads of barbarians4 ,the main thoroughfares of the ,tartar ,city are very wide1 with a raised causeway1 about two feet high1 in the center4 ,when ,their ,majesties go abroad1 this is covered with yellow sand and is used as an ,imperial roadway4 ,ordinarily any cart or chair1 irrespective of the rank of the occupant1 may use it4 ,it is always kept in excellent condition1 and seems to be a survival of the raised roads that ,marco ,polo speaks of in describing the grounds of the ,palace of ,kublai-,kahn4 ,the lower roads on either side of this raised causeway are generally in a lamentable state4 ,itinerant cooks ply their odorous trade of frying grease-balls1 etc42 barbers shave their clients and act as manicures and chiropodists1 in full view of the passer-by2 venders of old iron1 clothes1 vegetables1 etc1 spread out their wares in the middle of the road1 in reckless disregard of the wandering fowls1 dogs1 and even pigs1 which roam about4 ,pools of stagnant water and piles of refuse add their quota to the malodorous confusion4 ,still the streets are not unpicturesque4 ,the elaborately carved fronts of the shops1 the graceful signs1 with their red pennants1 the gaily colored lanterns swinging to and fro1 the great umbrellas unfurled here and there over the itinerant venders1 all have a certain sort of charm4 ,after entering the gate of the ,imperial ,city1 the roads are gay with carts1 official chairs1 and handsomely caparisoned horses4 ,we sometimes met attachs of the 8,wai-,wu-,pu0 and different ,yamens hurrying to and fro with despatches1 or caught a glimpse1 in the depths of his green chair1 of one of the great ministers1 the thin white-bearded face of ,prince ,ching1 or the heavy ,jewish-looking physiognomy of ,na-,tung1 the new minister1 who seems likely to grow in favor4 ,sometimes we passed a bridal procession1 with its gay1 red-embroidered chairs1 or some splendid funeral1 with the great red catafalque1 covered with magnificent embroideries 7for red is used alike for wedding chairs and for funeral decorations7--its massive1 long poles held by hundreds of red-gowned bearers and accompanied by the motley crew of figurants1 who are always hired for funeral celebrations in ,china2 the catafalque1 followed by white-covered carts1 carrying the mourning white-garbed women of the family4 ,sometimes we passed a crowd of yellow-gowned lama priests and monks returning from some celebration in the ,palace--sometimes1 great droves of camels laden with coal from the mountains or produce from afar4 ,during the annual visit of the ,mongolian ,princes to ,peking we met them with their fur-dressed and leather-booted followers1 their quaintly caparisoned horses1 and splendidly bedecked camels1 for they were domiciled in ,palaces1 within the ,imperial ,city4 ,all this we could see as we went on our way to the ,great ,gate of the ,palace1 itself4 ,within the walls and at the gate of the ,empress ,dowager's ,palace1 with the usual ,chinese tolerance1 the consideration of the great for the poor1 beggars are allowed to come at certain times each day1 to receive remnants from the ,imperial kitchen4 ,the poor are also permitted to examine the garbage of the ,palace1 before it is carted away4 ,there was always a motley crew of ragged beggars around this gate1 who received1 apparently1 kind consideration from the soldiers and guards4 ,at least1 they were allowed to ply their trade and to follow their avocations in peace4 ,i found the light1 in the magnificent hall which had now become my studio1 so obscure1 even in front of the great plate-glass doors1 that it was almost useless to attempt to work4 ,after trying to do so for two or three days1 ,i told the head eunuch it was impossible4 ,i did not wish to trouble ,her ,majesty with my annoyances1 for she had enough of her own cares1 and seemed to grow daily more and more anxious and depressed over the constantly growing rumors of war in ,manchuria2 but it was impossible to work longer where ,i was1 and ,i decided ,i would have one of the ends of the hall1 which projected beyond the overhanging eaves of the verandah1 fitted up for my work1 and in order to have sufficient light1 even here1 it was necessary to have the upper paper windows replaced by plate-glass4 ,the eunuchs demurred4 ,they said this would necessitate great changes1 with heavy expense1 besides establishing a precedent1 as no other part of the ,palace had plate-glass windows at the top6 ,the next time the ,empress ,dowager came in1 ,i told her it was impossible to work as it was4 ,she1 herself1 remarked how dark it was1 and noticed the reflection from the yellow roof opposite4 ,and when she heard what ,i wished1 she ordered it to be done at once1 saying she would 8speak to the ,emperor0 about it4 ,an order of ,her ,majesty's was always promptly carried out1 and two days after1 to my astonishment1 the plate-glass windows were placed as ,i wished4 ,i had the divan that was built under the windows removed1 and all the furniture taken out of this end of the hall4 ,the eunuchs hesitated about removing an immense elephant clock of wonderful mechanism1 as it had not been moved for a hundred and fifty years1 but ,i finally accomplished even this6 ,even without the furniture1 this end of the hall was but a small space in which to work2 but ,i had a fairly good light1 and a quiet place to paint in1 for the first time since ,i began painting the ,empress ,dowager4 ,here ,i was sufficiently far away from ,her ,majesty's apartments1 as well as from those of the ,princesses and ,ladies1 to be able to work in quiet1 without interruptions4 ,a set of ,european furniture had been placed in the great hall1 when it was decided to give it to me1 and though this did not please me1 in an artistic sense1 it being absolutely out of keeping with its environment1 ,i found the well-cushioned easy-chairs a real comfort when ,i wanted to rest4 ,as soon as ,i was comfortably settled in my new studio1 the ,empress ,dowager began to talk of having another large portrait begun--large enough to represent her with all the paraphernalia of ,royalty 7the ceremonial fans1 the three-fold screen1 the nine phenix1 plants of heavenly bamboo7 and pyramids of apples--all emblematic1 or symbolic4 ,i told ,her ,majesty it would be best to make a small study for this picture1 and that the size of the portrait could be determined on after this was finished4 ,she readily assented1 and ,i began the small study4 ,there were a number of beautiful thrones in the ,palace1 any one of which would have suited the lines of the composition4 ,i selected one of the superb1 antique thrones of red lacquer1 a magnificent work of art1 but the ,empress ,dowager did not care for this throne4 ,it was not a matter of whether the lines or color suited the picture1 the point was to have everything 8,ho-shih0 7proper71 as the ,chinese say4 ,with the ,chinese1 propriety is a religion1 and a thing that is 8proper0 must conform to tradition1 for tradition and propriety are synonymous4 ,the question of the throne was left in abeyance for the moment1 as ,her ,majesty said there was one she would like to have painted1 which she would have found before ,i began the big picture4 ,illustration3 ,,prince ,,ching ,i finally began the sketch4 ,her ,majesty was dressed in one of her official winter gowns4 ,its fur lining rendered the already heavily embroidered satin stiffer than ever1 and any stray folds that might perchance have appeared1 were pulled out by a heavy fringe of pearls around the hem4 ,she had on her famous pearl mantle over an official jacket4 ,in her coiffure she wore her long tassel of pearls1 and many curious ceremonial jewels4 ,she had on fur-lined undersleeves1 which hid half her beautiful hands4 ,the effect of her tiny finger-tips1 with their long curving nails and jeweled shields1 the palms not being visible1 was most unfortunate4 ,added to this1 she held them tightly together in her lap1 and the lines were obscured by a large1 pale-blue handkerchief in one hand4 ,my heart fell4 ,thus ,i would lose one of her chief beauties4 ,i begged ,lady ,yu-,keng to ask her to pose her hands differently4 ,she said she could not do such a thing2 so1 in my inelegant ,chinese1 ,i told ,her ,majesty ,i did not like her hands as they were4 8,but ,i like them like that10 she said1 looking at me with a charming expression of amused astonishment1 amazed that it was possible for any one not to like what she liked2 and she kept her hands as they were1 and ,i was obliged to begin the picture with the hands in that position4 ,the first sketch was quickly made1 and ,her ,majesty expressed herself as pleased with it4 ,then came the discussion as to the size of the portrait4 ,i made my measurements1 and thought five feet by eight was large enough1 but when she saw what size it was going to be1 she thought six feet by ten would be better4 ,the ,palace carpenters were accordingly called in1 and ,i gave them as accurate directions as ,i could1 for making a stretcher4 ,the ,chinese workmen are clever1 patient1 and apt at carrying out suggestions1 and the stretcher was satisfactorily made4 ,but the canvas was to be put on this stretcher1 and this they seemed to have no idea of1 so ,i was obliged to try to do it myself4 ,owing to the size of the canvas1 ,i was compelled to stand on a stool six feet high 7they had no ladders71 with the huge stretcher before me4 ,an army of eunuchs stood around to assist me1 presided over by a head eunuch4 ,i used the iron pincers and pulled the canvas1 myself4 ,it was held at the corners by eunuchs1 also on stools2 one eunuch held the tacks1 another the hammer1 etc4 ,each order ,i gave was repeated in a loud voice by the head eunuch1 and at every failure to comprehend my directions1 the working eunuchs were rebuked and threatened with the 8bamboo40 ,finally1 ,i accomplished the difficult task1 and the great canvas was stretched4 ,her ,majesty was greatly exercised when she learned ,i had done it myself4 ,she said that ,i should have made the eunuchs 8stretch four or five10 until they learned to do one properly4 ,but ,i hadn't sufficient canvas for such experiments1 and could get no more in ,china4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,,some ,,social ,,customs--,,manchu ,,and ,,chinese ,i met the wives and families of all the ,princes1 nobles1 and high ,manchu officials in ,peking1 for they came to the ,court at stated intervals1 besides on many special occasions1 when they were invited by ,her ,majesty4 ,the most frequent of these visitors to the ,palace were ,prince ,ching's wives and daughters1 the wives of the ,emperor's brothers1 his father's secondary wives and their daughters1 and the sisters of the young ,empress1 one of whom is the clever ,princess ,schun4 ,the widow of the ,grand ,secretary ,yung ,lu1 who lost1 in one year1 her husband and a promising son1 and who was nearly crazed by grief1 also came often4 ,she was not very brilliant1 nor the kind of woman to appeal to ,her ,majesty2 but her grief seemed to touch the ,empress ,dowager1 and she received special marks of favor when in the ,palace1 and came and went as she willed4 ,a step-daughter1 whom she had herself brought up through a very delicate childhood1 was the wife of the ,emperor's brother1 ,prince ,c'hun4 ,should they have a son he will probably be the next heir to the ,throne4 ,on their marriage the brides of nobles of a certain rank go to the ,palace to be presented to the ,empress ,dowager4 ,this ceremony corresponds to the presentation1 on their marriage1 of ladies at the ,english ,court4 ,these brides are always magnificently dressed in embroidered gowns of rich colors1 and wear1 for the first time1 the ,court coiffure of the married ladies1 the magnificent golden filigree1 jeweled construction1 which ,i have already described1 and for this occasion they wear a profusion of jewels4 ,the ,manchu ladies use much more discretion in wearing jewels than the ,chinese ladies4 ,the latter will sometimes wear as many as fifteen bracelets on each arm1 and the number of jewels they put in their coiffure seems to be limited only by the space they have at their disposal4 ,the brides come to the ,palace in red satin bridal chairs1 accompanied by their husband's mother and his married sisters1 if he has any2 if not1 by his nearest women relations4 ,on their arrival in the ,precincts they first go to the ,throne-room and make their bows and prostrations before the ,empress ,dowager1 to thank her for the gifts she has sent4 ,sometimes ,her ,majesty would speak to them at some length1 seeming to give them advice4 ,after making their obeisances to her1 they then make their salutations to the young ,empress4 ,they spend the day at the ,palace1 take luncheon with the young ,empress and ,princesses1 and leave about three o'clock4 ,these brides were generally very young girls1 though sometimes ,i was surprised to see that they had well passed the first bloom of youth1 for ,i had thought that all ,oriental women were married very young4 ,the young ,empress was always charming to the brides1 and seemed to watch over their pleasure1 and try to make them enjoy this rather trying day1 when they were the observed of all observers4 ,among these brides1 the winter ,i was in ,peking1 was the wife of the ,emperor's youngest brother1 a charming young girl with sweet manners1 far more attractive in every way than ,yung ,lu's daughter1 the wife of ,prince ,c'hun4 ,the ,chinese look upon a daughter1 at her birth1 as a misfortune1 one of the ills that must be endured1 and while loving her individually1 a daughter is not welcomed into the family nor allowed the privileges of a son4 ,it is1 however1 quite different with the ,manchus4 ,a daughter not being able to sacrifice to the ancestors1 even ,manchus prefer a son2 but a daughter is a welcome member of the family1 and she has a distinct and independent position of her own4 ,one of the ,chinese ministers to ,washington once told me that the only unmarried woman in the world whose position is analogous to that of the 8,american ,girl10 in her own family1 is the ,manchu girl4 ,as long as the ,manchu girl remains unmarried1 she is a veritable power in the household4 ,she ranks as high as her brother1 and always takes precedence of her brother's wife1 even if that wife be double her age and married before she was born4 ,she precedes her mother even1 as she is of the ,blood and her mother of 8another family40 ,not only has she these social privileges1 but she has well-defined legal rights4 ,her father cannot make a disposition of his property without his eldest daughter's consent4 ,she can go into her brother's house1 dismiss his servants1 and generally direct his affairs4 ,her word has more weight as to the bringing up of her brother's children than his wife's1 as she is a sister1 a born relation1 and the wife is only an acquired relation4 ,when she marries1 however1 she becomes a member of the family into which she marries2 but even then1 such is the ascendancy of the girl in the ,manchu family1 even after her marriage into another family1 she often goes on dictating to her brother's family and her own as before1 if she does not find her own household duties and her own family sufficient occupation to keep her from doing so4 ,such is the force of consanguinity among the ,manchus1 and the position of the daughter in the family4 ,the unmarried ,manchu girl has not only this liberty in her family1 but she has more liberty in the outside world than any other ,oriental woman4 ,they are not so restricted in their social intercourse as any other ,oriental women1 and while they are not so literary as the ,chinese1 they have more social qualities and are brighter conversationalists1 being both witty and gay4 ,they are not forced to marry against their inclinations and some remain single to the end of their days1 or marry late in life if they so desire4 ,these unmarried ladies are not only looked up to by their own families1 but they are not regarded as being objects of commiseration by the world at large4 ,on the contrary1 they are rewarded with triumphal arches and splendid monuments if they have passed a long and exemplary life of maidenhood4 ,although the brides that came into the ,palace were generally young1 one who came to make her bow to the ,empress ,dowager1 while ,i was there1 was a lady of forty-two summers4 ,she had brought up two or three families of brothers' children and directed their households2 but she finally succumbed to the charms of a wealthy official1 who had lost his wife two years before and who had a number of children on which she could continue to practise her theories as to their bringing up4 ,had she held out longer and died a maiden1 she might have had an arch built to her memory after death and gone down to posterity4 ,only ladies1 young girls and boys under seventeen were ever guests of the ,empress ,dowager in her ,palace4 ,the ,manchu nobles and high officials were invited on certain days to the ,theater1 but there was always the high intervening screen between them and ,her ,majesty's and the ,ladies' loges4 ,the ,princes and nobles who have official positions1 see the ,empress ,dowager in the ,audience ,hall1 and she is now over sixty4 ,she has more liberty than before1 but generally their ,audiences are with the ,emperor alone1 and they never come into the ,ladies' ,precincts4 ,at the performance of the ,european circus in the ,palace grounds ,i saw1 for the first time1 nearly all the ,princes and ,manchu officials4 ,the ,manchus are a taller race than the ,chinese and more athletic-looking4 ,they are fond of exercise1 indulge in archery1 riding1 etc1 and do not look down upon a military career1 as do the ,chinese4 ,it is said that polo playing1 which the ,english got from ,india1 originated among the ,tartars1 and that it is still played in ,manchuria4 ,i never saw polo played by the ,manchus1 but ,i have seen some daring riding done by the young nobles that would seem to show they could play polo if they would4 ,the ,manchu nobles have an inherited military rank1 and they also receive military advancement for proficiency in archery and riding4 ,the warlike spirit that prompted the ,manchus and their progenitors1 the ,nu-,chih ,tartars1 who not only conquered ,china1 but1 as 8the ,huns10 almost overran ,europe itself1 is no longer so militant as it was4 ,the modern ,manchu is becoming almost as peace-loving as the ,chinese themselves1 but there are still qualities which show their descent from a race of warriors4 ,they wear the ordinary ,chinese costume1 and though it is said 8the shaven head and wearing of the