St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1880-02-28
A Chinese Emperor's Life.

the sons of the Chinese Emperors, and
of the domestic arrangements OF the
royal family.
tsThc sons of the Manchu Emperors
(hwang-tsz) undergo from their tender
est youth a system of the strictest edu-
cation. Rising at about O'Clock in the
morning, they first take their lesson in
Chinese literature, under the superin-
tendence of the only tutor who has the
title of shin flu or master The tutor
rises from his chair as soon as the i'm
perial pupils enter and receives from the
latter courtesy ta-ch'ten) which is
then returned in the same form. The
tutor takes the seat of honor, 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 a show of administer
ing correction.
HBut 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 book as
their Young master. When it becomes
necessary to admonish the latter more
seriously the ha-ha- chu are beaten with
the ferule VIGOROUSLY; but when the i'm
perial pupil acquits himself well they
are, on the other hand, commended or
rewarded. A recalcitrant and obstinate
Prince is as the last resort actually him
self fogged, though probably only NOM
inally, by the teacher; OF taken before
the Emperor, who directs a eunuch to
pinch his cheeks (ch'lh pa jou). The
late Emperor T'ung Chin was frequent
" tweaked in this way by order of the
Empresses. The Chinese lesson occu-
pies two hours; after this come the
Mancbu and Mongol lessons in compost
ton, given by the teachers who enjoy
the less honorable title of se-fu, and who
are obliged to meet their pupil at the
door and make the first obeisance.
Then come lessons in various spoken
languages, Manchu, Mongol, T'angat
and in local Chinese dialects. Alter
these come courses of instruction in foot
and horse archery (ma pu-chien), under
the guidance of a class of instructors
called anita. The whole of the young
Princes day is taken up with mental
or physical exercises, and they retire to
rest at very early hour. At suitable
intervals their meals are weighed out to
them, and on no account are they al
lowed to indulge in the pleasures Of the
table. At the age of Is 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 imperial household (nei-wu-fy).
Their functions are to keep watch over
His Majesty, and they are not allowed
to 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
eunuch on guard. Once a year-on
New Years Day = the Emperor and
Empress preside at a grand banquet,
the Empress sitting on 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 merits. The Empress
presents articles of food (k'e-shib) to
the eunuchs, who receive it from her
majesty on their knees, and the Emper-
or performs the same politeness to the
women. The Emperor is spoken of and
to as hwangchang-' Majesty by all
but members of the inner banners, who
use the term schu-tsz - dominus.
The Emperor, Empress and concubines
are called by the eunuchs 'fo-ye,' or
schu-tsz,' i. e., sBuddha,' or domi-
nus and the imperial Princes ye =
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
eunuchs, 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 any thing or to COM
municate with the outer world, she must
send q handmade to sound the iron
plate (ten), or the clapper (bang tsz)
with which the harem is provided, on
which the head eunuch approaches to
inquire who is in want OF assistance
Having learned who calls, he dispatches
the under eunuch 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 2, present themselves al
Court at a. M, and are then received
in audience Their meals are served
up gratis from the Emperor's9 pantry
and the whole day is spent at the palace
until p. m. on soff days, and until
p. m. on days when there is militar.
business to discuss. Thus the only tim'
they can call their own is from 5 p. m
to 2 q. m. If indisposed, of course the,
obtain leave of absence, which must FIRE
quently be great boon. The chun-ch
never returns the calls of any but tn
most distinguished provincial officers
and even then this is done on the wa,
from the palace. -
IN nearly all soils ashes are beneficial