Connecticut western news., 1873-07-25
The KOO.tOO.

The performance of the koo-too O.
 kow-tow, degrading ceremonial s1
 being formally presented to the Elm
 peror of China, has been 8 fertile source
 of discord, few ambassadors from any
 European court being willing to submi
 to so very odious an act of abasement
 Lord Mccartney, in 1793, condescendec
 to go through the ceremony in 8 per
 functory way, which was accepted as
 sufficient. Lord Amherst, however, 1T
 1916, declined to do even so much, anC
 it is doubtful if any English Ambassa
 dor will ever again be expected to per
 form the koo-too in proper style. Any
 one wishing to know what the ceremony
 really is, may satisfy his curiosity by
 perusing the account given of the re-
 ception of an ambassador from the Cza1
 Peter of Russia, in 1719, the writer
 being John Bell, of Autremoney, a
 Scottish gentleman attached to the
 Russian Court: con the day." says
 this amusing chronicler, appointed for the public audience of the Emperor, horses were brought to our lodgings for the Ambassador and his retinue the Emperor being then at country house, called Tzanshuyang, about six miles westward from Pekin: We mounted at s 1n the morning, and about 10 arrived at court, where we alighted at the gate, which was guarded by 8 strong party of soldiers. The commanding officers conducted us into large room, where we drank tea, and stayed about half an hour till the Emperor was ready to re- ce1ve us. We then entered a spacious court, 1nclosed with high brick walls, and regularly planted with several rows ot forest trees, about eight inches in diameter, which took to be lines.
 The walks are spread with small gravel and the great walk is terminated by the hall of audience, behind which are the emperor's private apartments. On each side of the great walk are f1ower-pots and canals. As we advanced, we found all the ministers of state, and officers belonging to the court, seated upon fur cushions, cross-legged, before the hall, In the open air among these, places were appointed for the ambassa- dor and his retinue and in this situa- tlon we remained, in a cold, frosty morning, till the emperor came into the hall. During this interval, there were only two or three servants in the hall, and not the least noise was heard from any quarter. The entry to the hall is by seven marble steps, the whole length of the building. The floor is finely paved with a neat checker work of white and black marble. The edifce is quite open to the south and the roof SUD- ported by TOW of handsome wooden pillars, octangular, and finely polished; before which is hung large canvas, as a shelter from the heat of the sun or in- clemencies of the weather.
 After we had waited about quarter of an hour, the Emperor entered the hall at the back door, and seated him. self upon the throne, upon which all the company stood. The master of the ceremonies now desired the ambassador, who was at some distance from the rest, to walk into the hall, and conducted h1m by one hand, while he held his credentials in the other.
 Having ascended the steps, the letter was laid on table placed for that pur- pose, as had been previously agreed but the Emperor beckoned to the am- bassador, and directed him to approach, which he no sooner perceived than he took up the credentials, and attended by Alloy, walked up to the throne, and, laid them before the Emperor. who touched them with hrs hand, and inquired after his Czarish maiesty's health. He then told the ambassador that the love and friendship he enter tained for his majesty were such that he even dispensed with an established custom of the empire in receiving this letter.
 During this part of the ceremony, which was not long, the retinue contin- ued standing without the hall, and we imagined, the letter being delivered, ali Was over. But the master of the brought back the ambassa- dor, and then ordered all the company to kneel and make obeisance nine times to the Emperor. At every third time we stood up and kneeled again. Great pains were taken to avoid this piece of homage, but without success. The master of the ceremonies stood by and delivered his orders in the Tartar lan- guage, by pronouncing the words Morgate and boss :; the first meaning to bow, and the other to stand two words | which I cannot soon forget. ."-Chana- 5ers's Journal.