New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-02

|
| and the army
| Kwang-Sus marriage, which took place In
| 1889, in February the month Of the Chinese
New Year was a magnificent ceremonial, which,
| with its attendant ceremonies, is believed to
| have cost over s., 000, 600. To the Dowager En-
| press fell the task of selecting the bride which
! In China is a most difficult and tedious affair
The prospective imperial consort need not be or
princely blood, but she must be OF Manchu
family The choice in this instance fell upon
| Yeh-bo-na-la niece Of the Dowager and daugh-
| ter of Manchu general, Knei- Hsang. She was
selected out Of several hundred candidates who
were summoned to the palace to be inspected
by the Dowager and the high court digntaries.
| QUESTION OF HOROSCOPES
The horoscopes OF all these girls were submit
J ted to the Board Of Rites, the members of which
are known as the officers Who Inquire Into
Heaven These functionaries diligently
pared the many hundred horoscopes of the can
ddates with the Emperors own horoscope Then
those who were found in this way to be eligible
were inspected by the Dowager and Few
whom she selected were kept for time at the
palace, that their characteristics and qualities
might be observed at leisure
| Gradually all these dismissed except
! Yeh-ho-na-la the chosen one who at the time
was fifteen years old. Two other subordinate
wives, Ia ta-la and Ha-ia-lo, were also CHOSEN
at about the same time. The new Empress was
led into the imperial residence the Dragon
Palace by the southern gate, or Gate of the
Dynasty after the gorgeous professions ana
festivities with which the wedding was cele-
! brated were over.
A curious incident which happened at the time
Of the marriage shows how much Importance
| tho Chinese attach to trifes Of ceremonial The
| Board OF Rites had appointed the second day
| before the wedding for the worship OF Heaven
| and Earth But to their intense modification
| the Dowager pointed out TO them that accord
| ing to all precedent it ought to be the day
directly preceding the ceremony. For TINS dis-
graceful blunder OF the Board two senior secre-
taries and several minor officials were degraded
five steps Of rank and one a relative OF III Hung
Chang, who was then In high favor, was de-.
| graded. ..sa
! or the Enperor's personal appearance MI:
DENLY says that ne is small and delicate look
! ing but that his eye is keen and he seems
bright and intelligent. An Englishman who was
present at an imperial audience thus describes
| the sovereign -
"IIis air is one of exceeding intelligence and
yentIeness somewhat frightened and melan-
choly looking His face is pale and though II ID
distinguished by refinement and quiet dignity
il has none of the force OF his martial ancestors
nothing commanding or imperial lie Is
essentially Manchu in features. his face oval
| shaped with very long, narrow chin and q
sensitive mouth with thin, nervous lips; his nose
| is well shaped and straight. his eyebrows regu-
| lar and very arched while the eyes are unusual
| " large and sorrowfnl in expression The fore"
head is well shaped and broad, and the mead IN
large beyond the average
A PIANO MAKERS EXPERIENCE.
An English piano manufacturer, who has re-
Gently spent some time in Picking brings news
Of the Emperors fondness for music and Bis
interest in pianos and other instruments *
Western make He is said 10 perform hptz
self upon the pianos of the palace. but as the
privilege OF listening 10 the imperial recitais
is reserved for only the most exalted OF the
Celestial Kingdom the manufacturer did NOT
have an opportunity Of crticislng the Elm
peror's technique. Kwang-Su, however hearing
of the presence in the capital Of an English
piano expert, desired him TO look al the palace
instruments and if he could put them into
better order Several high officials, bearing an
ancient and evidently much-thumped piano ar
rived at the Englishmans house and deposited
their precious charge. 1t was, says the manu-
facturer in horrible condition. The keys be-
sides being brown with dirt, covered with.
queer Chinese charact r.; which had been
stamped on The instrument had not been
tuned in many years. if. indeed, 1t had ever mad
that experience since il was new. The piano
maker went TO work thoroughly. and tnally got
the keys clean and the instrument repaired and
in fairly good tone again. !; was returned, and
the Emperor expressed his general satisfaction,