Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-24
CHlNESESTATEDEPARTMENT
ORIGIN AND PECULIARITIEs OF THE
TSUNG Ii YAMEN.
Capture Of Pekin by Foreigners Made
Its Present Power.
From the London Pail Mall Gazette.

From the London Pail Mall Gazette.
It is only natural. considering the Chinese
contention officially stated by Prince Kung
In 1880. that "there is but one emperor who
rules over all lands" that any administra-
tive provision for dealing with foreign
countries as equals IN Of subsequent origin.
China, indeed. had q colonial oface-the
Ldfanyuen-not. however. one Of the six
boards; and England, France. Germany and
the other powers had long been inscribed
on it's books as mere vassals and depen-
denotes.
But the capture OF Pekin changed such
humfliating procedure. To meet the neces-
stiles Of foreign intercourse under new con-
dittons a new tribunal was called into ex-
istence, and upon 1t was bestowed, at
Prince Kung's, suggestion. tho name OF
Enandarinate aAaan evolution from the LII
fanyuen, the second syllable in the title OF
the new foreign Office signifying control
and serving thus to connect it with the old
department in fashion soothing to Chi
nese pride. It began with no high preten-
sions, either as to numbers or prestige, al
though Prince Kung himself, the brother OF
the emperor became its first president.
Under him in 1851 were only three minis
tiers, and the accounts Of some Of their
early Interviews with the "barbarians"
make at this late day very amusing read
ing. An instance of an ordinary interview
between the mandarins and a foreign en-
issary Is furnished In the report OF Mr..
(afterward Sir Harry Parkes to Sir Hope
Grant:
A Difficult Interview.
Mandarins-State the name OF your head
man.
Answer-Which one do you mean-the
ambassador. general or admiral?
Mandarins (angrily)-You have no such
functionaries. Don't presume to use such
titles. Give US the name of your head man.
Answer-Which one?
Mandarins-The head OF your soldiers.
Answer Tin English)-Lieut. Gen. Sir Hope
Grant.
Mandarins- something we can under
stand.
Mandarins-What?
Answer -(in English)-Lieut. Gen. Sir Hope
Grant
Answer-I am obliged to use English
terms, as you will not let me give you these
in Chinese.
They here attempted to write down. in
Chinese sounds, Lieut.. Gen. Sir Hope
Grant, but, not succeeding, they asked the
name Of another head man. Answer I'm
Engish), Ambassador Extraordinary the
Earl of Elgn. Finding 1t equally impossi
BILE to write this down in English, they
told me I might revert to Chinese names
and titles, and 1 then gave them those of
the ambassador and the commanders in
chief.
But the assumption by Prince Kung of
an entirely different attitude soon modified
the supercilious zeal Of the mandarinate,
and the example of the more or less en-
Hghtened ministry of the new tsung IL va
men quickly spread to other departments
of the government. The new foreign Office
began to show speedy growth. until 1t
now counts regularly nine or ten ministers
and as many under secretaries or heads OF
departments. Under each of these chiefs
of departments are numerous assistants,
not to mention scores Of clerks and copy
lists who are not in the line of promotion.
1t would not be a rash assertion to say
that the tsung II yamen holds within Its
wallis the most enlightened, the most pro-
gressive Glass; mandarins and clerks, to be
found, not merely in Pekin. but through
out the whole middle kingdom. In the first
place. the mere fact Of being candidate
for entry into this branch OF the Chinese
session OF qualities the very reverse of
timidity and narrow mindedness
Favorite Expressioa OF Scholars.
ut is dangerous to have anything to do
with foreign affairs Is an expression one
often hears on the lips Of a young scholar
Of the second or third degree who seeks to
enter government service as apprentice.
Perhaps because of this belief in It's dan
ger or disagreeableness promotions come
more quickly in this department than In the
army. the navy the customs, or any of the
six boards In ten or twelve years the
scholar finds himself drafted off as project
taotai Of some distant province. Or he
may be dispatched to one OF the various le-
cations as secretary, there to be promoted
to a chargeship q ministership, as his
merits influence entitle him. Such was
the career Of Lo-feng Luh, who has lately
blossomed forth as Sir Chihchen Lofengluh,
he going through the prescribed course at
the tsung II yamen before attracting the
attention of the great Ii Hung Chang who
on his tour through Europe attached him
to his person as secretary.
1t has been surmised, and certainly not
NIT haf fha ia h al m mt nf
the tsung Ii yamen was due to desire on
the part of Prince Kung and his associates
to impede in formal fashion rather than to
expedite foreign business. Foreign powers
in the early days of the yamen were In
clined to be a little dictatorial, and 1t was
a common saying among the mandarins.
well, what have France and England or
dered China to do next?
The motto of the yamen has been go
slowly" The members have been made to
feel that they stood between Europe and
China. At first their ignorance was so ex-
cessive that 1t rendered them cautious In
executing even the slightest formalities
fearful that the foreigners would overreach
them. Perhaps not least OF the singular1-
ties of Chinese government Is the way the
tsung Ii yamen recruits its membership, as
explained by Cheng Lin, one of the man.
darins. AS an expedient for '.ayerting ex-
ternal opposition by substituting internal.
friction 1t deserves celebrity.
Prince Kunx's Diplomacy.
tYou KNOW, once said this member or
the yamen, that the plans of the depart
ment sometimes go down before the force
of outside antagonism. A clever censor or
powerful viceroy gets the ear of the en-
peror. who forthwith quashes our wisest
schemes. In such a case Prince kung has
a way of his own to deal with the difficulty
He memoriaIizes the throne to give his OPP
ponsnt a chair in this council for foreign
affairs. The prince knows that. once here,
he will not be slow to find out that his
highness' policy is the only possible way OF
getting along with foreign nations. For
that reason. and no other, were Mao and
Shen brought into this yamen." OF the two
men named, the first rose from a vice pres
idency in the censorate to be president Of
the board of civil office: the other from the
governorshfp Of Shansi rose to be grand
secretary. with the title Of Chung-tang.
After their entrance into the tsung II va
men II was, of course, necessary to impart
to them a little elementary instruction in
foreign relations, beginning with geogra-
ply. Geography is not the strong point Of
the members of the tsung II -yamen-indeed.
was their weakest point until very recent
1y. A very little Of it went a long way.
On account Of his knowledge in this dfrec-
ton the Ex-Governor of Fukien. Seu kiyu.
was created a minister of the yamen. 1t
appeared that he had compiled a text book,
in which the statement is made that
Rhode Island is remarkable for having a
brazen Colossus beStridng its harbor." An