Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-01-10


scene Picking ever witnessed. The
procession consisted OF thousand gor-
geously attired noblemen mounted
upon glitteringly 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 Gen. Yuan-Shi-Kai, governor
OF Pe-Chi-Li, preceded the emperor.
The foreign community assembled ON
top the Chen gate.
The emperor and empress dowager
entered the temple in the gate and
burned incense. The dowager empress
upon emerging from the temple saw
the foreigners peering down and
bowed. A double row of soldiers,
kneeling, lined the four-mile route.
The scene at the Chen gate, whsn
the emperor and the dowager empreAs
entered the temple to offer thanks for
their safe journey, was nothing less
than revolutionary when viewed in thu
light of all Chinese customs. The
horseshoe wall, forming the ancient
gate, was crowded with Europeans,
diplomats, army officers, missionaries,
ladies', photographers and correspond
ents. When the emperor and the dow
ager empress arrived at the temple
the procession halted and their majes-
| ties alghted from their chairs, which
were covered with imperial yellow
silk and Lined with sables. The en-
peror proceeded to the temple of the
God of War on the west side of the
plaza, with hundreds of foreigners
peering down only 40 feet above him,
and dozens of cameras were focused
upon the son of heaven. When he re-
turned his chair was borne through
| the gate. Then the chair of the dow
| ager empress was brought to the door
way of the temple Of the Goddess Of
Mercy, on the east side of the plaza.
| and the dowager empress appeared.
Amid great scuffling Of attendants
she proceeded into the temple on the
1 arms of two officials, followed by
company of Buddhist priests bearing
offerings. The spectators then heard
| the booming of the temple hell Af.---
ii--4.---.----<.z -1r nve minutes the dowager
empress reappeared. Standing in the
doorway of the temple, she looked
upward. Directly overhead were the
German minister, DR.. Mumm Won
Schwartzeneteip; the secretaries Of
the German legation and the officers
and ladies from the American garri-
son. The dowager empress saw the
foreigners and bowed low. She adj
vanced few steps and bowed again in
ackn owledgement of the salutatio
of the foreigners. She returned to her
chair looking upward to the semicircle
of foreign faces and bowling repeat
ed1y.
The soldiers of the American gar
yfson stationed here witnessed the
spectacle from the parade ground,
opposite the entrance to the palace.
The British garrison, including it's
officers, were kept in their quarters.
This occasioned much lamentatfon.
The majority of the foreign minis
ters here, including the British,
American. French and Russian rep
resentatives, absented themselves
from the spectacle, but the ladies Of
the legations were entertained by
Chinese officials on balconies along
the line of march. 1t appears that
the empress dowager ordered that
every courtesy be extended to the
foreigners at Picking, and that the
efforts to exclude them from witness
ing the passage of the imperial cor
tege emanated from local officials,