queue0 were instituted as marks of degradation for the ,chinese when they were conquered by the ,manchus1 the ,emperor himself and all the ,manchu nobles shave their heads and wear the queue6 ,they wear satin boots with white kid soles4 ,their hats1 in summer of finely woven straw1 and of fur in winter1 have the crown covered with a tassel of red silk1 surmounted by the jeweled button denoting their ranks4 ,from this button stands out1 almost at right angles1 a jade-mounted aigret1 mixed with the peafowl feathers1 if they have attained that rank4 ,in winter1 they wear splendid sable short coats4 ,except these sable topcoats1 fur is never worn on the outside of a garment in ,china1 but is used only as a lining4 ,when ,i saw the ,manchu nobles at the circus at the ,summer ,palace1 they wore the splendid summer ,court costume1 embroidered in the double dragon1 reaching below the knee4 ,they were tightly belted in around the waist1 and very full and ample across the shoulders1 giving the men the appearance1 at least1 of broad shoulders1 and enhancing their already fine figures4 ,one could see that the ,emperor was the 8glass of fashion and mold of form0 of the young nobles2 for they all aimed1 as much as possible1 at his slenderness of figure and even imitated his carriage4 ,the young dandies1 however1 wore a much greater profusion of ornaments than ,his ,majesty ever indulged in4 ,the belt buckle1 the handsomest ornament worn1 was of carved jade1 ruby quartz1 or of beautifully chased gold set with precious stones4 ,they were then wearing a profusion of ornaments dangling from their belts--embroidered cases for fans1 chop-sticks and knives1 and many other ornaments besides the watch1 an indispensable adjunct to every ,chinese gentleman's costume4 ,this is worn hanging from the belt in a handsome1 embroidered case with an open front1 so that the elaborate case1 generally studded with jewels1 beautifully enameled1 or curiously incised1 could be seen4 ,this case had a sort of fob attachment made of silken cord1 woven into quaint designs and finished generally with a wonderfully carved piece of jade1 ruby quartz1 or some other curious stone4 ,manchu ladies wear their gowns long and loose1 hanging from the shoulders1 and never show the line of the waist1 nor the outline of the figure2 but the men belt in their gowns tightly1 and are very proud of a small waist4 ,among the social customs in ,china1 which obtain also among the ,manchus1 is 8concubinage40 ,but it exists in such a form that in its actual state1 it might more properly be called 8plurality of wives40 ,the concubine1 or secondary wife1 as ,i will call her1 is taken from the bosom of her family1 and her position in her husband's family is considered as secure as that of the first wife4 ,though the first wife only has a legal standing1 custom gives the secondary wife equal rights1 and she is no more likely to be put aside than the first wife4 ,there are1 ,i suppose1 men in ,china who put away a secondary wife1 if they are wealthy enough to have taken one or several1 but they would be socially and generally ostracized4 ,the man marries in ,china as soon as he reaches manhood4 ,some young girl who is of the same social standing and has the requisite qualities for his wife is chosen for him by his parents4 ,this is the legitimate wife4 ,she is the first and remains first always1 taking precedence of any and all others that may be chosen4 ,the secondary wife is often of the same class as the first wife4 ,she is generally chosen by the man himself1 and is taken from some good family who may be poor1 and she is an honest young girl4 ,she is received1 on her entrance into the household1 by the wife and the man's mother1 if she be alive1 and her position in the family is assigned to her4 ,while she must pay court and due respect to the first wife1 she has her own servants and her own rights1 and leads her own independent life4 ,the first wife has entire authority1 in certain matters1 over the secondary ones1 but they generally live amicably together4 ,as the first wife is married several years before any second wife is taken1 and as she is also generally their superior in age1 this entitles her to their respect1 aside from her legal standing and her position as first in the household4 ,the secondary wives stand in the presence of the first wife until she asks them to sit4 ,should they have any children1 the latter call the first wife 8mother10 and though the mother has her part in bringing up the child1 it calls her1 if she be a secondary wife1 by her first name1 and1 in important matters1 her authority over the child must give way to that of the first wife4 ,but the first wife rarely abuses her authority over the children any more than over the other wives1 and does not interfere except for1 what she thinks is1 the child's good4 ,in theory1 according to our ideas1 and with ,american or ,european women1 this would be a sad state of affairs1 but practically1 as it exists in ,china and with ,chinese women1 it seems to work well4 ,the arrangement of the houses in ,china is also well adapted for this kind of life4 ,there are a number of courts surrounded by pavilions1 each court and its pavilions forming a unit--a separate dwelling-place--this unit being a part of a great whole4 ,the wives live in harmony together1 and seem like a family of sisters4 ,the first wife apparently takes pride in the good conduct and handsome appearance of the others1 and there seems to be very little jealousy among them4 ,if this be the position of the secondary wife in the families of the gentry and nobility1 one may imagine how much more exalted it is in the ,imperial family and how the secondary wife of an ,emperor would be considered4 ,to have their daughter chosen as the secondary wife of an ,emperor is looked upon as an honor in the highest ,manchu families4 ,of course1 they would prefer to have her the first wife1 for she has more power1 but none of them would demur at an alliance of the secondary kind for their daughter1 for she may thus become the mother of an ,emperor1 and she does become1 by this marriage1 a member of the ,imperial family1 and is treated as such4 ,she ranks higher than any of the ,princesses or ,ladies of the ,court1 and takes precedence of all except the first wife1 or a secondary wife1 of the ,emperor1 who may have been married before she was4 ,her place is at the side of the first wife1 the ,empress4 ,in the ,palace she is called by the same title as the first wife1 a ,manchu word meaning 8,mistress40 ,she cannot wear the ,imperial yellow1 it is true1 but she does wear the ,imperial orange1 which no other ,lady at ,court can wear4 ,these secondary wives are not taken for some physical quality from among the masses2 they are not in the ,palace as the result of a caprice of the ,emperor4 ,they are from the highest families in the land4 ,they are generally chosen by the ,emperor's mother1 if she be alive1 with as much care as the first wife1 and her position is inferior1 only from an official standpoint1 to that of the ,empress4 ,she may even become ,empress herself on the death of the first wife and those who precede her4 ,the ,emperor of ,china has no 8harem10 but he may have as many wives as he wishes4 ,his wives never live together in the promiscuity of a harem1 where all individuality is lost4 ,each wife has her own establishment and her own position1 and is not dependent on her physical charms for her maintenance in that position1 any more than is the first wife4 ,should she be the mother of children1 she may advance beyond the others who have none1 excepting always the first wife2 and even should she have no children1 she has always her separate establishment and is considered a member of the family4 ,the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu has two wives1 both designated by the same title in the ,palace4 ,in this account of my experiences ,i only allude to the first wife1 because it would be confusing to speak of two ,empresses where there is also an ,empress ,dowager1 and also because the first wife1 in this instance1 is so much the stronger character and the more interesting personality4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii ,,present-,,giving ,,in ,,china ,present-giving is really carried to great excess all over ,china1 and whatever obtains in ,china obtains at the ,palace4 ,the ,palace is spoken of in ,peking as the 8,inside10 that is1 the heart of the ,empire4 ,from this 8,inside10 customs and habits flow and pulse over the rest of ,china1 as the blood does from the heart1 by a thousand arteries reaching to the very confines of the ,empire1 and it also receives the impress of what passes on outside among the people4 ,whether it be1 in the instance of present-giving1 that the custom has grown from the 8,inside0 to the 8,outside0 or vice versa1 ,i know not1 but it is universal in ,china4 ,however1 it probably reaches its greatest excess in the ,palace4 ,births1 marriages1 and deaths are all marked by presents1 and there is a very riot of present-giving at the ,new ,year6 ,every one then exchanges them1 from the lowest to the highest4 ,next comes the anniversary of the birth4 ,this is celebrated with an unheard-of pomp in ,china4 ,the more exalted the rank and the greater the age1 the more splendid is the celebration and the more magnificent the presents4 ,the ,emperor's ,birthday was the first ,i saw celebrated1 and ,i was astonished at the number and elegance of the presents that flowed into the ,palace on this occasion4 ,but at the ,empress ,dowager's ,birthday all this was far surpassed2 and her presents exceeded in number and elegance ,his ,majesty's1 for she was celebrating more years than the ,emperor1 and the number and value of birthday presents increase in proportion to the years4 ,their elegance and number are also regulated by the rank4 ,the presents the ,grand ,secretary and the ,prime ,minister receive on such occasions would quite astonish a ,westerner1 and1 of course1 far surpass in number and magnificence what would be offered to the president of a department1 as his would exceed1 in elegance1 those offered to secretaries of the ,board4 ,every festival1 every ceremony1 and all anniversaries are marked by presents1 in the ,palace4 ,there is scarcely a day that presents are not sent into the ,palace1 that some are not sent out1 and rarely a day when some presents are not exchanged by those 8,inside40 ,the ,empress ,dowager and the ,emperor receive the greatest number1 and1 of course1 they give the greatest number4 ,this seemed to me the greatest extravagance of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,at every change of season1 she presents the young ,empress1 the ,princesses1 and ,ladies1 without reference to her favorites1 with silks1 dresses1 shoes1 and ornaments appropriate to the season1 and not only do the ,ladies receive these articles of wearing apparel at the changes of the season3 she gives them many presents at each festival4 ,besides this1 she gives nearly all the expensive ,court dresses that are worn at the ,palace1 which cost1 with their embroideries1 from three to six hundred dollars each4 ,she presents the ,ladies with coiffures and many jeweled ornaments as well4 ,on the occasion of a wedding among the ,manchu nobility1 which must be announced to the ,court before it takes place1 ,her ,majesty presents the bride handsome rolls of silk1 embroideries1 and jewels4 ,on the occasion of births among the courtiers1 she sends handsome ornaments to be worn by the new-born child4 ,even on the death of certain people1 she sends handsome presents to the family1 or something to be worn by the departed1 if it should be a widow1 who had led a long and exemplary life of widowhood1 and had devoted herself to charity and good works4 ,when the ladies of the ,legation were first received at the ,palace1 the ,empress ,dowager naturally followed the ,chinese ,imperial custom of giving each lady a present4 ,this precedent having been established and seeming to have given pleasure1 when the ladies were received the next time1 which was after the ,boxer rebellion1 she gave them presents again4 ,unfortunately1 this act was construed into a desire on her part to wheedle the foreigners1 and curry favor1 so that she might receive better treatment at the hands of the ,powers4 ,the truth is1 she loves to play the ,lady ,bountiful1 and she never mixes up the social with the political1 and ,i am sure she had no 8arrire-pense0 but was simply indulging her usual bent4 ,after the first few ,audiences 7when the presents were really of value71 ,her ,majesty gave small and unimportant presents at the garden parties1 which were made the subject of ridicule4 ,her ,majesty had heard that the ladies did not wish to receive such handsome presents as she had first given1 and she hence gave inexpensive souvenirs4 ,finally1 the ,ministers asked the ,chinese ,foreign ,office to request the ,empress ,dowager to give no more presents at the ,audiences1 and the custom was abolished2 though ,her ,majesty continued to give presents in private1 and she still sends1 on the four great ,chinese festivals1 flowers1 fruits1 and confectionery to all the ladies of the ,legation1 as well as to every lady who has ever been received at the garden parties1 and on the departure of any ,minister from ,peking1 she sends his wife some parting presents4 ,but though present-giving has been stopped at the ,audiences of the foreign ladies1 it goes on with the same excess in the ,palace and among officials in ,china4 ,at each of ,their ,majesties' ,birthdays1 in spite of their protests and edicts to prevent it1 presents pour into the ,palace6 ,every official who has ever been presented in ,audience1 or who has the right1 by his official position1 to send anything1 does so4 ,edicts from the ,throne to prevent it will remain as ineffectual as those with reference to the binding of the feet of the ,chinese women 7which ,her ,majesty has for years been 8recommending0 in edicts to be abolished71 for it has become so thoroughly a part of ,chinese life as to be almost indispensable4 ,present-giving in ,china is one of those 8unwritten laws0 whose tyranny is hardest to break away from4 ,though the system of present-giving is a great tax on the officials1 as well as their subordinates1 in this instance the change must come from the people4 ,as ,i was an inmate of the ,palace for so long1 of course ,i came in for my share of presents from the ,empress ,dowager4 ,at every festival ,i was remembered1 as well as the ,princesses and ,ladies of the ,court1 and when presents were sent to the ladies of the ,legation1 she sent similar ones to me4 ,many of the presents she made me showed a real consideration for my comfort and displayed much forethought4 ,when the weather became cool1 and the ,ladies of the ,court put on wadded dresses1 ,her ,majesty sent one of her maids to my apartments to get one of my tailor-made dresses4 ,she had the ,palace tailors copy this in wadded silk4 ,it was wonderful how well they did it1 too1 for1 as ,i knew nothing about it1 ,i could give no advice4 ,she ordered a few changes made in the severity of the tailor-costume1 thinking it was too hard in its lines4 ,she had a long1 soft sash to tie at the side1 which1 she decided1 made it look more graceful4 ,when the ,princesses put on furs1 ,her ,majesty1 herself1 designed for me a long fur-lined garment which she thought would be comfortable to paint in4 ,she had some trouble in arriving at a result which pleased her1 which would be warm enough1 and which1 at the same time1 would not interfere with the freedom of movement necessary for me to work with ease4 ,at the time of the ,chinese ,new ,year1 she sent me two curiously fashioned fur-lined dresses4 ,she had the skirts copied from old pictures4 ,they were not unlike our pleated skirts1 with an embroidered panel down the center of the front4 ,the jackets were a sort of compromise between ,european and ,chinese1 and the costumes were not only pretty but very comfortable4#g #g ,her ,majesty said my individuality was not lost in these costumes1 and that ,i was clothed in attire suitable to the ,chinese interior4 ,she had now devised a costume for me which was really in harmony with my new environment4 ,our rough tweeds and somber garments1 outlining and defining the figure1 looked mesquin and out of place in these great halls4 ,the bright colors and simple lines of the gowns of the ,chinese ladies are much more in keeping with their interiors4 ,her ,majesty's artistic taste had divined this1 and she had made several attempts to devise something for me that was in harmony with the ,chinese 8milieu0 and at the same time comfortable4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,author ,,in ,,chinese ,,costume ,for wearing with these she ordered a sable hat1 for the ,chinese ladies wear some sort of coiffure on the head1 winter and summer4 ,this had an embroidered crown of pale lavender satin1 with long satin streamers embroidered in gold with good-luck emblems4 ,the brim could be worn either turned off the face or pulled over the ears and tied under the chin with lavender strings4 ,she said she had some trouble in finding a design which she thought would suit me4 ,this hat she had also had copied from old prints4 ,i learned later she had tried three sorts of sables before she got a color which she thought would be becoming to my unfortunate blonde hair6 ,on the front of the brim she placed a ,princess ,button4 ,this is worn only by ,ladies of the ,court1 and represents the ,flaming ,pearl of the ,dynasty4 ,it was established by the founders of the ,dynasty and is the distinguishing jewel of the members of the ,imperial family4 ,it consists of a large pearl1 surrounded by three alternating rows of seed-pearls and corals1 which are supposed to represent flames6 ,this ,flaming ,pearl1 symbol of the 8,unattainable10 is the eternal quest of the double dragon6 ,her ,majesty also presented me with a number of other charming things that ,i shall always treasure as coming from her1 and as evidence of her consideration for 8the stranger within her gates10 or as spontaneous offerings from her naturally generous nature--ever desirous of giving pleasure4 ,i wish ,i might have preserved the flowers and curious grasses which she1 herself1 gathered and gave me on our many promenades around the beautiful grounds of the ,summer ,palace1 but which1 alas6 are withered and gone6 ,,chapter ,,xxviii ,,some ,,winter ,,days ,,at ,,the ,,palace ,the big1 official portrait for ,st4 ,louis was advancing4 ,i was able to accomplish