New-York tribune., 1891-05-14
FOREIGN MINISTER'S ATpEKTyo.
THEY ARE OFFICIALLY RECEIVED BY THE so,

THEY ARE OFFICIALLY RECEIVED BY THE SON
OF HEAvEN'-A LITTLE TRICK PLAYED
on THEM BY TILE ,AsTUTE CHINESE.
In its issue Of February Tie Trbanc published the
fact that the new Emperor OF China, breaking with the
traditions Of the ancestors had cocntcd 10 admit
into his sacred and august presence the Diplomatic
Corps living at Pekng The preceding Empeross might
have granted that favor to the "wcstcrn barJsrsns'
IL the representatives Of the latter had consented 10
perfocm, like Chnamen the humiliating genuhexions
of the Tsou Taan, required from every person ap-
preaching the Celestial sovereign. However an ex.
ception to the rule had been made In 1874 In his
decree Of December, $780, the young Emperor On.
nounced that he would grant solemn reception to tire
foreign Minister'S and II was understood after many m
tervlews with the officials Of the Tsonz Ii Yamen o,
Council Of State for Foreign Affairs that the
Taou Taan ceremony would not be exseted
of the Diplomatic body. stln, the Cinnamon sue
ceeded in winning point in favor Of their customs
and In playing little trick upon the unsuspectng
Minister'S The latter were not received In the I'M
perial palace ITSELF but In the TseKo@ng Ko, resi-.
dence on the borders Of the city, designed for the
holding Of audiences given to the Mongol princes the
Corean envoys and other representatives Of tributary
states who were allowed TO "contempiate the face
Of the Dragon"
The reception of the Diplomatic Corps took place
ON March g. and include also the Charges dAfaires
secretaries and interpreters attached to each Legation
The most notable consequence OF that ceremony is
that hereafter the Chinese Emperor will follow the
diplomatic usage and receive foreign representatives
when they present their credentials or ther letters
OF recall Ten great Powers are maintaining legations
at Peking: Germany England Belgium, spain, the
United states, Holland, Italy, Japan and
Russia. They were represented BY thiry-one
persons at the audience hele In the
Tse Koang.Ko, or hall Of the vlOlet,' which h
described in detail by the Pekng correspondent OF Ls
Temps
The hall. which is not large, was decorated with
palntings of the battles Of Emperor Kien-LOng and
tsstefuly ornamcntcd. In front of the throne were
splendid urns In which 10 burn perfumes The chiefs
NJ the several legations accompanied BY their sub
ordinattss and led by mandarins OF the guard, went
separately to small cottage designated as the place
Of meeting and near the reception hail. Everybody
was in green chair or paanquin fact which greatly
astonished the Chinese for the green and even us
blue chair is reserved for high dgntaifes Ike pnnces
or presidents of Minstries the other OFFICIALS use 90
every occasion kind Of small cart The ioreign NH
listers and their suites descended from their chairs
the gates OF the garden and walked to the cottage where
mandarns were waiting for them and where
a luncheon was taken, lasting for one hour
The guests then were led to three tents near the
Tse- KoangKo one tent for the Ministers and
Charges d'Ahaires, another for the SECRETARIES AID
attaches and the third for the interpreter IN taeS
tents they waited for half hour.
Immediately after the Emperor's arrival at the
palace the German envoy, Herr Won Braedt, dean OF
the Diplomatic Corps, was admitted to present Ms
credentials with the usual compliments The other
Ministers were introduced each In his turn as were
also the charges d'aifaires. The German Minister
then made a short speech, which was translated into
Chinese by Dr. Popof, the dean OF the interpreters,
and translated again into the Mandchou Language by
Prince King who was kneelng at the feet Of the En-
peror The latter in reply said few words, which
were transmitted to the foreign representatives through
the same channels After this exchange Of congstn-
laons the Ministers withdrew, walking backward and
bowing three times, as they bad done on entering
the palace. The Emperor, who appeared 70 be ex-
ceedingly intelligent and whose fine and sympathetic
features indicate both energy and amiabilty, was
clothed in gown Of dark blue, as he sur wears
half mourning for his father. He sac on
throne, with a table placed In front OF him.
Two high officials, the PaoWang and the koWang,
were standing behind him. and he had Prince King
on his left sde Tho foreign Ministers and charges
daffares stood about eight feet from him, On single
ne with the secretaries and attaches In row behind
them and the interpreters on third line, The day
following the audience brilliant banquet was gwen
In the Tsang IL Yamen to the Diplomatic Corps.