The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-07-20
CHINA 5 CRAFTY EMPRESS
Force and Purpose Character
ize Her Actions
HER REIGN OVER CHINA
Born the Daughter of Poor Mill
tary Ofiicer-Eoiled the Plans of
che Board of Regency to Kill the
Entire Royal Family-Negotiated
Peace Plans in War of 1860.

Her Majesty was born in 1885,
Ss1ng the second OF four daughters.
Since the beginning Of the Man
sbu dynasty II has been the custom
It stated periods for the proper
sourt officials to select all Manchu
naidens between the ages OF IL and
- who are of sufficient rank to be
ittsible for The imperial seraglio
BY such a process of elimination
md imperial selection Use Hsi at
ne age of 16 became a concubine of
Emperor Hsien-feng
The Empress OF Hsien-feng was
,hfldless, and when on April 26,
1855, the concubine Use Hsi gave
firth to son great we're the i'm
9erial rcjoicings.
Tse Hsi thus bcame an Empress,
Although second in rank to the EN-
press Tse An
In the war Of 1860 the Anglo
french forces captured Pekin and
destroyed the Summer Palace Yuen
hfng Yuen. The Emperor Hsien-
eng, contrary to the prayers OF Use
Id, fed form Pekin with his court
n the imperial city of Jehol, $50
ua1e northeast OF Pekin, among the
Mountains of Mongolia. Prince
Sung, the Emperor's brother, re-
nA4ned in Petin. and with him Tse
4n and conjoinuy these two ar
'an&ed the terms Of peace with Eng
and and France-Prince Kung the
ia9ble agent, Use Hsi the invisible
'ns. but the no less powerful.
On August II, 1851, Hsien-feng
lied from the effects OF dissipation
ir suicide, and the son Of Use Hsi, 6
ears old, was Emperor. BY order
Il the late Emperor the Council OF
night became a board Of Regency
o rule during the minority of the
oung Emperor. They at once laid
hans to kill the two Empresses and
he three brothers of the late EN-
lsror. Then, with the young EN-
,Hor In their hands, they would
lompletely control the Government.
Without giving the Council of
Nght time to formulate definite
'lans Of action the two Expresses
ilaimed their imperial prerogative
Join the first Prince, left Jehol
md with the young child fed to Pc
In. Once within the sacred walls
Il the Forbidden City they disclosed
o Prince Kung the details of the
lot against the royal family. This
las rank treason and before this
icious but dilatory Council of
light realized any danger they were
rrested and brought to Pekin in
december, 1861
The two Dowager Empresses,
18th Prince Kung, formed a regency
exist during the minority of the
Emperor Tung Chi.
Thus was established In power
mis- most wonderful of women Use
Isl, at the age o. 20. Prince Kung,
er faithful coadiutor being only
o.
Tung Chi became Emperor in fact
l 1873 and reiguod ingloriously
tneteen months He was q Wild
nd dissipated youth and never real
led the dignity and grandeur Of his
osition. One OF his favorite diver
ions was to leave the palace In dis
uise and revel in the dives of Pc
in. As a result OF these revels and
xcesses he contracted disease,
rom which he died.
His death occurred late ut night.
te left no heir and no successor had
me and took no chances by con-
lltation with her co-regents. The
On of Prince Kung was the natural
uccessor, but as soon as Tung Chi
'as dead away rushed imperial
curriers' in The night TO the palace
Prince Ch'un the seventh Prince
{ the line Of Hsien-feng. He had
on 4 years old who was snatched
rom his home and carried to the
impress DowaRer, who adopted
I'm at once as her. son and at day
ight summoned the Ministers OF
tate and proclaimed him Emperor,
ne successor Of Hsien-feng,
A change was being forced on
.hina. Her shell OF exclusiveness
Gas being opened or broken
.nrough.
China was now covered with trou-
ies as with a blanket, and a very
ret blanket at that. In 1897 and
1898 the Germans occupied Kiao-
Ghou and claimed exclusive rights
IS to mines and railways over the
7hole province of Shantung.
Port Arthur was occupied by the
russians and WeiHai-Wei by the
3ritish
The so-called Boxer movement
'tarted in Shantung. 1t was pre-
-mnently an antidynastic society,
md Its primary object was to cap
mrs Pekin and put a Chinese Empe,
for on the throne,
Then, as last resort to save her
relf and the dynasty. the Empress
powager placed an imscsdal Prince
1t the head Of the Boxers and turn
cd this movement at once from an
antfdynastic to an antiforeign
Snovement The whole force of the
movement was expended on the