The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-01-08
Hundreds Of Foreigners Watched
the Strange Spectacle
and SaIue Rulers,
EMPRESS DOWAGER SAW
STRANGERS AND BOWED
Two Thousand officials In Siiken
Robes Following the Royal Pro-
cession-Dozens of Cameras
Continuously Snapped.

Pckin, January 1.-THE return Of the
court to the Forbidden City occurred at
80 a. M, and it was the most brilliant
scene Pekin ever witnessed.
The procession consisted of 1000 gor-
geously attired noblemen, mounted on
glittering caparisoned horses.
The emperor, the empress dowager,
Prince Chun, the empress and several
princes were borne in yellow chairs. their
escort carrying hundreds of gay banners
and silk umbrellas.
The troops of General Yuan-Shi-Kai,
governor OF Pe-Chi-Li, preceded the en-
peror.
The foreign community assembled on
the top of the Chen gate.
The governor and empress dowager en-
tered the temple In the gate and burned
incense.
The dowager empress, upon emerging
from the temple saw the foreigners peer
ing down and bowed.
A double row of soldiers, kneeling lined
the four-mile route.
Foreigners were given greater facilities
of witnessing the ceremonial than would
pean courts.
Revolutionary Scene.
The scene at the Chen gate when the
Emperor and the Dowager Empress en-
tered to offer thanks for their safe jour
ney was nothing less than revolutionary,
viewed in the light of all Chinese Gus
TOMS The horseshoe forming the gate was
crowned with European diplomats ernN
officers, missionaries, ladies', photogra-
pliers and correspondents.
When the Dowager Empress arrived at
the temple the procession halted, ana
their majesties alighted from their chairs
which were covered with imperial flowers
and lined with sables The Emperor pro.
ceeded to the temple of the God of War
on the west side of the plaza, where hun
dreds of foreigners peered down only
forty feet above him and dozens of cam
eras were focused upon the Son or
Heaven When he returned his chair was
borne through the gate. Then the chair
of the Dowager Empress was brought TO
the doorway of the temple of the Goddess
of Mercy on the east side of the plaza,
and the Dowager Empress appeared
Amid great scuffling Of att endants she
proceeded into the temple on the arms st
two officials, followed by a company or
Buddhist priests bearing offerings. Tie
spectators then heard the booming Of the
temple bell After an interval OF five min
utes the Dowager Empress re-appeared
Standing in the door of the temple she
looked upward. Directly overhead We're
the German minister. DR.. Mumm Viin
Schwartzenstein. the secretaries of the
German legation, the Officers and ladies'
from the American garrison, and the rep
resentatiyes of the Associated Press.
Saw Foreigners and Bowed
The Dowager Empress saw the foreign
ers and bowed to them. she advanced
few steps and bowed again In ac-
knowledgement of the salutations of the
foreigners. She returned to her chair
looking upward to the semi-circle OF
foreign faces and bowed repeatedly.
The expression of the Dowager Empress
was pleasing to all of her attendants. but
her demeanor was that of being ill-at-
ease and this confirmed the impression
that she is in Pekin for anxiety of her
safety.
Streets Swept for Four Miles.
The streets for distance of four miles
was swept and garnished on either side
of the palace of Heaven. Residents were
compelled to remain indoors The soldiers
and police formed a close Gordon around
the royal party.
l.
and Empress Dowager composed of %
cars preceded by pilot engine and arriv-
ed here shortly after noon The engine
and Empress cars were decorated with
yellow silk dragons. Two companies of
Chinese cavalry mounted on white horses
and two companies astride horses from
Australia were drawn up at the sides of
the station. Two thousand officials prin-
cesses, victorias and tatoes in kaledis-
copic field of silks and furs In which
CLEANED an occasioned yellow jacket, We're
massed upon the platform
The imperial cavalcade marched Off at
a swift trot Then followed the off,
cials riding shaggy Mongolian ponies, the
Manchua bannermen, the umbrella bear
ers, the spearmen. Gen. Yuan SKI kai'
in his newly bestowed jacket and the
Emperor with eight beares carrying his
chair and a guard of infantrymen march,
on either side Then came the loowager
Empress with an equally conspicuous en-
to,irage. the latter was followed by the
Chief Justice and the Prime Minister
Jung Lu In a silk chair. The empress
Dowager, Prince Chun and the lesser Of
fcials were carried in yellow and green
chairs
while their majesties passed The SOL
diers lining the route of the Procession
knelt down. holding their guns at pre-
sent arms" and the buglers sounded their
instruments continually. Although the
streets were kept empty, thousands of
high Chinese witnessed the procession
from afar The British garrison, includ-
inc its officers. were kept In their quar-
ters This occasioned much 1amentation.
The majority of the foreign ministers,
including the British, American. French
and Russian representatives, absented
themselves from the spectacle. but the
| ladies of the legation were entertained
| bv the Chinese on the balconies along
| the line of march. 1t appears that the
Empress ordered that every courtesy
.hn,,id he extended to the foreigners at
pekikn and no effort should be made to
exclude them from Witnessing The jim
perial procession to the Forbiddsn City.