much more now that ,i had a place where ,i could work uninterruptedly1 and quietly study the painting when ,i was not working4 ,her ,majesty came1 with her usual retinue1 to pose1 but it was not at fixed times1 and was often when ,i did not expect her4 ,she was looking more and more anxious these days2 but she came to pose whenever it was necessary1 and was very particular as to all the details in the portrait4 ,she often had the jewels and ornaments changed1 and her pearl mantle was made over1 after she saw it in the first sketch1 as she did not like its form4 ,the throne1 about which there had been a question when ,i began the portrait1 and which had been a present to ,her ,majesty from the late ,emperor ,tong ,chih1 her son1 had been 8lost0 during the ,boxer troubles1 but ,her ,majesty thought it might be reproduced from descriptions and from sketches by the ,palace painters who had seen it2 but ,i could not consent to work either from memory or other painters' sketches1 and ,i was finally obliged to paint1 8faute de mieux10 one of the carved teakwood thrones of which ,her ,majesty is so fond4 ,this throne did not suit the straight lines of the composition so well as almost any other in the ,palace would have done1 but ,her ,majesty wished it4 ,i found the representation of the nine life-size phenix1 in vigorous colors1 on a blue cloisonn screen placed almost touching the throne1 very difficult to represent1 so that they did not seem to be real birds flying around her head4 ,the vases of flowers and ornaments were also placed at exactly equal distances on either side of the throne1 but it was necessary to paint them this way4 ,it would not have been 8proper0 otherwise4 ,the figure was in the exact center of the three-fold screen1 and so near it1 it was impossible to get any atmosphere in the background4 ,there was not a fold in either gown or sleeves2 but ,i had now resigned myself to convention and tradition1 and ,i copied mechanically what was placed before me1 and made no more efforts at artistic arrangements1 nor tried any experiments in execution4 ,i worked like a good artisan1 finishing so many inches a day4 ,the weather was now too cold for anything but the short constitutional1 and1 besides1 there was no place in the ,winter ,palace to tempt one to promenades--only the walled-in courts and the shut-in walks1 between high walls4 ,even ,her ,majesty's promenades were confined to going to the ,audience ,hall in the morning1 and walking through the courts1 from one ,throne-room to another4 ,every day we saw the ,empress ,dowager for some moments in her ,throne-room before ,i went to my work4 ,on ,theater days1 ,i made her my morning salutation in her loge at the ,theater1 and when the light faded and ,i could paint no more1 ,i would go into the young ,empress's and the ,ladies' loge for the last play and the spectacular finale1 when there were always some good illuminations and pretty effects4 ,her ,majesty and the young ,empress seemed now to perfectly understand that ,i wanted to work1 and must work1 in order to finish the large portrait for the ,st4 ,louis ,exposition4 ,they saw ,i appreciated the amusements and ceremonies1 etc1 but that ,i did not wish them to interfere with my work4 ,when there was a special festival1 or some fine ceremony1 ,i was always called in1 but otherwise ,i might go or not1 as ,i wished4 ,i lunched generally with the ,ladies1 with the charming young ,empress as gracious hostess1 and dined at night at ,her ,majesty's table4 ,two huge copper braziers had now been placed in the ,throne-room1 and though so picturesque with the blue flames curling above their openings in the top1 they made but little impression upon the temperature of this lofty room4 ,the curtains over the immense doors that opened on the courts were constantly being raised for the passage of some eunuch1 and it was very drafty4 ,but one could at least warm one's hands by the braziers1 and they were so beautiful and picturesque1 ,i was reconciled to being a little cold2 besides1 ,i soon became accustomed to the temperature4 ,the ,chinese ,ladies wear heavy fur-lined dresses in the house1 and cannot stand the rooms very warm4 ,at dinner1 a large carpet was now placed under the table1 which was an improvement over the cold marble floors4 ,this was done for my comfort1 for the ,chinese ,ladies wear two-inch-thick cork soles to their fur-lined shoes4 ,down the center of the table1 during the winter1 there were several silver chafing-dishes1 with burning charcoal beneath their steaming contents4 ,soups1 vegetables1 and meat stews were thus kept boiling hot on the table4 ,one night ,i suggested to one of the eunuchs to place the claret-bottle near the fire before serving it1 that the chill might be taken off4 ,one very cold day1 soon after1 the eunuch brought in a large teapot1 and began pouring the boiling claret out of this6 ,the ,chinese drink their wines hot1 and he thought he would improve on my suggestion of 8taking off the chill10 and he navely remarked 8it was better for me to drink it thus on such a cold day60 ,when there was no ,theater1 and it became too dark to paint1 ,i would join the young ,empress and ,ladies in their sitting-room at the left of ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room and there await dinner4 ,the young ,empress would then teach me ,chinese4 ,she was very particular about my accent and seemed to take a real interest in my progress4 ,the ,chinese language is very difficult for a beginner1 even for one who has a good ear1 for the 8tone0 or inflection with which you pronounce the word may change its meaning4 ,sometimes one after the other of the ,princesses would repeat the same word in different tones and make me repeat it and then give the meaning of each tone4 ,they would sometimes make puns on words1 or give me a string of difficult words for the accent and to improve my enunciation1 as the ,french teach the children1 8,trois gros rats dans trois gros trous40 ,when ,i would finally get quite tangled up with these words ,i would retaliate with 8,peter ,piper picked a peck of pickled peppers40 ,this would end the lesson for that day1 for they would all try to say it and get so hilarious that there was no effort at further study1 and dinner would be announced in the midst of the fun4 ,sometimes the young ,empress and the ,ladies would play cards in the evenings4 ,her ,majesty seemed only to like her fairy game6 ,the cards were narrow slips of pasteboard with curious devices on each1 but little more than an inch wide1 and there were one hundred and fifty in a pack4 ,i never succeeded in getting into the merits of the game4 ,sometimes when the ,ladies felt industriously inclined1 they would weave a kind of braid4 ,the threads1 gold1 silver1 or silk1 were attached to the center of a wooden table and were weighted at the ends4 ,they would weave these in and out into cunningly fashioned braids and ribbons4 ,the ,princesses did a great deal of beautiful embroidery1 making their own shoes1 which are of exquisitely embroidered satin1 but they could not do this at night1 for only candles are used in the two ,peking ,palaces1 the ,summer ,palace being the only one in ,china lighted by electricity4 ,one night at dinner the young ,empress asked me to come earlier than usual the next morning1 as there was something she wished me to see4 ,several eunuchs were waiting at the gate of the ,palace to conduct us to the young ,empress when we arrived at nine o'clock the next morning1 and ,i then learned this was her ,birthday4 ,i hurried in and found the ,imperial ,princess and all the ,ladies of the ,palace1 besides a number of visitors1 standing in front of the young ,empress's pavilion4 ,they told me she had asked them to wait to present their congratulations until ,i came1 and said that ,i was to go in first4 ,i did so1 and there1 on a throne1 sat the young ,empress in full ,court dress1 wearing the ,court coiffure1 with its veil of pearls1 which was most becoming to her narrow patrician face4 ,she was looking very sweet and gracious and held out her tiny hand to me on my entrance4 ,i bowed low over it and kissed it1 and wished her from the bottom of my heart 8ten thousand0 years of happiness and all kinds of 8felicitous omens40 ,i then started to move out1 but she told me to remain in the room at one side and watch the ,princesses and ,ladies as they came in4 ,each made the prostrations before her and presented a jade 8ruyie10#h which she received with due ceremony--the same ceremony as for the ,emperor's and ,empress ,dowager's ,birthday6 #h ,also spelled jiu4 ,but these winter days were not all given up to the ,theater and festivals4 ,there were some days of sadder import4 ,days of mourning were often celebrated at the ,palace4 ,the anniversary of the deaths of some ,emperor or ,ancestor was of frequent occurrence4 ,it seemed to me they celebrated the anniversary of the death of every ,emperor of the ,dynasty6 ,on these days there would be sacrifices at the ancestral tablets and religious ceremonies early in the mornings4 ,the ,empress ,dowager and the whole ,court would wear mourning for the day and there was never any sort of amusement4 ,white1 which is full mourning1 is not worn on these anniversaries after the third1 but violet and blue 7second mourning7 is put on4 ,the flowers worn in the coiffure were also in violet1 white or blue1 the mourning colors4 ,one night at dinner the young ,empress1 who acts as ,mistress of ,ceremonies in the ,palace1 told me the following was a day of mourning4 ,she asked me if ,i would wear one of the mourning colors1 as it was the anniversary of the death of the ,emperor ,tung-,chih 7the ,empress ,dowager's son74 ,the next day ,i put on a black dress1 our mourning1 and wore violet flowers in my hair4 ,when we entered1 ,her ,majesty was sacrificing at the small shrine in her sitting-room4 ,she was dressed in dark violet1 heavily trimmed with black1 and had not a flower of any kind in her hair--only a few pearls4 ,she looked very sad and was more earnest and reverent at the sacrifice than usual1 but when she had finished her sacrifice1 she bade us 8,good morning0 and inquired after our health1 with her usual consideration4 ,we soon left the ,throne-room for my working-hall1 and ,i did not see her again until after our dinner with the ,empress and ,ladies1 when we went into the ,throne-room to make our adieus4 ,as ,i had not been wearing black for some time 7as ,her ,majesty said she didn't like it71 she now noticed that ,i had it on and she asked ,lady ,yu-,keng1 in an aside1 8why40 ,she was told that when ,i knew what anniversary it was1 ,i had put it on on that account4 ,she seemed much touched1 took my hand in both hers1 and said1 8,you have a good heart to think of my grief and to have wished to sympathize10 and tears fell from her eyes on my hand1 which she held in hers4 ,poor lady6 ,private sorrows and sad memories were not all she had to grieve her now4 ,i had noticed her growing anxiety for many days6 ,she seemed to feel all the gravity of the political situation of ,china4 ,as the rumors of war between ,russia and ,japan grew1 her anxiety increased and she was looking sad and careworn4 ,she seemed to be full of doubt and fear1 and quite unlike her usual self4 ,i fancy she thought of the unprepared state of her country and feared that it might be drawn into this struggle4 ,she seemed to be in doubt as to the course that was best to be taken4 ,even should the ,empire not be drawn into the conflict1 two hostile nations were to meet within its borders4 ,the struggle was to take place in ,manchuria1 the cradle of the ,dynasty4 ,that beautiful1 smiling country would be ravished by war1 and the awful possibility of the ancestral tombs being desecrated1 loomed up before her4 ,the desecration of the tombs of one's ancestors in ,china is supposed to bring dire consequences upon the family1 and a pious ,chinaman would face any material loss rather than run the risk of these tombs being desecrated4 ,she felt it all1 and was sad indeed4 ,,chapter ,,xxix ,,religious ,,rites ,,in ,,china ,there are three great religions in ,china--,buddhism1 ,taoism1 and the worship of ,nature4 ,the worship of ,nature1 in which is embodied their highest idea of an ,invisible ,deity1 is the purest form of religion in ,china4 ,its ,temples are situated in a magnificent ,park in the ,chinese ,city of ,peking4 ,the ,temple of ,heaven1 the most imposing of the group1 spherical and triple-domed1 rears its proud height here and is visible from afar4 ,its triple dome tiled1 without1 in the sacred green of ,nature and vaulted within in ,heaven's own blue1 is surrounded by groves of century-old arbor-vit4 ,in other parts of the great ,park are the scarcely less splendid ,temples to the ,earth1 to the ,sun and ,moon and to ,agriculture1 and grandest1 most unique of these ,temples1 is that to the ,invisible ,deity4 ,its foundations are the ,earth1 its walls are limitless ,ether1 its dome ,heaven's own vault6 ,on its great open altar this ,nature worship has its culmination and reaches its highest fulfilment4 ,this altar is the ,holy of ,holies1 the tabernacle of the group of ,temples consecrated to the worship of ,nature4 ,it is built in the center of a great marble-paved space with the secular arbor-vit radiating therefrom in long concentric avenues4 ,it is of pure white marble1 round as is the ,earth4 ,the ,trinity in ,nature and its ,infinity are symbolized in its three superposed circles4 ,each of the circular platforms is surrounded by an exquisitely carved balustrade and approached by flights of nine steps each1 to the north1 south1 east1 and west4 ,the central point of the great upper circle thus represents the center of the ,universe1 accessible from every point of the compass4 ,here in this symbolic center of the world1 in this great ,temple1 whose walls are ,space1 whose towers are ,infinity1 on this great triple altar1 canopied with ,heaven itself1 the ,emperor of ,china1 8,son of ,heaven10 glorifies the ,invisible ,deity and sacrifices for the prosperity of 8the ,great1 ,pure ,kingdom0 and his people4 ,this worship of the ,invisible ,deity has no ,priestly ,hierarchy4 ,the ,emperor of ,china is its one ,high ,priest4 ,he alone is worthy1 as the ,son of ,heaven1 to perform its unique ceremonies1 on its one great ,altar1 in its single great ,temple of ,china4 ,the ,emperor prepares himself for the great ceremony of the semi-annual celebration on this altar by a rigorous fast of three days1 spending the final night before the celebration in a vigil in the ,great ,park of the ,nature ,temples1 where there is a ,purifying ,palace set aside for his use4 ,this glorification of the ,invisible ,deity at the summer and winter solstices is the most solemn act performed by the ,emperor in his quality of ,son of ,heaven4 ,illustration3 ,,temple ,,of ,,heaven--,,peking ,the ,emperor is not only the one ,high ,priest worthy to sacrifice on the great altars to the ,invisible ,deity1 the ,priestly ,hierarchy of the whole of this ,cult of ,nature is vested in his ,sacred ,person4 ,he alone offers sacrifices in the ,temples of ,heaven and the other ,great ,temples1 at times set aside in the ,book of ,rites1 and on special occasions4 ,when famine devastates the land1 when drought or any other ,national ,calamity is visited upon the ,empire1 the ,emperor prays in these ,temples for its cessation1 for he is not only the ,high ,priest1 but as 8,son of ,heaven0 is the expiator for the afflictions visited upon his people by ,heaven1 and he publicly holds himself responsible for the misfortunes of the ,empire4 ,according to the ,book of ,rites1 he says in time of trouble1 8,i will purify myself by sacrifice that these calamities may be lifted from the ,empire and the people4 ,i alone am responsible40 ,the great semi-annual celebration to the ,invisible ,deity is not only the most solemn of the religious rites the ,emperor performs2 it is at the same time the most formal of his official acts as ruler of the ,great ,empire4 ,he prepares himself1 by fasting and subduing the body1 for the religious rite2 for the official ceremony as ,emperor of ,china1 he is accompanied by all his ministers and the highest nobles of the land and surrounded by splendid pomp and ,imperial pageantry4 ,though in his triple quality of ,emperor1 ,high ,priest1 and ,expiator1 he personally sacrifices only in the great ,temples to ,nature the ,emperor has all the religions of his ,empire under his protection and is their nominal ,head4 ,he assists indiscriminately at ,buddhist or ,taoist ceremonies1 and encourages with impartiality both cults4 ,but these religions have priestly hierarchies1 and complicated ,rituals1 and the ,emperor is only the 8,ex-officio0 ,head and ,high ,priest4 ,all the festivals and fasts of both are celebrated in the ,palace4 ,the ,chinese are not a religious people1 though so moral a race4 ,they are rather followers of a philosophy than members of religious bodies4 ,the two most popular religions of ,china1 ,buddhism and ,taoism1 have become more or less outward forms4 ,they are empty shells which may once have contained the ,spirit1 but have now become mere conventional representations of ancient rites4 ,the ,chinese people are really ,confucians1 and ,confucianism is a system of ethics1 a philosophy rather than a religion4 ,whether they be ,buddhists or ,taoists1 they are all followers of ,confucius1 and live by the rules the ,great ,sage has laid down for them4 ,the doctrines of ,buddha and ,laotze have become so incrusted with error in ,china as to afford no moral or ideal help to their followers4 ,the ,chinese participate indiscriminately in either of these religious rites1 many of which have become mere outward spectacular ceremonies1 where there is a great deal of display and much form1 but very little real worship4 ,they get all their moral support from the writings of ,confucius and all their ideals from communion with ,nature4 ,they are really philosophers and worshipers of ,nature1 and the ,emperor's semi-annual sacrifice on the altar of ,heaven and those at the ,temples of ,nature typify the real worship of the people4 ,all the religious rites in ,china have their origin in1 or are in celebration of1 some natural phenomenon or some periodical event in ,nature4 ,they celebrate the summer and winter solstices1 the equinoxes1 the ,new ,year1 the awakening of spring1 when the sap 7life-giving element7 begins to mount4 ,the ,harvest ,moon is the time of the going to rest of this life-giving element4 ,their complicated ceremonial is but the crystallization