Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1894-10-25
cHrSA's INVISIBLE RULER
Difficult of Access to Foreigners and
Rarely Seen by Subjects.

The Chinese idea of the emperor is
that he is second only 10 Almighty
God. and is the connecting link be-
tween ordinary humanity and the AL
mighty. He is held TO be the de jure
monarch OF the whole earth of which
China is merely the Middle King,
DOM all other nations being therefore
his tributaries and subjects. The
practical outcome of this dual theory
of the sacredness and universally OF
the emperor's sovereign claim has been
to exact from foreigners admitted 10
audience certain conditions which the
other states have. with good reason.
never been willing to concede. These
requirements had reference, first to
the character of the obeisance made by
the foreigner admitted to the inter
view, and, second, TO the building in
which the audience took place. As re-
CARDS the former, the foreigner was
Formerly expected TO perform the ko-
town other words, to kneel thrice
and knock his forhead nine times on
the ground. As regards the site of au.
1ience. 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, involving 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 Ma
caruley offered to 'kotow" TO the en-
peror ii Chinese nobleman did as
much before a picture of George Ill,
which he had brought for tho purpose
The offer was refused. Lord Macart-
ney knelt on one knee when presenting
his credentials, in the interview that
was eventually granted but the Chi
nese always declared aftcrward that he
had "kotowed." They further illus
trated their emperor's claims by exhib-
iting before his lordship, who was in
nocent OF any knowledge Of Chinese,
q flag with the inscription: "Ambas-
sador, bearing tribute from the coun-
try of England
When the war between England and
China came to an end, In 1860, article
3 of the treaty concluded by the con-
querors, STIMULATING that Britain's rep
resentatiye "shall not be called upon
to perform any ceremony derogatory
to him as representing the sovereign
of an Independent nation on footing
of equality with China For some
years during the exile of Hsieng 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 Tnns
Chih assumed the Ieins CT government,
in 1873. the foreign ministers at Pekin
collectively requested permission 10
present their congratulations to him
in person. Tile request could not be
tented, but. just as the Chinese had
IN Lord Macartney's case saved their
amour propre by means of flag. so
now they achieved the same result by
receiving the ENJOYS in the TZu Kuang
Io, a building on the outskirts of the
palace enclosure, which, being inferior
to the palace proper, carried with it,
to the Chinese mind, the tributary
idea.
Tung Chin died in 1875, and was
succeeded by the present emperor,
then a minor. The audience question
accordingly slumbered again for IL
time, but when the new ruler assumed
the control of the government it came
TO the front once more. kuang Hsu,
however, did not wait for any repre-
sensations to be made to him on the
subject, but on Dec. l., 1890. he is
sued the following proclamation, the
first intimation that the outside world
received of the progressive spirit actu-
ating the present emperor:
7 Il have now been in charge of the
government for two years. The min
listers of foreign powers ought to be
received by me at audience, and
hereby decree that the audience to be
held in accordance with that of the
twelfth year of Tung Chih 1S73). 1t
is also hereby decreed that a day he
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 en-
peror's part marked distinct step in
advance, but it will be seen that he
adhered to the precedent set by Tung
Chin Of holding the reception in the
Tzu Kuang 10. A good deal of dis
satisfaction was expressed on this
point. but the audience nevertheless
took place on March ). 1891. The EN-
peror sat on a daiS behind 4 table
covered with yellow silk. Each of the
six ministers received bowed at stated
intervals as he walked up the hail.
and then pausing ut 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 for
eign council. by whom ii was placed
on the yellow table The president
then received on his knees the empe-