New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-17
&" THE SOLITARY MAN"

we shall see them in Brooklyn also.
TIE SOLITARY MAN"
The exclusive Chinese have won great VIC
tory. Ever since tho world began, If wG
NAV credit Chinese historians. there has been
a Celestial Empire, or Middle Kingdom, The
center of the pcOplcd world and seat Of Heaven
on Earth The ruler of this favored Empire
is known a. the Hoang-t or August Sow
crcign. Otherwise. he il the Solitary Man, tle
Son of Heaven or the Sacred Sovereign.
China, aud all that therein is, is his personal
properly lie may give the highest Offices IN
ihe Empire, Ike holiday baublcs, 70 his rt!t-
iiyes and favoritcs His will is absolute. and
ms divine rank gives him precedence before
all princes, pOientItes, and powers whatsoever
When his title IL written N any d0cu-
mcut it must be placed at The top
of the column of characters on the
page. three lines above al! other nIm5o
but that of the Deity. His palace Is the Coles
tial Cont or the Gemmeous Steps. Ills throne
il the Dragons Throne, and 10 see his iace -
10 see the Dragons face, on which no mortal
may look without qlaking and fear. Into this
awful presence certain rash foreigners nave
desired to penetrate Great Britain, France,
Russia, Germany, Austria, and the United
States have united in a demand Shat their
Ministers should have personal audience with
the Son of Heaven. This august prrsOpagc re-
ceives his tribute bearers in IN audience hail,
the upper platform of which IS assembled by
nine steps from the lower part; MP these
steps the venturous mortal WHO comes 10 the
Son of Heaven must ascend with kncelings,
nf no head nm
kneelings, and nine knocklngs of the head al
told This is the kOU-tOw, without which,
never since time began, has the HolnS-ti re-
ccived anybody. 1t is impossible for the
Chinese mind to conceive OF aly other means
Of approach.
When the audience question wis finally
settled and the Chinese Government agreed
that "tbc foreign devils" should give their
credentials to the Emperor in person, there
was an nterminable discussion "a to details.
ginally, the outside barbarian5 were permitted
to enter the Celestial Court, each entrance
being carefully locked behind them AZ they
passed through. A Chinese account of the
reception Is published at Pehin. in the In
perial journal which answers at once AZ an
official gazette and court journal. There is
neither newspaper press nor public Opin-
ion in China. & The Peiin Ga:etts fur
nshes forth the only public information
allowed by the Imperial Government to
disturb the minds of It's subjects. The
Official report of the audience says that when
the twelve foreigners approached the awful
presence, they performed the ceremony Of in
"clinng the body" This euphuism is meant
for Chinese edifcation. The ceremony of the
kou- tow had been waived. The British Min
lister, continues the Chinese report. began to
read out his credentials ut the foot Of the
throne. When he had read few sentences.
"he began to tremble from head to foot and
"was incapable of proceeding The Emperor
"a bldsf young man of twenty-two) reassur-
ingly asked the noble BritOn. Is the Prince
"of your country well n There was no re-
ply, and the Son of Heaven proceeded with
ssperity: "You have besOught permission to
." see me time and time again what Is it you
"have to sayi" But he was again unable to
make answer. The next proceeding, says the
court journal, was to hand in the credentials,
but in doing so the terrified foreigner fell
down on tho ground time after time, and not
a syllable could he artculate Upon this
Prince Premier Kung laughed loud at him
before the entire court. exclaiming, "Chcken
" feather and gave orders to have him as
sisted down the steps. But, says this veracious
chronicle, he was unable to move of his own
accord, and sat down on the floor perspiring
and painting for breath. This was the de-
served abasement of Western barbarian who
had dared attempt to look ON the face Of the
Son of Heaven.
OF the other foreigners present We have not
much account. The Chinese report says that
when the noble Briton fell in heap on the
floor, perspiring and pantin, for breath. the
whole twelve shook their heads and whis-
"pered tOgether-nO one knows what"
Doubtless theirs were words of fear. They
subsequently dispersed in hurried confusion
Prince Kung, Diminishing them, is said to have
addressed them: You would not believe that.
1t is no light matter 10 come, face to face.
with His Majesty, but what have you to say
about il tO-dayi This is what we Chinese
call Chicken feather and it will be- joke
:" for the whole Empire" II 1t is not Joke for
the whole Empir;. i. vii DO through 40 laIt