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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/889-h.zip b/889-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..026db80 --- /dev/null +++ b/889-h.zip diff --git a/889-h/889-h.htm b/889-h/889-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d98ffab --- /dev/null +++ b/889-h/889-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8525 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Two Years in the Forbidden City, by The Princess Der Ling + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +Project Gutenberg's Two Years in the Forbidden City, by The Princess Der Ling + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Two Years in the Forbidden City + +Author: The Princess Der Ling + +Release Date: August 6, 2008 [EBook #889] +Last Updated: February 4, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller for Sarah, and by David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By The Princess Der Ling + </h2> + <h4> + First Lady In Waiting To The Empress Dowager + </h4> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h4> + TO<br /> MY BELOVED FATHER<br /> LORD YU KENG + </h4> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_FORE" id="link2H_FORE"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + FOREWORD + </h2> + <p> + THE author of the following narrative has peculiar qualifications for her + task. She is a daughter of Lord Yu Keng, a member of the Manchu White + Banner Corps, and one of the most advanced and progressive Chinese + officials of his generation. Lord Yu Keng entered the army when very + young, and served in the Taiping rebellion and the Formosan war with + France, and as Vice Minister of War during the China-Japan war in 1895. + Later he was Minister to Japan, which post he quitted in 1898 to become + President of the Tsung-li-yamen (Chinese Foreign Office). In 1899 he was + appointed Minister to France, where he remained four years. At a period + when the Chinese Government was extremely conservative and reactionary, + Lord Yu Keng labored indefatigably for reform. He was instrumental in + reorganizing China's postal service on modern lines, but failed in efforts + to revise the revenue system and modernize the army and navy, from being + ahead of his times. He died in 1905. The progressive spirit of Lord Yu + Keng was shown in the education of his children. When it became known that + his daughters were receiving a foreign education—then an almost + unheard—of proceeding among high Manchu officials-attempts were made + to impeach him as pro-foreign and revolutionary, but he was not deterred. + His children got their early education in missionary schools, and the + daughters later attended a convent in France, where the author of this + work finished her schooling and entered society. On returning to China, + she became First Lady-in-Waiting to the Empress Dowager, and while serving + at the Court in that capacity she received the impressions which provide + the subject-matter of this book. Her opportunity to observe and estimate + the characteristics of the remarkable woman who ruled China for so long + was unique, and her narrative throws a new light on one of the most + extraordinary personalities of modern times. While on leave from her + duties to attend upon her father, who was fatally ill in Shanghai, + Princess Der Ling took a step which terminated connexion with the Chinese + Court. This was her engagement to Mr. Thaddeus C. White, an American, to + whom she was married on May 21, 1907. Yielding to the urgent solicitation + of friends, she consented to put some of her experiences into literary + form, and the following chronicle, in which the most famous of Chinese + women, the customs and atmosphere of her Court are portrayed by an + intimate of the same race, is a result. + </p> + <p> + THOMAS F. MILLARD. + </p> + <p> + SHANGHAI, July 24, 1911. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <blockquote> + <p class="toc"> + <big><b>CONTENTS</b></big> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_FORE"> FOREWORD </a> + </p> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> <big><b>TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY</b></big> + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#linkintro"> INTRODUCTORY </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER TWO—AT THE PALACE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER THREE—A PLAY AT THE COURT </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER FOUR—A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER FIVE—AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER SIX—IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER SEVEN—SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER EIGHT—THE COURT LADIES </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER NINE—THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER TEN—THE YOUNG EMPRESS </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER ELEVEN—OUR COSTUMES </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER TWELVE—THE EMPRESS AND MRS. + CONGER </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER THIRTEEN—THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER FOURTEEN—THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER FIFTEEN—THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER SIXTEEN—THE SUMMER PALACE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0016"> CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—THE AUDIENCE HALL </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0017"> CHAPTER EIGHTEEN—THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS + </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0018"> CHAPTER NINETEEN—THE SEA PALACE </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0019"> CHAPTER TWENTY—CONCLUSION </a> + </p> + </blockquote> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h1> + TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY + </h1> + <p> + <a name="linkintro" id="linkintro"></a> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTORY + </h2> + <p> + MY father and mother, Lord and Lady Yu Keng, and family, together with our + suite consisting of the First Secretary, Second Secretary, Naval and + Military Attaches, Chancellors, their families, servants, etc.,—altogether + fifty-five people,—arrived in Shanghai on January 2, 1903, on the + S.S. "Annam" from Paris, where for four years my father had been Chinese + Minister. Our arrival was anything but pleasant, as the rain came down in + torrents, and we had the greatest difficulty getting our numerous retinue + landed and safely housed, not to mention the tons of baggage that had to + be looked after. We had found from previous experience that none of our + Legation people or servants could be depended upon to do anything when + travelling, in consequence of which the entire charge devolved upon my + mother, who was without doubt the genius of the party in arranging matters + and straightening out difficulties. + </p> + <p> + When the launch from the steamer arrived at the jetty off the French Bund, + we were met by the Shanghai Taotai (the highest official in the city), the + Shanghai Magistrate and numerous other officials, all dressed in their + official robes. The Taotai told my father that he had prepared the Tien Ho + Gung (Temple of the Queen of Heaven) for us to reside in during our stay + in Shanghai, but my father refused the offer, saying that he had + telegraphed from Hong Kong and made all arrangements to go to the Hotel + des Colonies in the French Concession. We had had previous experience + staying in this temple while on our way to Japan, where my father went as + Minister in 1895, and did not care to try it a second time. The building + is very old and very much out of repair. It was a beautiful place in its + prime, but had been allowed to go to rack and ruin. The custom is that the + magistrate has to find a place and supply the food, etc., for high + officials when passing through, and it is not exactly the thing to refuse + their kind offer, but my father was always very independent and politely + declined all proffers of assistance. + </p> + <p> + At last we did safely arrive in the Hotel des Colonies, where my father + found awaiting him two telegrams from the Imperial Palace. These telegrams + ordered my father to go to Peking at once, but, as the river to Tientsin + was frozen, it was out of the question for us to go by that route, and as + my father was very old and quite ill at that time, in fact constantly + under the doctor's care, the only accessible way, via Chinwangtao, was + equally out of the question, as it was a long and most tedious journey and + quite beyond his strength. In view of all these difficulties, he + telegraphed that, after the ice had broken up in the Peiho River, we would + come by the first steamer leaving Shanghai for Tientsin. + </p> + <p> + We left Shanghai on the 22d of February and arrived at Tientsin on the + 26th, and, as before, were met by the Customs Taotai of the port and + numerous other officials (the same as when we arrived at Shanghai). + </p> + <p> + There is a very curious custom of reverence, which must be performed by + all high officials on their return from abroad. Immediately upon landing + on the shores of China, arrangements are made with the nearest Viceroy or + Governor to receive their obeisance to Ching Sheng An (to worship the + Emperor of Peace), a Taotai being considered of too low a rank for such an + honor. As soon as we arrived, Yuan Shih Kai, who was then Viceroy of + Chihli Province at Tientsin, sent an official to my father to prepare the + time and place for this function, which is an extremely pretty one. When + arrangements had been made, both my father and Yuan Shih Kai dressed in + their full ceremonial robes, which is the dragon long robe, with a reddish + black three-quarter length coat over it, chao chu (amber beads), hat with + peacock feather and red coral button, and repaired at once to the Wan Shou + Kung (10,000 years palace), which is especially built for functions of + this kind, where they were met by a large number of officials of the lower + grades. At the back centre of this Temple, or Palace, stands a very long + narrow table on which are placed the tablets of the Emperor and Empress + Dowager, on which is written, "Wan sway, wan sway, wan wan sway" (10,000 + years times 10,000 years times 10,000 10,000 years). The Viceroy, or in + this case Yuan Shih Kai, and the other officials arrived first. Yuan stood + at the left side of this table and the others arranged themselves in two + diminishing lines starting from the front corners of the table. Soon + afterward my father came and knelt directly in front of the centre of the + table and said, "Ah ha Ching Sheng An" (Your servant gives you greeting). + After this ceremony was over my father immediately arose and inquired + after Their Majesties' health, and Yuan replied that they were quite well. + This closed the function. + </p> + <p> + We stayed in Tientsin for three days, arriving in Peking on the + twenty-ninth. My father's condition was much worse and he begged for four + months' leave of absence, in which to recuperate, which was granted by Her + Majesty, the Empress Dowager. As our beautiful mansion, which we had built + and furnished just before leaving for Paris, was burned during the Boxer + Rising of 1900, entailing a loss of over taels 100,000, we rented and + moved into a Chinese house. Our old house was not entirely new. When we + bought the place there was a very fine but old Chinese house, the palace + of a Duke, standing on the ground, and by some clever re-arrangement and + building on, it was transformed into a beautiful foreign style house with + all the fine hardwood carving of the old house worked into it. By using + the words "foreign style," it is meant that, in so far as the Chinese + house could be made to look like a foreign house, without tearing it down + entirely, it was changed, that is the doors and windows, passageways, + furnishings, etc., were foreign, but the arrangement of the house itself + and courtyard was Chinese. This, like all Chinese houses in Peking, was + built in a very rambling fashion, and with the gardens, covered about ten + acres of ground. We had just finished furnishing it and moved in only four + days when we left for Paris; and it has always been a great sorrow to my + family that we should lose this magnificent place, after having spent so + much time and money in building and beautifying it. However, this is only + one of the many trials that a high official in China is called upon to + bear. + </p> + <p> + The houses in Peking are built in a very rambling fashion, covering a + large amount of ground, and our former house was no exception to the rule. + It had sixteen small houses, one story high, containing about 175 rooms, + arranged in quadrangles facing the courtyard, which went to make up the + whole; and so placed, that without having to actually go out of doors, you + could go from one to the other by verandas built along the front and + enclosed in glass. My reader will wonder what possible use we could make + of all of these rooms; but what with our large family, numerous + secretaries, Chinese writers, messengers, servants, mafoos (coachmen), and + chair coolies, it was not a difficult task to use them. + </p> + <p> + The gardens surrounding the houses were arranged in the Chinese way, with + small lakes, stocked with gold fish, and in which the beautiful lotus + flower grew; crossed by bridges; large weeping willows along the banks; + and many different varieties of flowers in prettily arranged flower beds, + running along winding paths, which wound in and out between the lakes. At + the time we left for Paris, in the month of June, 1899, the gardens were a + solid mass of flowers and foliage, and much admired by all who saw them. + </p> + <p> + As we now had no place of our own in Peking we did not know where to go, + so, while we were at Tientsin, my father telegraphed to one of his friends + to find him a house. After some little trouble one was secured, and it + turned out to be a very famous place indeed. It was the house where Li + Hung Chang signed the treaties with the Foreign Powers after the Boxer + Rising and also where he died. We were the first people to live there + since the death of Li Hung Chang, as the Chinese people were very + superstitious and were afraid that, if they went there to live, something + dreadful would happen to them. We soon made ourselves very comfortable, + and while we lived there, none of the dreadful things happened to us that + all of our good friends told us would be visited upon us if we dared to + take this place. However, in view of our having lost our place by fire, I + am inclined to think that their fears were well founded. + </p> + <p> + The loss sustained by having this house burned we never recovered, as my + father, being an official of the Government, it would have been very bad + form to have tried to recover this money, besides a possible loss of + standing, as Government officials are supposed never to consider + themselves or families in the service of their country, and any private + losses in the service must be borne without complaint. + </p> + <p> + On the first of March, 1903, Prince Ching and his son, Prince Tsai Chen, + came to see us and told us that Her Majesty wished to see my mother, my + sister, and myself at once; that we should be at the Summer Palace (Wan + Shou Shan) at six o'clock the following morning. My mother told Prince + Ching that we had been wearing foreign clothes all these years, while + abroad, and had no suitable Manchu clothes to wear. He replied that he had + told Her Majesty all about us and also mentioned that he had seen us in + European attire and she had said that it would not be necessary for us to + wear Manchu costume to go to the Palace, that she would be glad to have us + wear foreign clothes, as it would give her an opportunity to study the + foreign way of dressing. Both my sister and myself had a very difficult + time deciding what we should wear for this occasion; she wished to wear + her pale blue velvet gown, as she thought that color suited her the best. + My mother had always made us dress exactly alike, ever since we were + little girls. I said that I preferred to wear my red velvet gown, as I had + the idea it might please Her Majesty. After a long discussion I had my + way. We had lovely red hats trimmed with plumes and the same color shoes, + and stockings to match. My mother wore a lovely gown of sea green chiffon + cloth embroidered with pale mauve iris and trimmed with mauve velvet; she + wore her large black velvet hat with long white plumes. + </p> + <p> + As we lived in the central part of the city and the only means of travel + was by sedan chair and the distance from our house to the Palace was about + thirty-six Chinese li (a three-hour ride), we had to start at three + o'clock in the morning, in order to be there at six. As this was our first + visit to the Palace, Prince Ching's message threw us into a great state of + excitement, and we were naturally anxious to look our best and to be there + on time. It had been the dream of my life to go to the Palace and see what + it was like, and up to this time I had never had an opportunity, as most + of my life had been spent out of Peking,—in fact, out of China. + Another reason why this chance had never come before was, that my father + had never registered our names (my sister and myself) in the Government + book for the registration of births of Manchu children, in consequence of + which the Empress Dowager did not know until we came back from Paris that + Lord Yu Keng had any daughters. My father told me the reason why he did + not put our names in this book was, that he wished to give us the best + education obtainable, and the only way he could do it was not to let the + Empress Dowager know. Besides this, according to the Manchu custom, the + daughters of all Manchu officials of the second rank and above, after + reaching the age of fourteen years, should go to the Palace, in order that + the Emperor may select them for secondary wives if he so desires, and my + father had other plans and ambitions for us. It was in this way that the + late Empress Dowager was selected by the Emperor Hsien Feng. + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + (comment: li is 1/3 mile or 1/2 km) +</pre> + <p> + We started at three o'clock that morning in total darkness riding in four + coolie sedan chairs, one on each side of the chair. In going such a long + distance it was necessary to have two relays of chair coolies. This meant + twenty-four coolies for the three chairs, not counting an extra coolie for + each chair who acted as a sort of head chair bearer. Besides this there + were three military officers on horses, one for each chair and two + servants riding at the back of each chair. In addition there were three + big Chinese carts following behind for the chair coolies to ride in and + rest. This made a cavalcade consisting of forty-five men, nine horses and + three carts. + </p> + <p> + I had a rather nervous feeling riding along in the chair surrounded by + inky blackness, with nothing to relieve the stillness of the night but the + rough voices of the chair bearers calling back and forth to each other to + be careful of stones and holes in the road, which was very uneven, and the + clump, clump of the horses. To my readers who have never had the + experience of riding a long distance in a sedan chair I would say that it + is a most uncomfortable conveyance, as you have to sit perfectly still and + absolutely straight, otherwise the chair is liable to upset. This ride was + a very long one and I felt quite stiff and tired by the time I reached the + Palace gates. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER TWO—AT THE PALACE + </h2> + <p> + WHEN we reached the City gates, which were about half way between our + house and the Summer Palace, they were wide open for us to pass. This + quite surprised us, as all gates are closed at seven o'clock in the + evening and are not opened except on special occasions until daylight. We + inquired of the guard why this was, and were told that orders had been + given for the gates to be opened for us to pass. The officials who had + charge were standing in a double line dressed in full official dress and + saluted us as we passed. + </p> + <p> + It was still quite dark when we had passed through the gate and I thought + of the many experiences of my short life; but this was by far the + strangest of them all. I wondered what Her Majesty would be like and + whether she would like me or not. We were told that probably we would be + asked to stay at the Court, and I thought that if that came to pass, I + would possibly be able to influence Her Majesty in favor of reform and so + be of valuable assistance to China. These thoughts made me feel happy and + I made up my mind then and there that I would do all I could and use any + influence I might have in the future towards the advancement of China and + for her welfare. While I was still dreaming of these pleasant prospects, a + faint red line appeared on the horizon heralding the coming of a most + perfect day, and so it proved. As the light grew brighter and I could + distinguish objects, a very pretty view gradually opened to me, and as we + came nearer to the Palace I could see a high red wall which zigzagged from + hill to hill and enclosed the Palace grounds. The tops of the wall and + buildings were covered with yellow and green tiles and made a most + dazzling picture in the bright sunlight. Pagodas of different sizes and + styles were passed, and when we arrived at the village of Hai Tien, about + four li from the Palace gates, we were told by the officers we only had a + short distance further to go. This was good news, as I began to think we + would never get there. This village was quite a pretty country place of + one-story houses built of brick, which were very neat and clean as are + most of the houses in the northern part of China. The children trouped out + to see the procession pass, and I heard one remark to another: "Those + ladies are going to the Palace to become Empresses," which amused me very + much. + </p> + <p> + Soon after leaving Hai Tien we came to a pai lou (archway), a very + beautiful piece of old Chinese architecture and carved work, and from here + got our first view of the Palace gates, which were about 100 yards ahead. + These gates are cut into the solid wall surrounding the Palace and consist + of one very large gate in the center and two smaller ones on each side. + The center gate is only opened when their Majesties pass in and out of the + Palace. Our chairs were set down in front of the left gate, which was + open. Outside of these gates, at a distance of about 500 yards, were two + buildings where the guard stayed at night. + </p> + <p> + Just as we arrived I saw a number of officials talking excitedly, and some + of them went into the gate shouting "Li la, doula" (have come, have + arrived). When we got out of our chairs, we were met by two eunuchs of the + fourth rank (chrystal button and feather). This feather which is worn by + eunuchs of the fourth rank, comes from a bird called the magh (horse-fowl) + which is found in Szechuen Province. They are grey and are dyed black, and + are much wider than the peacock feather. These two eunuchs were + accompanied by ten small eunuchs carrying yellow silk screens, which they + placed around our chairs when we alighted. It appeared that Her Majesty + had given orders that these screens (huang wai mor) should be brought to + us. This is considered a great honor. They were ten feet long and twenty + feet high and were held by two eunuchs. + </p> + <p> + These two eunuchs of high rank were extremely polite and stood at each + side of the gate and invited us to enter. Passing through this gate we + came into a very large paved courtyard about three hundred feet square, in + which there were a great many small flower beds and old pine trees from + which hung all kinds of birds in cages. On the side opposite to the gates + we had entered was a red brick wall with three gates exactly like the + others; on the right and left side were long rows of low buildings each + containing twelve rooms, used as waiting rooms. The courtyard was full of + people dressed in official robes of the different ranks, and, after the + Chinese fashion, all seemed to be very busy doing nothing. When they saw + us they stood still and stared. The two eunuchs who were showing us the + way conducted us to one of these rooms. This room was about twenty feet + square, just ordinarily furnished in black wood furniture with red cloth + cushions and silk curtains hanging from the three windows. We were not in + this room more than five minutes when a gorgeously dressed eunuch came and + said: "Imperial Edict says to invite Yu tai tai (Lady Yu) and young ladies + to wait in the East side Palace." On his saying this, the two eunuchs who + were with us knelt down and replied "Jur" (Yes). Whenever Her Majesty + gives an order it is considered an Imperial Edict or command and all + servants are required to kneel when any command is transmitted to them the + same as they would if in Her Majesty's presence, Then they told us to + follow them and we went through another left gate to another courtyard + laid out exactly the same as the former, except that the Ren Shou Dien + (audience hall) is situated on the north side and the other buildings were + a little larger. The eunuchs showed us into the east side building, which + was beautifully furnished with reddish blackwood exquisitely carved, the + chairs and tables covered with blue satin and the walls hung with the same + material. In different parts of the room were fourteen clocks of all sizes + and shapes. I know this, for I counted them. + </p> + <p> + In a little while two servant girls came and waited on us and told us that + Her Majesty was dressing and that we were to wait a little time. This + little time proved to be a matter of more than two hours and a half, but + as this is considered nothing in China, we did not get impatient. From + time to time eunuchs came and brought milk to drink and about twenty or + more dishes of various kinds of food which Her Majesty sent. She also sent + us each a gold ring with a large pearl in the center. Later the chief + eunuch, Li Lien Ying, came dressed in his official clothes. He was of the + second rank and wore a red button and peacock feather and was the only + eunuch that was ever allowed to wear the peacock feather. He was a very + ugly man, very old and his face was full of wrinkles; but he had beautiful + manners and said that Her Majesty would receive us in a little while, and + brought us each a jade ring which she had sent us. We were very much + surprised that she should give us such beautiful presents before she had + even seen us, and felt most kindly disposed toward her for her generosity. + </p> + <p> + Soon after Li Lien Ying had gone, two court ladies, daughters of Prince + Ching, came in and asked the eunuchs who were attending us if we could + speak Chinese, which we thought a great joke. I was the first one to + speak, and told them of course we could speak our own language, although + we knew several others. They were very much surprised and said: "Oh! how + funny, they can talk the language as well as we do." We in turn were very + much surprised to find such ignorant people in the Imperial Palace and + concluded that their opportunities for acquiring knowledge were very + limited. Then they told us Her Majesty was waiting to receive us, and we + went immediately. + </p> + <p> + After walking through three courtyards very similar to those we had + previously passed through, we came to a magnificent building just one mass + of exquisite carving. Large lanterns made of buffalo horns hung all over + the veranda covered with red silk from which red silk tassels were hanging + and from each of these tassels was suspended a beautiful piece of jade. + There were two smaller buildings flanking this large one, also one mass of + carvings and hung with lanterns. + </p> + <p> + At the door of the large building we met a lady, dressed the same as + Prince Ching's daughters, with the exception that she had a phoenix in the + center of her headdress which distinguished her from the others. This lady + came out to meet us, smiling, and shook hands with us in the most approved + foreign fashion. We were told later that this was the Young Empress, wife + of the Emperor Kwang Hsu. She said: "Her Majesty has sent me to meet you," + and was very sweet and polite, and had beautiful manners; but was not very + pretty. Then we heard a loud voice from the hall saying, "Tell them to + come in at once." We went into this hall immediately and saw an old lady + dressed in a beautiful yellow satin gown embroidered all over with pink + peonies, and wearing the same kind of headdress with flowers on each side + made of pearls and jade, a pearl tassel on the left side and a beautiful + phoenix in the center made of purest jade. Over her gown she wore a cape, + the most magnificent and costly thing I ever saw. This cape was made of + about three thousand five hundred pearls the size of a canary bird's egg, + all exactly alike in color and perfectly round. It was made on the fish + net pattern and had a fringe of jade pendants and was joined with two pure + jade clasps. In addition to this Her Majesty wore two pairs of pearl + bracelets, one pair of jade bracelets, several jade rings and on her third + and little fingers of her right hand she wore gold finger nail protectors + about three inches long and on the left hand two finger nail protectors + made of jade and about the same length. Her shoes were trimmed with small + tassels made of pearls and embroidered with tiny pieces of different + colored jade. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty stood up when she saw us and shook hands with us. She had a + most fascinating smile and was very much surprised that we knew the Court + etiquette so well. After she had greeted us, she said to my mother: "Yu + tai tai (Lady Yu), you are a wonder the way you have brought your + daughters up. They speak Chinese just as well as I do, although I know + they have been abroad for so many years, and how is it that they have such + beautiful manners?" "Their father was always very strict with them," my + mother replied; "he made them study their own language first and they had + to study very hard." "I am pleased to hear their father has been so + careful with them," Her Majesty said, "and given them such a fine + education." She took my hands and looked into my face and smiled and + kissed me on both cheeks and said to my mother: "I wish to have your + daughters and hope they will stay with me." We were very much pleased at + this and thanked her for her kindness. Her Majesty asked all sorts of + questions about our Paris gowns and said we must wear them all the time, + as she had very little chance to see them at the Court. She was + particularly in love with our Louis XV high heel shoes. While we were + talking to her we saw a gentleman standing at a little distance and after + a while she said, "Let me introduce you to the Emperor Kwang Hsu, but you + must call him Wan Sway Yeh (Master of 10,000 years) and call me Lao Tsu + Tsung (the Great Ancestor)." His Majesty shyly shook hands with us. He was + a man about five feet, seven inches in height, very thin, but with very + strong features; high nose and forehead, large, brilliant black eyes, + strong mouth, very white, even teeth; altogether good looking. I noticed + he had a very sad look, although he was smiling all the time we were + there. At this juncture the head eunuch came, knelt down on the marble + floor and announced that Her Majesty's chair was ready and she asked us to + go with her to the Audience Hall, distant about two minutes' walk, where + she was going to receive the heads of the different Boards. It was a + beautiful day and her open chair was waiting. This chair is carried by + eight eunuchs all dressed in official robes, a most unusual sight. The + head eunuch walked on her left side and the second eunuch on her right + side, each with a steadying hand on the chair pole. Four eunuchs of the + fifth rank in front and twelve eunuchs of the sixth rank walked behind. + Each eunuch carried something in his hand, such as Her Majesty's clothes, + shoes, handkerchiefs, combs, brushes, powder boxes, looking glasses of + different sizes, perfumes, pins, black and red ink, yellow paper, + cigarettes, water pipes, and the last one carried her yellow satin-covered + stool. Besides this there were two amahs (old women servants) and four + servant girls all carrying something. This procession was most interesting + to see and made one think it a lady's dressing room on legs. The Emperor + walked on Her Majesty's right and the Young Empress on the left, as did + also the Court ladies. + </p> + <p> + The Audience Hall was about two hundred feet long by about one hundred and + fifty feet wide, and at the left side was a long table covered with yellow + satin. When Her Majesty came down from the chair she went into the Hall + and mounted her throne just behind this table, and His Majesty mounted a + smaller one at her left side, the Ministers all kneeling on the floor in + front of her and on the opposite side of the table. + </p> + <p> + At the back of the Hall was a large dais about twenty feet long by about + eighteen feet wide, enclosed by a magnificently carved railing about two + feet high running all the way round, open only in the front in two places + just large enough for a person to pass through. These two openings were + reached by a flight of six steps. At the back of this dais was a small + screen and immediately in front of this, in the center, was Her Majesty's + throne. Immediately behind was an immense carved wood screen, the most + beautiful thing I ever saw, twenty feet long by ten feet high. In front of + Her Majesty's throne was a long narrow table. At the left side was a + smaller throne for the Emperor. + </p> + <p> + The theme of the carving and furnishings of this dais was the phoenix and + peony most exquisitely carved in ebony wood, in fact the theme of the + entire room was the same. On each side of Her Majesty's throne were two + upright ebony poles on the top of which were peacock feathers made into + the shape of a fan The upholstery was entirely of yellow Chinese velvet. + </p> + <p> + Just before Her Majesty took her seat on her throne she ordered us to go + behind this screen with the Young Empress and the Court ladies. This we + did, and could hear the conversation between Her Majesty and the Ministers + very plainly, and as my readers will see later, I made good use of this. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER THREE—A PLAY AT THE COURT + </h2> + <p> + THIS day to me was a medley of brilliant impressions. I was a great + novelty among these exclusive Court ladies, brought up rigidly apart from + foreign life and customs, and I was subjected to a rapid fire of + questions. I soon found that these women were the same as others the world + over in point of curiosity and love of gossip. The fourth daughter of + Prince Ching (Sze Gurgur), a young widow and a strikingly handsome woman, + spoke to me. "Were you brought up in Europe and educated?" she asked. "I + am told that when people go to that country and drink the water there, + they quickly forget their own country. Did you really study to acquire all + those languages or was it drinking the water that gave them to you?" I + mentioned that I met her brother, Prince Tsai Chen, in Paris on his way to + London for the coronation of King Edward, and that we should have liked to + have gone also, as my father had a special invitation, but were prevented + from doing so by his urgent duties in Paris in settling the Yunnan + question, to which the Princess replied: "Is there a king in England? I + had thought that our Empress Dowager was Queen of the world." Her sister, + wife of the brother of the Young Empress, a most intelligent, quiet and + dignified lady, stood by smiling and listening to the eager questions. + After numerous questions had been asked the Young Empress finally said: + "How ignorant you are. I know that each country has its ruler and that + some countries are republics. The United States is a republic and very + friendly toward us, but I am sorry that such a common class of people go + there, as they will think we are all the same. What I should like to see + is some of our good Manchu people go, as then they would see what we + really are." She afterwards told me she had been reading a history of the + different countries, which had been translated into Chinese, and she + seemed to be very well informed. + </p> + <p> + After the Audience was over, Her Majesty called us out from behind the + screen and told us to go with her to see the theatre. She said, as it was + such a beautiful day, she preferred to walk, so we started, walking a + little behind her, as is the custom. Along the way she pointed out from + time to time different places and things that were her particular + favorites, and as she had to keep turning around all the time, she finally + told us to come and walk alongside of her. This, as I afterwards found + out, was a great condescension on her part and a thing that she very + seldom ever did. She, like everybody else, had her pets and hobbies, such + as flowers, trees, plants, dogs, horses, etc., and there was one dog in + particular that was her favorite pet. This dog was with Her Majesty always + and followed her wherever she went, and a more homely dog I never saw. It + had absolutely nothing to recommend it in any way. Her Majesty thought it + beautiful, and called it Shui Ta (Sea Otter). + </p> + <p> + A short distance from the Audience Hall we came to a large courtyard. On + each side of this courtyard were two immense baskets fifteen feet in + height, built of natural logs and literally covered with purple wisteria. + They were simply gorgeous and great favorites of Her Majesty. She was + always very proud of them when in bloom and took great delight in showing + them to the people. + </p> + <p> + From this courtyard we entered a sort of passageway which ran along the + sides of a big hill and led directly to the theatre, where we soon + arrived. This theatre is quite unlike anything that you can imagine. It is + built around the four sides of an open courtyard, each side being separate + and distinct. The building has five stories. It is entirely open on the + front and has two stages, one above the other. The three top stories are + used for holding the drops and for store rooms. The stage on the first + floor is of the ordinary kind; but that on the second floor is built to + represent a temple and used when playing religious plays, of which Her + Majesty was very fond. + </p> + <p> + On the two sides were long, low buildings with large verandas running + their entire length, where the Princes and Ministers sat when invited by + Her Majesty to witness the play. Directly opposite this stage was a + spacious building, containing three large rooms, which was used + exclusively by Her Majesty. The floor was raised about ten feet above the + ground, which brought it on a level with the stage. Large glass windows + ran along in front, so made that they could be removed in the summer and + replaced with pale blue gauze screens. Two of these rooms were used as + sitting rooms and the third, the one on the right, she used as a bedroom, + and it had a long couch running across the front, on which she used to sit + or lie according to her mood. This day she invited us to go to this room + with her. Later I was told that she would very often come to this room, + look at the play for a while and then take her siesta. She could certainly + sleep soundly, for the din and noise did not disturb her in the least. If + any of my readers have ever been to a Chinese theatre, they can well + imagine how difficult it would be to woo the God of Sleep in such a + pandemonium. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we were in this bedroom the play commenced. It was a religious + play called "The Empress of Heaven's Party or Feast to all the Buddhist + Priests to eat her famous peaches and drink her best wine." This party or + feast is given on the third day of the third moon of each year. + </p> + <p> + The first act opens with a Buddhist Priest, dressed in a yellow coat robe + with a red scarf draped over his left shoulder, descending in a cloud from + Heaven to invite all the priests to this party. I was very much surprised + to see this actor apparently suspended in the air and actually floating on + this cloud, which was made of cotton. The clever way in which they moved + the scenery, etc., was most interesting, and before the play was finished + I concluded that any theatre manager could well take lessons from these + people; and it was all done without the slightest bit of machinery. + </p> + <p> + As this Buddhist Priest was descending, a large pagoda began to slowly + rise from the center of the stage in which was a buddha singing and + holding an incense burner in front of him. Then four other smaller pagodas + slowly rose from the four corners of the stage, each containing a buddha + the same as the first. When the first Buddhist Priest had descended, the + five buddhas came out of the pagodas, which immediately disappeared, and + walked about the stage, still singing. Gradually from the wing came + numbers of buddhas singing until the stage was full, and they all formed + into a ring. Then I saw a large lotus flower, made of pink silk, and two + large green leaves appearing from the bottom of the stage, and as it rose + the petals and leaves gradually opened and I saw a beautiful lady buddha + (Goddess of Mercy) dressed all in white silk, with a white hood on her + head, standing in the center of this flower. As the leaves opened I saw a + girl and a boy in the center of them. When the petals of the lotus flower + were wide open this lady buddha began to gradually ascend herself, and as + she ascended, the petals closed until she seemed to be standing on a lotus + bud. The girl standing in the leaf on the Goddess' right side held a + bottle made of jade and a willow branch. The legend of this is that if the + Goddess dips the willow branch into the jade bottle and spreads it over a + dead person it will bring the person to life. The boy and the girl are the + two attendants of the buddha. + </p> + <p> + Finally the three came down from the flower and leaves and joined the rest + of the buddhas. Then the Empress of Heaven came, a good old lady with + snow-white hair, dressed from head to foot in Imperial yellow, followed by + many attendants, and ascended the throne, which was in the center of the + stage, and said: "We will go to the banquet hall." This ended the first + scene. + </p> + <p> + The second scene opened with tables set for the feast to be given by the + Empress of Heaven. These tables were loaded down with peaches and wine and + four attendants guarding them. Suddenly a bee came buzzing near and + scattered a powder under the nostrils of the attendants, which made them + sleepy. When they had fallen asleep, this bee transformed itself into a + big monkey and this monkey ate all the peaches and drank all the wine. As + soon as he had finished he disappeared. + </p> + <p> + A blast of trumpets announced the coming of the Empress of Heaven and she + soon arrived accompanied by all the Buddhist Priests and their attendants. + When the Empress of Heaven saw all the peaches and wine had disappeared, + she woke the attendants and asked them why they were asleep and where the + peaches and wine had gone. They said that they did not know, that they + were waiting for her to come and fell asleep. Then one of the guests + suggested that she should find out what had become of the feast, and + attendants were sent out to the guard to find out from the soldiers if + anyone had gone out of the gate recently. Before the messenger had time to + return, the Guard of Heaven came and informed the Empress that a big + monkey, who was very drunk and carrying a big stick, had just gone out of + the gate. When she was told this, she ordered the soldiers of heaven and + several buddhas to go and find him at his place. It seems that this monkey + had originally been made from a piece of stone and lived in a large hole + in a mountain on the earth. He was endowed with supernatural powers and + could walk on the clouds. He was allowed to come to heaven and the Empress + of Heaven gave him a position looking after the Imperial orchards. + </p> + <p> + When they got to his place on the earth, they found that he had taken some + of the peaches with him and he, with other monkeys, was having a feast. + The soldiers challenged him to come out and fight. He immediately accepted + this challenge, but the soldiers could do nothing with him. He pulled the + hair out of his coat and transformed each hair into a little monkey and + each monkey had an iron rod in its hand. He himself had a special iron + rod, which had been given to him by the King of Sea Dragons. This rod he + could make any size he wanted from a needle to a crowbar. + </p> + <p> + Among the buddhas who had gone with the soldiers was one named Erh Lang + Yeh, who was the most powerful of them all and had three eyes. This buddha + had a dog which was very powerful and he told the dog to bite this monkey, + which he did, and the monkey fell down and they caught him and brought him + up to heaven. When they got there the Empress of Heaven ordered that he + should be handed to Lao Chun, an old taoist god, and that he should burn + him in his incense burner. The incense burner was very large, and when + they took the monkey to him he placed him inside this burner and watched + him very carefully to see that he did not get out. After he had watched + for a long time he thought the monkey must be dead and went out for a few + minutes. The monkey, however, was not dead and as soon as Lao Chun went + out, he escaped and stole some golden pills which Lao Chun kept in a gourd + and went back to his hole in the mountains. These pills were very powerful + and if one of them were eaten it would give eternal life, and the monkey + knew this. The monkey ate one and it tasted good and he gave the little + monkeys some. When Lao Chun came back and found both the monkey and the + pills gone he went and informed the Empress of Heaven. This ended the + second scene. + </p> + <p> + The third scene opened with the buddhas and soldiers at the monkey's place + in the mountains and they again asked him to come out and fight. The + monkey said: "What! Coming again?" and laughed at them. They started to + fight again, but he was so strong they could not get the best of him. Even + the dog who had bit him before was powerless this time, and they finally + gave it up and returned to heaven and told the Empress of Heaven that they + could not capture him the second time, as he was too strong. Then the + Empress of Heaven called a little god about fifteen years old by the name + of Neur Cha, who had supernatural powers, and told him to go down to earth + to the monkey's place and see if he could finish him. This god was made of + lotus flowers and leaves, that is, his bones were made of flowers and his + flesh made of leaves and he could transform himself into anything that he + wished. When Neur Cha got to the monkey's place and the monkey saw him, he + said: "What! A little boy like you come to fight me? Well, if you think + you can beat me, come on," and the boy transformed himself into an immense + man with three heads and six arms. When the monkey saw this, he + transformed himself also into the same thing. When the little god saw that + this would not do, he transformed himself into a very big man and started + to take the monkey, but the monkey transformed himself into a very large + sword and cut this man into two pieces. The little god again transformed + himself into fire to burn the monkey, but the monkey transformed himself + into water and put the fire out. Again the little god transformed himself, + this time into a very fierce lion, but the monkey transformed himself into + a big net to catch the lion. So this little god, seeing that he could not + get the best of the monkey, gave it up and went back to heaven, and told + the Empress of Heaven that the monkey was too strong for him. The Empress + of Heaven was in despair, so she sent for Ju Li, an old ancestor of the + buddhas, who was the all-powerful one of them all; and Kuan Yin, Goddess + of Mercy, and sent them down to the monkey's place to see if they could + capture him. When they arrived at the hole in the mountain the monkey came + out and looked at Ju Li, but did not say a word, as he knew who this god + was. This god pointed a finger at him and he knelt down and submitted. Ju + Li said: "Come with me," and took the monkey and put him under another + mountain and told him he would have to stay there until he promised he + would be good. Ju Li said: "You stay here until one day I lift this + mountain up for you to come out to go with a Buddhist Priest to the West + side of heaven and demand the prayer books that are kept there. You will + have to suffer a great deal on the way and face many dangers, but if you + come back with this Buddhist Priest and the prayer books, by that time + your savage temper will be gone and you will be put in a nice place in + heaven and enjoy life forever afterwards." + </p> + <p> + This finished the play, which was very interesting, and I enjoyed it from + beginning to end. It was acted very cleverly and quite realistic, and I + was very much surprised to know that the eunuchs could act so well. Her + Majesty told us that the scenery was all painted by the eunuchs and that + she had taught them about all they knew. Unlike most theatres in China, it + had a curtain which was closed between the acts, also wing slides and drop + scenes. Her Majesty had never seen a foreign theatre and I could not + understand where she got all her ideas from. She was very fond of reading + religious books and fairy tales, and wrote them into plays and staged them + herself, and was extremely proud of her achievement. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty sat talking, we standing, for some little time and she asked + me if I understood the play, and I told her that I did and she seemed + quite pleased. Then she said in such a charming way: "Oh! I am so + interested in talking with you that I have forgotten to order my lunch. + Are you hungry? Could you get Chinese food when you were abroad, and were + you homesick? I know I would be if I left my own country for so long a + time; but the reason why you were abroad so long was not your fault. It + was my order that sent Yu Keng to Paris and I am not a bit sorry, for you + see how much you can help me now, and I am proud of you and will show you + to the foreigners that they may see our Manchu ladies can speak other + languages than their own." While she was talking I noticed that the + eunuchs were laying three large tables with nice white table cloths, and I + could see a number of other eunuchs standing in the courtyard with boxes + of food. These boxes or trays are made of wood painted yellow and are + large enough to hold four small and two large bowls of food. After the + tables were laid ready, the eunuchs outside formed themselves into a + double line from the courtyard to a little gate running into another + courtyard and passed these trays from one to the other up to the entrance + of the room, where they were taken by four nicely dressed eunuchs and + placed on the tables. + </p> + <p> + It seems that it was a habit of Her Majesty to take her meals wherever she + happened to be, so that there was no particular place that she used as a + dining room. I should also mention that these bowls were of Imperial + yellow with silver covers. Some were ornamented with green dragons and + some with the Chinese character Shou (Long Life). + </p> + <p> + There were about one hundred and fifty different kinds of food, for I + counted them. They were placed in long rows, one row of large bowls and + one row of small plates, and then another row of small bowls, and so on. + As the setting of the tables was going on, two Court ladies came into the + bedroom, each carrying a large yellow box. I was very much surprised to + see Court ladies doing this kind of work and I said to myself, if I come + here will I have to do this sort of thing? Although these boxes appeared + to be quite heavy, they brought them in very gracefully. Two small tables + were placed in front of Her Majesty, then they opened the boxes and placed + a number of very cute plates containing all sorts of sweets, lotus flower + seeds, dried and cooked with sugar, watermelon seeds, walnuts cooked in + different ways, and fruits of the season cut and sliced. As these plates + were being placed on the tables Her Majesty said that she liked these + dainties better than meat and gave us some and told us to make ourselves + at home. We thanked her for her kindness and enjoyed them very much. I + noticed that she ate quite a quantity from the different plates and + wondered how she would be able to eat her lunch. When she had finished, + two of the Court ladies came and took the plates away and Her Majesty told + us that she always gave what was left to the Court ladies after she had + finished eating. + </p> + <p> + After this a eunuch came in carrying a cup of tea. This tea cup was made + of pure white jade and the saucer and cover was of solid gold. Then + another eunuch came in carrying a silver tray on which were two jade cups + similar to the others, one containing honeysuckle flowers and the other + rose petals. He also brought a pair of gold chopsticks. They both knelt on + the floor in front of Her Majesty and held the trays up so that she could + reach them. She took the golden cover off of the cup containing tea and + took some of the honeysuckle flowers and placed them in the tea. While she + was doing this and sipping the tea, she was telling how fond she was of + flowers and what a delicate flavor they gave to the tea. Then she said: "I + will let you taste some of my tea and see if you like it," and ordered one + of the eunuchs to bring us some tea, the same as she was drinking. When it + came, she put some of the honeysuckle flowers in the cup for us and + watched us drink it. It was the most delicious tea I had ever tasted and + the putting of flowers in it gave it an extremely delicate flavour. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER FOUR—A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS + </h2> + <p> + WHEN we had finished drinking tea, she told us to go with her into the + next room, where the tables had been prepared for lunch, and I wondered if + she had any room for lunch, after all that she had just eaten, but I soon + found out. As soon as she was inside the room, she ordered the covers to + be removed and they were all taken off at one time. Then she took her seat + at the head of the table and told us to stand at the foot. She then said: + "generally the Emperor takes lunch with me when we have the theatre, but + he is shy to-day, as you are all new to him. I hope he will get over it + and not be so bashful. You three had better eat with me to-day." Of + course, we knew that this was an especial favor, and thanked her by + kowtowing before we commenced to eat. This kowtowing, or bowing our heads + to the ground, was very tiring at first and made us dizzy, until we got + used to it. + </p> + <p> + When we commenced to eat, Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to place plates + for us and give us silver chopsticks, spoons, etc., and said: + </p> + <p> + "I am sorry you have to eat standing, but I cannot break the law of our + great ancestors. Even the Young Empress cannot sit in my presence. I am + sure the foreigners must think we are barbarians to treat our Court ladies + in this way and I don't wish them to know anything about our customs. You + will see how differently I act in their presence, so that they cannot see + my true self." + </p> + <p> + I was watching her while she was talking to my mother and marvelled to see + how she could eat, after having eaten such a quantity of candy, walnuts, + etc., while in her bedroom. + </p> + <p> + Beef was a thing that was tabooed within the precincts of the Palace, as + it was considered a great sin to kill and eat animals that were used as + beasts of burden. The food consisted mostly of pork, mutton and game, + fowls and vegetables. This day we had pork cooked in ten different ways, + such as meat balls, sliced cold in two different ways, red and white, the + red being cooked with a special kind of sauce made of beans which gives it + the red color and has a delicious taste. Chopped pork with chopped bamboo + shoots, pork cut in cubes and cooked with cherries and pork cooked with + onions and sliced thin. This last dish was Her Majesty's favorite and I + must say it was good. Then there was a sort of pancake made of eggs, pork + and mushrooms chopped fine and fried, also pork cooked with cabbage and + another dish cooked with turnips. The fowl and mutton was cooked in + several different ways. In the center of the table was a very large bowl + about two feet in diameter of the same yellow porcelain, in which there + was a chicken, a duck and some shark fins in a clear soup. Shark fins are + considered a great delicacy in China. Besides this there was roast + chicken, boneless chicken and roast duck. Ducks and chickens are stuffed + with little pine needles to give them a fine flavor and roasted in open + air ovens. + </p> + <p> + There was another dish that Her Majesty was very fond of and that was the + skin of roast pork cut into very small slices and fried until it curls up + like a rasher of bacon. + </p> + <p> + As a rule the Manchu people seldom eat rice, but are very fond of bread + and this day we had bread, made in a number of different ways, such as + baked, steamed, fried, some with sugar and some with salt and pepper, cut + in fancy shapes or made in fancy moulds such as dragons, butterflies, + flowers, etc., and one kind was made with mincemeat inside. Then we had a + number of different kinds of pickles, of which Her Majesty was very fond. + Then there was beans and green peas, and peanuts made into cakes and + served with sugarcane syrup. + </p> + <p> + I did not eat very much, as I was too busy watching Her Majesty and + listening to what she said, although she told us to eat all we could. In + addition to all I have mentioned, we had many different kinds of porridge, + some made of sweet corn and some with tiny yellow rice (like bird seed), + and Her Majesty said that we must all eat porridge after our meat. + </p> + <p> + After we had finally finished eating, Her Majesty rose from the table and + said: "Come into my bedroom and you will see the Young Empress and the + Court ladies eat; they always eat after I am finished." We went with her + and I stood near the door between the two rooms and saw the Young Empress + and Court ladies come in and stand around the table eating very quietly. + They were never allowed to sit down and eat their food. + </p> + <p> + All this time the theatre had been going on playing some fairy tales, but + they were not near as interesting as the first play that we had seen. Her + Majesty sat on her long couch in the bedroom and the eunuch brought her + some tea and she ordered some brought for us. My reader can imagine how + delighted I was to be treated in this way. In China the people think their + sovereign is the supreme being and that her word is law. One must never + raise their eyes when talking to her. This is a sign of great respect. I + thought these extreme favors must be most unusual. I had been told that + Her Majesty had a very fierce temper, but seeing her so kind and gracious + to us and talking to us in such a motherly way, I thought my informant + must be wrong and that she was the sweetest woman in the world. + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty had rested a while, she told us that it was time we were + returning to the city, as it was getting late. She gave us eight big + yellow boxes of fruit and cakes to take home with us. She said to my + mother: "Tell Yu Keng (my father) to get better soon and tell him to take + the medicine I am sending by you and to rest well. Also give him these + eight boxes of fruit and cakes." I thought my father, who had been quite + ill since we returned from Paris, would not be much benefited if he ate + all those cakes. However, I knew he would appreciate her kind + thoughtfulness even if it were detrimental to his health. + </p> + <p> + As perhaps most of my readers know, it is the custom to kowtow when Her + Majesty gives presents and we kowtowed to her when she gave us the fruit + and cakes and thanked her for her kindness. + </p> + <p> + Just as we were leaving, Her Majesty said to my mother that she liked us + very much and wanted us to come and be her Court ladies and stay at the + Palace. We thought this was another great favor and again thanked her, and + she asked us when we could come and told us to bring our clothes and + things only, as she would fix everything for us and showed us the house we + would live in when we came and told us to come back inside of two days. + This house contained three very large rooms and was situated on the right + side of her own or private Palace. This Palace Ler Shou Tong (Ever Happy + Palace) is situated on the shores of the lake and was Her Majesty's + favorite place and where she spent most of her time, reading and resting + and when the spirit moved her she would go for a sail on the lake. In this + Palace she had quite a number of bedrooms and made use of them all. + </p> + <p> + When she had finished showing us this house we took leave of Her Majesty, + the Young Empress and the Court ladies, and after a long and tiresome + ride, reached home exhausted but happy, after the most eventful day of our + lives. When we got into the house, we were surprised to find several + eunuchs waiting our return. They had brought us each four rolls of + Imperial brocade from Her Majesty. Once more we had to bend to custom in + thanking her for these gifts. This time, the gift having been sent to the + house, we placed the silk on a table in the center of the room and + kowtowed to thank Her Majesty and told the eunuchs to tell Her Majesty how + grateful we were to her for all her kindness and for the beautiful gifts. + </p> + <p> + There is another thing that had to be done according to the custom, and + that was to give the eunuchs a present or tip, and we had to give each of + the eunuchs ten taels for their trouble. We afterwards found out that when + eunuchs went anywhere to take presents for Her Majesty, they were required + to report to her when they returned how the recipient had thanked her and + what had been given them, which she allowed them to keep. She also asked + them numerous questions about our house, whether we were pleased with her, + etc. These people are extremely fond of talking and after we had returned + to the Palace again, they told us what Her Majesty had said about us the + first day we were there. + </p> + <p> + My mother felt very much worried to go to the Palace and leave my father + all alone owing to his being in poor health, but we could not disobey Her + Majesty's order, so we returned to the Palace three days later. + </p> + <p> + Our first day there was a busy one for us. When we first arrived we went + and thanked Her Majesty for the present that she had sent us. She told us + that she was very busy to-day, as she was going to receive a Russian lady, + Madame Plancon, wife of the Russian Minister to China, who was bringing a + miniature portrait of the Czar and Czarina and family as a present from + the Czar to her, the Empress Dowager. She asked me if I could speak + Russian. I told her that I could not, but that most Russians spoke French, + which seemed to satisfy her. She, however, said: "Why don't you tell me + you speak Russian, I won't know or be able to find out," and at the same + time was looking at one of the Court ladies. I concluded that someone must + be fooling her, for she seemed to appreciate the fact that I had told her + the truth. This afterwards proved to be true and one of the Court ladies + was dismissed for pretending she could talk foreign languages when she + could not speak a word. + </p> + <p> + Besides this audience there was the theatre and the engagement ceremony of + Her Majesty's nephew, Ter Ju. The engagement ceremony, according to the + Manchu custom, is performed by two of the Princesses of the Royal family + going to the house of the prospective bride, who sits on her bed + cross-legged, her eyes closed and awaits their coming. When they arrive at + the house, they go to her bedroom and place a symbol called Ru Yee, made + of pure jade about one and a half feet long, in her lap and suspend two + small bags made of silk and beautifully embroidered, each containing a + gold coin, from the buttons of her gown, and place two gold rings on her + fingers, on which is carved the characters Ta Hsi (Great Happiness). The + meaning of the symbol or sceptre Ru Yee is "May all joy be yours." + </p> + <p> + During this entire ceremony absolute silence is maintained and immediately + they have finished, they return to the Palace and inform Her Majesty that + the ceremony has been completed. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER FIVE—AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS + </h2> + <p> + No one informed us the day before that there was to be an audience to + receive the Russian Minister's wife on that very day. We told Her Majesty + that we must go and change our clothes in order to receive this lady. The + dresses we wore that day were very simply made and short. The reason we + wore this kind of costume was that there was no carpet and the bare brick + floor had ruined our beautiful red velvet gowns, also the clumsy eunuchs + had kept stepping on our trains all the time. We had made up our minds + that short dresses for general wear every day would be more practical. Her + Majesty said: "Why must you change your clothes? I see you look much + better without that tail dragging behind you on the floor. I laughed at + the idea of having a tail on one's dresses. I noticed that the first day + when you came to the Court." Before we had time to explain to her, she + said: "I see, dresses with tails behind must be more dignified than short + ones, am I right?" We told her it was so. Then she said: "Go and put on + your most beautiful gowns at once." We immediately went and changed. My + sister and myself wore our pink crepe de chine gowns, trimmed with + Brussels lace and transparent yokes of the same color chiffon. My mother + wore her gray crepe de chine embroidered with black roses and a little + touch of pale blue satin on her collar and belt. We dressed in a great + hurry, as Her Majesty had sent eunuchs to see if we were ready. When she + saw us she exclaimed: "Here are three fairies with long tails." Then she + asked us: "Is it very tiring to hold half of your dress in your hand when + you are walking? The costume is pretty, but I do dislike the tail, there + is no sense having a thing like that. I wonder what these foreigners will + think of me having you dressed in their costume. I am sure they won't like + the idea. My reason is this: I want them to see you in foreign clothes in + order to let them understand I know something about the way they dress. I + must say that no foreign ladies have yet been presented to me dressed in + such lovely gowns as you three have. I don't believe foreigners are as + wealthy as the Chinese. I also notice they wear very little jewelry. I was + told that I have more jewelry than any sovereign in the world and yet I am + getting more all the time." + </p> + <p> + We were very busy getting ready to receive Mdme. Plancon, who arrived + about eleven o'clock and was received in the waiting room of the first + courtyard by my sister and from there conducted to the audience hall, Ren + Shou Dien, where she was received by Her Majesty, who was sitting on her + big throne on the raised dais. The Emperor was present, sitting on Her + Majesty's left hand and I stood on her right to interpret for her. Her + Majesty was dressed in a yellow transparent satin brocade gown, + embroidered with hollyhocks and the Chinese character "Shou" (Long Life) + and trimmed with gold braid. She wore her big pearl, which is about the + size and shape of an egg, suspended from the button of her dress, also + numerous bracelets and rings and gold finger nail protectors. Her hair was + dressed in the same style as usual. + </p> + <p> + When Mdme. Plancon entered the hall, my sister brought her to the steps of + the dais and she courtesied to Her Majesty. I then went forward and + brought her up onto the dais and Her Majesty shook hands with her and she + presented the photograph which she had brought to Her Majesty. Her Majesty + made a very pretty speech of acceptance, expressing her appreciation of + the gift of their Majesties, the Czar and Czarina. I interpreted this + speech in French to Mdme. Plancon, as she could not speak English. After + this, Her Majesty told me to take Mdme. Plancon to the Emperor, which I + did. He stood up when she came near and shook hands with her and asked + after their Majesties' health. This over, Her Majesty stepped down from + her throne and took Mdme. Plancon to her own Palace, the one with so many + bedrooms, and when they arrived, Her Majesty asked her to sit down, and + they talked together for about ten minutes, I interpreting for them, after + which I took her to see the Young Empress. + </p> + <p> + The Manchu law is very strict as regards the mother-in-law and the + daughter-in-law, and the Young Empress had been sitting behind the screen + at the back of the throne during the audience, and it was there that I + found her. From there we went to the banquet hall, where luncheon was + served in Manchu style. + </p> + <p> + Here I must explain the difference between the Chinese way of eating and + the Manchu. The Chinese place the bowls of food, one at a time, in the + center of the table and everyone eats out of these bowls, sticking their + chopsticks in and helping themselves to what they want. The Manchus eat + quite differently and are served with individual bowls and dishes, the + same as in any other country. Her Majesty was very proud of this and said + that it saved time, not to mention being cleaner. The food in the Palace + was always very good and clean, especially when we had foreign guests, and + of course we had a variety of dishes for such occasions, such as + sharkfins, birds' nest pudding, not to mention a great quantity of other + things. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty had given me the order that morning to have the tables nicely + decorated and they did look very nice when we sat down. Besides the usual + tableware, we had gold dragon menu holders, little peach-shaped silver + saucers filled with almonds and dried watermelon seeds, and knives and + forks in addition to chopsticks. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty and the Emperor never ate with guests, so Mdme. Plancon was + entertained by the Imperial Princess and the Court ladies. When luncheon + was half over a eunuch came and told me that Her Majesty wanted to see me + at once. The thought flashed through my head that something had gone + wrong, or that some of the eunuchs had been making false reports, a bad + habit of the Court; and I was much surprised to find her all smiles. She + told me what a nice, polite lady Mdme. Plancon was, that she had seen many + ladies who had come to the Court, but none with manners like this one, + that she was sorry to say that some of the ladies who came did not behave + very well. She said: "They seem to think we are only Chinese and do not + know anything, and look down upon us. I notice these things very quickly + and am surprised to see people who claim to be well educated and civilized + acting the way they do. I think we whom they call barbarians are much more + civilized and have better manners." She was always very polite to the + foreign ladies, no matter how badly they behaved, but after they had gone, + she would tell us who was nice and who was not. After she had finished + saying this, she gave me a beautiful piece of green jade to give to Madame + Plancon. When I gave it to her, she said she wished to thank Her Majesty, + and I took her to the Palace again. + </p> + <p> + When we had finished luncheon, she told me how pleased she was with her + reception and the kindness that Her Majesty had shown her, and took her + departure, we accompanying her to the courtyard of the Audience Hall, + where her chair was waiting. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty had made a rule or custom that after all guests had departed, + we must go to her and report everything. I suppose she was like all women, + a bit of a gossip as well as the rest; it appeared so at any rate. She + wanted to know what Mdme. Plancon said, whether she liked the jade and + whether she enjoyed her luncheon, etc. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was very well pleased that I had interpreted so well for her + and said: "I have never had anyone to interpret for me this way before. + Although I don't understand the language, I can see that you speak it + fluently. How did you learn? I will never let you go away from me any + more. Sometimes the foreign ladies bring their own interpreters, but I + can't understand their Chinese and have to guess at what they are saying, + especially some of the missionaries Mrs. Conger brings with her. I am very + happy to have you and want you to stay with me as long as I live and I + will arrange a marriage for you, but won't tell you just now." + </p> + <p> + I felt very happy at what Her Majesty had said and thought I had made my + debut under very favorable auspices, and was very glad that Her Majesty + liked me; but this marriage question worried me, for nothing was farther + from my mind than this. I afterwards told my mother about it and she told + me not to worry, as I could always refuse when the time came. + </p> + <p> + When we had told Her Majesty all that Mdme. Plancon had said, she told us + we could go to our rooms, that as we had risen early that morning and had + worked very hard, we must be tired and needed rest, that she would not + need us any more that day. We courtesied to her according to the custom + when saying good night, and retired. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER SIX—IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY + </h2> + <p> + THE building where we had our rooms, as I have said before, contained four + large rooms and a hall, and we three, my mother, sister and myself, each + took a room and gave the fourth to our maids. Her Majesty had ordered a + eunuch to accompany us and this eunuch told us that Her Majesty had + ordered four young eunuchs to attend on us and that if they did not + behave, we should tell him. He also said his name was Li, but as there + were so many by this name, including the head eunuch, it was very hard to + tell them apart. + </p> + <p> + When we arrived, which took some time, he pointed to a building on our + right and said that it was Her Majesty's own Palace and the one which we + had just left. I could not understand why it had taken us so long to come, + when the Palace was so near, and asked him about it. He told us that our + little buildings were at the left side of the Emperor's Palace and that + Her Majesty had had the entrance leading from our place to her Palace + closed up for certain reasons which he would not tell, but said: "You see + this place ought to face East instead of towards the lake." The view on + the lake was beautiful and I told him I liked it much better the way it + was. He smiled and said: "You will have to learn a lot before you find out + this wicked place." I was surprised at what the eunuch said, but did not + like to ask him any questions. He also told us that the Emperor's Palace + was just behind our place and was a large building similar to Her + Majesty's Palace. We looked and could see the trees of his courtyard above + the roof. Then he pointed to another building behind the Emperor's, which + was larger but lower than the Emperor's Palace, and also had a large + courtyard, and said it was the Young Empress's Palace. It had two + buildings flanking it on each side and the eunuch told us that the one on + the left was the Secondary Wife's bedroom. That there had been an entrance + between the two Palaces, but that Lao Fo Yeh (The great old Buddha), as + the eunuchs called Her Majesty, had blocked it up so that the Emperor and + Empress could not communicate with each other, except through Her + Majesty's own Palace. I suppose this was the way she kept watch over them + and knew at all times what they were doing. This was all news to me and I + did not know what to think of it. I was afraid that this eunuch Li would + tell me more of these curious things, so I told him I was tired and would + go to my room and rest, and he went away. + </p> + <p> + When I finally got inside my room and had a chance to look around, I saw + that it was very prettily furnished with ebonywood furniture, which was + covered with red satin cushions and the windows were hung with red silk + curtains. All the bedrooms were just alike. The kong (bed) was made of + brick covered with the same kind of wood and ran along the wall under the + front window. It had high teaster posts with slats running across on which + red curtains were hung. These kongs are very curiously built. They are + made of brick and have a hole in the front center in which fire is placed + to heat the brick in winter time. During the day a sort of table is placed + on top of the kong and removed again at night. + </p> + <p> + Shortly after we had gone to our rooms, some eunuchs came and brought our + dinner, which they placed on a table in the center of the hall. They told + us the food had been sent by Her Majesty and that she had ordered them to + tell us to make ourselves comfortable. We were so tired that we could not + eat very much and were about to retire for the night when this eunuch Li + came again and told us that we must be up at five o'clock, not later, so I + told my eunuch to knock on my window at five. Immediately after this we + went to bed, but did not sleep immediately, as we wanted to talk over the + events of the day, which had been many and strange. After we did finally + get to bed, it seemed as if we had just fallen asleep when I heard someone + knocking on my window. I woke up with a start and asked what the matter + was and a eunuch told me it was five o'clock and time to get up. + </p> + <p> + I immediately got up and opened my window and looked out. The day was just + dawning and the sky was a beautiful deep red which was reflected in the + lake, which was perfectly calm. The scenery was lovely and in the distance + I could see Her Majesty's peony mountain, which was literally covered with + these beautiful flowers. I dressed at once and went to Her Majesty's + Palace and there met the Young Empress sitting on the veranda. I + courtesied to her as a good morning salute. The Emperor's Secondary wife + was there also, but we had been ordered not to courtesy to her, as she was + considered not to have any standing there. There was also a number of + young Court ladies, many of whom I had never seen before. The Young + Empress introduced me to them, saying that they were also Court ladies. + They were daughters of high Manchu officials and some were very pretty and + bright. The Young Empress told me that these ten (there were just ten + there) were never allowed to go near Her Majesty, as they were just + learning the court etiquette. They were all dressed very nicely in pretty + Manchu gowns, the same design as that worn by the Young Empress. + </p> + <p> + After I had been introduced to these young ladies and talked with them a + while, I went inside with the Young Empress and there met Sze Gurgur, + fourth daughter of Prince Ching and a young widow twenty-four years of + age, Yuen Da Nai Nai, widow of Her Majesty's nephew. Both were busy + getting things ready for Her Majesty. The Young Empress told us that we + must go at once to Her Majesty's bedroom and assist Her Majesty to dress, + so we went at once and courtesied to her and said: "Lao Tsu Tsung Chi + Hsiang" (old ancestor, all joy be with you). Her Majesty was still in bed + and smiled to us and asked us if we had slept well. We told her the rooms + were very comfortable, etc. I thought to myself, we had slept very well + for the little time we had, but I had not had half enough. The day before + had been very hard for us and we were quite unused to it and it had made + us very lame and sore running around so much. + </p> + <p> + She asked us if we had had any breakfast and we told her not yet. She + scolded Li for not having given the order for our breakfast to be brought + to our rooms and said: "You must not feel like strangers, order anything + you may want." Then she arose and started to dress. She put on her white + silk socks first, having slept in her pantaloons as is the custom, and + tied them at the ankle with pretty ribbon. I must tell you here that + although she always slept in her clothes, she changed them for clean ones + every day. Then she put on a pale pink shirt of soft material and over + that a short silk gown, that was embroidered with bamboo leaves, as she + always wore low heeled shoes in the morning and consequently could not + wear her long gowns. After she had dressed she walked over to a window in + front of which were two long tables covered with toilet articles of every + kind and description. + </p> + <p> + As she was washing her face and dressing her hair, she said to my mother + that she could not bear to have the servant girls, eunuchs, or old women, + touch her bed, that they were dirty, so the Court ladies must make it. + When she said this she turned to my sister and myself, we were standing a + little to one side, and said: "You two must not think for a moment that + the Court ladies do servant's work, but you know I am an old woman and + could easily be your grandmother and it will do you no harm to work a + little for me. When it comes your turn, you can superintend the others and + don't have to do the work with your own hands." Then Her Majesty said to + me: "Der Ling you are a great help to me in every way and I make you my + first lady-in-waiting. You must not work too much for you will have to + make all the arrangements for the audiences for foreigners and you will + have to interpret for me. I also want you to look after my jewels and + don't want you to do rough work at all. Roon Ling (my sister) can choose + what she likes to do. I have two more besides you, Sze Gurgur and Yuen Da + Nai Nai, making four altogether and you must all work together. It is not + necessary to be too polite to them and if they are not nice to you, you + let me know." Although I was very happy at receiving this appointment, I + knew that according to custom I must refuse it, so I thanked Her Majesty + very kindly for the honor she had given me and said that I did not know + enough to hold such an important position and would prefer to be just an + ordinary Court lady, and that I would learn as quickly as possible to be + useful to her. She hardly let me finish what I was saying, when she + laughed and said: "Stop! don't say anything like that; you are too modest, + which shows you are very clever and not a bit conceited. I am surprised to + see what a perfect little Manchu lady you are, knowing even such small + etiquette as this, although you have spent many years outside of China." + She was very fond of making fun and liked very much to tease, and said + that I could try and if she saw that I could not do the work, she would + scold me and put someone else in my place. After all this that she had + said, I accepted the appointment and went over to her bed to see how it + was made, and I found that it was very easy work to do. As this would be + one of my duties, I watched while the bed was being fixed. First of all, + after Her Majesty had risen, the bedclothes were taken out into the + courtyard by the eunuchs and aired, then the bed, which was made of + beautifully carved wood, was brushed off with a sort of whiskbroom, and a + piece of felt placed over it. Then three thick mattresses made of yellow + brocade were placed over the felt. After this came the sheets made of + different colored soft silk, and over the whole thing was placed a + covering of plain yellow satin embroidered with gold dragons and blue + clouds. She had a great many pillows, all beautifully embroidered, which + were placed on the bed during the daytime; but had a particular one + stuffed with tea leaves on which she slept. It is said that stuffing the + pillow on which you sleep with tea leaves is good for the eyes. In + addition to all these, she had another very curiously shaped pillow about + twelve inches long in the middle of which was a hole about three inches + square. It was stuffed with dried flowers, and the idea of the hole was + that when she laid on it she could place her ear in this hole and in this + way hear any and every sound. I suppose in that way no one could come on + her unawares. + </p> + <p> + Besides this last yellow embroidered cover, there were six covers of + different colors, pale mauve, blue, pink, green and violet, and were + placed one on top of the other. Over the top of the bed was a frame of + wood handsomely carved and from this frame white crepe curtains, + beautifully embroidered, hung, and numerous little gauze silk bags filled + with scent were suspended from the carved work of the frame. The odor from + these bags was very strong and made one feel sick until they became used + to it. Her Majesty was also very fond of musk and used it on all + occasions. + </p> + <p> + It took us about fifteen minutes to make the bed, and when I had finished, + I turned around and saw that Her Majesty was dressing her hair. I stood + beside her Majesty while the eunuch was dressing it and saw that as old as + she was, she still had beautiful long hair which was as soft as velvet and + raven black. She parted it in the center and brought it low at the back of + her ears, and the back braid was brushed up on the top of her head and + made it into a tight knot. When she had finished doing this, she was ready + to have the Gu'un Dzan (Manchu headdress) placed on and pinned through the + knot with two large pins. Her Majesty always dressed her hair first and + then washed her face. She was as fussy and particular as a young girl and + would give it to the eunuch if he did not get it just to suit her. She had + dozens of bottles of all kinds of perfume, also perfumed soap. When she + had finished washing her face, she dried it on a soft towel and sprayed it + with a kind of glycerine made of honey and flower petals. After that she + put some kind of strong scented pink powder on her face. + </p> + <p> + When she had completed her toilet, she turned to me and said: "It must + seem to you quite funny to see an old lady like me taking so much care and + pains in dressing and fixing up. Well! I like to dress myself up and to + see others dress nicely. It always gives me pleasure to see pretty girls + dressed nicely; it makes you want to be young again yourself." I told her + that she looked quite young and was still beautiful, and that although we + were young we would never dare compare ourselves with her. This pleased + her very much, as she was very fond of compliments, and I took great pains + that morning to study her and to find out what she liked and what she + didn't. + </p> + <p> + After this Her Majesty took me into another room and showed me where her + jewels were kept. This room was covered with shelves on three sides of the + room from top to bottom, on which were placed piles of ebony boxes all + containing jewels. Small yellow strips were pasted on some of the boxes on + which was written the contents. Her Majesty pointed to a row of boxes on + the right side of the room and said: "Here is where I keep my favorite + everyday jewels, and some day you must go over them and see that they are + all there. The rest are all jewels which I wear on special occasions. + There are about three thousand boxes in this room and I have a lot more + locked up in my safety room, which I will show you when I am not busy." + Then she said: "I am sorry you cannot read and write Chinese, otherwise I + would give you a list of these things and you could keep a check on them." + I was very much surprised at this and wondered who had told her I + couldn't. I was anxious to know, but did not dare to ask her, so I told + her that although I was not a scholar, I had studied Chinese for some time + and could read and write a little, that if she would give me a list I + would try and read it. She said: "That is funny, someone told me the first + day you were here, I forget now who it was, that you could not read or + write your own language at all." While she was saying this, she was + looking all around the room and I was sure she knew who it was that had + told her, but she would not tell me. Then she said: "When we have time + this afternoon, I will go over this list with you. Bring me those five + boxes on the first row of shelves." I brought the boxes to her room and + placed them on the table. She opened the first one and it contained a most + beautiful peony made of coral and jade and each petal trembled like a real + flower. This flower was made by stringing the petals which were made of + coral on very fine brass wire, also the leaves which were made of pure + jade. She took this flower and placed it on the right side of her + headdress. Then she opened another box and took from it a magnificent jade + butterfly made in the same way. This was an invention of her own and it + was done by carving the coral and jade into petals and leaves and boring + holes in the lower ends through which brass wire was run. The other two + boxes contained bracelets and rings of different patterns. There was a + pair of gold bracelets set with pearls, another pair set with jade, with a + piece of jade hanging from the end of a small gold chain, etc. The last + two contained chains of pearls, the like of which I never saw before, and + I fell in love with them at once. Her Majesty took one which was made into + a plum blossom string by winding a circle of five pearls around a larger + one, then one single pearl, then another circle of five pearls around a + large one, and so on, making quite a long chain, which she suspended from + one of the buttons of her gown. + </p> + <p> + At this juncture one of the Court ladies came in carrying several gowns + for Her Majesty to select from. She looked at them and said that none of + them suited her, to take them back and bring more. I had a look at them + and thought they were perfectly lovely, such pretty colors and so + beautifully embroidered. In a short while the same Court lady came back + carrying more, and from these Her Majesty selected a sea-green one + embroidered all over with white storks. She put this gown on and looked at + herself in the mirror for a while, then took off her jade butterfly. She + said: "You see I am very particular about little details. The jade + butterfly is too green and it kills my gown. Put it back in the box and + bring me a pearl stork in No. 35 box." I went back to the jewel room and + fortunately found No. 35 box and brought it to her. She opened the box and + took from it a stork made entirely of pearls set in silver, the bird's + bill being made of coral. The pearls making the body of the bird were so + cleverly set that the silver could not be seen at all unless one looked at + it very closely. It was a most magnificent piece of workmanship and the + pearls were of perfect color and shape. Her Majesty took it and placed it + in her hair and did look very graceful and pretty. Then she picked out a + mauve-colored short jacket, also embroidered with storks, which she put on + over her gown. Her handkerchief and shoes were also embroidered with + storks and when she was entirely dressed she looked like the stork lady. + </p> + <p> + Just as she had finished dressing, the Emperor Kwang Hsu came into the + bedroom dressed in his official clothes. These clothes were exactly like + other official clothes, except that he had no button on his hat and did + not wear the peacock feather. He knelt down before Her Majesty and said: + "Chin Baba, Chi Hsiang" (dear father, all joy be with you). It may seem + curious that the Emperor and all of us should call Her Majesty father, and + the reason why this was done was because Her Majesty always wanted to be a + man and compelled everyone to address her as if she were actually one. + This was only one of her many peculiarities. + </p> + <p> + I did not know whether to courtesy to the Emperor or not, not having + received any orders as to what I should do. However, I thought it better + to be too polite than not enough, so I waited until either he or Her + Majesty went out of the room, as we were not allowed to salute or courtesy + to anyone in her presence. In a little while the Emperor went out and I + followed him out into the hall and just as I was in the act of courtesying + Her Majesty came out. She looked at me in a very peculiar way, as if she + did not approve of what I had done, but said nothing. I felt very + uncomfortable and made up my mind that being too polite did not always pay + after all. + </p> + <p> + I then returned to the room again and saw a small eunuch placing several + yellow boxes on a table at the left side of the room. Her Majesty seated + herself in a large chair, which was called her little throne, and this + eunuch opened the boxes, took a yellow envelope from each box and handed + them to Her Majesty. She opened these envelopes with an ivory paper knife + and read their contents. They were memorials from the heads of the + different Boards, or from the Viceroys of the different Provinces. The + Emperor had come back and was standing at the side of this table and after + she had finished reading, she handed them over to him. While all this was + being done I stood at the back of her chair. I watched the Emperor as the + different papers were handed to him and noticed that it did not take him + very long to finish reading their contents. After he was finished reading + the papers, they were placed back in the boxes. During all this time + absolute silence was maintained. Just as they had finished the head eunuch + came in, knelt down and announced that Her Majesty's chair was ready. She + immediately got up and went out of the house, we following her, and I took + her arm while she was descending the steps to go to her chair. When she + had entered the chair to go to the Audience Hall, the Emperor and Young + Empress and we all followed in our usual places, the eunuchs, amahs and + servant girls carrying all the things exactly the same as was done the + first day I came to the Palace. When we arrived at the Audience Hall, we + took our places behind the big screen and the audience commenced. I was + very curious to find out just how the audiences were conducted and wanted + to listen to what was going on, but the Court ladies would not leave me + alone. However, when they were all talking together with my sister, I + stole away into a corner where I could sit and rest and listen to the + conversation between the different Ministers and Her Majesty. Trust a + woman for being inquisitive. + </p> + <p> + The first part of the audience I could not hear very well, as so many + people were whispering and talking at the same time, but by peeping + through the carved-work of the screen, I could see a General talking to + Her Majesty. I also saw the members of the Grand Council come in headed by + Prince Ching, who was the Councillor-in-Chief. After the General had + finished, Her Majesty talked with Prince Ching about the appointment of + some minor officials, a list of whose names had been handed to her. She + looked over this list and spoke about several of the people, but Prince + Ching suggested some others, saying: "Although these people whose names + have been submitted to Your Majesty should receive appointments, those + that I have suggested are better fitted for the positions." Her Majesty + said: "All right, I leave it all to you." Then I heard Her Majesty say to + the Emperor, "Is that correct?" and he replied, "Yes." This finished the + Audience for the morning and the Ministers and Grand Councillors took + their leave. We came out from behind the screen to Her Majesty and she + said that she wanted to go for a walk to get some fresh air. The servant + girls brought her a mirror, placed it on a table, and Her Majesty took off + her heavy headdress, leaving the simple knot on the top of her head, which + was quite becoming. She wanted to change some of the flower jewels and I + opened a box which one of the eunuchs had brought and took out some very + dainty flowers made of pearls. I handed her one which she placed at the + side of this knot, then she selected a jade dragonfly which she placed on + the other side. She said these small flowers were favorites of hers and + she liked to wear them when she took off her heavy headdress. I was + watching her very closely and wondered what I was going to do with the + flowers she had taken off. I had not brought the boxes to put them in, as + I did not know she was going to change again after the audience, and felt + a little nervous as to what was the right thing to do, or as to what she + would say. However, I saw a eunuch come in carrying these boxes and felt + much relieved. I quickly placed the things in the boxes where they + belonged. