Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-02-04
YUAN SH|-kA|
CRITICISED FOR
STRANGE WORSHIP
Chinese President Celebrates
Winter SoIStice by 0bSer-
vance Of Fantastic Chinese
Customs.
tassocinied Press Correspondence

Picking, Jan. 3.-On the OCCASION of
the winter solstice President~Yuan
Shi-kai worshipped heaven and Offer
ed sacrifices from the famous open
altar which was formerly considered
the center of the universe. He wore
imperial robes and performed the
ceremony of the Ching and other dy-
nasties OF the dragon throne.
For this reNersion TO ancient Gus
toms Of imperial pomp as for his
worship I'm COnfuclan temple some
months ago, the president has been
criticised in some circles, although the
press, which is censored, explains and
approves the act. In a proclamation,
the president explained that he per-
formed the ceremony only as the
representative Of the state, in which,
he said authority was now vested
The chief magistrate Of every district
is instructed to hold similar cere-
monies throughout the country, and
the people are enioned To worship
heaven in their homes.
Wonderful Show Place.
This time-honored Chinese cere-
mony, the first since the abdication
of the Manchus, was conducted under
the republican administration with
all the glory and splendor that dis
tinguished it in the days of the EN-
pire The Temple Of Heaven itself is
the first show place IN Picking. With
in a vast enclosure covering many
acres stand the temple and altar, and
many minor buildings, the colors Of
which are of great and varied beau
~. The altar Is a white marble dais-
or rather, three, all circular, set one
10. ~
to il. il is open to the sky.
This white altar was n brilliant
sight as the sun rose on December
20. AZ every pillar of the ballustrade
stood a spear bearer with uniform
and plumes like modern European
lancer In fun array. In the enclosure
Immediately below were the must
clans wierdly clad in blue robes stud
ded with stars; and their Instruments
were those of the days in which Con-,
fucius lived. There were probably 200
of them There was troop of small
boys playing reed pipes with pleas
ant feathers feet long stuck in the
ends. The stringed instruments, Civ
ing forth music like harps, were
longer than anything known in this
day some six and eight feet. Then
there were bells of the extraordinary
shape and tones Of those treasured
bv museums, said to he of the Chow
dynasty The drum stood high up on
stout pole supported by q drag, on
heads at the base over the drum was
a canopy Of red and gold.
KOwtow by Signal.
Tho musicians stood i'm two groups
at the sides of the main aisle to the
altar, the southern aisle; and between
them officials, those who did not take
actual part in the preparation OF the
sacrifices.s stood in Hollps- according
to their grades, ready to kowtow at
the proper signal.
Scattered round about this orderly
arrangement of men in robes and
bnte Of n style worn 1000 years ago,
xvere military officers and police, the
noIice in black and yellow, the ordi-
nary colors Of the present day, and
The military men in the brilliant mod
ern uniforms which the republic mas
adopted from Europe.
In all the crowd there were but
Two foreign civilians, one being the
writer: and this was the first occa-
sion that a foreigner has ever been
admitted to this. sacrifice.
Gorgeeusly ROBBED.
lust as the sun rose the presidents
motor car. surrounded by a troop of
officers on galloping Monaghan po-
nies. drew up at the last gate but one
for one must pass through many
gates before reaching the Altar OF
Heaven. The president, likewise
dressed in uniform, descended from
the car and got into a sedan chair,
which was borne bv eight men
through the gate and into tent-like
tmpromptu building, not the perma-
nent structure in which the emperor
used TO robe. In few minutes he
came out ROBBED like those officials
who awaited him, except that beneath
his over-gown were twelve conspict-
GUS medallions formed of golden
dragons and other symbols.
The ceremony lasted for an hour,
Terminating with the burning OF the
sacrifices in great greenfield bra
zier beside the altar. Incense, the mar
and flesh of a calf, the finest SILK, and
n tablet sealed and designated by the
president were put into the flames.
IT was bitter cold day ana no
sooner had the president passed out
of The inner arches than the soldiers
who had stood on guard over night,
broke ranks some of them climbing
UP on the sides of the great brazlef
and warming themselves by the sac