of some simple observance of ,nature's fundamental laws4 ,this ceremonial has been kept alive all these centuries1 because of the vivifying spark of ,nature which enkindled them4 ,these rites are now observed without a thought of their origin1 but ,nature still remains their creative force4 ,in spite of their conventions1 the ,chinese have kept very near to ,nature1 and ,i believe this is the secret of their wonderful vitality4 ,they have been overrun and conquered by many different races1 and their assimilation of these conquerors is one of the most astonishing things in the ethnic study of this wonderful race4 ,no conquering race has ever changed the ,chinese4 ,tartars1 ,mongols1 ,manchus have all passed and become amalgamated with them4 ,their conquerors have adopted the ,chinese philosophy and religion1 their customs and habits1 and even their system of government4 ,and they have never been able to impose any really new system of government upon the ,chinese4 ,these founders of ,dynasties in ,china have all been 8warriors bold0 and reckless marauders with little philosophy and no literature to speak of4 ,when the ,manchus1 the last of these conquerors1 founders of the present ,dynasty1 established themselves in ,peking1 in #afdf1 they were a wild and warlike race4 ,they1 like all the other conquerors of ,china1 conciliated their vanquished foes by all sorts of concessions1 and they now rule by ,chinese laws1 and to-day are hardly distinguishable from the ,chinese4 ,they have never made1 any more than the other conquerors1 the slightest impress upon this calm and passive race2 and they have become ,chinese4 8,to-day the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu is recognized as one of the best ,chinamen in ,china40 ,the ,manchu men to-day wear ,chinese dress4 ,the ,emperor1 himself1 shaves his head and wears the queue1 the one visible sign of degradation that is said to have been imposed upon the ,chinese at the time of the conquest4 ,oh6 ,irony of fate6 ,the ,manchus are now as quiet and peaceful a race as the ,chinese themselves4 ,they dread war4 ,they live by the laws of ,confucius4 ,though not a race of thinkers or philosophers1 they have come to have the same ideals as the ,chinese1 and this1 without the natural amalgamation brought about by inter-marriage1 for it is only within the last few years that the ,throne has issued an edict1 allowing inter-marriage between the ,chinese and ,manchu1 and even1 with this edict1 up to this time there has been very little mixture1 by marriage1 of the races4 ,the ,chinese seem easily led and conquered1 but their national vitality is very vigorous1 and has kept them pure in racial characteristics after their thousands of years of national existence4 ,illustration3 ,,altar ,,to ,,the ,,invisible ,,deity ,in the ,park of the ,temple of ,heaven ,the ,festival of the ,harvest ,moon1 which typifies the season when the life-giving element in ,nature goes to rest for the ,winter1 ,i have already described4 ,it is intermixed with legends and practices that destroy its original meaning2 but the ceremony to the awakening of ,spring has not departed from its original intention1 and is simpler and nearer ,nature4 ,the awakening of ,spring1 the day when the sap is supposed to stir from its long sleep and to feel the first throes of renewed life1 is commemorated in a pretty1 homely ceremony at the ,palace4 ,the radish and young shoots of lettuce1 the first vegetables to receive the benefit of the rising sap1 are presented on a silver salver to ,her ,majesty by a kneeling eunuch4 ,she partakes of them1 and then gives them to the young ,empress and ,ladies to taste of4 ,when ,her ,majesty raises the first radish to her lips1 the young ,empress1 ,princesses1 and ,ladies assembled in her ,throne-room1 repeat the wish for ,imperial happiness1 synonymous with 8,national prosperity40 ,this wish is echoed by the high attendants in the ante-chamber1 and rechoed by the eunuchs kneeling in the courts without1 and still echoed and rechoed by every inmate of the ,palace1 until the waves of sound reach to the outer walls4 ,then ,her ,majesty makes a wish that the sap may rise in such abundance as to produce a fruitful season1 that all the people of the ,great ,empire may enjoy peace and plenty4 ,thus are these first fruits of the awakening ,spring partaken of with a simple ceremony of praise and thanksgiving4 ,thus are these homely plants consecrated with wishes made for the good of the country and the happiness of its rulers4 ,it was to me a beautiful ceremony1 so simple that it brought these people with all their conventions and all their forms very near the heart itself of ,nature4 ,the annual plowing of a furrow and sowing of the first seeds of the year by the ,emperor1 the planting of a mulberry tree 7to nourish the silkworms7 by the ,empress1 are other touches of ,nature which show how near the ,chinese are to the heart of things4 ,one of the honorary offices which is considered a great mark of ,imperial favor1 and which the highest ladies of the land receive with reverent gratitude1 is to be appointed 8,guardian of the ,cocoons02 for the silk industry is one of the great sources of ,national prosperity in ,china4 ,these ladies of high degree1 guardians of the cocoons1 go in annual pilgrimage to the mulberry groves1 where the cocoons flourish1 to make sacrifices and prayers for the health and growth of the cocoon4 ,being so near to ,nature1 the ,chinese are naturally a pastoral people1 a race of agriculturists2 and agriculture1 being thus honored by the ,sacred ,persons of ,their ,majesties1 becomes a lofty ideal4 ,labor1 which the ,emperor publicly performs1 loses all taint and grows into an ,inspiration4 ,,chapter ,,xxx ,,her ,,majesty ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,the current story that the ,empress ,dowager was a slave-girl and is of low origin is absolutely false4 ,her ,majesty is the daughter of a ,lieutenant-,general of the ,manchu forces1 a position only attainable by members of the highest ,manchu nobility4 ,she belongs to the family of the ,white ,banner1 second only to that of the ,yellow ,banner1 of which the ,emperor of ,china1 himself1 is the head4 ,at the time of the conquest of ,china by the ,manchus1 there was a fierce struggle between these two powerful families for the supremacy1 and the ,yellow ,banner finally carried the day4 ,the ,empress ,dowager was brought up with great care and highly educated by her father1 a noble of great acquirements4 ,like all young ,manchu ladies of rank1 she went to the ,palace for presentation to the then ,empress and ,empress ,dowager between the ages of seventeen and twenty4 ,she immediately attracted them by her cleverness and wit1 as well as by her charm and beauty1 and1 being of an honorable and high ,manchu family1 was at once considered as a possible wife for the ,emperor4 ,on presentation to the ,emperor1 she met also with his approval and was then chosen as one of the wives and given her establishment at ,court4 ,she was the fifth chosen1 and hence ranked fifth on her marriage and was taken precedence of by the four others who were married before she was4 ,she became at once a favorite1 both with the ,dowager ,empress and ,empress1 the first wife1 as well as with the ,emperor4 ,she soon took precedence over the wife just over her and became fourth wife1 for secondary wives can mount in degree4 ,a brilliant woman1 with exceptional qualities1 takes her place in a ,chinese family1 as in the world1 above that of her less endowed sister1 unless this latter should be the first wife4 ,her place can never be taken1 except in case of her death4 ,the first wife of the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng died two months before he came to the ,throne and was never ,empress4 ,there were two years of mourning1 prescribed by the rites1 during which time there was no official ,empress4 ,then the first of his secondary wives was made ,empress1 and she it was who was the first wife when the present ,empress ,dowager went into the ,palace as fifth wife4 ,two years after her marriage1 she gave birth to a son1 and five years later1 on the death of his father1 this son became the ,emperor ,tung-,chih2 the young mother1 together with the ,empress1 the first wife1 who had adopted him1 were given the title of 8,dowager ,empress40 ,they were appointed ,co-,regents for the boy ,emperor1 and bore1 respectively1 the titles of ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace and ,empress of the ,western ,palace1 with equal rank and power4 ,she of the ,eastern ,palace was a woman of quiet tastes1 given to literary pursuits1 with none of the remarkable executive ability of her ,co-,regent1 the ,empress of the ,western ,palace1 the great ,tze-,hsi1 who still rules the destiny of ,china4 ,though so different1 they lived amicably together1 thoroughly appreciated each other's qualities1 and are said to have had a sincere affection for each other1 which never weakened during the whole of their long association1 first as wives of the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng1 then as ,regents for his son1 and afterward as ,regents for the present ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu4 ,the amicable relations of these two ,empresses were only severed by the death of the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace in #ahha1 when posthumous honors were lavished upon her by the present ,empress ,dowager4 ,china was passing through troublous times when the young ,tung-,chih1 son of the ,empress ,dowager1 came to the ,throne4 ,his father1 the ,emperor ,hsien-,feng died at ,jehol1 far from ,peking1 where the ,court had gone at the approach of the foreigners1 who were aiding in quelling the ,taiping rebellion4 ,the times were critical4 ,the integrity of ,china1 the future1 even1 of the ,empire1 depended upon the action of its ministers and its rulers at this crisis4 ,in the absence of the ,court from ,peking1 some reactionary ministers1 strongly anti-foreign1 claimed they had been appointed by the late ,emperor as ,regents for young ,tung-,chih4 ,had his mother and adopted mother1 the two ,empress ,dowagers1 joined them1 anarchy might have followed2 and1 at least1 there would have been serious foreign complications1 for this anti-foreign party would never have come to terms with the foreigners1 who were then in ,peking4 ,it was most important for the ruling ,power1 that is1 the party which should become ,regents1 to have the support of the ,empresses who held the ,sacred ,person of the young ,emperor1 under their care4 ,they were approached by both parties4 ,the young ,empress of the ,western ,palace1 absolutely unversed in ,statecraft1 and1 up to that time1 ignorant of all that was passing outside the ,palace walls1 showed wonderful perspicacity and rare judgment in her keen grasp of the situation at this time4 ,she repudiated the anti-foreign party and joined forces with ,prince ,kung1 whose name was then synonymous with ,progress in ,china--an enlightened ,prince and the most pro-foreign of all the ,imperial ,family--and she and the first ,empress were appointed ,regents for the young ,emperor4 ,prince ,kung was the ,minister who1 thanks to this coperation of the ,empress of the ,western ,palace1 carried the negotiations with ,france and ,england to a successful conclusion4 ,this first political act of the young ,empress of the ,western ,palace brought her into immediate notice1 and showed the progressive statesmen of ,china that they had an intelligent aid in her4 ,the ,grand ,council and the ,princes of the ,imperial ,family at once recognized her superior ability and they have always stanchly supported her throughout her career and remained true to her in all vicissitudes4 ,in fact1 she has known how to inspire loyalty and great devotion in all by whom she has been surrounded4 ,it was through her wonderful grasp of the situation at this time and the great executive ability she showed later1 that the two ,empresses brought the ,emperor ,tung-,chih through his minority1 and when he began to reign in his eighteenth year1 internal troubles had been quelled and foreign complications avoided1 and ,china was in a much more settled and prosperous condition than when he came to the ,throne1 twelve years before4 ,there was an interval of but two years in their long ,regency for the two ,emperors1 when the ,emperor ,tung-,chih1 having reached his majority1 reigned4 ,the death of her son1 the ,emperor1 at the early age of twenty1 after only two years of actual reigning1 was a dreadful blow to the ,empress of the ,western ,palace4 ,she had1 however1 but a short time for grief4 ,with heart bleeding and sore1 she was obliged almost immediately to again assume the duties of ,co-,regent with the ,empress of the ,eastern ,palace1 for her nephew and adopted son1 the young ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu4 ,the two ,empresses had then another boy ,emperor only five years old1 to protect1 prepare for reigning1 and to govern for4 ,one has only to be cognizant of events in ,china since the ,dowager ,empress ,tze-,hsi has ruled1 to know the facts of her government4 ,when she took up the ,regency1 ,china was seething with rebellion and there were foreign complications1 requiring great tact and keen intelligence4 ,she has steered the ship of ,state between the two extremes1 though she has sometimes run it against the rocks of ,scylla in trying to avoid the whirlpool of ,charybdis1 and she has always been a 8moderate0 in her political course4 ,china having1 for so many centuries1 had no relations with foreign powers1 her statesmen being so absolutely unversed in modern methods of diplomacy1 has not made a brilliant record in her foreign relations1 and she has so frequently been made the dupe of ,european diplomacy1 it is not wonderful ,china has tried to defend herself by duplicity3 using what she thought the same methods she saw were so efficacious in the hands of ,europeans4 ,when the ,empress ,dowager gave up the reins of government to the ,emperor ,kwang-,hsu1 in the year #ahhi1 after twenty-eight years of ,regency1 the ,great ,empire was at that time in a prosperous condition4 ,its ports had been opened to foreign trade1 a fine ,customs organization had been established upon a firm basis1 and ,china was at peace with the world4 ,the first part of the young ,emperor's reign was uneventful4 ,he was directed in most things by his ministers1 and followed the moderate policy laid down by the ,empress ,dowager4 ,he seemed to have no special views of his own and no designs of progress for ,china4 ,until the war with ,japan with reference to the suzerainty of ,corea1 in #ahid1 he was a passive figurehead4 ,the ,japanese victories changed all this4 ,their victory gave ,china one of her most humiliating lessons2 for the ,chinese1 who had given ,japan the nucleus of its literature1 its art and architecture1 looked down upon the ,japanese as a race of imitators and had a deep-seated contempt for them as a nation4 ,this victory almost awoke the passive leviathan--that is1 ,china--from its long sleep of national self-content4 ,the young ,emperor1 smarting under this galling defeat1 felt that ,china had only been conquered by ,japan's use of modern methods of warfare and determined on sweeping reforms in the government4 ,full of youthful enthusiasm1 he felt he could put the ,great ,empire on the road to progress and wished to institute sweeping reforms in all departments4 ,he immediately abandoned the moderate policy of the ,regency and surrounded himself by a number of hot-headed1 self-seeking reformers1 each pushing some new method of reform4 ,the reformers wished1 at one fell swoop1 to change the system of education1 the system of government--in fact to make such sweeping changes that this conservative nation would have risen in a mass had they been carried out4 ,besides the ,radicals1 who were the reform party1 there were also a number of discontents among the ultra-,conservatives1 who1 seeing the ,emperor's anxiety and desire for change1 began to push forward certain schemes of their own4 ,finally1 the ultra-conservatives and reactionaries decided they would join forces with the ,radicals1 hoping by so doing to change the ,national policy and the then existing state of government4 ,in the turmoil that would follow this upheaval1 each hoped to carry out his own designs1 quite different in scope4 ,each party made the ,emperor believe that progress was its aim4 ,the coalition of these two diametrically opposed parties was for the purpose of persuading the ,emperor to depart from the moderate opportunist policy which had been the motive power of the ,empress ,dowager's rgime4 ,the adherents of the ,reform party were opposed to this moderate policy because it was too conservative4 ,those of the ,reactionaries objected to it because it was too progressive4 ,the power of the central government vested in the young ,emperor seemed likely to be crushed between these two self-seeking factions4 ,china's wisest statesmen saw the peril1 sought the ,empress ,dowager1 beseeched her to return from her retirement and1 for the salvation of ,china1 to give the ,empire again the benefit of her wise counsels4 ,when she realized the danger she returned4 ,such is the ascendancy of the 8ancestor0 in ,china1 the ,emperor could not refuse to accept the counsel of his ,august ,ancestress1 thus forced upon him4 ,he issued an edict in which he recalled 8that ,her ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager has on two occasions taken the reins of government1 with great success1 at most critical times4 ,in all she has done1 ,her ,majesty has been moved by a deep regard for the welfare of the ,empire4 ,i have implored ,her ,majesty to be graciously pleased to advise me in government1 and ,i have received her assent40 ,the ,emperor's authority was not wrested from him--he was not deposed4 ,he still remained the ,emperor of ,china2 but the ,empress ,dowager's counsels were forced upon him1 he could not but accept them1 and she became once more the real ,ruler of ,china4 ,this was what foreigners call the 8coup d'tat0 of #ahih4 ,her ,majesty's keenness of insight and fine judgment 7as far as ,chinese questions are concerned71 served her well again in this crisis4 ,she dismissed not only the self-seeking ,radicals1 but the self-seeking ultra-,conservatives4 ,such of the ,reformers as were caught were tried1 convicted of treason1 summarily and cruelly punished4 ,those who escaped1 among them ,kang-,yu-,wei1 the ringleader of the ,reformers1 were outlawed4 ,the leader of the ultra-,conservatives1 the ,emperor's tutor1 was not beheaded1 but was sent into exile2 for a tutor in ,china occupies almost the position of a parent to his pupil1 and this position exempted him from more cruel punishment4 ,these summary proceedings on the part of the ,moderates1 led by ,her ,majesty1 were considered by the foreigners1 who were altogether in sympathy with the ,reformers1 as a reversion to anti-progress ideas1 and hence were considered anti-foreign4 ,it certainly was an 8anti-reform0 movement that caused the 8coup d'tat0 of #ahih1 but had the adherents of the so-called reformer ,kang-,yu-,wei1 whose subsequent career has proven how self-seeking he was1 carried the day2 had his sweeping measures been inaugurated1 it might have brought ,china into a state of anarchy and would certainly have been most pernicious to the ,nation1 for she was not ready for the drastic measures the ,reformers advocated1 and the great mass of the people would have rebelled against them4 ,the 8coup d'tat0 and the consequent check upon the ,emperor's dreams of progress was a great blow to him4 ,he was not only chagrined at the failure of his efforts for reform1 by which he hoped to show the world that ,china still counted as a power and to retaliate upon ,japan1 but he was also profoundly discouraged when he discovered the real nature and designs of his chosen instruments4 ,he saw that he had been over-sanguine in hoping to realize at once his enthusiastic dreams for the immediate rehabilitation of ,china's prestige2 he saw that his ardent desire for progress was not enough1 and that to hope to reform in a few years the century-old traditions of his most conservative people was but the wild irrealizable dream of youth1 and absolutely impracticable4 ,though he knew he had been led away by his wishes for reform to expect the impossible1 the disappointment was none the less severe and was most depressing to his sensitive nature4 ,the reaction took place4 ,his never-too-strong constitution broke down under the strain1 and this breaking down of his health lent color to the reports1 which were immediately circulated among ,her ,majesty's enemies as well as among the foreigners1 that the ,empress ,dowager was trying to kill the ,emperor6 ,she was reported to have imprisoned him1 was said to be trying to poison him at one time and at another to starve him to death--the nephew she had brought up through a delicate boyhood and whom she cherished as her own son6 ,time has shown the truth of these reports1 for1 had she so desired1 she would have had no difficulty in accomplishing his death4 ,she had any number of instruments at her hand1 fanatically loyal to her and ready to carry out any of her wishes4 ,she still 8assists0 the ,emperor in ruling2 and1 according to ,chinese tradition1 she1 being his 8ancestor10 must always take the first place4 ,she sits upon the ,throne1 he upon a chair at her side4 ,it would be improper1 according to all ,chinese law1 were it otherwise4 ,the foreigners speak of the ,empress ,dowager forcing the ,emperor to stand in her presence and to sit upon a stool while she occupies the ,throne4 ,it is not ,her ,majesty who forces him to do this1 it is an immutable thousand-year-old tradition in ,china that a son must take a lower place than his parent in his presence1 be he ,emperor or peasant4 ,the ,empress ,dowager still reigns4 ,the times are still too troublous for her to withdraw her experience from the councils of ,state1 and though longing for the quiet and rest so necessary to a woman of her age1 and though really anxious to retire1 she feels the time has not yet come4 ,the ,empress ,dowager1 having crushed the ,reformers1 and reseated herself upon the ,throne1 was1 from the time of the 8coup d'tat10 considered to be anti-foreign and responsible for all the attacks upon foreigners by ignorant ,chinese that took place after that event4 ,when1 only two years after the 8coup d'tat10 the secret society of the ,boxers began their sanguinary attacks upon the foreigners1 ,her ,majesty was considered responsible for them1 was looked upon as aiding and abetting the ,boxers2 and1 by the foreigners at least1 she was considered to be the high priestess if not the originator of the order4 ,but the ,boxer movement had no such high origin4 ,it started among the people1 the humble people1 in the ,northern provinces of ,china1 far from the ,capital1 and had been in existence for a number of years before the attack upon the ,legations in #aijj4 ,the open contempt of many of the foreigners living in ,china1 not only for the ,chinese as a race1 but for their most cherished customs and traditions2 the fact that the ,chinese converts of the foreign missionaries may break ,chinese laws and still not be amenable to ,chinese punishment2 the constantly renewed demands of the foreign powers for territory1 for the punishment of high ,chinese officials and hundreds of other acts that no body of foreigners in any country but ,china would dare to try to force upon the people1 finally aroused even this peaceable1 long-suffering ,nation4#i ,the worm turned4 ,the secret society of the ,boxers took 8,china for the ,chinese0 as its motto1 and to 8drive out the foreigner10 or1 at least1 curtail his rapidly growing power1 became its object4 ,this society gained in force and grew in volume until it reached the ,capital4 ,here1 from the obscure classes among which it had its origin1 it spread to the upper stratum of society and had followers among the highest in the land4 ,certain ,princes of the ,imperial ,family even joined the ranks--among these latter the father of the next heir to the ,throne1 the ,prince ,tuan4 ,these gave the movement an added force and made of it a patriotic effort4 #i ,since the above was in type ,i find the following in ,f4 ,laur's 8,sige de ,pking40 ,in speaking of the cause of the ,boxer rising1 he quotes ,dr4 ,matignon as saying3 8,c'est l',europe tout entire qu'il faut mettre en cause4 ,c'est parce qu'elle n'a pas compris les ,chinois1 c'est parce qu'elle a cru que ce peuple doux1 somnolent1 passif1 pouvait1 sans regimber1 accepter toutes les innovations1 toutes les humiliations1 que l',europe s'est laisse entrainer1 et par ses missionnaires1 et par ses ingnieurs4444 ,voil pourquoi le mouvement ,boxeur s'est produit4 ,ce mouvement1 c'est l'veil du patriotisme chinois1 avec toute l'intransigeance d'un nationalisme aveugle1 ignorant1 mais lgitime40 ,then from smoldering discontent1 it burst into open acts of violence against the foreigners4 ,the final spark which caused the outbreak in the ,capital and the attack upon the ,legations is said to have been the report1 which gained immediate credence among the discontents1 that the ,foreign ,ministers were going to interfere with the ,government itself1 and ask for a change in it2 that they were to insist upon the ,empress ,dowager's retiring from the management of ,state affairs4 ,this interference1 by the foreigners1 with the sacred prerogatives of ,china1 as a ,nation2 this attempt at the removal of the ,person of one of its ,sacred ,rulers1 aroused the people to a wild fury4 ,without waiting to find out the truth of this report1 and thinking1 in their blind ignorance1 that by getting rid of the representatives of the ,foreign ,powers1 they might then be left in peace1 the mob first attacked and killed the ,german ,minister1 the ,baron von ,ketteler1 as he was on his way to the ,tsung ,li ,yamen1 which the ,wai-,wu-,pu now replaces4 ,then followed the general attack on the ,legations4 ,the movement then became a veritable torrent1 rushing madly along1 dashing aside all opposition and overwhelming right and reason4 ,the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager1 powerful and autocratic as they are1 could not stem the current1 and only by going with it could they ever hope to bring judgment and reason to the surface again4 ,no ruler in the world can or ever has been able to stop an uprising of his people when the latter felt they had right on their side or had been downtrodden or oppressed4 ,their ,celestial ,majesties were obliged to wait until the popular fury had somewhat abated before they could even attempt it4 ,no sane person could believe that the ,empress ,dowager1 with her natural intelligence and after thirty years of government and knowledge of foreign methods1 did not know that this attack on the foreign representatives by the ,chinese people would bring on severe reprisals4 ,but she was powerless to do more than she did at the time4 ,their ,majesties could not go against the people in their maddened state of mind4 ,they hoped by joining the ,imperial forces to the wild insurgents that these seething masses might be brought to reason4 ,the mob was given a semblance of right by a declaration of war on the part of the government after the forts of ,taku were taken by the foreign war-ships 7which was really the first act of war of this unfortunate episode74 ,when ,i saw the position of the ,legation quarter and especially that of the ,british ,legation1 where all the foreigners finally congregated--open to attack on every side1 lying under the very walls of the ,palace and the ,imperial ,city--,i felt convinced that had there not been some restraining force within their own ranks1 the ,chinese could have wiped out the foreigners in less than a week4 ,bad firing on their part could only have averted1 for a short space1 the inevitable result to the ,legations4 ,had there not been some power that was acting as a check upon the ,chinese1 no ,european would have been left to tell the tale2 and this restraining force ,i feel confident came from the ,emperor and the ,empress ,dowager themselves4 ,the ,empress ,dowager 7with the ,emperor7 was at the ,summer ,palace1 as usual1 during the summer of #aijj4 ,though urged by her ministers and the ,princes to remain there1 where she was out of danger or could easily escape at its approach1 she insisted on returning to the ,capital and went into the ,winter ,palace a week before the ,allies reached the city4 ,she hoped as a 8dernier resort0 that the presence of the ,sacred ,persons1 ,their ,majesties1 in the city might serve as a check upon the soldiers and people1 now maddened by their own fury2 for the ,imperial troops1 instead of checking the insurgents and leavening the masses by their right and reason1 had1 instead1 become imbued with the same spirit as the ,boxers themselves6 ,but the ,empress ,dowager1 on this occasion1 counted too strongly on her popularity and upon the respect that the people felt for the 8,sacred ,persons10 for even after their return to the ,capital1 even ,their ,majesties' presence--even the issuing of ,imperial edicts posted all over the city for the people to protect1 or at least cease their attacks on the ,legations--were powerless to do more than intermittently check the attacks4 ,finally the ,allies reached and entered the city6 ,the ,empress ,dowager1 discouraged and finding herself powerless1 finally succumbed to the fears of her entourage for her ,person4 ,she1 herself1 became almost panic-stricken at the thought of falling into the hands of the foreigners1 whose depredations and cruelty to the ,chinese on that memorable march from ,tientsin had all been reported to her with the usual exaggerations4 ,her indomitable spirit was broken4 ,she consented1 in an agony of womanly fear1 to fly4 ,she was disguised as a common woman1 her long finger nails1 which would have revealed her exalted rank1 were cut off1 and1 in a common cart1 she made her escape from the city4 ,as she had refused to go until the last moment1 everything at the ,palace was left in the wildest confusion4 ,neither her jewelry1 nor hardly sufficient clothing1 was taken4 ,she did not leave the ,palace until several hours after the foreign troops had passed the ,water ,gate and were already within the walls of the ,english ,legation4 ,she had held out as long as possible4 ,the memorable flight to ,singan ,fu began that night4 ,the ,court was accompanied by a regiment of ,imperial troops1 but such was their demoralized condition1 so many ,boxers were among the soldiers1 that rank insubordination prevailed4 ,neither the officers1 nor even the presence in their midst of the ,sacred ,persons1 served as any check upon the soldiers4 ,the greatest confusion prevailed4 ,the maddest of the insurgents had begun to look forward to retribution and to realize that punishment would be inevitably visited upon them either by the foreigners or by the ,chinese ,government when things calmed down1 and this thought seemed but to madden them further4 ,as the flight led the ,imperial party through the section of country where the society of ,boxers had the greatest number of adherents1 the people1 in many instances1 refused food and shelter to the ,imperial fugitives4 ,they felt the ,court had been against them and for the foreigners4 ,prince ,su1 in his account of the journey to ,singan ,fu1 relates that neither ,her ,majesty nor the ,emperor had enough to eat2 that the soldiers stole the food that was prepared for ,their ,majesties4 ,i heard at the ,palace that it was only ,his ,majesty who suffered the pangs of hunger4 ,he1 as well as all in the great company that formed the ,court party1 deprived himself rather than see the ,empress ,dowager suffer4 ,i heard ,her ,majesty say that the ,emperor's food was stolen1 and she did not know for several days that he was depriving himself for her4 ,she thought all the ,imperial party had her own1 meager enough allowance4 ,the ,empress ,dowager saw and heard many new and strange things on that memorable journey1 but she bore it all bravely4 ,after the first panic of fear1 her indomitable spirit resumed its natural poise4 ,her capacity for seeing the humorous side of things also helped her to bear it1 and furnished her with a fund of witty anecdotes later1 though she once remarked that1 at the time1 she did not appreciate the humorous side to its full extent4 ,their experiences at this time were often the theme of conversation among the ,ladies at the ,palace4 ,while ,i was there they were constantly referred to by the ,princesses and even by the eunuchs of the ,court4 ,these pampered individuals had then their first experience with the hardships of the outer world1 though1 to do them justice1 they rarely referred to their own hardships1 which must have been severe1 only speaking of what ,their ,majesties and the ,ladies had to endure4 ,this flight from ,peking to ,singan ,fu marks an epoch in the ,palace4 ,everything is dated as before or after that time4 ,after ,her ,majesty had accomplished this perilous journey and borne it so bravely1 she was given a new title1 a dearer1 higher one4 ,she was called ,lao-,tzu-,tzung 7the ,great ,ancestress7 by her enthusiastic admirers4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager',s ,,charities1 ,,sense ,,of ,,justice1 ,,extravagance1 ,,and ,,personal ,,characteristics4 ,the ,empress ,dowager's charities are extensive2 she feeds the poor and succors the unfortunate4 ,when her sympathies are aroused1 she gives freely and generously4 ,her edicts are constantly ordering sacks of rice and food to be distributed among the poor and sent to districts where famine reigns4 ,there is a great refuge in ,peking1 which she supports1 where ten thousand poor are succored and fed during the year4 ,during the winter1 edicts are constantly appearing similar to this--commanding 8,the distribution from the ,imperial granaries of fifteen hundred piculs 7#acc-a_/c pounds to the picul7 of rice for refuges and gruel stations for the poor in ,north ,tung ,chow40 ,edict of ,november #f1 #aijd4 ,she also sympathizes with misfortune1 tries to right the wrongs she knows of1 and correct the abuses that come to her ears4 ,from the 8,north ,china ,herald0 of ,november #ai1 #aijd1 ,i copy the following1 and this paper cannot be accused of viewing any of ,her ,majesty's acts with a partial spirit 7much to the contrary73 8,during the ,boxer troubles a bad character1 by the name of ,wang1 owed money to a certain ,chinese ,mohammedan4 ,wang had been frequently dunned1 and was finally condemned by the courts to pay the debt2 he was1 besides1 ordered to be beaten1 as he had been insolent to the ,mandarin trying the case4 ,this incensed ,wang1 and he swore vengeance4 ,when the ,boxer troubles were in full swing in ,peking1 he became the leader of a band of insurgents and led his band to the house of the ,mohammedan whom he had been forced by the courts to pay4 ,wang and his band massacred not only his old enemy1 but eleven members of his family2 leaving only a young daughter-in-law who had hidden in a loft and saw the whole tragedy2 she also saw them march off1 carrying1 on spears1 the heads of the old man and four of his sons4 ,the poor daughter-in-law escaped from ,peking soon after1 and was not able to return there until a few months since1 in #aijd4 ,she discovered the dwelling of the murderer of her husband's family1 and had a petition drawn up on the subject4 ,one day when ,her ,majesty was proceeding from one ,palace to another1 the young widow threw herself before the ,empress ,dowager's cortge4 ,her ,majesty saw the prostrate girl 7only nineteen years of age71 and commanded her guards to ask what she wanted4 ,the girl1 dressed in deep mourning1 held above her head her petition1 calling for justice against her husband's murderers4 ,her ,majesty read the petition1 and her brow became black as night4 ,she called to a eunuch in her train and commanded him to take the young petitioner and her petition to the #8,board of ,punishments1' and deliver the ,imperial ,commands that no time be lost in arresting the murderers2 that they should be tried1 and the result reported to ,her ,majesty4 ,this was done1 and on the first of ,november1 #aijd1 the chief murderer ,wang1 his two sons and a nephew were decapitated to expiate their cruel crimes40 ,the ,empress ,dowager is said to be recklessly extravagant in her own habits as well as in the management of ,palace affairs4 ,as for extravagance in the ,palace1 bad management doubtless exists1 and extravagance does prevail4 ,abuses always creep in where the management of great establishments is intrusted to money-seeking officials1 and to eunuchs1 as is the case in the ,palace at ,peking4 ,extravagance in the ,palace has been the theme of ,chinese economists for many generations1 for hundreds of years before the ,manchu ,dynasty came to the ,throne4 ,several of the ,emperors have themselves attempted to stem this extravagance by personal efforts and private economy1 but to no avail4 ,it is related of one ,emperor that the sleeve of his ,state robe being a little worn1 he called up his ,master of the ,household to ask what a new robe would cost4 ,he found that it would cost three thousand taels1 and as only the right sleeve of this gown was worn 7as he used his arm a great deal in writing71 he decided1 in order that he might himself show a good example1 and inaugurate economy1 to have a new sleeve made1 instead of ordering an entire gown4 ,he gave his commands1 in consequence1 and the gown was taken out of the ,palace and remained several months4 ,when it was returned1 what was ,his ,majesty's astonishment and chagrin to find that the cost of the new sleeve had exceeded that of a new gown6 ,in his walks outside of the ,palace1 another ,emperor bought an article of food for a few pence4 ,the next time he had it in the ,palace he asked what the dish cost and was told it was 8four taels40 ,when he remonstrated1 saying what he had paid for it outside of the ,palace1 his ,master of the ,household told him it was impossible to have it 8inside0 the ,palace or on ,his ,majesty's table at any less than the sum of four taels4 ,if ,his ,majesty wished it for a few pence1 ,his ,majesty might buy it outside the ,palace and bring it in himself for that sum1 but no one else could bring it inside for the price it could be bought outside1 as it had to go through so many official hands before it reached ,his ,majesty's table1 that it actually cost the sum of four taels4 ,after several efforts of this kind at reducing the ,palace expenses1 even these wise and economical ,emperors were obliged to give it up4 ,if these ,emperors of ancient times1 when the ,palace was conducted on more simple lines than it is to-day1 were powerless to check extravagance in the ,imperial household1 how much more difficult must it be to do so now that the system has become petrified with age--especially for the ,empress ,dowager1 who can never go outside and see things for herself6 ,it is said that each egg at ,their ,majesties' table costs three taels1 but ,palace reform1 necessary as it is1 must come from without1 from the officials1 and no private effort of ,their ,majesties can change things4 ,as for the ,empress ,dowager's personal extravagance1 aside from present-giving1 ,i saw no evidence of it4 ,her wardrobe1 in point of actual cost1 aside from her jewels1 would not be superior in price to that of the wives of some of our ,american millionaires2 for the styles do not change in ,china1 and furs and embroideries are handed down from generation to generation4 ,her jewels1 even1 are not more gorgeous or more numerous1 though they are more unique1 than those of any of the ,european sovereigns4 ,she has an immense number of pearls--for the pearl is her favorite precious stone1 besides being the jewel of the ,dynasty--but she has no diamonds1 no emeralds1 and very few ,european precious stones4 ,she has a quantity of fine jade jewels1 but these1 as well as pearls1 are cheaper in ,china than elsewhere4 ,i saw several incidents which seemed to point rather to personal economy on ,her ,majesty's part than to extravagance4 ,while ,i was painting one of the portraits1 she decided that the trimming on the gown must be changed4 ,she had bolts of different kinds of ribbon brought in to select from and finally decided upon a certain piece4 ,she called a maid to sew some around the neck4 ,when ,i wanted to have this piece cut off1 so that some might be sewed around the hem where it was also visible1 she said the ribbon had better not be cut1 for it was a 8handsome piece10 and1 if cut1 it might spoil it for use in 8trimming another gown40 ,these pieces of ribbon and embroidery come in lengths for one dress only4 ,one day when she was drinking some fruit juice1 her hand slipped on the polished jade bowl and some of it fell upon the front of her jacket4 ,she was most annoyed1 and after several ineffectual attempts of her own and the attendants to remove the spot1 she said she had heard that the foreigners had some wonderful processes of cleaning and she must have them investigated1 for it was too bad to have a thing spoiled by an accident of that kind when a good garment was rendered useless for any one6 ,she had the good of ,china at heart and was really a patriot2 in fact1 ,i observed more patriotism1 more ,national pride among the people ,i saw at ,court1 than ,i ever noticed elsewhere in ,china4 ,i feel convinced the ,empress ,dowager has strong ,national feeling and really loves her country1 and is as patriotic a ,chinese as there is in ,china4 ,when there were internal troubles1 or exterior complications1 she seemed to be really worried and to grieve1 as if it were a personal thing4 ,she made mistakes1 of course1 and grave ones1 but when it is remembered that her knowledge of what takes place 8outside10 comes entirely from the reports made to her1 that she has no opportunity of seeing things for herself1 it seems wonderful she does not make more4 ,last winter a new scheme of taxation1 by which the revenue would be largely increased and which taxation would be scarcely felt by the people1 was presented to ,their ,majesties for consideration4 ,her ,majesty soon grasped the entire scope of the scheme and thought it good and feasible2 but though the payment of the foreign indemnity made it imperative to increase the revenue by every means possible1 she hesitated over the inauguration of this new scheme1 fearing it might give the officials a new opportunity to oppress the common people1 for it is not the laws that oppress the people in ,china4 ,this is done by the officials who enforce them4 ,she evidently realized this power that the officials have of 8squeezing0 the people1 and she wished to be assured of the manner in which this taxation would be enforced before she gave her consent to the scheme4 ,at the first presentation to her of this plan of taxation1 she repeated several times1 8,i fear it may harass the people2 we cannot harass the people2 they have enough burdens to bear40 ,she was not so particular about not harassing the ,officials1 for they were called upon all over ,china to make great contributions to the ,imperial ,treasury for the purpose of assisting in paying the foreign indemnity4 ,notwithstanding her penetration of character1 her naturally good judgment1 she made mistakes in her appreciation of those who surrounded her2 but this was not strange1 for she had almost no opportunity of seeing them in their true light4 ,she was a good physiognomist1 but one cannot always trust to physiognomy4 ,she was in the habit of giving all who surrounded her a certain amount of latitude1 until they came to rely on her favor and revealed themselves in their true light to her4 ,then she would quickly suppress them or cast them aside4 ,this often seemed cruel and heartless4 ,she sometimes would take another's estimate of a character which she had favorably judged1 for1 of course1 there is a great deal of jealousy and intrigue among her entourage1 and she was influenced by reports that she heard2 for she was obliged1 in order to form an opinion1 to listen to the gossip of the ,palace4 ,her own penetration1 however1 would generally come to her aid and1 in the end1 her judgment would right itself4 ,she had strong prejudices1 and often allowed herself to be deceived by the favorites to whom she had given her confidence4 ,after several preliminary trials of their character1 and when she thought she had arrived at a proper estimate of it1 she was an easy victim4 ,these favorites could then act with impunity1 and she was sometimes made the dupe of their schemes4 ,thus ,ministers1 courtiers1 friends1 and attendants1 who had once thoroughly established their positions with her1 could often get the advantage of her and impose upon her natural acumen4 ,she could be most sarcastic1 sometimes cruelly so1 but ,i generally found there was some reason for her sarcasm4 ,she was very impulsive and had her share of temper1 but there was never any unladylike display of it4 ,when she was angry her voice was never raised2 it simply lost its silvery sweetness and took the quality of some ordinary metal1 and she was always quiet and well-bred4 ,from what ,i saw of the ,empress ,dowager1 it seemed to me she would not brook interference in the accomplishment of a design she had set her heart upon--that she would not hesitate even at crushing an individual who stood in the way of the realization of some plan she had fixed upon4 ,but her judgment was so good1 she did not decide upon a thing unless she felt it was absolutely imperative to carry it out4 ,as for tact and social savoir1 she is remarkable4 ,i never knew any one to possess these qualities to a greater degree4 ,at her first ,audience to foreigners1 ,sir ,claude ,mac,donald1 in reporting it1 spoke of the ,empress ,dowager as 8a kind and courteous hostess1 who displayed both the tact and softness of a womanly disposition40 ,lady ,susan ,townley says of her3 8,where has she learned the ease and dignity with which she receives her ,european guests80 ,these opinions of her social tact1 so far as ,i could learn1 are held by all the members of the ,foreign ,legations in ,peking4 ,when the young ,prince ,adalbert of ,prussia was received in special ,audience by ,their ,majesties1 on his visit to ,peking1 he was accompanied not only by the ,german ,minister and his staff1 but by a number of officers as his personal escort4 ,this made an unusually large number of presentations necessary4 ,i have been told that at the ,audiences of the ,diplomatic ,corps1 where only gentlemen were present1 the ,empress ,dowager had a sort of shyness and did not show the same ease of manner as when she received the ladies4 ,but at this ,audience of the young ,prince she became interested in talking with him1 and ,i heard one of the gentlemen who was present say it was the first time he had seen ,her ,majesty thoroughly at ease at one of the ,audiences to the ,diplomatic ,corps1 and that on that day she was perfectly charming1 seeming to take the liveliest interest in questioning the young ,prince and conversing with him in a motherly way1 and that he then realized to its full extent her wonderful charm and her great social instinct4 ,i have heard it said that the ,empress ,dowager puts all this charm on for these occasions2 that she is a consummate actress1 but during the whole time ,i was in the ,palace ,i never saw her other than the charming hostess1 considerate of the comfort of those who surround her and readily sympathizing with sorrow1 and ,i have seen her under all circumstances1 at ,audiences and in private1 in anxiety and sorrow and in joy4 ,she was too great a lover of ,nature in all its phases to be cruel and heartless1 and ,i am convinced she is really genuinely kind4 ,she apparently greatly admired intelligence1 and goodness always seemed to appeal to her4 ,she was ever a fascinating study1 and her magnetic personality full of charm4 ,i found her thoroughly human and perfectly womanly4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii ,,the ,,chinese ,,new ,,year--,,official ,,audience ,the ,chinese ,new ,year1 the greatest of the popular festivals1 is1 of course1 celebrated with much pomp and enthusiasm at the ,palace4 ,splendid decorations1 hundreds of beautiful horn lanterns1 with their long1 red silk tassels1 the great red 8,sho0 emblazoned on their sides1 made the courts and verandahs gay with color4 ,painted figures of red-clothed gods regarded one at every turn4 ,hideous monsters with vermilion faces1 painted on the outside doors1 brandished spears to frighten away the bad spirits4 ,there were the usual gala representations at the ,theater2 and the ,palace1 as at all festivals1 was filled with visitors4 ,the ,chinese pay all their debts at the ,new ,year4 ,if they have not the ready money to do so1 they will dispose of anything valuable they have1 in order to begin the ,new ,year free from debt4 ,it is considered tempting ,heaven to begin it otherwise4 ,a great deal of silver imitation money is exchanged at this season4 ,this is an old custom and supposed to bring abundance during the year4 ,at the ,new ,year1 present-giving reaches its culminating point in ,china4 ,every one1 rich and poor1 high and low1 gives presents then4 ,their ,majesties not only gave to all the ,ladies and ,princesses1 but to every inmate of the ,palace1 and even the beggar at the gate was not forgotten2 but the presents exchanged at the ,new ,year are never so handsome as those given for a birthday4 ,the presents the ,empress ,dowager received on this occasion were principally flowers 7her ,throne-room was full of them1 as well as her private apartments7--dwarf fruit trees twisted into fantastic shapes1 laden with fragrant blossoms and splendid plants of peonies in full flower1 and countless vases of the ,chinese ,lily1 as they call the ,narcissus in ,china4 ,the ,empress ,dowager tried to be cheerful and not dampen the gaiety of the ,festival by her alarm1 but the long-looked-for and much-dreaded war between ,russia and ,japan had then actually begun1 and she was mortally anxious6 ,the ,japanese were already in ,manchuria1 and no one knew how it might affect ,china6 ,illustration3 ,,slave ,,girls ,though ,i did not work on the portrait during the ,new ,year's festivities1 it was now really advancing4 ,when ,her ,majesty saw how the hands looked when they were drawn in1 with the palms of the hands hidden by the long fur undersleeves1 in the position ,i had dared to find fault with at the first sitting1 she at once suggested having the fur undersleeves taken off1 but she still said nothing about changing the position of the hands1 though ,i saw she had her doubts about them1 and ,i felt confident her good taste would finally prevail and she would want them changed4 ,i painted them in with a thin wash of color1 knowing they would be changed later4 ,a few days after this1 she remarked that my 8idea about the position of the hands was not bad10 and suggested that the left hand 8would look well on a cushion40 ,i made this change in the small study1 much to her satisfaction1 and then did the hands likewise in the large portrait4 ,the ,new ,year festivities were hardly over before the ,empress ,dowager decided to move the ,court to the ,sea ,palace4 ,this ,palace1 though not so much a favorite with her as the ,summer ,palace1 she liked better than the ,winter ,palace2 the latter's small1 shut-in courts1 walled-in walks1 and rigid traditions seemed to depress her4 ,at the ,sea ,palace she had gardens for her promenades and there was a lake4 ,it was not so beautiful as the ,summer ,palace1 but was an improvement over the ,winter ,palace4 ,this move to the ,sea ,palace necessitated another change of studio for me1 just as ,i was comfortably installed in my quarters in the ,winter ,palace1 and had begun to progress with my work4 ,i knew ,i should be obliged to have the new place arranged with upper glass windows and that ,i would again lose time1 and the date of the opening of the ,st4 ,louis ,exposition was approaching6 ,but there was no help for it2 ,i must go with the ,court to the ,sea ,palace4 ,i was told that there ,i was to have a magnificent pavilion on the lake1 with a perfect light for painting4 ,as to the pavilion's being magnificent1 ,i had no doubt1 but ,i did doubt1 from past experiences1 whether the light would be all that could be desired4 ,one morning our chairs carried us to the ,sea ,palace instead of to the ,winter ,palace4 ,all my painting things1 materials1 canvases1 as well as ,her ,majesty's ,throne1 on which she was seated for the portrait1 had been moved4 ,not the smallest piece of paper1 nor even a bit of charcoal was missing4 ,i had painted until the last moment at the ,winter ,palace1 the day before2 and early the next morning my things were in perfect order--the portrait on the easel1 and the ,throne in the proper position in my quarters at the ,sea ,palace4 ,it was an 8,aladdin's-,lamp0 move4 ,the group of buildings that had been set aside for my painting fronted on the lake1 and were really charming1 but the overhanging verandahs to each pavilion forced me again to have the upper windows put in4 ,after this was accomplished1 it was the best working-room ,i had ever had at any of the ,palaces4 ,the days were getting longer and the light better1 and ,i hoped now to soon finish the portrait4 ,a few days after the ,court moved to the ,sea ,palace1 the members of the ,corps ,diplomatique were received in ,audience to present their congratulations to the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager on the occasion of the ,chinese ,new ,year4 ,they were received in the ,great ,audience ,hall2 but the ladies of the ,legation1 whose reception took place the following day1 were received in ,her ,majesty's ,throne-room opening on the ,court of the large ,theater at the ,sea ,palace4 ,as it was cold1 the ,theater and its court were entirely inclosed and roofed over in glass1 in panes of about a foot and a half square4 ,on each pane was painted1 in red1 the ever-present character 8,sho0 7longevity71 surrounded by five bats4 ,the marble pavement of the court and the steps leading up to the ,throne-room were carpeted in red2 and when the great doors were thrown wide1 there was a good effect of size given1 although this ,throne-room was one of the smallest in the ,sea ,palace4 ,as this was to be a formal reception1 several members of the ,wai-,wu-,pu were present as interpreters4 ,the ladies of the ,legation were presented by the ,baron ,czikan1 the ,austrian ,minister1 ,doyen of the ,corps4 ,he made a graceful address in ,french1 wishing ,their ,majesties a ,happy ,new ,year1 and ,china much prosperity4 ,this was translated into ,chinese by one of the ,secretaries of the ,wai-,wu-,pu4 ,the ,empress ,dowager replied for herself and the ,emperor1 in ,chinese4 ,her ,majesty's words were interpreted by ,his ,excellency ,liang ,fang1 a good ,french scholar4 ,then the ,doyen presented the ladies individually1 and the usual order of ceremonies followed4 ,when the presentations were over1 the ,doyen1 foreign attachs and interpreters1 with the ,chinese officials1 repaired to the hall which had been set aside for their luncheon1 while the ladies1 accompanied by the ,princesses1 went to their repast in another part of the ,palace6 ,only a few days after this1 came the lantern festival2 but this was not an interruption to my work1 for ,i painted all day1 and only went to the ,theater for the final piece and the spectacular tableau4 ,we dined in the ,imperial loge1 and after dinner there