The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-10
TIE TYRAur'BMPRBSSW WI
A Woman Ruler in China Many
Centuries Ago.
Her Humble Origin and Rise to Great
Powcr-NumcrOus Crimes Imputcd
to Her. But Her Reign Was BE-
neticcnt Present Downgcr Tsze
Hsi Frequently Compared to Her.

Tsze Hsi. the Empress Dowager O
! WI While the woman who has brough
the Empire to the verge of dissolution ma,
not deserve TO be ranked by the side of cnt
whose rule, however arbitrary, was never.
theless beneficeIt. still the TO-: tunes g
Tsze Hsi do bear a curious resemblance Il
those OF the Empress WI. who has BIER
I described as the most remarkable woman
China has produced.
Taitsong the Great. the second monarch
of the Tang dynasty, died A. d. CSC after q
reign of twenty three years He left to his
! son kaotsong an empire composed of five
or more recently Independent and hostile
I kingdoms. whose conflicting interests we. G
likely to cause relapse OF the Empire
into its original elements. unless the I'M
! perial authority should be exercised with
| both delicacy and frmness. Over State
! thus lacking in coherency. and threatened
| by China's standing menace, the lar
| barians of the north and west, kaotsou &
! enjoyed a prosperous reign of thirty years.
This was due rather TO the wisdom CT the
monarch than to his personal eXertlons,
for he soon gave himself up to lie of
pleasure, leaving state affairs to the ab.er
hands of his wife. the Empress WI.
WI Tsih-tien was born in the year ga,
of humble parentage. The story goes that
an arniable couple having reached the age
Of fifty without being blessed with off
spring. the husband, at his wife's suggss-
ton, took to his house a concubine u
maiden named Chang. the daughter of a
oil U-t,
who developed great beauty as she grew
in years. The Emperor of China fills his
palace from time to time with the choicest
Of the beauties among his subjects. There
are several ranks of these ladies of the
palace. the Emperor being permitted to
have one Empress. three queens. and many
wives of inferior degree. besides some
hundreds CT concubines. These who be-
long 10 the lower rank of imperial consorts
are called tsae jim, talented ladies'" and
are usually the daughters of obscure pa
rents. At the age Of fourteen WI Tsih-
ten was admitted TO the harem of TAFT
song as a talented lady. From this POSI-
ton she rose to be wife of the En-
percr and at his death was sent with the
rest Of his secondary widows TO an hon.
oTa5le confinement in n Buddhist convent.
While she was still In tie palace the heir
apparent had become enAnoEed of her. and
meeting her at a state ceremony for the
worship CT his ancestors some five years
after he assembled the throne. ne determ-
ined TO make her his wife. His Ministers
stoutly opposed the project, not because
WI was his fathers widow, but because it
was beyond all rule and precedent TO re-
move her from the convent. Wangshi the
reignng Empress. happened at that time
to be Jealous OF the emperCr's fsyorite
concubine Leaoushu. and thinking only of
weaving his affections from this obnoxious
rival, she gave the weight of her in
huence and advice in favor of restoring
WI to the palace; and by praising the
beauty and amiable, qualities of the royal
recluse she so infiamed the Emperor
passion that he determined to carry cut
his will in spite of the opposition of the
Ministers This is the last case on record
of KaotsoIg's having his own way. WI
was restored to the palace one of the
Emperor's secondary wives Alas for the
Empress Wangshi. In order to overthrow
a rival she had invited far more danger
Gus enemy into the fortress.
Planning Schemes of sIiIaiay.
Hardly was Wu's position in the palace
secure when she succeeded in supplanting
11eaoushu in the affections Of their master.
and began to scheme for the downfall OF
to that station. The two former rivals
joined forces in the face of this their COM
mon peril. but not for one moment was
the issue OF the contest in doubt. WI"
means warrior and well did the name
suit its present owner. She was not over
scrupulous in the choice Of her weapons
She killed her first born child girl. and
reported TO the Emperor that Wangshi
had done the deed. Infanticide Is common
in China. and the murder OF the female
infant was no such great matter But
this was the EmDercr's own flesh Still,
kaotsong was of an easy disposition aud
reluctant TO resort 10 harsh measures.
WI then bore to the ear OF the Emperor
d tale. the truth or faisity of which does
not appear. OF how Wangshi had been dis
most he;nous of offences to the Chinese |
mind. Wangshi must be punished. She |
was first deDcsed and then both she and |
Leaoushu were imprisoned in the palace, |
and WI was raised to the height which |
her ambition coveted
But the danger was not yet wholly past |
The Emperor was one day walking in the |
palace near the room where Wangshi was
confined. when he heard the plaintiye voice
OF the former Empress lamenting her
He asked her what she wished |
Only, she replied, ito be set free that
may look once more upon the sun and
moon before / die"
The Emperor promised that her prayer
should be gratifed. But the Empress Wu
had already learned the value of spies, and
when one of her faithful servants brought
ler the news o: this conversation she met
he emergency with remedy as effective
IS it was barbaric. The hands and feet OF
10Th her former rivals were cut off, and
he unfortunate women were then drowned
n casks of wire.
WI could now have her way without let
II hindrance, for 1t was said that the En-
,eror dared not even speak the truth IN
Ter presence il it was in opposition to her
will. She eXerted all the force of her
able mind not only to make
erself the real ruler Of the Empire but
o discharge for the best Interests of the
tate the difficult functions which her self |
imposed duties deyolved upon her The
ublic offices were filled with her family
nd friends; her son. was proclaimed the |
eir apparent; the mobiles and Ministers
hon she suspected lost their Offices and
fttmes their heads. and the dagger and
oisoned cup were ever at hand to rid her
I real or fancied foe. II may be that
he Chinese historians. in their desire TO
lacken her character have magnified both
he number and the nature CT her crimes.
ut there can be no doubt that this daring F.,
oman did not shrink from any act where
or own security or the welfare of the {
tate demanded the sacrifice of anothers .
fe or liberty. She is even charged with
aving murdered two of her sons.
Becomes the Master of China.
On the other hand. the Empire would
ave Jared but i'll under what DIR. Wells
Villains styles the "indolent imbecility"