The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-26

To those familiar with the career OF the
so-called Empress Dowager Isl AN, there Is
nothing surprising in the announcement
that the relatively young Emperor KwANasu
has been forced to abdicate in her favor.
II presidents are followed in the case OF
this palace revolution, we may expect to
hear, presently, the news that KwANGsU
has suddenly died. He will not have been
by any means the first impediment to the
designs or interests Of an extraordinary
woman that has been removed by an accom-
modating death. Withthe disappearance Of
KwANGsU would vanish the hope OF seeing
carried out the educational reform which
he lately sanctioned, and with him, also,
would vanish what has been the principal
obstacle to the triumph of the pro-Russian
policy personihed in LII HUNG CHANG. Now
that she whom LII Is wont to describe as his
Imperial mistress" has seized once more
the reins Of power, LII HUNG CHANG will
probably regain the lucrative Governor
ship Of Chih-li, as we'll as his former pre-
ponderanoe In the Tsungli-Yamen, or Board
for Foreign Affairs.
1t is almost forty years since the woman
In whose favor the Emperor KwANGsU Is
alleged to have abdicated began to exhibit
her remarkable talents for intrigue, and to
play behind the scenes q dominant part in
the government Of the Middle Kingdom.
When the Emperor HIENFUNG died in Au-
gust, 1851, at Jehol, he left a will in pur-
suance Of which his son, a child less than 6
years old, was proclaimed his successor,
and a board OF regency, comprising eight
members of the imperial family, was ap-
pointed. In the following November the
young Emperor was brought to Pekin, and
seated in the same carriage with him were
Isl TsHI, the Empress Dowager, or princi-
pal widowof HHNFUNa. and also Isl AN. who
had been only one Of HIENFUNG's second
airy wives, OF concubines. On the day follow
ing their arrival in the palace, Prince KUNe,
a brother Of the deceased Emperor, carried
out a plot for the removal OF the Regents,
having previously secured the assent and
cooperation both Of the Empress Dowager
and Of her far ADLER associate, the still liv-
ing Isl AN. This revolution having been
effected, the Empress Dowager Isl TsH1
was proclaimed Regent, and Prince KuNa
obtained many high offices, in addition
to the post Of Chief Minister. In April,
1855, however, Prince KUNd was re-
moved from all his dlgnities by an edict
issued in the name Of the two Regent-Em-
presses, for, in the meantime, Isl An, a
woman Of much greater talents, had become
associated with Isl TsHI, the Empress of
higher grade. Some weeks later he was
reinstated. the Expresses having desired
simply to makek known their predominance.
Prince KUNG had hoped to rule uncontrolled
henceforth, he was content to be the humble
and obedient Minister Of two women. who
had not read Chinese history without noting
the supremacy which had been more than
once attained by members OF their sex, as, for
instance, by the Empress LIUCHL, under the
Han dynasty, and by the Empress KIACHI
under that Of the later Tsins. Each OF the
last-named great ladies had played the role
of a LUCREzIA BoRaIA, having suppressed
by poison the male occupant OF the throne
when he proved in~convenient, and each, not
withstanding the ingrained aversion Of the
Chinese to feminine rulers, having long
continued to WELD with ability the real
powers Of sovereignty.
In 1872 the young Emperor, who after
the removal Of the original Regents had
been renamed TUNGCHE, reached his six
teenth birthday, and was permitted by the
Expresses to marry AHLUTA, a Manchu
lady OF good family. Four months later he
announced to the Foreign Ministers that
he had received the commands of their
Majesties, the W. Expresses, to assume
the superintendence Of public business.
He soon showed himself impatient of
restraint, and, on Sept. 10, 1873, he
ynntTraH IN lIoa hiu nominal o,&6o.tA. 4
degrade Prince KUNG and his son "for
using language In many respects unbecom-
ing" The very next day a decree appeared
from the two Expresses r~einstating Prince
KUNa In his dignities, these ladies' thus as
sorting a right OF control over the Emperor's
actions. Not long after this disclosure of
friction In the interior OF the palace, a rumor
spread that the Emperor's health was in a
precarious state, and, on Dec. 10, an edict
was issued requesting the Empress Dowager
to assume the personal charge Of the admin
istration. Not very long afterward TUNacBF
died, and time has strengthened the
suspicion that he was the victim of foul
play. His death was speedily followed by
that OF his widow, the young Empress
AHLUTA, who Is known to have been preg-
iiuiO ~ OtiO CiiAO VI hui uubOulu b utCnaBe,
These demises were, manifestly, favorable
to the personal interests OF the two En-
presses, who resumed the supreme author
ity, which ostensibly they had resigned not
long before, Their choice of a successor 10
TUNGcHE fell upon the child TsAI TEN,
a son of Prince CHUNG, who was proclaimed
Emperor under the name of KwANdsU. AS
he had been born in 1871, and was, there
fore, Of too tender an age to rule for himself,
his nomination served the purposes OF the
two Expresses and Of their ally, Prince
KUNo, who thus entered upon asecond lease
of power. KwANGsU's installation, however,
gave rise to a short conflict between the two
Expresses and the palace eunuchs. The
latter, who had often figured In Chinese
during troubled times. appear to
have come to the front during the brief