The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-03
A CELESTIAL WEDDING.
IN EVENT WITHOUIAP PARALLEL FOR
TITO CENTURIES.

ANETRNT WITHOUIA PARALLEL Fol-
TWO CENTURIES.
Tho Emperor Elect OF China Takes
Unto Himself Several Wives Pen
Picture and History OF the Principal
Spouses-Details OF the Ceremonial
and tho Bridal Presents--Prepara.
tions for tho Formal Assumption OF
Pewer-ProclamatHon OF the Empress
DowaEer, &c.
From Pekin Letter, october Isl
A marriage is always interesting, especially
when an emperor Is the bridegroom. Coupled
.pith this last condition, the event seldom oc-
curs. Those of the exile of Chiselhurst and
Francis Joseph of Austria are the only impe-
rial marriages that have occurred in Eu.ope
within my recollection. Watving mere dis
tinctIon of terms, and including the mar
rsages of reigning sovereigns, the number is
somewhat increased, but in China 1t Is 80 rare
th,t 1t has not occurred before for more than
two hundred years.
-. q @ THE BRIDES.
In the eyes of the people the interest of the
occasion has been greatly enhanced by Its
connection with the majority of their SOW
ereign. They have accordingly been expect
ING Il with impatience for some years, though
the happy bridegroom Is now but Just turned
of seventeen. And for as many years nave
the looms OF Nsnkin, Canton and Hong Chou
been employed in the preparation OF silken
stuffs for the trousseau Of the Empress. on
these vast sums have been expended, amount
Ing in the aggregate to not less tnan aan s,,,
Item In the whole bill of expense. which, In
Guiding the repair OF palaces and largesses TO
the imperial guard and Tartar banners, will
foo. mn. II ia said, some fifteen or twenty mil
lions. The lady In whose honor all this treas
ure Is layished is q person OF some censldeIa-
tlon. Is she the daughter OF some neignoor.
ing potentate, and famed alike for her oeauty
and her birth, The son of heaven aeknoWl-
edges no neighboripg potentate; and as Tor
rar1k. no circumstance OF birth can add dignity
to one who is an object of the imperial choice.
But ia she beautiful! The London illustrated
News will give you her portrait. But be es.
sured 1t Is q fancy sketch. Here are tne
materials stour special artist" las had 10
draw upon-seelng no likeness OF the lady mas
ever been allowed to reach the public, VIZ: a
SSnnlar rumor which describes her as tall,
slender. with high cheeA-bones, straight
nose, and eyes that sparkle las though each
had a double pupil" giving her remarkable
aspect of vivacity and Intelligence. 10 tness
features It is easy TO add raven nalr, olack
eyes, olive skin, append!cg the well known
bridal gear OF q Chinese Empress: ana the
portrait, however questionable Its origin,
will not be far from correct. The history OF
the lady hasaa dash Of remance-hot, how
ever, In the way of courtship, for love-ma-
King and courtsbip are unknown In China
buf 10 the vlcissitudes of her family. Her
grandfather, Sai Shonga, a nobleman OF Mon
goIlan extraction, was sent. twenty years
ago, to lead an army against the Iaipihg
rsbels, then Just beginning to menace the
,N,ace of the Empire. Failing to shut them
up in their mountain fastnesses, he was de.
graded, imprisoned and all his property con-
fiscsted. 10 daily expectation OF the sentence
of death, his only consolation was the com
pan.onship OF dutiful son, who resigned the
ONCE she held under government to share the
disgrace and the. dungeon OF the fallen
general. That flial son is the father OF tne
fady Aluta, who for ten days past has been
Empress of China. The old general was re-
prieyed. but his goods were not restored, ns
family mansion being Row' occupied by the
oficers of the Board Of Foreign AfairsSeI
son, having nothing to depend on out his
own talents, applied himself &c STUDY with re-
doubled ardor. In the metropolitan compett-
tIons he successiyely achieved high honors,
until eight years ago, examined in the Palace
In the presence of majesty, he Won the nrst
rank among the scholars Of tne Empire. Thac
rank 10 designated by the uneuphonious term
of fChmongquen-a title that carries win IL
more Of ecldt than all the WranVlefshlps ever
conferred BY English universities. He Is
Tartar. and the only one Of lis race on whom
that title was ever bestowed. Possessing q
literary distinction which Is sometimes COM
pared with the honors of royslty Itself, ne Is
now duke of the Empire, and his descend
ants are In all probability destined 10 occupy
She Dragon Throne Chinese ladies' have ID
general but little education, but The daughter
OF such man would not be allowed 10 grow
up In ignorance, AID It is TO her asaihmens haan,u
in letters, no less than her beauty,
that the lady Aluta owes her eleva-
tIon. Three other ladies' were mar
rled at the same ume-not 10 dl1er-
ent Husbands, but, to the Emperor himself.
Each receives an honorable title, and the
selection ofSeach was announced Dy speclai
decree. Sill, they are only the first detacn-
ment of small army of nymphs, al iolioWlDg
in the train OF the Empress, subject TO her
away. and immeasurably inferior In position.
OF the Empress the moon is q isvorite SYMBOL,
as The sun Is of her imperial consort-the one
shining pre-eminens In the midst OF ten thou-
sand lesser lights, o viii the other walks IN
solitary NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which are under
stood to embody a political as well as a soclal
principle. For some months the Empress
elect, accompanied by the ladies above men,
toned, has been occupying a temporary
palace, where she and they have been laking
lessons in their future duties. And above
that building, In my view, centres the chiel
interest of this grand occasion. 1t was there
that ON the 18th instant she received from the
hands of a special ambassador the golden seal
which made her Empress In tact. as she had
before been In name; and 1t was there that
she saw her father ior the last time. he
kneeling by the doorstep, as she rode away
In her magnificent palanquin.
TIE CEREMONIES.
The complex and tedious ceremonial of that
day would weary your readers, as 1t certainly
y7earIed those who had to go through Win IL.
But there are q few points that are worth no.
ticing Among the people Il Is customary iOe
house of the bride, Tor the purpose OF bringing
her home. This duty the Emperor performed
by proxy. A golden tablet, inscribed with
the decree, or patent of appointment, and
golden seal intended for the Empress. were
5laced on q table surrounded by g cloud OF IN
cense. The seal weighs about forty POUNDS
ayoirdupois, and If all the wives were "seal-
(ed,n to use the common phrase. as the En-
press is, the Emperor would hnd hls polygamy
an expensive Indulgence. His Majesty, ad.
yspclng to the table, iIspects the insignia OF
the dignity which he is about to confer on his
chossS consort He seats himself on throne,
and two ambassadors kneel before him, while
a herald proclaims with loud voice, "By
command OF the Empress Dowager, and the
Rmpress Mother, his Majesty has been
pleased to select for Empress the Lady
Aluta, daughter OF Chungehi,. doctor
of the Imperial Academy. You, high ofncers,
are commissioned to perform the rites OF her