The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-14

eminent for two years The ministers OF
foreign powers ought be received by ME
at audience, and 1 hereby decree that
the audience to be held be in accordance
with that of the twelfth year of TunS
Chih 0873) IL is also hereby decreed that
a day be fixed every year for an audience,
in order to show my desire to treat with
honor all the ministers of the foreign
powers resident in Pekin
This voluntary action on the emperor )
part marked distinct step in advance
but 1t will be seen that he adhered to
the precedent set by Tung Chin of holding
the reception in the Tzu Kuang Ko a
good deal of dissatisfaction was expressed
on this point, but the audience neverthe-
less took place on March 5, 1891. The en-
peror sat on a dias behind table covered
with yellow silk. Each of the six minis
tiers received. bowed at stated intervals,
as nc walked up the hall. and then pausing
at what was called the Dragon Pillar,
read his letter of credence, which was
translated by the interpreter and finally
handed to the president Of the Tsungli
Yamen, or foreign council by whom 1t
was placed on the yellow table. The
president then received on his knees the
emperor's reply, which was written in
Manchu, and which, after descending
from the dais he communicated in Chin
csc to the minister by means Of an inter-
prefer.
The members OF the diplomatic corps.
however, were not satisfied with the ar
rangements and a request was made TO
the Tsungli Yamen that for the future
receptions should be held in the imperial
palace itself. A compromise was eventu-
ally arrived at by which 1t was arranged
that the future audiences should be
granted in the Chang Kuang Tien, an
ancient building on the eastern side of
tho marble bridge which spans the lake
in m pTOnnhq This gfTnpturp Is
not part of the palace proper, but its use
involves no reflection upon the status Of
persons received, and in 1t the representa-
tives Of Austro-Hungary, Great Britain
and Germany have been accorded an au-
dience. France and Russia, however,
still maintain a determined attitude on
the question and refuse to permit their
ambassadors to be received anywhere but
in the palace itself IT is thus that the
matter stands at present Audience Is
granted by the emperor without any Dues
ton Of ths "kowtow," but the diplomats
have not yet been accorded the privilege
of approaching the throne in one Of the
great audience halls in the body OF the
palace.
The palace grounds in Pekin occupy the
entire space within the third or innermost
walled inclosure OF tho city, called TIE
kin-cheng, or the Purple Forbidden City.
This Enclosure is nearly square in shape
]
the compass. Two walls running from
north to south divide the space into three
portions; the one in the middle contains
! the principal edlhces. The main entrance
to this part Of the grounds is the "Wu
| Mum" or Meridian Gate. On passing
through this gate one enters a large court
with porticoes and corridors on the right
side and on the left, and an artificial
stream, spanned by five ornamental
/ bridges Of sculptured marble, running
from east to west across the middle Of f.
! The gateway In front leads to another
court at the head OF which stands a mag
/ nihcent structure, called Tai-ho-tien, OF
| tho Palace OF Supreme Peace, which is
| the principal hall Of audience. II rests
/ on a terrace twenty-three and a half feet
/ high, and rises TO the hight Of 1870 feet
! Five flights Of nine steps each lead from
/ tho pavement below to the principal audi
| ence hall above.
| The landing that crowns the first flight
| OF steps is, In fact, "A raised platform,
| paved with purple tiles There the high
! dignltaries OF the empire assemble on all
/ state occasions and perform the required
/ ceremonies before the emperor, who Is
/ seated on "A throne above. The remain
| ing four flights OF steps arc divided into
! five approaches, each By balustrades OF
| white marble.
] In the center Of the audience hall IL