The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-01-17
AT PEKING
COURT RE-ENTERs THE CAPITAL
CITY.
Emperor and Empress Pass Through
an Avenue Of Kneeling Troops -Four
Miles Long-Gorgeous Display.

PEKING, January THE TmnerfaI
court entered the Forbidden CITY AT
I'5O O'Clock this afternoon. 1t was the
most brilliant scene Peking ever Wit
messed. The procession consisted of a
! thousand gOrgeOusly attired nobIen1an
mounted upon glittering caparisoned
| uoIseS. The Emperor, the Empress
DoWaser' Prince Chun, the Empress
ana several princesses were borne i'm
yellow chairs, their escort CARRYING
hundreds of gay banners and silk UNI
DieIlas. The troops of General Yuan
Shl hai, Governor of Pe-Chf-Ii Dra-
ceded the Emperor. The foreign com
huhlty assembled on top of the Chang
gate.
| The Emperor and Empress Dowager
entered the temple by the gate and
] burned incense The DOwager Em-
/ press upon emerging from the tempIe.
saw the foreigners peering down and
| bowed. A double row of soldiers.
kneeling, lined the four-mile route.
| Inc spectacular phases of the return
/ OF Lhe court exceeded expectations, The
cortege was sort of gloriied Lord
Mayors show, and was a bewildering
| parbaric exhibition of Oriental splen-
dor. Its chief significance was the
| complete eitacement of the traditional
! dedication of Chinese royalty. The
| foreigners were given greater facilities
Tor Witnessing the ceremonial than
/ would have been afforded them at most
/ European courts.
The scene at the Chang gate when
the Emperor and the Dowager EN-
press entered the temple to offer
thanks for their safe journey was no
thing less than revolutionary when
viewed in the light of all Chinese GUS
| toms. The horseshoe wall forming
the ancient gate was crowded with
Europeans, diplomats, army officers
missionaries, ladies' photographers
and correspondents. When the Emper-
or and DOwager Empress arrived at
the temple the procession halted and
their majesties alighted from their
chairs, which were covered with inn
perial yellow silk and lined with sa-
bles. The Emperor proceeded to the
temple of the God of War, on the west
side of the plaza with hundreds Of for
eigners peering down only forty feet
above him, and dozens of cameras were
\ focused upon the son of heaven. When
he returned his chair was borne
through the gate.
Then the chair Of the DOwager EN-
press was brought to the doorway OF
the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy or
the east side Of the plaza, and the Dow
ager Empress appeared. Amid a greaI
scuftiing Of attendants she proceeded
into the temple on the arms OF two Off
cials, followed by a company of Budd.
hist priests bearing offerings The spec.
tatOrs then heard the booming Of the
temple bell. After an interval of five
minutes the Dowager Empress reap.
peared Standing in the doorway Of tn,
temple she looked upward, Directly
overhead were the German Minister
DR.. Mumm SchWarzenstein, the secre
taries Of the German Legation, the Off
GERS and ladies from the American gar
risOn and the correspondents, Tn,
Dowager Empress saw the foreigners
and bowed low She advanced a few
steps and bowed again i'm acknOwledg
ment of the salutations of the foreign
ers. She returned to her chair, loOkinl
upward to the semiCrcle of foreign
faces and bowling repeatedly
In the meantime the Chinese soldiers
Manchu bannermen and minor officials
who had crowded the plaza, We're rev
erently kneeling. The two arches at thu
sides of the ancient gateway framed
hundreds Of faces Of Chinese coolies
who, embOldened by the presence o
foreigners, ventured to gaze upon thei
rulers. This incident constituted q