New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-10
AN EMPEROR AT PRAYERS.
THE DRAGON RULER ANNUAL VISIT TO THE
TEMPLE OF HEAVEN
From The London standard.

believe. the first narrative Of the kind from the pen
~ an eyewitness that has ever appeared III print
VI noiy has no foreign resident official ever been
nerInittcd TO let his unworthy ana sacrhesIous 81 80
ian upon the august pageant even rom aar pu ph Io
c,,cat mass OF the higher OF natives IN fchiu
are forbidden under bl6od-curdling penalt es, from
CHANGING to IT, even BY accident as IL passes ss
along The narrow streets wf the Imperial city. lhe
most elaborate precautions an taken to secure u from
the profanc view of the comrlon people, to whom IL
Is instant death to allow her eyes to meet ths
procession. A journey Of The Car from ono part %
his domnions TO another Is pubic trumphal marcL
compared to the elig0usly guarded movements Oh
the young occupant Of the Dragon Throne through
his capital, and this being so, the enterprise not 10
say emerity, of a newspaper, and that naive one,
published In Shanghai, In brbng one OF the privileged
few write account of the sacred rites Is regarded
a king sign of the influence which the increased
Intercourse with Occdentals during the last few years
has had upon tho Celestial mind. and II may perhaps
be regarded also as remarkable indication OF inc
always hung between the outside world and the Ruler
Of this vast Empire.
Tho writer in the "shcn Pas says that the 9th
day Of the first Moon or, according to our calendar
the Goth February the Emperor in person proceeded
TO shangti Tan, or Temple Of Heaven, to offer up the
customary sacrifices to the Supreme Ruler, for tho
harvest OF the year. His Majesty passed the previous
day in the Hall Of Abstinence In devon meditation,
prayers and ng: On the evening of tho same day
doth at the sounding of the fifth drum, the Court of
Ceremonies arranged the Imperial yellow table in the
Tai Iio Tien, or Hall Of supreme Harmony. Below
the Imperial seat placed great incense burner
in the shape Of pavilion, while to his left was
another similarly shaped receptacle in which was
cnshrned slken scroll having upon It inscribed tho
pavilion his other side contained other scrolls of
similar prayers. At the door Of the hall stood the
Isan H. Lang and the Tu Chuh Kwan, or Master OF
Ceremonies, and " the Imperial Reader OF Prayers
holding The scrolls Of silk in salvers and incense in
the Tai Chang or Board OF Sacriical Worship" and
Other high officers of that department. At the pre-.
scrioed moment the frstnamed dgntary, accompanied
BY the Imperial AstrolOgcr, proceeded TO the Gate
kien Using Nun, " Gate OF the Pure Heaven" and
time within two quarters Of the hare. or haif-
ss "a M wheIeupon the Emperor STEPPED into his
arriving at tho flight of steps at the north end of
The " Hall Of Great Harmony outside of which his
up his place with his face turned to the west. out
Sue me western gate stood the four chief officers of
IN given signal the inrer pavilion opened, and the
Readers of Prayers came forth with the scroll Of
them, and walked with slow and solemn steps to tho
central entrance Of the Hall of Great Harmony the
them to the hall They were accompanied by ten
Masters OF Ceremonies to the central steps and beyond
sacIed OBJECTS named deposited them the yellow
table, and, after making throe revorcntial kowtows
raj Chang or Head of the Court Of Sacrifices after
%n nno Yellow sllten cushion was spread on tho
Emperor walled Having inspected the text of the
prayers on the table, he made three kowows and knelt
once IN mute reverence to them, and then rose his
icct again The cushion was then removed and tho
byer scro rolled up by tho Master OF Ceremonies
AuNahcihg now with slow steps, the Readers OF
PRAYERS made three revorcntal kowtows, and lifted
inc taoe me scrolls on which were inscribed the
places prepared for them in the pavllon and this done
officials who had carried in the prayer scrolls now LETT
NE ball with great ceremony preceded by the incense
saaos aT h followed by the bearers Of the
ceremony for the time of which fact the Director of tbe
oonrt OF Sacrifices informs him. kneeling while he i'm
Inc Emperor then enters his chair, and upon tho
command Of the Eqncncs in Waiting. tho bearers
shoulder their burden all attircd gorgeous uniforms
| Oh VermH0n SILK, and eight I'm number All the other
hgh officials wear robes Of richest silk covered with
embroidered fourclawcd dragons. The robe Of tho
Emperor bears the 1ve-cawed dragon which he alone
IS enttIcd to wear Each Of them has a splendidly
long string of scented beads hangs from his neck
AL me Central Gate the procession mounts on ponies
they enter by tho Cate of PRAYERS for rho yeara
n. inc entrance Is small edfcc called the Divine
treasury Where the prayer scrolls and the incense
stands are deposited. Here tho procession halls mi
his dragon robe ana @ Theh the Emperor attred IN
mounted BY tassel Of crimson velvet comes through
enters the summer Chair" which is carried by ci s1f
tSs middle nay Wig passed through the West Gate
harmony he reaches the Portal OF Midday and ey.
