Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-02-16
CMlNA'S CAPITAL.
SoUALOR AND SPLENDoR OF
THE CITY OF PEkiN.
u OiHers From Other Chinese cities.
fascination ofths Crowded Streets
The Empseor's Home.

The Emperor's Homo.
Pekin must be seen to be under.
stood. Not even in the East can
there elsewhere be found so strange
combination OF squalor and
spleudor. A person may live for
years in one of China's well-kept
foreign settlements and continue to
wonder why railroads are not built,
why this, that, and the other is not
done. But when at last Pekin is
visited all becomes comprehensive.
For IL the capital of the empire Is
utterly neglected. IL things which
the Emperor and his closest advisers
can see for themselves are allowed
to 60 to rack and ruin before their
eyes. why should anything be done
to open up and improve the rest Of
the country?
The city walls sixteen gates, sur.
mounted by brick towers, built with
rows Of pertholes, are all locked and
barred soon after dark. Riding over
the open country is one of the chief
diversions in foreign residents mo.
notonous lives, and II a pony goes
lame, or the time has been miscal-
culatcd, and the gate reached few
moments late, there is nothing for IL
but resignation. Brides, threats,
promises are Of no avail. and the
night must be passed in dirty inn
outside the wall.
Pekin, barring its filth and smells,
differs much from other Chinese
cities. While the streets of the great
southern towns often do rot measure
more than eight or ten feet across,
those of Pekin are very wide All
IRE unpaved, and most of them almost
impossible to foot passengers. Even
on pony.back one runs u real danger
OF being submerged in q mud.hole
People who cannot ride use mule.
litters, sedan.chairs, or two.wheeled
springless "Pekin carts" which un.
less well furnished with mattresses
give their occupants famous shak.
ings. And these impossible thorough.
fares are lined by fine shops, the
entire facades OF many being elab.
orately carved and entirely overlaid
with gold.leaf.
In spite Of mud.holes, heaps oil
garbage. and other things too noisome
to describe, Pekin's streets, will,
their golden shops and picturesque
sign-boards, their overfiowing life
and gayety, are fascinating. Their
great width Is often practically con
tracted to narrowness by tents,
booths, movable restaurants, ami.
hilatory BARRIERS shops, etc. The
sides are crowded with buyers, sellers,
jugglers, fortunc.tellers, doctors,
and musicians. Through the centre
pass long strings OF camels laden with
brick tea for Russia. or Goals from
Tartary, Manchu men and women on
horseback, and innumerable pro
cessions-mandarins' chairs, pre-
ceded by twenty or thirty retainer.
with umbrellas, flags. banners. etc.
brides escorted to their future home.
by troops Of friends, small boys whc
explode tirecrackers, and men VIII,
carry scarlet boxes containing the
wedding gifts and trousseau; corpse.
followed to the grave by a howlin:
white.scarved clan, besides all tn,
elaborate loss pidgin" pageant.
with their roast pigs. gilt.paper pa
godas. pyramids OF artificial flowers
and other sacriticial offerings.
Every morning before dawn cart.
=ase driven about the town in ordc
to take away children, living or dead
of whom the parents wish to rio
themselves. The dead are thrown
into pits without the walls. ant
covered with qucklime; the Twin!
are taken to the temple of the new
born, and cared for ut the expense
of the state. At night, rs the streets
ARE rot lighted, people going abroat
must depend upon their own lanterns
Watchmen pace about continual J
beating bamboos, so that no thief
unless he be stone-deaf, need ever b,
caught in the act.
The yellow tiled walls surroundln.
-'Hwang Ching" or Forbidden
City where the Emperor and cour
reside, enclose about four squar,
miles. Formerly good view OF it,
picturesque buildings, lakes, bridges
and artificial hills could be obtained
from the famous marble bridge, bu
this foreigners have recently bee
forbidden to cross. 'Thi Shan" O
-'Coal HILL" lying north of til
palace. is, however, visible from al
parts Of the city. Its five summit
are crowned with as many temples
which the "Son OF Heaven" ma
daily watch falling into decay.
For the cultivation OF u meek.an
humble spirit, a residence in Peki
is strongly to be recommended. Fe'
strangers can, however. avail them
selves Of the privilege, for, rs onl
Chinese merchants are allowed to d
business there, the foreign popul,
ton is limited to the diplomat
circle, officials, students connecte
with the Chinese customs service
and few missionaries The diplC
matic career Is not considered COZ
ducive to humility, generally havln!
indeed, the contrary effect on thos
who follow it. But in Pekin the dir
lomats are lambs Every year SEE
the liberties OF foreigners in Peki
further restricted. Even the pr
ilege OF walking on the city wall
now denied them, and as it is M
possible to walk elsewhere, all vi
do not ride must exercise with
their own compounds, They ma
skate. however, in winter, 90