Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-05
PROGRESS IN CHINA.
The Celestial Emperor's New Depart
ure-Setting Aside Old Customs.

Iokio correspondence New York Tribune. May %
The Emperor Of China has Just made his an
nual pious pilgrimage to the eastern tombs OF
his ancestors, an important state and religious
function which no son OF heaven ever ventures
to neglect The present occasion is especially
worthy OF notice for the fact that, for the first
time in the history Of the empire, the emperor
allowed himself to be seen by the people and
even conversed with some OF them. Indeed.
he travelled on his return trip very much like
any European sovereign might do. People
thronged the highway by thousands as he
passed, and gazed with wonder and awe upon
the first Chinese emperor ever seen by public
eyes, A few holder spirits actually ventured
to come forward and present petitions to him.
To the astonishment OF others. if not of them
selves, they were not killed on the spot nor
dragged away in chains to have splinters
driven under their nails and their fingers
twisted from their sockets with hot pincers. A
few years ago such would surely have been
their fates. But on this occasion they were not
even repulsed- They we're actually welcomed
The emperor stopped. He spoke to them. He
received their petitions graciously. And they
still live! There are those mandarins who
look upon this new departure with horror. as
presaging ruin. But in this liberal policy the
emperor is understood TO have the cordial sup
port OF all his chief ministers of state.
THE IMPERIAL PARTY TRAVELLING.
The imperial party consisted of the empress
dowager, the emperor and empress and four
ladies of the court They left the palace be-
fore sunrise on April L. the empress dowager
being about a mile In advance of the emperor
and his wife. Three special travelling pal
aces or resting places were erected at equal
distances along the route. The emperor had a
chair or palanquin, a cart and horse to vary
his mode OF travel. He is described as "A hand
some young man, with pale and very intel
ligent face, while the empress dowagers
features are said to betoken great force of
character. Everything was irreproachably
fresh; somewhat unusual feature of oriental
professions The chairs carts. sccoutrements
and uniforms of the troops we've all new. The
number OF persons in the cortege more
than 10, 600. On the fourth day the tombs were
reached, and the imperial party stopped at
lama temple. Next dsy sacrifices we're
offered to the imperial ancestors and the cere-
mony OF repairing the grave by formally piac-
ing handful OF earth in each tumulus was
performed. The return journey began on the
following day. On her return the young en-
press performed her first state function. Ac-
companied by some ladies OF the court she re-
vived the old custom of worshlpng at the
temple Of the goddess of sericulture. One
feature Of the ceremony is the picking of null
berry leaves, trees being planted for the pur-
pose in the temple grounds.
AN EXTRAORDINARY INNOVATION
How extraordinary an innovation in imperial
etiquette is that made by the emperor in thus
travelling openly and freely mingling with his
subjects may be appreciated only when one re-
members that in no other country in the world
have SO much pains been taken to convert the
respect and loyalty shown TO sovereign into
the national worship of an Office identified with
the sway of the king of heaven on EARTH acting
through his vicegerent at Pekin. These efforts
have not been made in any recent time and the
originator OF the whole pageantry of Chinese
royalty, including both the intricate court cere-
monial and the numerous forms Of obedience
expressing the humiliation of the subject be-
fore the imperial office, is forgotten in antiquity
that cannot be fathomed. Such changes AZ
have been made in 2, 900 years have been in
troduced lmperceptibly and the court officials
can always, and as a matter of fact do. quote
precedents OF centuries ago to decide trlfing
points OF procedure, and for the proper cele-
bration OF important events. Woe unto them
If the precedent is rot applicable, and some
lynN-eycd censor is sure to discover the mistake
| if slip there be. case happened only last
year III connection with the marriage of the
young emperor. The board of ceremonies
fixed the second day before the marriage for
the worship OF heaven and earth. whereas it
should have been the first day. that imme-
diately before the August ceremony. The blum
der was discovered, and by the ex-empress re-
gent herself. and the delinqueuts, including
two senior secretaries, were deprived of five
steps OF rank! One was still more unfortunate
Ll-Hang- Tsao, although near relative of the
great Li-Hung-Chang, was cashiered.
SOVEREIGN AND PEOPLE.
So vast, indeed, has been the gulf Of sepa-
ration between the sovereign and his people
that many articles have been exclusively asso-
ciated with the former and therefore forbid
den to the latter, as, for instance, the color
yellow, which is exclusively the imperial en-
blem: The kotow, or form of worship, is rem
dered not merely to the person of the SOW
ereign in Pekin but in every form in which he
known that the imperial edict is always re-
burning of incense. But it is not SO gener-
ally understood that an official of even su-
perior rank has to perform the kotow on meet
ing another official who has recently Quilted the
imperial presence. Similar obelsances are paid
during the week containing his birthday to the
emperor in the imperial temple, to be found
III every provincial capital. The fact that the
emperors proper name is never mentioned
and that to pronounce il is a criminal offense
shows how exclusive the dynasty policy OF the
Chinese has always been. On ascending the
throne the ruler takes what is called a .'kwon
hao, and by that name he becomes known to
his people and TO history. The present eni-
peror, however, seems inclined to sweep away
much OF this fabric of tradition and establish
between himself and the people the common
sense relations that exist in other lands He
means, in other words, to be an emperor, but
not god.
Among the Mystics.
From the London Edition of the Herald