changes his small chair for the great palanguin ~
This palanqnn IS three thousand catties or tbirtyy
tx tx cmt. IN weight The Imperial occupant reaches
~ h Sgd' OS ngas OF Nermoncoored ladder which
70 , ncu III position Nv me Equerrles I'm Waiting Tho
ihlrty-two wear vermilOn silk robes with grs, unnu
uuicr rpDes' ana fast travelling sandals" trimmed ar
, mc am 81 win dark FUR Thci head-drr,s is Of
leopard skins with crimson velvet plume, secured nv
open WORK goa brooches. from which hang long yellow
,oitncf' do"n their backs. Despite the weight and
hcigh OF The paIanqnn the bearers run with Il like
nsh'mng ha.tes' or shooting stars rushing across
thc SKY At each short stage OF tho Journey thew
were relieved. however. by fresh relays Of thrtvw0
men; Preceding the palanqun rode two high officials
OF The household, Icpcndant I'm snow white ermines
with hats Of the same rich fur, surnounted by larc,
buttons OF cornea1 and lunches of acocks feathers
each with three eyes. which proclaimed them a. of
| high command In the banner troops Huge curved
| swords. sot with stones. hung by their sides Ten
Chainberlans follow d. riding I'm couples each declcd
with the coveted ermlne robes, pcacOcks feathers AID
\ coral buttons. a huge yellow silk umbrella, borne
! by an officer Of the Imperial Armory, came next,
preceded by four Equcritcs carrying Incense burners
Eight atuns. or officers led many beautiful Tartar
ponies In tho middle of the cavalcade. each animal
having gold encrusted saddle. with snups of Jade
tic brides being of fawn-colored yellow silk and
assels OF yaks' tails hanging. from the neck Then
came number Of the chosen troops Of the General Of
| the Nine Gates of tho Imperial City, armed with
cleaning battle maces, and hall ers, and bear
ing large umbrellas and banners Three officers Of
household troops and the guards of the great gate Of
the Palace, all IN varOusly colOied uniforms, with
bows at their sides and arrows In qulvers In front,
gliftcrlng embossed swords at their Sides aud long
ances, covered half way M with bright blue cloth,
rode proudly by the flower OF Tartar chivalry
The five gorgeous allegorlcal cars which are usually
drawn By elephants preceded the entire procession
nv distance the elephants being dispensed with
n wear IN conscau nee of represent atons having been
made to the Emperor that thew were likely to prove
ungovrrnabe. After the troops just mentioned came
the Imperial palanqnn, followed by thirty or forty huge
| Tari?r "bravcs." ten armed with spears. ten with
| swords and a number with bows. representing the
various branches of the famous Pal Tanga Tartar
| u
flower OF the Manchu nobility Princes Emirs Dukes.
| Marnuosscs Ears. Assistant Chamberains. who com
mand the Palace Guard general Officers Of the Imperial
| Guards the Comptroller OF the Household, and tho
first Prince OF tho Blood ROYAL who as President OF
tho Clan Court kecrs the genealogical records Of the
| Ta Using dynasty. every member Of this noble com
pany with either p sword or bow end arrows; The
md OF this magnificent and glltterlng cavalcade was
brought ND bv two Assistant Chambcralns, each bear
| ing a great yellow standard. upon which were en-.
| mo'dcrcd the Imperial fve-clawcd dragons. great
| number OF high Mandarins, civil and military bn,
| not of sufficient dcgre, TO accompany tho Imperial
| Marty kne ou side the " Portal Of MIDDAY" though
which tho procession had to pass on Its return JOUR
| ney there to wait TO make obesancc.
At the Mcrdlonal Cate" the calacade was rcceIv,en
| bv the two Generals Of the Pckin Gendarmeio ann
number OF other high officers. Along the route Oh thc
procession through the great roah Leading iJ
I'm perla Palace 10 the Temple Of Heaven wherever
81