Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-19
IMPERIAL WOOlNG.
The Manner in Which the Emperor OF
China Selects His Bride.

China Selects His Bride.
london Standard
The young Emperor Of China is stated
TO have chosen for his wife the daughter
Of Mandarin named Tao-Tai, and she Is
said to be exceedingly lovely and clever.
The choice was made by the Emperor from
among one hundred and twenty girls, who
| were gathered from all parts Of China for
his inspection.
Since the beginning Of the Man schou
dynasty in China it has always been GUS
tomary that the Emperors should select
their wives from among the daughters Of
those families who belong to the Pa-Chi-
Chi-Jen. These are the defendants Of
the warriors who took part In the Tartar
invasion OF China two hundred years ago,
and subsequently, settled in the country.
A list of these families, carefully written
up to date as far as births, marriages and
deaths are concerned, is kept at each
provincial capital, and in March last all
the members thereof who had daughters
between the ages of twelve and sixteen
were ordered to bring them to Pekin for
inspection.
On the night before the day fixed for in.
spection the long procession OF covered
carts, in which the girls were seated with
their fathers, was set in motion, and at
daybreak reached the northern gate of the
imperial palace. Shortly afterward the
young Emperor, accompanied by his
mother and attended by large body Of
eunuchs, entered the court ard and took
Up his position near table on which were
placed a number of wooden slips, each
marked with the name, age and clan Of
the fair candidate. The Emperor, taking
one of the slips, read out the name written
thereon, whereupon the girl in ques ton
was led up to him by the eunuchs, while
her father. with the Governor and Deputy.
Governor of the province to which she be.
longed, threw themselves on the ground
and remained PROSTATE until dismissed
by their imperial master. The girl stood
upright, while the Emperor inspected her
closely, talked to her, and questioned her
father and the Governor of the province
about her. If she did not please him he
merely threw the little tablet into waste
basket and motionsd her away with q
wave of the hand.
In the cases, however, where the Young
damsel obtained his approval he placed
the slip with her name carefully on one
side, having previously marked it in red
ink with a one, two or three, according to
the measure in which she had pleased him.
After having all been duly inspected in
this manner, the girls re-entered their
conveyances and retired 70 their resi-
dences in the city. Four days later those
who had not been favored with the impe-
rial approval were notified of the fact and
permitted to return to their domestic
hearths' while those named on tic select
ed tablets were submitted few days
later to another and closer examination.
1t was on this occasion that the definite
choice of the Emperor was made.
As rule, the parents seem desorus of
evading the honor of surrendering their
daughter to the sovereign, for family af-
lection is strongly developed in China,
and when once the girl has crossed the
threshold OF the palace she is cut of for
ever from any intercourse with her fam.
lily. However, every head of the families
in question is obliged 70 obey the impe-
rial summons. Il may be stated in con-
clusion that the Emperor is between If
teen and sixteen years of age, and he will
assume the administration of the empire
the eth of April next.