The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-08-03
RICHMOND, WAYNE CO., md. AUG. 3,
From the Nevada Gazette.
Tho Historical Tribunal Of China.

Tho Historical Tribunal of China.
The Tribunal Of History Of the Chi
nese Empire is unquestionably the old
est literary institution extant. It has
been in existence some 4,500 years,
having been founded by the Emperor
Hoang>Ti 1857 years before the birth
of Christ. 1t was founded for the pur-
pose of preserving an accurate and reli-
able history Of the Empire, and it is
worthy of remark that the decree or
ganizing the institution refers to the 'an-
cient history Of the country as being
made up Of traditions, and unreliable.-
Father de Mailla, who lived As years in
China, at the Court of Kang-Hi, trans
lated into French the Great Chinese an>
nails. The work, which comprises 12
large quarto volumes, contains nearly
all that is known by the western nations
of the history, institutions, arts and sci
ences of the Chinese. In the preface to
the history, Father de Mailla gives q
sketch of the Tribunal of History, and
cites the writings of contemporary Chi>
nese writer's to prove the accuracy and
fidelity OF the annals.
The Tribunal is composed of mem
bers, who are selected from among the
most distinguished scholars of the EN-
pire.~hold their positions for life, and
are entirely Independent Of contempora-
ry authorities. Each member of the
Tribunal is required to write on sheets
of paper an account of all the important
events as they transpire, which are pla-
ced in bureau or chest containing the
Imperial seal, and so constructed that
the sheets cannot be withdrawn except
by breaking the seals. No person, not
even the Emperor, is allowed to read
the events recorded in his own time !;
but when a change of dynasty occurs
the seals are broken and the annals are
open to the public. A commission is
then appointed to collate from the an
nails kept by the several members of the
Tribunal an epitome of the preceding
dynasty. The history of twenty seven
dynasties which have fiourished since
| the time of Hoang-Ti, has thus been
written out, and is preserved in the
archives of the Tribunal. The follow
| ing anecdote, extracted from the great
Chinese annals, will convey an idea Of
| the manner in which the members of the
Tribunal regard their duties: We trans
late from the French of Father de Mail.
| la -
Tai-Tsoung, Emperor of the Tang
dynasty. 627 years after Christ, deman-
ded of Tchou-Soui Leang, the President
of the Historical Tribunal, permission
to examine the m emoirs of his reign.
'Prince,' responded the President,
the historians of the Tribunal record
the good and bad actions Of Princes,
their praiseworthy and reprehensibfe
words, and all the good and bad done
in each reign. We are exact and ire
proachable on this point, and not one
of us would dare do otherwise: This
impartial severity is an essential attri-
butte to history, and it thus serves as q
check on Princes and noble to deter
them from committing acts of injustice.
To this day, so far as I know, an En-
peror has never been permitted to read
the history Of his own reign
What! said the Emperor, if should
do nothing good, or if should commit
a bad action, would you. Tchou-Soui-
Leang, record that also p
prince, shonld be much grieved,
but holding the important position OF
the President of the Historical Tribunal
of the Empire, should not dare to fail
in my duty.
| Lieon-Ki. one Of the members of the
Tribunal, who was present at the con-
versation, added:
'Tchcu-S Soul Leang, although he is
President of this Tribunal, would not
| J. We the power to substitute falsehood
for truth. His colleagues would not fail
to record the prevarication of their
chief
Still more added the President, 'the
demands Of your Majesty, and the con
versation have just had with you, will
be accurately recorded III the memoirs.
Once more there is a project on foot
in England for bringing about reform
a-on:-~ cd IS %bo