The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-11-22

OF EMPEROR.
Kwang died Feb. "a, 1850, leaving his
country apparently open To foreign trade
and HongkOng in possession of the Eng
lish, but irregular hostilities continued
ten years longer before treaties were con-
cluded with all the western powers and
soon after the final settlement Tan
hwang's successor died, leaving an infant
son rs heir to the throne.
Hicn-Fung, heir 10 Tan Kwang and the
first emperor Under the new system OF in
tercourse with foreigners, left his brother.
Prince Kung. and his widow, the dowager
empress, as Europeans would say, joint
regents of the kingdom and official guard
ians of his son, Tung-Chi. The latter
married quite young and soon after died
of smallpox, but IL was generally believed
in Picking that his widow promised an
heir TO the throne. She died suddenly
under circumstances not yet fully known,
and it is believed that the dowagcr en-
press had her poisoned in order that she
and Prince kung might continue to rule
the empire.
The son Of Prince Kung, brother next
in age TO Hien-Fung, would have been
the rightful heir, but Kung was already
regent, and his services could not be dis
pensed with and Chinese law forbids that
father should serve q son or occupy an
inferior rank in government position. SO
a council of Mantchoorian princes was
called and they selected the youngest
brother of Hien-Fung and Prince Kung-
namely, Prince Ch'un, as the proper chan
mel of descent, and his son was declared
heir to the throne with the title of Kwang-
So. which means Industrious succession"
Prince Ch'un could hold no government
position because his son was emperor and
died in 1891, two years after KwangS u
assembled the throne. He Is called the son
of heaven by his people. and his royal seat
is called the dragon throne. The dowager
empress, cruel and arbitrary as she Is re-
puted TO be, had ruled with vigor for many
years and acquired extraordinary influ-
ence despite the low condition usually as
signed TO women IN China, but Kwang-Su
soon proved equally arbitrary, and after
some stormy times, of which few particu-
lars reached the outside world, he swept
aside much OF the old court etiquette and
admitted foreign ambassadors TO audience
on prescribed days in the first month of
each Chinese year.
The reception Is held in an outbuilding
however, originally used for mental pur-
poses, and in the ceremonies IL is still as
sumed that China holds the sovereignty OF
the world and that the foreign ministers
see him only by the grace OF a superior
and not OF right. The improvised throne
N which he sits at these receptions is an
gilded- The cushions are of dark blue
satin, and on either side OF the throne
stands an enormous fan, carved and paint
ed TO portray the wings OF brilliantly
hued bird. Near by are two huge and
richly decorated cases containing the robes
Of state. In the rear IS a magnificently
constructed screen, with carving and paint
ing 20 portray dragons and other monsters
with hideous eyes. During the reception
al
OF countenance, and his attendants put on
q look and air OF sublime federation and
amused contempt
Kwang-Su has recently shown tend
ency 70 break through this cast iron sys-
tenn TO study the ways OF western nations
and take hand in the government, all of
which has excited the liveliest horror on
the part of his great officers of state. He
rensured the viceroy of Canton and his
brother, the all powerful Ii Hung Chang,
because the former was a party TO fraud
IN the examinations Of applicants for Office. |
The dowager empress favored the guilty |
viceroy, but her influence had wancd. |
The latest indications are that kwang-Su |
will make desperate effort TO break down |
all the old restrictions and modcrnize and |
rejuvenate his empire.
Everybody knows that the rulers are |
not, strictly speaking, Chinese, but u few /
historic points should be noted. Exclud
ing mythology, the well authenticated /
history Of China begins with the reign Of |
Yu the Great in 22O7 Il. G.. or 4,iOI years |
ago. There were about !, 100 years 81 great
progress and then S1J years OF horribly |
destructive wars, after which peace and
united empire were restored and continued
till =. ~ 2CO. Then came over 800 years
OF alternating peace and war, when the
Overran the empire by degrees
81 in mn al r. al hss
col dynasty, ruled at Peking from 1879
20 1886 Most Of the subsequent internal
wars nave been from attempts Of the true
or yellow Chinese 20 expel the Mongols.
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