The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-11-18
CHINESE PRINCES.
Tho Mental and Physical Exercise They
Receive While Being Educated.

Tho Mental and Physical Exercise They
Receive While Being Educated.
The sons of the Manchu Emperors
(hwangtsz) undergo from their tender
est youth system of the strietest cdu-
cation Rising about three o'clock in
the morning, they first take their les
son in Chinese literature, under the
superintendence of the only tutor who
has the title of shh fit or master.
The tutor rises from his chair as soon
as the imperial pupils enter, and re-
ceives from the latter courtesy (ta-
ch' 'iets), which is then returned in the
same form. The tutor takes the seat
of honor, and when thelesson 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
a eunuch in attendance to bring the
feruie (eh'img PAM, and makes show
of administering correction. But each
imperial pupil is accompanied by eight
fellow students (pUan-tubj known in
the Manchu language as ha-ha-ciu, who
study the same books as their young
master. When it becomes necessary
to admonish the latter, more seriously,
| the ha-hG- CHI are beaten with the fertlle
vicariously; but when the imperial
pupil acquits himself we'll they are,
on the other hand. commended or
rewarded. A recalcitcant and OBJ
stinate Prince is as the last resort
actually himself logged, though
probably only nominally. BY the
1 L l1e xk
who directs eunuch to pinch his
cheeks (chh pa-jon). The late En-
peror T'ung- g-chih was frequently
tweaked in this way by order of the
Empresses. The Chinese lesson occu-i
pies two hours; after this come the
Manchu and Mongol lessons in eompo.
sition, 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 in various spoken
languages -Manchu, Mongol, Tangut
and in local Chinese dialects. After
these come courses of instruction in
foot and horse archery (na- u-chie's),
athletics. fencing, putting the stone,
ETC., (ku "a -tau-shih), under the guild
|
au-la. 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 suit
able intervals their meals are weighed
out for them. and On no account are
they allowed to indulge in the pleas
ures of the table. At the age Of fifteen
they must marry. One year before q
wife isselected for the heir apparent
he is provided with handmade taken
from the families of the inner banners
(nei-ch'i) J of the imperial household
(nei-,cu-fu), who must be one year
older than himself, and prepare him
for q husbands s duties. On his
accession this handmade (tact iporko-
ko) receives the title of fef, which is
given to her alone among those in
mates of the harem who are selected
from the inner banners. No one but
the Empress is allowed to pass the
night with the Emperor. Tnc En-
peror sleeps with eight handmaids
= lchang-tsai) sitting upon his bed, and
sixteen others Qd-uingJ underneath
the bed, all of them girls from the ne
vu-tu Their function is to keep watch
over His Majesty, and they are not al
lowed to sneeze.l cough, spit or utter
any sound. The movements of the
Emperor after awakening intuthe
morning are signalized by a clappng
of hands ON the part of the eunuch on
guard. Once year-on New Year S
day-the Emperor and Empress pre-
side at grand banquet. the Empress
T 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 re,
t spective merits. The Empress presents
articles of food (ke-shih) to the eunuchs,
: who receive it from her Majesty or
. their knees, and the Emperor performs
e the same politeness to the women.-
l Hong Kong Daily Press. as L9