The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-08-17
From the Surrounding Wall Il Looks
Like Great Forest 10 Many Places.
LARGE AND STATELY BUILDINGS.
Emperor's Daily Life Is Regulated by Gus
toms AMI Laws as UnalieTabIe as the
Courses Of the Planets.

Kwang Hsu's imperial residence and
that of his ancestors ever since they con-
quered the throne two and one-half CEN
turies ago. is a city itself not lacking
I'm the dignity and magnifcence behtting
so puissant potentate.
AS the traveller from Tien Tsin rides
across the great alluvial plain that
stretches for hundreds of miles TO the
southwest of Pekin, even as he ap-
proachcs the immediate vicinity or the
city. there is naught to indicate that he
is nearing one OF the worlds greatest
capitals. "A city whose beginning is lost
IN the aim fogs of antiquity, the Gambia
Iuc OF Marco Polo, the ancient voyager
The plain he traverses is as level as a
drill ground. and is dotted extensively
with tombs and all degrees Of splendor.
set pleasantly i'm groves OF evergreens
and lending a quaint beauty TO an other
wise severely utilitarian landscape. For
all the plain over. where tombs and the
myriad villages are not the land is under
careful and skillful cultivation.
But IL Is the tombs. the ubiquitous
tombs that will impress the traveller on
his ride TO Pekin.
LUNCH ON A GRAVE.
This same traveller, now so impressed
with the all-prevalence OF the homes of
the dead, will soon take his picnic lunch
shaded by the verdant sentries around
some ancient tumulous. and seated upon
a grave. will cheerily eat and drink.
without a tremor or thought OF that
other gruesome banquet beneath his
feet.
AS our traveller proceeds upon his way
presently there seems to spring from
the earth before his astonished and de-
lighted gaze a massive gray castellated
wall OF stone. hfty feet in height, with
huge bastions projecting at intervals, and
surmounted at other greater distances
by Imposing towers This is the wall
that surrounds Pei Ching. the northern
capital and these the towers that guard
fits fifteen gates.
Within, IL is n city OF splendid dis
tances. OF broad avenues OF spacious res
idential parks. a city laid out on stately.
liberal lines. From the wall II is like n
great forest in many parts. with roofs OF
gray among the trees Best view il from
the wall. for below all is decay and filth,
and such sights and smells as make our
traveller reel i'm his saddle as he passes
through the gate. But nothing can take
away the glory OF the wall. and nothing
can entirely kill the charm of residence
in the city Now IL is the home OF riot
THE FORBIDDEN CITY.
Kwang Hsu lives In many acred park
IN the Forbidden CITY, in the heart of
Pekin. Here no one NAV enter except
those. few I'm number, whose rank and
business permit.
A foreigner may live forever I'm Pekin,
and know almost nothing of the life in
this mysterious precinct. We do
1xxxE - l.
court. that the emperor is mere puppet.
surrounded by countless eunichs and con-
cubines. OF which latter there are five Of
ficial classes, of varying degrees of i'm
portance
They never come out They are not
killed on the death OF an emperor. for in
stanceh but are maintained until death
In quarter by themselves. 1t must be
CHASTITY life.
A GLIMPSE FROM AFFAIR.
The glimpses of the imperial grounds
which are obtained from the outside give
an impression OF little lakes and hand
made hills. plentiful verdure and beauti-
ful scenery.
There are many large and stately
buildings. each covered with tiles OF bril-
liant yellow. From the western hills"
thirteen miles away. the city presents n
sea-like PLAIN. with its golden roofs
agleam In the setting sun. Beneath
those roofs what tragedies are daily en-
acted What intrigues are brought TO
hateful fr,,tion,
The western world can never know
what the roofs of gold over the silent
palaces of the orient keep the sunlight
from. Only occasionally. when the reins
OF government are snatched from the rul-
er's hands. as was done by the empress
dowager In 1898. and the world must
know that another Is on the throne do
the secrets OF the palace become public
And even then the method ernnloved and
the result arc left TO be imagined.
HIS LIFE REGULATED.
The most meager details OF the em-
peror's daily life are known 10 the world
This only is certain. that II Is regulated
by the customs and laws as unalterable
as the courses OF the planets
He receives In audience his own fninis
ters and high officials az n m Ie
practices archery. His table Is regulated
by board. and their DEGREES are final
II he wants birds nests on the dav
when sea slugs are provided the board
must pass upon HIS request
In fact IN no court I'm the world is tha
divinity that doth hedge about n king
more painfully felt than IN that ~ China.
II was this fact that made the first audi
ence with the foreign ministers I'm 1891 SO
diffch,. of arrangement
There had been IN 1873 an audience with
Tung Chih. and IN many respects this
precedent was followed IN 1901 But ev.
cry detail of tho ceremony was a matter
for the most delicate diplomatic discus
sion.
The foreign minlsfers met rcpeafediv.
discussed and argued. signed agreements
and stipu'ntlons. protocols. ioint notes.
aides. memoirs and other funny papcrs