The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-01-15
RULERS RETURN TO PEkIA.
Empress and Dowager Reenter
the Forbidden City.

Pekln, Jan. 7.-Ihe imperial cortego
entered the Forbidden City at 1.330
O'Clock this afternoon. It was the
most brilliant scene Pekin ever wit
messed. The procession consisted Of q
thousand gorgeously attired noble
men,, mounted upon glitteringly COM
parisoned horses. The emperor, the
empress dowager, Prince Chun, the
empress and several princes we're borne
in yellow chairs, their escort carrying
hundreds Of gay banners and silk
umbrellas. The troops OF Gen Yuan
.Shi5Kai, governor Of Pc Chi III, pro-
.ceeded the emperor.
= Foreigners assembled on top Of the
Chen gate. The emperor andsempress
dowager entered the temple in the
gate and burned incense. The dow
ager empress, upon emerging from the
temple saw the foreigners peering
down and bowed. "A double row Of
soldiers, kneeEng, lined the four mile
route. .sSsss
The entrance Of the Chinese emperor
into Pekin today was the most re-
markable episode In the annals Of the
dynasty, save the fight Of the Chi
nese court when PekiA was bombarded
By the allied forces. The spectacular
phases Of the return of the court ex-
ceeded expectations. The cortege was
sort Of glorifed lord mayors show;
and was .beWildering and barbarics
exhibition Of oriental tinseled splen-S
dor. - 3s=5ssss s.s sssFs ssss
Its chief significance was the COM.
plete effacement of the raditional
deifcation of Chinese royalty.
The scene at the Chen gate, when
the emperor and the dowager empress
entered the temple to offer thanks for
their safe journey, was nothing less:
than evolutionary when viewed IN
the light of all Chinese customs. The
horse shoe wall, forming the ancient
gate, was crowded with Europeons,
diplomats, army officers, missionaries,
ladies', photographers and correspon
dents. When tie emperor and the
dowager empress arrived at the temple
the procession hated and their males
ties alighted from their chairs which
were covered with imperial yellow silk
and lined with sables The emperor
proceeded to the temple of the God5ofs
War, on the west side of the plaza,
with hundreds of foreigners peering
down only 40 feet above him, and
dozens Of cameras we're focused upon
the son Of heaven. When he returned, =
his chair WAS borne through the gate.
Then the chair of the dowa&er ems
press 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 scuf1ing Of attendants shespro
ceeded into Che temple on the AIMS Of
two officials, followed by q .companysof;
Buddhist priests bearing offerings.
The spectators then heard the boom
ing Of the temple bell ffter an inter
val of five minutes the doWager em
press reappeared. Standing ii the:
doorway Of the temple, she looked mp
Iiward. Directly overhead were the
German minister DR.. Mumm voa
fSchWartzstein. the secretaries of the
German legation. the officers and ladies'
Of the American garrison and the cor
respondent Of the Associated Press.
The dowager empress sawsthe foreign
ers and bowed low. She advanced al
few steps and bowed again in acknoWl-sss
edgement Of the salutati ions Of tie for
eigners. She returned to her lcnalr
foreign faces, and rowing repeatedly
looking upward at the semi-clrcle of