, 1872-12-31
AN IMPERIAL WEDDING.
Tho nIarringc of the Emperor OF
TJ.Sr

~ ltb coIne:ttol WILL tic saIo:sy VI
their sovereign. Tncv have accordingly bean
expecting it with in1paticrce FOR some yeas.
though tho happy bridegroom IL now but just
turned Of II. And for as many years hnve tho
looms OF Nankin, Canton, and Hong Chou beon
employed in tue preparation OF 6ilken stuffs for
the trousseau of the Empress. On these vast
sums have been expended, amounting in tho
aggregate to not loss than half q million OF dol
lars. Yet this is but small item III the whole
hill Of expense, which, Including the repair OF
palaccs and 1argesses to the Imperial Guard and
Tartar banners, will foot up. it is said, some tif
teen or twenty millions. The lady in whose
honor all this treasure is layished is person Of
some consideration. Is she tho daughtec. Of
some neighborin5 rotentate, and famed alike
for lor beauty and her birth? Tho son OF Heaven
acknowledged no noighboring potentato; aud as
for rank, no circumstance Of birth can add dig
nifty to one who is an object of tho Imperial
choice. Eut is she hcautiful2 Tho London
Illustrated Ae'rs will give you Eer portrait Blt
ma :e:ials our special artist has Lad to draw
upon,-seeing No likeness Of the lady has ever
been allowed to reach tho public viz: A pop
s,lar rumor which describes her as tall, slender,
with high chec.:-bonea, q straight nose. and eyes
that sparkle as though each had double pupil"
giving her remarkable aspect Of yiyaclty and
Intelligence. To these features it is easy to add
raven hair, black eyes. olive skin, appendipg the
wcl-known bridal gear of Chinese Empress
and the portrait, however quostionabloits origin,
will not be far from correct.
The history of the lady has dash Of romance
not, however, in the way Of courtship, fos lovo-
making and courtship arc unknown in China
but in the yiciasitudes of her family. Her
grandfather, Sai-Shouga, nobleman OF Mougo-
Ian extr 1ction, WAS sent, twenty years ago. to
lead an army against the TAPPING robels, then
just beginning to menace the peace of the EN-
pire. Failing to shut then, up in their mountain
fastnessea, lie WAS degraded. imprisoned, and
all lis property contiscatcd.
In daily expectation Of the sentence Of death,
his only consolation was the companlonship OF
dutiful son, who resigned the Offices he held
under Government to share tho disgrace and the
dungeon OF the fallen General That flial son is
the father Of the Lady Aluts, who, for ten days
past, has been Empress OF China
The old General was roprievod, but his goods
woro not rcstored-his family mansion belnE
now occupied by tho officers Of the Board OF
Foreign Affairs. Tho son, having nothing to
depend on but his own talents, applied himself
to study with redoubled ardor- in the metro
politan competitions he successfully achieved
high honors, until eight yoars age, examined in
tho Palace, in tho presence of Majesty, he won
the first rank among the scholars OF the Empire.
That rank is designated by the unauphonious
term Of Chmongquen-a title that carries with it
more Of eclat than ah the wranglerships ever
conferred by English universities. He is Tar
tar, and the only one Of his race on whom tha.
title was ever bestowed. Possessing d literary
distinction, which is sometimes compared with
the honors OF royalty itself. he is now q Duke Of
In8 Gu1pi[6+ nuQ LIS uG5EtulAUtS ATH, LII
all probability, destined to occupy tho
Dragon Throne. Chinese ladies have in general
but little education, but tho daughter Of such
man would not be allowed to grow up in igno-
rance. and it is to her nttaInments in letters, no
less than her beauty, that the Lady Aluta owes
her elevation.