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER SEVEN—SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT + </h2> + <p> + MY first day with Her Majesty was very trying as I did not know just what + she wanted or how she wanted things done, and no one seemed willing to + tell me; but by watching very closely I was soon able to grasp the + situation. After I had finished putting the things in the boxes I did not + know whether to take them back to the jewel room or not, or whether to + wait until Her Majesty ordered me, and again I was in a quandary. I saw + she was talking to my mother, so I waited a little time and finally made + up my mind I would risk it and take them back, which I did. As I was + returning I met Her Majesty in the big courtyard. She had just changed her + gown again and looked much shorter as she had also changed her shoes for + ones with lower heels. This gown was made of heavy sky-blue crepe with no + embroidery at all, just trimmed with pale pink ribbons, and she looked + very nice in it. When Her Majesty saw me, she asked me: "Where have you + been?" I told her that I had just been putting her jewels away. Then she + said: "Has anyone told you to put them away as soon as I am finished with + them? I forgot to tell you this morning, although I had meant to." I said + that no one had told me anything, that I was afraid to have the eunuchs + taking such valuable things here and there, that I was sure that she did + not want to use them any more, so I thought it would be safer to put them + away in the jewel room again. Her Majesty looked at me and said: "I can + see that these girls don't tell you anything and I am very glad to see + that you have done just the right thing. That is why I thought someone + must have told you what to do. Anything you want to know you can ask me, + but don't talk to these mean people here." I could see from this that + there must be some jealousy among them and decided that I was well able to + find my own way, as I knew Her Majesty liked me and would help me out. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty walked along a little way, then laughed and said to me: "Don't + I look more comfortable now? I am going for a long walk and take lunch on + the top of the hill. There is a nice place up there and I am sure you will + like it. Come, let us go." + </p> + <p> + The Emperor had gone back to his own Palace, and the head eunuch had also + disappeared. As we were walking along, Her Majesty was talking and smiling + as if she had never a care or trouble in the world, or any important + questions of state to settle. I thought from what I had seen so far that + she had a very sweet disposition. She looked back and said: "Just see how + many people are following us." I turned and saw the same crowd that had + accompanied Her Majesty earlier in the day to the Audience Hall. + </p> + <p> + After passing out of the large courtyard on the West side, we came to a + large, long veranda running in a zig-zag fashion along the front of the + lake, and it was so long that I could not see the end of it. It was very + prettily made of solid carved work from one end to the other. Electric + lights were hanging from the ceiling at intervals, and when they were + lighted at night, made a beautiful sight. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was a very fast walker and we had to step lively to keep up + with her. The eunuchs and the servant girls walked on the right side and + only one of the eunuchs was allowed to walk behind us, and he was the one + who carried Her Majesty's yellow satin stool, which, like her dog, went + everywhere she did. This stool she used to rest on when taking a walk. We + walked for quite a long while and I began to feel tired, but Her Majesty, + as old as she was, was still walking very fast and did not appear to be + the least bit tired. She asked me if I liked the Palace and whether I + would be satisfied to live with her, etc. I told her that it was a great + pleasure for me to serve her, that it had been my dream for years, and now + that my dream had come true, I could not help but be satisfied. + </p> + <p> + We finally arrived at the place where the marble boat was kept, and I was + about finished. I never saw such vitality in an old woman in my life as + Her Majesty had, and it was no wonder that she had ruled this vast Empire + of China so successfully for so many years. + </p> + <p> + This boat was magnificent, being one mass of carved work, but the inside + was all spoiled. Her Majesty showed us all over the boat, and whilst we + were looking at the ruin, she said: "Look at those colored glasses in the + windows and these beautiful paintings. They were all spoiled by the + foreign troops in 1900. I don't intend to have it repaired as I don't want + to forget the lesson I have learned and this is a good reminder." After we + had been standing there a few minutes, a eunuch who had been carrying the + famous satin stool, came forward, and Her Majesty sat down to rest. While + we were talking I noticed two large and very fancy-looking boats + approaching us, with several smaller ones coming along behind. As they + came nearer I saw that they were also very beautifully made, and looked + like floating pagodas of beautifully carved natural wood. The windows of + the pagodas were hung with red gauze curtains and all was trimmed with + silk. Her Majesty said: "There are the boats. We must go over to the west + side of the lake and have luncheon." Her Majesty got up and walked to the + edge of the lake, two eunuchs supporting her, one at each side. She + stepped into the boat and we all followed her example. The inside of the + boat was very nicely furnished with carved ebony furniture with blue satin + cushions, one with many pots of flowers on both sides of the window. There + were two more cabins behind this sitting room. Her Majesty told me to go + in to see those two rooms. One little room was a dressing room full of + toilet articles. The other one had two couches and several small chairs + for Her Majesty to rest whenever she felt tired. Her Majesty sat on her + throne and ordered us to sit on the floor. The eunuchs brought in red + satin cushions for us to sit upon. To sit on the floor is all right for + Chinese clothes, but of course it was out of the question with Paris + gowns, and I felt very uncomfortable, but did not like to say so. I wanted + to change into Manchu clothes, for I knew they were comfortable and easy + to work in, but having received no order from Her Majesty, I did not dare + to suggest it. Her Majesty noticed how very uncomfortable we looked + sitting on the floor. She said: "You can stand up if you want to and just + watch those boats following us." I put my head out of the window and + noticed the Young Empress and several other Court ladies were in the other + boat. They waved to me, and I waved back. Her Majesty laughed and said to + me: "I give you this apple to throw to them." While saying this she took + one from the big plates that stood upon the center table. I tried very + hard, but the apple did not reach the other boat, but went to the bottom + of the lake. Her Majesty laughed and told me to try again, but I failed. + Finally, she took one and threw it herself. It went straight to the other + boat and hit one of the ladies' head. We all laughed quite heartily. Then + I began to enjoy myself. There were several open boats full of eunuchs, + and another one of servant girls, amahs and the rest with Her Majesty's + luncheon. The lake was beautiful and looked so green in the sun. I told + Her Majesty that this color reminded me of the sea. She said: "You have + travelled so much, and yet you have not had enough, but are still thinking + of the sea. You must not go abroad any more, but stay with me. I want you + to enjoy this sailing on this lake instead of the rough sea." I promised + her that I would be only too happy to stay with her. I must say the truth, + I did enjoy the lovely scenery, the beautiful weather, superb sunshine, + with Her Majesty so kind to me and talking to me in such a motherly way + made me love her more and more every minute I was there. I was so + extremely happy there that even Paris pleasures had gone out of my memory + entirely. + </p> + <p> + At last we arrived at another part of the lake. This was more of a stream, + very narrow, just wide enough for one boat to pass. On both sides of the + bank were planted drooping willow trees that reminded me of the Chinese + Fairy tales I have read. This time I saw the servant girls, amahs, and + also eunuchs carrying boxes, walking on both sides of the shore. Only two + boats were going then, the Young Empress' and ours. Her Majesty said: "We + will arrive at the bottom of the hill in a few minutes." When we came near + the shore I saw her yellow chair and several red chairs waiting. We landed + and walked to the chairs. I watched Her Majesty get into hers and noticed + this was not the same chair she used this morning. This little one was, of + course, of yellow, with yellow poles, and two eunuchs carried it, with + yellow rope across their shoulders, and four eunuchs supported the poles, + one on each corner of the chair. They were just going to raise her chair + up when she said: "Yu tai tai (Lady Yu) I give you and your daughters + special favor and give you a red chair with red cord that I have given to + only a few people." The Young Empress looked at us, which I understood at + once was meant for us to kowtow to her, which we did, and waited until the + Empress got into hers. Then we went to search for ours. To my surprise our + own eunuchs were standing waiting beside our chairs. On the poles I + noticed that my name was written and I asked our eunuch the reason. He + said that Her Majesty gave the order the night before. It was a lovely + ride going to the top of the hill. I saw Her Majesty's chair in front, and + the Young Empress'. They looked to me quite dangerous in ascending that + way, and the men at the back of the chair had to raise the poles above + their heads so as to make the chair the same level in ascending. I was + quite nervous and was very much afraid that they might fall off and injure + me. Our eunuchs were walking beside our chairs. I said to one of them that + I was afraid the chair bearers might slip. He told me to look back of my + chair, which I did, and to my surprise they had the poles raised up also + above their heads, and I did not feel it at all. He told me that these + chair bearers practice for such purposes and that there was no danger at + all. It made my heart stop beating looking back and seeing the other Court + ladies in their chairs way below mine, the eunuchs and servant girls + walking, for fear I might fall off at any time. At last we arrived at the + top of the hill. We helped Her Majesty to alight and followed her into the + most lovely building I ever saw, the best one in the Summer Palace to my + idea (name of this pavilion, Ching Fo Ker). This Palace had only two + rooms, with windows on every side. One could see everywhere. Her Majesty + used one large one to take her luncheon in and the other as a toilet room. + I noticed that wherever we went we found Her Majesty's toilet room. Her + Majesty took us around the compound and showed us the lovely flowers + planted everywhere. One of the young eunuchs told me that Her Majesty's + dainties were ready. That was my first day of real work. I went out and + found two large yellow boxes of different kinds of candies and fruits, as + I have before mentioned. I carried two plates at a time, and finished in + nine times, placing them on a square table near her. She was talking to my + mother then about flowers. I noticed that although she was talking, she + was watching me at the same time. I placed the plates upon the table very + carefully, and already having noticed the day before what were her + favorite dishes, and placed these near her. She smiled at me and said: + "You have done it very nicely. And how do you know that these are my + favorites and have placed them near me? Who told you?" I replied that no + one had told me anything and that I had noticed the day before what Lao + Tsu Tsung liked (according to the Manchu custom one must address a + superior or one's parents in the third person). Her Majesty said: "I can + see you use your heart in everything (in China people say heart instead of + head) and are not like the crowd I have here; they haven't the brains of a + bird." She was soon busy eating, and gave me some candies, and told me to + eat right there in her presence. Of course I never forgot to thank her, + for I thought I had rather thank her too much than too little. She told + me: "Whenever I give you small things you need not kowtow. Just say: + 'Hsieh Lao Tsu Tsung Shang' (Thank the old ancestor), that is enough." + After a little while she finished eating, and told me to take the dishes + away. She said: "To-day is your day, so these things are yours. Take them + out and sit down on the veranda and enjoy yourself. You see I could not + eat all. There are lots of things left. If you like you can tell your own + eunuch to send them to your room." I placed the little dishes back in the + boxes and took them to the veranda. There I placed them upon the table and + told the Young Empress to eat some. I did not know whether it was right to + offer them to her or not and thought I could not do her any harm, even if + I tried. She said all right, that she would eat some. I took a piece of + candy and had just put it into my mouth when I heard Her Majesty calling + my name. I hurried in and found her sitting at her table ready to take her + lunch. She said: "What else did Mdme. Plancon say yesterday? Was she + really pleased? Do you think they, the foreigners, really like me? I don't + think so; on the contrary I know they haven't forgotten the Boxer Rising + in Kwang Hsu's 26th year. I don't mind owning up that I like our old ways + the best, and I don't see any reason why we should adopt the foreign + style. Did any of the foreign ladies ever tell you that I am a + fierce-looking old woman?" I was very much surprised that she should call + me in and ask me such questions during her meal. She looked quite serious + and it seemed to me she was quite annoyed. I assured her that no one ever + said anything about Her Majesty but nice things. The foreigners told me + how nice she was, and how graceful, etc. This seemed to please her, and + she smiled and said: "Of course they have to tell you that, just to make + you feel happy by saying that your sovereign is perfect, but I know + better. I can't worry too much, but I hate to see China in such a poor + condition. Although the people around me seem to comfort me by telling + that almost every nation feels very friendly towards China, I don't think + that is true. I hope we will be strong some day." While she was saying + this I noticed her worried expression. I did not know what to say, but + tried to comfort her by saying that that time will come, and we are all + looking forward to it. I wanted to advise her on some points, but seeing + that she was angry, I thought I had better not make any suggestions that + day, but wait until I had another opportunity. I felt sorry for her, and + would have given anything in the world to help her by telling what the + general opinion of her was so as to let her know the truth, which no one + dared to tell her. Something told me to be silent. I kept thinking all the + time she was talking to me, and finally made up my mind that the time was + not yet ripe for me to make any suggestion. I had grown to love her very + much, so I wanted to take care not to offend her; that would probably + finish my ambition. I wanted to study her first thoroughly and then try to + influence her to reform China. + </p> + <p> + I stood all the time while she was eating. She got up from the table and + handed me her napkin (this napkin was made of a piece of silk a yard + square, woven in many colors). One corner was turned in, and a golden + butterfly was fastened to it. It had a hook at the back of this butterfly + so as to hook on her collar. She said: "I am sure you must be hungry. Go + and tell the Young Empress and the rest of the people to come and eat. You + can eat anything you want from these tables, so eat all you can." I was + very, very hungry. Just imagine, I had been up since 5:00 o'clock and had + only a light breakfast, and had walked a great deal. It was almost noon + when Her Majesty sat down at her table. She ate so slowly, too. While I + stood there talking to her I thought she would never finish. She ate a + good meal. The Young Empress stood at the head of the table, and we all + stood on either side. We did not like to be forward, so we stood at the + other end of the table. The food was very much the same as the first day + we were there. Her Majesty came out from the inner room, had just finished + washing her face and hands, and had changed into another gown. This one + was simple, but very pretty. It was woven with pink and gray raw silks, + which gave it a changeable light whenever she moved. She came out and + said: "I want to see you people eat; why is it that you are standing at + the end of the table, the best dishes are not there? All of you come over + here and eat near the Young Empress." So we moved from our end of the + table to the other. Her Majesty stood near me, and pointed to a smoked + fish and wanted me to try it, as it was her favorite, and said: "Make + yourselves at home. You know you have to fight your own battles here with + this crowd. Of course you can come and tell me if anyone does not treat + you fair." Her Majesty then went out, saying that she would walk a bit. I + noticed that some of the court ladies did not look pleased, seeing that + Her Majesty paid so much attention to us. I could see they were a little + jealous of me, but that did not worry me in the least. + </p> + <p> + After we got through our luncheon, I followed the Young Empress, for it + was all so new to me, and I did not know what I must do—whether to + join Her Majesty or not. After seeing that they were jealous of me, I paid + strict attention to everything, so as not to make any mistake in doing my + work and let them have the satisfaction of laughing at me. I would not + give them the chance. I heard Her Majesty talking to the eunuchs who + looked after the garden, about some branches which ought to be cut down, + saying they were lazy. So we went to her. She said to us: "You see I have + to look after everything myself, if not, my flowers would be ruined. I + can't depend on them at all. I wonder what they are good for. They ought + to look around every day and cut down the dead branches and leaves. They + have not been punished for several days and they are looking forward to + it." She laughed and said: "I will not disappoint them, but give them all + they wish to have." I thought these people must be idiots, looking forward + to a whipping, and wondered who would whip them. Her Majesty turned to me + and said: "Have you ever witnessed such an operation?" I told her that I + had, having seen the convicts being whipped at a Magistrate's Yamen when I + was a little girl living at Shansi (on the Yangtsze). She said: "That is + nothing. The convicts are not half so wicked as these eunuchs. Of course + they deserve a heavier punishment when they are bad." Her Majesty said + that I should learn to play dice with her, as she never had enough people + to play with, so we went back to the same room where she had taken her + lunch. A square table was in the middle of this large room and a little + throne of Her Majesty's, facing south (her favorite direction). Her + Majesty sat on her throne and said to me: "I will show you how to play + this game. Do you think you know enough Chinese to read this map?" I + noticed a large map, the same size as the table, and laid upon it, drawn + in different colors. In the center of the map was written the direction of + the game. It said: "This game is called the 'Eight Fairies Travel across + the Sea.' The names are Lu Hsien, Chang Hsien, Li Hsien, Lan Hsien, Hang + Hsien, Tsao Hsien and Hain Hsien. These seven were masculine fairies. Hor + Hsien was the only lady fairy." This map was the map of the Chinese + Empire, and the names of the different provinces were written on the + drawing. There were eight pieces of round ivory, about one inch and a half + in diameter and a quarter of an inch thick. The names of these fairies + were engraved upon them. This game could be played either by eight people + or four people, when each person had to take two fairies' places, instead + of one. A porcelain bowl was placed in the center of the map, to compare + the point by throwing six dice into the bowl. For instance, four people + play. One throws these six dice into the bowl and counts the points on + them. The highest that one could get was 36, and should 36 be thrown the + fairy should go to Hangehow to enjoy the beautiful scenery. This person + threw dice for Lu Hsien and had 36 points and placed this ivory piece of + Lu Hsien on Hangehow upon the map. The same person has to throw another + time for another fairy, so each person throws twice if four people play + the game, and once if played by eight. These different points count + different provinces. They are counted thus:—Six dice alike. One pair + in six dice, to three pairs. The lowest was the double 1, 2, 3. If any + unfortunate fairy got this he should go on exile and be left out + altogether. Any one of the fairies that travelled round the map to reach + the Imperial Palace, the first, was the winner. + </p> + <p> + I read this to Her Majesty. She seemed to be quite pleased, and said: "I + had no idea that you could read so well. This game was my own invention + and I taught three Court ladies to play. I had a very hard time teaching + them. I also taught them how to read Chinese in order to play the game, + but it took them so long to learn anything that I got quite discouraged + before I got through with them. I am sure you know how to play it now." I + was very much surprised to hear that these Court ladies were as ignorant + as this. I thought they must be excellent scholars, so did not dare to + show my knowledge of Chinese literature. We began to play the game. Her + Majesty was lucky. The two fairies held by her were way ahead of ours. One + of the Court ladies said to me: "You will be surprised to see that Lao Tsu + Tsung is always the winner." Her Majesty smiled and said to me: "You will + never be able to catch my fairies." She said: "You are the first day here + to play this game and if any of your fairies beat any of mine I will give + you a nice present, so hurry up." I thought I could never get ahead of her + fairies, for they were so far ahead of mine, but I tried hard, as Her + Majesty told me to call out for the points I wanted. I did, but it came + out something so different that it amused her a great deal. I had no idea + how long we were playing this game. We counted who came next, and that was + one of my fairies, so Her Majesty said to me: "I was sure you could not + beat me, as no one could. Seeing that yours are next to mine, I will give + you the present just the same." While she was saying this she told a + servant girl to bring her some embroidered handkerchiefs. This girl + brought several colored ones to her, and she asked me what color I + preferred. She handed me a pink one and a pale blue one, all embroidered + with purple wisteria, and said: "These two are the best, and I want you to + take them." I was just going to thank her by bowing to the ground, but I + found that my legs could not move. I tried hard and succeeded finally, + with difficulty. Her Majesty laughed very heartily at me and said: "You + see you are not accustomed to standing so long and you cannot bend your + knees any more." Although my legs were sore I thought I had better not + show it, but smiled and told her that it was nothing, only my legs were a + little stiff, that was all. She said: "You must go and sit on the veranda + and rest a minute." I was only too glad to sit down, so I went to the + veranda and found the Young Empress sitting there with several Court + ladies. The Young Empress said: "You must be tired standing so long. Come + and sit near me." My legs were very stiff and my back was tired. Of course + Her Majesty did not know how uncomfortable we were while she was sitting + on her cozy throne. Foreign attire is out of the question for the Imperial + Palace of Peking. I had hoped that Her Majesty would tell us to change + into our Manchu gowns. I noticed that she asked many questions every day + about foreign costumes, and she said: "The foreign costume is not any + prettier than ours and I should say they must be quite uncomfortable round + one's waist. I wouldn't be squeezed that way for anything." Although she + was saying such things she did not suggest that we should give them up, so + we had to wait patiently for her orders. The Young Empress took her watch + out of her pocket, and said to me: "This game has lasted just two hours." + I said to her that it seemed to me longer than that. While we were talking + I saw our own eunuchs bringing four round boxes, made of thin board, + carried at each end of bamboo poles. They put them down near where we sat, + and one of them brought me a cup of tea. When my mother and sister came + the same eunuch brought another two cups, and there were several Court + ladies talking with us. This eunuch did not give them any. I noticed at + the other end of this long veranda there were another two boxes, exactly + the same as these, and a big tall eunuch made tea and brought it to the + Young Empress in a yellow porcelain cup, with a silver saucer and a silver + top cover. He did not give any to the others. + </p> + <p> + I was puzzled when one of the Court ladies sitting next to me said: "Would + you mind telling Wang (our head eunuch) to give me a cup of your tea, just + to save me the trouble to go and get it from the small room at the end of + this long veranda?" I gave her such a surprised look, for I did not know + that this was our tea, but I thought I'd just tell Wang to bring her a + cup, and find out afterwards the reason, for I would give anything in the + world rather than appear ignorant before those people. While we were + talking Her Majesty came out. Before she reached the veranda I got up and + told the Young Empress that Her Majesty was coming. I saw her first + because I sat facing her back hall. Her Majesty said to us all: "It is + almost three o'clock now, and I am going to rest a while. Let us leave + here." We all stood in a line for her to enter her chair, and then we went + to ours. It was quite a fast ride and we got out of our chairs before + arriving at the courtyard of her own Palace. We walked ahead of her chair + and formed into another line for her to alight. She walked to her bedroom + and we all followed. A eunuch brought her a cup of hot water and another + brought a bowl of sugar. She took her golden spoon and took two + teaspoonfuls of sugar and put it into her cup of hot water, and drank it + very slowly. She said: "You know before one goes to sleep or ever lies + down, sugar water will quiet one's nerves. I always take it, and find it + very good indeed." She took the flowers off from her headdress and I fixed + them back in their boxes at once, and placed them in the jewel-room. When + I came out of this jewel-room she was in bed already, and said to us: "You + all go and rest a while. I don't need you now." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER EIGHT—THE COURT LADIES + </h2> + <p> + WE retired from her room, but I noticed that two of the Court ladies did + not come out with us. One of them said to me: "I am glad that I can rest a + bit to-day, for I have been sitting three afternoons in succession." At + first I did not know what she meant. Then she said: "Oh, your turn has not + come yet. We don't know whether you received the order or not. You know + two of us must stay with Her Majesty during her afternoon siesta, to watch + the eunuchs and the servant girls." I thought that was the funniest thing + I had ever heard of, and wondered how many people would be in her room. + The Young Empress said: "We had better go at once and rest ourselves, + otherwise Her Majesty will be up again before we get the chance." Of + course I had not the least idea how long she slept. So we went back to our + rooms. I did not realize how tired I was until I sat down in my room. I + felt finished and awfully sleepy at the same time, for I was not used to + getting up at 5 o'clock. Everything was so new to me. As I sat there my + thoughts wandered to Paris, and I thought how strange it was that I used + to go to bed at 5 o'clock after the dances, and here I had to get up at + such a time. All the surroundings seemed new to me, seeing the eunuchs + running here and there waiting on us, as if they were chambermaids. I told + them that I didn't need them any more. I wanted them to go out of the room + so that I could lie down a bit. They brought us tea and different kinds of + candies, and asked what else was wanted. I was just going to change into a + comfortable dress, when the eunuch came in and informed me that "Yo ker + lila" (visitors have come), and two Court ladies came, and another girl of + about seventeen came in. I had seen her that very morning when I came to + the Palace, busy working, but I was not introduced to her. These two girls + said: "We have come to see you and also to find out if you are + comfortable." I thought they were kind to come and see me that way, but I + did not like their faces. They introduced this mean-looking girl to me and + told me her name was Chun Shou (Graceful Long Life). She did not look as + if her life would last long, being so thin and delicate. She looked sick + and worn out to me. I did not know who she was. She courtesied to me and I + returned to her, in a sort of half way. (I will explain about the + courtesy.) + </p> + <p> + (To Her Majesty, the Emperor and the Young Empress, we went down and bent + our knees, while we stood upright to the people of lower rank than + ourselves. In this case one must always wait while the inferior courtesies + first, and bend the knees a little bit in return. This was the way I + returned Chun Shou's courtesy to me.) The two girls then said "Chun Shou's + father is only a small official, so she has not much standing at the + Court. She is not exactly a Court lady, but she is not a servant girl + either." I almost laughed right out, to hear such a funny statement, and + wondered what she must be. I saw her sitting down with the Court ladies + that very morning, so of course I asked her to sit down, too. These two + Court ladies asked me if I felt tired, and how I liked the Empress + Dowager. I told them that Her Majesty was the most lovely lady I had ever + seen, and that I already loved her very much, although I had only been + there a few days. They looked at Chun Shou and exchanged smiles. They did + that in such a peculiar way that it annoyed me. They asked: "Do you think + you would like to live in this place, and how long do you intend to stay?" + I said I would love to stay long, and would do my best to wait on Her + Majesty, and be useful to her, for she had been so kind towards us in the + short time we had been there, and besides, it was my duty to serve my + sovereign and country. They laughed and said: "We pity you, and are sorry + for you. You must not expect any appreciation here, no matter how hard you + work. If you are really going to do as you have said just now, you will be + disliked by everybody." + </p> + <p> + I did not know what they were talking about, or what their conversation + referred to. I thought this was so strange that I had better put a stop to + it, so I immediately changed the subject. I asked them who dressed their + hair, and who made their shoes for them, as they had asked me. They + answered my questions by saying that their maids did everything for them. + Chun Shou said to these two girls: "Tell her everything about this Palace, + and I am sure she will change her mind when she actually sees things for + herself." I didn't like this Chun Shou, and her face didn't impress me. + She was a little bit of a thing, tiny head with thin lips. When she + laughed one could only hear the noise she made; no expression was on her + face at all. I was just going to say something to them, so as not to give + them the opportunity of gossiping, but found they were too cunning. They + noticed that I tried every way to stop them, so they said: "Now let us + tell you everything. No one else will know. We like you very much and we + want to give you some warning, so as to be able to protect yourself + whenever you are in trouble." I told them that I would take great care to + do my work and didn't think that I would ever get into trouble. They + laughed and said: "That makes no difference. Her Majesty will find fault." + I could not believe these things that they said, and intended to tell them + that I refused to hear such statements, but I thought I had better listen + to what they had to say first and not to offend them, for I never believed + in making enemies. I then told them that it would be impossible for so + sweet and kind-hearted a person like Lao Tsu Tsung (the old ancestor) to + find fault with such helpless girls as we were, for we were her people, + and she could do anything she liked with us. They said: "You don't know, + and have no idea how wicked this place is; such torture and suffering one + could not imagine. We are sure that you think you must be happy to be with + the great Empress Dowager, and proud to be her Court Lady. Your day hasn't + come yet, for you all are new to her. Yes, she is extremely kind to you + just now, but wait until she gets tired of you and then see what she will + do. We have had enough, and know what the Court life is. Of course you + must have heard that Li Lien Ying (the head eunuch) rules this Palace + behind Lao Tsu Tsung's back. We are all afraid of him. He pretends that he + cannot influence Lao Tsu Tsung, but we always know the result after a long + conversation consulting how to punish anyone. If any of us do anything + wrong, we always go to him and beg him to help us out. Then he says he has + no power to influence Her Majesty, and also that he dare not tell her + much, for she would scold him. We hate all the eunuchs, they are such bad + people. We can see very plainly they are awfully polite to you because + they can see that you are in favor. To receive such rudeness from them, + constantly, as we do, is unbearable. + </p> + <p> + "Lao Tsu Tsung is very changeable. She may like one person to-day, + to-morrow she hates this same person worse than poison. She has moods, and + has no appreciation whatsoever. Even Chu Tzu, the Young Empress (Chu Tzu + means Mistress, that is to say she was mistress of us all, for the Manchus + were considered by the sovereign as slaves) is afraid of Li Lien Ying, and + has to be very nice to him. In fact, we all have to be polite to him." + They talked so long that I thought they would never finish. About this + time Wang came in and brought tea for us. Suddenly I heard people howling + in the distance, so I asked Wang what was the matter. The girls were + listening also and a eunuch came flying in and told us Lao Fo Yeh chin la + (The Great Buddha wakes up). The girls got up and said we must all go to + see her, so they went. I was not at all pleased with their visit, and + wished they hadn't come, especially as they told me such horrible things. + It made me quite sad to listen to the awful way they talked about Her + Majesty. I loved her the first day I was there, and made up my mind to + forget everything they had told me. + </p> + <p> + I was cross also because I didn't have time to change my clothes, and had + to go up to Her Majesty at once. I went into her bedroom, and found her + sitting upon the bed cross-legged, with a small table placed on the bed in + front of her. She smiled and asked: "Have you had a good rest? Did you + sleep at all?" I said that I was not sleepy, and could not sleep in the + daytime. She said: "When you are old like me, you will be able to sleep at + any time. Just now you are young, and fond of play. I think you must have + been on the hills to gather flowers, or walked too much, for you look + tired." I could only say "Yes." The two Court ladies who had just been + talking nonsense about Her Majesty came in, to assist in handing her the + toilet articles. I looked at them, and felt ashamed for them to face her, + after having said so many disagreeable things. Her Majesty washed her face + and combed her hair, and a servant girl brought her fresh flowers, of + white jasmine and roses. Her Majesty stuck them in her hair and said to + me: "I am always fond of fresh flowers—better than jade and pearls. + I love to see the little plants grow, and I water them myself. I have been + so busy ever since you came that I haven't been able to visit my plants. + Tell them to get the dinner ready and I will take a walk afterwards." I + came out of her room and gave the eunuch the order. As usual we brought + little dainties to her. By this time Her Majesty was dressed and was + sitting in the large hall, playing solitaire with her dominoes. The eunuch + laid the tables as usual, and Her Majesty stopped play, and commenced to + eat. She asked me: "How do you like this kind of life?" I told her that I + very much enjoyed being with her. She said: "What kind of a place is this + wonderful Paris I have heard so much about? Did you enjoy yourself while + you were there, and do you wish to go back again? It must be hard for you + people to leave China for three or four years, and I suppose you were all + pleased when you received the order to come back, after your father's term + was finished." + </p> + <p> + The only thing I could say was "Yes," because it wouldn't be nice to tell + her that I was awfully sorry to leave Paris. She said: "I think we have + everything in China, only the life is different. What is dancing? Someone + told me that two people hold hands and jump all over the room. If that is + the case I don't see any pleasure in it at all. Do you have to jump up and + down with men? They told me that old women, with white hair, dance, too." + I explained to her about the balls given by the President, and all the + private dances, and also all about the masquerade balls, etc. Her Majesty + said: "I don't like this masquerade ball because you don't know whom you + are dancing with if they are wearing a mask." I explained to her how + carefully the people issued their invitations, and that anyone who behaved + badly could never enter into high society. Her Majesty said: "I would like + to see how you jump, can you show me a little?" I went in search of my + sister, and found her busy talking to the Young Empress. I told her that + Her Majesty wished to see how people dance, and that we must show her. The + Young Empress and all the Court ladies heard this, and all said that they + also wished to see. My sister said that she had noticed a large gramophone + in Her Majesty's bedroom, and that perhaps we could find some music. I + thought that was a good idea, and went to ask her for the gramophone. She + said: "Oh, must you jump with music?" I almost laughed when she said that, + and told her it was much nicer with music, as otherwise one could not keep + in time. She ordered the eunuchs to have the gramophone brought to the + hall, and said: "You jump while I take my dinner." We looked over a lot of + records, but they were all Chinese songs, but at last we found a waltz, so + we started to dance. We could see that a lot of people were looking at us, + who perhaps thought that we were crazy. When we had finished we found Her + Majesty laughing at us. She said: "I could never do that. Are you not + dizzy turning round and round? I suppose your legs must be very tired + also. It is very pretty, and just like the girls used to do centuries ago + in China. I know that it is difficult and one ought to have any amount of + grace to do it, but I don't think it would look nice to see a man dancing + with a girl like that. I object to the hand around the girl's waist; I + like to see the girls dance together. It would never do for China for a + girl to get too close to a man. I know the foreigners don't seem to think + about that at all. It shows that they are broader minded than us. Is it + true that the foreigners don't respect their parents at all-that they + could beat their parents and drive them out of the house?" I told her that + it was not so, and that someone had given her wrong ideas about + foreigners. Then she said: "I know that perhaps sometimes one among the + commonest class do that, and that people are apt to take it wrong, and + conclude that all foreigners treat their parents that way. Now I see just + the same thing done by the common people in China." I wondered who had + told her such nonsense and made her believe it. + </p> + <p> + After we had taken our dinner it was just half-past five, and Her Majesty + said she would take a walk along the long veranda, so we followed her. She + showed me her flowers, and said that she had planted them herself. + Whenever Her Majesty went anywhere there was always a lot of attendants + following her, exactly the same as when she went to the morning audiences. + When we reached the end of this long veranda, which took us a quarter of + an hour to walk, Her Majesty ordered her stool to be brought into one of + the summer houses. These summer houses were built of nothing but bamboo, + all the furniture being made of different shaped bamboo. Her Majesty sat + down, and one of the eunuchs brought tea and honeysuckle flowers. She + ordered the eunuchs to give us tea also. Her Majesty said: "This is my + simple way of enjoying life. I love to see the country scenery. There are + a great many pretty places which I will show you and I am sure that after + you have seen them you will not like foreign countries any more. There is + no scenery in the world which can beat the Chinese. Some returned + Ministers from abroad said to me that the trees and mountains in foreign + countries looked ugly and savage. Is that true?" I concluded right away + that someone had wished to please her by saying things about foreigners, + so I told her that I had been in almost every country, and had found + lovely scenery, but of course it was different from China. While we were + talking Her Majesty said that she felt chilly and asked: "Are you cold? + You see you have your own eunuchs, they are all standing around, and have + nothing to do. Next time tell them to carry your wraps along with you. I + think that foreign clothes must be quite uncomfortable either too warm or + too cold. I don't see how you can eat, having your waist squeezed that + way." Her Majesty got up and we all went on walking slowly towards her own + Palace. She sat down on her favorite little throne in the hall and started + to play solitaire. We came out on the veranda, and the Young Empress said + to us: "You must be tired, for I know you are not used to doing such hard + work all day long without stopping. You had better wear Manchu clothes, + because they are comfortable and easy to work in. Look at your long train; + you have to take it up in your hands while walking." + </p> + <p> + I told her that I would be only too pleased to change the clothes, but + that not having received an order from Her Majesty I could not make any + suggestions. The Young Empress said: "No, don't ask anything, and I am + sure Her Majesty will tell you to change by and by. Just now she wishes to + see your Paris gowns, because she wants to know how foreign ladies dress + on different occasions. She thought that some of the ladies came to the + Garden Party dressed in woolen clothes. We thought that foreign ladies + were not so extravagant as we are until we met Mdme. Plancon the other + day. Do you remember what Her Majesty said to you? 