The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17
RULING SPIRIT OF CHINA
THE EMPRESS DowAGER TsI AN
AND HER REMARKABLE CAREER
Sold I'm Childhood Because Of Her
Fathers Poverty, She Achieved
Riches and Worldwide Fame.

The present situation in Picking calls at
tention 10 the master mind which has
brought about these events. the Empress
Dowager Isl An. Many romances have
been written about this remarkable woman,
but none is as extraordinary as the truth.
A few years ago when a resident of China
the writer met a Chinese scholar who, I'M
like most OF his class, was well educated
according TO our western standards Man
DARN Tsin, for such was his name, was A
great admirer of the Empress dowager and
was acquainted with both her original and
adopted families.
According TO his statement her father
was Manchu noble who had held lucra-
tive post in Picking, but lost IL through no
fault OF his own. At Fu-Chau he suffered
the same fate and drifted TO Canton, where
in 1sSS he found himself without employ
ment, money or credit and with a wife.
son and daughter TO support. Rather than
starve he sold this daughter to a rich mer-
chant who had bought what may be called
''mandarinship."
The girl was strong. healthy and very
comedy from both the Manchurian and
Monaghan point OF view. The two races
have different ideals OF female loneliness.
medium size. the Manchurian strength and
stature. AS she was OF Manchurian blood
her feet were not bound, and after being
sold her social position as pocket daugh-
ter" or family slave prevented her under
going the cruel operation OF foot binding.
Her pocket parents" TO use the Chinese
phrase, were kind and generous. She was
ambitious and highly talented and seemed
to have a vague idea Of her future beauty.
She learned 10 read and write before she
was eight years OF age and evinced an apti-
tude for study. She was also not confined
within the walls of the yamen. or family
establishment, but went about with the
older slaves and saw all the sights of the
city.
AS she grew older she was intrusted with
the marketing of the family. and while still
child manifested considerable business
ability. In 1S4S the Emperor Hen Flung is
sued the marriage proclamation prescribed
by law, in which all eligible maidens OF
Manchu descent, between the ages of if
teen and eighteen, were requested TO pre-
sent themselves at the imperial palace i'm
Peking. with view to examination as i'm
perial concubines or secondary wives. This
is one OF the great social and political
events of China and usually brings thou
sands Of applicants TO the capital
AN IMPERIAL FAvORITE.
Isl An read the proclamation and i'm
mediately announced her desire TO enter
the list Her pocket parents" laughed at
first, but she made so spirited and cogent
an argument that they finally yielded.
They first changed her legal status from a
slave girl to an adopted daughter. and did
all in their power to prepare her for the
examination.
They gave her a handsome outfit and
enough money TO go from Canton 10 Pc
Manchu princess. The court authorities
pronounced her a faultless specimen OF
womanhood: well brought up in ethics and
sex: In the front rank in accomplishments:
In intelligence the equal OF the graduate
of the first imperial examination. The ex-
aminations over, to her delight. although.
it is said. not TO her surprise. she was
among the first ten OF the list OF success
full candidates. She was taken 10 the pal
ace and there installed in one of the suites
or rooms in the woman's quarter Here
began her wonderful career OF intrigue
She paid particular attention to the EN-
press and at the same time conducted her
self with such tact and wisdom as TO make
friends and few no enemies among the
hundreds OF other women in the imperial
household BY degrees she made herself
indispensable 10 the Empress. and in this
way was thrown into the company of the
Emperor. After time she won his ad-
miration and anection and finally presented
HIM with a son. AS the Empress had no
male issue. and Isl Ans son was well
loved by the Emperor, she induced him 10
appoint her by proclamation the Empress
Of the west.
ALMOST EMPRESS.
This action was a master stroke OF d.
plomacy. The title was an ancient one. but
had fallen into allegiance; In fact. IL was
well nigh forgotten by the great lords OF
the time and has ever since been a mystery
to the scholars OF the empire. Under the
old law it was the highest honor and po-
sition concubine could hold. 1t put her
almost on a par with the Empress. whose
legal title was the Empress Of the East.
From now on she rose until she became
the real power behind the throne. Never
theless, she never permitted her ambitions
TO thwart the Empress proper, who was her
senior as well as her legal superior. Hen
Fung died in August, 1850. According to
some reports the cause was a broken heart
on account Of the great Tai Ping rebellion:
according to others he died from poisoning.
He was succeeded by Isl Ans son. who
went to the throne under the official name
of Tung Chi. The real governing was done
by a regency consisting OF the two en-
presses and Prince Kung. the boys uncle.
The new government displayed far greater
ability than its predecessor IL attacked the
rebels with great vigor. engaged foreign
officers, including the Americans. " ara ana
Burgevfne, and the most famous English
man "Chinese Gordon" IL opened rela-
lions with the European governments and
effected many reforms. The credit OF this
work has been divided between Isl An and
Prince Kung. but il undoubtedly belongs to
the former.
MYSTERIOUS DEATHS.
In 1874 Tung Chi. then nineteen years OF
age. began to display some independence.
There were many intrigues at the imperial
palace. and the great men of the state were
appointed and dismissed. promoted and de-
graded. in manner which showed that a
tremendous struggle for mastery was going
on. Things looked very dark when. the en-
peror fell sick in a mysterious manner and
died shortly afterward. I'm January. 1915. He
left wife who was about 10 become a
mother. Soon after her husbands death
she also fell sick and died. Her death was
ascribed 10 a broken heart by some and
10 poison by others. There being no legal
issue the succession now devolved upon the
Manchu mobiles. There were several candi-
dates and much wire-pulling and intrigue.
but the one favored by Isl An. little boy
of four. the of a loyal Manchurfan-
was selected, under the official name OF
Kwang Su. the old regency being continued
at the same time
The young Emperor took more kindly 10
~ - h. Pc -