The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-10
cH1NA's RE1oNINa HOUSE.
An Account of How the Present
Dynasty Rose to Supreme Power.

indicated the probability of an early
movement in China against the reigning
dynasty. The provinces are described as
being in an excited and troubled condi-
ton. while the dissatisfaction among the
official classes has become acute. In con-
. nectfon with this subject it will be remem-
/ bered that some months ago, before the
. outbreak of the war. the Heralds special
/ correspondent at Shanghai pointed out
/ that there was great cause for uneasi-
ness at Pekin. For the first time since
/ the Tai-Ping rebellion, "eXpulsno of the
I Manchus" was openly talked of in the tea
shops and other resorts of the capital.
I In ordinary times the average Chinaman
] would not dare to breathe such things to
! his nearest friends, but now, as our cor
I respondent intimated, the topic had be-
| come so hackneyed that people every
| where discussed the prospects of upset
| ting the existing order and driving the
| emperor and his court to their original
| home at Moukden
A prophecy, moreover, with regard to
the speedy downfall of the dynasty, was
/ being secretly circulated throughout the
country, and formed part of a general
scheme for preparing the people for a
change of rulers. The misfortunes which
have befallen China since the war broke
out. have helped forward the plans of
these conspirators by increasing the gen
eral discomfort, and the prospects of a dy-
nastic change are accordingly still more
obvious than they were in May. In these
circumstances it is of interest to recall in
brief the history of the house which at
present rules the teeming millions of the
celestial empire.
The present occupant of the Chinese
throne comes of a race different from
those over whom he rules, though allied
to it, For two centuries and a half the
Manchu dynasty of Using has swayed the
rod of empire in China. This long pc
Rod has not yet brought about the ANAL
gamation of the conquerers and the con-
quered into one homogeneous people. To-
day China presents a spectacle somewhat
similar to that which England presented
in the twelfth century, when the inhab-
itants of the island had not yet learned to
regard themselves as Englshmen, but as
either Normans or Saxons.
dual administration of public affairs
is the outcome of this anomalous state of
things. Thus, all the departments of the
Chinese government have at least two
heads, one Manchu and one Chinese. The
Manchus naturally get the lions share of
the important offices.
The reigning house traces it's origin to
the Kin Tartars, who wrested the north
ern part of China in the eleventh century
from the house of Sung, but had to fee
in the beginning of the next century from
the victorious advance of Genghis Khan
and take refuge in the wilds of the Amur
The founder of the imperial family. Aisin
Ghioro, is said to have been the chief of
nomadic tribe at Otole, a place situated
IN wild region about ninety miles south
west OF Ninguta. But little is known
about his descendants for several gem
erations, until they migrated southwark
and established themselves at Hinglting
about eighty miles to the east of Mouk-
den. There the ancestors of the present
Chinese ruler dwelt for four generations
and waxed strong eS@l great.
1t was toward the latter part of the six
teenth century that they, under the lead
ershlp OF Tienming, started on their ca
reer of conquest.
This warrior became the head of his
tribe when he was only twenty-five years
old. He was a born leader, able, daring
and fertile in eXpedients. His land was
| hemmed in on all sides by hostile tribes.
but he succeeded in the course of a few
years in reducing them all to subsection.
and in extending his territory from the
Amur on the north to the Yellow sea on
the south, and from the desert of MonRo-
la on the west to the Pacific ocean on the
east.
At that time a weak scion of the house
OF Ming was on the throne of China. The
Lao river divided the territories of the
chinese empire and the Manchu chief
tam. The ambitious Tienming found no
ulIlculty in picking a quarrel with his
nelShbor, and accordingly made repeated
| lncursions into Chinese territory Shin
yang and LiaoYang fell into his hands.
AFTER stubborn defence. Then he re-
moved his capital from Hingkins to shin
yang and changed it's name to Moukden
Distracted by internal discussions the
Rouse OF Ming was not in a position to
o1er an effective resistance to the in
vasions of the Manchus. Inch nv inch
the chinese forces were driven back to-
| ward the great wall. That barrier onlv
| served to check the advance of the Man
| chuS for time
! AT the eastern terminus of the great
! wall is an important pass, called Shan
hal-kWan. AS long as the Chinese held
! lhdt pass the ManchuS found it imDOs-
! slble to retain an inch of territory within
| the great wall. But a favorable oppor-
| tuhlty presented itself to the Manchus in
! an unexpected manner Revolts against
the central government in different parts
| or China at that time assumed such nro-
| portions as to defy the authorities To mt
| tpem down. The insurgents made a hold
advance upon Pekin, and succeeded I'm
| capturing the city. The last Ming ern
peror committed suicide. The Chinese
| general who commanded the imperial
Iorces at Shan-hat-kwan refused to sub
mt 10 the rebel leader, and in an evil
hour invited the Manchus to enter chin
ana put down the instruction. The in
Nltatlon was, of course gladly accented
me instruction was speedily crushed
ana then, having made themselves mas
| ters OF the country, the Manchus refused
TO retire. Thus for second time China
passed under foreign yoke.
Inc amen rulers of China increased the
| extent or the empire by adding their own
possessions to the eighteen provinces Of
Chiha' NO sooner had the process of sub
Jusatlon been completed than the tide NJ
conquest began to turn. The conquered in
war soon proved their superiority in the
arts OF peace. Instead of the Chinese he
| coming Manchus, the Manchus eradnau,,
assimilated with the Chinese.