'That Mdme. Plancon was + so different from many ladies she had met, and also dressed differently.'" + It was a chiffon dress, with hand paintings, which Mdme. Plancon wore, + which pleased Her Majesty very much. While I was talking with the Young + Empress all the electric lights turned up, so I went to Her Majesty to see + if she needed anything. She said: "Let us play a game of dice before I go + to bed." We began to play the same thing as we had done in the afternoon. + Her Majesty won another game, this time it took only an hour to finish the + game. Her Majesty said to me: "Why can't you win once?" I knew she wanted + to tease, so I said that my luck was bad. She laughed and said: "To-morrow + you try to put your stocking on wrong side out; that is a sure sign of + winning." I told her that I would, and I knew that pleased her. During the + short time I was there I kept studying her most of the while. I could see + nothing would make her happier than for me to obey her orders. Her Majesty + said that she felt tired, and that we must bring her milk. She said to me: + "I want you to burn incense sticks and bow to the ground every night to + the Buddha in the next room before I go to bed. I hope you are not a + Christian, for if you are I can never feel as if you are mine at all. Do + tell me that you are not." I did not expect that question at all, and I + must say that it was a very difficult question to answer. For my own + protection I had to say that I had nothing to do with the Christians. I + felt guilty at having deceived her that way, but it was absolutely + necessary, and there was no other way out of it. I knew that I had to + answer her question at once, because it would never do for her to see any + hesitation, which would arouse her suspicions. Although my face showed + nothing, my heart stopped beating for a while. I felt ashamed to have + fooled her. The earliest training I had was never to be ashamed to tell + the truth. When Her Majesty heard me say that I was not a Christian, she + smiled and said: "I admire you; although you have had so much to do with + foreigners, yet you did not adopt their religion. On the contrary, you + still keep to your own. Be strong and keep it as long as you live. You + have no idea how glad I am now, for I suspected you must believe in the + foreign God. Even if you don't want to, they can make you believe it. Now + I am ready for bed." + </p> + <p> + We helped her to undress, and I, as usual, put away her jewels, and + noticed she wore only one pair of jade bracelets to sleep. She changed + into her bed clothes and lay down between the silk covers and said to us: + "You can go now." We courtesied to her and withdrew from her bedroom. Out + in the hall there was on the cold stone floor six eunuchs. They were the + watchmen and must not sleep at all during the night. In her bedroom were + two eunuchs, two servant girls, two old women servants and sometimes two + Court ladies. These people also must not sleep. The two girls massaged her + legs every night, and the two women were there to watch the girls, the two + eunuchs to watch the two old women, and the two Court ladies to watch them + all, in case they did any mischief. They all took turns, and that was the + reason why sometimes two Court ladies must sit overnight when it happened + that the eunuchs were not reliable. Her Majesty trusted the Court ladies + the most. I was never more surprised in my life than when one of these six + eunuchs told me in the hall, for I had asked what they were all doing + there. + </p> + <p> + Later on one of the Court ladies said to me that it was customary for them + to take turns to attend at Her Majesty's bedchamber in the morning to wake + her up, and that I should take my turn the next morning and my sister the + following morning. While saying this she smiled in a most peculiar way. I + did not understand at the time, but found out later. I asked her what I + should do to wake Her Majesty, and she said: "There is no particular way, + you will have to use your own judgment; but be careful not to make her + angry. It was my turn this morning. I knew that she was very tired, having + had a very trying time the day before, so I had to make a little more + noise than usual when waking her. She was very angry and scolded me + dreadfully when she arose, as it was rather late. This very often happens + when Her Majesty gets up late, as she always says that we do not make + enough noise to wake her. However, I don't think she will do this to you, + just now, as you are new here; but wait until you have been here a few + months." What this Court lady said to me worried me quite considerably; + but from what I had seen of Her Majesty so far, I could not believe that + she would be angry with anyone who was doing her duty properly. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER NINE—THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU + </h2> + <p> + THE next day I arose earlier than usual and dressed in a great hurry, as I + feared I might be late. When I got to Her Majesty's Palace there were a + few Court ladies there sitting on the veranda. They smiled and asked me to + sit down with them as it was still too early, being only five o'clock. I + had been told to wake Her Majesty at five thirty. The Young Empress came + up a few minutes later and we all courtesied and wished her "good + morning." After talking with us a few minutes, she asked if Her Majesty + was awake and which one of us was on duty that day. When I informed her + that it was my turn, she immediately ordered me to go to Her Majesty's + room at once. I went very quietly and found some servant girls standing + about and one Court lady, who was sitting on the floor. She had been on + duty all night. When she saw me she got up and whispered to me, that now + that I had come, she would go and change her clothes and brush up a bit, + and for me not to leave the room until Her Majesty was awake. After this + Court lady had gone, I went near to the bed and said: "Lao Tsu Tsung, it + is half-past five." She was sleeping with her face toward the wall, and + without looking to see who had called her, she said: "Go away and leave me + alone. I did not tell you to call me at half-past five. Call me at six," + and immediately went off to sleep again. I waited until six and called her + again. She woke and said: "This is dreadful. What a nuisance you are." + After she had said this, she looked around and saw me standing by the bed. + "Oh! it is you, is it? Who told you to come and wake me?" I replied: "One + of the Court ladies told me that it was my turn to be on duty in Lao Tsu + Tsung's bedchamber." "That is funny. How dare they give orders without + receiving instructions from me first? They know that this part of their + duty is not very pleasant and have put it off on you because they know you + are new here." I made no reply to this. I got along as best I could that + day and found it no easy matter, as Her Majesty was very exacting in + everything. However, the next time I managed to divert her attention to + things new or interesting in order to take her mind off of what she was + doing, and in this way had much less trouble getting her out of bed. + </p> + <p> + My reader can't imagine how very glad we were to get back to our rooms, + and it was just 10:30 P. M. I was very tired and sleepy, so I undressed + and went to bed at once. I think that as soon as my head touched the + pillow I was asleep. + </p> + <p> + The following day there was the same thing, the usual audience in the + morning, of course busy all the time, which went on for fifteen days + before I realized it. I began to take great interest in the Court life, + and liked it better every day. Her Majesty was very sweet and kind to us + always, and took us to see the different places in the Summer Palace. We + went to see Her Majesty's farm, situated on the west side of the lake, and + had to cross over a high bridge to get there. This bridge is called Tu Tai + Chiao (Jade Girdle Bridge). Her Majesty often took us under this bridge in + a boat, or we walked round on the border. She seemed very fond of sitting + on the top of this bridge on her stool and taking her tea, in fact this + was one of her favorite places. She used to go and see her farm once every + four or five days, and it always pleased her if she could take some + vegetables and rice or corn from her own farm. She cooked these things + herself in one of the courtyards. I thought that was good fun, and also + turned up my sleeves to help her cook. We brought fresh eggs also from the + farm and Her Majesty taught us how to cook them with black tea leaves. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty's cooking stoves were very peculiar. They were made of brass, + lined with bricks. They could be moved anywhere, for they had no chimneys. + Her Majesty told me to boil the eggs first until they were hard, and to + crack them but to keep the shells on, and add half a cup of black tea, + salt and spices. Her Majesty said: "I like the country life. It seems more + natural than the Court life. I am always glad to see young people having + fun, and not such grand dames when we are by ourselves. Although I am not + young any more, I am still very fond of play." Her Majesty would taste + first what we had been cooking, and would give us all to taste. She asked: + "Do you not think this food has more flavor than that prepared by the + cooks?" We all said it was fine. So we spent the long days at the Court + having good fun. + </p> + <p> + I saw Emperor Kwang Hsu every morning, and whenever I had the time he + would always ask some words in English. I was surprised to learn that he + knew quite a bit of spelling, too. I found him extremely interesting. He + had very expressive eyes. He was entirely a different person when he was + alone with us. He would laugh and tease, but as soon as he was in the + presence of Her Majesty he would look serious, and as if he were worried + to death. At times he looked stupid. I was told by a great many people who + were presented to him at the different audiences that he did not look + intelligent, and that he would never talk. I knew better, for I used to + see him every day. I was at the Court long enough to study him, and found + him to be one of the most intelligent men in China. He was a capital + diplomat and had wonderful brains, only he had no opportunities. Now a + great many people have asked me the same question, if our Emperor Kwang + Hsu had any courage or brains. Of course outsiders have no idea how strict + the law is, and the way we have to respect our parents. He was compelled + to give up a great many things on account of the law. I have had many long + talks with him and found him a wise man, with any amount of patience. His + life was not a happy one; ever since his childhood his health was poor. He + told me that he never had studied literature very much, but it came + natural to him. He was a born musician and could play any instrument + without studying. He loved the piano, and was always after me to teach + him. There were several beautiful grand pianos at the Audience Hall. He + had very good taste for foreign music, too. I taught him some easy waltzes + and he kept the time beautifully. I found him a good companion and a good + friend, and he confided in me and told me his troubles and sorrows. We + talked a great deal about western civilization, and I was surprised to + learn he was so well informed in everything. He used to tell me, time + after time, his ambitions for the welfare of his country. He loved his + people and would have done anything to help them whenever there was famine + or flood. I noticed that he felt for them. I know that some eunuchs gave + false reports about his character,—that he was cruel, etc. I had + heard the same thing before I went to the Palace. He was kind to the + eunuchs, but there was always that distinction between the master and the + servants. He would never allow the eunuchs to speak to him unless they + were spoken to, and never listened to any kind of gossip. I lived there + long enough, and I know just what kind of cruel people those eunuchs were. + They had no respect for their master. They came from the lowest class of + people from the country, had no education, no morals, no feeling for + anything, not even between themselves. The outside world has heard so many + things against His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu's character, but I + assure my readers that these things were told by the eunuchs to their + families, and of course they always stretched it out as far as possible in + order to make the conversation interesting. The majority of the people + living in Peking get all kinds of information through them. I have + witnessed the same thing many a time during my stay at the Palace. + </p> + <p> + One day during the time of Her Majesty's afternoon rest we heard a + dreadful noise. It sounded just like the firing off of fire-crackers. Such + a noise was quite unusual in the Palace for such things are not allowed to + be brought into the Palace grounds. Of course Her Majesty woke up. In a + few seconds time everyone became excited and were running to and fro as if + the building was on fire. Her Majesty was giving orders and telling the + eunuchs to be quiet, but no one listened to her and kept yelling and + running around like crazy people, all talking at the same time. Her + Majesty was furious and ordered us to bring the yellow bag to her. (I must + explain about this bag. It was made of ordinary yellow cloth and contained + bamboo sticks of all sorts and sizes and are made to beat the eunuchs, + servant girls and old women servants with.) This bag was carried + everywhere Her Majesty went, to be handy in case of emergency. Everyone of + us knew where this bag was kept. We took all the sticks from the bag and + Her Majesty ordered us to go to the courtyard and beat the eunuchs. It was + such a funny sight to see all the Court ladies and servant girls each with + a stick trying to separate the excited crowd. On my part I thought I was + having good fun so I laughed and found the rest were laughing too. Her + Majesty was standing on the veranda watching us but she was too far away + to see well and with all that noise, we knew she could not hear us + laughing. We tried our best to separate the crowd, but were laughing so + much we did not have enough strength to hurt any of them. All of a sudden + all the eunuchs became quiet and stopped talking, for one of them saw the + head eunuch, Li Lien Ying, followed by all his attendants coming towards + them. Everyone of them became frightened and stood there like statues. We + stopped laughing, too, and turned back each with a stick in our hand, + walking toward Her Majesty. Li Lien Ying was having a nap, too, and had + heard the noise and had come to enquire what the trouble was and to report + it to Her Majesty. It seemed one of the young eunuchs caught a crow. (The + eunuchs hated crows, as they are considered an unlucky bird. The people in + China called eunuchs crows because they were very disagreeable. That was + the reason why the eunuchs hated them so.) They always set traps to catch + them and then tied a huge fire-cracker to their legs, set fire to the + cracker and then set the unfortunate birds free. Naturally the poor birds + would be glad to fly away and by the time the powder exploded would be + high up in the air and the poor bird would be blown to pieces. It seemed + this was not the first time the eunuchs had played this cruel trick. I was + told it always delighted them so much to see blood and torture. They + always invited others to drink some wine with them to celebrate an + occasion such as this. This cruel deed was always done outside of the wall + of the Audience Hall but that day the crow flew towards Her Majesty's own + Palace while she was sleeping and the powder exploded while the bird was + passing the courtyard. After the head eunuch had told Her Majesty what had + happened, she was very angry and ordered that this young eunuch be brought + in and receive punishment in her presence. I noticed one of the head + eunuch's attendants push the culprit out from the crowd. The head eunuch + immediately gave orders to lay this man on the ground and two eunuchs + stood on each side of him and beat him on his legs with two heavy bamboo + sticks one at a time. The victim never uttered a word while this was going + on. The head eunuch counted until this man had received one hundred blows, + then he gave orders to stop. Then he knelt in front of Her Majesty waiting + for her orders and at the same time kowtowed on the ground until his head + made a noise on the stone steps, asking to be punished for his + carelessness and neglect of duty. Her Majesty said that it was not his + fault and ordered him to take the offender away. During all this time the + offender was still on the ground, and did not dare to move. Two eunuchs + each took hold of a foot and dragged him out of the courtyard. We were all + afraid even to breathe aloud for fear Her Majesty would say that we were + pretending to be frightened at witnessing this punishment, at the same + time when it was over we would go and gossip about how cruel she was. No + one was surprised at what had happened, as we were accustomed to seeing it + almost every day and were quite used to it. I used to pity them, but I + changed my mind very soon after I had arrived. + </p> + <p> + The first person I saw punished was a servant girl, she had made a mistake + about Her Majesty's socks and had brought two which were not mates, Her + Majesty finding that out, ordered another servant girl to slap her face + ten times on each cheek. This girl did not slap hard enough, so Her + Majesty said they were all good friends and would not obey her orders, so + she told the one who had been slapped to slap the other. I thought that + was too funny for anything and wanted to laugh the worst way, but of + course did not dare. That night I asked those two girls how they felt + slapping each other that way. The reason why I asked them was because they + were laughing and joking as usual immediately they were out of Her + Majesty's bedchamber. They told me that was nothing; that they were quite + used to it and never bothered themselves about such small things. I in + turn soon became used to it, and was as callous as they were. + </p> + <p> + Now regarding the servant girls, they are a much better class of people + than the eunuchs. They are the daughters of Manchu soldiers, and must stay + ten years at the Palace to wait upon Her Majesty, and then they are free + to marry. One got married after my first month at the Court. Her Majesty + gave her a small sum of money, five hundred taels. This girl was so + attached to Her Majesty that it was very hard for her to leave the Court. + She was an extremely clever girl. Her name was Chiu Yuen (Autumn's Cloud). + Her Majesty named her that because she was so very delicate looking and + slight. I liked her very much during the short time that we were together. + She told me not to listen to anyone's gossip at the Court, also that Her + Majesty had told her she was very fond of me. On the twenty-second day of + the third moon she left the Palace, and we were all sorry to lose her. Her + Majesty did not realize how much she missed her until after she had gone. + For a few days we had nothing but troubles. It seemed as if everything + went wrong. Her Majesty was not at all satisfied without Chiu Yuen. The + rest of the servant girls were scared, and tried their best to please Her + Majesty, but they had not the ability, so we had to help and do a part of + their work so as not to make Her Majesty nervous. Unfortunately, she + stopped us, and said: "You have enough to do of your own work, and I do + not want you to help the servants. You don't please me a bit that way." + She could see that I was not accustomed to her ways, for she had spoken + severely, so she smiled and said to me: "I know you are good to help them + so as not to make me angry, but these servants are very cunning. It isn't + that they cannot do their work. They know very well that I always select + the clever ones to wait on me in my bedroom and they don't like that, so + they pretend to be stupid and make me angry so that I will send them to do + the common work. The eunuchs are worse. They are all afraid to take Chiu + Yuen's place. Now I have found them out, and I will only keep the stupid + ones to wait on me from now." I almost laughed when I noticed that they + all looked serious for a moment. I thought these people must be really + stupid, and not lazy, but I had dealings with them every day and found + them out all right. The eunuchs don't seem to have any brains at all. They + are such queer people and have no feelings. They have the same mood all + day long—I should say they are in a cruel mood. Whenever Her Majesty + gave an order they always said "Jer" (Yes) and as soon as they got to our + waiting room they would say to each other: "What was the order? I have + forgotten all about it." Then they used to come to one of us who had + happened to be present when the order was given: "Please tell us what the + order was. I did not listen while Her Majesty was talking." We used to + laugh and make fun of them. We knew they were afraid to ask Her Majesty, + and of course we had to tell them. One of the eunuch writers had to keep + writing down the orders that had been given during the day, for Her + Majesty wanted to keep records of everything. There were twenty eunuchs + who were educated and they were excellent scholars. These had to answer + any questions which Her Majesty happened to ask them about Chinese + literature, while she had a good knowledge of it herself. I noticed that + it pleased her a great deal if anyone could not answer a question, or knew + less than she did. She took delight in laughing at them. Her Majesty was + also very fond of teasing. She knew that the Court ladies did not know + very much about literature, so she used to try it on us. We had to say + something whether it was appropriate to her questions or not, and that + would make her laugh. I was told that Her Majesty did not like anyone to + be too clever, and yet she could not bear stupid people, so I was rather + nervous, and did not know how to act for the first three weeks I was + there, but it did not take me very long to study her. She certainly + admired clever girls, but she did not like those who would show their + cleverness too much. How I won her heart was this way. Whenever I was with + her I used to fix my whole attention on her and watched her very closely + (not staring, for she hated that) and always carried out her orders + properly. I noticed another thing, and that was that whenever she wanted + anything to be brought to her, such as cigarettes, handkerchief, etc., she + would only look at the article and then look at anyone who happened to be + there at the time. (There was always a table in the room, on which + everything she needed for the day was placed.) I got so used to her habits + that after a short time I knew just what she wanted by looking at her + eyes, and I was very seldom mistaken. This pleased her a great deal. She + was strong-minded, and would always act the way she thought was right, and + had perfect confidence in herself. At times I have seen her looking very + sad. She had strong emotions, but her will was stronger. She could control + herself beautifully, and yet she liked people to sympathize with her—only + by actions, not by words, for she did not like anyone to know her + thoughts. I am sure my readers will think how hard it was to be the Court + lady of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager of China, but on the contrary I + enjoyed myself very much, as she was so interesting, and I found that she + was not at all difficult to please. + </p> + <p> + The first day of the fourth moon Her Majesty was worried over the lack of + rain. She prayed every day after the audience for ten days, without any + result. Every one of us kept very quiet. Her Majesty did not even give any + orders that day, and spoke to no one. I noticed that the eunuchs were + scared, so we went without our luncheon. I worked so hard that morning, + and was so hungry—in fact all the Court ladies were. I felt sorry + for Her Majesty. Finally she told me I could go, as she wanted to rest a + while, so we came back to our own quarters. I questioned our own eunuch + Wang as to why Her Majesty was worrying about rain, for we were having + lovely weather then, day after day. He told me that Lao Fo Yeh (Old + Buddha) was worried for the poor farmers, as all their crops were dead + without rain for so long. Wang also reminded me that it had not rained + once since I came to live at the Palace. I did not realize that it was so + long as two months and seven days, and on the other hand it seemed to me + longer than that, for the life was very nice and pleasant, and Her Majesty + was very kind to me, as if she had known me for years already. Her Majesty + took very little food at dinner that night. There was not a sound + anywhere, and everyone kept quiet. The Young Empress told us to eat as + fast as we could, which puzzled me. When we came back to our waiting room, + the Young Empress said to me that Her Majesty was very much worried for + the poor farmers and that she would pray for rain, and stop eating meat + for two or three days. That same night, before Her Majesty retired, she + gave orders that no pigs were to be slaughtered within the gates of + Peking. The reason of this was that by sacrificing ourselves by not eating + meat the Gods would have pity on us and send rain. She also gave orders + that everyone should bathe the body and wash out the mouth in order that + we might be cleansed from all impurities and be ready to fast and pray to + the Gods. Also that the Emperor should go to the temple inside the + Forbidden City, to perform a ceremony of sacrifice (called Chin Tan). He + was not to eat meat or hold converse with anyone, and to pray to the Gods + to be merciful and send rain to the poor farmers. His Majesty, the Emperor + Kwang Hsu, wore a piece of jade tablet about three inches square, engraved + "Chai Chieh" (the meaning being just like Chin Tan-not to eat meat but to + pray three times a day), both in Manchu and Chinese, and all the eunuchs + who went with the Emperor wore the same kind of tablets. The idea was that + this jade tablet was to remind one to be serious in performing the + ceremonies. + </p> + <p> + The next morning Her Majesty got up very early and ordered me not to bring + any jewels for her. She dressed herself in great haste. Her breakfast was + very simple that day, just milk and steamed bread. Our own breakfast was + cabbage and rice cooked together, with a little salt. It was tasteless. + Her Majesty did not talk to us at all, except when giving orders, and so, + of course, we kept silent. Her Majesty wore a pale gray gown, made very + plain, with no embroidery or trimmings of any kind. She wore gray shoes to + match, not to mention her gray handkerchief. We followed her into the hall + where a eunuch knelt with a large branch of willow tree. Her Majesty + picked a little bunch of leaves and stuck it on her head. The Young + Empress did the same, and told us to follow her example. Emperor Kwang Hsu + took a branch and stuck it on his hat. After that Her Majesty ordered the + eunuchs and the servant girls to do the same thing. It was a funny sight, + and everyone did look queer with a bunch of leaves on the head. The head + eunuch came and knelt in front of Her Majesty and said that everything was + prepared for the ceremony in the little pavilion in front of her own + palace. She told us that she preferred to walk, as she was going to pray. + It took us only a few minutes to cross the courtyard. When we arrived at + this pavilion I noticed a large square table was placed in the center of + the room. A few large sheets of yellow paper and a jade slab, containing + some vermilion powder instead of ink, with two little brushes to write + with. At each side of the table stood a pair of large porcelain vases, + with two large branches of willow. Of course no one was allowed to speak, + but I was curious and wanted to find out why everyone had to wear the + willow leaves on the head. Her Majesty's yellow satin cushion was placed + in front of this table. She stood there and took a piece of sandalwood and + placed it in the incense burner filled with live charcoal. The Young + Empress whispered to me to go over and help Her Majesty to burn them. I + placed several pieces in until she told me that was enough. Then Her + Majesty knelt on her cushion, the Young Empress knelt behind her, and we + all knelt in a row behind the Young Empress, and commenced to pray. The + Young Empress taught us that very morning how to say the prayer: "We + worship the Heavens, and beg all the Buddhas to take pity on us and save + the poor farmers from starving. We are willing to sacrifice for them. Pray + Heaven send us rain." We repeated the same prayer three times, and bowed + three times—nine times in all. After that Her Majesty went to her + usual morning audience. It was much earlier than usual that morning for + the Court was returning to the Forbidden City at noon. His Majesty, the + Emperor Kwang Hsu, was to pray at the Forbidden City and Her Majesty + always wanted to accompany him wherever he went. It was nine o'clock in + the morning when the audience was over. She ordered me not to bring any + jewels for her to the Forbidden City this time, for she would not need + them at all. I went to the jewel-room and locked everything up, and placed + the keys in a yellow envelope, sealed it, and placed the envelope among + the others, and gave them to a eunuch who takes care of these things. We + packed all her favorite things. Her gowns were the most important things + to pack, she had so many and it was impossible to take all. I noticed that + the Court lady who was looking after her gowns was the busiest amongst us. + She had to select gowns enough to last four or five days. She told me that + she had selected about fifty different ones. I told her that Lao Tsu Tsung + might stay at the Forbidden City four or five days, and that she would not + need so many gowns. She said it was safer to bring many, for one was not + sure what would be Her Majesty's idea for the day. Packing at the Court + was very simple. Eunuchs brought many yellow trays, which are made of + wood, painted yellow, about five feet by four feet and one foot deep. We + placed a large yellow silk scarf in the tray, then the gowns, and covered + them with a thick yellow cloth. Everything was packed the same way. It + took us about two hours to pack fifty-six trays. These things always + started off first, carried by the eunuchs. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang + Hsu, the Young Empress and all the Court ladies, had to kneel on the + ground for Her Majesty's sedan chair to pass the Palace Gate, then we went + in search of our own chairs. The procession as usual was pretty, soldiers + marching in front of her chair, four young Princes riding on horseback on + each side of her, and from forty to fifty eunuchs also on horseback behind + her, all dressed in their official robes. The Emperor's chair and the + Young Empress' chair were of the same color as Her Majesty's. The + Secondary wife of the Emperor had a deep yellow chair. The chairs of the + Court ladies were red, and were carried by four chair bearers, instead of + eight like their Majesties. Our own eunuchs also rode on horseback, behind + us. We rode a long time, it seemed to me, before I noticed the Emperor's + chair begin to descend from the stone-paved road, and we all followed him. + I could see that Her Majesty's chair was still going straight on, and we + took a nearer route to reach Wan Shou Si (The long life temple), to await + Her Majesty's arrival. We alighted from our chairs and started at once to + prepare Her Majesty's tea and her little dishes. I went to help her to + alight, and supported her right arm to mount the steps. Her Majesty sat on + Her Throne, and we placed a table in front of her and my sister brought + her tea. (The custom was, that if she went anywhere, or during the + festivals, we must bring to her everything, instead of the eunuchs.) We + placed all the dainties in front of her, and then we went to rest. Her + Majesty always stopped at this temple on the way from the Summer Palace to + the Forbidden City. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER TEN—THE YOUNG EMPRESS + </h2> + <p> + I THOUGHT of so many things while I was riding in my chair. It was a + glorious day. I felt sorry for Her Majesty, for she was very quiet that + day. Generally she was happy, and made everyone laugh with her. I thought + about the branches of willow, too, but could not understand the meaning. I + came out of the hall while Her Majesty was dining with the Emperor, and + found the Young Empress sitting in a small room on the left side of the + courtyard, with several Court ladies. When they saw me they made signs for + me to go there. I found them all drinking tea, and the Young Empress said + to me, "I am sure you must be tired and hungry. Come and sit near me and + have a cup of tea." I thanked her and sat down beside her and we talked of + what we saw on the roads and how we had enjoyed our long ride. She said: + "We have still an hour's ride before we reach the Forbidden City." She + also talked about the ceremony we had performed that morning and said that + we must all pray earnestly for rain. I could not wait any longer, so I + asked her what those branches of willow meant. She smiled and told me that + willow could bring water, as the Buddhist religion believes, and that it + was an old custom of the Court wearing willow leaves, when praying for + rain. She also told me that we must perform the same ceremony every + morning until the rain came. + </p> + <p> + We heard Her Majesty talking in the courtyard, and knew that she had + finished her luncheon, so we went in with the Young Empress, and ate what + was left, as usual. I found the food very nice indeed, although it seemed + rather funny without having meat. We came out into the courtyard and saw + that Her Majesty was walking up and down. She said to us: "My legs are so + stiff, riding in the chair. I must walk a little before we leave here. Are + you all tired?" We told her that we were not tired, so she ordered us to + walk with her. It looked very funny to see us walking round and round, Her + Majesty in front, and we following her. Her Majesty turned and smiled at + us, and said: "We are just like horses taking their rounds at a stable." + It reminded me of a circus. Li Lien Ying came and knelt down, and said + that it was time for Her Majesty to depart, in order to reach the + Forbidden City at the lucky hour she had selected, so we left Wan Shou Si. + All the chairs went very fast, and after an hour's ride we came near the + Palace Gate. We followed the Emperor's chair, taking a shorter route, and + noticed the gate was wide open. His Majesty, the Emperor, and the Young + Empress' chairs went in, but we had to alight and walk in. There were + small chairs waiting for us. (As I explained before these little chairs + were carried by eunuchs, with a rope across their shoulders.) We came to + the courtyard of the Audience Hall where the Emperor and the Empress were + waiting for us. As usual His Majesty knelt in front. Behind him was the + Young Empress, and we knelt in a row behind her, waiting to welcome Her + Majesty to her Palace. She went to her room where the eunuchs had placed + everything in order long before her arrival. We held the ceremony that + afternoon and evening. After Her Majesty had retired we came back to our + rooms and found that everything was in order, our eunuchs had made up our + beds already. It was very nice to have them, for we could not do our own + work at all. I was so tired and my limbs were stiff. I immediately went to + sleep and did not realize how long I had slept until I heard someone + knocking at my window. I got up and pulled the blind away. I noticed that + the sky looked dull and thought it was clouded. I felt happy, and thought + it might rain, and so relieve Her Majesty. I got dressed in great haste, + but much to my disappointment I saw the sunshine on the opposite windows. + </p> + <p> + The Palace in the Forbidden City was so old, and built in such a queer + way. The courtyards were small, and the verandas very broad. All the rooms + were dark. No electric light. We had to use candle light. One could not + see the sky except by going into the courtyard and looking up. I found + that I had risen before the sun was up, and I was not quite awake yet, and + thought the sky was clouded. I went to Her Majesty's own Palace and found + the Young Empress already there. She was always the first and always + looked so tidy I often wondered how early she had to get up. She told me + that I was not late, although Her Majesty was awake but not up yet. I went + into her bedroom and made my usual morning courtesy to her. The first + thing she asked me was about the weather. I had to tell her the truth—that + there was no sign of rain. Her Majesty got up, dressed, and had her + breakfast as usual, and told us there would be no audience that morning. + The Emperor went to the Temple, sacrificing, and there was nothing + important to attend to. We prayed for three days in succession, but no + rain came. I found that Her Majesty was truly discouraged, and ordered + each of us to pray twenty times a day. We marked a spot with vermilion + powder and a little water on big yellow sheets of paper each time we + prayed. + </p> + <p> + On the sixth day of the fourth moon the sky was clouded. I ran to Her + Majesty's bedroom that morning to tell her the news, but found that + someone had told her already. She smiled, and said to me: "You are not the + first one to give me the good news. I know everyone of you wanted to be + the first to tell me. I feel very tired today, and wish to lie down a + little longer. You can go, and I will send for you when I am ready to get + up." When I went to search for the Young Empress I found all the Court + ladies there also. They all asked me if I had noticed the rain. We came + out of the waiting room and found that the courtyard was wet, and after a + while it rained very fast. Her Majesty got up, and we prayed as usual. + Fortunately the rain did not stop, but came pouring down all that day. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty played solitaire with the dominoes, and I stood at the back of + her chair watching her. I saw that the Young Empress and all the girls + were standing on the veranda. Her Majesty saw them, too, and said to me: + "Go and tell them to wait in the waiting room. Can't they see that the + veranda is wet?" I went to them, but before I had the opportunity of + telling them anything the Young Empress told me that the waiting room was + wet, and that the water had gone in. As I said before, this building was + very old, and there were no drains at all. Her Majesty's own Palace was + high; it had twelve steps, while our waiting room, which was on the left + side of her Palace, was built right on the ground, with no raised + foundation at all. While I was talking on the veranda just for a few + minutes, I got quite wet. Her Majesty knocked at her glass window and told + us to go in. Now I must explain that none of us, not even the Young + Empress could enter Her Majesty's Palace without her orders except we had + work to do there, or were on duty. Her Majesty was very happy that day. + She laughed and said that we looked as if we had just been pulled out of + the lake. The Young Empress had on a pale blue gown, and the red tassel on + her headdress was dripping red water all over her gown. She smiled and + said to us: "Look at those girls; their gowns are all spoiled." While we + were talking, Her Majesty gave us orders for us to change our clothes. + </p> + <p> + After they had gone, I went back to Her Majesty. She looked at me and + said: "You are wet also, only your clothes do not show." I had on a + cashmere dress which was made very plain. She touched my arm and said: + "How wet you are. You had better change, and put on a thick dress. I think + foreign clothes must be very uncomfortable; the waist is too small and it + seems to me out of proportion to the rest of the body. I am sure that you + will look much prettier in our Manchu gown. I want you to change and put + your Parisian clothes away as souvenirs. I only wanted to know how foreign + ladies dressed and now I have seen enough. The Dragon Boat Festival will + be here next month and I will make some pretty gowns for you." I thanked + her by kowtowing to the ground and told her that I would be only too + pleased to change into Manchu clothes, but having lived so many years + abroad, and having always worn foreign clothes, I had not had any made. We + were planning to change into Manchu gowns before coming to the Court, but + we had received orders that Lao Tsu Tsung wished to see us in foreign + clothes. I was very glad when I received that order as there were several + reasons why I wanted to wear Manchu gowns. First, the Court ladies at the + beginning treated us as outsiders. Secondly, I knew that Her Majesty did + not like them, and besides, we were very uncomfortable living at the + Palace in Peking, and made up our minds that we must wear Manchu clothes, + which were made for it. We had so much work to do, and having to stand + most of the time one absolutely needed loose garments. Her Majesty ordered + one of the eunuchs to bring one of her dresses for me to try on, so I went + back to my own room, and took off my wet clothes and changed. I tried on + her gown, but it was too loose for me. The length was quite all right and + so were the sleeves. Her Majesty told one of the eunuch writers to write + down my measurements in order to have a gown made for me, and said she was + sure it would fit me. She did the same thing for my mother and sister, and + ordered our gowns to be made at once. I knew she was pleased, as she told + me what color would suit me the best. She said that I should always wear + pink and pale blue, for they suited, and were her favorite colors, too. + She also talked about our headdress, and ordered some made the same as + worn by the other Court ladies. She said to me: "I know you can wear my + shoes, for I tried yours on the first day you came, don't you remember? I + must select a lucky day for you to become a Manchu once more," she said + this with a smile, "and no more foreign clothes after that." She took her + special book for lucky days and hours, and studied it a little while, then + she said the eighteenth of that month was the best. Li Lien Ying, the head + eunuch knew how to please Her Majesty, and said he would give orders to + have everything ready for us at that time. Her Majesty told us the way we + must have our hair dressed, and what kind of flowers we should wear, in + fact she was very happy arranging to make us into Manchus. A short while + after she dismissed us for the day. It rained for three days without + stopping. The last day the Emperor came back, and all ceremonies ceased. + Her Majesty never liked to stay in the Forbidden City, and I was not a bit + surprised, as I hated the place. We had to use candles to dress by, in the + morning, as the rooms were in absolute darkness even in the middle of the + afternoon. It rained so much that finally Her Majesty said she would + return to the Summer Palace the next day, whether it was raining or not, + and we were all very glad to go. + </p> + <p> + We returned to the Summer Palace on the seventh. It was a dull day, but no + rain. We packed everything in just the same way we had done when we came, + and stopped at Wan Shou Si and had our luncheon. That day we commenced to + eat meat again. I noticed that Her Majesty enjoyed her meal very much. She + asked me if I liked the food without meat, and I told her that everything + was nicely done and that I enjoyed the food very much, although without + meat. She told me that she could not eat that kind of food and enjoy it, + and that if it were not necessary to make sacrifice she would not have + abstained. + </p> + <p> + The first garden party of the year was given by the Empress Dowager to the + ladies of the Diplomatic Corps, in the fourth moon. This year Her Majesty + desired to deviate a little from previous custom, and issued orders that + stalls should be arranged in the garden, on a similar principal to a + bazaar, on which were to be displayed curios, embroidered work, flowers, + etc., etc. These were to be given as presents to the guests. The guests + were: Mrs. Conger, wife of the American Minister, Mrs. Williams, wife of + Chinese Secretary of the American Legation, Madame and Mademoiselle de + Carcer, wife and daughter of the Spanish Minister, Madame Uchida, wife of + the Japanese Minister, and a few ladies of the Japanese Legation, Madame + Almeida, wife of the Portuguese Charge d' Affaires, Madame Cannes, wife of + the Secretary of the French Legation, the wives of several French + Officers, Lady Susan Townley, wife of the First Secretary of the British + Legation, two ladies from the German Legation, wives of German Officers, + and wives of a few Customs Officials. On this occasion Her Majesty + selected a most beautiful gown of peacock blue, embroidered all over with + phoenix. The embroidery was raised and each phoenix had a string of pearls + two inches long sewed into its mouth. Whenever Her Majesty stirred, these + strings of tiny pearls moved forwards and backwards and it made a very + pretty effect. Of course, she wore her jade phoenix on her hair as usual + and shoes and handkerchief embroidered with the same pattern. My mother + wore a lavender silk gown, trimmed with silver braid, her hat was of the + same shade with plumes to match. My sister and myself wore pale blue + Chinese silk gowns with insertion and medallions of Irish crochet and + trimmed with tiny velvet bands. We wore blue hats with large pink roses. + All the Court ladies dressed in their most picturesque gowns and it was a + very pretty sight to see the procession walking to the Audience Hall. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was in her happiest mood that morning and said to us: "I + wonder how I would look in foreign clothes; my waist is very small, but + wearing this kind of loose gown it would not show. I don't think I would + need to squeeze myself so tight, either, but I don't think there is + anything in the world prettier than our Manchu gowns." + </p> + <p> + First the guests were received in audience by Their Majesties. They were + accompanied by the Doyen, Baron Czikann, Minister for Austria, and an + interpreter from each Legation. On entering the Audience Hall all the + guests stood in line and the Doyen presented a short address to Their + Majesties. This was translated to Prince Ching, who, in turn, communicated + it to the Emperor. The Emperor made a suitable reply in Chinese which was + translated by the Doyen's interpreter. Then the Doyen mounted the steps of + the dais and shook hands with Their Majesties, the rest of the guests + being presented in turn. I was standing at the right hand of the Empress + Dowager and as each guest came forward, called out their names, and the + Legation which they represented. Her Majesty had a few words for everyone, + and when she saw a new face she would ask how long they had been in China; + whether they liked it, etc., etc. All these conversations I interpreted + for Her Majesty. As the guests finished paying their respects they passed + along and remained standing in the Hall until everybody had been + presented. + </p> + <p> + The interpreters, who did not take part in this ceremony but had remained + standing in the Hall until it was over, were then conducted by Prince + Ching to another part of the Palace, where refreshments were provided for + them. After they had gone out Their Majesties descended from the dais and + mixed with the guests. + </p> + <p> + The formal ceremony now being concluded, chairs were brought in and + everybody made themselves comfortable. Tea was brought in by the eunuchs + and after a few minutes' conversation, we all adjourned to the refreshment + room, with the exception of the Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Young + Empress and the Secondary wife. In the absence of Her Majesty, the + Imperial Princess (The Empress Dowager's adopted daughter) officiated as + hostess, Mrs. Conger sitting at her right and Madame de Carcer, wife of + the Spanish Minister, on her left. The food was all Chinese, but knives + and forks were provided for the use of the guests. During the luncheon the + Imperial Princess stood up and spoke a few words of welcome, which I + translated into English and French. After the luncheon was over we + adjourned to the garden where Their Majesties were awaiting us. A brass + band was playing European airs. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty led the way around the gardens, passing the various stalls on + the way, where the ladies would stop and admire the different articles, + which were later presented to them as souvenirs of the occasion. On + arriving at a teahouse which had been erected in the gardens, everybody + rested and partook of tea. Their Majesties then wished everybody good-bye + and the guests were then conducted to their chairs and took their + departure. + </p> + <p> + As usual, we reported to Her Majesty everything that had taken place and + how the guests had enjoyed themselves. She said: "How is it that these + foreign ladies have such large feet? Their shoes are like boats and the + funny way they walk I cannot say I admire. I haven't yet seen one + foreigner with pretty hands. Although they have white skins, their faces + are covered with white hair. Do you think they are beautiful?" I replied + that I had seen some American beauties when I was abroad. Her Majesty + said: "No matter how beautiful they are they have ugly eyes. I can't bear + that blue color, they remind me of a cat." After a few more remarks, she + ordered us to retire, saying that we must be tired. We were rather used up + and glad of an opportunity to rest, so made our courtesies and retired. + </p> + <p> + We had been at the Palace more than two months, and I had had no + opportunity to see my father at all, who was quite ill at that time. We + did not know whether we could ask leave of absence from the Court. I + received letters from my father every day, telling me to have courage, and + to do my duty. My mother asked the Young Empress if it would be correct to + ask Her Majesty for permission to go home for a day or two. The Young + Empress told us that it would be quite all right to do that, but she + thought it would be better if we could wait until after the eighth, for + there would be a feast on that day. The eighth day of the fourth moon + every year is the ceremony of eating green peas. According to the Buddhist + religion there is a hereafter which divides or grades, according to the + life that is lived on earth, that is to say, those who live good lives go + to Heaven when they die and those who are bad go to a bad place to suffer. + On this occasion Her Majesty sent to the people she liked, each a plate + containing eight peas, and we had to eat them. The Young Empress told me + that if I presented a plate of peas to Her Majesty it would please her, + which I did. This meant: "May we meet in the hereafter" (Chi Yuen Dou). + Her Majesty was very happy that day. We went to the west side of the lake + and had our luncheon there. Her Majesty talked to us about the first day + we came to the Court, and then said to mother: "I wonder if Yu Keng is any + better. When will he be able to come to the Court? I haven't seen him + since he returned from France." (My father had asked three months leave of + absence from the Court on account of his poor health.) My mother answered + and said that he was feeling better, but that his legs were still very + weak, and he could not walk much. Her Majesty then said to us: "Oh, I have + forgotten to tell you that if you wish to go home, you can ask permission. + I have been so busy lately, and forgot to remind you." We thanked her and + told her that we would like to go home and see how my father was, so she + gave orders that we should leave the Court the next day. Then she asked me + how long I would like to stay at home, and of course I knew the custom, + and told her that I was waiting for her orders: "Would two or three days + be enough?" We told her that it suited us beautifully. I was so surprised + when she mentioned it to us, and wondered if anyone had told her of our + intentions, or if Her Majesty was a mind reader. + </p> + <p> + When she retired that afternoon I went to see the Young Empress, who was + always very nice and kind, and asked me to sit near her. Her eunuch + brought me a cup of tea. Her rooms were furnished exactly the same as Her + Majesty's, but everything looked extremely dainty, and showed very good + taste. We talked about the life at the Palace for a long time, and she + told me that she was very fond of us, and so was Her Majesty. I told her + that Her Majesty had mentioned to us about going home for two or three + days and that I was surprised to see how thoughtful she was. She said that + someone had reminded Her Majesty to let us go home, for we had been at the + Court for more than two months. I found out afterwards that it was the + head eunuch Li who had heard that we were anxious to go. The Young Empress + said to me: "I want to teach you to be wise, that is, you are ordered to + leave the Court to-morrow, but Her Majesty did not mention any particular + hour. You must not talk about it to anyone, and don't show that you are + excited to go home. Don't dress as if you are going out to-morrow, but be + natural and do your work as if you don't care about going at all. Don't + you remind her, in case she forgets to tell you to go, and come back on + the second day, which is the custom. It will show that you are anxious to + see Her Majesty, so you come back one day earlier than the appointed + time." I was so happy to get this information and asked her if it would be + all right to bring Her Majesty some presents when we returned to the + Court. She said that was just the proper thing to do. The next day we did + the same work, and went to the Audience Hall with Her Majesty, as usual. + After the audience was over Her Majesty ordered her luncheon to be served + at the country teahouse. This teahouse was built in country style, and + right on top of her peony mountain, with bamboo and straw, and all the + furniture was made of bamboo also. They were beautifully made, and the + frames of the windows were carved into a line of characters—Shou + (long life), and butterflies, with pink silk curtain hangings. At the rear + of this exquisite little building was a bamboo shade, with railings all + around, hung with red silk lanterns. The seats were built against the + railings, so that one could sit on them comfortably. This was supposed to + be used by the Court ladies as their waiting room. We played dice with Her + Majesty when luncheon was over. We played a very long time, and I won the + game that day. Her Majesty laughed and said to me: "You have luck to-day. + I think you are so happy to go home that your fairies have helped you to + win the game." As I mentioned before, this game was called "Eight Fairies + Going across the Sea." "I think it is time for you to go now." While + saying this she turned and asked one of the eunuchs what the time was, and + he answered that it was half-past two. We kowtowed to Her Majesty, and + stood waiting for more orders. Then she said: "I am sorry to see you go + although I know you are coming back within two or three days. I know I + shall miss you." To my mother she said: "Tell Yu Keng to take care of his + health and get well soon. I have ordered four eunuchs to accompany you, + and am sending some of my own rice for him." We had to kowtow again in + thanking Her Majesty for her kindness and finally she said: "Nemen tzowba" + (you can go now). + </p> + <p> + We withdrew, and found the Young Empress on the veranda. We courtesied to + her, and said good-bye to the Court ladies and came to our rooms to get + ready to start. Our eunuchs were very good, and had everything packed up + ready for us. We gave ten taels to each of our eunuchs, for that was the + custom, and gave four taels to each chair bearer of the Palace. When we + arrived at the Palace Gate our own chairs were waiting for us. We said + good-bye to our eunuchs. Strange to say they seemed attached to us and + told us to come back soon. The four eunuchs ordered by Her Majesty to see + us home were there, and as soon as we got into our chairs I saw them + riding on horseback beside us. It seemed to me just like a dream the two + months I had spent at the Court, and I must say I felt very sorry to leave + Her Majesty, but at the same time I wanted very much to see my father. We + got home after a two hours' ride, and found him looking much better, and + one can imagine how happy he was to see us. The four eunuchs came into our + parlor, and placed the yellow bag of rice on the table. My father thanked + Her Majesty by kowtowing to the ground. We gave these eunuchs each a + little present, and they departed. + </p> + <p> + I told my father about my life at the Palace, and how very kind Her + Majesty was to me. He asked me if I could influence Her Majesty to reform + some day, and hoped he would live to see it. Somehow or other I had the + idea that I could and promised him that I would try my best. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty sent two eunuchs to see us the next morning, and also sent us + food and fruits. They told us that Her Majesty missed us, and had told + them to ask if we missed her. We told these eunuchs that we were returning + to the Court the next day. We stayed at home only two days and a great + many people came to see us, and kept us busy all the time. My father + suggested that we should start from the house at about 3:00 A. M., so as + to get to the Summer Palace before Her Majesty was up. We left our house + at 3:00 A. M. in total darkness, just like we had two months before. What + a change. I thought I was the happiest girl in the world. I was told by + many people, especially by the Young Empress, that Her Majesty was + extremely fond of me. I had also heard that she did not care for young + people at all. Although I was happy, I noticed that some of the Court + ladies did not like me, and they made me uncomfortable on many occasions + by not telling me just the way Her Majesty wanted the work to be done. + They smiled to each other whenever Her Majesty was saying to my mother + that she liked me, and that I was always careful in doing anything that + pleased her. I knew I was going to see those people again. However, I made + up my mind to fight my battles alone. I only wished to be useful to Her + Majesty, and would not take any notice of them. + </p> + <p> + It was a little after five o'clock when we reached the Summer Palace. Our + own eunuchs were very happy to see us again and told us that Her Majesty + was not up yet and that we had time to go to our rooms, where they had + some breakfast prepared for us. We went to see the Young Empress first, + and found she was ready to go to Her Majesty's Palace. She was also very + glad to see us, and told us that our Manchu costumes were all ready, and + that she had seen them and they were perfectly lovely. We were very + hungry, and enjoyed our breakfast immensely. After that we went to see Her + Majesty. She was awake, so we went into her bedroom. We greeted her the + same way that we did every morning, and kowtowed to her and thanked her + for all the things she had sent us while we were at home. She sat up on + the bed, smiled, and said: "Are you glad to come back? I know everyone who + comes to me and stays for a while does not like to go away from here any + more. I am glad to see you (to my mother). How is Yu Keng?" My mother told + her that my father was much better. She asked us what we did for those two + days, staying at home. She also wanted to know whether we still remembered + which day she had chosen for us to change into our Manchu costume. We told + her we knew the date, and were looking forward to it. The eunuchs brought + in three large yellow trays, full of beautiful gowns, shoes, white silk + socks, handkerchiefs, bags for nuts, in fact the whole set, including the + gu'un dzan (Manchu headdress). We kowtowed to her, and told her we were + very much pleased with everything she had given us. Her Majesty told the + eunuchs to bring everything out for us to see. She said to us: "You see I + give you one full official dress, one set of Chao Chu (amber heads), two + embroidered gowns, four ordinary gowns for everyday wear, and two gowns + for Chi Chen wear (the anniversary of the death of an Emperor or Empress), + one sky blue, the other mauve, with very little trimming. I also have a + lot of underwear for you." I was excited and told Her Majesty that I would + like to commence to dress up at once. She smiled, and said: "You must wait + until the day comes, the lucky day I have selected for you. You must try + to fix your hair first, which is the most difficult thing to do. Ask the + Young Empress to teach you." Although she told me to wait, I knew she was + pleased to see that I showed so much enthusiasm. She asked me the first + day when we came to the Court why my hair was so curly. I showed her that + I curled it with paper, and she teased me ever afterwards. She also said + that I could not pull my hair straight in time to wear Manchu clothes, + that everyone would laugh at me, and how ugly I would look. That night one + Court lady came over to me while I was sitting on the veranda and said: "I + wonder if you will look nice in Manchu dress?" I told her I only wanted to + look natural. "You have lived so many years abroad we consider you are a + foreigner to us." I told her that as long as Her Majesty considered I was + one of her own, I would be satisfied and that she need not worry herself + about me. I knew they were jealous of us, so I went in search of the Young + Empress and left this girl alone. We were talking with the Young Empress + in the waiting room, and this girl came in and sat near me, smiling to + herself most of the time. One of the servant girls was fixing some fresh + flowers for Her Majesty. She looked at her and asked her why she was + smiling. The Young Empress saw, and asked her the same question. She would + not answer, but kept on smiling all the time. At this moment a eunuch came + and said that Her Majesty wanted me. I afterwards tried to find out what + she had told the Young Empress but could not. Several days passed very + quietly. Her Majesty was happy, and so was I. One day the Young Empress + reminded us that we should make all preparations in order to be able to + dress ourselves properly on the eighteenth, as the time was getting short—only + two days left. That night, after Her Majesty had retired, I went to my own + room and fixed my headdress on and went to see the Young Empress. She said + that I looked very nice, and that she was sure Her Majesty would like me + better in Manchu costume. I told her that I used to wear Manchu dress when + I was a little girl, before we went to Europe, and of course I knew how to + put it on. I also told her that I could not understand why these girls + looked upon me as a foreigner. She said that they only showed their + ignorance, and that they were jealous of me and I should not pay any + attention to them at all. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER ELEVEN—OUR COSTUMES + </h2> + <p> + THE next day we got up earlier than usual and dressed ourselves in our new + gowns. I could not believe my own eyes, and asked several times whether + that was myself or not. I found that I looked all right, although I hadn't + been wearing this sort of costume for so long. They seemed to think that + we would look awkward. Our own eunuchs were delighted to see us dressed + that way. The Young Empress came in while passing our rooms on her way to + the Empress Dowager's Palace, and waited for us to go with her. When we + arrived at the waiting room a lot of people came in and looked at us, and + talked so much about us, that it made me feel rather shy. Everyone told us + that we looked much better that way than in foreign clothes, except the + Emperor Kwang Hsu. He said to me: "I think your Parisian gowns are far + prettier than this." I smiled and said nothing. He shook his head at me, + and went into Her Majesty's bedroom. Li Lien Ying came and saw us, and was + very much excited and told me to go and see Her Majesty at once. I told + him that everyone was looking at us, as if we were curios. He said: "You + don't know how nice you look now, and I wish that you would not wear + foreign clothes at all." Her Majesty laughed so loud when she saw us that + it made me uncomfortable, for I was afraid we looked unnatural to her. She + said: "I cannot believe you are the same girls. Just look at yourselves in + this looking-glass." She pointed to a large mirror in her room. "See how + you have changed. I feel that you belong to me now. I must have some more + gowns made for you." Then Li Lien Ying said that the twenty-fourth would + be the first day of the Summer. On that day everyone would begin to wear + jade hairpins instead of gold, and we had none. Her Majesty said to Li: "I + am very glad you told me that. I must give them each a jade hairpin after + having asked them to change into Manchu dress." Li went away and came back + with a box of hairpins of pure green jade. Her Majesty took a beautiful + one and handed it to my mother and told her that that pin had been worn by + three Empresses. She took two very nice ones, and gave one to me and one + to my sister. She told us that these two were a pair, and that the other + Empress Dowager (the East Empress Dowager) used to wear one, and that the + other was worn by herself when she was young. I felt ashamed that Her + Majesty had given us so many presents and I had done nothing for her in + any way. However, we thanked her most sincerely, and showed our + appreciation. She said: "I look upon you as my own people, and the gowns I + have made for you are the very best. I have also decided to let you wear + the full Court dress, the same as one of the Princesses. You are my Court + lady, so you are equally ranked here." Li stood there behind her and made + a sign to us to kowtow to her. I cannot remember how many times I kowtowed + that day. The headdress was very heavy, and I was not quite used to it; I + was afraid it might fall off. Her Majesty also said that she would make + our rank known to the Court on her seventieth birthday. I will explain + this. On every decade from the time of her birth Her Majesty used to give + special favors to anyone she liked, or to anyone who had done something + for her, and had been useful to her. She could promote anyone at any time, + but on these occasions it was something special. The Young Empress + congratulated us, and said that Her Majesty was looking for a young Prince + to marry me. She was also very fond of teasing. I wrote to my father about + all the favors that had been given to me. He wrote me he hoped that I + deserved them all, and that I must do all I could to be useful and loyal + to Her Majesty as long as she lived. + </p> + <p> + I was very happy. Life was perfectly lovely at the Palace. Her Majesty was + always nice and kind. I noticed the difference in the way she had treated + us since (as she said) we had become Manchus once more. One day Her + Majesty asked me while we were sailing on the lake in the moonlight, if I + wanted to go to Europe any more. It was a superb night, and several boats + were sailing behind us. In one boat several eunuchs were playing a kind of + sweet music on the flute and an instrument very much like the mandolin, + called Yeuh Chin (small harp, like the shape of the moon), with Her + Majesty singing very softly to herself. I told her I was satisfied to be + with her, and did not wish to go anywhere at all. She said that I must + learn to sing poetry and that she would teach me every day. I told her + that my father had made me study all kinds of poetry and I had composed + some myself. She looked surprised and said: "Why didn't you tell me that + before? I love poems. You must read to me sometimes. I have many books + here containing poems of different dynasties." I told her that my + knowledge of Chinese literature was very limited, and I dared not let her + see how little I knew. I had only studied eight years. Her Majesty told me + that the Young Empress and herself were the only ones who were familiar + with Chinese literature at the Court. She told me that she tried to teach + the Court ladies to read and write some time ago, but having found them so + lazy she gave them up. My father told me to be very careful not to show + them what I could do until I was asked, so I kept it to myself. After they + found this out, some of the Court ladies were very disagreeable to me, and + this went on day after day. + </p> + <p> + Except for this unpleasantness the fourth moon passed very agreeably. The + first day of the fifth moon was a busy day for us all, as from the first + to the fifth of the fifth moon was the festival of five poisonous insects, + which I will explain later—also called the Dragon Boat Festival. All + the Viceroys, Governors and high officials, besides the Imperial Family, + Court ladies and eunuchs, all offer Her Majesty beautiful presents. I + never saw such a lot of things as came into the Palace during this + festival. Each person who sent in presents must accompany them with a + sheet of yellow paper, and at the right lower corner the sender's name + must be written and also the word Kuai Jin, meaning to present their gifts + kneeling, also to write what the presents were. The eunuchs took big + yellow trays to bring them in. During these five days everyone was busy, + especially the eunuchs. I could not count just how many people sent + presents to Her Majesty. The presents were of every kind, such as things + for the household; silks and jewelry of all kinds and description. A large + part of the presents were foreign goods of the ordinary kind. I also saw + lovely carved thrones and embroideries. Her Majesty ordered them to be put + away, and the foreign things to be kept in her Palace, for those were new + to her. + </p> + <p> + The third day of the fifth moon was the day for just the people of the + Palace to make presents. It was a most beautiful sight to see. We were + busy all night making preparations, and had to go and help the Young + Empress. The next morning we placed our presents in the big courtyard in + these big yellow trays. The Young Empress had her trays in the first row. + The presents from the Young Empress to the Empress Dowager were made by + her own hands. There were ten pairs of shoes, silk embroidered + handkerchiefs, little bags for betel nuts, and bags for tobacco, all + exquisitely done. The Secondary wife of the Emperor Kwang Hsu presented + about the same to Her Majesty. The Court ladies' presents were all + different, as we could ask permission to go out shopping before the Feast. + We could not go out together, for one or two of us must be there at all + times, and it was very exciting to tell each other what we had bought. We + ourselves did not ask permission to go out of the Palace, for we had our + presents ready long before. Everyone seemed to be talking about presents, + whether Her Majesty would like them or not. My mother, my sister and + myself had written to Paris to get some lovely French brocades, one set of + furniture, French Empire style. We had learned Her Majesty's taste already + during our short stay there, so including those presents we also gave her + fans, perfumes, soaps and some other French novelties. Her Majesty always + looked over everything, and noticed some of the presents were of very poor + quality, and wanted to know the sender's name. The eunuchs and servant + girls also made her good and useful presents. Her Majesty would select the + articles she liked the best, and order the rest to be put away, and she + might never see them again. I must say that Her Majesty liked and admired + some foreign things very much, she especially loved the French fancy + brocades, for she was making new gowns almost every day. She was also + pleased with soaps and powder that would beautify the skin. She always + thanked us in a very nice way and said how very thoughtful we were in + selecting beautiful articles for her. Her Majesty would also say something + nice to the eunuchs and girls, and that made everyone feel pleased. + </p> + <p> + The fourth day of the fifth moon was the day that Her Majesty gave + presents to us all, the different Princes, high officials, servant girls + and eunuchs. Her memory was something extraordinary, for she could + remember every one of the presents that had been given to her the day + before, and the names of the givers also. That was a busy day for us. Her + Majesty gave people presents according to the way they gave her. We had + yellow sheets of paper and wrote out the names of those to whom she wished + to give. That day Her Majesty was very angry with one of the wives of a + certain Prince because her presents were the poorest. Her Majesty told me + to keep that tray in her room and said she would go over them and see what + they were. I knew she was not pleased, for she had a telltale face. She + told us to measure the silks and ribbons in that tray, and leave it in the + hall. The ribbons were all of different lengths, all too short to trim a + gown, and the dress materials were not of good quality. Her Majesty said + to me: "Now you look for yourself. Are these good presents? I know very + well all these things were given to them by other people and they of + course would select the best for themselves, and give me what was left. + They know they are obliged to send me something. I am surprised to see how + careless they are. Probably they thought as I receive so many presents I + would not notice. They are mistaken, for I notice the poorest the first, + in fact I can remember everything. I can see those who gave me things in + order to please me, and those who gave because they were obliged to. I + will return them the same way." She gave the Court ladies each a beautiful + embroidered gown and a few hundred taels, the same to the Young Empress + and the Secondary wife. The presents which she gave us were a little + different, consisting of two embroidered gowns, several simple ones, + jackets and sleeveless jackets, shoes, and flowers for the Manchu + headdress. She said that we had not so many gowns, and instead of giving + us the money, she had things made for us. Besides that, she gave me a pair + of very pretty earrings, but none to my sister, for she noticed that I had + a pair of ordinary gold earrings, while my sister had a pair set with + pearls and jade. Her Majesty said to my mother: "Yu Tai Tai. I can see you + love one daughter better than the other. Roonling has such pretty earrings + and poor Derling has none." Before my mother could answer her she had + turned to me while I was standing at the back of her chair: "I will have a + nice pair made for you. You are mine now." My mother told her that I did + not like to wear heavy earrings. Her Majesty laughed and said: "Never + mind, she is mine now, and I will give her everything she needs. You have + nothing to do with her." The earrings she gave me were very heavy. Her + Majesty said that if I would wear them every day I would get used to them, + and so it proved that after some time I thought nothing of it. + </p> + <p> + Now about this Feast. It is also called the Dragon Boat Feast. The fifth + of the fifth moon at noon was the most poisonous hour for the poisonous + insects, and reptiles such as frogs, lizards, snakes, hide themselves in + the mud, for that hour they are paralyzed. Some medical men search for + them at that hour and place them in jars, and when they are dried, + sometime use them as medicine. Her Majesty told me this, so that day I + went all over everywhere and dug into the ground, but found nothing. The + usual custom was that at noon Her Majesty took a small cup filled with + spirits of wine, and added a kind of yellow powder (something like + sulphur). She took a small brush and dipped it into the cup and made a few + spots of this yellow paint under our nostrils and ears. This was to + prevent any insects from crawling on us during the coming summer. The + reason why it was also called the Dragon Boat Festival was because at the + time of the Chou Dynasty the country was divided into several parts. Each + place had a ruler. The Emperor Chou had a Prime Minister named Chi Yuan, + who advised him to make alliance with the other six countries, but the + Emperor refused, and Chi Yuan thought that the country would be taken by + others in the near future. He could not influence the Emperor, so he made + up his mind to commit suicide and jumped into the river, taking a large + piece of stone with him. This happened on the fifth day of the fifth moon, + so the year afterwards, the Emperor got into a Dragon boat to worship his + soul, and throw rice cakes, called Tzu Tsi, into the river. On that day + the people have celebrated this feast ever since. At the Palace the + theatre played first this history, which was very interesting, and also + played the insects trying to hide themselves before the most poisonous + hour arrived. On that day we all wore tiger shoes, the front part of which + was made of a tiger's head, with little tigers made of yellow silk to wear + on the headdress. These tigers were only for the children to wear, and + signified that they would be as strong as a tiger, but Her Majesty wanted + us to wear them also. The wives of the Manchu officials came to the Court, + and when they saw us they laughed at us. We told them it was by Her + Majesty's orders. + </p> + <p> + A register recording the birthdays of all the Court ladies was kept by the + head eunuch, and a few days before my own birthday came around, the tenth + day of the fifth moon, he informed me that the custom of the Court was to + make a present to Her Majesty and said that the present should take the + form of fruit, cakes, etc., so I ordered eight boxes of different kinds. + </p> + <p> + Early in the morning I put on full Court dress, and made myself look as + nice as possible and went to wish Her Majesty good morning. When she had + finished dressing, the eunuchs brought in the presents and, kneeling, I + presented them to Her Majesty, bowing to the ground nine times. She + thanked me and wished me a happy birthday. She then made me a present of a + pair of sandalwood bracelets, beautifully carved, also a few rolls of + brocade silk. She also informed me that she had ordered some macaroni in + honor of my birthday. This macaroni is called (Chang Shou Me'en) long life + macaroni. This was the custom. I again bowed and thanked her for her + kindness and thoughtfulness. After bowing to the Young Empress and + receiving in return two pairs of shoes and several embroidered neckties, I + returned to my room, where I found presents from all the Court ladies. + </p> + <p> + Altogether I had a very happy birthday. + </p> + <p> + I can never forget the fifteenth day of the fifth moon as long as I live, + for that was a bad day for everyone. As usual we went to Her Majesty's + bedroom quite early that morning. She could not get up and complained that + her back ached so much. We rubbed her back, in turns, and finally she got + up, though a little late. She was not satisfied. The Emperor came in and + knelt down to wish her good morning, but she scarcely took any notice of + him. I noticed that when the Emperor saw that Her Majesty was not well, he + said very little to her. The eunuch who dressed her hair every morning was + ill, and had ordered another one to help her. Her Majesty told us to watch + him very closely to see that he did not pull her hair off. She could not + bear to see even one or two hairs fall out. This eunuch was not used to + trickery, for instance, in case the hair was falling off, he could not + hide it like the other one did. This poor man did not know what to do with + any that came out. He was frightened, and Her Majesty, seeing him through + the mirror, asked him whether he had pulled her hair out. He said that he + had. This made her furious, and she told him to replace it. I almost + laughed, but the eunuch was very much frightened and started to cry. Her + Majesty ordered him to leave the room, and said she would punish him + later. We helped her to fix up her hair. I must say it was not an easy + job, for she had very long hair and it was difficult to comb. + </p> + <p> + She went to the morning audience, as usual, and after that she told the + head eunuch what had happened. This Li was indeed a bad and cruel man, and + said: "Why not beat him to death?" Immediately she ordered Li to take this + man to his own quarters to receive punishment. Then Her Majesty said the + food was bad, and ordered the cooks to be punished also. They told me that + whenever Her Majesty was angry everything went wrong, so I was not + surprised that so many things happened that day. Her Majesty said that we + all looked too vain with our hair too low down at the back of the head. + (This Manchu headdress is placed right in the center of one's head and the + back part is called the swallow's tail, and must reach the bottom part of + one's collar.) We had our hair done up the same way every day, and she had + previously never said a word about it. She looked at us, and said: "Now I + am going to the audience, and don't need you all here. Go back to your + rooms and fix your hair all over again. If I ever see you all like that + again I am going to cut your hair off." I was never more surprised in my + life when I heard her speak so sharply to us. I don't know whether I was + spoken to or not, but I thought it well to be wise, and I answered I + would. We were all ready to go and Her Majesty stood there watching us. + When we were about five or six feet away we heard her scolding Chun Shou + (the girl who was neither a Court lady nor a servant). Her Majesty said + she was pretending she was all right, and Her Majesty ordered her to go + also. When we were walking towards our own place, some of them laughed at + Chun Shou, which made her angry. When Her Majesty was angry with anyone, + she would say that we were all doing something on purpose to make her + angry. I must say that everyone of us was scared, and wondered who would + have dared to do that. On the contrary, we tried our best to please her in + every way. + </p> + <p> + But that day she was furious all day and I tried to stay away from her. I + noticed some of the eunuchs went to her to ask questions concerning + important matters, but she would not look at them, but kept on reading her + book. To tell the truth, I felt miserable that day. At the beginning I + thought all the eunuchs were faithful servants, but seeing them every day, + I got to know them. It did not do them any harm to be punished once in a + while. + </p> + <p> + The Young Empress told me to go in and wait on Her Majesty as usual. She + said that probably if I would suggest playing dice with her, she might + forget her troubles. At first I did not want to go, for I was afraid that + she might say something to me, but seeing that the poor Young Empress + spoke to me so nicely, I told her I would try. When I entered Her + Majesty's sitting room I found her reading a book. She looked at me and + said: "Come over here, I would like to tell you something. You know these + people at the Palace are no good and I don't like them at all. I don't + want them to poison your ears by telling you how wicked I am. Don't talk + to them. You must not fix your hair too low down at the back of your head. + I was not angry with you this morning. I know you are different. Don't let + them influence you. I want you to be on my side, and do as I tell you." + Her Majesty spoke very kindly to me, and her face changed also—not + at all the same face she had that morning. Of course I promised her that I + would be only too happy to do all I could to please her. She spoke to me + just like a good mother would speak to a dear child. I changed my opinion + and thought that perhaps after all she was right, but I had often heard + from the officials that one cannot be good to a eunuch, as he would do all + he could to injure you without any reason whatsoever. + </p> + <p> + I noticed that day they all seemed to be more careful in doing their work. + I was told that when once Her Majesty got angry, she would never finish. + On the contrary, she talked to me very nicely, just as if there had been + no troubles at all. She was not difficult to wait upon, only one had to + watch her moods. I thought how fascinating she was, and I had already + forgotten that she had been angry. She seemed to have guessed what I was + thinking, and said: "I can make people hate me worse than poison, and can + also make them love me. I have that power." I thought she was right there. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER TWELVE—THE EMPRESS AND MRS. CONGER + </h2> + <p> + ON the twenty-sixth day of the fifth moon, during the morning audience, + Prince Ching told Her Majesty that Mrs. Conger, the wife of the American + Minister to Peking, had asked for a private audience, and would Her + Majesty please mention a day. She told him not to give any answer until + the next day, just to give her time to think it over. I was sitting behind + the large screen, listening, but the other Court ladies made too much + noise, so Her Majesty ordered them not to say a word during audience. I + was very glad myself, because I could listen to some of the interesting + conversations between the Empress Dowager and her Ministers. After the + audience, Her Majesty ordered her lunch to be served on the top of the + hill at Pai Yuen Dien (Spreading Cloud Pavilion). She said that she + preferred to walk, so we followed her very slowly. To get to this place we + had to mount two hundred and seventy-two steps, besides ten minutes' + climbing over rough stones. She did not seem to mind the climbing part at + all. It was the funniest thing to see two little eunuchs on either side, + to support her arms, trying to keep pace with her. I noticed that she was + very much preoccupied, and did not speak to any of us. When we arrived at + our destination we were very tired and quite exhausted. Her Majesty, who + was a good walker herself, laughed at us. She was always very much pleased + when she excelled in games of skill or endurance. She said: "You see I am + old, and can walk much faster than you young people. You are all no use. + What is the matter with you?" Her Majesty was very fond of receiving + compliments. I had been there long enough to know and had learned to say + things which would please her. She also hated anyone to pay her + compliments at the wrong moment, so one had to be very careful even in + paying her compliments. + </p> + <p> + This "spreading cloud" pavilion was a beautiful Palace. It had an open + space in front of the building, just like one of the courtyards, with pink + and white oleanders all over the place. There was a porcelain table and + several porcelain stools. Her Majesty sat on her own yellow satin stool + and was drinking her tea in silence. It was very windy that day, although + the sky was blue with warm sunshine. Her Majesty sat there just for a few + minutes, and then said it was too windy and went into the building. I was + more than glad to go in, too, and whispered to the Young Empress that I + thought the wind might blow off my headdress. The eunuchs brought the + luncheon and placed everything upon the table. The Young Empress made a + sign for us to follow her, which we did. When we came to the back veranda + we sat down on the window seats. I will explain about these seats. All the + windows were built low at the Palace, and on the veranda there was + something like a bench built along the window, about a foot wide. There + were no chairs to be seen excepting Her Majesty's thrones. The Young + Empress asked me whether I had noticed that Her Majesty had something on + her mind. I told her that perhaps she was thinking about the private + audience which Prince Ching had mentioned that morning. She said that I + had guessed right, and asked: "Do you know anything about this audience? + When will it take place?" I said that Her Majesty had not yet given her + answer. + </p> + <p> + By this time Her Majesty had finished eating and was walking up and down + the room, watching us eating. She came over to my mother and said: "I am + just wondering why Mrs. Conger asks for a private audience. Perhaps she + has something to say to me. I would like to know just what it is so I can + prepare an answer." My mother said that probably Mrs. Conger had someone + visiting her who wished to be presented to Her Majesty. "No, it can't be + that, because they must give the list of names of those who wish to come + to the Palace. I don't mind the formal audiences, but I don't think that I + should have private ones at all. I don't like to be questioned, as you all + know. The foreigners are, of course, very nice and polite, according to + their own way, but they cannot compare with us, so far as etiquette is + concerned. I may be conservative in saying that I admire our custom and + will not change it as long as I live. You see our people are taught to be + polite from their earliest childhood, and just look back at the oldest + teachings and compare them with the new. People seem to like the latter + the best. I mean that the new idea is to be Christians, to chop up their + Ancestral Tablets and burn them. I know many families here who have broken + up because of the missionaries, who are always influencing the young + people to believe their religion. Now I tell you why I feel uneasy about + this audience is because we are too polite to refuse anyone who asks any + favors in person. The foreigners don't seem to understand that. I'll tell + you what I will do. Whenever they ask me anything, I'll simply tell them + that I am not my own boss, but have to consult with my Ministers; that + although I am the Empress Dowager of China, I must also obey the law. To + tell the truth, I like Madame Uchida (wife of the Japanese Minister to + Peking) very much. She is always very nice and doesn't ask any silly + questions. Of course the Japanese are very much like ourselves, not at all + forward. Last year, before you came to the Court, a missionary lady came + with Mrs. Conger, and suggested that I should establish a school for girls + at the Palace. I did not like to offend her, and said that I would take it + into consideration. Now, just imagine it for a moment. Wouldn't it be + foolish to have a school at the Palace; besides, where am I going to get + so many girls to study? I have enough to do as it is. I don't want all the + children of the Imperial family studying at my Palace." + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty laughed while she was telling us this, and everyone else + laughed, too. She said: "I am sure you will laugh. Mrs. Conger is a very + nice lady. America is always very friendly towards China, and I appreciate + their nice behavior at the Palace during the twenty-sixth year of Kwang + Hsu (1900), but I cannot say that I love the missionaries, too. Li Lien + Ying told me that these missionaries here give the Chinese a certain + medicine, and that after that they wish to become Christians, and then + they would pretend to tell the Chinese to think it over very carefully, + for they would never force anyone to believe their religion against their + own will. Missionaries also take the poor Chinese children and gouge their + eyes out, and use them as a kind of medicine." I told her that that was + not true; that I had met a great many missionaries, and that they were + very kind-hearted and willing to do anything to help the poor Chinese. I + also told her what they had done for the poor orphans—given them a + home, food and clothing; that sometimes they went into the interior and + found the blind children who might be useless to their parents, and when + they get them they have to support them. I know several cases like that. + These country people offer their deformed children to the missionaries, as + they are too poor to feed and take care of them. I told her about their + schools, and how they helped the poor people. Her Majesty then laughed, + and said: "Of course I believe what you say, but why don't these + missionaries stay in their own country and be useful to their own people?" + I thought it would be of no use for me to talk too much, but at the same + time I would like her to know of the dreadful times some of the + missionaries had in China. Some time ago, two of them were murdered at Wu + Shuih, in June, 1892 (a little below Hankow), the church being burnt down + by the mob. My father was appointed by Viceroy Chang Chih Tung to + investigate the matter. After much trouble he caught three of the + murderers and, according to the Chinese law, they were put to death by + hanging in wooden cages, and the Government paid an indemnity to the + families of the murdered missionaries. The year after, 1893, a Catholic + church was burnt down at Mar Cheng, on the Yangtse, near Ichang. The mob + said they saw many blind children at the church, who were made to work + after having their eyes gouged out. The Prefect of Ichang Province said it + was true that missionaries did get the Chinese childrens' eyes for making + medicine, so my father suggested having those blind children brought into + the Yamen and ask them. The Prefect was a most wicked man, and was very + anti-foreign also. He gave the poor children plenty of food, and taught + them to say that the missionaries did gouge their eyes out, but when they + were brought in the next day they said that the missionaries treated them + very kindly and gave them a nice home, good food and clothing. They said + they were blind long before they became Catholics, and also said that the + Prefect had taught them to say that the missionaries were cruel to them, + which was not true. The blind children begged to go back to the school and + said that they were very happy there. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty said: "That may be all right for them to help the poor and + relieve their suffering. For instance, like our great Buddha Ju Lai, who + fed the hungry birds with his own flesh. I would love them if they would + leave my people alone. Let us believe our own religion. Do you know how + the Boxer rising began? Why, the Chinese Christians were to blame. The + Boxers were treated badly by them, and wanted revenge. Of course that is + always the trouble with the low class of people. They went too far, and at + the same time thought to make themselves rich by setting fire to every + house in Peking. It made no difference whose house. They wanted to burn so + long as they could get money. These Chinese Christians are the worst + people in China. They rob the poor country people of their land and + property, and the missionaries, of course, always protect them, in order + to get a share themselves. Whenever a Chinese Christian is taken to the + Magistrate's Yamen, he is not supposed to kneel down on the ground and + obey the Chinese law, as others do, and is always very rude to his own + Government Officials. Then these missionaries do the best they can to + protect him, whether he is wrong or not, and believe everything he says + and make the magistrate set the prisoner free. Do you remember that your + father established rules in the twenty-fourth year of Kwang Hsu, how the + Chinese officials should treat the Bishops whenever they had dealings with + each other? I know the common class of people become Christians—also + those who are in trouble—but I don't believe that any of the high + officials are Christians." Her Majesty looked around and whispered: "Kang + Yue Wai (the reformer in 1898) tried to make the Emperor believe that + religion. No one shall believe as long as I live. I must say that I admire + the foreigners in some ways. For instance, their navies and armies, and + engineers, but as regards civilization I should say that China is the + first country by all means. I know that many people believe that the + Government had connections with the Boxers, but that is not true. As soon + as we found out the trouble we issued several Edicts, and ordered the + soldiers to drive them out, but they had gone too far already. I made up + my mind not to go out of the Palace at all. I am an old woman, and did not + care whether I died or not, but Prince Tuang and Duke Lan suggested that + we should go at once. They also suggested that we should go in disguise, + which made me very angry, and I refused. After the return of the Court to + Peking, I was told that many people believed that I did go in disguise, + and said that I was dressed in one of my servant's clothes, and rode in a + broken cart drawn by a mule, and that this old woman servant of mine was + dressed as the Empress Dowager, and rode in my sedan chair. I wonder who + made that story up? Of course everyone believed it, and such a story would + get to the foreigners in Peking without any trouble. + </p> + <p> + "Now to come back to the question of the Boxer Rising. How badly I was + treated by my own servants. No one seemed anxious to go with me, and a + great many ran away before the Court had any idea of leaving the Capital + at all, and those who stayed would not work, but stood around and waited + to see what was going to happen. I made up my mind to ask and see how many + would be willing to go, so I said to everyone: 'If you servants are + willing to go with me, you can do so, and those who are not willing, can + leave me.' I was very much surprised to find that there were very few + standing around listening. Only seventeen eunuchs, two old women servants + and one servant girl, that was Sho Chu. Those people said they would go + with me, no matter what happened. I had 3,000 eunuchs, but they were + nearly all gone before I had the chance of counting them. Some of the + wicked ones were even rude to me, and threw my valuable vases on the stone + floor, and smashed them. They knew that I could not punish them at that + important moment, for we were leaving. I cried very much and prayed for + our Great Ancestors' Souls to protect us. Everyone knelt with me and + prayed. The Young Empress was the only one of my family who went with me. + A certain relative of mine, whom I was very fond of, and gave her + everything she asked, refused to go with me. I knew that the reason she + would not go was because she thought the foreign soldiers would catch up + the runaway Court, and kill everyone. + </p> + <p> + "After we had been gone about seven days, I sent one eunuch back, to find + out who was still in Peking. She asked this eunuch whether there were any + foreign soldiers chasing us, and whether I was killed. Soon after the + Japanese soldiers took her Palace, and drove her out. She thought she was + going to die anyway, and as I was not yet assassinated, she might catch up + with the Court, and go with us. I could not understand how she traveled so + fast. One evening we were staying at a little country house, when she came + in with her husband, a nice man. She was telling me how much she had + missed me, and how very anxious she had been all that time to know whether + I was safe or not, and cried. I refused to listen to what she was saying + and told her plainly that I did not believe a word. From that time she was + finished for me. I had a very hard time, traveling in a sedan chair, from + early morning, before the sun rose, until dark and in the evening had to + stop at some country place. I am sure you would pity me, old as I am, that + I should have had to suffer in that way. + </p> + <p> + "The Emperor went all the way in a cart, drawn by a mule, also the + Empress. I went along, and was praying to our Great Ancestors for + protection, but the Emperor was very quiet, and never opened his mouth. + One day something happened. It rained so much and some of the chair + carriers ran away. Some of the mules died suddenly. It was very hot, and + the rain was pouring down on our heads. Five small eunuchs ran away also, + because we were obliged to punish them the night before on account of + their bad behavior to the Magistrate, who did all he could to make me + comfortable, but of course food was scarce. I heard these eunuchs + quarreling with the Magistrate, who bowed to the ground, begging them to + keep quiet, and promised them everything. I was of course very angry. + Traveling under such circumstances one ought to be satisfied that one was + provided for. + </p> + <p> + "It took us more than a month before we reached Shi An. I cannot tell you + how fatigued I was, and was of course worrying very much, which made me + quite ill for almost three months. So long as I live I cannot forget it. + </p> + <p> + "We returned to Peking early in the twenty-eighth year of Kwang Hsu and I + had another dreadful feeling when I saw my own Palace again. Oh! it was + quite changed; a great many valuable ornaments broken or stolen. All the + valuable things at the Sea Palace had been taken away, and someone had + broken the fingers of my white jade Buddha, to whom I used to worship + every day. Several foreigners sat on my throne and had their photos taken. + When I was at the Shi An I was just like being sent into exile, although + the Viceroy's Yamen was prepared for us, but the building was very old, + damp and unhealthy. The Emperor became ill. It would take a long time to + tell you everything; I thought I had enough trouble, but this last was the + worst. When I have time, I will tell you more about it. I want you to know + the absolute truth. + </p> + <p> + "Now let us come back to the question of Mrs. Conger's private audience. + There must be something special, but I hope that she will not ask for + anything, for I hate to refuse her. Can you guess what it is?" I told Her + Majesty that there could not be anything special; besides, Mrs. Conger + considered herself to be a person who knew Chinese etiquette very well, + and I didn't believe she would ask for anything at all. Her Majesty said: + "The only objection I have is that Mrs. Conger always brings one of the + missionaries as her interpreter, when I have your mother, your sister and + yourself, which I think should be sufficient. I don't think it is right + for her to do that; besides, I cannot understand their Chinese very well. + I like to see the ladies of the Diplomatic body sometimes, but not the + missionaries. I will stop that when the opportunity comes." + </p> + <p> + The next morning Prince Ching told Her Majesty that the American Admiral, + and Mrs. Evans, and suite wished to be presented to her. The American + Minister asked two private audiences. He said he had made a mistake by + telling her that Mrs. Conger had asked an audience for herself, the day + before. + </p> + <p> + After the regular morning audience was over Her Majesty laughed and said: + "Didn't I tell you yesterday that there must be a reason for asking an + audience? I rather would like to meet the American Admiral and his wife." + Turning to us she said: "Be sure and fix everything up pretty, change + everything in my bedroom, so as not to show them our daily life." We all + said "Jur" (yes), but we knew it was going to be a hard task to turn the + Palace upside down. + </p> + <p> + It was just the night before the appointed audience. We started to work + taking off the pink silk curtains from every window, and changing them for + sky blue (the color she hated); then we changed the cushions on the chairs + to the same color. While we were watching the eunuchs doing the work, + several of them came into the room, carrying a large tray full of clocks. + By this time her Majesty had come into the room, and ordered us to remove + all her white and green jade Buddhas and take some of the jade ornaments + away, for those things were sacred, and no foreigners should see them, so + we replaced them with these clocks, instead. We also took away the three + embroidered door curtains, and changed them for ordinary blue satin ones. + I must explain that these three curtains were sacred, too. They were + embroidered to represent five hundred Buddhist deities, on old gold satin, + and had been used by Emperor Tou Kwang. Her Majesty believed that by + hanging these curtains at her door they would guard against evil spirits + entering her room. The order was that one of us should remember to place + them back again when the audience was over. We fixed every piece of + furniture in her bedroom. Her toilet table was the most important thing. + She would not let anyone see it-not even the wives of the Officials who + came in, so of course we had to put it in a safe place, and lock it up. We + changed her bed from pink color into blue. All her furniture was made of + sandalwood, also carvings on her bed. This sandalwood, before it was made + into furniture, was placed in different temples, to be sanctified, so of + course no foreigner could see it. As we could not take this carving from + her bed, we covered it up with embroidered hangings. While we were working + Her Majesty came in and told us not to hurry in her bedroom, because the + audience the next day would only be for Admiral Robley Evans and his + staff, and they would not visit the private rooms. The audience for Mrs. + Evans and the other ladies would be the day after. She said it was + important to see that the Audience Hall was fixed up properly. She said: + "Place the only carpet we have here in the hall. I don't like carpets + anyway, but it cannot be helped." + </p> + <p> + After we had finished, Her Majesty started to tell us what to wear for the + ladies' audience. She said to me: "You need not come to the throne + to-morrow, there will only be gentlemen. I will get one of the Ministers + from Wai-Wu-Pu (Bureau of Foreign Affairs). I don't want you to talk to so + many strange men. It is not the Manchu custom. These people are all + strangers. They might go back to America and tell everybody what you look + like." At the same time Her Majesty gave orders for the Imperial Yellow + Gown to be brought in next day, for the gentleman's audience. She said + that she must dress in her official robe for this occasion. This robe was + made of yellow satin, embroidered with gold dragons. She wore a necklace + composed of one hundred and eight pearls, which formed part of this + official dress. She said: "I don't like to wear this official robe. It is + not pretty, but I am afraid I will have to." She said to all of us: "You + need not dress especially." + </p> + <p> + The next morning Her Majesty got up early, and was busier than ever. It + seemed to me that whenever we had an audience we always had so much + trouble. Something was sure to go wrong and make Her Majesty angry. She + said: "I want to look nice, and be amiable, but these people always make + me angry. I know the American Admiral will go home and tell his people + about me, and I don't want him to have a wrong impression." It took her + almost two hours to dress her hair, and by that time it was too late for + her usual morning audience, so she proposed holding that after the + foreigners had gone away. She looked at herself in the looking-glass, with + her Imperial robe on, and told me that she did not like it, and asked me + whether I thought the foreigners would know that it was an official robe. + "I look too ugly in yellow. It makes my face look the same color as my + robe," she said. I suggested that as it was only a private audience, if + she wished to dress differently, it would not matter at all. She seemed + delighted, and I was afraid lest I had not made a proper suggestion, but + anyway I was too busy to worry. Her Majesty ordered that her different + gowns should be brought in, and after looking them over she selected one + embroidered all over with the character "Shou" (long life), covered with + precious stones and pearls, on pale green satin. She tried it on, and said + that it was becoming to her, so she ordered me to go to the jewel-room and + get flowers to match for her hair. On one side of the headdress was the + character (shou) and on the other side was a bat (the bat in China is + considered to be lucky). Of course her shoes, handkerchiefs and everything + else were embroidered in the same way. After she was dressed, she smiled + and said: "I look all right now. We had better go to the audience hall and + wait for them, and at the same time we can play a game of dice." Then to + us all she said: "All of you will stay at the back of the screen during + the audience. You can see all right, but I don't wish that you should be + seen." The eunuchs had laid the map down on the table and were just going + to commence playing dice, when one of the high rank eunuchs came into the + Hall and, kneeling down, said that the American Admiral had arrived at the + Palace Gate, together with the American Minister—ten or twelve + people altogether. Her Majesty smiled and said to me: "I thought it was + just going to be the American Minister and the Admiral, and one or two of + his staff. Who can the rest of the people be? However, never mind, I will + receive them anyway." We helped her to mount her throne upon the dais, + fixed her clothes, and handed her the paper containing the speech she was + to give. Then we went back of the screen, with the Young Empress. It was + so very quiet, not a sound anywhere, that we could hear the boots of the + visitors as they walked over the stones in the courtyard. We were peeping + from behind the screen, and could see several of the Princes mounting the + steps, conducting these people to the Hall. The Admiral and the American + Minister came in, and stood in a line. They bowed three times to the + Empress Dowager. The Emperor was also on his throne, sitting at her left + hand. His throne was very small, just like an ordinary chair. Her + Majesty's speech was simply to welcome the Admiral to China. They then + came up to the dais and shook hands with their Majesties, ascending on one + side, and retiring down the other. Prince Ching took them into another + Palace building, where they had lunch, and the audience was over. It was + very simple and formal. + </p> + <p> + After the audience was over Her Majesty said that she could hear us + laughing behind the screen, and that maybe the people would talk about it, + and did not like it at all. I told her that it was not myself who laughed. + She said: "The next time when I have men in audience you need not come + into the Audience Hall at all. Of course it is different when I have my + own people at the morning audiences." + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty did not go to her bedroom that afternoon. She said she wanted + to wait until these people had gone and hear what they had to say. After a + couple of hours Prince Ching came in and reported that they had lunched, + and that they were very pleased to have seen Her Majesty, and had gone + away. I must here explain that the Admiral had entered by the left gate of + the Palace. The middle gate was only used for Their Majesties, with one + exception, viz.: in the case of anyone presenting credentials. Then they + entered by the center gate. The Admiral left by the same gate he had + entered. Her Majesty asked Prince Ching whether he had showed them around + the Palace buildings or not (this was in the Summer Palace), and what they + had thought about it. Did they say anything, and were they pleased or not. + She said to Prince Ching: "You can go now, and make the necessary + preparations for the ladies' audience next day." That same evening Her + Majesty said to us: "You must all dress alike to-morrow, and wear your + prettiest clothes. These foreign ladies who are coming to the Palace may + never see us again, and if we don't show them what we have now, we will + not have another opportunity." She ordered us all, including the Young + Empress, to wear pale blue, also the Secondary wife of the Emperor. She + said to me: "If the ladies ask who the Secondary wife is, you can tell + them; but if they don't ask, I don't want you to introduce her to them at + all. I have to be very careful. These people at the Palace here are not + used to seeing so many people and they might not have nice manners, and + the foreigners will laugh at them." Then she said to us again: "I always + give presents when ladies come to the Court, but don't know whether I will + give this time or not, for at the last audience I did not give anything at + all." Addressing me, she said: "You can prepare some pieces of jade, in + case I need them. Put them in a nice box and have them all ready. Don't + bring them to me until I ask for them." She said: "We have talked enough + now, and you can all go to rest." We courtesied good night. I was only too + glad to go to my own room. + </p> + <p> + The next morning everything went on very nicely and there was no trouble + at all. Her Majesty was well satisfied, for we had all taken great care in + fixing ourselves up. She said to me: "You never put enough paint on your + face. People might take you for a widow. You will have to paint your lips, + as that is the custom. I don't need you yet, so go back and put some more + paint on." So I went back to my room and painted myself just like the rest + of them, but I could not help laughing at seeing myself so changed. By the + time I got to her room again, she said: "Now you look all right. If you + think that powder is expensive, I will buy some for you." She said that + with a laugh, for she always liked to tease me. + </p> + <p> + By the time Her Majesty had finished her toilet, one of the ladies brought + a number of gowns for her to select one from. She said she would wear pale + blue that day. She looked over twenty or thirty gowns, but found nothing + which suited her, so she gave orders for some more to be brought in. + Finally she chose a blue gown embroidered with one hundred butterflies, + and wore a purple sleeveless jacket, which was also embroidered with + butterflies. At the bottom of this gown were pearl tassels. She wore her + largest pearls, one of which was almost as large as an egg, and was her + favorite jewel. She only wore this on special occasions. She wore two jade + butterflies on each side of her headdress. Her bracelets and rings were + also all designed in butterflies, in fact everything matched. Among her + beautiful jewels, she always wore some kind of fresh flowers. White + jessamine was her favorite flower. The Young Empress and the Court ladies + were not allowed to wear fresh flowers at all unless given to them by Her + Majesty as a special favor. We could wear pearls and jade, etc., but she + said that the fresh flowers were for her, her idea being that we were too + young, and might spoil fresh flowers if we wore them. After she was + dressed we went into the Audience Hall. She ordered her cards to be + brought in as she wanted to play solitaire. She talked all the time she + was playing, and said that we must all be very nice and polite to the + American ladies, and show them everywhere. She said: "It doesn't matter + now, for we have everything changed." She said: "I want to laugh myself. + What is the use of changing everything? They will imagine we are always + like this. By and bye, if they question you about anything, just tell them + that it is not so, and that we change everything at each audience, just to + give them a bit of surprise. You must tell it some day, otherwise no one + will know it at all, and the trouble would not be worth the while." It was + a private audience for ladies, and Her Majesty did not use the big throne, + but was sitting on her little throne at the left side of the Audience + Hall, where she received her own Ministers every morning; the Emperor was + standing. A eunuch came in, the same as the day before, and announced that + the ladies had arrived at the Palace Gate, nine in all. Her Majesty sent + some of the Court ladies to meet them in the courtyard, and bring them to + the Audience Hall, which they did. I was standing at the right side of Her + Majesty's chair, and could see them mounting the steps. Her Majesty + whispered to me, and asked: "Which one is Mrs. Evans?" As I had never seen + the lady, I answered that I could not tell, but when they got nearer I saw + a lady walking with the American Minister's wife, and concluded that she + must be Mrs. Evans, and told Her Majesty. As they got nearer, Her Majesty + said: "Again that missionary lady with Mrs. Conger. I think she must like + to see me. She comes every time. I will tell her I am very glad to see her + always, and see if she understands what I mean." + </p> + <p> + Mrs. Conger shook hands with Her Majesty and presented Mrs. Evans and also + the wives of the American officers. I was watching Her Majesty and saw + that she was very nice and amiable, with such a pleasant smile—so + different from her everyday manner. She told them she was delighted to see + them. Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to have chairs brought in for the + ladies, and at the same time other eunuchs brought in tea. Her Majesty + asked Mrs. Evans whether she liked China; what she thought of Peking; how + long she had been there; how long she was going to stay, and where she was + staying. I was so accustomed to Her Majesty's questions that I knew + exactly what she would ask. Mrs. Conger told her interpreter to tell Her + Majesty that she had not seen her for such a long time, and enquired about + Her Majesty's health. Her Majesty said to me: "You tell Mrs. Conger that I + am in good health and that I am delighted to see her. It is a pity that I + cannot hold an audience more frequently, otherwise I could see more of + her." She continued: "The Imperial Princess (her adopted daughter-daughter + of Prince Kung) will accompany them to lunch." This ended the audience. + </p> + <p> + Lunch was served at the back of her own Palace building (Yang Yuen Hsuen—the + place where the clouds gather to rest). This room was specially furnished + as a banqueting room where refreshments could be served. All the Court + ladies went to the lunch, except Her Majesty, the Young Empress and the + Secondary wife. It had taken me two hours to fix the table for the + luncheon. Her Majesty ordered that a white foreign tablecloth should be + used, as it looked cleaner. The eunuch gardeners had decorated the table + with fresh flowers, and Her Majesty gave instructions as to how the seats + were to be placed. She said: "Mrs. Evans is the guest of honor. Although + Mrs. Conger is the wife of the American Minister, she is more of a + resident, so Mrs. Evans must have the principal seat." She also told me to + arrange to seat everybody according to their respective ranks. The + Imperial Princess and Princess Shun (Her Majesty's niece, sister of the + Young Empress) were hostesses, and were to sit opposite each other. We + placed golden menu holders and little gold plates for almonds and + watermelon seeds; the rest all silver ware, including chopsticks. Her + Majesty ordered that foreign knives and forks should be provided also. The + food was served in Manchu style, and was composed of twenty-four courses, + besides sweetmeats—candies and fruits. Her Majesty instructed us + that only the best champagne was to be served. She said: "I know that + foreign ladies love to drink." + </p> + <p> + I think I was the only one who was really happy to meet these ladies, more + so than the rest of the Court ladies, the reason being that Her Majesty + lectured them too severely, telling them how to behave, so that they had + grown to hate the very mention of a foreign audience. While we were + eating, a eunuch came in and told me that Her Majesty was waiting at her + private Palace, and that I should bring these ladies there after the lunch + was over. So when we had finished we entered her own Palace and found her + waiting there for us. She got up and told me to ask Mrs. Evans whether she + had had anything to eat—that the food was not very good. (This is a + custom with the Chinese when entertaining, always to underrate the food.) + She said that she would like to show Mrs. Evans her private apartments, so + that she could form some idea of the way we lived, so she took Mrs. Evans + to one of her bedrooms. She invited Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Conger to sit + down, and the eunuchs brought in tea, as usual. Her Majesty asked Mrs. + Evans to stay a little while in Peking, and to visit the different + temples. She said: "Our country, although very old, has not such fine + buildings as there are in America. I suppose you will find everything very + strange. I am rather too old now, otherwise I would like to travel around + the world. I have read much about different countries, but of course there + is nothing like visiting the different places and seeing them yourself. + However, one cannot tell. I may be able to go after all, by and bye, but I + am afraid to leave my own country. By the time I returned I should not + know the place any more, I'm afraid. Here everything seems to depend on + me. Our Emperor is quite young." + </p> + <p> + She then turned and ordered us to take these ladies to visit the different + buildings of the Palace, also the famous temple of the King of Dragons. + This is on a little island in the center of the lake of the Summer Palace. + Mrs. Conger said that she had something to ask Her Majesty, and told the + Missionary lady to proceed. While Mrs. Conger was speaking to this lady + Her Majesty became rather impatient as she wanted to know what they were + talking about, so she asked me. It was very hard for me to listen to both + of the ladies and to Her Majesty at the same time. The only words I heard + were: "The portrait," so I guessed the rest. Before I had a chance to tell + Her Majesty this Missionary lady said: "Mrs. Conger has come with the + special object of asking permission to have Her Majesty's portrait painted + by an American lady artist, Miss Carl, as she is desirous of sending it to + the St. Louis Exhibition, in order that the American people may form some + idea of what a beautiful lady the Empress Dowager of China is." Miss Carl + is the sister of Mr. F. Carl who was for so many years Commissioner of + Customs in Chefoo. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty looked surprised, for she had been listening very carefully + whilst this lady was talking. She did not like to say that she did not + quite understand, so she turned to me, as had been previously arranged,—a + sign for me to interpret. I did not, however, do so immediately, so Mrs. + Conger told her missionary friend to repeat the request in case Her + Majesty had not quite understood it. Her Majesty then said to me: "I + cannot quite understand what this lady says. I think perhaps you can tell + me better." So I explained everything, but I knew that Her Majesty did not + know what a portrait was like, as, up to that time she had never even had + a photograph taken of herself. + </p> + <p> + I must here explain that in China a portrait is only painted after death, + in memorium of the deceased, in order that the following generations may + worship the deceased. I noticed that Her Majesty was somewhat shocked when + the request was made known to her. I did not want Her Majesty to appear + ignorant before these foreign ladies, so I pulled her sleeve and told her + that I would explain everything to her later. She replied: "Explain a + little to me now." This was spoken in the Court language, which the + visitors were unable to understand, it being somewhat different from the + ordinary Chinese language. This enabled Her Majesty to form some idea of + the conversation, so she thanked Mrs. Conger for her kind thought, and + promised to give her answer later. She said to me: "Tell Mrs. Conger that + I cannot decide anything alone, as she is probably aware that I have to + consult with my Ministers before deciding anything of an important + character. Tell her that I have to be very careful not to do anything + which would give my people an opportunity to criticize my actions. I have + to adhere to the rules and customs of my ancestors." I noticed that Her + Majesty did not seem inclined to discuss the subject further at the + moment. + </p> + <p> + Just then the head eunuch came in and, kneeling down, informed Her Majesty + that the boats for the ladies were ready to take them across the lake, to + see the temple. This action on the part of the eunuch was owing to his + having received a signal from one of the Court ladies, which implied that + Her Majesty was getting tired of the conversation, and wished to change + the subject. I must explain that on every occasion when a foreign audience + was taking place, one of the Court ladies was always told off to watch Her + Majesty, and whenever she appeared to be displeased or tired of any + particular subject under discussion, she, the Court lady, would give the + signal to the head eunuch, who would break in upon the conversation in the + above manner, and thus save the situation from becoming embarrassing. So + Her Majesty said good-bye to the ladies, as she thought it would be too + late for them to have to return to say good-bye, besides which it would + give them more time to see the various sights. + </p> + <p> + The ladies then proceeded to the island in the Empress Dowager's pleasure + boat known as the Imperial barge, previously described, and visited the + temple. This temple is built on top of a small rock, in the center of + which is a natural cave, and it was generally supposed that no human being + had ever been inside of this cave. The Empress Dowager believed the + popular superstition that this hole was the home of the King of Dragons—from + which the temple derives its name. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER THIRTEEN—THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT + </h2> + <p> + AFTER staying a little while at the temple, we returned to the Palace, and + the ladies said goodbye and took chairs to the Palace gate, where their + own chairs were waiting for them. I then went to report to Her Majesty in + the usual way what had been said by the visitors; whether they had + expressed themselves as being pleased with the reception they had + received. Her Majesty said: "I like Mrs. Evans. I think she is a very good + woman. It seems to me that her manners are quite different from those of + the other American ladies whom I have met. I like to meet people who are + polite." Then, referring to the subject of the portrait Her Majesty said: + "I wonder why Mrs. Conger has this idea. Now please explain to me what + painting a portrait really is." When I explained that it would be + necessary for her to sit for several hours each day she was excited, and + afraid she would never have the patience to see it through. She asked me + what she must do during the sitting, so I explained that she would simply + have to pose for the portrait, sitting in one position all the time She + said: "I shall be an old woman by the time the portrait is finished." I + told her that I had had my own portrait painted during my stay in Paris, + by the same artist Mrs. Conger had proposed should paint her own portrait + (Miss Carl). She immediately told me to fetch the portrait of myself so + that she could examine it and see what it was like, so I gave the order + right away to a eunuch who was standing by to go to my house and bring it. + Her Majesty said: "I do not understand why I must sit for the portrait + Couldn't someone else do it for me." I explained to her that as it was her + own portrait, and not that of somebody else, they wished to paint, it + would be necessary for her to sit herself. She then enquired whether it + would be necessary for her to wear the same dress at each sitting, also + the same jewels and ornaments. I replied that it would be necessary to do + so on each occasion. Her Majesty then explained that in China it was only + necessary for an artist to see his subject once, after which he could + start right away and finish the portrait in a very short time, and thought + that a really first-class foreign artist should be able to do the same. Of + course I explained the difference between foreign portrait painting and + Chinese, and told her that when she had seen it she would see the + difference and understand the reason for so many sittings. She said: "I + wonder what kind of a person this lady artist is. Does she speak Chinese?" + I said that I knew Miss Carl very well, and that she was a very nice lady, + but that she didn't speak Chinese. She said: "If her brother has been in + the Customs service for so long, how is it that she doesn't speak Chinese + also?" I told her that Miss Carl had been away from China for a long time; + that in fact she had only been in China for a very short time altogether, + most of her work being in Europe and America. Her Majesty said: "I am glad + she doesn't understand Chinese. The only objection about this portrait + painting is that I have to have a foreigner at the Palace all the time. + With my own people gossiping they might tell her things which I don't want + anyone to know." I told her that would be impossible as Miss Carl did not + understand Chinese at all, neither did any of the people at Court + understand English, with the exception of ourselves (my mother, sister and + myself). Her Majesty answered: "You must not rely too much on that, as + after spending a short time at the Court they will soon learn to + understand each other." Continuing, she said: "By the way, how long will + it take before this portrait is finished?" I told her that it depended + entirely upon how often she sat, and how long each time. I didn't like to + tell her exactly how long it would take, as I was afraid she might + consider it too much bother, so I said that when the artist arrived I + would tell her to get along and finish the portrait as quickly as + possible. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty said: "I don't see how I can very well refuse Mrs. Conger's + request. Of course I told her, as you know, that I would have to consult + with my Ministers, just to give me time to think the matter over. If you + know all about this artist lady, and think she is quite all right to come + here to the Palace, of course she may come, and I will tell Prince Ching + to reply to Mrs. Conger to that effect. First of all we must talk over + what we are going to do, for to have a foreign lady staying in the Palace + is out of the question altogether. As a rule I always spend the summer at + my Summer Palace, and it is so far from the city that I don't think she + will be able to go to and from the Palace every day, on account of the + distance. Now, where can we put her? Someone will have to watch her all + the time. This is such a difficult matter that I hardly know what to + decide upon. How would you like to look after her? Do you think you could + manage it in such a way that no one at the Palace will have a chance to + talk with her during the daytime, but who is going to stay and watch her + during the night?" Her Majesty walked up and down the room thinking it + over for quite a while. Finally she smiled and said: "I have it. We can + treat her as a prisoner without her knowing it, but it will all depend on + your mother, your sister and yourself to act for me in this matter. Each + of you will have to play your part very carefully, and I mine also. I will + give orders to have the Palace Garden of Prince Chung (the Emperor Kwang + Hsu's father) fixed up for Miss Carl during her stay here." + </p> + <p> + This Palace garden is quite close to Her Majesty's own Palace, about ten + minutes' drive. It is not in the Palace ground, but is quite a separate + Palace outside the Summer Palace. + </p> + <p> + Continuing, Her Majesty said: "Now, you will have to come with her every + morning and return to stay with her every night. I think this is the + safest way out of the difficulty, but be careful with regard to all + correspondence which she may either receive or send away. The only thing + about it is that it will give you a lot of extra work, but you know how + particular I am over things of this kind, and it will save a lot of + trouble in the end. There is another thing you will have to be very + careful about, and that is to watch that Miss Carl has no chance to talk + with the Emperor. The reason why I say this is because, as you know, the + Emperor is of a shy disposition, and might say something which would + offend her. I will appoint four extra eunuchs to be in attendance during + the sittings for the portrait, so that they will be on hand in case + anything is wanted." Her Majesty then said: "I noticed that Mrs. Conger + was watching you when you pulled my sleeve. I wonder what she thought of + it. You needn't care, anyway. Let her think anything she likes. I + understood what you meant if Mrs. Conger didn't, and that is all that is + necessary." I told her that perhaps Mrs. Conger thought I wanted to advise + her to refuse this request, but Her Majesty said: "What does that matter? + If it hadn't been that you know the artist yourself I would not have + consented in any case. It is not the painting of the portrait that I mind, + but it might give rise to serious results." + </p> + <p> + The next morning I received a letter from Mrs. Conger begging me not to + prejudice Her Majesty against Miss Carl in any way. I translated this to + Her Majesty, and it made her furious. She said: "No one has any right to + write to you in such a way. How dare she suggest that you would say + anything against Miss Carl? Didn't I tell you she was watching you when + you pulled my sleeve? When you reply to that letter tell her whatever you + like, but answer in the same way she writes herself, or, better still, you + write and inform her that it is not customary for any Court lady to try + and influence Her Majesty in this country, and that in addition, you are + not so mean as to say anything against anybody. If you don't like to say + that, just say that as Miss Carl is a personal friend of yours you + certainly would never think of saying anything against her." + </p> + <p> + I therefore replied to Mrs. Conger's letter in the ordinary way, making it + as formal as possible. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty then talked of nothing but the portrait during the whole of + that afternoon. By and bye she said: "I hope that Mrs. Conger will not + send a missionary lady with Miss Carl to keep her company during her stay + at the Palace. If she does I will certainly refuse to sit." The next + morning the eunuch arrived with my portrait, and everyone at the Court had + a good look at it before I took it to show to Her Majesty. Some of them + were of the opinion that it was very much like me, while the others + thought the painting a very poor one. When I informed Her Majesty of the + arrival of the portrait she ordered that it should be brought into her + bedroom immediately. She scrutinized it very carefully for a while, even + touching the painting in her curiosity. Finally she burst out laughing and + said: "What a funny painting this is, it looks as though it had been + painted with oil." (Of course it was an oil painting.) "Such rough work I + never saw in all my life. The picture itself is marvellously like you, and + I do not hesitate to say that none of our Chinese painters could get the + expression which appears on this picture. What a funny dress you are + wearing in this picture. Why are your arms and neck all bare? I have heard + that foreign ladies wear their dresses without sleeves and without + collars, but I had no idea that it was so bad and ugly as the dress you + are wearing here. I cannot imagine how you could do it. I should have + thought you would have been ashamed to expose yourself in that manner. + Don't wear any more such dresses, please. It has quite shocked me. What a + funny kind of civilization this is to be sure. Is this dress only worn on + certain occasions, or is it worn any time, even when gentlemen are + present?" I explained to her that it was the usual evening dress for + ladies and was worn at dinners, balls, receptions, etc. Her Majesty + laughed and exclaimed: "This is getting worse and worse. Everything seems + to go backwards in foreign countries. Here we don't even expose our wrists + when in the company of gentlemen, but foreigners seem to have quite + different ideas on the subject. The Emperor is always talking about + reform, but if this is a sample we had much better remain as we are. Tell + me, have you yet changed your opinion with regard to foreign customs? + Don't you think that our own customs are much nicer?" Of course I was + obliged to say "yes" seeing that she herself was so prejudiced. She again + examined the portrait and said: "Why is it that one side of your face is + painted white and the other black? This is not natural—your face is + not black. Half of your neck is painted black, too. How is it?" I + explained that it was simply the shading and was painted exactly as the + artist saw me from the position in which she was sitting. Her Majesty then + enquired: "Do you think that this Artist lady will paint my picture to + look black also? It is going to America, and I don't want the people over + there to imagine that half of my face is white and half black." I didn't + like to tell her the truth, that her portrait would in all probability be + painted the same as mine, so I promised Her Majesty that I would tell the + artist exactly how she wished to be painted. She then asked me if I knew + when the artist proposed commencing the portrait. I told her that the + artist was still in Shanghai, but that Mrs. Conger had already written to + her to come up to Peking, to make the necessary preparations. One week + later I received a letter from Miss Carl informing me that she proposed + coming up to Peking at once, and that she would be delighted if Her + Majesty would allow her to paint this portrait. I translated the letter to + Her Majesty, who said: "I am very glad that you know this lady personally. + It will make it much easier for me. You know there may be some things + which I may want to tell Miss Carl, but which I don't want Mrs. Conger to + know. I mean that there might be certain things which I shall have to say + to Miss Carl, which, if Mrs. Conger heard of them, would give her the + impression that I was very difficult to please. You understand what I + mean. As this lady is a friend of yours, you will of course be able to + tell her things in such a manner as not to offend her, and I may tell you + again that if it were not that she is a personal friend of your own I + would not have her here at all, as it is quite contrary to our custom." + </p> + <p> + On the third day of the second-fifth moon Prince Ching informed Her + Majesty that the artist had arrived at Peking and was staying with Mrs. + Conger and wished to know Her Majesty's pleasure in regard to commencing + the portrait. Now I must explain that the Chinese year varies as to the + number of moons it contains. For example, one year contains the ordinary + twelve months or moons. The following year may contain thirteen moons. + Then the two years following that may contain twelve moons only, and + thirteen moons the next year, and so on. At the time of the proposed visit + of the artist the Chinese year contained thirteen moons, there being two + fifth moons in that year. When Prince Ching asked Her Majesty to name the + day on which Miss Carl should commence her work, she replied: "I will give + her my answer to-morrow. I must first consult my book, as I don't want to + start this portrait on an unlucky day." So the next day, after her usual + morning audience Her Majesty consulted this book for quite a time. Finally + she said to me: "According to my book the next lucky day will not occur + for another ten days or so," and handed me the book to look myself. + Eventually she picked out the twentieth day of the second-fifth moon as + the most lucky day for beginning the work. Next she had to consult the + book again in order to fix on the exact hour, finally fixing on 7 o'clock + in the evening. I was very much worried when she told me that, as by that + time it would be quite dark, so I explained to Her Majesty as nicely as I + could that it would be impossible for Miss Carl to work at that hour of + the day. Her Majesty replied: "Well, we have electric lights here. Surely + that would be sufficient light for her." Then I had to explain that it + would not be possible to get such good results by means of artificial + light as if it were painted during the daytime. You see I was anxious to + get her to change the hour, as I was sure that Miss Carl would refuse to + paint by means of electric light. Her Majesty replied: "What a bother. I + can paint pictures myself in any kind of light, and she ought to be able + to do the same." After much discussion it was finally settled that 10 + o'clock on the morning of the twentieth day of the second-fifth moon + should be the time for Miss Carl to commence to paint this portrait, and I + can assure you that I felt very much relieved when it was all settled. + When the eunuch brought in my portrait, he also brought in several + photographs which I had had taken during my stay in Paris, but I decided + not to show them to Her Majesty in case she should decide to have a + photograph taken instead of having this portrait painted, as it would be + much quicker and save her the trouble of sitting each day. However, as Her + Majesty was passing on the veranda in front of my bedroom the next morning + she stepped into the room just to have a look around and, as she put it, + to see whether I kept everything clean, and in good order. This was the + first time she had visited me in my own room, and I was naturally very + much embarrassed, as she very rarely visited the rooms of her Court + ladies. I could not keep her standing, and I could not ask her to sit down + in any of my own chairs, as it is the Chinese custom that the Emperor and + Empress should only sit down in their own special chairs, which are + usually carried by an attendant wherever they go. I therefore was on the + point of giving an order for her own stool to be brought in, when Her + Majesty stopped me and said that she would sit on one of the chairs in the + room, and so bring me good luck. So she sat down in an easy chair. A + eunuch brought in her tea, which I handed to her myself instead of letting + the eunuch wait upon her. This of course was Court etiquette, and was also + a sign of respect + </p> + <p> + After she had finished her tea, she got up and went around the room, + examining everything, opening up all my bureau drawers and boxes in order + to see whether I kept my things in proper order. Happening to glance into + one corner of the room she exclaimed: "What are those pictures on the + table over there," and walked across to examine them. As soon as she + picked them up, she exclaimed in much surprise: "Why, they are all + photographs of yourself, and are very much better than the picture you had + painted. They are more like you. Why didn't you show them to me before?" I + hardly knew what to answer, and when she saw that I was very much + embarrassed by her question, she immediately started talking about + something else. She often acted in this manner when she saw that any of us + were not quite prepared for any of her questions, but she would be sure to + reopen the subject at some future time, when we were expected to give a + direct answer. + </p> + <p> + After examining the photographs for sometime, which by the way, were all + taken in European dress, Her Majesty said: "Now these are good + photographs; much better than the portrait you had painted. Still I have + given my promise, and I suppose I shall have to keep it. However, if I do + have my photograph taken, it will not interfere at all with the painting + of the portrait. The only trouble is I cannot ask an ordinary professional + photographer to the Palace. It would hardly be the thing." + </p> + <p> + My mother thereupon explained to Her Majesty that if she desired to have + her photograph taken, one of my brothers, who had studied photography for + some considerable time, would be able to do all that was necessary. + </p> + <p> + I would like to explain that I had two brothers at Court at that time, who + held appointments under the Empress Dowager. One was in charge of all the + electrical installation at the Summer Palace, and the other, her private + steam launch. It was the custom for all the sons of the Manchu officials + to hold certain positions at the Court for two or three years. They were + perfectly free to walk about the grounds of the Palace, and saw Her + Majesty daily. Her Majesty was always very kind to these young men, and + chatted with them in quite a motherly way. These young fellows had to come + to the Palace each morning very early, but as no man was allowed to stay + all night in the Palace they of course had to leave when they had finished + their duties for the day. + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty heard what my mother said, she was very much surprised, + and asked why she had never been told that my brother was learned in + photography. My mother replied that she had no idea that Her Majesty + wished to have a photograph taken, and had not dared to suggest such a + thing herself. Her Majesty laughed, and said: "You may suggest anything + you like, as I want to try anything that is new to me, especially as + outsiders can know nothing about it." She gave orders to send for my + brother at once. On his arrival Her Majesty said to him: "I hear that you + are a photographer. I am going to give you something to do." My brother + was kneeling, as was the custom of the Court, whilst Her Majesty was + addressing him. Everybody, with the exception of the Court ladies, had to + kneel when she was speaking to them. Even the Emperor himself was no + exception to this rule. Of course the Court ladies, being constantly in + attendance, were allowed not to kneel, as Her Majesty was talking to us + all the time, and it was her orders that we should not do so, as it would + be wasting a lot of time. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty asked my brother when he would be able to come and take her + photograph, and what kind of weather was necessary. My brother said that + he would go back to Peking that night, to fetch his camera, and that he + could take the photograph at any time she desired, as the weather would + not affect the work. So Her Majesty decided to have her photograph taken + the next morning. She said: "I want to have one taken first of all in my + chair, when going to the audience, and you can take some others + afterwards." She also asked my brother how long she would have to sit, and + was surprised to learn that only a few seconds would suffice. Next she + enquired how long it would be before it was finished, so that she could + see it. My brother answered that if it were taken in the morning it could + be finished late the same afternoon. Her Majesty said that was delightful, + and expressed a wish to watch him do the work. She told my brother that he + might select any room in the Palace to work in, and ordered a eunuch to + make the necessary preparations. + </p> + <p> + The next day was a beautiful day, and at eight o'clock my brother was + waiting in the courtyard with several cameras. Her Majesty went to the + courtyard and examined each of them. She said: "How funny it is that you + can take a person's picture with a thing like that." After the method of + taking the photograph had been fully explained to her, she commanded one + of the eunuchs to stand in front of the camera so that she might look + through the focusing glass, to see what it was like. Her Majesty + exclaimed: "Why is it your head is upside down? Are you standing on your + head or feet?" So we explained when the photo was taken it would not look + that way. She was delighted with the result of her observations, and said + that it was marvellous. Finally she told me to go and stand there, as she + wanted to have a look at me through this glass also. She then exchanged + places with me, and desired that I should look through the glass and see + if I could make out what she was doing. She waved her hand in front of the + camera, and on my telling her of it, she was pleased. + </p> + <p> + She then entered her chair, and ordered the bearers to proceed. My brother + took another photograph of Her Majesty in the procession as she passed the + camera. After she had passed the camera she turned and asked my brother: + "Did you take a picture?" and on my brother answering that he had, Her + Majesty said: "Why didn't you tell me? I was looking too serious. Next + time when you are going to take one, let me know so that I may try and + look pleasant." + </p> + <p> + I knew that Her Majesty was very much pleased. While we were at the back + of the screen during the audience, I noticed that she seemed anxious to + get it over, in order to have some more photographs taken. It only took + about twenty minutes to get that particular audience over, which was very + rare. + </p> + <p> + After the people had gone, we came from behind the screen and Her Majesty + said: "Let us go and have some more pictures taken while the weather is + fine." So she walked the courtyard of the Audience Hall, where my brother + had a camera ready, and had another photograph taken. She said that she + would like to have some taken sitting on her throne, exactly as though she + were holding an audience. It took us only a few minutes to have everything + prepared in the courtyard. The screen was placed behind the throne, and + her footstool was also placed ready for her, and she ordered one of the + Court ladies to go and bring several gowns for her to select from. At the + same time I went and brought some of her favorite jewelry. She ordered the + two gowns which she had worn at the audiences when she received Admiral + Evans and Mrs. Evans, to be brought in, and also the same jewels as she + had worn on those respective occasions. She had two photographs taken in + these costumes, one in each dress. Next she wanted one taken in a plain + gown, without any embroidery. She then ordered my brother to go and finish + the pictures which had already been taken, as she was anxious to see what + they were like. She said to my brother: "You wait a minute, I want to go + with you and see how you work on them." Of course, I had not considered it + necessary to explain to Her Majesty the process of developing the + pictures, the dark room, etc., so I explained to her as well as I could + the whole thing. Her Majesty replied: "It doesn't matter. I want to go and + see the room, no matter what kind of a room it is." So we all adjourned to + the dark room in order to see my brother work on the photographs. We + placed a chair so that Her Majesty could sit down. She said to my brother: + "You must forget that I am here, and go along with your work just as + usual." She watched for a while, and was very pleased when she saw that + the plates were developing so quickly. My brother held up the plate to the + red light, to enable her to see more distinctly. Her Majesty said: "It is + not very clear. I can see that it is myself all right, but why is it that + my face and hands are dark?" We explained to her that when the picture was + printed on paper, these dark spots would show white, and the white parts + would be dark. She said: "Well, one is never too old to learn. This is + something really new to me. I am not sorry that I suggested having my + photograph taken, and only hope that I shall like the portrait painting as + well." She said to my brother: "Don't finish these photographs until after + I have had my afternoon rest. I want to see you do it." When she got up at + about half-past three, it did not take her long to dress herself, as was + her usual custom, and she went immediately to where my brother had the + papers and everything prepared. He then showed Her Majesty how the + printing was done. There was plenty of light, as it was summer time, and + as it was only four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was still high. Her + Majesty watched for two hours while my brother was printing, and was + delighted to see each picture come out quite plainly. She held the first + one in her hands so long while examining the others, that when she came to + look at it again, she found that it had turned quite black. She could not + understand this at all, and exclaimed: "Why has this gone black? Is it bad + luck?" We explained to her that it must be washed after printing, + otherwise a strong light would cause the picture to fade, as this one had + done. She said: "How very interesting, and what a lot of work there is." + </p> + <p> + After the printing process had been finished, my brother placed the + pictures in a chemical bath, as usual, finally washing them in clean + water. This caused Her Majesty even more surprise when she saw how clear + the pictures came out, and caused her to exclaim: "How extraordinary. + Everything is quite true to life." When they were finally completed, she + took the whole of them to her own room and sat down on her little throne, + and gazed at them for a long time. She even took her mirror in order to + compare her reflection with the photographs just taken. + </p> + <p> + All this time my brother was standing in the courtyard awaiting Her + Majesty's further commands. Suddenly she recollected this fact, and said: + "Why, I had forgotten all about your brother. The poor fellow must be + still standing waiting to know what I want next. You go and tell him—no, + I had better go and speak to him myself. He has worked so hard all the + day, that I want to say something to make him feel happy." She ordered my + brother to print ten copies of each of the photographs, and to leave all + his cameras at the Palace, in order that he could proceed with the work + the next day. + </p> + <p> + The following ten days it rained continually, which made Her Majesty very + impatient, as it was impossible to take any more photographs until the + weather improved. Her Majesty wanted to have some taken in the Throne + Room, but this room was too dark, the upper windows being pasted over with + thick paper, only the lower windows allowing the light to enter. My + brother tried several times, but failed to get a good picture. + </p> + <p> + During this rainy period the Court was moved to the Sea Palace, as the + Emperor was to sacrifice at the Temple of Earth. This was a yearly + ceremony and was carried out on similar lines to all other annual + ceremonies. On account of the rain Her Majesty ordered that boats should + be brought alongside the west shore of the Summer Palace. On entering the + boats, Her Majesty, accompanied by the Court, proceeded to the Western + Gate of the city, and on arrival at the last bridge, disembarked. Chairs + were awaiting us and we rode to the gate of the Sea Palace. There we again + entered the boats and proceeded across the lake, a distance of about a + mile. While crossing the lake Her Majesty noticed a lot of lotus plants + which were in full bloom. She said: "We are going to stay at least three + days here. I hope the weather will be fine, as I should like to have some + photographs taken in the open boats on the lake. I have also another; good + idea, and that is, I want to have one taken as 'Kuan Yin' (Goddess of + Mersy). The two chief eunuchs will be dressed as attendants. The necessary + gowns were made some time ago, and I occasionally put them on. Whenever I + have been angry, or worried over anything, by dressing up as the Goddess + of Mercy it helps me to calm myself, and so play the part I represent. I + can assure you that it does help me a great deal, as it makes me remember + that I am looked upon as being all-merciful. By having a photograph taken + of myself dressed in this costume, I shall be able to see myself as I + ought to be at all times." + </p> + <p> + When we arrived at the private Palace the rain ceased. We walked to her + bedroom, although the ground was still in bad condition. One of Her + Majesty's peculiarities was a desire to go out in the rain and walk about. + She would not even use an umbrella unless it was raining very heavily. The + eunuchs always carried our umbrellas, but if Her Majesty did not use her + umbrella, of course we could not very well use ours. The same thing + applied in everything. If Her Majesty wanted to walk, we had to walk also, + and if she decided to ride in her chair, we had to get into our chairs and + ride as well. The only exception to this rule was when Her Majesty, being + tired walking, ordered her stool to rest on. We were not allowed to sit in + her presence, but had to stand all the time. Her Majesty liked her Sea + Palace better than her Palace in the Forbidden City. It was far prettier, + and had the effect of making her good tempered. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty ordered us to retire early that day, as we were all very tired + after the trip, and said that in the event of it being fine the next day, + she would have the proposed photographs taken. However, much to Her + Majesty's disappointment, it rained incessantly for the next three days, + so it was decided to stay a few days longer. On the last day of our stay + it cleared up sufficiently to enable the photographs to be taken, after + which we all returned to the Summer Palace. + </p> + <p> + The day after our arrival at the Summer Palace Her Majesty said that we + had better prepare everything for the audience to receive the lady artist + (Miss Carl). She told the chief eunuch to issue orders to all the other + eunuchs not to speak to Miss Carl, but simply be polite as occasion + required. We Court ladies received similar orders. Also, that we were not + to address Her Majesty while Miss Carl was present. The Emperor received + similar instructions. Her Majesty gave orders to have the Gardens of + Prince Chung's Palace ready. She then said to us: "I trust you three to + look after this lady artist. I have already given orders for food to be + supplied by the Wai Wu Pu. The only thing that I have been worried about + is that I have no foreign food here for Miss Carl." She ordered us to have + our stove taken over to Prince Chung's Palace in case Miss Carl desired + something cooked. She said: "I know it will be very hard for you to take + her to the Palace each morning and return with her at night, besides + having to watch her all day long, but I know you do not mind. You are + doing all this for me." After a while she smiled, and said: "How selfish + of me. I order you to bring all your things to this place, but what is + your father going to do? The best thing will be to ask your father to come + and live in the same place. The country air might benefit him." We + kowtowed and thanked Her Majesty, as this was a special favor, no official + nor anyone else having been allowed to live in Prince Chung's Palace + previously. We all were very pleased—I could now see my father every + day. Hitherto we had only been able to see him about once a month, and + then only by asking special leave. + </p> + <p> + The next day Her Majesty sent us to Prince Chung's Palace to make all + necessary arrangements for Miss Carl's stay. + </p> + <p> + This Palace of Prince Chung's was a magnificent place. All the smaller + dwellings were quite separate from each other, not in one large building, + as was the custom. There was a small lake in the grounds, and lovely + little paths to walk along, exactly like the Empress Dowager's Summer + Palace, but, of course, on a much smaller scale. We selected one of these + small dwellings, or summer houses, for the use of Miss Carl during her + stay, and had it fitted up nicely, to make her as comfortable as possible. + We ourselves were to occupy the next house to Miss Carl, in order that we + might always be on hand, and at the same time keep a good eye on her. We + returned to the Summer Palace the same evening, and told Her Majesty just + how everything had been arranged. She said: "I want you all to be very + careful not to let this lady know that you are watching her." She seemed + very anxious about this, repeating these instructions for several days + prior to Miss Carl's arrival. + </p> + <p> + I felt very much relieved when the day before the audience arrived, and + everything was finally fixed to Her Majesty's satisfaction. She ordered us + to retire early that evening, as she wanted to rest and look well the next + morning. When morning came we hurried over everything, even the usual + morning audience, so that we could be ready when Miss Carl arrived. + </p> + <p> + While I was standing behind the screen, as usual, a eunuch came and told + me that Mrs. Conger, the artist, and another lady had arrived, and that + they were now in the waiting room. By that time the audience was about + finished. The chief eunuch came in and told Her Majesty that the foreign + ladies had arrived and were waiting in another room. Her Majesty said to + us: "I think I will go to the courtyard and meet them there." Of course, + at all private audiences Her Majesty received the people in the Throne + Room, but as Miss Carl was more of a guest, she did not think it necessary + to go through the usual formal reception. + </p> + <p> + While we were descending the steps we saw the ladies entering the gate of + the courtyard. I pointed out Miss Carl to Her Majesty, and noticed that + she eyed Miss Carl very keenly. When we arrived in the courtyard, Mrs. + Conger came forward and greeted Her Majesty and then presented Miss Carl. + Her Majesty's first impression of Miss Carl was a good one, as Miss Carl + was smiling very pleasantly, and Her Majesty, who always liked to see a + pleasant smile, exclaimed to me in an undertone: "She seems to be a very + pleasant person," to which I replied that I was very glad she thought so, + as I was very anxious about the impression Miss Carl would make on Her + Majesty. Her Majesty watched Miss Carl and myself as we greeted each + other, and I could see that she was satisfied. She told me afterwards that + she had noticed Miss Carl appeared very glad to see me again, and said: + "We will handle her pretty easily, I think." Her Majesty then went to her + own private Palace, and we all followed. On our arrival, Miss Carl told me + that she had brought her own canvas. This was a piece about six feet by + four feet. I had told Miss Carl a little previously that Her Majesty + refused to sit for a very small portrait and that she would like a + life-size one. When Her Majesty saw the canvas she appeared to be very + much disappointed, as in her opinion even that was not large enough. We + placed the tables ready for Miss Carl, and Her Majesty asked her to choose + the position in which she wished to paint. I knew that Miss Carl would + have great difficulty in choosing a good position on account of the + windows being built so low, there being very little light except low down + near the ground. However, Miss Carl finally placed the canvas near the + door of the room. Her Majesty told Mrs. Conger and the rest to sit down + for a while as she wanted to change into another gown. I followed her into + her bedroom. The first question Her Majesty asked was how old I thought + Miss Carl was, as she herself could not guess her age, her hair being + extremely light, in fact almost white. I could hardly refrain from + laughing outright on hearing this, and told Her Majesty that Miss Carl's + hair was naturally of a light color. Her Majesty said that she had often + seen ladies with golden hair, but never one with white hair, excepting old + ladies. She said: "I think that she is very nice, however, and hope she + will paint a good portrait." + </p> + <p> + Turning to one of the Court ladies, she ordered her to fetch a yellow gown + as although, as she put it, she did not like yellow, she thought it would + be the best color for a portrait. She selected one from a number which the + Court lady brought, embroidered all over with purple wisteria. Her shoes + and handkerchiefs matched. She also wore a blue silk scarf, embroidered + with the character "Shou" (long life). Each character had a pearl in the + center. She wore a pair of jade bracelets and also jade nail protectors. + In addition she wore jade butterflies and a tassel on one side of her + headdress, and, as usual, fresh flowers on the other side. Her Majesty + certainly did look beautiful on that occasion. + </p> + <p> + By the time she came out from her room Miss Carl had everything prepared. + When she saw how Her Majesty was dressed, she exclaimed: "How beautiful + Her Majesty looks in this dress," which remark I interpreted to Her + Majesty, and it pleased her very much. + </p> + <p> + She seated herself on her throne, ready to pose for the picture. She just + sat down in an ordinary easy position, placing one hand on a cushion. Miss + Carl explained: "That is an excellent position, as it is so natural. + Please do not move." I told Her Majesty what Miss Carl said, and she asked + me whether she looked all right, or not. If not, she would change her + position. I assured her that she looked very grand in that position. + However, she asked the opinion of the Young Empress and some of the Court + ladies, who all agreed that she could not look better. I could see that + they never looked at Her Majesty at all, they were too much interested in + what Miss Carl was doing. + </p> + <p> + When Miss Carl commenced to make the rough sketch of Her Majesty everyone + watched with open mouth, as they had never seen anything done so easily + and so naturally. The Young Empress whispered to me: "Although I don't + know anything about portrait painting, still I can see that she is a good + artist. She has never seen any of our clothes and headdresses, and she has + copied them exactly. Just imagine one of our Chinese artists trying to + paint a foreign lady, what a mess he would make of it." + </p> + <p> + After the sketch was finished Her Majesty was delighted and thought it was + wonderful for Miss Carl to have made it so quickly and so accurately. I + explained that this was a rough sketch and that when Miss Carl commenced + painting, she would soon see the difference. Her Majesty told me to ask + Miss Carl whether she was tired and would like to rest; also to tell her + that she was very busy all the day, and would only be able to give her a + few minutes' sitting each day. We then took Miss Carl to luncheon, + together with Mrs. Conger, and after luncheon we accompanied Her Majesty + to the theatre. + </p> + <p> + After Mrs. Conger had departed I took Miss Carl to my room to rest. As + soon as we arrived there, Her Majesty sent a eunuch to call me to her + bedroom. Her Majesty said: "I don't want this lady to paint during my + afternoon rest. She can rest at the same time. As soon as I am up you can + bring her here to paint. I am glad that it looks like turning out better + than I had anticipated." I therefore told Miss Carl Her Majesty's wishes + in this respect and that she could paint for a little while, if she chose + to, after Her Majesty had had her rest. Miss Carl was so interested in Her + Majesty, she told me she didn't want to rest at all, but that she would + like to go on with the painting right away. Of course, I did not like to + tell her anything the first day, as it might upset her, and did not say + that this was a command from Her Majesty. After a lot of maneuvering I got + her to give up the idea of continuing straight off, without offending her. + I took her out on the veranda as the eunuch was preparing the table for + Her Majesty's dinner in the room we were then occupying. The Young Empress + kept Miss Carl busy talking, I acting as interpreter. Soon one of the + eunuchs came and informed us that Her Majesty had finished dinner, and + would we please come and take ours. On entering the room I was very much + surprised to see that chairs had been placed there, as this had never been + done previously, everybody, with the exception of Her Majesty, taking + their meals standing. The Young Empress was also very much surprised and + asked me whether I knew anything about it. I said that perhaps it was on + account of Miss Carl being there. The Young Empress told me to go over and + ask Her Majesty, as she was afraid to sit down without receiving orders to + do so. Her Majesty whispered to me: "I don't want Miss Carl to think we + are barbarians, and treat the Young Empress and the Court ladies in that + manner. Of course, she does not understand our Court etiquette and might + form a wrong impression, so you can all sit down without coming over to + thank me, but be natural, as though you were accustomed to sitting down to + dinner every day." + </p> + <p> + After Her Majesty had washed her hands she came over to our table. Of + course we all stood up. Her Majesty told me to ask Miss Carl whether she + liked the food, and was pleased when Miss Carl answered that she liked the + food better than her own kind. That relieved Her Majesty. + </p> + <p> + After dinner was over I told Miss Carl to say good-bye to Her Majesty. We + courtesied to her, also to the Young Empress, and said good night to the + Court ladies. We then took Miss Carl to the Palace of Prince Chung. It + took us about ten minutes' ride in the carts. We showed Miss Carl her + bedroom, and were pleased to leave her and get to our own rooms, for a + good night's rest. + </p> + <p> + The next morning we took Miss Carl to the Palace, and arrived there during + the morning audience. Of course Miss Carl, being a foreigner, could not + enter the Throne Room, so we sat down on the back veranda of the Audience + Hall and waited until it was over. This, of course, prevented my being in + attendance each morning, as usual, and was a great disappointment to me, + as I was unable to keep in touch with what was taking place. Moreover, + during the time I had been at Court, my one object had been to endeavor to + interest Her Majesty in Western customs and civilization. I believed that + to a great extent Her Majesty was becoming interested in these things, and + would refer the subjects of our conversations to her Ministers, for their + opinions. For instance, I had shown her photographs taken of a Naval + Review at which I was present in France. Her Majesty seemed to be + impressed, and said that she would certainly like to be able to make a + similar display in China. This matter she consulted with her Ministers, + but they gave the usual evasive answer, viz.: "There is plenty of time for + that." From this you will see that Her Majesty was not able to introduce + reforms entirely alone, even though she might desire to do so, but had to + consult the Ministers, who would always agree with Her Majesty, but would + suggest that the matter be put off for a time. + </p> + <p> + My experience while at the Palace was that everybody seemed to be afraid + to suggest anything new for fear they might get themselves into trouble. + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty came out from the Audience Hall, Miss Carl went up to her + and kissed Her Majesty's hand, which caused her great surprise, although + she did not show it at the time. Afterwards, however, when we were alone, + she asked me why Miss Carl had done this, as it was not a Chinese custom. + She naturally thought that it must be a foreign custom, and therefore said + nothing about it. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty then proceeded on foot to her own Palace, to change her dress + for the portrait. It was a beautiful morning, and when she had posed for + about ten minutes, she told me that she felt too tired to proceed, and + asked if it would be all right to ask Miss Carl to postpone it. I + explained that as Miss Carl was going to be at the Palace for some time, + the postponement of one day's sitting would not make much difference at + that time, although I knew that Miss Carl would naturally be disappointed. + Still, I had to humor Her Majesty as much as possible, otherwise she might + have thrown up the whole thing. Miss Carl said that if Her Majesty wished + to go to rest, she could be working painting the screen and the throne, + and Her Majesty could pose again later on if she felt like it. This + pleased Her Majesty, and she said that she would try to sit again after + taking her afternoon's rest. Her Majesty ordered me to give Miss Carl her + lunch in my own room at twelve o'clock each day, my mother, my sister and + myself keeping her company. Dinner at the Palace was usually taken about + six o'clock, and it was arranged that Miss Carl should take dinner with + the Young Empress and the Court ladies at that hour, after Her Majesty had + finished dining. Her Majesty also ordered that champagne or any other wine + which Miss Carl preferred, should be served, as she said she knew it was + the custom for all foreign ladies to take wine with their meals. Where she + got hold of this idea, nobody knew. I was sure that Her Majesty had been + misinformed by somebody, but it would have been bad policy to have tried + to tell her different at the moment. She disliked very much to be told + that she was wrong in any of these things, and it could only be done by + waiting and casually introducing the subject at some other time. + </p> + <p> + After Miss Carl had gone to rest during the afternoon, Her Majesty sent + for me and asked the usual question, viz.: What had Miss Carl been saying? + etc., etc. She seemed particularly anxious to know what Miss Carl thought + of her, and when I told her that Miss Carl had said that she was very + beautiful and quite young looking, she said: "Oh! well, of course Miss + Carl would say that to you." However, on my assuring her that Miss Carl + had given this opinion without being asked for it, she showed very plainly + that she was not at all displeased with the compliment. + </p> + <p> + Suddenly Her Majesty said: "I have been thinking that if Miss Carl can + paint the screen and the throne, surely she ought to be able to paint my + clothes and jewels, without it being necessary for me to pose all the + time." I told her that would be quite impossible, as nobody could hold the + things for Miss Carl to get the proper effect. To my surprise she + answered: "Well, that is easily gotten over. You wear them in my place." I + hardly knew what to say, but thought I would get out of the difficulty by + telling her that perhaps Miss Carl would not like such an arrangement. Her + Majesty, however, could see no possible objection on Miss Carl's part, as + she herself could pose when the time came for painting her face. So I put + the matter as nicely as possible to Miss Carl, and it was finally arranged + that I should dress in Her Majesty's robes and jewels whenever Her Majesty + felt too tired to do the posing herself. In this manner the portrait of + the Empress Dowager was painted, and with the exception of just a few + hours to enable Miss Carl to get Her Majesty's facial expression, I had to + sit for two hours each morning, and for another two hours each afternoon + until the portrait was finished. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER FOURTEEN—THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY + </h2> + <p> + MY father's four months' leave having expired, he was received in audience + by their Majesties on the first day of the sixth moon. He was much + improved in health, but his rheumatism was still very troublesome. This + was particularly noticeable when climbing the steps to the Audience Hall, + and Her Majesty ordered two of the eunuchs to assist him. + </p> + <p> + First he thanked Her Majesty for her kindness towards my sister and + myself, and, as was the custom, took off his hat and knelt down, bowing + his head until it struck the ground. This ceremony was always gone through + by any official who had received special favors from Their Majesties. + </p> + <p> + He then replaced his hat on his head and remained kneeling before the + throne. Her Majesty then questioned him about his life in Paris, from time + to time complimenting him on his work. Seeing that remaining in this + kneeling position appeared to be making him tired, Her Majesty ordered one + of the eunuchs to bring a cushion for him to use, which was another great + honor, as this cushion was only used by the President of the Grand + Council. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty told him that as he was now getting to be a very old man, she + did not intend sending him away from China again, as she wanted to keep my + sister and myself at the Court, which she could not do if she sent him to + some foreign country, as he would want to take his daughters with him. She + said she was pleased, that although we had been away from China for such a + long time, we were well acquainted with the Manchu customs. My father + replied that it had been his care that we should be brought up according + to the customs of our own country. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty when asked the Emperor if he had anything to say, and he + replied by asking my father if he spoke French, and thought it very + strange on learning that he did not. My father explained that he had never + had the time to study it, besides which he considered himself too old to + learn a foreign language. + </p> + <p> + The Emperor next asked what was the feeling in France towards China. My + father replied that they were very friendly at that time, but that + immediately after the Boxer trouble the post of Minister had been a very + embarrassing one. Her Majesty said that it had been an unfortunate affair, + but she was glad that everything was now settled satisfactorily. She told + my father that he was to get well again as quickly as possible, and the + audience came to an end. + </p> + <p> + Afterwards Her Majesty said that my father was looking very old since his + return from France and that he would have to be careful and take things + easy until he got stronger again. She was pleased that he had shown + appreciation of her interest in my sister and myself. + </p> + <p> + Preparations were now commenced for celebrating the birthday of His + Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, which was to take place on the 28th of + that month. The actual date of the Emperor's birthday was the 26th of the + sixth moon, but this day, being the anniversary of the death of a previous + Emperor of China, we were unable to hold any festivities, and so it was + always celebrated on the 28th day instead. The official celebration lasted + for seven days, three days before and four days after the actual date. + During that time the whole of the Court dressed in official robes, and no + business of any kind whatever was attended to. This being the Emperor's + 32nd birthday, and as the full celebrations only took place every tenth + year, i. e. On his 20th birthday, his 30th birthday, and so on, the + festivities were not carried out on a very grand scale. However, it was + quite sufficient to interfere with all business, and the usual morning + audiences did not take place during these seven days. The Empress Dowager + herself was the only person who did not dress especially during these + celebrations, and who did not take any active part in the festivities. + Another reason why the celebrations were not carried out on a very large + scale was the fact that the Empress Dowager, being alive, she took + precedence, according to the Manchu custom, over the Emperor himself, in + fact she was the actual ruler of the country, the Emperor being second. + The Emperor was quite aware of this fact, and when the Empress commanded + that preparations be commenced for the celebrations, the Emperor would + always suggest that it was not at all necessary to celebrate the occasion + unless it happened to be a tenth year, and would very reluctantly agree to + the festivities taking place. Of course this was more out of politeness on + the part of the Emperor and to conform to the recognized etiquette, but + the nation recognized this birthday and naturally celebrated according to + the usual custom. During this period, therefore, the painting of the + portrait was postponed. + </p> + <p> + When the morning of the 25th arrived, the Emperor dressed himself in his + official robe-yellow gown, embroidered with gold dragons and coat of a + reddish black color. Of course, being the Emperor, in place of the usual + button on the hat he wore a large pearl. I might mention that the Emperor + was the only person who could wear this particular pearl in place of a + button. He came as usual to wish Her Majesty Chi Hsiang and then proceeded + to the temple to worship before the ancestral tablets. After this ceremony + was over he returned to the Empress Dowager and kowtowed to her. All the + Chinese adopt this rule of kowtowing to their parents on their own + birthdays, as a sign of reverence and respect. The Emperor next proceeded + to the Audience Hall, where all the Ministers were assembled, and received + their salutations and congratulations. This ceremony very often caused + amusement, for to see several hundred people all bobbing their heads up + and down, especially when they did not all manage to do it together, was a + very funny sight. Even the Emperor himself had to laugh, it was such an + extraordinary spectacle. + </p> + <p> + The musical instruments which were used during the ceremony deserve a + little description. The principal instrument is made of hard wood, and has + a flat bottom about three feet in diameter, with a dome-shaped top raised + about three feet from the ground. The inside is quite hollow. A long pole + made of the same material is used as a drumstick, and an official, + specially appointed, beats with all his might on the drum. The noise can + be better imagined than described. This is used as a signal to announce + when the Emperor takes his seat upon the throne. In addition to the above, + a full sized model of a tiger, also made of similar hard wood, and having + twenty-four scales on its back, is brought into the courtyard. In this + case they did not beat the instrument, but scraped along its back over the + scales, which emitted a noise similar to the letting off simultaneously of + innumerable crackers. This noise was kept up during the whole of the + ceremony, and what with the drum and this tiger instrument it was + sufficient to deafen one. During the ceremony, an official crier used to + call out the different orders, such as when to kneel, bow, stand up, + kowtow, etc., etc., but with the noise it was quite impossible to hear a + single word of what he uttered. Another instrument was composed of a frame + made of wood, about eight feet high by three feet broad. Across this frame + were three wooden bars, from which was suspended twelve bells, made out of + pure gold. When these were struck with a wooden stick the sound was not at + all unlike the dulcimer, only, of course, very much louder. This was + placed on the right side of the Audience Hall. On the left side a similar + instrument was placed, with the exception that the bells were carved out + of white jade. The music which could be brought out of the instrument was + very sweet. + </p> + <p> + When this ceremony of receiving the Ministers was concluded, the Emperor + proceeded to his private Palace, where the Young Empress (his wife), the + Secondary wife and all the Court ladies were gathered, and, after + kowtowing, all of the Court ladies present, led by the Young Empress, + knelt before him and presented him with a Ru Yee. This is a kind of + sceptre. Some are made out of pure jade, while others are made out of wood + inlaid with jade. This Ru Yee is a symbol of good luck and was supposed to + bring happiness and prosperity to the person to whom it was presented. The + ceremony was gone through to the accompaniment of music played on string + instruments, which was very sweet. + </p> + <p> + Next the eunuchs were received by the Emperor, and they similarly + congratulated him, but without the accompaniment of music. After the + eunuchs came the servant girls, and the whole of the ceremony was over. + The Emperor next proceeded to Her Majesty's Palace, where he knelt before + Her Majesty and thanked her for the celebration which had been given in + his honor, after which Her Majesty, accompanied by the whole Court, went + to the theatre to see the play. On arrival at the theatre we were all + presented by Her Majesty with sweetmeats, this being the custom on these + occasions, and after a little while Her Majesty retired for her afternoon + rest. Thus the celebration ended. + </p> + <p> + Two days after the celebration the seventh moon commenced. The seventh day + of the seventh moon was the occasion of another important anniversary. + </p> + <p> + The two stars, Niu Lang (Capricorn) and Chih Nu (Lyra) are supposed to be + the patrons of agriculture and weaving and, according to tradition, were + at one time man and wife. As the result of a quarrel, however, they were + doomed to live apart, being separated from each other by the "Milky Way." + But on the seventh day of the seventh moon of each year they are allowed + to see each other and the magpies are supposed to build a bridge to enable + them to meet. + </p> + <p> + The ceremony is rather peculiar. Several basins full of water were placed + so that the sun's rays would fall upon them. Her Majesty then took several + tiny needles and dropped one into each basin. These floated on the water, + casting a shadow across the bottom of the basins. These shadows took + different forms, according to the position of the needle, and if the + shadow took certain prescribed forms, the person throwing in the needle + was supposed to be very lucky and clever, while if they represented + certain other forms, they were despised by the gods as being ignorant. In + addition, Her Majesty burned incense and offered up prayers to the two + gods referred to. + </p> + <p> + This was always a sad moon for Her Majesty, it being the anniversary of + the death of her husband, the Emperor Hsien Feng, who died on the 17th of + that month. The fifteenth of the seventh moon each year is the day of the + festival for the dead, and early in the morning the Court moved to the Sea + Palace in order to sacrifice. The Chinese hold that when a person dies, + his soul still remains on the earth, and on these anniversaries they burn + imitation money, the belief being that the soul of the departed one will + benefit to the extent of the amount of money so represented. On the + anniversary above referred to Her Majesty sent for hundreds of Buddhist + priests to pray for those unfortunate people who had died without leaving + anyone who could sacrifice for them. On the evening of this day, Her + Majesty and all her Court ladies set out in open boats on the lake, where + imitation lotus flowers were arranged as lanterns, with a candle placed in + the centre, which formed a sort of floating light, the idea being to give + light to the spirits of those who had departed during the year, so as to + enable them to come and receive the blessings which had been prepared for + them. Her Majesty ordered us to light the candles and place the flowers on + the water ourselves, as she said it would be appreciated by the spirits of + the dead. Some of the eunuchs had told Her Majesty that they had actually + seen some of these spirits, which assertion was thoroughly believed. + Although she had never seen them herself, she accounted for this by the + fact that she was of too high a rank and the spirits were afraid of her, + but she ordered all the rest of us to keep a sharp lookout and tell her if + we saw anything. Of course we didn't see anything, but many of the Court + ladies were so frightened that they closed their eyes for fear they might + see something supernatural. