The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-22
MOURNING FOR
DEAD RULERS
Impressive Ceremonies Held at
the Chinese Consulate
Yesterday.

A picturesque and interesting cere
/ monial was that at the Chinese Con
sulate yesterday In memory of theil
! lately dep ted majesties the Emperor
of China and the Empress Dowager
Consul Tseng Hal, who oficiated, sale
that it was much less ornate than il
would have been in China, and in com
parison with the stately ceremonials
of the Imperial funerals going on
spontaneously in the palace in Peklng
was poor affair.
And yet it was Impressive and In
teresting. 'sThe more elaborate cere-
monial, = said Consul Tseng Hal,
"might not perhaps be in harmony
with this Western environment.
The memorial services were an
nounced for II clock. The entrance
to the Consulate was draped IN black
and white in the conventional Western
style The same concession to Occi-
dental ideas was made IN slight de-
gree in the interior arrangements, but
only to a slight degree. At the far.
ther end of the large double room
which occupies the front portion of
the Consulate was an altar. On the
wall back of it was magnificent Chi
nese dragon flag. The altar was COW
Grad and draped with handsome yell
low brocaded satin. To the right and
left of the altar, white curtains hung
from ceiling to floor, at the ceiling
being covered with smaller dragon
flags.
The altar utensils were all of hand
some design, but of a sober grayish
color In the center near the front
edge was a tall vase containing burn
ing incense. To right and left of this
were tall candlesticks of the same de-
sign, in each of which a candle burn
pd. And still to right and left Of
these were vases containing eolored
leaves symbolic of autumn maple
leaves In a row behind these were
two lower candlesticks with burning
candles in them and two handsome
ewers. Behind these still were two
large vases filed with white asters.
Near the center Of the altar at the
back was the memorial tablet faced
with yellow satin, on which were the
names and titles of the distinguished
dead.
When the time for the ceremony ar
rived, Consul Tseng Hal, with his Sec
retaries. clad in white robes trimmed
at the wrists and throat with blue,
and wearing black hats and black Of
fetal boots, approached the altar. To
them, servants, also IN white mourn
ing robes. brought dishes of various
foods and sweetmeats, which were
placed tremendously upon the altar.
Then the Consul and his secretaries,
back from the altar, pros
trated themselves five times before #,
their foreheads touching the floor.
During these Prostratious those pres
emit remained standing, one of the sec
retaries intimating that attitude TO
Consul Canayarro.
Following the prOstratIons, first the
Consul and then his secretaries, IN
order, each took dish from the altar
and poured out a Hbation at the foot I
Of the altar, replacing the dish.
Little punches of flowers. asters and
were passed around .
among those IN attendance Them
zach in turn -sta5d before the altar
nd tablet. hgwed in pefnGr5 uE the
and laid tsel ~aoWsts 0p 2
.safs at the sj2s % tbs, altar. Ehls I
1snspE 9szag aaI, hrst IN
hines ard r1eazln Ehgsh, gzs4e the /
semoFial a6dTess as 1Sileg
s.The eTenSs wh3ea baee just taken
lace IN ~ e5casEv are the sad cause
z the ceremony at which you are
resent II corresponds with the
Unerai rites which, at this moment,
re being celebrated in the Imperial
alace at Peking, with a solemn POmp,
nd in the presence of all the foreign
Iinisters, as a last homage to the
memory of H. N. the Emperor and Of
[. ". the Empress Dowager.
@ A cloud of mourning covers all
hina, and We, as loyal subjects. are
-ying today. in a humble manner. to
xpress our feelings of veneration for
be deceased Emperor and Empress
'owager, and for the dynasty, success
1r Of so many other dvnasties that
uring thousands Of years have ruled
be destiny Of the Chinese Empire.
cit Is hard TO conceive the Difficult
es Of governing nation of such vast
xtent and dense population as ours.
hese difficulties have become more
9mplex in the past fifty years by the
production Of relations with foreign Z
7untries, with whose people we had
ever previously been in contact.
It was IN the complexity Of this
aw situation that more than ever was
lown the superb intelligence and
lergv of Her Majesty the Empress
owager. who. during the minority
nd during the Illness Of her son, has
lied the country with both strength .
ld wisdom that viii confer 10 her an
amortal name IN the history Of the y,
Continued on page g.