The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-27

THE SUCCESSOR TO THE THRONE.
bis successor to the throne is prince nve
years Of age. There had been no disorder.
According to the Pau Mall Gazettes informa.
ton 1t Is not certain who will succeed the de.
ceased Emperor
sKErCH OF THE DECEASED MoNAncH-m
DYNASTY AND REIGN.
The death Of the Emperor OF China Is an event
fraught with more real Importance than the de-
mise OF any other Eastern potentats, not except
ing the Shah of Persia. All the real progress OF
the Empire was made during his reign, and had
his life been spared 1t Is probable that he would
have become the most illustrous sovereign OF his
dynasty. For long time his health was In
. critical state, and it is now announced that
he died in the imperial palace at Pekin on
the 18th OF the present month, January,
1875. The young Emperor, Brother OF the Sun,
thus early transplanted from his Celestial Empire.
was born April 81, 1856 He was the eldest son OF
the deceased Emperor, Hieng- Fung, and was
called Prince Tsasung during MS 1athers lifetime;
but upon his accession to the throne, August 20,
1851, he took the name of Tonng-Tchi. He ranked
as the eighth in the dynasty OF Ta-tsing.
During his minority the affairs of the Empire
were administered nominally by the two EN-
presses-the Empress Dowager and the Empress
Mother-but in reality by Prince Kung. the EN-.
peror's uncle. These ladies were respectively
known as the Empress OF the East and the En-
press OF the West, tine former being described as
quiet and amable, ana leading retired lie,
while the latter was said 10 be 'rather ast." The
Empress Mother was always fond OF company, and
NOT only extravagant in her habits but of an un-
governable temper. story is told OF her that at
the Emperors marriage she lost her self.control
In her case was certainly "a Chinese diversion.
The Emperor came OF age, or rather assumed the
imperial control, February 90, 1878. Previous to
that time the imperial ladies Tsz-au ana Tsz-hai
BAT behind the Emperor on all state occasions,
being concealed by o curtain, but so placed as to
hear anything that was said. When q decision
had been arrived at all that was necessary Tor the
Emperor to do was to sign accordingly with the
"vermlon pencil" The two great events In the
the imperial control were mis- marriage and his first
appearance in the Temple OF Heaven. The former
event occurred 90 the 10th OF October and the lat
ter on the 2lst OF December, 1872.
The Emperor had really very little voice In the
choice OF the Empress or the selection OF the i'm
peria harem. The Prince Kung assisted in that
delicate piece OF StatecraIt, out the Expresses
Regent were the most active agents in seeing that
the young man well married. They not only
ordered The bridal gifts. but chose me bride, and
the Emperor took so little interest IN the AFFAIR
But when he heard that the Sister OF tho Moon
was in the recesses OF the palace, where she was
being received at the door OF the yellow chair in
which she had been carried previously to stepping
into the little golden saddle III which she was to
enter the dwelling oil her future husband, tho
Brother OF the sun arose and hurredly said MS
prayers before taxing her to his arms. The
young Empress Alnte came OF somewhat
junior officer IN the Hanlin College, and was the
first graduate at the trtennial examination for the
degree IN 1862 He IS Inc SON OF sails ais
last reign, VINO lost the favor OF the Emperor by
his failure 10 suppress the Tapping rebellion III
1923, on which account ne Was degraded and re-
tired into private itle most OF MS property being
appropriated by the government IN 1861: In the
lost his estates, her grandfather on the maternal
SIDE Irlanhua, Prince OF Cheng, whose party was
broken up by Prince Kung as hostile to the ruling
dynasty saved his head through the "mitgated
penalty" OF suicide. Alute is two years older than
was her husband, ana is woman OF genuine &C.
compartments. Not only IL she able TO read and
write her own language, but she Is proficient in
Chinese literature. qualification winch caused
that are told OF her, 1t is sad that one
morning shortly after ner, marriage sne
to the Empcror-naking quotations from
books-who was z, eatiy pleased at the beauty OF
the characi tiers she formed. While they were thus
engaged an Official announced breakfast. Turn
ing indignantly upon hun she asked II she was to
be interrupted In the high Delights OF literature
by such commonplace affair as eating and drink
ing. There IS another story told OF the Empress.
which seems TO be quite In keeping with her
golden tablet and seal-arrived, declaring her to
Be Empress. 1t the duty OF all her relatives
to ko-tow TO her IN taat rank. Wnen her father
performs this ceremony It would be in Keeping
with the customs oil the country Ior her 10 let hin
of easily-that Is, she should Affect not to wish
Bucn manifestation from her lather, and ought
to have attempted o lift nun up wuiie PROSTATE
on the ground before her. she showed no ten.
denotes OF this KIND; hut, on the contrary, she
was every inch Empress. rather by her man.
ner and action demanding instead OF prohibiting,
tne ObeSlnce OF all her relatives. Still, when we
remember that an aunt OF the Empress was made
one o. the Inferior wives OF the imperial harem at
the same time that she was raised to the highest
position woman can attain III emma we are i'm
pressed with the Idea that It 49, alter all, q poor
dignity 10 become the sister OF tie Moon. even
though sne has obtained the Brother oil the sun
Tor spouse
The other ceremony In which the young En-
perOr onlciated Tor the first time soon alter his
marriage and just before he assumed control OF
the Empire is ,he most important religious OBJ
servancc OF the Chinese year. There are num-
Der OF great imperial temples in Pe4in-ihe Tenn
pie OF Heaven. the Temple OF the Earth, the Tenn
pie OF Agriculture, ana the affairs oil the sun and
moon. The ceremony at the Temple OF Agricul-
ture takes place IN the spring, when the Emperor
ploughs piece OF ground ana sows 1t with one or
the Temple OF the Earth takes place at the sum.
mer solstlce and that az the Temple OF Heaven at
affairs AT the south altar only the great yearly
solsutial ceremony takes place. In character 1t IL
penitenta and sacrlhcial The Emperor goes to
the place The night before in carriage Drawn BY
elephants, which are kept Tor this purpose and
remains in the "Hal for Penltental Fast
ing'' Till near morning. Before dawn
he passes over 10 tne great south
altar, where bullock Is sacrificed and
the Emperor eats the Flesh OF Happiness at
this temple he wOrship5 Shang-tl, tue supreme
Lord OF Heaven and the tablets OF his ancestors,
tie former emperors oil tao present dynasty.
There now eight OF them and their affairs are
placed eacn side and III 'front.' OF the altar to the
Lord OF Heave1. 1t Will thus be seen that dead
emperor Is second only TO the supreme Ruler.
Tue assumption Is that the Emperor OF emma and
the Deity manage the alairs OF the universe IN
partnership the living Emperor being the active
partner, and the dead emperors the sleeping
members OF the firm on the one side ana the
Snang-ti the other. The young Emperor OF
Chiua, only sixteen years old when he was first
associated with the Supreme Ruler and his dead
ancestors, by means OF this ceremony was only
twice allowed to repeat the worship III the Temple
Of Heaven before he, too became one OF the silent
gods OF the 1a-islng dynasty.
During his short reign Toung Tchi instituted
many reforms. The polcy so vigorously Ocgun by
Prince kung during the Emperors minority was
pursued tl tEc enc OF his reign. More LIBERAL
ttcaties-the result OF Mr. DurlIngame's mission
In lS6S--have been made ana maintained with the
European Powers, with the United States and
Peru. Many Young men ana even young ladies OF
thar RIM In w tn futa a nd