were beautiful lantern and torch-light processions4 ,in the court opposite the ,throne-room where we dined1 there was a beautiful pai-lou of transparent gauze1 painted in charming designs1 illuminated from within1 and hung with luminous flowers and quaint lanterns4 ,tall eunuchs1 in gala red1 stood around the courts1 holding great lanterns aloft1 like huge caryatides with luminous burdens4 ,others with fanciful vermilion lanterns wound in and out through corridors and courts4 ,when they reached the court of the softly glowing pai-lou1 they manuvered and made intricate designs and luminous tableaux1 holding aloft their red-globed lanterns to form characters and phrases of 8felicitous omen40 ,these huge1 luminous characters were wonderfully accurate4 ,after the torch- and lantern-lit processions1 and the glowing tableaux1 a pair of illuminated dragons writhed into the court and struggled for the 8flaming pearl10 which flitted around with elusive fantastic movements1 ever beyond their grasp4 ,i was not able to find out the origin of the ,imperial legend of the ,double ,dragon and the ,flaming ,pearl1 representations of which appear everywhere at the ,palace on whatever is meant for ,imperial use1 or for any official function over which the ,emperor is supposed to preside4 ,it is on all the ,thrones of the ,dynasty2 it adorns the ,imperial pennant2 it is cut into stone1 carved into wood1 and painted in pictures4 ,it decorates the gowns of the higher officials1 and is embroidered upon the ,court dresses of the ,ladies of the ,palace4 ,at the ,birthdays of the ,emperor and ,empress1 and at all ,dynastic celebrations there are realistic representations of the immortal struggle where the ,double ,dragon strives to absorb the 8flaming pearl40 ,the significance of the legend seems to be3 ,the ,double ,dragon represents the ,powers of ,earth or ,evil which try ever to absorb the ,flaming ,pearl1 ,emblem of the ,dynasty1 symbol of ,heaven or ,perfection4 ,the ,flaming ,pearl1 the ,unattainable1 keeps ever beyond and above their grasp1 seeming to serve always as an incentive for further effort4 ,for a fortnight after the lantern festival1 there were fireworks every night on the banks of the lake4 ,we would dine in the ,throne-room1 and then ,her ,majesty and the ,emperor1 accompanied by the ,ladies1 and attended by the usual number of eunuchs 7each bearing transparent horn lanterns71 would go through the courts and paths of the garden to the lake1 on the banks of which the fireworks were sent up4 ,here1 in full view of the set pieces1 stood four large1 roomy sleds4 ,when the lake was frozen1 these sleds were used to push ,their ,majesties and the ladies over its glassy surface4 ,they had not been used as sleds this winter1 for the ice had not been sufficiently firm1 the winter having been comparatively mild4 ,but when the lake was well frozen1 as is usual at this season in ,peking1 ,their ,majesties viewed the fireworks from these sleds as they skimmed along over its smooth surface4 ,there was a sled for each of them--one for the ,empress and second wife1 and one for the ,princesses4 ,they were cloth-covered1 lined with fur1 and had great fur rugs4 ,there were seats around the three sides2 the wadded curtain1 with its large square of plate-glass that hung down over the front1 was taken off for the fireworks4 ,their ,majesties occupied each of theirs alone1 but the ,empress had several of the ,ladies in hers4 ,the fireworks were superb4 ,there were beautiful set pieces1 pagodas1 with ladies on balconies1 pavilions with grapevines1 wistaria arbors1 and beds of flowers so lifelike they seemed to grow at the side of the luminous cascades1 and many other effects ,i had never seen before in fireworks4 ,one day1 during the time of the lantern festival1 we had fireworks in the brilliant sunshine4 ,when these day rockets exploded1 all sorts of curious paper devices fell to the ground--fish dragons and animals1 as well as flags and baskets4 ,when anything interesting was revealed1 ,her ,majesty would send the eunuchs to pick it up as it fell and bring it to her that she might examine it4 ,many fell outside the ,palace walls1 and she said these would give pleasure to the 8poor people outside40 ,formerly1 at these fireworks in the ,palace to celebrate the lantern festival1 the public was admitted into the ,inclosure1 but this practice stopped when the two ,empresses were ,co-,regents for the first boy ,emperor1 ,tung-,chih4 ,as this was coincident with the establishment of the first ,foreign ,legations in ,peking1 the latter fact may have had some influence in changing the custom4 ,the ,chinese people were shut out because it was feared that the foreigners might also come into the ,precincts4 ,these beautiful fireworks ,i could enjoy without any qualms of conscience1 for ,i could not paint at night1 and they were consequently no interruption to my work4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,,continuation ,,of ,,the ,,st4 ,,louis ,,portrait--,,spring ,,days ,,at ,,the ,,sea ,,palace ,there began now to be some discussion as to what would be the most propitious date for finishing the portrait4 ,i had thought ,i might finish when ,i could1 but this was not to be the case4 ,the almanacs were consulted1 and it was decided that the nineteenth day of ,april would be an auspicious time to finish and before four o'clock6 ,the ,empress ,dowager informed me of the 8happy augury0 of this date and asked me if ,i thought it possible to finish then4 ,not only had the date for beginning the portrait been carefully chosen1 but there was much deliberation as to the proper time for finishing6 ,her ,majesty seemed very anxious until she received my reply as to whether it would be possible to finish at this happy date1 for ,i could not say at first1 as ,i had never thought of finishing at any particular moment6 ,when ,i finally told her ,i could finish it before four o'clock1 ,april #aith1 she was delighted4 ,she said 8,how good0 and asked me to please 8not disappoint her40 ,as the portrait neared completion she came very often to the studio and watched over the painting-in of all the accessories1 which she seemed to consider quite as important as the likeness itself4 ,as she was tired after the ,audiences1 she gave me two or three sittings at this time before she went to the ,audience ,hall1 and ,i painted from half-past six to eight ,a4,m4 for two or three days4 ,the jewels in the head-dress1 all official1 were the subject of much deliberation4 ,after a jewel was painted in1 she would decide she didn't like it and that something else would be better4 ,she seemed to think it was as easy to take it from the picture as to remove it from her person4 ,all these requests for changes were so graciously made1 ,i never complained4 ,she would sometimes say1 8,i am giving you a great deal of trouble1 and you are very kind40 ,i didn't mind the trouble1 only these changes took away the freshness of the painting and did not add to the artistic effect of the picture4 ,her ,majesty ordered a magnificent frame for the portrait4 ,she1 herself1 made the design4 ,the ,double ,dragon at the top struggled for the 8flaming pearl0 with the character 8,sho0 on it4 ,the sides were elaborately carved in designs representing the symbol of 8ten thousand0 years with the characters for longevity4 ,the frame was to be set in a superbly carved stand1 as the ,chinese do their mirrors4 ,the whole1 of rare camphor-wood1 was made by ,her ,majesty's own artisans at the ,palace--the most expert workmen in ,china4 ,the days were lengthening now1 the trees beginning to bud and the flowers in the courts to bloom4 ,the icy fetters that had locked the lake were broken2 the boats again glided over its bosom4 ,in the mornings we no longer had to take the winter 8chairs0 and be carried the long distance from the gates to the ,throne-room4 ,the comfortable boats once more lay moored at the foot of the landing-steps1 just within the gates1 and we enjoyed again those ideal trips across the lake4 ,the ,empress ,dowager began to take long promenades now and was much out-of-doors4 ,sometimes in the mornings1 on our arrival1 she would already be in the gardens4 ,one day we met her on the banks of the lake and made our morning salutations there4 ,another day1 she and the ,emperor were inspecting the new buildings which were being erected to replace those burned during the occupation of ,peking by the ,allies1 when ,count von ,waldersee had his headquarters in the ,sea ,palace4 ,splendid buildings were being erected on the site of those burned4 ,the ,emperor and ,empress ,dowager1 each with his own suite1 carefully visited every part of these new constructions and seemed much interested in their progress4 ,of course1 the workmen were banished during the visit of ,their ,majesties4 ,one of these new halls was to be used for the entertainment of foreigners1 when they are invited to the ,palace1 and many concessions had been made to foreign ideas in its construction4 ,let us hope it may not lose its ,chinese character6 ,i am sure the foreigners will regret this innovation and would prefer the typical ,chinese interior1 even though it be less suited to the exigencies of a modern reception4 ,sometimes we would see the ,empress ,dowager in her ,japanese 8jinricksha40 ,this was a beautiful1 gold-lacquered affair in dragon form1 the two dragons' heads in front4 ,it had splendid gold-lacquered shafts and wheels--the latter with rubber tires4 ,it was pulled by one eunuch and pushed by another1 and ,her ,majesty seemed greatly to enjoy this novelty for a while1 but she said she preferred to walk or to be carried in her open chair1 as a usual thing4 ,two other modern and novel methods of locomotion had been installed in the grounds of the ,sea ,palace4 ,there was a small railway1 which ran from the outer gates to the dwelling ,palaces1 which had its engine and complete running outfit4 ,this had been constructed by some progressive ,mandarins1 who wished to get the ,empress ,dowager's support for some railway scheme1 but though she often spoke of how much she had enjoyed her one trip on a real railway1 her spirit was too utilitarian to care for toy pleasures4 ,she couldn't stand the puffing of the engine1 the tiny cars1 and all this trouble for so short and useless a jaunt4 ,there was also in the ,sea ,palace1 as well as at the ,summer ,palace1 a number of automobiles1 which had been presented to ,their ,majesties by ,chinese nobles and officials who had been abroad1 as examples of the curiosities of ,european civilization4 ,one of these was gorgeously fitted up in the ,imperial yellow and gold lacquer1 with the ,double ,dragon4 ,the body was inclosed in glass and there was a throne-like seat within for the ,empress ,dowager4 ,the question of how the chauffeur should run the machine standing1 as he would be obliged to do if ,her ,majesty were inside1 had not then been solved4 ,she was1 however1 willing to throw tradition to the winds in this instance1 and was most anxious to try one of these motor-cars4 ,her entourage was1 however1 bitterly opposed to it1 even for a short distance in the grounds4 ,they were afraid of an accident4 ,she never tried one while ,i was there1 but ,i am confident that her venturesome spirit will not rest content until she has had a ride in one of these modern carriages4 ,in ,april1 kite-flying time begins in ,china4 ,high ,officials and dignified literati indulge in the pastime as well as children and young people4 ,the popular pastimes of the people1 as well as their serious occupations1 being always honored in the ,palace1 kites were1 of course1 sent off by the ,empress ,dowager and the ,ladies4 ,the first day the kites were to be flown ,her ,majesty sent for me to come into the garden1 where the kite-flying was to take place4 ,the kites were of paper1 wonderfully fashioned1 representing birds1 fish1 bats1 and even personages4 ,the strings were wound on curiously shaped reels and the cleverness with which ,her ,majesty let out the string and manipulated the kites was wonderful4 ,after she had let one go1 she graciously handed me her own reel and told me she would teach me to fly a kite4 ,i was hard at work at my painting when ,i was called out into the garden and ,i wished to return to it as soon as possible2 and as ,i knew ,i would not be very clever at kite-flying1 ,i begged her to allow me to watch her instead4 ,the young ,empress and ,princesses were also very proficient in flying them1 and ,her ,majesty flew hers as she did everything else1 with unusual grace4 ,one of these beautiful spring mornings as we were softly gliding across the lake1 propelled by the graceful ,palace boatmen1 ,i lay back on my cushions reveling in the scene of quiet loveliness before me and drinking in the ineffable perfume of the spring1 when my glance1 roaming lazily around in perfect content1 caught sight of a group of gentlemen on the bank of the lake beyond4 ,the rays of the morning sun1 glinting upon the gold of their embroidered costumes and touching1 with iridescent rays1 the peacock's feathers upon their hats1 revealed their rank and official standing4 ,as it was a most unusual thing to see gentlemen in the ,palace ,inclosure1 ,i was at once all attention1 knowing there must be some important event on hand1 especially as1 on looking closer1 ,i saw one small figure in their midst more plainly dressed than the others1 whom ,i at once recognized as ,his ,majesty the ,emperor4 ,as we slowly approached ,i saw the ,emperor go over to a plow to which was hitched an ox1 and which stood at a little distance off in the field4 ,fortune favored me6 ,i was to see the ,emperor plow the first furrow of the year6 ,for it was only on the morrow that the official public ceremony was to take place at the ,temple of ,agriculture1 near the great triple altar of ,heaven4 ,i was to see the private plowing1 done in the ,palace grounds and viewed only by the ,princes of the ,imperial ,family and the highest ,manchu nobles4 ,when all was ready the ,emperor took the handles of the plow and guided it down a furrow marked off the ground1 and when the furrow was upturned1 the seed was dropped in4 ,the ox for this ceremony1 which ,i had heard was white1 was 7at the ,palace function7 of a soft doe color4 ,he seemed to have been trained for the purpose and performed his part with a dignity in harmony with the attitude of all the assistants and in keeping with the solemnity of the occasion4 ,i was rejoiced to have an opportunity of seeing this interesting ceremony and to learn that even this great rite1 which ,i had thought1 like the sacrifice to the ,invisible ,deity on the triple altar1 was only performed in the grounds of the ,temple to ,heaven2 and to learn that every custom dear to the people1 or incorporated in the ,national life1 is observed in the ,palace by the ,emperor and ,empress--that ,his ,majesty really plants the first furrow of the year and gathers the first sheaves of ripened wheat1 and that the ,ladies of the ,palace really spin the first silk and pull the first fruits4 ,the slow movement of the ,palace boats was never so appreciated by me as on this morning1 for ,i was thus enabled to see well this curious ,national ceremony1 which ,i would never have seen but for the accident of the hour of my crossing the lake and the time it took to do so2 for1 as at all ceremonies where men are present1 there were1 of course1 no members of ,her ,majesty's entourage1 and none of the ,ladies or ,princesses had ever seen this ceremony6 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv ,,finishing ,,and ,,sending ,,off ,,the ,,portrait ,the nineteenth day of ,april was approaching1 and the portrait steadily advancing4 ,as it neared completion ,her ,majesty's interest in it seemed to grow4 ,she spent a great deal of time in my pavilion watching its progress1 and expressed herself as much delighted with it4 ,a few days before the nineteenth1 ,i asked ,her ,majesty to allow ,mrs4 ,conger to come and see it on that day4 ,she immediately consented1 and invitations were sent through the ,foreign ,office1 not only to ,mrs4 ,conger1 but to the wives of the ,ministers and ,first ,secretaries of ,legations to come to the ,palace on the nineteenth day of ,april1 for the purpose of 8seeing the portrait of ,her ,imperial ,majesty1 the ,empress ,dowager1 painted by the ,american artist40 ,the ladies of the ,legation1 of course1 responded to the invitation1 and on the morning of the nineteenth the portrait was placed in the splendid frame4 ,her ,majesty decided she would receive the ladies first in her ,throne-room1 after which they were to come to my studio to see the portrait4 ,as ,i was still working until the 8fateful hour10 ,i did not go up to the ,throne-room but awaited the ladies in my own place4 ,her ,majesty did not accompany the ladies when they came to see the portrait1 but she sent the young ,empress and ,princesses to my pavilion to assist me in receiving and to lend a proper dignity to the occasion4 ,the portrait1 in a ,chinese milieu1 and seen in the light in which it was painted1 made a better effect than it could in any other surroundings4 ,the ladies were1 of course1 much interested in seeing this long-talked-of picture--the first ever painted of ,her ,majesty--and the novelty of the precedent1 as well as the interest of a visit to the ,palace1 favorably predisposed them1 and they expressed themselves as most interested in the work1 finding it a good likeness4 ,the admiration it received from the young ,empress and the ,ladies of the ,court was almost embarrassing1 and the eunuchs said it was so lifelike when they passed the windows that it inspired the same awe ,her ,majesty's own presence did4 ,after the ladies had duly looked at and commented upon the portrait1 they repaired to one of the halls in connection with my studio1 where a repast had been prepared by the orders of ,her ,majesty4 ,here1 for the first and only time1 while ,i was in the ,palace1 the young ,empress sat down at the table with the foreign ladies1 and acted as hostess1 and very gracefully she filled her rle4 ,after the visit of the ladies of the ,legation1 ,her ,majesty informed me that the ,princes and nobles1 whose rank entitled them to enter the ,palace ,inclosure1 were to come to see it the following day4 ,as it would not have been 8according to the ,proprieties0 for gentlemen to enter the quarters reserved for ladies1 or the buildings where even a foreign lady worked1 the portrait was1 for their visit1 carried out into the open court of my pavilion4 ,to place the portrait in its carved pedestal1 