Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-09
Thousands PROSTATE in Dust
as Dead Emperor Passes.
ANCIENT RITES OBSERVED
Riffraff Of China, Gorgeously Array
ed, Follows Bier.
PACK ANIMALS IN CORTEGE
Baby Successor and Widow Bow to
Casket-Prince Ching Walks
Part Way.

PEkING, December 9.-The body of
kuang Hsu, the late Emperor of China,
was today carried with much ceremony
from the hall in the Forbidden City. where
it has reposed for the last week to the
Coal Hill mortuary 1t will here continue
to lie in state pending the location and
construction of the imperial sepulchre
The funeral cortege. brilliant, bar barrie
and weird in the eyes of western observ-
ers, was led by Prince Chun. the regent
Ancient Rites Observed.
For a short distance from it's starting
place as it passed through the streets OF
| the imperial city thousands of mourners
knelt in the dust until the coffin was nc
longer to be seen.
The route of march was out Of the east
gate Of the forbidden city and thence
through the imperial city in the direction
Of the mortuary. The start was made at
10 O'Clock.
The funeral observances were notable
for strange admixture Of ancient chi
| nese custom with western forms and
practices, fact that shows the progress
made in recent years of undermining the
system of procedure for imperial inter
ments handed down from bygone genera
| lions.
| That many old grotesaue funeral
day ignored as utterly unsuited to mod
ern conditions has brought out much
criticism of the government. In spite
| Of this the throne yesterday ordered the
grand council to consider another me-
| mortal looking to amelioration of exist
ing funeral observances to conform to
modern methods.
The cortege was accompanied by 500
mourners and 1900 soldiers. Fully 1O.OUt
| men knelt in the streets Of the imperia
oil to~ INV
| baby emperor and the dowager empress
Yehonela. widow Of Kuang Hsu, knel
side by side on the floor of the hall where
| the body has been reposing as the remain:
started on their final journey.
Sixty-four imperial chair bearers Dor,
the catafalque as far as the east gate
At this point the regent and the member
of his suite fell out Of the procession ant
retraced their steps to the forbidden city
| At the east gate these siXty-four bearer
| were replaced by 12S others. by whom til,
| coffin was carried and escorted to tn,
| mortuary.
Coolies Gorgeously Arranged.
Following an old custom. number OF
low-class coolies the dregs OF the CAPT.
| tai. were brought into the sacred pre-
cincts Of the Forbidden City and. clad ir
gorgeous embroidered liveries. followed
the imperial coffin to its last resting
place.
In the procession also were horses witt
strange cushioned saddles. camels will
panniers on their backs. and other pacl
animals used in caravan transportation
| that have been waiting in the forbidden
| city since shortly after the death OF thu
emperor for this occasion.
1t is regarded as essential of dignity
that a dead emperor be conducted to hi:
final resting place by these strange ant
crude examples Of methods of travel.
Grand Councillor Yuan Shi kai has hat
in hand the carrying out of the funera
arrangements. Yuan Shi kai himself
together with thirty-seven other Chinese
mobiles. followed the imperial coffin from
the forbidden city to the mortuary.
They walked the entire distance.
While the procession was making it:
slow progress various sacrifices of wins
were made and quantities of paper were
burned. Upon arriving at the mortuar!
there were ceremonies lasting for two
hours, that signified the desire that The
body of his late majesty repose in peace.
Foreigners were for the first time per
| mitted to witness the imperial funera
procession. Almost the entire lire o.
march was screened off from the gaze OF
the public, hut provision was made fol
the foreigners in the city to occupy
points Of vantage.