The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-21

1t is of earth faced with brick, each OF
which weighs 60 pounds The wall
around the outer, or Chinese city, is 80
feet high, rs feet thick at the bottom,
and 10 at the top.
There is a crenellated parapet, and 16
gates. Near the gates the wall is faced
with stone. Towers surmount the gates
and buttresses occur every go yards. The
arches of the gates are of solid granite,
and the massive doors are locked at
little after shutdown.
The Tartar city is occupied by the
court, the princes, the legations, and
stores and business houses, but the i'm
portant business of the city is done in
the Chinese city. Here are the theaters,
houses. The Tartar city was laid out
in a grand style with broad streets and
avenues. Long ago it was severed, but
the sewers have been gradually filled up
and are only used as ceSS-pOOls. The
only work that is ever done on the
streets is just before the emperor goes
to one of the temples. Then light yell
low dirt is scattered on them.
In general, the diplomatic representa-
tives have their residences on Legation
street, which the Chinese call the street
of the subject nations" On this street
| the Dutch legation is the first you pass
| after entering the Chen-Men, or Meri
| dian gate. A hundred yards further is
| the American legation, and opposite is
| the Russian; then come in their order,
on either side of the street, the Spanish,
Japanese, German, French and Italian
legations. Along the moat on side
street close to Legation street there is
away are the Belgian and Austrian. The
Imperial Maritime customs under Sir
Robert Hart has it's chief office here.
| THE FORBIDDEN CITY"
| Inside the Tartar city is the Imperial
| city, surrounded, also, by a wall. In
| this Enclosure is located the great Cath
/ Ollie mission or the Peh Yang.
Inside OF the Imperial city is the wall
/ tod
are the Imperial dwellings and halls and
| officeS-50 or more. This inner Enclosure
measures about two and quarter miles
| in circuit and is called Taz Kin Ching,
| or 'Carnation Prohibited City,
Here lives the emperor, who is we'll
called the Solitary man." All the other
men in the Prohibited City are eunuchs.
of whom there are probably 1000. They
do all the mental work. The chief cum
uch is a man of great importance-who
has sometimes played an influential
part in political affairs
In 1894 the foreign representatives
were admitted for the first time into the
precincts of the Prohibited City. There
had been a long contest to secure this
right, and on the occasion of the pre-
SentatiOn of complimentary letters writ
J ten by the chiefs of state in honor of
4 the attainment of 60 years of age by the
/ empress regent it was first put in force.
/ Since that time the foreign ministers
have always been received by the en-
peror in hall in the Prohibited City.
| CHINESE SYSTEM OF TAXATION.
Space does not permit me to set out
a full description of Pekin-and, be-
\ sides, it has often been described. The
system of taxation in Pelxin is peculiar,
and some account of it may prove to be
/ interesting.
Pekin is situate in the prefecture of
Sheen-Tien Flu; that is. the region in
| closing the Imperial capital. 1t is di-
! vided into two hsien or districts, viz,
/ Wan Ping Hsien and Ia Hsing Tien,
comprising roughly the eastern and
western portions of the city respective
| together with twenty-five districts and
departments outside of Pekin-includ-
ing Tungcho, Ch'anpingchou, Pa-chou,
Sanho-Sien, and other towns-make up
/ the above mentioned flu, or prefecture.
l All of these places pay, through their