, 1886-09-25
CHINESE aoYALTvs HOME LIFE.
An Imperial PupiI-Punished by the
Teacher-Ths Emperor Asleep.

An Imperial Pupil-Punished by the
Teacher-Ths Emperor Asleep.
The sons of the Manchu emperors I'M
dergo from their tenderest youth a sys-
tenn of the ~strictest education. Rising
at about 8 o'clock in the morning, they
first take their lesson in Chinese litera-
ture, under the superintendent of tho
only tutor who has the title of shihfu.
or master" The tutor rises from his
chair, as soon as the imperial pupils en-
ter. and receives from the latter a cour-
tesy which is then returned in the same
form. The tutor takes the seat of honor
n when the lesson is learned, the pu-
pill brings up his book, deposits it before
his teacher, and returns to his seat to re-
peat the task by heart. II the lesson is
not learned, the tutor requests a eunuch
in attendance to bring the ferule and
make a show of administering correc-
ton. But each imperial pupil IS accom-
panied by eight fellow-students known
in the Manchu language as ha-ha-chu,
who study the same books as their
young master. When it becomes nee
essary to admonish the latter more seri-
ously. the ha-ha- chu are beaten with the
Atiuie NicdiiouoiJ, Dub Whtn thc iihpS-
rial pupil acquits hims IF well they are.
on the other hand, commended or re-
warded.
A recalcitrant and obstinate prince il
as the last resort actually himself fog
ged. though probably only n%ominally,
by the teacher; or taken before the en-
peror, who directs a eunuch to pinch
his cheeks. The late Emperor T'ung-
chin was frequently tweaked in this
way by order of the expresses. The
Chinese lesson occupies two hours; after
this the Manchu and Mongol lessons in
composition. given by teachers who en-
Joy 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'angut-
and in local Chinese dialects. After
these come courses of instruction in foot
and horse archery, athletics, fencing.
putting the stone, ETC., under the guild
ance of u class of instructors called u
ta- The whole of the young princes day
is taken up with mental or physical ex-
~ercisee, and they retire to rest at a very
early hour. 1T suitable intervals their
meals are weighed out for them, and on
%noaccount are they allowed to indulge in
the pleasures of the table.
AT the age of 10 they must marry.
One year before a wife is selected for the
heir apparent he is provided with a
handmaid taken from the families of
the inner banners of the imperial house
hold, who must be one year old than
himself, and prepare him for a husbands
duties. On his accession this housemaid
receives the title of fei, which is given to
her alone among those inmates of the
harem who are selected from the inner
banners. No one but the empress is al
lowed to pass the night with the EN-
peror. The emperor sleeps with eight
landmarks sitting upon his bed and six
teen others underneath the bed, all OF
them girls from the ne-wu-fu. 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 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 en-
press preside at a grand banquet, the
empress sitting On the emperor's left
hand. This is the only occasion during
the yearo IN which the emperor can see his
wives together and compare their re-
spective merits. The empress presents
articles of food to the eunuchs, who re-
ceive it from the empress on their knees,
and the emperor performs the same po-
likeness to the women.-Hong Kong
Daily Press.