Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-07-18
AN EMPEROR'S WIVES.
HOW BRIDES ARE SELECTED FOR
THE RULER or CHINA.
Examination OF Candidates by the EN-
press Dowager. tho Prospective Hus-
band Having No Voice In the Matter.

band Having No Voice In the Matter.
The young emperor OF China,
Hwangti, has just celebrated his ar
rival at 20 years OF age by taking TO
| himself an additional wife. saws a
| Shanghai correspondent of the Phila-
delphia Press. The affair has been the
| subject of much ceremony both at Pekin
and in the provinces. and the lucky. or
unlucky. bride Is the chosen one from
a multitude of candidates.
1t should be remembered that the
emperor OF China can not marry a
Chinese woman. His wives. of whom
he is allowed seven in all. must be OF
the Mantchu race. who are still in
nearly every respect foreign TO the
country over which they rule. The
| first public announcement Of the en-
peror's intention TO begin stocking a
harem was made about three months
ago, just previous TO the death of the
prince vf Chun. Had the death of the
prince the emperors father. been fore
! seen. the ceremony of selecting wife
No. 2 would undoubtedly have been de-
ferred. As 1t was. Hwangti went into
mourning for his parent. but also went
with the choice of bride.
A proclamation was issued TO vice.
roys Of the nineteen provinces, calling
upon them To gather in and send 10
Pekin "the faircst llowers among the
daughters OF Tung." as the Mantchu
maidens are termed. The command
was obeyed with the usual dcliberation
OF Chinese red tape. The yiccroy no.
titled the chief mandarin of each dis
trict and the mandarins commanded
the Manichu fathers in their bailiwicks
TO bring their daughters before them.
No maiden is selected younger than
IA or older than lG. Ii does not matter
| whether her parents arc rich or poor
II they are decent aud honest aud of
the race of the Mantchus il is enough.
The mandarin of IA district must be
careful, however. in his choice of candi.
dates, for should the young woman
prove to be other than the pure and
blameless being she is represented he
would answer not only with his Office
but with his head.
In this exigency the mandarin calls
in bis mother. II ;.c has one living. aud
If he has not. then somebody's else
mother In whom he can place implicit
confidence. and the candidates are sub
mitted to her careful scrutiny. As to
good looks the mandarin usually acts
on his own judgment. aud after can
vassing merits and dement's with his
mother or other female adviser he
makes his choice Of one. two. or three
and sends them under escort to the
viceroy Of the province. The parents
of u candidate are permitted to ac-
company her even TO Pekin aud keep
her company until her fate is finally
declared.
But all who were selected in the first
place do not 20 to Pekin. Tue viceroy
holds scrutiny rs careful rs that OF
the mandarin. AMI from the multitude
sent him he picks out not more than
ten. Often not moro than two or three
nre sent from one province. owing 10
the scarcity of Mantchu families ia GER
tain regions OF China. particularly in
tho sonth and west. This time about
100 maidens in all were forwarded 10
Pekin.
The choice OF The favored one ,lil
not rest with the Young emperor. hut
the dowager empress of the west who.
although retired from pnliiical power.
is still paramount ia affairs domestic.
This empress. The mother III tho latc
Emperor Tungchi. is virtually the rurr
of the imperial houschold. anl is sail
to govern with "a positive hand. She
devoted two weeks to the examination
of the young women. both IS to ply steal
and mental qualifications.
Meantime they were lodged in tho
red palace. rumi,liny. red iiicd
structure near the edge of The imperial
Enclosure. their parents aud friends
being allowed TO shift for themselves
in the city inns. Tho examination is
said To have included ability 10 dance
and sing. and otherwise amuse the
young emperor. rs we'll as n caiechism
In the doctrines Of Coniucius. Every
day dnrin. the two weeks the Young
women were brought before Tho en-.
press. number being sifirl out daily
as Ineligible. Finally not more Than
ten remained. The emperor was then
called in to Indicate his preference
Here veil might well hc drawn
over The peculiar customs of ilie ca>i.
customs. however. that hoid their
parallel in the fci,,lal ages nf Europe.
Suffice IL 10 say that ten ,iays later Tho
emperor selected for wife No = fair
daughter of tho provinces of Cnihii.
where her father holds rank MS q IN M
DARN of the ,cll"w button. Thrcss
others were given the choice of rcnaii-
Ing Ms coucubnes or of goins home
with their parents. They all gladly
went home.
While the emperor OF China Is not
permitted 10 have moro than seven
wives hc can have any number Of con
cubincs. and the present emperor has
had several of the Latter since his four
teenth year. Tho position OF an inn
perial concubinc Is not exactly slegrad-
ing in Chinese eyes. but il Is not con-
sislcrcd honorable. aud no woman is
compelled to ACCEPT Il. In this respect
the rules of the Chinese court are more
humane than tliose Of olhor oriental
d'sspotisn,s. where the wish of the sui
tan. rajah. or shah Is as absolute Ia
social as in public affairs
The empcror's harem IL. OF course.
sacred ground. Ouly twice hasit been
intruded upon by tho western bar
Larian. The iirxt occasion was alter
the prcciritatc flight ol the imperial
court. whom Pckit was loolcd by The
cr,fish nuL yx,c ,,eh IN shn Lass., -