Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-09
SUPERSTITION STILL RULES THE
LAND OF THE CELESTIALS.
flung sHUY HELD IN DREAD.
ALL THE ILLS THAT BEFALL ARE
ATTRIBUTED TO 1T.
Civilization slowly Modifying Pagan
Cu.toms-How the Emperor of
China Exercises His xec
tive FunctiOns-SOme
of His Officers.

in his Washington letter TO the fecoTu-
The secretary of state has been adFiseo
by q cablegram from Minister Dehos at
Pekin that the government of China has
welded to the pressure of Germany and has
granted the German emperor a cession Oh
the pert of Kiao-Chou for a term OF hfty
years. 1t might as well be made permh-
nent. And from the press dispatches II Is
learned that if the m find that hiao-
Chou does not suit them they are 10 PICK
out some other portion of the coast ana
the Chinese government will pay the eX-
pense of removal. Thus is determined the
compensation for the murder OF a couple
of Jesuit priests who had been expelled
from German territory.
When the China mails come we snail
learn whether the court at Pekin has con-
strued this incident as a punishment IN.
ficted by the flung shuy upon the country
Of of'a4 the emperor or his neglect to
worship at the tombs of his ancestors. or
dragons that are constantly threatening
evil to the people. When anything. goes
wrong over there it is generally attrlDutea
10 one of these causes. and it was only a
few weeks ago that the emperor issued an
edict calling attention to his own unworthi-
ness and commanding the people. to be
more particular than: usual in their wor-
ship and sacrifices to the spirits OF their an
cestors because he felt the grim forebodingS
60 to the great temple in the forbIdden
city and offer an extra sacrifice OF white
bullocks TO the gods and the flung shuy
that direct the deStinieS of men to pre-
serve the nation from further disaster, and
special worship will be ordered under the
direction of the board of rites to certain
resent the evil spirits. When a calamity
oertakes a portion of the empire it is usu-
or two Of the higher officials. When the
nation at large suffers it is because the
gods are offended at the emperor. and he
usually offers himself for punishment. The
penalty is imposed by the board of censors
and the board of punishment, and the pro-
ceedings are duly announced in the columns
During the reign of the uncle and imme-
date predecessor of the present emperor
there was a terrible famine throIughou the
empire, which was attributed by the as
troloeers and the board Of censors to the
sin committed by him in taking a new fay
orite while he was in mourning for the
death of his father. That was an offense
punishable by Punishment. and the board
of punishment solemnly pronounced the
doom of their sovereign, who was sentenced
to exile among the snow-covered mountains
of Manchuria for several months. As it
would not do to let the sacred person of the
son of heaven undergo such fatigue and
exposures, the ingenious mandarinS select
ed a robust officer of the army for vicariouS
sacrifice and sent him off as the emperor's
substitute. At the end of the period he
returned to Pekin, where he was warmly
welcomed, ,showered with presents and
richly rewarded by his sovereign.
AS the light of civilization hlters through
the walls of the forbidden city these Curl
Gus customs are modified or abolished. but
the astrologers still sit on the towers on the
walls OF Pekin to observe the movements
OF the planets and determine the lucky and
unlucky days. as they did for the Pharaohs
of Egypt and the kings of Babylon. Moth
ing of any Importance is done by the en-
peror or his ministers without first getting
a report from these wise men.
There are seven or eight executive depart
ments under the emperor. His cabinet con.
sists of five grand secretaries, of which Il
Hung Chang is one, and all communication
that pass between him and the rest of the
government go through their hands. When
a report of a proposition reaches the en-
peror it is marked with a vermillion pencil
according to his pleasure, and then handed
down through the cabinet to the particular
that particular subject. There are boards
of censors, revenue, civil officers. rites anC
1Sremo worts army arm y,b and fsI nayE. p=n mnS WSinI
has jurisdiction over foreign affairs and is
composed of the presidents of the other
boards and the grand secretaries. There is
also a council of state, composed of this
same men. who have regular meetings fol
consultation. but a foreigner finds it i'm,
possible to comprehend their duties anC
distinguish where their jurisdiction begin:
or ends.
Before the war of 1860 with England. bust
ness with foreigners was conducted at tn:
colonial office. and by the same officials wht
looked after the tribute paid the emperor
by his vassals in Thibet, Manchuria, kores
and elsewhere. That was considered tht
proper department for the affairs of for
eign DEVILS" and barbarians like the queer
of England. the emperor of France and thu
president of the United States were regard
ed as vassals of the son of heaven. Aftel
that war the ministers from foreign coun
tries refused to accept this situation an!
longer, and the tsung-li-yamen was tempo
rarily organized of the presidents of tn,
permanent boards TO confer with the diplo
matte representatives residing at .Pekin
and transact such other business as the EN-
peror might have with contractors an
other foreigners. Recent events have mad
IL the most important of all the government
boards at Pekin. 1t is the only one tina
has offices outside of the forbidden city
whose gates no foreigner is allowed to en-
ter, except the members of the diplomat
corps. and they only when they presen
their letters of credence to the emperor.
The tsung-li-yamen occupies an old tenn
pie within convenient distance OF LegatioI
LEGATIONS are situated. 1t is now compose
of the most eminent men surrounding tn
emperor. Ii Hung Chang. who is the bes
known to foreigners; Prince KunE. Wen
Tung Ho. Kang vi and Chen Wing 2u, VIII
compose the eriperor's cabinet. are partiC
u!arly influential, and whatever they sa
is usually the law of the council.
Prince Kung is uncle of the present EN-
peror and son of the late Emperor Ia
Taung. He is considered an excellent NAL
OF liberal ideas and good Intentions but l
Weng TunE Ho was the cmperorS tuto
during his minority. and is considered, tn
ahlest ard most influential man at cour1
He is president of the board Of revenue
which corresponds to the treasury depart
ment in our government and IS thc mo
important office under the emperor. III
was an implacabie foe to all foreign dcr
ils' and resisted all progressive movement
until :hc late war with Japan, when hi
eyes Were opened to the importance an
necessity of undermining China. Since the
he has been regarded as the leader CT TIL
progressive faction. but he has never Ice
outside of the city of Pekin. He has n
knowledge of geography or foreign affair
or modern civilization, except what lie ha
learned in conversation With foreigners lnl