Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-27
MR.. WI WANTS TABLETS
SAYS IMPORTED TROPHIES BE-
LONG TO IMPERIAL FAMILY.
Stone Seals and Jade Brought From
China by American
Officer.

From the New York Tribune.
Wu-Tiug-Fang has obtained information
which will establish beyond peradventure
that the five stone seals and twelve jade
tablets containing golden engravings of the
five-toed dragon and historical inscriptions
in Chinese and Manchurlan of the celestial
empire, imported to this country by Fred
erick Wise, L. S. NJ c., are the property
of the imperial family. The loss of the rec
ords inscribed on the court stones OF the
Chinese empire at any other time than the
period of such crisis as the memorable
siege of Pekin in 1900 would result in the
most serious punishment being inflicted on
the custodian of the records in the chinese
imperial household. But under the cir
cumstauces Minister WI believes that the
responsibility of their removal from the
secret repositories in the imperial palace
cannot he fixed on one official or another,
on account of negligence or carelessness.
Manchurian Records.
These stones representing comparatively
no value in this country, except from a
point of view Of collector of curiosities,
are of priceless worth to the imperial
throne to keep the records of the present
Manchurian dynasty in the celestial empire
complete. They were purchased by Lieu
tenant Wise. who bought them in good
faith from an American soldier in Manila
last summer as articles of Chinese loot.
In the eyes of the legation attaches he
bought them for a paltry sum, $50 Mexican.
On arriving at San Francisco, where his
personal baggage was inspected, these seals
and tablets were withdrawn by an inspect
or. who. attracted by their oddly. held
them for examination. 1t was suspected
at the time that they might have some
connection with the imperial household, on
account of the unusual fineness of the jade
and the superior character of the decora-
tons and engravings.
WI Seeks Information.
Shortly afterward Lieutenant Wise made
application for the return of his curiosities,
which he had honestly obtained under no
apparent restrictions. In the meantime
Minister WI heard vague reports about the
tablets, and Immediately made an effort
through the State Department to secure
an accurate description of them, with trans
lations that would definitely identify them.
His requests were communicated to the
Secretary Of the Treasury, and it was sug-
gested that it would be a commemorate
thing to turn the seals and tablets over to
the Chinese legation. AS there was a good
claim laid TO them, it was decided that such
action was not necessary. Gu Sho Tchun,
second secretary of legation, called at the
treasury today to inquire about the investi-
CATION, and was informed that the follow
ing translatiOnS from the Chinese and Man
churian languages, a remarkable eulogy or
panegyric of Shun Che, the first emperor of
this dynasty would be sent to Minister WI
tonight The TRANSACTIONS were made by
DR.. Gardner, special Chinese Interpreter of
the Treasury Department. at San Fran
cisco. The inscriptions say:
The Inscriptions.
I'm the first year of Yng Ching, known az
Kwai Man. in the cyclicaI order of years,
Mo, known as Mo Shan. and the second day
after the first day of the new moon, known
as kei Van G723 A. D., on or about Sep
TENDER 80, comes your hlial grandson ana
heir to the throne. your servant Van Ching,
who. again bowling his head to the ground.
respectfully addresses your /. NJ. Cheung
Wong Tai. whom your servant acknowl-
edges as ancestral chief one embodying
the virtues of heaven, increasing in SPLEEN
dor down the vista of the ages, valiant,
perspicacious, reverent, accomplished, pos
sessing the cardinal virtues and the great
est merit, exceedingly benevolent and COM
pletely flial; one whose goodness and Illus
frlOusneSS Will be celebrated to the end of
time, and who, through setting the bounds
of the empire, ever a model to the nire
regions and guide to all descendants, shall
ever be subject of high praise. Your
majesty will ever be a mark and director
10 the myriad states, and high above all
things, able, iiluStrious, truly coura geous
wise and brave by nature, never swerving
from golden mean. correct, self-adjusted.
grave and spiritual If by the gift of
heaven. as the result of which the posses
sions of our ancestors have been developed
rules have been made for the guidance of
all without favor or Partially, so that all
the empire have come to and acknowledged
your majesty sovereignty and dare not
but come with their offerings
Your majesty, in your religious sacri-
fees and worship. has exhibited so much
sincerity that heaven has been moved to
grant all the prayers that have been of
fered, thus insuring the retention of the
confidence Of all in our ancestral temple
service.
Power of the Emperor
Your majesty has shown strict regard
for the care and support of your majesty's
parents, personally seeing to their having
proper food and inquiring solicitously after
their health, as well granting favors
10 all our other relatives, thus fulfilling
with exactness all your majesty's flial
and fraternal duties. Continually our en-
tire land has been refreshed as by the
lesser and the greater showers through the
frequent promulgating of considerate laws
by your majesty, so all throughout the
empire have enjoyed peace harmony and
prosperity during the whole period of the
eighteen years OF your maejSty's reign-a
reign characterized by carefulness and an
prehensiveness worthy of being kept in re-
me mbrance for myriads of years.
y our majesty. while continuing to walk
IN the steps of our forefathers. has gra-
clousIy bequeathed TO your descendants
your maJestys plans and all that is good
Tor which your servant begs respectfully
10 present this additional posthumous
eulogy on this tablet and cauonizng YOUR
majesty as Chung Wung Tai. our ancestral
chlef. one emhodying the virtues of heaven
Increasing in splendor down the vista of
ages the settler of the empire the pattern
Tor all, ever valiant, perspica cious rever-
eEt, accomplished. possessing the cardinal
virtues and the grea test merit exceedingly
benevolent and completely fiIial
Bowing before your ma jesty. your mai
esty servant prays that your highness
looking down from above and clothed In
splendOT will VOuchSafe 10 lis endIaSS NC