New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-08-28
AT THE COURT OF AMMAN.
A NEw-YEAR,s RECEPTION.


A curious view Of court life at Hue is given m ~
Official report to the British Foreign ONCE, made ~
Mr. Parker the British Consul there. On January ~
last he relates he had the honor OF being present NJ
a solemn court held by the Emperor Thanhtnay ON
the occasion OF the Annamese tChinese) "tet or Ne"
Year. six caparsoned mounted elephants and twelve
mounted horses ranged in two lines, hall on eacn
side Of the Palace gate outside and Inside the same
gate were two more handsomely equipped elephants
standing, one on each SIDE behind the regaa and
native official body We ell walked up together from tho
gate, wearing sun helmets, between the two rows OF
mandarlns, numbering perhaps 600 In all. all OF tnem
clad in full court Dress apparently that OF the chinese
Ming dynasty the distance OF these rows from eace
other would be about 100 feetthat is, the breadth Of
the hall In which the Emperor received US. HAVING
reached the top Of the steps under the caves Of the
hall. we removed hats and perceived the EmperW
seated before In golden gilt armchair or thrdp2
placed In the centre OF raised dais OF three TIERS
Overhung by a canopy, like the throne OF Mandaaay.
His Majesty stood walked up to him. but aftcr
We had bowed a salute to him, he sat down. He wore
a yellow silk gown, embroidered with blue dragons
and other ornaments; blue silk boots, embroidefed
with gold dragons, and head-dress or cap, which,
| am not mistaken, is the same that worn BY the
King Of Corea, with extending flaps at the side. the
'sha-mau' OF the Ming dynasty which preceded the
Manchus. He appeared to be a lad OF ten years o.
age-he turned fourteen that day-with frank, good
plexon. In his hands he held deerentally before
him sort OF white tablet. believe the 'ya-huhP Of
ancient China, which invariably held by courtierS
In the presence Of the Emperor. At each corner OF
and below the das stood servant armed with long
feather fan and in slow turn, during the whole cers'
mOny, each OF these four menals vigorously wave4
his fan In the direction OF the Emperor. Behind tAe
dals, which had a red back to It, were standing q
number Of palace eunuchs but with the exception ~
these and the Interpreter, there seemed TO b ~
Annamese actually inside the hall. Perhaps mar
dozen las afterward eXplained) standing 1us&
within the caves.
1--WE Europeans ranged ourselves promiscuously 10
two rows, thirty feet apart on each side OF tne
throne. In front Of the Emperor and the RESIDENT
Supereur, In full court uniform, then advanced sun
hat In hand, to table in front OF the Emperor, ana
read short speech In French. This was rcndereO
into Annamese, rather, into Chinese pronounceA
In Annamese fashion, by q native interpreter. whe
stood at the Emperor's left, In front OF the das The
Emperor then rose and responded In Annamess-
Chinese. recognized the words. Great Emperor OF
your noble country, and great Envoy OF your noble
country'alluding 10 the President Of the Republic ana
the Neutrality-suspicious.. The Emperor's reply ap-
peared to be read from memorandum concealed be-
hind the tablet and was pronounced In irm boyish
voice. The interpreter then rendered 1t into French.
The burden OF both addresses, since shown to me In
original. a wish for the prosperity Of both
countries.
"We retired TO the side walls Of the apart
ment, leaving the hall unobsructed IN order to give
full play to the native ceremonies and to allow His
Majesty to see what went on in front Of him. The
hall was perfectly open oil the south side, toward
which the Emperor faced, and assembled from the
court yard by a fight OF about twenty stone
marble steps, extending along the whole breadth. The
Tiled roof was supported inside by at least fifty hard
wood pillars, feet In diameter at intervals OF.
perhaps twenty feet from each other arranged some
what In the style Of the Mosque Cathedral Of
Cordova but a larger and much loftier scale. The
whole OF the woodwork rafters back walls pillars,
etc, was painted q duh but chaste crimson color
perhaps the purple Of Rome-Ornamented with
dragons In blue and gold. The floor paved with
ordinary lozengeshaped Hagstones but in the centre
Of the hall spread few clean rush mats. Moth.
ing could exceed the decency and decorum Of the
angements and the chasteness Of the general sumptu
airy aspect. Between the first row OF pillars and tho
standing. three each side. six old men.
stated to be Princes Of the Blood brothers uncles
Of former Empcrors. Their full dress Of crimson
satin, richly embroidered. Immediately outside the
steps ranged, parallel with the hallfront
yellow umbrellas, three large ones at each side, and
smaller one In the centre. At each side Of the
yard outside, in front OF the hall. below the steps,
Of eighteen wooden stands, each bearing Chinese
characters, indicating a degree In rank All the
native officials, musicians, etc, drawn up out
side these stands, with more yellow flags and regaia.
the civilians at the side Uhe Emperors left and
the military men at the west side; but could not
distinguish, in the strong sunlight, any radical 4tt
ference In their dress ~
"Whcn the European ceremony over, the two
Of mandarins closed in, to oil up the vacant
yard, and faced the Emperor, there being compare
lively few OF the higher ranks on either side. The
general style Of the dresses OF the first six eight
ranks the same, except that the prevailing hues
Tho head dresses resembled that Of the Emperor The
lower ranks seemed to be divided of from the higher
ranks by sort Of barrier aud their dress and head
gear, turban, was Of much palmer character. AL
the higher ranks at least top boots Of greensh
Of solemn hymn was struck up and sung by the ma
scans tho six old Princes advanced to the centre,
Europeans and the whole body Of ofcias went down,
very slowly, In three motions, on their knees kotowed,
times. to slow music, this part OF the ceremony being
extremely well ordained and impressive. The En-.
totowing TO music occupied quite ten minutes. In
front OF the dais near the caves but facing tho sig
cloth to the east, or left OF this again another sA1
table, covered with red or orange CLOTH and on this
rcd cloth. A innconary-I am told, the President
Of the Board of Rites-now advanced from the east
snd s one OF the ss q packets
from the red table advanced to the yellow table, spd
before him. rcvcrcnnally deposited 1T upon the yellow
table rose and retired backward to his place. } am
as nn ns Se other saee
for those Reeents who were of the Blood. Then ono
or the igher 0icials outside In the yard advanced
10 place still outside, fronting the Emperor. and,
hneclins down. sang sort Of cOngratulatory ode,
and resumed his place. This closed the function.
Tho Emperor rose. bowed. stepped down the dais 81
his efthdnd side. bowed 10 the Neutrality-suspicious. q
he turned. retired behind tho das. and guided ~
tho cnnnchs or Palace people 10 his private apartments
at the hack. "
=" | noticed from tablet inside that the hall ws9
called the Tai-ho Ten. or Hall OF Vast HARMONY
am informed that NJ. emare, now Minister at Pekins,
was, when Resident General In 1885, the first insist
on admittanco by the central gate. and audience
here As the Annnmese ceremonies renax
o. tire Chinese they would seem 10 inficate that tho
Manchu Emperor might. with perfect courtesy,
receive the ENJOYS OF equal States In the Taho Teu
nj i,clng, within the Palace walls 81 tho middle
entrance outside the Palace walls lluc still stands
tho Ambassadors' Hail. In which the Annarheso
Emperors used TO receive foreign envovs In the dave