Evening star., 1900-10-06
Where the Chinese Emperor Lived in
Lonely splendor.
HIDDEN BEHIND :. MASSIVE WALLS
Effect of. the Proclamation by the
Allied Forces.
IT'S WONDERFUL BUILDINGS
Copyright. 1900, BY @. NJ. Walker.)

The parade of the allied forces through
the sacred forbidden city Of the Chinese
on August % was pageant which will go
down In history as one Of the great spec
tacles Of the world It Is not likely that
any person living will see such a procession
again. This famous city, the holy Of holies,
from whose precincts all Chinese are pro-
hibited, but to which they look for impulse
and direction. has thus for the first time
been desecrated by the profane feet Of
China's conquerors.
Chinese pride has been humbled and 1t
Is to be hoped that the arrogant and stiff
necked empress, who for a second time has
been compelled to flee from her palaces to
escape the avenging armies Of civilization.
has been taught lesson which will last her
the balance Of her life.
The northern city or Manchu part Of the
Chinese capital consists Of three Enclosures,
one within the other. but each surrounded
by It's own wall. The innermost or forbid
den city, through which the allies marched.
Is the inclosure which surrounds the i'm
perial residences of the Chinese emperor.
and includes the great national library Of
China, together with a number of govern
ment offices.
The Chinese emperor is called by his peo-
ple '"The Solitary Man." because he Is the
only man who dwelis within the walls Of
this sacred city. Princes and high officials
may come and go to audiences, but the en-
peror alone remains. The only other per-
sens allowed within the city are the en-
presses, the members OF the imperial harem
and the eunuchs, three thousand OF whom
are retained as the servants Of the royal
household. Death Is the certain penalty for
any man found within its mysterious pre-
cincts, and the exact nature of the doom
of the few who have surreptitiously ven
tured there has never been known.
Massive Walls.
This inner city Is called by the Chinese
the "Kin-Cheng'' or prohibited city. 1t Is
about two miles in circumference and sur
rounded by a wall almost as massive as
those around the outside Tartar city itself.
This surrounding wall rises abruptly from
the waters Of a moat. which surrounds the
entire city. to a height Of nearly fifty feet.
It Is faced with red glazed brick and the
top of the wall Is covered with the royal
yellow porcelain tile which from a distance
glistens brilliantly In the sunshine.
The city Is entered through gates on each
Of the four sides over bridges which cross
the surrounding moat. Before each gate Is
an open area for the gathering OF troops
and the forming Of state professions
Around each Of these areas are buildings
and barracks for the accommodation OF tne
guards who defend the approach to China's
Dragon Throne" Watch towers at each
corner of the wall and over each OF the
gateways furnish points Of view from Which
detected The interior of the forbidden city
Is made up Of a succession or court
yards and apartments which in their mas
siveness and ornate and profuse decoration
far exceed anything to be found elsewhere
in China. II E-ti-
According to the Chinese themselves. 1t
Is the city OF gold and silver. To their
oriental vision the Davements Of marble
within lead from gilded palaces to gilded
palaces. where gold and silver pillars up
hold gold and silver roofs, and the fortu-
nate inhabitants pluck flowers growing IN
gold and silver vases or play with gold
and silver fishes swimming in crystal
globes Their imaginations comprehend
nothing which they do not believe exists
somewhere in the imperial palaces OF their
emperor. ...
A Scene OF Beauty.
Viewed from the great square or open
place before the Da-Tsing-Mun or Great
Pure Gate, which is the outer barrier and
extreme southern entrance to the imperial
palaces, the forbidden city stretches away
to the north with q succession Of tall pal
ace buildings with pagoda roofs supported
by immense pillars, heavily lacquered with
red enamel, covered with roofs Of different
colored porcelain tile, yellow, green and
deep red. The vartegated colors OF these
roofs glistening through the beautiful trees
which abound In the royal city make up
a scene Of architectural and arboreal beau
ty absolutely unequaled, while far In the
distance, Just DaCk OF the HOTtHeTH Sdt0
of the city, rises the beautiful artificial
mound covered with shrines and pavilions
known as the Mel Shan or Coal Hill. The
Great Pure Gate is low ugly building
with three doors built of heavy oak tim
bers and covered with sheets of iron. 1t
impresses one as a shabby-looklng ana1r
for the outer entrance to such a renowned
incIosure as the famous Nal Kung or city
ever, is ac, ounted for by the Chinese prin-
ciple that interior magnihcence should not
be visible or suggested in external sur
roundings.
In the Second Inclesure.
Passing through this gate. another large
area stretches out before second gate,
which begins to give some hint OF the mag
nificence to be expected within. wide
stone causeway extends. north through this
courtyard up to the gate which is called by
the Chinese the Ten-An Nun. or the Gate Of
Heavenly Rest. This Is the so-called great
Pink Gate. so named because its pillars
and woodwork are heavily enameled with
q red lacquer which has become faded and
now presents pink appearance. The three
arches through the gate are faced with
white marble, over which are twined splen-
didly carved dragons. On the comb Of the
roof. and running down on the projecting
caves of the pagoda- like structure over the
gate. are grotesque porcelain ornaments,
the heads Of Phoenixes' and Gr1fnns,
Within this gate Is still another court
yard. on the north s1deeof which stands the
Wu-Mun or Meridian Gate. This is the
southern entrance of the prohibited city
itself and the second gate from the empe-
ror's palace. On the eastern side OF the
gate stands large sun dial Of antique de-
sign and magnificent Workmanship. being
cast in bronze in tha time, OF the Mongol
dynasty which reigped IN the thirteenth
century. On the western side OF the gate
stands lunar dials Of IKE workmanship
and design. The tower roYser the gate holds
a large gong. which Mas originally intended
to be used like the drums (which now stand
out the empire. It ris .saA that it was so
used during the timeoof tbs Ming dynasty,
petitioners who had faleJ1to obtain justice
through the ordinary chapnels being per-
nitted to call the attentt9p Of the emperor
to their grievances BY striking on the gong.
but the death penalty was. inflicted on any
whose appeal was found ito be ill-founded
or frivolous. The gong is,pow used only as
signal Of the emperor 81 passing through.
either when entering or leaving the city.
The courtyard before thisogate Is the place
OF audience for victorious generals. who. re-
turning from successful campaigns, come
here to lay before their monarch the loot