it was necessary to erect a scaffolding by which the framed picture was raised into the air1 and then lowered into its stand4 ,when all was finally arranged1 the scaffolding was removed1 the debris cleared away1 and the ,princes and nobles1 in full dress1 came into the court to see the portrait4 ,each one approached the picture and closely examined it1 even touching the canvas4 ,unfortunately1 ,i could not hear their comments1 as ,i only saw the ceremony discreetly ensconced behind a curtain1 but ,i could watch their faces and study their expressions1 though ,i must confess that they revealed very little4 ,a young ,manchu1 who had been attached to a ,legation abroad and had learned photography in an amateur way1 had been ordered by ,her ,majesty to make a photograph of the portrait4 ,this was done while the ,princes and nobles were still in the court4 ,when it was photographed1 and the ,princes had retired1 the scaffolding was again put up1 the picture was raised out of its carved wood pedestal and was replaced in my studio4 ,all this took the greater part of the day4 ,her ,majesty was so pleased with the comments she heard upon the portrait 7of course no unfavorable ones were made to her71 that she decided to accede to the prayers of several of the high officials1 and allow the ,sacred ,picture to be viewed by a number of other high functionaries4 ,for this purpose1 the portrait was removed to the ,wai-,wu-,pu 7,foreign ,office72 for many of the highest ,officials are not permitted to enter the ,palace ,inclosure4 ,at the ,foreign ,office1 not only the high ,chinese ,officials1 but the foreign ,ministers and their staffs were invited to see it4 ,many of the foreigners went in full dress uniform for this visit1 in deference to ,chinese prejudices4 ,after it had been duly viewed by all in ,peking of sufficient rank to have that honor1 it was inclosed in a satin-lined camphor-wood box1 covered with satin of ,imperial yellow1 and the box was closed with great solemnity4 ,the pedestal was placed in a similar box4 ,each had splendid bronze handles and huge circular locks4 ,these boxes were inclosed in others1 also lined with the ,imperial color1 and were finally ready for shipment4 ,the packing-cases1 containing the framed picture and its carved pedestal1 were placed upon a flat freight car1 which had been elaborately decorated with red and yellow festoons of silk4 ,the boxes were covered with yellow cloth1 painted with the ,double ,dragon4 ,a special railway had been laid from the ,wai-,wu-,pu to the station outside the ,chien-,mn1 for it was not considered fitting that ordinary bearers transport the picture of ,her ,majesty4 ,the ,officials of the ,wai-,wu-,pu1 as well as many other of the high ,officials in ,peking1 dressed in full dress1 accompanied it to the station1 and stood to watch the ,sacred ,picture start off on its long journey to ,st4 ,louis4 ,the special train carrying it was met at ,tientsin by the ,viceroy of the ,province1 surrounded by all his official staff4 ,it was there placed with great ceremony upon the steamer on which it was to make the journey to ,shanghai1 and was accompanied from ,peking to ,shanghai by an official specially appointed for the purpose4 ,at ,shanghai it was received in the same formal state and with the same official pomp as at ,tientsin4 ,it was met at the steamer by the ,governor of the ,province and all his staff and transhipped with great ceremony to one of the ,pacific ,mail ,steamers for ,san ,francisco4 ,the ,sacred ,picture was accompanied on its journey from ,shanghai to ,st4 ,louis by a high ,official and his suite4 ,a special car conveyed it from ,san ,francisco to ,st4 ,louis4 ,his ,imperial ,highness ,prince ,pu ,l'un1 ,imperial ,commissioner and personal representative of ,their ,majesties at the ,exposition of ,st4 ,louis1 awaited the arrival of the portrait there1 delaying his departure for several days in order to be able himself to assist at the reception and placing of the portrait4 ,at four o'clock on the afternoon of the #aith of ,june1 ,his ,imperial ,highness and the ,imperial ,chinese ,commission repaired to the ,art ,gallery1 where the cases containing the portrait and pedestal were awaiting their presence to be opened4 ,the ,director of the ,art ,gallery1 the ,assistant ,director1 and several other members of the ,board of ,fine ,arts1 were also present4 ,the cases containing the portrait1 one within the other1 were opened1 and finally within the last1 lined with yellow silk1 lay the 8,sacred ,picture10 covered with a screen of brocaded satin of ,imperial hue4 ,this satin cover was ceremoniously removed1 and the picture was 8unveiled40 ,the ,prince proposed the health of ,her ,majesty and the ,prosperity of ,china1 which the assistants drank in sparkling champagne4 ,this opening of the cases and unveiling of the picture lasted from four o'clock to nine ,p4,m4 ,a few days later1 when the ,gallery where it was placed was opened to the public1 it lost1 for the first time since its inception1 its semi-sacred qualities4 ,only then did it stand upon its own merits and become as other portraits4 ,then1 for the first time1 it could be seen by the ordinary individual--then only it became the subject of comment as any other picture at the ,fair4 ,then it was open to the gaze of the vulgar and the comment of the scoffer4 ,at the close of the ,exposition1 a delegate was sent from the ,chinese ,legation in ,washington to arrange for the transportation of the picture to the latter place4 ,the portrait and its carved support were again placed in their satin-lined cases1 and it began the journey to ,washington4 ,her ,majesty had decided when the portrait was completed to her satisfaction that it would be a suitable present for her to make to the ,united ,states4 ,she thought this would be particularly appropriate1 as the painting of the portrait for the ,st4 ,louis ,exposition had been thought of by the wife of the ,american ,minister to ,peking1 and as it had been executed by an ,american artist4 ,thus the ,united ,states received the gift of the first portrait ever painted of a ,chinese ,ruler4 ,when the portrait arrived in ,washington1 ,his ,excellency ,sir ,chentung ,liang ,cheng1 the ,chinese ,minister to ,washington1 attended by his ,secretaries1 made a formal presentation of the portrait to the ,president1 which ,mr4 ,roosevelt received on behalf of the ,united ,states ,government4 ,,chapter ,,xxxv ,,return ,,to ,,the ,,summer ,,palace ,sending off the picture to ,st4 ,louis did not sever my connection with the ,palace1 for ,i had still other work to finish6 ,at the end of ,april1 a month later than usual1 the ,court moved out to the ,summer ,palace for the rest of the year4 ,the country was beautiful1 the trees were almost in full leaf1 and lilacs1 blue and white1 bloomed everywhere4 ,my garden in the ,park of the ,palace of the ,emperor's ,father was full of them1 and over my entrance gate clambered a beautiful yellow rose-bush laden with masses of blooms4 ,wild flowers were springing up at every turn1 and my dog 8,me-lah0 in his wild races through the park1 when we were out for our walks1 would often start up coveys of birds2 or rabbits would scurry away at his approach4 ,i went back to my favorite haunts in the park1 to the summer-house1 where upon the threshold1 cut in stone1 lay the plaint of the ,seventh ,prince6 ,it was a delightful change to be in this beautiful spot after the four months in ,peking1 and to see ,nature everywhere budding into perfection4 ,the grounds of the ,summer ,palace were one maze of delight4 ,the peonies in all their royal splendor1 the fragrant lilac1 the stately magnolia1 and the budding elms1 each added their charm to this beautiful spot1 where everything was lovely4 ,i could not wonder at the ,empress ,dowager's desire to come back again to all this beauty4 ,a charming studio was fitted up for me at the ,summer ,palace on our return4 ,her ,majesty saw how much more satisfactory it was for me to have a proper place to work in1 where ,i would be undisturbed1 and even had she not seen the utility of a studio1 ,i think she would have granted my request for one1 for she was always kind and considerate4 ,upper windows of plate-glass were put into the north side of one of ,his ,majesty's ,throne-rooms1 behind the ,imperial loge4 ,it looked over a charming terrace of the garden4 ,the days were long1 and it was a delight to live and breathe1 and the quiet of the studio1 where ,i could work at leisure1 made me resume my work with renewed vigor4 ,i began at once to finish up the small sketch of the ,st4 ,louis portrait1 which ,her ,majesty wished to keep1 and then to put the final touches on the two portraits begun at the ,summer ,palace4 ,the ,throne-room that was now my studio had only one disadvantage4 ,it was so near the ,theater that on theater days ,i could hear the music and the voices of the actors4 ,and on those days1 the court outside my windows was filled all day with eunuchs and ,their ,majesties' attendants1 moving to and fro4 ,i decided if it was necessary for me to go into ,peking at any time1 to take a 8,theater day0 to do so4 ,one ,theater day ,i did go into ,peking1 and on my return to the ,summer ,palace the next day ,i found that ,his ,majesty the ,emperor had taken advantage of my absence to occupy his ,throne-room the day before1 for ,i found his ,theater program1 distinguishable by being written on ,imperial yellow paper1 and he had also left a few papers scattered around with characters and phrases written with the 8,vermilion ,pencil10 which may only be used by ,his ,majesty4 ,on one paper he had evidently been trying to draw a plan of the part of ,manchuria where the war operations were then being carried on4 ,he had also drawn a part of the ,great ,wall of ,china1 and the dividing line between ,china and ,manchuria4 ,so the ,emperor1 notwithstanding his stoical smile1 his apparent unconcern1 was not indifferent to affairs in ,manchuria4 ,he was watching the course of events there1 and he probably worried and grieved as much as even the ,empress ,dowager1 about what might be the result for ,china4 ,he had probably schooled himself to appear indifferent4 ,the ceremonies and festivals at the ,palace had been going on as usual1 but the two central figures of all these functions had their own secret anxieties and cares4 ,the ,emperor was following the campaign in ,manchuria1 and the ,empress ,dowager was probably planning and thinking of the best course for ,china to follow4 ,in ,may1 the ,empress ,dowager had another ,garden ,party for the ladies of the ,legation1 at which she1 as usual1 asked me to assist4 ,when ,i went into the ,audience ,hall for this reception1 a few moments before the ladies were to arrive1 ,her ,majesty1 after greeting me and scanning my toilet1 which was all in gray without any color1 took a pink peony from a vase at hand1 and pinned it on my dress1 saying ,i needed a little color4 ,i had just finished the largest of the other three portraits ,i had painted at the ,summer ,palace1 and ,her ,majesty told me she liked it so much that she had decided to show it to the foreign ladies at this ,garden ,party4 ,as ,i had heard nothing of this plan before leaving my studio that morning1 ,i had made no preparations for it4 ,the picture was on my easel1 unframed1 and ,i told her ,i would prefer it to be placed in its frame1 before it was shown4 ,this frame1 designed also by the ,empress ,dowager1 and made by the ,palace workmen1 was a magnificent piece of work1 elaborately carved and beautiful in form4 ,it was in the natural color of teakwood1 and this quiet tone admirably set off the vivid color of the gown and accessories1 and was a great improvement to the picture4 ,when she heard what were my wishes on the subject1 ,her ,majesty said she would see that the picture was placed in the frame1 and it was arranged that as soon as ,i had finished my luncheon1 ,i would return to the studio and overlook things myself1 and arrange the portrait as ,i wished4 ,the ,audience passed off as usual4 ,immediately after luncheon the ladies were invited to go to the studio to see the portrait4 ,the ,empress ,dowager had evidently forgotten about my wish to go there first1 and as she herself1 contrary to all precedent1 led the way1 followed by the ladies1 ,i could not1 of course1 precede her4 ,i had not thought that she would make such an innovation as to1 herself1 accompany the ladies to the studio4 ,i felt greatly honored1 but ,i feared the eunuchs had not arranged things as they should be1 and knew ,i could do nothing with ,her ,majesty present1 and what was my chagrin on reaching the hall in the wake of the ,empress ,dowager and the ladies1 to find that the portrait1 though placed in the frame as ,i had desired1 was in the center of the narrow hall1 and every window on both sides had been opened to its widest extent1 and the light came in from all sides6 ,i had shut off all the lights of this hall1 except the double windows to the north1 where ,i had the upper glasses put in1 and this is where the picture should have been placed1 but as ,her ,majesty's ,throne always occupies the center of the ,throne-rooms1 the eunuchs evidently thought that was the proper place for her portrait when on exhibition4 ,as the halls are narrow in proportion to their length1 no one could get further off than four feet from this life-size portrait4 ,this1 added to the cross-lights1 was heartrending4 ,i was in despair4 ,her ,majesty's presence prevented my ordering the eunuchs to change the position of the portrait1 and1 besides1 every one had already seen it6 ,the ladies1 who could not do otherwise than express their admiration in the presence of both the ,august ,subject and the artist1 duly praised the portrait4 ,her ,majesty1 who knew how it looked in its proper light1 and who only glanced at it here1 did not realize at what a disadvantage it appeared1 and was perfectly satisfied with the effect4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,portrait ,,of ,,the ,,empress ,,dowager ,,in ,,its ,,frame ,this ,frame is ,made of ,camphor-wood ,carved in the ,palace after the ,empress's own ,designs and under ,her ,direction ,an amusing little incident took place while the ladies were looking at it4 ,the ,empress ,dowager1 in her cursory examination in this light1 noticed a part of the trimming of the gown where the design was not well worked out4 ,she came up to me1 as ,i stood in a group of ladies1 and pointed out the defect4 ,she took my hand in hers1 and said in an almost pleading way1 8,there is a bit of trimming that is not well finished4 ,you will arrange it for me1 will you not1 ,ker-,gunia80 ,she did not believe in leaving anything to the imagination1 and wished every detail fully worked out6 ,this portrait was very successfully photographed1 and ,her ,majesty concluded she liked it much better than the one which had been sent to ,st4 ,louis4 ,she said it would make me 8famous40 ,but when ,i thought of how ,i might have painted this wonderfully interesting woman in the unique setting in which she was placed1 ,i realized that 8it might have been0 are really the 8saddest words of tongue or pen40 ,the precedent having been established1 the idea of a representation of the ,sacred ,person of a ,chinese ,majesty being seen by the world having been accepted1 the painting of ,her ,majesty's first portrait not having been followed by the dire results that the ,chinese had prophesied1 the traditional prejudice was overcome1 and when she saw how quickly the photograph was made of the portrait1 and how satisfactory it was1 she decided she would have the photographer try one of herself1 and she was not one to stop at a single trial4 ,after waiting sixty-eight years to see a counterfeit presentment of herself1 ,i know she will now indulge this new fantasy of hers to its fullest extent1 and perhaps some other artist may at some time paint her according to western ideas1 and represent her attractive personality in its best setting4 ,but there must always be a pioneer1 and he it is who suffers the hardships and makes the way clear for others1 which must be my solace and consolation for not being able to paint her as ,i should have liked4 ,the ,empress ,dowager 8consented0 to have a portrait of herself painted4 ,before ,i finished the first one she told me she wanted 8many10 and suggested my passing the rest of my life out in ,peking4 ,i painted four4 ,who will do the others8 ,i felt ,i could not go on forever painting portraits1 according to ,chinese traditions1 of the ,empress ,dowager4 ,i could not spend my life in this dalliance with ,oriental splendor4 ,the world beyond the ,palace gates called me4 ,i hurried to finish my task4 ,the last portrait was nearing completion4 ,my sojourn at the ,palace was drawing to a close4 ,though ,i longed to be where ,i might paint in a freer way1 ,i looked forward with real regret to leaving the ,palace1 and especially to leaving the ,empress ,dowager and the young ,empress1 for ,i had come to really love them4 ,i found ,her ,majesty by far the most fascinating personality it had ever been my good fortune to study at such close range4 ,the young ,empress was a sweet1 kind nature1 full of dignity and pathos1 for whom ,i prayed there might be greater happiness in store than had yet fallen to her lot4 ,my sojourn at the ,palaces of ,her ,imperial ,majesty the ,empress ,dowager of ,china1 my association with herself and the ,ladies of her ,court1 ,i shall always remember as one of the most charming experiences of my life4 ,,transcribers' ,,notes ,the following changes have been applied to the text3 ,page #cj3 8transcience0 changed to 8transience03 ,it was a plaint on the transience of worldly glory ,page #id3 a period was added to the end of3 reaches a high state of cultivation with them4 ,page #ie3 8pendative0 changed to 8pendentive03 ,the carved wood ceilings were in pendentive designs ,page #abe3 8,macchiavellian0 changed to 8,machiavellian03 no ,machiavellian schemes would be forwarded ,page #bjd3 8pendatives0 changed to 8pendentives03 dome1 with elaborately carved pendentives1 was painted in ,page #bch3 8ge0 changed to 8get03 it was impossible to get any atmosphere in the background ,page #bdg3 8,hierachy0 changed to 8,hierarchy03 the ,priestly ,hierarchy of the whole ,the following markings were added to the plain text to indicate the original text styles3 80 for bold and 80 for italics4 ,in addition1 all small-caps have been replaced with capital letters4 ,all inconsistencies in the hyphenation of words and the spelling of names have been standardized4