The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-08-09
So PER ANNUM
Chinese Ceremony.

The performance of the koo-too or kow.
tow, a degrading ceremonial ON being
formally presented to the Emperor oi
China, has been fertile source Of discord
few ambassadors from any European court
being willing to submit to 50 very odious
an act Of abasement. Lord Macartney. in
1893, condescended to 20 through The
ceremony in perfunctory way, which
was accepted sufficient. Lord Amherst
however, in 1916, declined to do even so
much, and 1t is doubtful if any English
Ambassador will ever again be expected
to perform the koo-too in proper STYLE,
Any one wishing to know what the cere.
mony really Is, may satisfy his curiosity by
pefusing the account given Of the recep-
tion Of an ambassador from the Car Peter
Of Russia, in l719, tho writer being John
Bell, Of Autremoney, Scottish gentleman
attached to the Russian Court SON the
day. says this amusing chronicler, zap.
pointed for the public audience Of the
Emperor, horses were brought to our
lodgings for the Ambassador and his
retinue; the Emperor being then at a
country house, called Tzanshuyang, about
six miles westward from Pekin. We
mounted at s in the morning, and about
10 arrived at court, where we alighted at
the gate, which was guarded by strong
party Of soldiers. The commanding Off.
GERS conducted us into large room, where
We drank tea, and stayed about half an
hour till the Emperor was ready to receive
us. We then entered spacious court
inclosed with high brick walls, and
regularly planted with several rows Of
forest trees, about eight inches in diane.
ter, 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 Aower-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 ambassador and his retinue; and in
this situation 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
neat checker-work Of white and black
marble. The edifce is quite open to the
south; and the roof supported by row Of
handsome wooden pillars, octangular, and
finely polished; before which is hung a
large canvas, as shelter from the heat of
the sun or inclemencies of the weather
After we had waited about quarter of
an hour, the Emperor entered the hall at
the back-door, and seated himself 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 him by one hand while he held
his credentials in the other.
Having assembled the steps, the letter
was laid on table placed for that pur-
pose, as had been previously agreed; but
the Emperor beckoned to the ambassador,
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, kneeling, laid them
before the Emperor, who touched them
with his hand, and inquired after his
Czarish majesty's health. He then told
the ambassador that the love and friend.
ship he entertained for his majesty were
such that he even dispensed with an es-
tablished custom of the empire in reeeiy-
ing this letter.
During this part Of the ceremony, which
was not long, the retinue continued stand
ing without the hall, and we imagined, the
letter being delivered, all was over. But
the master Of the,,ceremonies brought back
the ambassador, 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 language,
by pronouncing the words Morgue and
boss; the first meaning to bow, and the
other to stand two words which / cannot
soon forget. = Chambers Journal.