Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-07
EARTH'S OLDEST REALM
NEW KING HAS BEEN CROWNED
IN LUANGPRABANG.
Quaint Province That Flourishes in
Far-off French Indo-China-Cor-
onation Ceremonies Elaborate.


onatiOn Ceremonies ELABORATE.
From the New York Tribune.
On March 4, when the foremost republic
In the world was assisting by every known
means of joyous enthusiasm in inaugural
ing President on the other side of the
world the French republic was crowning a
king The photographs OF this remarkable
even. have Just been received for Luang-
prabang, which is the short name for this
kingdom OF the far east. is rather lnacces
sible place and such modern means OF con-
vevance as steam or electric railways have
not vet married It's pristine scenic splendor.
Iuangprabang IS the oldest and most
modest realm in the universe, and it's new
king is a young man with progressive Ideas,
who intends that the world shall become
better acquainted with his quaint little
kingdom.
Tie fuiI name of this French Indo- Chinese
province is euphonious and descriptive, but,
alas! II is untitled for the modern CONNER
cial and busy world. When the king makes
his speech to the senam, or the upper as
sembly. he refers feelngly to his country as
Lanesang Hornkhaomuong- l. uangprabang,
which to "a casual listener, unacquainted
with the beauties of the Laotian language,
seems to be the acme of forceful profanity.
But II is no such thing; neither is II any
reference to the state as the Kingdom OF
the million elephants and of the white para
sol" There is no doubt of the white para
sol II is a concrete substance, but the mil
lion elephants Is simply oriental exag-
geratiOn, intended not to deceive, but to or
nament prosaic tale.
Has Population of 100000
The little kingdom, which has an area of
about 10000 square miles, or little less than
that of Belgium, has a population estimated
at 10000. II is officially under the protec-
ton of Prabang, the miraculous Buddha,
and for centuries II has disputed with the
Kingdoms OF Siam and Vientiane the su-
premacy in the region OF the That's of the
IndO-Chinese peninsula.
His majesty. SiSavOng Wong, King of Luz
angprabang, has just passed his twentieth
birthday, and, although younger son of
the late King Zacharne who died last
year was selected by the French govern
ment as a ruler, owing to several reasons
The chief of these, naturally, was that the
young prince had been educated in France
having spent two years In the Ecole Colo
naile, Paris. He speaks French huently and
has imbibed French IDEAS and il is these
ideas the French government hopes to see
him plant among his people to the mutual
advantage OF the king and the French re-
pubic, which exercises the authority of
protectorate over the kingdom.
Another reason given for the selection of
SlsavonG over Tias Maha Oupahat called
LAOS.
was that Oupahat did not necessarily stand
TO succeed the old monarch and that King
Zacharine desired that his younger son
should be his successor. Notice of the Sc
lection of king was given to the senam
the high assembly of the realm. which was
permitted to believe that II had followed
the late kings wishes and had made the
selection Itself In its choice the senam
received hints as to the line of its pro-
cedure from the French commissioner who
Is a kind of ambassador to the king from
the French governor of the Laos.
Great Coronation Festivities.
So when the assembly OF Luangprabang
finished its work and reported It had elected
a king word was sent to Mount Vientiane.
where the governor has his residence and
preparations for the coronation were quick
~ made.
As usual with coronations or with royal
weddings in the east. especially with Indo-
Chinese and Malay potentates, there was a
display of splendor and extravagan fitting
the kingly role at Ssavong's assumption of
the throne The act of browning the king
was performed in Luangprabang, the capt
tai of the kingdom. by the French gov
ernors, who had to travel over the noun
tains which almost incose the little state
on three sides The journey had to be made
on horseback and required eleven days
All the French dignitaries In the French
colony, including those of the neighboring
provinces, attended as well the secre-
tary general for the colonies, who has
charge of the organization of the French
Indo-Chinese territories.
The fetes lasted a week and were, In
deed, considered marvellous by the French
spectators in the country, where the civiliza-
ton and splendor OF the east have left
their imprint There were such diversions
as professions, dances and banquets and
they continued with little interruption until
the guests had a surfeit of this oriental
entertainment.
Borne in Gorgeous Procession.
The coronation ceremonies and the ac-
ccmpanying festivities were held In the
capital which bears the name of the prov
iTce and has population, entirely native,
o. about 1900. 1t is situated at the con-
hCence Of the great Mekong, the mother
OF seas" which has its rise In the Thibetan
plateau, and the Namkan. In the center
Of the town is high HILL upon which
stands the extensive royal palace.
The young king was carried 20 the place
where the peculiar-shaped crown was put
upon his brow with much ceremony. He
was elevated upon kind of throne and
borne through the palace grounds on the
shoulders or the grandees of the kingdom.
Il was an adaptation OF the ancient Euro
pean practice of carrying the king upon
the shields OF his chiefs and very likely
this part OF the program was prepared by
the kings French advisers.
IL was very different procession from
these similar ones In ancient Britain and
France. for instance, for this young mon
arch of the east was accompanied by fam
bearers and the insignia of his high rank
the Opera-boufre royal umbrella. After he
had been borne through hosts of admiring
natives he was the recipient of curious
ancient Laotian salute-that known as
powguieu-maguieu-the ancestors OF the
LSotians greeting the new king.
Grotesque Native Dance.
This is nothing more nor less than a gro
tesque yet graceful native dance. 1t is
really ballet, for II is descriptive and in
a measure a kind of primitive native
drama. Two of these ancestors are repre-
scented with an enormous mask of u human
face colored a brilliant red; another is a
fantastic animal, intended by the Laotians
for monkey. but called by some of the
French guests lion. All were covered
with a towlike grass. The quaint dance
MaS performed hY the kings own trnune