The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-12-20


lily, and by her influence kept that fam
lily In power many years There has
been revolution. and the queen has
fed. but il is not known where she has
taken refuge.
Lady Ii, or Mrs. Ii Hung Chang. a.
we may say, Is about % years old, but
so we'll preserved that she might pass
for 3d. She is of pure Tartar blood, OF a
distinguished Mantchoorian family and
shows it in her high cheek bones and
marked features, yet she l. quite hand
some, with large expressive eyes, hap
DIV, genial air and winning manners
As maiden she was better educated
than Chinese ladies generally, and after
marriage her husband. contrary TO al
precedent there. continued her educa-
ton. In 1880 some missionary doctors
admitted 10 her society We're astonIshed
TO find that she had considerable knOwl-
edge of medicine, understood the Eu-
ropean system, and III general infOrma-
tion was far superior To moss OF tine
mandarins.
Like her husband, she has great adj
miratiOn for western ways. and when
the native physicians had given her
case up Is hopeless during serious i'll
ness she sent for n male and female
physician of the American board of for
eign missions. They restored her health
and strength. and she thereafter did all
she could 10 promote their work
Ii Hung Chang showed his gratitude
by fitting up general dispensary III
Tien- tsin, which he presented TO the
mission, and Lady Ii established one ex-
clusively for women and put III charge
of il the American lady who had at
tended her. But they cOntended IN vain
with Chinese stupidity and prejudice
The people were taught and believed that
the missionaries were PRISONERS, and the
riots of two years ago followed.
Lady Ii and her husband live IN the
suburbs of Tien-tsiu near the bank Of
the Pei-Ho river i'll IN establishment
famous for elegance and splendOr. The
viceroy is one of the richest men III Chi
m, and his wife has full control of his
income. American and European ladies
are often her guests and speak with
RAPTURE of the wonderful walks and
gardens. the fountains, flowers and fish
ponds, the great troops OF imperial pea
cocks, the song birds, curious fishes, boz
tanic collections and ceramic ware illus
trating Chinese art In all ages. Here
the ladies of the imperial court enjoy
themselves III voluptuous seclusiOn- But
Just outside the gates and everywhere
else in China Il the awful misery.
Ninety-nine out of every hundred Chi
nese women are pressed down almost TO
the level OF soulleSs automatons-
Even Lady Ii shuffies about on mere
stumpS of feet. defOrmed IN her child
hood like all the rest, and when she
takes the air IN her magnificent gardens
has to be carried in chair litter. Yet
she has n beautiful complexion, bathes
twice n day IN oil of orange and acacia
blooms. Is artistic in her toilet and
dresses her hair IN 30 different ways.
Such Is China-boundleSs prOdigality
and dainty luxury for a very few, un-
ending toll and misery for the many.
The present empress OF China Is young
and apparently without character. The
aged dowager Is = woman Of extraOrdl-
nary talent. Fifty years ago she was
Yin Ling, the pretty child Of poor fam
iIv in Canton. In 4 famine they sold
her TO get food for the rest. She became
a slave in n wealthy family and eventu-
aIJv in the palace at Picking. The EN-
,,aror was charmed with her, she be-
60 one OF his auxiliary wives, and II
Ie54 bore him SON. As an infant that
80 became emperor. with his mother
rs regent
Aavartisar Il cants :