The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-10-14
oH1NA's INvIsIBLE RULER,
Is Difficult of Access to Foreigners and
is Rarely Seen by His Own Subjects.
From the New York Herald.

Is Difficult of Access to Foreigners and
is Rarely Seen by His Own Subjects.
From the New York Herald
The Chinese idea of the emperor is that
he is second only to Almighty God, and is
the connecting link between ordinary hui
manity and the Almighty He is held to
be the de jure monarch of the whole
earth, of which China is merely the Mid
die Kingdom" all other nations being,
therefore. his tributaries and subjects
The practical outcome of8thtstdual theory
of the sacredness ana unLGersality of the
emperor's sovereign claim has been to ex-
act from foreigners admitted to audience
certain conditions which other states have
with good reason never been willing to
concede. These requirements had refer
ence, first, to the character of the obeis-
ance made by the foreigner admitted to
the interview, and, second, to the building
in which the audience took place. AS re-
CARDS the former, the foreigner
was formerly expected to perform
the kotow-in other words to kneel thrice
and knock his forehead nine times on the
ground AS regards the site of audience.
the humbleness of the stranger received
by the Son of Heaven was emphasized by
receiving him. not in the imperial palace,
but in a building of an inferior kind, in
volving the idea of political dependence.
Upon these extravagant pretensions and
their negation by other states, the whole
audience question in China has turned.
The first English ambassador TO have
audience of a Chinese emperor was Lord
Mccartney, in 1893 Lord Mccartney Of
fered to "lIotow" to the emperor N a Chi
nese nobleman did as much before pic
ture Of George Ill, which he had brought
for the purpose. The offer was refused.
Lord Mccartney knelt on one knee when
.T.4v4 ff.alrs h fv.sg
view that was eventually granted but the
Chinese always declared afterward that
he had "kow- towed." They further Illus
trated their emperor's claims by exhibit
ing before his lordship, who was innocent
of any knowledge of Chinese, flag with
the inscription: ambassador, bearing
tribute from the country of England"
When the war between England and
China came to an end, in 1860 article 3
of the treaty concluded by the conquer
ers stipulated that Britain's representa-
tive shall not be called upon to perform
any ceremony derogatoFy to him as rep
resenting the sovereign of an independent
nation on a footing of equality with
China" For some years-during the ex-
lie of Hsien Feng and the minority OF
Tung Chih-it was not possible to act
upon the right of audience implied in
this clause Of the treaty. As soon,
however, as Tung Chin assumed tho
TelnS oil government III 1000 INC AoINiBl
ministers at Pekin collectively requested
permission 10 present their congratula-
lions to him IN person. The request could
not be denied but, just as the Chinese
had, in Lord Macartney's case. saved their
armour proper by means Of a flag, so
now they achieved the same result by
receiving the ENJOYS in The Tzu Kuang
Ko, building on the outskirts OF the pail
ace Enclosure. which. being inferior TO the
palace proper, carried with IL, 20 the Chin
ese mind the tributary idea.
Tung Chih died in 1875. and was sue
ceeded by the present emperor then a
minor. The audience question according
" slumbered again for time, but when
the new ruler assumed the control Of
the government II came to.the front once
more Kuang Hsu, however. did not walt
fOr any representations TO be made to
him on the subject but on Dec. II, 1850.
he issued the following proclamation, the
first intimation that sthe outside world
received OF the progressive spirit actual
ing the present emperor:
Il have now been In charge Of the gov