The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-10-19
CHINESE DO NOT KILL.
Suicide .!E:cc E::.cc::....c Me..ii:eaa ~ Tex
ing Off or CeIestials.

AsIIINGTON, Oct. 2.-Nlr. WI, the
Chinese minister, received cable
gram from Pckin this morning. No
al]usion was made to the death Of the
emperor, although it referred to the
punishment Of Chang Yen lIoon, his
predecessor here. He is, therefore,
dlsinclincd to believe the newspaper
dispatches, although he would not be
surprised to learn that his sovereign
is dead. Minister Congcr has notified
the department Of State that the en-
pcror is i'll, but has sent nothing to
confirm the newspaper reports Of his
death. Both Mr.. WI and Col. Denby
are very skcptical as to the story Of
the emperor assassnation
No emperor Of China was ever as
sassinatcd, SO far as history goes.
The dignity and sanctity of his person
makes such Il thing almost impossible,
except by maniac, but suicide is a
frequent method Of escaping disgrace
and humiliation. Several cmperors
have died by their own hand Hwai
Tsung, the last emperor of the Ming
dynasty. killed himself because he
was dcposcd by the Manchus, the
family Of the present monarch, who
are known as the Tsings.
| Offenders are often allowed to COM
init suicide to save their honor. This
privilege was granted to Prince Chin
in 1861, when he was held responsible
for the British invasion. Tseng, the
commander Of the Chinese fert, com
mitted suicide in 1895 to cover the
humiliation of his defeat by the
Japanese. and only few month3 ago
Que Of the most prominent ministers
was given his choice between suicide
and banishmcnt.
Suicide is not disgrace; it is often
used as means of revenge. The Sc
vercst punishment man can inf1ict
upon an enemy is to commit suicide
in his house or upon his doorstep, be-
cause curse will always hang over it.,
and if Kuang Hsu wanted to punish
his aunt, the dowager, for deposing
him, he could select no more effective
method of making her miserable than
to take his own life in her presence or
in her apartment.
For q similar reason the assassina-
tion of the emperor would not be de-
sirable by his enemies or his success
sors. Iu the first place the whole
people Of China, from the emperor
down to the most ignorant coolie, are
in perpetual and irresistible bondage
to the Fung Shuy, the spirits of the
dead, who retain their interest and
activity in the affairs Of the living
and exercise an overpowering influence
over the minds, the acts and the for
tunes of men.
This is the secret Of ancestral wor-
ship. 1t is the theory that the great
er influence q man exercises in life
the more power his spirit will have
over the destinies Of mankind after
DEATH Therefore, shrines are erected
to great men by those who want their
favor, just as we EJECT monuments in
this country.
The emperor Of the "son of heaven;
the king Of kings" While he is liv-
ing his person is 80 sacred thet no one
except those authorized may touch
him without suffering the penalty of
death. People are not permitted to
look upon him. When L ministers
approach the throne they bow their
heads to the foos and address. him on
their hands and knees. When he
passes along the streets Of Pekin
screens of mating are hung in front
OF all the houses and shops. Although
there is no doubt good deal Of peep
| ing: those who are guilty would un-
doubtcdly be punished if found out.
When he dies the emperor ascend
among the gods where he continues to
be source of good and evil, and ever
such rugged old iconoclast as Ii
Hung Chang would not take the chan
ces Of his interference with his plans
Besides that the emperor's successor
is required to worship him. The same
obligation rests upon the court, and it
would be little difficult to worship O
man you had assassinated.
Nevertheless the Chinese are pro.
crossing rapidly in modern ideas. Rev.
erence for their sovereign is moderat.
ing and assassination may have come
in with innovations. At the same
time it is difficult to attribute any
motive for the empress dowager to
murder her nephew. He has always