Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-01
PASSING OF PEKlN
Charming Memories Of the Chinese
Capital Recalled.
PRESENTATIONS OF, LEGATION. LIFE
The State Procession at the EN-
perof's Wedding.
A NOTE OF KEEN REGRET
Written for The Evening Star.

|
! Any woman who has ever visited Pekin,
especially If she had the good fortune to be
| the guest of a legation there must find
| that her emotions very much stirred at
the present time. First there is the thrill
| ing sense of danger escaped. for the hatred
| OF the Chinese toward foreigners has al
ways existed. and might have ripened dur
| ing her visit easily as now. Then there
| is the sentiment Of regret that all the gay
| legation life Is oyer-the superb dinners,
served by velvet-footed Cinnamon in long
pale-blue brocaded silk gowns with armless
| scarlet jackets; the brilliant garden parties
| within walled compounds, and the masquer-
AIDE balls at hospitable bungalows.
| Then the fascinating expeditions to the
| silk shops. the fronts as sumptuous as
| carving and gold can make them. and the
| shelves heaped with the richest and softest
OF fabrics In the shades the Chinese love
dark blue and heiiotrope, plum and russell,
paie green and rose color. And the curio
| shops. where the willy dealer offers Won
| ambrosial jessamine tea in tiny lotus HOS
| som cups of porcelain as thin and trans
| parent as the petal of flower while you
bargain for snuff bottles-the pet collection
| or iegationers. These snuff bottles are little
| antiquities. not more than two or three
inches in height. and are usually displayed
IN cushioned caskets holding six or ten
/ thair
rlous Shapes and sizes. The bottles range
III material from ordinary porcelain to the
pest carved porcelain. crystal of soft salmon
PINK and jade; and in price from six to six
HundTed dollars One enthusiastic attacba
mad a rare accumulation numherinr na.rTH
Two hundred. The drawing room walls of
ms bungalow In the legation compound
W. nuns with these sken caskets as
taxldermists room would be hing With
cases OF stuffed birds. wan
Like n Picture Book.
Ana the riding parties-where can we ever
again see the like--with Mafoos in fantas-
TIC hverles darling through the massive
gateway or the Tartar city, where swarthy
Mongois are driving laden ragged cameIs
whose rur hangs down in strips: where
cooiles. dressed In little else but their
pra"hy muscles and oiled bronze skin, tot
ter under blocks Of ice coated with dust
dangling from the ends Of bamboo pole:
ha,.n a.Linss OF lit carts get blocked for
hours ankle deep, their drivers rendfnp the
air with shr1ll curses and the turn,o;l 70
Hendisn. Beyond the mediaeyaI wall tba,
~ 1tot past the straggiing houses Of the outer
tHliiese city, past the booths for sale Of
medicines, iced drinks fragments If cbaan
Hnery past the booths of itinerant dentists
adorned with festbons Of teeth and fell staei
implements. past the PROFESSIONS of p,pda
rms OF all grades. each moving in state
paianquln, with q re tinue on horsehack az
,t en as d ragged rabblement trailing be-
i.ilu on 1901, armed with banners and
spears, past ladies of rank I'm puIa I;++ars
Whlch are species of large silk -bedizsnaI
poA, "nere from, under the gauze curtain
a dnte Eeils the opening little foot in a
nast ~, eiiloroidered satin shoe is peeping;
past the movable theater editices of maj
lhg' past the great uneven wastes of tbts
i commentary city, and through the tower
ing gate win nigh pitched yellow roof
BEYOND this outer wall thew reach ,ho
bank OF the Imperial canal whore aro aon.
Ing boats loaded with the Chinese merchant
ciass, The broad open decks brilliant VIII
.ns piis II. SILK gowns of the men and the
oeho"efed heads of the women under skis
so blue and sunshine so golden the c.n.I
might have seemed 4 Venetian Lagoon 49,
cept for the desolate shores lined with
stately tombs consisting of varved r,o
mtnts and tiled-roofed halls SET in iara,
parks Although these tomhs are only n
plny imitation of the tombs of the NinSs
me lohs-Vanished line of imperial ,nIers-
IKE them they have sculptured gates mar
Die portals broad avenues groves of trees
anu oooJ-guard of stone monsters.
Enchantment DixpeHed
But the impression of enchantment in
these spellbound precincts Is shattered
"heh riding party of conventional Eng
hshmen and girls in smart Habits comes
INTO view. dashing gaily past the weird pet
rii!eo army That keeps uncanuy guard over
tEe slumbering concubines Of imperial
lords '
pleasure, for though the thoroughfares are
"1oe and the city is bisected by an i'm
mense street several miles in length, the
oust Is deep. gritty, black and fine enough
10 creep beneath a watch glass, and after
ten minutes ride one would look like a
worker In a coal mine. And as for driv-
ing. there Is none for pleasure since there
eS.s's not In Pekin vehicle with springs,
because In i've minutes they would al be
broken. People move about in sprineIess
carts "nich sadly bruise the body-onIy
alsembodied spirits could be comfortable
IN Pek1n cart. humping over Pekin roads
These roads run in three parallel eleva
IONS the central one the highest and
choose which you will, you may not fol-
row II, Tor after few yards you will find
whenever you happen to be on blocked
eilher by yawning chasm or a huge stone
hecesshating your climbing up or down
as the case may be. embankment
therefore,, those who respect their bones
dust 'S
Cleaning Up Now and Then.
When there Is to be an imperial process
sion repairs to the roads are ordered. but
the result Is not always satisfactory, as is
SHOWN by the following decree. issued at
the time or the emperor's marriage:
Decree-Some time ago We directed |
the hlsh orlcers in charge of the roads to |
see that a proper inspection was made of |
the route along which we were to travel |
49, We iiotiStu u great numDer or cart |
tracks on the road over which We passed |
THIS day, which is sufficient indca ton |
tnat due watchfulness has not been dis |
prayed We hereby command the high |
officers In charge Of the roads personally |
TO superintend the inspection thereof and |
TO see that no further carelessness is dis
prayed. under pain Of punishment We |
iurther command Ii Hung Chang to super
Intend the careful repairing and filling up
or uneVennesses in the read by the officers |
under his command, that they may be uni
rormly even and smooth. Any further
carelessness or Stamping of work must be
promptly pro denounced in, the proper quarter
The order of the bridal procession con-
veys an idea of oriental magnfcence:
Forty or fifty mounted outriders dressed in
court robes.
cold seal of empress borne in a yellow silk
pavilion.
Fatent OF investiture borne in yellow silk
pavilion.
interval Of half an hour)
me chfeh or baton of The emperor carried |
by grand secretary on horseback.
An offcer on horseback holding yellow
satin wrapper raised aloft In both hands.
FIFTY or sixty horses belonging to the bride,
dressed In yellow trappngs.
Umbrellas, flags, etc.
Musicians carrying, butt not playing, their
instruments.