The Hawaiian gazette., 1873-02-19

hauceo ty irs connection with the majority Of
.he- sovereign They have accordingly been ex-
PEG i1- j. with Innatenge for some years. though
-aa happy Bridegroom Is nov bat Just turned Of
-. And Tor as many years have the looms Of
Naaki1. Canton and Hong Chou been employed
lr ths p-sparaii1n u s'ken stuffs Tor the trous-
sa1u ol the Empress On these vast sums have
been expended. amounting iu the aggregate TO
-cs isss thar halr million Of dollars. Yet this
iz oul small item 10 the whole bill OF expense
vt.st including The repair Of palaces and largess
90 ihe Imperial Guard and Tartar banners, will
io1i ~ q is sld some fifteen or twenty millions.
Tls iaiy 10 whose honor al this treasure is Law
ists5 is . person OF some consideration. Is she
-he daa-tier Of some nechbOring poieniaie and
iams5 alike r5r bsr beauty aud her birth ? The
H1n g Heaven acknoEledges no neighboring po-
te1t1ie and as Or rank. DO circumstance Of birth
-z1 add dirul-v 20 one who is an object Of the
Imperial choice. b; Is she beautiful? The
Ilai11 IEasrasi As,ss vii give you her por-
Ran B1t BE- assured il Is a fancy sketch. Here
are iae materials -our artist has had to draw
urar -sssur % Likeness OF the lady has ever
been allowed 70 reach the public VIZ A popular
-uu1r winch describes her as tall, slender, with
h,rl cheek bones. straight nose. aud eyes that
sF--kis as -h1ugh each had double pupil. giving
hs- remarkable aspect Of viracIiy aud intelli-
esacs. 10 these features ii Is easy to add raven
ha- black evss. olive skin. appending the we'll
Eu5Eu b-ida. gear Of 8 Chinese Empress. and the
1a--raIt however questionable Its origin, viii not
ts ll- from correct.
The history o. the lady has dash Of romance
-11.. however. 10 the way Of courtship. for love
making and c1urtstlp are unkuown in China
bai ir ths s5issit toaes OF her family. Her grand .
il-hs- Sai-S1ouea. nobiemau OF Mongolian ex
tr-ctior. Eas seul twenty years ago. 10 lead an
army against the Taip.ng rebels. then Just begin.
rilr 80 menace the peace OF the Empire. Failing
f1 stuI then % 10 lbslr mountain Businesses. he 4
vas degraded, imprisoned. and all his property
1f-1ate5
Iu daily expectation OF the sentence Of death. (
i5s only consolation was 10 the oompanionship Of .
81 I'd. 'u s5u. who resigned the Offices be held
urlsr tilEe-.. .uert % share the disgrace and the
51-rs11 % tae Eleu General. That flial son is
taa ia-bar o[ the Lady Aluta. who for ten days
ras- las been Empress Of China
I1hs ola Gsnerl was reprieved. but his goods
Es-s u1t resiored-his family mansion being now
occupied By The Board Of Foreign Afalrs. The
son huriur nothing 10 depend upon but his own
-ssuis applied mseT 10 study with redoubled
l-l-. De- ihs metropolitan competitions be sue
esz=vsg achieved hi-h honors, until eight years
l-r gEaui1e5 % The Palace, in the presence Of
E.izs-T. b. u11 tbe frst rank among the scholars
d. -hs Empire That rank is designated by the
uusl-- -luI1us tern OF ChmongQuen-a title that
c--7ss Ei1h Is more Of eclr than al the wraager-
zlirs ever conferred by English universities He
isa Tartar and the only one Of bis race on whom
-H-. aide vas ersr bestowed. Possessing a lite
-l-g distinction uhich is sometimes compared
r-t ihs hou1rs o[ royalty Itself. be Is nov Duke
af tbs Emrre. and bis descendants are. in all
lalllly. destined 10 occupy the Dragon
Throne Chinese ladies have 10 general but little
aia-;i1r. b1i tie daughter Of such man would
u1- be allowed 3 grow up in ignorance, and it is
f1 ta- litarmeuis 90 letters. no less than 10 her
lo1uty- tlat The LADY Aluia owes her elevation.
Th-ee atier aides were married at the same
t--ne-noi 30 different husbands but 10 the En-
rs-a- himself Each receives an honorable title,
ard rhs selection Of each was announced BY
sel decree. sun. they are only the first de-
tlli--lsui 1I small army Of nymphs an following
De- lis irsr of tie Empress, subject to her sway
ana ia-meas-rably inferior in position. OF the
ll--z-sss the moon is a favo-7te symbol. as the
sun IS oT her Imperial consor-the one shining
pre- eminent "a tie uidsi Of Ten thousand lesser
.-t,z Ehile the other walks in solitary splendOr
symbols winch are understood to embody DO.
.1s-a' as ueL as a social principle
For sume mourhs the Empress elect. accompa-
-s5 t5 Tire ladies above mentioned, has been oc-
-z---1r ielpo-s-r palace, where she aud they
-rs been taking lessons in their future duties.
And aa5st ihai building in NY view. centres the
-hilT iuts-est OF this grand occasion. 1t was
ts-s thai or the I5ih inst she received from {
hs bands oi a s7soial ambassador the golden seal
zllat ua5e her Empress in fact, as she had be- I
1-s hce1 ln name; and II was there that she saw
-- ia;hsr io- the last tine, be kneeling BY the
i11- az she rode away in her magnificent palan-
-ul-
TIE complex and tedious ceremonial Of that
i-y uoul6 Eeary your readers, as 1t certainly did
hass sh0 bad o 60 through with it. But there
ne few points worth noticing Among the @
'=lre it is customary for the bridegroom to pro-
=ed 10 person h the house Of the BRIDE, for the J
u-fflss q bringing her home. This duly the O
-F,s-0r performed by proxy. A golden tablet, c
-surbei Eith The decree or patent Of appoint a
laai- and a golden seal intended for the En- 4
-ess- were placed on s table surrounded by s
io1s Of incsnse. The seal weighs about forty $,
sands ur0irduP5is and if all The wives were D
ss1isd." 70 use the common phrase, as the En-
-ezs is, The Emperor would find bis polygamy an
zT,ausire Indulgence L
He Majesty, advancing to the table inspects C
be insignia q tie dignity which be is about to A
0rtisr on his chosen consort. He seats himself E
@ a throne and tWo ambassadors kneel before Ia
i'u- Ehiie herald rroclaims with loud voice, fe
iE comuand O. the Empress Dorager. and the in
Impress mother Bis Majesty has been pleased Of