The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1880-02-20
A CHINESE EMPEROR's LIFE.
studyins with Eight whipping Boys am
Sleeping Watched by Tvventy.fosa
Iamdmaids.

N OANNH0n nun - LIE
studyins with Eight Whipping Boys and
Sleeping Watched by Twenty.four
Ifandmaids.
The sons Of the Manchu enaperors
(hwangtsE) undergo from their tender
est youth a system OF the strictest edit
cation. Rising ~ about three o'clock in
the morning. they first take their lesson
in Chinese literature Under the stiperin-
tendence of the only tutor who has the
title of shih-fu or g master" The tutor
rises from his chair as soon as the i'm
perial pupils enter, and receives from the
latter a courtesy (ta-ch' ienl, which is
then returned in the same form. The
tutor takes the seat of horror and when
the lesson is learned the pupil brings UP
his book, deposits it before his teacher,
and returns to his seat to repeat the task
by heart. If the lesson is not learned,
the tutor requests eunuch in attendance
to bring the ferule (ch'ing PAM, and
makes show of administering oorres-
ton. But each imperial pupil is accom-
panied by eight fellow-students (pwan-
tub), known in the Manchu language as
ha-ha-chu, who study the same books
as their young master. When it be-
comes necessary to admonish the latter
more seriously, the ha-ha-cAu are beaten
with the ferule vicariously; but when
the imperial pupil acquits himself we'll
they are, on the other hand commended
or rewarded. A recalcitraut and OBJ
| stinate prince is as the last resort ac-
tually himself flcgged. though probably
only nominally. by the teacher; or
taken before the emperor, who directs q
eunuch to pinch his cheeks (ch'ih pa
| jou). The late emperor T'ungschih
was frequently tweaked in this way by
one of the expresses.
The. Chinese lesson occupies two
hours; after this come the Manchu and
Mongol lessons in composition, given
| by the teachers who enjoy the less
honorable title of se-fu, and who are
lobliged to meet the pupil at the door
and make the first obeisance. Then
come lessons in various spoken Ian
| in local Chinese dialects. After these
come courses of instruct on in foot and
horse archery (ma-pu-chien). athletics,
| fencing, putting the stone, etc. (kung-
| tau-shih), under the guidance of a class
of instructors called anita. The whole
of the young princes day is taken lid
with mental or physical exercises, and
they retire to rest at very early hour.
At suitable intervals their meals are
weighed ont for them, and on no account
are they allowed to indulge in the pleas
ures of the table. AT the age of fif-
teen they must marry.
The emperor sleeps with eight hand
maids (ch'ang- tsaD sitting upon his bed,
and sixteen others (ta-ying) underneath
the bed, all. of them girls from the i'm
perial household (nei-wu-fu). Their
| function is to keep watch over his ma
jesty, and they are not allowed to sneeze,
cough, spit or utter any sound. The
movements of the emperor after awak.
| ing in the morning are signalized by a
clapping of hands on the part of the
Ileunuch on guard. Once a year-on
New Years day-the emperor and en-
PRESS preside at a grand banquet, the
empress sitting at the emperor's left
hand. This is the only occasion during
the year on which the emperor can see
his wives together and compare their
respective n.erits The empress presents
| articles of food (Ke shih) to the
eunuchs, who receive it from her ma
| .iesty on their knees, and the emperor
performs the same politeness to the
women. The emperor is spoken of and
to as hwang-chang-' majesty by all
but members of the inner banners, who
use the term " chu-tsz "-dominus The
emperor, empress and concubines are
all called by the eunuchs forge or
"chu-tsz," that is, Buddha,n or
"dominus," and the imperial princes
"ye" 1.-THE latter term equivalent to
sire" They are spoken Of as "ako
The three inner gates of the imperial
apartments are never entered, even by
heunuchs. and of men only eunuchs are
allowed to pass the fifth gate, which is
watched by corps of imperial guards
| (shi-wei), who are authorized to strike
the shins of even the highest officer who
may approach without giving the word.
| IF an inmate of the female apartments
| wishes to purchase anything, or to COM
municate with the outer world, she
must send handmade to sound the iron
plate (tien), or the clapper (bang-tsz),
with which the harem is provided, on
which the head eunueh approaches to
inquire who is In want of assistance.
Having learned who calls, he dispatches
the under eunueh specially attached to
this department. who addresses the
handmade and takes her orders, either
verbally or on a slip of paper,
The cabinet ministers (chun-chi) rise
every morning at Q o'clock. present
themselves at court at 8 o'clock A. NJ,
and are then received in audience. Their
meals are served up gratis from the
emperor's pantry, and the whole day is
spent at the palace until o'clock P. NJ.
on" of" days, and until o'clock P. NJ.
on days when there is military business
to discuss. Thus the only time they can
call their own is from, say o'clock P.
NJ. to o'clock A. M. If indisposed, of
course they may obtain leave of absence,
which most frequently is great boon.
The chun-chi never return the calls of
any but the most distinguished pro-
yincial officers, and even then this is
done on the way from the palace. =
Hong Kong (GbtnaJ Daily Press.