Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-10-25

-
be received anywhere but In the naloes
itself. 1t is thus that the matta,
stands at present. Audience is gran,ad
by the emperor without any auas,,oa
Of the ''kotow;" but the diploms,.
have not yet been accorded the nrivi'
lege of approaching the throne In ona
Of the great audience halls In the bodv
of the palace.
The palace grounds in Pekfn oecnnv
the entire space within the third ana
innermost walled enclosure of the cItv
called Tze-kincheng, or the purnia
Forbidden city. This inclosure Il
nearly square in shape. with lie
sides facing the four points Of the com.
pass. Two walls running, from north
to south divide the space into three
portions; the one in the middle con.
tains the principal edifices. The main
entrance to this part of the grounds Il
the "Wu Num-" or Meridian Gate. On
passing through this gate one enters 4
large court, with porticoes and CORR.
doris on the right side and on the lest
an artificial stream, spanned nv
five ornamental bridges of sculptured
marble, running from east to west
across the middle of 1t. The gateway
in front leads to another court, at the
head of which stands magnificent
structure. called Tai-ho- tien. or the nal.
ace of supreme peace, which is the
principal hall of audience. It rests on
a tarra aa tuontv- fhPoo and q hale a..
high, and rises to the height Of $50
feet. Five flights of nine steps each
lead from the pavement below to the
principal audience hall above.
The landing that crowns the first
fiight of steps is in fact n raised plat.
form, paved with purple tiles. There
the high dignitaries of the empire as.
semble on all state occasions and per.
form the required ceremonies before
the emperor, who is seated on throne
above. The remaining four flights Of
steps are divided into five approaches,
each by balustrades of white marble.
In the center of the audience hall is
placed a throne, upon which the EN-.
peror mounts New Years day, winter
solstiee. or his birthday, to receive the
congratulation of the assembled Of
ficials.
Some time ago portions of the pal.
ace grounds were accessible to the for.
cigner. but for several years a policy
of the strietest exclusion has prevailed
Everything is closed and nothing can
be seen from the outside but the vel
low roofs of the great halls and the
pavilions browning the higher eleva.
tions. To the innermost palace no
man is admitted. 1t is here that the
emperor resides, with his harem sur.
rounded by an army of from eight to
ten thousand eunuchs.
There seems little ground for sur.
prise at the imperial attitude toward
the ENJOYS of foreign states when the
isolation of the emperor from his own
subjects is borne in mind. When he
visits any of the temples of a neigh
boring palace no one is allowed TO be
abroad in the streets. All stalls and
booths are removed, and the houses
are barricaded with mats. 1t is only
in the country, where such precau-
lions are physically impossible. that
glimpses of the emperor may be had
as he passes swiftly along in his mag
nificent sedan.
So vast. indeed has been the gulf Of
separation between the sovereign and
his people that many articles have
been exclusively associated with the
former, and therefore forbidden to the
latter. as. for instance, the color vel
low. which is exclusively the imperial
emblem
The kotow, or form of worship. Is
rendered not merely to the person Of
the sovereign in Pekin, but TO every
form in which he delegates his author
ity to others. 1t is well known that
the imperial edict is always received
with the nine prostrations and the
burning incense. But it is not so gen
orally III derstood that an official Of
even superior rank has to perform the
kotow on meeting another official VINO
has recently quilted the imperial pres
ence Similar obeisances are paid dur
ing the week containing his birthday
to the emperor in the imperial temple
to be found in every provincial capital
The fact that the emperor's proper
name is never mentioned and that 70
pronounce it is criminal offense
shows how exclusively the dynastic
policy of the Chinese has always been
On ascending the throne the ruler
takes what is called ''kwoh hao,' ana
by that name he becomes known 70
his people and to history.
An extraordinary sensation was DC
casioned some time ago when, DURING
his annual pilgrimage to The eastern
tombs of his ancestors, the emperor
not only permitted himself to be seen
by the people, but actually stoppeu
and spoke to some abnormally auua,
cious persons who ventured forwatu
to present petition. Naturally tners
are mandarins who look upon sucn
departure from the established ordei
Of things with horror. But the youhs
emperor-he is just twenty-three
seemed to be sent according 10 nis
= .aaI