Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-10-21
Education Of Chin Sc Princes.


The sons of the danchu emperors
b}cdHgtsz) undergo FROM their tender
est youth syste n OF ths strictest edu-
cation. Rising about o'clock in the
morAing. they first take their lesson in
Chinese literature. under the superin-
tcndencc @. the only tutor who has the
title of Siihfii, or .'maSter The tutor
rises from his chair as soon rs the inn
pcria pupils enter, ana receives from
tho after o courtesy Qd-chjeH), which
Is .hen returned in the same form. The
tutor takes the seat IF honor, and when
the lesson is learned the pupil brings
ap his book, deposits it before his
teacher, and then returns to his seat to
repeat the task by heart. If the lesson
IS not learned the tutor requests 4 cum
uch in attendance to bring the fcrue
(cb'tng pap. anG makes Il show of adj
mnistel ing correction. But each inn
perial pupil is accompanied by eight
fellow-students (ploaR-tab) known in
the Manchu language as ha-lta-cllN who
study the same books rs their young
master When it becomes necessary TO
admonish the latter more seriously, the
hd-ha-chu are beaten with the ferule
yicarously; but when the imperial pupil
acquits herself well they are, on the
other hand. commended or rewarded.
4 recaicitrant and obstinate prince is
as the last resort actually himself
forged, though probably only nomi-
naly. by the teacher, or taken before
the emperor who directs eunuch TO
pinch his checks (cbfb pajon). The
Fate Emperor Tung-chih was frequent
~ tweaked in this way By order of the
Expresses The Chinese lesson occu-
pics two hours; after this come the Man
chu ana Mongol lessons in composition,
given by the teachers who enjoy the less
honorable title of sefu, and who are
obliged to meet their pupil at the door
and make the first obeisance. Then
come lessons N various spoken lam
guago5 Mancau. Iongol, Tangut-
and in local Chinese dialects. After
these come courses Of instruction in
foot and horse archery (n1pu-chicn),
athletics, fencing. putting the stone,
etc, (kHDg-llrSb ~, under the guidance
OF class Of instructors called 0a-ta.
The whole OF the young princes day is
taken up with mental and physical eX-
crcises, and they retire to rest ut Il very
early hour. At suitable intervals their
meals are weighed ont TO them, and on
no acooun. are they allowed to indulge
in the pleasures OF toe table, At the
age OF - they must marry. One year
before a wife is selected for the heir APP
parent he is provided with handmade
taken from the families of the inner
banners (i}ej-cA'D OF the imperial house,
hold (aei-cufiO, who must be one year
older than himself, and prepare him for
husbands duties. On his accession
this handmade (taeo ltpor50k1) receives
the title Of Jci, which i given to her
alone among those inmates Of the harem
who are selected from the inner bun
ncrs. No one but the empress is allow
cd to pass the night with the emperor.
The emperor sleeps with eight hand
maids (cb'ang-tsa0 sitting upon his
bed, and sixteen others (ta-Yjng) under
Heath the bed, all of them girls from
The ne-wu-fH. Their function is to keep
watch over his majesty, and they are
not allowed TO sneeze, cough, spit, or
utter any sound. The movements of the
emperor after awaking in the morn
inc are signalized By clapping of
hands on the part OF the eunuch on
guard Once 4 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 sec his wives together
and compare their respective NESTS.
The empress presents articles of food
(ke-shih) 10 the eunachs, who receive it
from her majesty on their knees, and
the emperor performs the same polite
ness TO the women. -HoRy Kopg Daily
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