The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-01
CHIBA'S IMPERIAL CITY
A Capital Marked by Ugly and Ag-
gressive Walls.
It's Difference From Other Provinces
I'm the Celestial Empirc-Plnces
Foreigner Ever Is Permitted to En-
ter-Inhnbitnnts'C Curious Customs.

Pekin lends itself to nickname and allit-
Grafton. An English Minister described II
as the place of7"dirt, dust. and disdain-"
Others have found it. like Lord Amherst.
a city Of despair. Henry Norman says that
the two moments when one appreciates 1t
are the first sight OF it's froE hing gates
and he~last Whatever 1t is or is not to
the men of long views" it must always
be one OF the nerve centres Of human in
terest and international relations. During
the dynasty OF those Mings whose name
was the war cry OF the Taipings. and Is to-
day in the mouths Of many of the secret
societies that form the great difficulty OF
Chinese rule and management, it was a
city of but second rate Importance. Their
attention was given to the establishment
of the now half wasted city OF Marking.
often called the national capital" but
Pekin has been the imperial capital since
the Ia Tsings seized the throne, and those
who are qualified to speak are of opinion
that any notion of degrading it from its
pride of place to suit the convenience OF
European diplomacy is foredOOmed to .ail-
ure. 1t is not only tho capital of the Man
chus, it is the capital of the mandarins.
In the four cities whici make up the
capital, and particularly in the imperial
city. live most of the leading and opulent
class and therefore the houses are of a
more important and solid appearance than
is the rule elsewhere. High brick walls,
with single stone entrance. surround a
multitude of courts. thanked by tile-roofed
dwelling rooms 1t is curious and uni
yersaI custom among the Chinese to put
up Immediately facing the outer door
stone or brick screen. bearing tablets or
painted scrolls. inscribed with the names of
ancestors or classical texts. The object,
according to time -honored superstition. Is
to ward off evil spirits. for the demon,
on entering. knocks his head against the
obstacle, and. being devoid of all sense but
all elementary hatred of mankind is re-
pulsed and goes away sorrowful. why the
aforesaid demon should have the cleverness
to turn in at the gate. yet not sufficient TO
wheel round the screen. Is difficult Tor
the uninitiated to understand. There Is no
attempt at ostentation, or even of decent
comfort, about these dwelling places.
Four Cities in One.
The four cities of Pekin are the Chinese,
the Tartar. the Imperial, and the Forbid
den Each is quadrilateral. and marked off
by a wall from outside to centre. in the
order given, save that the Chinese city Is
an excrescence, and joins. but does not en-
circle, the remainder. Originally the Chi
nese had to be kept at safe distance in
subsection to the Manchu conqueror. but
such a precaution is now superfiuous. al
though there survives perceptible variety
of type. In spite Of the mixture Of blood.
and the Manchu women dress their hair in
a different fashion. secured at the back
by long bar which is turned down after
Within the Chinese city Is
vast open space. the two great enclosures
Of which are green with trees and dedi-
Gated, respectively. on the north and south.
to the Temple Of Agriculture and the Tenn