The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-12
THE EMPRESS
How Tsi-An, the Woman Who Rules
China, Receives Guests.

George Lynch. in Golfers Weekly.
All the guests having arrived in time
they were at II o'clock precisely ushered
into the audience chamber 1t is a large
hall exactly the same design as the two
throne rooms in the palace at Pekin. There
are three flights of marble steps leading
up to the three entrances, which are so
high and broad as to give the effect of the
entire building being in front. The minis
tiers and the British and Russian charges
d'affaires, representing their minister's.
went by the middle steps and entered by
the central door. On either side of the hall
the Chinese ministers and members of the
court were lined up, and behind them was
the household guard. All the rest of the
guests entered by the door on the right.
AS the ministers entered the door they
bowed, then advanced a few steps, bowed
again, and bowed a third time at the foot
of the dais, the others following one or
two PAGES behind. This in place of the
kow-tow, which was a subject of much dis
pute in times past. All eyes were drawn
toward the central figure in the room-the
Empress Dowager. She sat on the high
central throne on the most elevated part
of the dais, with the Emepror on a smaller
one, a step below on her left. About the
dais were tall vases of Chinese c~loisonne
and OF green jade on high pedes-
tails. The Empress Dowager was dressed
in the costume generally worn by Manchu
ladies. The upper garment or tunic was
of deep blue silk brocade, with a broad
border of white satin. embroidered with
flowers. From the button that fastened this
ft1nic aCroSC the chest hing On ctr;,x oe
thirteen large but ~irregularly shaped
pearls. The only other she wore
were in her hair, which was drawn up from
behind and turned over a gold-carved hand
about the size of a paper knife. Her feet
have never been bound. and are of the
natural size. She wore blue embroidered
shoes with white soles. The Empress
Dowager has a distinctly striking face, yet
when you come to analyze it or try to &C
count for its attractiveness it is difficult
to explain why it is so fascinating. Per-
haps the charm is in the dark eyes, which
are bright, alert and piercing, a certain
bagginess under them being the worst that
the years have done. The typical Manchu
face, smooth, open and rounded, is won
derfully young for a woman of seventy
two, and 1t Is easy to imagine how beauti-
full she must have been In her early days.
There is nothing on the surface of that
mask OF ~afability to betray the extraordi-
nary history of the woman.
A striking contrast to her was afforded
by the Emperor-very richly but plainly
dressed. with thin face, sallow complex
lon, hollow cheeks. procurement cheekbones
and a high and intellectual If narrow fore
head. His eyes gazed out impassively,
straight in front of him. giving him the
aseptc of an ascetic Buddha. But at mo-
mentS those eyes would steal round I'm a
quick, furitive glance. with a hunted look.
seeming to substantiate the rumor that day
and night he is watched by the eunichs Of
the Empress, who are actually his jailers
in a palace which is really his prison. When
the ministers were drawn up Mr.. Conger.
who is at present the dean of the diplo-
matte corps in China, made a little speech
in a low voice, expressing in complimentary
terms the pleasure of the ministers in being
there. AS he does not speak French. and
as the Empress's interpreter speaks the
language of diplomacy, but not English. the
American envoy addressed himself to a
member of the legation, who gave the mes
sage 10 the court interpreter, on the right
of the Empress. who in turn. after bowling
to the ground, communicated ii to her
Majesty. She smiled a very pleasant smile
and bobbed her head three or four times.
The Emperor smiled once a curious, enig-
matte smile, as IL Ii were given by order of
the Empress or the board of rights. There
was nothing spontaneous or genuine in il:
Ii was purely perfunctory. with perhaps a
suggestion OF mockery. Having performed
his only act in the ceremony. he looked
around with that ~furtive, restless, haunted
look. Then the Empress I'm a low voice
made her reply. which was passed through
the two interpreters back to Mr.. Conger.
She spoke clearly and COMPATIBILITY. with a
curious twitching of the right corner of her
mouth, such as one sees I'm people who have
had a stroke OF paralysis. Every one
bowed and, stepping backward. still bow
ing. left the audience chamber The whole
proceedings took exactly seven minutes.
After a short space IN the waiting room
the minister and other foreigners were con-
Quoted TO a large hall, where a banquet