Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-04-05

SILKS, FLAGS AND DRAGONS.
IL Is by this time pretty well understood that
the emperor of China is married In fact his
new matrimonial venture has been one of the
most thoroughly adv ertised events of so much
of 1889 as has already slipped past the turn
stiie. Some details of the grand ceremOnials
attendant upon the occasion have reached us.
but THE STAR has been furnished through kind
ness of DIR. VI. l.. Ruth. of the navy, with some
additional particulars obtained from Chinese
newspapers just received by mail The details
may possibly be a revelation to those time
saving young couples who, with without
mammals consent. stand up before justice of
the peace. say yes two or three times and
are thencefOrth one.
THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES.
II seems that the emperor-whose name is
Kuang-su-m married celestial maiden named
Yeh-ho-na-la on the 26th of February she
being niece of the empress dowager, and
consequently her husbands cousin. The cere-
mOnals took place i'll Peking the capital city.
and for weeks extensive preparations were
going on to make ready for the grand affair,
which was conducted with extravagant ostenta-
ton. The bridegroom was relieved of all the
annoying little details that usually worry
man on the verge of matrimony, such as finding
and furnishing a house, discovering a hack
man who can wait for his fare. Clergyman
without magnificent ideas as to fees. and a best
man with dress suit All of these troubles were
taken from Kuang's hands by host of obliging
officials, a class of beings with which China it
appears, abOunds.
THE YOUNG COUPLES OUTFIT.
few days before the wedding the servants
of the Office of equipments carried to the i'm
perial palaces. with great ceremony, the many
hundred articles designed for the use of the
emperor and his bride. They had previously
been prepared by the board of the imperial
household. and comprised articles of jewelry.
clothes al mtnltum, head-dresse5. embroid-
cries. hne chiEaware, ncedlewOrk. furniture.
gold and silver work. inlaid and carved uphOl-
stery. personal ornaments, stationery, and so
on through the catalogue of imperial needs.
The emperor, being prudent man-perhaps
the prudence was supplied by some one of his
ancestors a couple of thousand years ago
ordered the high officers of his court to go to
the Temples of Heaven. Earth, and the Gods
on the 9th of February. there to worship and
TO make official announcement of the approach
ing nuptlals. The next day all was stir and
hustle, Haunting yellow silk and flying queues
III the palaces. Ill preparation of the arrange
ments for the grand occasion.
THE IMPERIAL PASoPLY
The officers of the equipment bureau with
deep reverence. hauled out from their hiding
places the empress sedan chair. her yellow
chairs. and her chariot to which an elephant
was harneSsed. and put them in condition
They formed part of the formal ceremony
and were accompanied by the following para
phernaila: Two pairs OF yellow silk umbrellas
embroidered with dragons; one pair of crooked
handled umbrellas. embroidered with phPnixes:
pair OF large fans; ten cOlored umbl elias four
umbrellas worked with gold thread; a pail of
plain red umbrellas; eight banners decorated
with dragons and phPnixes: two embroidered
flags; eight fans embroidered with dragons:
and eight yellow fans each shaped like pleas
ants tail
Then, when the proper time came, every
thing being laid down by schedule, from
which deviation would probably have meant
a full dozen of heads. some one brought out
the great gold scepter. inlaid with jade and
with dragon character ON il. from the imperial
palace. and gave il to the two ministers of the
imperial household at the Chien-ching palace
IN readiness for 1t to be placed i'll the sedan
chair OF the empress.
THE BRIDES TRoUssEAU
leading eunuch. with deferential authority
politely requested a lot of princesses, imported
for the occasion. to place in a couple of pavil-
ions that the ministers have erected in the
courtyard the wedding dresses of the empress
trousseau that would make Worth green with
envy. As soon as they had been packed into
the paylllOns number of eunuchs carried them
TO the gate of the Shun-chen palace and turned
over to the equipment bureau, the officers of
which escorted the pavihOns to the residence
OF the empress-elect and handed them over to
her eunuchs. During the day the chief
eunUchs arranged number of yellow
tables at the Chiao-tai palace. and on
them placed the marriage contract and the
gold seal AS soon this was ACCOMPLISHED
the emperor repaired to the Tuning palace
and. appearing IN the presence of his mother
the empress dowager. he kotOwed to her nine
times By the Wav. a 'kotow'' is nothing more
or less than a very much exaggerated dancing
master bow, with perhaps little shifting of
the forehead on the ground 10 heghten the
effect Chlnaman. on state occasions, does
not bow less than nine times As soon as the
hnh bod mn 4,
kotOw he went over to the ChiaO-tai palace
where the yellow tables were. and. like the
prudent man he Is, read over the marriage con-
tract II Will thus be seen that Kuang is not a
person to be led into a mesalliance or
any other dangers through having some
one else draw up the documents without look
ing at them. When he had translated the
hieroglyphics to his own satisfaction and APP
proyal the chief commissioner, who was CON
nrmed some years ago. put the contract in one
pavilion with the gold seal. and the gold
scepter III another. These were then carried
In procession, headed by the equipment Off
GERS. 10 the empress residence, and the con-
tract. seal. and scepter were placed on three
yellow tables that had been arranged
IN the hall by the board OF works
THE WEDDING DAY.
Promptly at noon on the next dav the we'd
ding day. four princesses of the line procee ded
u the residence Of the new empress TO assist
her IN her robing. Her gear was as follows:
ophra-es. coral rubies, carnelians amethvsts
Jasper. and blue feathers. An embroidered
court robe decorated with pearls. with Jewels
on the overiaps. two strings of coral beads a
nee klace decorated with coral a pair of lew
elled earrings, and handkerchief
The process of robing must have been a.
fAtgulng TO the empress as il is supposed to be
10 many ladies Of our own civilization for she
rested Tor some time after it was over Pres
emily eunuch made his appearance and told
her that there was marriage contract and a
gold seal lying around outside and that if she
would step that way she might inspect them
and decide whether or not she liked them
Two princesses walked out with her and a
eunuch read her tine contract. Ii was thor
Oughly satisfactory to her. as il had been to
kuang and she went back TO her hall again
and took another rest after this tedious pro-
eeeGlng. When she had gone the scepter and
seal were handed to the chief commissioner
who replaced them in their pavilions every
officer and attendent being in a certain place
Al signal from the chief eunuch eight others
brought into the hall the empress chair, con-
tanning scePter inlaid with Jade. Two
prlncesses took 1t out of the chair at once and
handed II 10 a eunuch. He turned it over TO
the officer Of the imperial household, who
replaced it in its pavilion.
SHE GOES To THE PALACE
Then the Princesses helped the empress to
her seat in the chair. which had been fumigated