McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1883-11-01
How China's Emperor Lives.

| Pail Mall Budget.
The ruler of the 250, OOO, 900 of which
the Chinese nation probably consists is
now within five years of his majority
(the age of eighteen years., and is an
occupant, while yet minor, of the
same apartment in which lived the
emperor who preceded him ON the
Dragon throne. There, says the North
China Herald, he eats with gold-tipped
chop-sticks of ivory. There he sleeps
on large Ningpo bedstead, richly
carved and ornamented with ivory and
gold-the same on which the noble
minded Emperors Kang Hsi and Chen
Lung used to recline after the days
fatigue last century and the century
before.
Like one of those living Buddhas who
NAV be seen in lamasery on the Mon
gollan plateau, he is knelt to by all his
attendants and honored as god. The
seclusion in which he is kept is far more
complete than that of the gods. The
building in which the emperor resides
is called Yang Hsin Tien, and is little
to the west of the Ch'ien Oh inn Meu in
the middle of the palace. At the back
of the central gate, on the south side, is
the great reception hall. When minis
tiers of state and others enter for an
audience at 4, 5 or in the morning,
according to custom, they have to 90 on
foot to the center of the palace over
half mile, if they enter by the east or
west gate; and when they get on in
years they can appreciate the emperor's
favor, which then by decree allows
them to be borne in 8 chair, instead of
walking.
The rooms of the emperor consist of
seven compartments. They are pro-
vided with the divan, or k'ang, the
peculiar institution of North China.
The Hangs are covered with red felt of
native manufacture, and the floor with
European carpets. The cushions all
have embroidered on them the dragon
and the phoenix. Pretty things in end
less variety are scattered through the
rooms, and are changed in accordance
with any wish expressed by the empe-
rOr.
The rooms are in all thirty yards long
by from eight to nine yards deep, and
are divided into three separate apart
ments, the throne-room being the
middle one. Folding doors ten feet in
height open into each of these apart
ments to the north and south in the
center of each. The upper part of
these doors is in open-work, in which
various suspicious characters and
flowers are carved. These doors remain
open, even in winter, because during
that season thick embroidered curtain
of damask is hung in the doorway,
which, by its wei ght keeps its place
close to the door.posts and keeps the
cold air from entering. In summer
this is replaced by curtain admitting
the breeze on account of its being made
of very thin strips of bamboo together
of various colors, and passing through
the whole texture of the curtain from
from top to bottom are very agreeable
to the eye. These summer and winter
curtains arc rolled up to give air to the
rooms when required. The hoppe, who |
lately returned from Canton, gave the
present valued at $4,000. |
1t consisted of chandeliers holding FIVE |
wax candles each. His mag
esty has also electrical machines and |
foreign curiosities.
The emperor was yaccinated when an |
infant, before his high destiny was
thought of, otherwise it would have
been difficult to vaccinate him, for, his
person being sacred when emperor, no
lancet can touch it. His mother, the
Princess of Ch'un, goes in to see him
once month and kneels when she first
speaks to him, but rises afterwards.
His father does so, too. The emperor
studies Chinese daily for an hour and a
half, and Manchu also for an hour and
a half. He spends two hours in archery
and riding, and in winter amuses him
self with sledging. He has q little
brother of five, whom it may be hoped
The mother takes with her when she
goes to the palace. The teachers who
instruct him kneel to him ON entering,
but afterwards sit. The emperor has
eight eunuchs, who constantly attend
him, besides an indefinite number for
special occasions. He has his meals
alone and the eight eunuchs wait round
him, restraining him if he takes too
much of any one thing. His school
room is at the back of the Yang Hsin
lien, already described, and the hall
;or conference each morning with min
sters is little to the east.
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