Three other ladies wero married at the same
time-not to different husbands, but to the En-
peror himself. Each receives IN honorable title,
and the selection Of each Was announced By
81 ffn@ ef,11Y {E1oF Fycf 1a-
technent of small army OF ny1nphs, all follow
ing in the train of the Empress, subject to her
sway, and immeasura5lY inferior in position: OF
the Empress the moon iB q fayorite symbol, as
the sun is of her Imperial consort-the one
shining pre-enlinent in the midst OF ten thousand
LESSER lights, while the other walks in solitary
splendor-symbols which understood to en-
body political as well as social principle.
For some months the Empress elect, accom-
panied by the ladies above mentioned has beer
occupying temporary palace, where she and
they have been taking lessons in their future
duties. And about that building, in my view,
centres the chief interest Of this grand occasion.
It was there that on tho 18th inst. she received
from the hands of special ambassador the gol-
den seal which made her Empress, in fact, as
she had before been in name; and it was there
that she saw her father for the last time, ho
kneellng by the doorstep, as sho rode away IN
her magnificent palnnquln.
The complex and tedious ceremonial Of that
day would weary your roaderB as it certainly
wearied those who had to go through with it.
But there arc few points that are worth
noticing. Among the people it is customary for
the bridegroom to proceed in person to the
house of the bride, for the purpose Of bringing
laor homo. This duty tho Emperor performed
by proxy. A golden tablet, inscribed with Tho
decree, or patent Of appointment, and golden
seal intended for the Empress were placed o., d.
table surrounded by cloud Of incense. Tho
socl weighs about forty pounds aToirdupois, AMI
if all the wiGes wero 'sealcd, to use tho cou.-
would find his po1ygamy expensive indul-
gonce.
His Majesty. advancing to tho table, inspe cts
the insignia OF the dignity which he is about to
confer on his chosen consort. He seats himself
| on throne, and two ambassadors kneel before
| him, while herald proclaims with loud voice.
! "Bp command Of tho Empress Dowayer, and
| the Empress mother, His Majesty has boen
| pleased to select for Empress the Lady Au:a,
! daughter of Chungehi, doctor Of tho Imperial
| Academy. You high officers arc commissioned
| to perform tue rites OF her inycstturc." There
| upon tho Grand Chancellor places in their hands
| tho badge Of office, When they take up tho seal
nn:1 tablet and proceed to tue house OF the I'M
t rial bride.
| The father and brothers knee}ing at the cato
| welcome the ambassadors; aud the lady her
| sell receives on Bonded knees the insignia Of
| her new rank. She then dons her robe Of State,
and, ascending her vehicle, Is borne away in the
midst Of IN immense retlnue Of mobiles and Man
| darins. It was near midnight when the process
sion entered tho II forbidden city, and yur cor
respondent did not wait to see It pass; but ho
had an opportunity Of seeing the aano process
sion going through kind Of rehearsal or drill a
| day or two before.
| Arri:ea at tho Central Palace, the Emperor,
attended by the officers of his household, waited
on his bride, and the Imperial pair plolsol
each other in cups connected by chain Of gold
"A beautiful aud significant rite, intimating
| that their dcstinies were leuceforward to be ono
/ and inseparablo. This was after midnight, and
consequently on the morning Of the 10th. The
testivitics Of the ensuing days I need no!
describe--tho men and women always in separate
halls, and usually at different hours, an arrange
| ment which must make court life in China in
| eutferably dull The most important incidents
are public homage rendered BY tho Empress to
her Imperial lord her formal introduction
| to the dowagers, they sitting in State,
| and she kneeing three times and making
six curtsies; public congratulations of the
| Princes and magnates; 81 visit OF the Empress
and coneubines to the dowaGors q visit of the
Empress and concubines to the Emperor; q
| feast to tho father. and feast to the mother
OF tho Empress; the proclamation Of decree
comforting special graces on sundry classes; the
whole concluding by His Majesty visiting the
various temples at which he is accustomed te
pay his devotions and announcing to his ances
tors the consummation of an event which has
for its object The perpetuation Of their lineage
i 49, H.