Evening star., 1932-11-20

One dark Winter night she Uas placed
in a palanquin hung tvith imperial yell
LOt0 trGppings and carried into the For
hidden City. There, in a ceremony at
2 o'clock in the morning, she became
the bride Of the Son Of Heaven.
to modern conditions, probably. if given half
chance but this 26-year-old daughter of the
Manchus has been a prisoner all her life
clustered courtyards Of her princely fathers
mansion in Peking. Then, one dark wintry
night, she was placed In palanquin hung with
imperial yellow trappings. and carried into the
Forbidden City where, in ceremony conducted
at o'clock in the morning, she became the
bride of the Son of Heaven, as the emperor Of
China was always called
She lived in this glorified palace-prison for
two years until, to her constrnation, the palace
was raided one day by the soldiers of Feng
Yu-hsiang, known then as "China's Christian
General" and famous as war lord
1T was IL o'clock in the morning." she
said in relating this most thrilling episode Of
her life, land we were told that we must all
leave at noon. We did not know what to do
or where to go, and when the soldiers retufned
an hour later we had not begun to make arg
preparations to get out.
$50 they told us we could stay three hours
longer. In the confusion, left all my jewelry
In the palace and I have never seen any of it
since"
But the little ex-empress does not seem to
mind the loss of her jade and pearls nearly so
ft,a of 81
She went on to tell more about this regal cos
tune, the significance of every inch of which
had been taught to her since childhood
As Manchu princess of the blood she knew
the import of all of these sacred symbols and
appreciated the sacrilege which was committed
when it fell into the hands of common soldiers.
But the First Lady of Manchukuo is inter-
ested today in her new style dresses. too. She
obligingly went to her wardrobe and selected
a dozen of her new frocks to exhibit, all cut in
the latest style. and all very pretty.
While she was in her boudoir instructing two
man servants which gowns to bring out I had
an opportunity to examine her sitting room
large parlor awkwardly furnished with many
plush-covered chairs. The only conspicuous
ornament in the room was large boat made
of gold and silver wires, a gift to Mrs. Pu vi
from the japanese Ladies' Society of Hsinking
on the occasion of the Inauguration of her
husband as chief executive of Manchukuo, on
March 8, 1882
Her Excellency did not attend the inaugura-
ton ceremonies herself nor does she appear at
any other state functions in the new capital.
Once in rare while she walks in Hsinkng's
only public park but most of the time she
stays inside the compound which has been set
aside her residence
| IERE she reads, plays tennis, plays billiards.
and enjoys the company of her little white
dog. Unlike many Chinese women, she does
not care particularly for birds or gold fish or
flowers.
Her friends in HSinking today are restricted
to a small group of Manchu women, the wives
of noblemen who make up Pu Yi's retinue
Except for me- she had not even seen for
eigner for many months, although she is in
terested in meeting strangers and enjoys con-
tact with the outside world
The personal name Of the ex-empress is
Kuo Shia-si, but many years ago, when her
husband adopted the name of Henry, she eleeted
to be known as Elizabeth.
Empress Elizabeth has one more thora in her
crown, her own unsatisfactory relations with
her imperial husband They have no children
and frcm the Chinese point of view, it is only
proper that Pu Vi should have concubines to
provide him with heirs.
His first ccncubine Shu Fei, has not only
failed to give Pu vi an heir, but last year she
sued him for divorce.
The case caused scandal in high Manchu
circles, where one faction supported Shu Fei
her action against the Son of Heaven was
sacrilege. The suit finally was settled by a
court degree, granting Shu Fei s13000