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was devoted to the late Emperor Hsien Feng, and she was very + sad and morose during this period. We all had to be very careful indeed + not to upset her in any way, as she would find fault on the slightest + provocation. She hardly had a word to say to any of us, and cried almost + incessantly. I could hardly understand the reason for such grief, seeing + that the Emperor had died so many years previously. None of the Court + ladies were allowed to dress in light-coloured gowns during the whole of + the seventh moon. We all dressed either in dark blue or pale blue, while + Her Majesty herself dressed in black every day without exception. Even her + handkerchiefs were black. The theatres which were usually opened on the + first and fifteenth of each month, were closed during the seventh moon. + There was no music, and everything was conducted in the most solemn + manner; in fact, the whole Court was in deep mourning. + </p> + <p> + On the morning of the seventeenth day of the seventh moon, Her Majesty + visited the late Emperor's tablet, and knelt there crying for quite a + while. In order to show respect for the late Emperor, none of us were + allowed to eat meat for three days. This being my first year at the + Palace, it appeared to me very strange, after the customary gaiety and + noise. Of course I felt very sorry for Her Majesty, as I could see that it + was a genuine display of grief and was not in any way put on. As I was her + favorite at that time, she kept me close to her side during this sad + period. The Young Empress said to me one day: "Her Majesty is very much + attached to you, and I think you had better stay with her for the time + being." This I did, and I was so miserable myself that when Her Majesty + commenced crying I would cry also. When she saw that I was crying, Her + Majesty would immediately stop and ask me not to cry. She would tell me + that I was too young to cry, and that in any case I did not know what real + sorrow was as yet. During the conversations we had at that time she would + tell me quite a lot about herself. On one occasion she said: "You know I + have had a very hard life ever since I was a young girl. I was not a bit + happy when with my parents, as I was not the favorite. My sisters had + everything they wanted, while I was, to a great extent, ignored + altogether. When I first came to the Court, a lot of the people were + jealous of me because I was considered to be a beautiful woman at that + time. I must say myself that I was a clever one, for I fought my own + battles, and won them, too. When I arrived at Court the late Emperor + became very much attached to me and would hardly glance at any of the + other ladies. Fortunately, I was lucky in giving birth to a son, as it + made me the Emperor's undisputed favorite; but after that I had very bad + luck. During the last year of his reign the Emperor was seized with a + sudden illness. In addition to this the foreign soldiers burnt down the + Palace at Yuen Ming Yuen, so we fled to Jehol. Of course everybody knows + what took place at that time. I was still a young woman, with a dying + husband and a young son. The East Empress Dowager's nephew was a bad man, + who coveted the throne, which he had no right to in any event, as he was + not of royal blood. I would not wish anyone to experience what I myself + passed through at that time. When the Emperor was in a dying condition, + being practically unconscious of what was taking place around him, I took + my son to his bedside and asked him what was going to be done about his + successor to the throne. He made no reply to this, but, as has always been + the case in emergencies, I was equal to the occasion, and I said to him: + 'Here is your son,' on hearing which he immediately opened his eyes and + said: 'Of course he will succeed to the throne.' I naturally felt relieved + when this was settled once and for all. These words were practically the + last he spoke, for he died immediately afterwards. Although it is now so + many years ago, I can see him now in that dying condition, just as though + it all happened only yesterday. + </p> + <p> + "I thought that I could be happy with my son as the Emperor Tung Chi, but + unfortunately he died before he was twenty years of age. Since that time I + have been a changed woman, as all happiness was over as far as I was + concerned when he died. I had also quite a lot of trouble with the East + Empress Dowager and found it very difficult to keep on good terms with + her. However, she died five years after the death of my son. In addition + to all this, when the Emperor Kwang Hsu was brought to me as a baby three + years old, he was a very sickly child, and could hardly walk, he was so + thin and weak. His parents seemed to be afraid of giving him anything to + eat. You know his father was Prince Chung, and his mother was my sister, + so of course he was almost the same as my own son, in fact I adopted him + as such. Even now, after all my trouble on his account, he is not in + perfect health. As you know, I have had plenty of other troubles beside + these, but it is useless to mention them now. I am disappointed with + everything, as nothing has turned out as I had expected." With this remark + Her Majesty commenced crying afresh. Continuing, she said: "People seem to + think that just because I am the Empress Dowager that I am bound to be + happy, but what I have just told you is not all. I have gone through much + more than that. If ever anything went wrong, I was always the one who was + blamed. The censors even dare to impeach me once in a while. However, I am + philosopher enough to take things for what they are worth, otherwise I + would have been in my own grave long, long ago. Just imagine how small + minded these people are. Amongst other things they objected to my + transferring my Court to the Summer Palace during the hot weather, + although I could do no harm by being there. Even in the short time you + have spent at Court, you can see that I am unable to decide anything + alone, while whenever they want anything they consult with each other and + then present their petition to me, which, unless it is something of a very + serious nature, I never think of refusing." + </p> + <p> + After the time set apart for mourning had expired, we all went back to the + Summer Palace, where Miss Carl re-commenced her work on Her Majesty's + portrait. Her Majesty apparently soon got tired of this portrait painting, + for one day she asked me when I thought it would be finished. She was + afraid that it would not be finished by the time the cold weather came on, + when we always removed the Court to the Forbidden City, and she said it + would be a lot of trouble and inconvenience to have to continue the + portrait there. I told Her Majesty that it could easily be arranged and + that she need not worry herself. + </p> + <p> + After I had been posing in Her Majesty's place for several days Her + Majesty asked me whether Miss Carl had said anything about it, and if she + did, I was to inform her that it was a command from Her Majesty, and that + I dare not make any further suggestions in that respect. So we had no + further trouble with Miss Carl after that. I had, however, quite a lot of + trouble with the eunuchs, who, in spite of Her Majesty's instructions, + were anything but polite to Miss Carl. Of course Miss Carl herself did not + know this. I tried to make them behave better by threatening to tell Her + Majesty about them, which had a good effect for a while, but they were + soon as bad as ever. + </p> + <p> + At the commencement of the eighth moon, Her Majesty always attended to the + transplanting of her chrysanthemums, which was one of her favorite + flowers, so each day she would take us with her to the west side of the + lake and, assisted by us, would cut the tops of the young plants and set + them in flower pots. I was very much surprised at this, as there were no + roots, only the stems of the flowers, but Her Majesty assured me that they + would soon grow into very pretty plants. Every day we went over to water + these flowers until they began to bud. In case it rained heavily, Her + Majesty would order some of the eunuchs to go over and cover up these + chrysanthemum plants with mats, so that they would not be broken. It was + characteristic of Her Majesty that, no matter what other business she had + to attend to, her flowers had her first consideration and she would, if + necessary, even go without her usual rest in order to superintend them + personally. She also spent quite a time in looking after her orchard, + where she had planted apple trees, pear trees, etc. Another thing which I + began to notice was that when the spring and summer days had passed, she + got quite irritable and sad, while in the winter she was simply + unbearable. She loathed cold weather. + </p> + <p> + One day, during the eighth moon, Her Majesty was taken slightly ill, and + complained of suffering from severe headaches. This was the only time I + ever saw Her Majesty actually sick. She, however, got up as usual in the + morning, and held audience, but was unable to take her luncheon, and very + soon had to retire to her bed. Several doctors were summoned, each of whom + took her pulse. This was quite a ceremony in itself. The doctors knelt at + the bedside, and Her Majesty stretched forth her arm, resting her hand + upon a small pillow which was provided for that purpose. After this each + doctor wrote out his prescription, all of which were different from each + other. We handed them to Her Majesty, who chose the one which she thought + was the nicest to take, and two attendants and the doctor himself had to + take a dose in her presence before she would touch it. Then she would take + it all right. + </p> + <p> + During this time it rained a great deal and was very hot. The climate at + this time of the year is very damp, which causes the flies to make their + appearance in millions. If there was one thing more than another that Her + Majesty detested it was these flies. During the actual summer they were + not so troublesome as at this particular time. Of course every precaution + was taken to keep them away, a eunuch being posted at each door, provided + with sort of a switch made of horse hair fastened at the end of a bamboo + pole. We were never troubled by mosquitoes, however; in fact I never saw a + mosquito curtain in the Palace during the whole of my stay there. These + flies were an abomination, and in spite of all that could be done a few + would find their way into the rooms. Whenever they alighted on Her Majesty + she would scream, while if by any chance one were to alight on her food + she would order the whole lot to be thrown away. This would spoil her + appetite for the whole day and put her into a terrible temper as well. + Whenever she saw one anywhere near her, she would order whoever happened + to be present to go and catch it. I myself often received this order, but + I detested them almost as much as Her Majesty did, they were so dirty, and + stuck to one's hands whenever they touched them. + </p> + <p> + After her illness Her Majesty was indisposed more or less for quite a long + time, and doctors were constantly in attendance. She took so many + different kinds of medicine that instead of getting better she got worse + and eventually contracted a fever. Her Majesty was very much afraid of + fevers of any kind and we had to stay with her all night and all day and + had to take our meals whenever we could get away from her bedside for a + few minutes. Another peculiarity was Her Majesty's aversion for any kind + of perfume near her when she was sick, while when she was feeling well she + was simply smothered in it. The same applied to fresh flowers; in spite of + her love for them under ordinary conditions, when she was sick she could + not bear them anywhere near. Her nerves became absolutely unstrung, as she + was unable to sleep during the day, and consequently the time passed very + slowly to her. In order to make the time pass a little less tediously, she + gave instructions for one of the better educated eunuchs to read to her + during the daytime. This reading generally consisted of ancient Chinese + history, poetry and all kinds of Chinese lore, and while the eunuch was + reading to her we had to stand by her bedside, one of us being told off to + massage her legs, which seemed to soothe her somewhat. This same program + was gone through every day until she was completely herself again—some + ten days later. + </p> + <p> + One day Her Majesty asked me: "What kind of medicine does a foreign doctor + usually give in case of a fever? I have heard that they make you take all + kinds of pills. This must be very dangerous, as you never know what they + are made of. Here in China all medicines are made from roots, and I can + always find out whether I am receiving the right medicine, as I have a + book which explains what each different medicine is for. Another thing I + have heard is that foreign doctors generally operate on you with a knife, + while we cure the same sickness by means of our medicine. Li Lien Ying + told me that one of our little eunuchs had a boil on his wrist and someone + advised him to go to the hospital. Of course they didn't know what they + would do, and the foreign doctor there opened the boil with a knife, which + frightened the child very much. I was very much surprised when I heard he + was all right again in a couple of days." Continuing, Her Majesty said: "A + year ago one of the foreign ladies came to the Palace, and hearing me + cough a lot, gave me some black pills and told me to swallow them. I did + not like to offend her, so I took the pills and told her I would take them + by and bye. However, I was afraid to take them and threw them away." Of + course I answered that I didn't know much about medicines, to which she + replied that she had seen me take foreign medicines whenever I was not + feeling well. She then said: "Of course I know there are people in Peking + who do take the medicines given them by foreign doctors and even some of + my own relatives patronize these foreigners also. They try not to let me + know, but I do know for all that. In any case, if they choose to kill + themselves by taking these things, it is none of my business; that is the + reason why, when they are sick, I never send my own doctors to attend + them." + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty had completely recovered from her illness she used to go + out on the lake a great deal, sometimes in an open boat and at other times + in a steam launch. She always appeared to enjoy this kind of thing. For + some reason or other she always insisted on taking the west side of the + lake, which was very shallow, and invariably the launch would get stuck + fast in the mud, which seemed to afford Her Majesty great enjoyment; she + simply loved to feel the launch strike the bottom. The open boats would + then come alongside and we would have to get out of the launch and enter + the boats and proceed to the top of the nearest hill to watch the efforts + of the eunuchs trying to refloat the launch. It was a characteristic of + Her Majesty to experience a keen sense of enjoyment at the troubles of + other people. The eunuchs knew this quite well, and whenever opportunity + offered, they would do something which they thought would amuse Her + Majesty. So long as it was nothing of a serious nature Her Majesty would + always overlook it, but in case it proved serious or was carelessness, she + would always order them to be severely punished. Thus it was very hard to + tell just what to do in order to please her. + </p> + <p> + Another of Her Majesty's peculiarities was inquisitiveness. For example: + As I have stated before, it was the custom for Her Majesty to have + sweetmeats brought to her before every meal, and after she had finished + with them, the remainder were distributed among the Court ladies. Whenever + it happened that we were very busy, we did not bother with the sweetmeats + at all, which Her Majesty very soon found out. One day, after she had + finished dining, she came and looked through the window to see what we + were doing, and saw some of the eunuchs eating the sweetmeats which she + had given to us. She did not say anything, but simply ordered that the + sweetmeats should be brought back again, making us believe that she wanted + some more herself. I knew that there was something wrong, as she never + ordered them back before. When she saw what was left of them, she asked + who had been eating so many, as they were nearly all finished, but she got + no reply—we were all too scared. However, after thinking it over, I + came to the conclusion that it would be best to tell her the truth, for I + was quite certain that she knew anyhow. So I told her that we had all been + very busy and had forgotten all about the sweetmeats, and that the eunuchs + had come and taken them themselves, and I added that this was not the + first time they had done so. I was rather glad that she had given me this + opportunity to report the eunuchs, for Her Majesty replied that if she + intended the eunuchs to have sweetmeats, she herself could give them some, + but thought it a lack of appreciation on our part not eating them + ourselves after she had been so kind as to provide them for us. She turned + to me, and said: "I am glad that you have told the truth, as I saw myself + what was happening." She gave orders that the offending eunuchs should + each have three months' wages deducted as a punishment, but of course I + knew very well they didn't mind that, as they were making many times the + amount of their salary in other ways. On my return to the sitting room, + one of the Court ladies said: "You should not have told Her Majesty about + the eunuchs, they are sure to revenge themselves in some way." I asked how + they could possibly injure me in any way, as they were only servants, but + she told me that they would find some underhand way in which to get even + with me, this being their general custom. Of course I knew the eunuchs + were a bad lot, but could not see what cause they had to be against me in + any way. I knew they dare not say anything against me to Her Majesty, so I + forgot all about the matter. I found out afterwards that one of the tricks + they used to play on any of the Court ladies who offended them was to try + and prejudice Her Majesty against us. For instance, if Her Majesty told + one of the eunuchs that a certain thing should be done, instead of telling + me what Her Majesty wanted, the eunuch would go off to one of the other + ladies and tell her. In this way Her Majesty would get the impression that + I was too lazy to wait upon her myself, and of course the other lady would + get all the credit. Although Her Majesty was very kind to me, also the + Young Empress, it was very hard to get along with eunuchs, and it was not + good policy to offend them in any way. They regarded themselves as being + exclusively the servants of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and refused + to take instructions from anybody else, consequently they were often very + rude to the other ladies of the Court, not even excepting the Young + Empress. + </p> + <p> + Everything proceeded as usual until the eighth moon, when the Emperor was + to sacrifice at the "Temple of the Sun." On this occasion the Emperor wore + a red robe. + </p> + <p> + About this time Mrs. Conger asked for a private audience, as she wanted to + see Her Majesty and at the same time see how the portrait was progressing. + Her Majesty replied that she would receive her and gave orders + accordingly. At this private audience Mrs. Conger brought into the Court + two of her relatives to be presented to Her Majesty, besides Miss Campbell + and a missionary lady. As it was a private audience, the guests were + conducted to Her Majesty's private Palace. They were received in the hall + which was being used as studio for this lady artist, although Her Majesty + was out of patience with the portrait painting, and talked to us a great + deal about it, yet when she saw Mrs. Conger and the others she was + extremely polite and told them that the portrait was going to be a + masterpiece. She was in an unusually good humor that day and told me to + give orders to the eunuchs to open all the buildings and show them to her + guests. Her Majesty led the way from one room to another and showed them + her curios in the different rooms, until she came to rest in one of the + bedrooms, when she ordered chairs to be brought in for the guests. There + were many chairs in this room, but they were really small thrones of Her + Majesty's, although they looked like any ordinary chairs. The custom is + that no matter what kind of a chair it may be, as soon as she uses it, it + is at once called her throne and no one is allowed to sit on it thereafter + unless the order is given by her. + </p> + <p> + During the time the eunuchs were bringing in the chairs kept purposely for + foreigners to use, one of the ladies of the party made a mistake and sat + upon one of Her Majesty's thrones. I noticed her at once, and before I had + a chance to warn her, Her Majesty made a sign of annoyance to me. I went + to this lady at once and told her I wanted to show her something and + naturally she was obliged to get up. The trouble was this, although Her + Majesty felt that no one had the right to sit upon her throne, she + expected me to get this lady off the chair and at the same time not to + tell her the reason why. While I was busy interpreting for her, she said + in an undertone: "There she is again, sitting on my bed. We had better + leave this room." After this the ladies were conducted to the refreshment + room, and when they had partaken of lunch, bade Her Majesty good-bye, + leaving Miss Carl with us. As usual we reported to her that we had seen + the guests safely off. She said to me: "That was a funny lady: first she + sat upon my throne, and then upon my bed. Perhaps she does not know what a + throne is when she sees one, and yet foreigners laugh at us. I am sure + that our manners are far superior to theirs. Another thing—did you + notice that Mrs. Conger handed a parcel to Miss Carl out in the courtyard + when she came in?" I replied that I had noticed her passing something like + a parcel, but could not tell what the parcel contained. She thereupon told + me to go and ask Miss Carl what it was. At that time I had received so + many peculiar orders from Her Majesty that I was beginning to get + accustomed to them and used my own discretion in carrying out her + instructions. Therefore I did not ask Miss Carl, but set about finding out + for myself. However, when I began to look around for the parcel, it had + mysteriously disappeared and I could not find the thing anywhere. This + naturally worried me, knowing as I did that Her Majesty liked her + instructions carried out quickly. While I was searching, one of the + eunuchs came in and told me that Her Majesty wanted to see me, and of + course I had to go to her. Before she could say anything to me, I informed + Her Majesty that I had not been able to ask Miss Carl about the parcel as + she was asleep, but would do so immediately she got up. Her Majesty said: + "I don't want Miss Carl to think I have told you to ask what the parcel + contains, otherwise she might think I am suspicious of what is going on, + so you must manage to get the information somehow without mentioning the + matter; you are clever enough to do that much." Shortly afterwards, while + I was walking along with Miss Carl to Her Majesty's Palace, to proceed + with the portrait, I noticed that she was carrying the parcel in question, + which was a great relief to me, I can assure you. On arrival at the + Palace, Miss Carl said to me: "You need not trouble to pose at present, as + it is rather dark, and I can be painting the throne; you can look through + this magazine, if you like, to pass the time away." So I opened up the + parcel, which proved to contain nothing more than an ordinary American + monthly magazine. After glancing through the book, I made an excuse to + hurry away and inform Her Majesty. However, she had already gone out for + her usual trip on the lake, so I took my chair and followed. When I + reached the lake, Her Majesty, who had seen me, sent a small boat and I + was rowed out to the launch. Before I could get a chance to speak, Her + Majesty said with a smile: "I know all about it, it was a book and Miss + Carl handed it to you to read." I was very much disappointed that I had + had my journey for nothing. I knew that the eunuchs would report it to Her + Majesty at the first opportunity, but I hardly expected they would have + done so already. Her Majesty was now quite satisfied, and simply asked + whether Miss Carl suspected that she had enquired about the matter. + </p> + <p> + As I was about to return to Miss Carl, Her Majesty called me and said: + "There is one thing I want to tell you and that is whenever any foreign + ladies are visiting the Palace, always keep close to the Emperor so that + in the event of their speaking to him you can interpret." I answered that + so far whenever any foreigners were present I was present also and did not + think that anybody had held any conversation with the Emperor whatsoever. + She explained that her reason for mentioning this was that she wanted me + to be just as courteous to the Emperor as I was to herself, and I was to + place myself entirely at his disposal whenever visitors were present. Of + course I knew very well that this was not the true reason at all but that + she wanted to take every precaution to preclude the possibility of + foreigners influencing the Emperor in matters of reform, etc. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER FIFTEEN—THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL + </h2> + <p> + ON the fifteenth day of the eighth moon came the celebration of the + Mid-Autumn Festival, sometimes called the Moon Festival. + </p> + <p> + This name is derived from the belief which the Chinese hold that the moon + is not permanently round when full, but that on this particular day it is + a perfect circle. The ceremony which is gone through is conducted entirely + by the Court ladies and consists of worshiping the moon as soon as it + appears in the sky. In other respects the celebrations are exactly the + same as in the Dragon Boat Festival, presents were exchanged between Her + Majesty and the Court officials. The festival concluded with a theatrical + performance which describes a scene in the moon. The belief is that a + beautiful maiden lives in the moon, her only companion being a white + rabbit, called a Jade Rabbit. According to the play this rabbit escapes + from the moon to the Earth and becomes a young and beautiful girl. A + golden rooster which lives in the sun, becoming aware of the rabbit's + descent to the earth, himself descends from the sun and changes into a + handsome prince. Of course they very naturally meet and immediately fall + in love. Now, on the earth lived another rabbit—a red one, who, on + finding out what was going on, changed himself into a prince also and set + about making love to the beautiful maiden with the object of cutting out + the rooster. However, he was seriously handicapped inasmuch as he was + unable to change the color of his face, which remained red, therefore his + love making met with no success and the rooster prince had it all his own + way. At this point, the beautiful maiden in the moon, on discovering her + loss, sent the soldiers of Heaven to re-capture her rabbit, with the + result that she was taken back to the moon and the rooster being left + alone, had no alternative but to reluctantly return to his home in the + sun. + </p> + <p> + During this performance the head eunuch brought a young man into the + courtyard, who kowtowed to Her Majesty. This was such an unusual + occurrence that everybody noticed it. I could see that he was a stranger + and did not belong to the Court and I wondered who he could be. At the + other end of the veranda I saw two or three of the Court ladies whispering + together and smiling. They finally came over to me and asked if I knew who + he was. I told them that he was a stranger to me and they ought to know + better than I did as they had been at the Court much longer. Anyhow I gave + it as my opinion that he was decidedly ugly. That same evening Her Majesty + asked me whether I had noticed this young man, and told me that he was the + son of a very high Manchu official; that his father was dead and that he + had succeeded to the title and to a large amount of money. I was surprised + that Her Majesty should give such a lengthy explanation about this young + man, but I told her that I did not think him very handsome. Her Majesty + was talking in a very serious manner but I did not think anything of the + occurrence at the time but a few days later while I was posing for the + portrait I heard Her Majesty whispering to my mother at the other end of + the room. I saw that Her Majesty was holding a photograph in her hands + which she showed to my mother, at the same time asking whether my mother + considered him good looking. My mother answered "not very." On Her Majesty + replying that beauty was not everything I began to suspect that there was + something going on which directly concerned me. I began to think of some + excuse in order to get out of what I could plainly see was a proposed + marriage between myself and this gentleman. I knew that if Her Majesty had + made up her mind that I was to marry him I could not help myself, but, at + the same time, I made up my own mind that rather than marry anyone whom I + did not like, especially one I had never seen before, I would leave the + Court altogether. When Her Majesty retired for her usual afternoon rest + she told me she wanted to see me for a moment. After beating about the + bush for some time, she asked me whether I would like to stay with her + always or whether I would like to go away again to some foreign country. I + at once answered that I was quite satisfied to stay with her as long as + she cared to have me but that when she was tired of me she could then send + me away. Her Majesty informed me that it had been her intention to marry + me to this young gentleman and asked my opinion. I told her that I did not + want to get married at all, especially seeing that my father was sick at + this time, and leaving home to go to live apart from my family would break + his heart and perhaps be the cause of his premature death. Her Majesty + said that was no excuse as I should not have to go out of China but would + be able to see my father and family any time I wished. I told Her Majesty + that I would much rather stay with her altogether and that I did not want + to marry anybody. Her Majesty then said: "I won't listen to any excuse. I + have already explained everything to your mother, but much to my surprise + she said it would be better to mention it to you first, on account of your + having been brought up differently from the rest of the Court ladies. Had + it not been for this fact I would simply have arranged everything with + your mother and the matter would have been settled so far as you were + concerned." I could not say anything in answer to this, so commenced to + cry. I told Her Majesty that I was not like the rest of the Court ladies + who pretended they did not want to marry, when all the time they were + simply looking forward to getting married, if only for the change from the + monotony of Court life. I promised that I would stay with her forever, and + that I had no desire to go away from China again. I explained that I + should not have gone away at all had it not been that my father was + transferred to Paris. Her Majesty said: "Oh, well, I am very glad that you + did go away as you are more useful to me than you would have been had you + stayed in China all your life." After a lot more discussion Her Majesty + said: "Well, I will leave you to think the matter over. If you don't like + the young man I have chosen there are plenty of others," which remark did + not help me very much as I could see that she meant to marry me off + anyway. However, I had managed to get out of it this time, and thought I + would be able to arrange matters satisfactorily should the question come + up again. Nothing further was said about the matter until nearly a month + later when I heard that a marriage had been arranged between this + gentleman and the daughter of one of the princes. So everything ended very + satisfactorily from my point of view. + </p> + <p> + The twenty-sixth day of the eighth moon was the occasion of another + celebration. At the time the Manchu Dynasty began, Emperor Shung Chih, who + had fought very hard to gain the throne, found himself on the twenty-sixth + day of the eighth moon, absolutely out of provisions of every kind and it + was necessary for him and his army to live on the leaves of trees, which + was the only form of food obtainable at the time. Thus the anniversary of + this day, even up to the present time, is always celebrated by the Manchu + people, who deny themselves all luxuries, especially at the Court. We did + not eat any meat on that day, but only rice wrapped in lettuce leaves. + Chopsticks were also discarded and the food was conveyed to the mouth by + the hands alone. Even the Empress Dowager was no exception to this rule. + This is done in order to remind the present generation of the privation + suffered by their ancestors who established the Manchu Dynasty. + </p> + <p> + Towards the close of the eighth moon Her Majesty's gourd plants, which had + been planted early in the spring, were ripening, and each day she would + take us all to see what progress they were making. She would pick out + those which she considered to be the most perfect in form, i. e., those + with the smallest waist and tie ribbons around them so as not to lose + sight of them. She pointed to one of these plants one day, and said to me: + "This reminds me of yourself when dressed in foreign clothes. Surely you + feel more comfortable in the clothes you are now wearing." When these + gourds were quite ripe they were cut down and Her Majesty would scrape the + outer skin with a bamboo knife, afterwards wiping the fruit with a wet + cloth. They were then allowed to dry and after a few days they would + assume a brownish color, when they were ready for hanging as ornaments in + the Summer Palace. In one room alone there were over 10,000 of these + gourds, of different shapes. It was the duty of the Court ladies to + periodically wipe these gourds with a cloth, in order to give them a shiny + appearance, and also to scrape any new ones which were pulled and prepare + them for the Palace. None of us cared very much about this work excepting + Her Majesty. One day whilst attending to these gourds I happened to knock + the top off one of the old ones which was Her Majesty's particular + favorite. I dared not go and tell Her Majesty what had happened and one of + the Court ladies suggested throwing the thing away altogether and saying + nothing about it as Her Majesty would not be likely to find it out, having + so many of them. However, I finally decided to go and tell Her Majesty + about it, and take punishment if necessary. For a wonder Her Majesty did + not make much bother about it. She said: "Well it was quite an old one in + any case and the top was ready to drop off at any time; it so happens that + you were the one to wipe it, and of course it came off. It can't be + helped." I told Her Majesty that I was very much ashamed at being so + careless, especially as I knew it was one of her favorites, and there the + matter ended. All the rest of the Court ladies were in the waiting room + and were anxious to know how I would get out of it, and when I told them + they said that had it been any of them there would have been a fine row. + They laughed, and said it must be nice to be a favorite which made me feel + very uncomfortable. I told the Young Empress exactly what had happened, + and she said I was quite right to tell Her Majesty the truth and told me + to be very careful as there was much jealousy going on. + </p> + <p> + At the beginning of the ninth moon the chrysanthemums commence to bud and + it was the duty of the ladies of the Court to go and trim them each day by + cutting away all the buds except one on each stalk. This trimming gives + the flower a better chance of developing, a much larger blossom being the + result. Even Her Majesty would help with this work. She was very + particular about these plants, and would not allow any of us to meddle + with them if our hands were not perfectly cool, as to touch them with hot + hands would cause the leaves to shrivel up. These flowers are generally in + full bloom about the end of the ninth moon or beginning of the tenth moon. + Her Majesty had a wonderful gift of being able to tell what kind of flower + would bloom from each separate plant, even before the buds appeared. She + would say: "This is going to be a red flower," and we would place a bamboo + stick in the flower pot, with the name written on it. Then another, Her + Majesty would declare to be a white one and we would place a similar + bamboo stick in the flower pot, with the description, and so on. Her + Majesty said: "This is your first year at the Palace and no doubt you are + surprised at what you have just seen and heard me say, but I have never + yet made a mistake. For you will see when the flowers commence to bloom." + It was a fact as everything turned out exactly as she had predicted. None + of us ever knew how she was able to distinguish one from the other, but + she was always right. I did once ask her to explain how she was able to + tell but she answered that it was a secret. + </p> + <p> + All this time the portrait was proceeding very slowly and one day Her + Majesty asked me how long I thought it would be before it was finished and + what the custom in Europe was as regards remuneration for such a portrait. + I replied that it was customary to pay very handsomely, but she would not + hear of such a suggestion, saying that in China it was not the custom and + that it would be regarded as an insult to offer money for such a service. + She suggested decorating Miss Carl as a reward for her services, which she + considered would be appreciated far more than a money present. There was + nothing for me to say at this time but I determined to mention the matter + again when a favorable opportunity occurred. + </p> + <p> + During the ninth moon a Russian circus visited Peking and of course + everybody talked of little else. Her Majesty, hearing so much talk about + this circus asked what it was like, and after we had explained to her, she + became very interested and said that she would like to see it. My mother + thought it would be a good idea to have the circus brought up to the + Summer Palace, where they could perform, so she asked Her Majesty whether + this might be done. Her Majesty was delighted with the idea, and + arrangements were accordingly made for the performance. While everything + was being fixed, the people belonging to the circus, and the animals, were + quartered near our own house and we had to feed them at our own expense. + However, we wanted to show Her Majesty what a circus was like so the + expense did not matter. It took them two days to erect the tent and make + all necessary preparations, and during this time Her Majesty received + reports as to what was being done, and the progress they were making. + </p> + <p> + The day before the performance, we noticed that Her Majesty, on coming + from her audience, looked very angry, and on our enquiring what was the + matter she informed my mother and myself that some censors had raised + objections against having this circus in the Palace grounds, as there had + never been anything of this kind allowed before and they had begged Her + Majesty to give up the idea. Her Majesty was very angry, and said: "You + see how much power I have here; I cannot even have a circus without + somebody raising objections. I think we had better pay them something and + let them go away." Of course we agreed to anything she thought best. After + considering for a time Her Majesty jumped up and said: "They have the tent + up already; they will talk just the same whether we have the circus or + not; I will have it anyway." So the performance duly took place and Her + Majesty and all the Court were delighted. One item consisted of a young + girl walking and dancing on a large globe. This especially pleased Her + Majesty and she insisted on the performance being repeated several times. + Another item of interest was the trapeze act. Of course nobody present + with the exception of my mother, sister and myself had ever seen a circus + performance before, and Her Majesty was very much afraid that the man + would fall from the trapeze and kill himself. Another thing which + interested Her Majesty was the bare-back riding, which she thought simply + wonderful. The only objection to the whole show which she raised was when + it was suggested to bring in the lions and tigers, etc. She said it was + not safe to bring wild beasts into the Palace and that she would rather + not see this part of the performance. The proprietor of the circus, + however, brought in a small baby elephant which performed several clever + tricks. This delighted Her Majesty more than anything else and when the + proprietor saw how pleased she was he offered the elephant as a present, + which she accepted. However, after the performance was over we tried to + make him go through his tricks again but he would not budge an inch, so we + had to give it up as a bad job and send him away to be placed along with + the other elephants belonging to the Palace. + </p> + <p> + Altogether there were three performances given by the circus, and before + the final performance, the circus Manager told me that he would very much + like to show the lions and tigers: there was no chance of any accident and + it really would be worth seeing. So after a lot of discussion Her Majesty + finally consented to allow them to be brought in but on the distinct + understanding that they should not be let out of their cages. + </p> + <p> + When they were brought in the ring all the eunuchs gathered around Her + Majesty, and after remaining in the ring for a few minutes Her Majesty + ordered them to be taken away again. She said: "I am not afraid for + myself, but they might get loose and hurt some of the people." This item + finished the whole of the performance and the circus departed richer by + some Taels 10,000 which Her Majesty had ordered to be given to them. + </p> + <p> + For the next couple of days we discussed the merits of the circus but + afterwards, Her Majesty, when referring to the subject, expressed great + disappointment with the whole thing. She said she had expected something + entirely different and far more wonderful. This was another characteristic + of Her Majesty; nothing pleased her for more than five minutes at a time. + She said to me: "I don't see anything at all wonderful in foreign + accomplishments. Take for instance this portrait which this lady is + painting. I don't think it is going to be at all a good picture, it seems + so rough. (Her Majesty did not understand oil painting). Then again why + should she always want to have the things before her while painting them. + An ordinary Chinese artist could paint my dress, shoes, etc., after seeing + the things once. She cannot be very much of an artist in my opinion, + though you need not tell her that I said so." Continuing, Her Majesty + said: "By the way, what do you talk about when you are posing for this + portrait of mine; although I don't understand what she is saying, still I + can see she has a lot to say. Be sure not to tell her anything connected + with the Court life and do not teach her any Chinese. I hear that she + often asks what different things are called in Chinese, but don't tell + her. The less she knows the better for us. I can see that she has seen + nothing of our ordinary Court life, as yet. I wonder what she would say if + she were to see one of the eunuchs being punished, or anything like that. + She would think that we were savages, I suppose. I noticed the other day, + when I was angry, that you took this lady artist away. This was very wise + of you; it is better that she should not see me in a temper, she might + talk about it afterwards. I wish this portrait was finished. The cool + weather is coming on and we have to open up the boxes and get our winter + clothes ready. You girls need winter clothes I know as you have none but + foreign dresses. Then, again, my birthday is next month and there will be + the usual celebrations. After that we return to the Sea Palace, and what + can we do with this artist? I suppose she will have to go back and stay at + the American Legation and come to the Sea Palace each day until the work + is finished. This will be a lot of trouble as it is not ten minutes' drive + as at present, but nearer an hour's drive. And even if this can be + satisfactorily arranged, what about the Winter Palace in the Forbidden + City? Try and get to know how long she expects to be before it is + finished." This gave me an opportunity to tell Her Majesty that Miss Carl + was just as anxious to get the work finished as she was to have it + finished, but explained that Miss Carl had very little time to paint as + Her Majesty could spare very little time to give personal sittings, and + again, when Her Majesty went to lie down each afternoon, Miss Carl had to + stop painting as she was working in the next room to Her Majesty's + bedroom. Her Majesty replied: "Well, if she expects me to sit for her all + day long I will give up the whole thing at once," and then added: "I think + you yourself are getting tired of sitting, and want me to take it up + again, but I have already had quite enough of it." Of course, I told her + that instead of being tired of it, I enjoyed sitting on Her Throne, which + I regarded as a great honor. I explained to Her Majesty that Miss Carl did + not like me to pose in her place, as she could not get along so quickly as + if she were to sit herself; but she simply said that I was acting under + her commands, and that should be sufficient for me. + </p> + <p> + For the next ten days we were kept very busy selecting materials for + winter clothing and also official robes for my sister and myself to be + worn during the forthcoming birthday celebrations. These dresses were full + winter Court dresses, of red satin embroidered with golden dragons and + blue clouds, and were trimmed with gold braid and lined with grey + squirrel. The cuffs and collars (which were turned down) were of sable. + While Her Majesty was giving one of the eunuchs instructions as to how + these were to be made, the Young Empress beckoned to me, and I went out. + She said: "You go and kowtow to Her Majesty as it is a great favor for her + to give you a dress trimmed with sable. This is usually only worn by a + Princess." So when I returned to the room I availed myself of the first + opportunity to kowtow and thank Her Majesty for the great favor she had + granted me. She answered: "You deserve it, and I see no reason why you + should not be treated as a Princess anyway; many of the Princesses are not + of the Imperial family. Any title may be bestowed for special services + rendered to the country and you have been of more help to me than any + other Court lady I have ever had, and I can see that you are faithful in + the discharge of your duties. You may think I do not notice these things, + but I do. You are certainly entitled to be ranked as a Princess, and in + fact I never treat you different from the Princesses, but rather better in + many ways." Turning to a eunuch she said: "Bring my fur cap here." This + cap was made of sable, trimmed with pearls and jade and Her Majesty + explained that our caps would be something after the same style except + that the crown, instead of being yellow as in the case of Her Majesty's + cap, would be red. I was naturally delighted. In addition to the cap and + full Court dress Her Majesty had two ordinary dresses made for everyday + wear, one lined with sheepskin and the other lined with grey squirrel. + Then she gave us four other dresses of finer material, lined with black + and white fox skin, and all trimmed with gold braid and embroidered + ribbons. In addition there were two other dresses, one of a pale pink + color, embroidered with one hundred butterflies and the other of a reddish + color embroidered with green bamboo leaves. Several short jackets, also + lined with fur, were also included in Her Majesty's present, and several + sleeveless jackets went to complete the lot. + </p> + <p> + On coming out of the room, one of the Court ladies remarked that I was + very lucky to receive so many clothes from Her Majesty and said that she + had never received so many during the whole time she had been at the + Palace—nearly ten years. I could see she was jealous. The young + Empress, overhearing this conversation, joined us and told her that when I + arrived at the Palace I had nothing but foreign clothes and how was I to + manage if Her Majesty did not get me the proper dresses. This incident was + the beginning of another unpleasant time for me with the ladies of the + Court. At first I took no notice until one day one of the girls attached + to the Palace joined in the unkind remarks. She said that before my + arrival she had been Her Majesty's particular favorite, but I gave her to + understand that she had no right to discuss me in any way whatsoever. The + Young Empress, who was present, spoke to them about their treatment of me + and said that some fine day I would be telling Her Majesty about it. This + seemed to have a good effect for they never troubled me much afterwards + with their talk. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER SIXTEEN—THE SUMMER PALACE + </h2> + <p> + JUST about the end of the ninth moon Her Majesty began to tire of doing + nothing day after day, and said: "What is the use of waiting until the + first of the month to have the theatrical performance? Let us have a + performance to-morrow." So she gave instructions for the eunuchs to + prepare for the play, which should be staged without the assistance of any + outside actors. I might here mention that certain of the eunuchs were + specially trained as actors and used to study their parts every day. + Indeed, they were far cleverer than the professionals from outside. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty gave the head eunuch the list of the plays she wished to be + performed, which were for the most part dramatised fairy tales, and we had + a performance the next day. + </p> + <p> + After Her Majesty had gone to rest in the afternoon, during the theatrical + performance I met the Emperor returning to his own Palace. I was surprised + to see only one eunuch in attendance. This was the Emperor's own private + eunuch and he trusted him implicitly. He asked me where I was going and I + told him I was going to my room to rest a while. He remarked that he had + not seen me for quite a long time, which made me laugh as I saw him every + morning at the audience. He said: "I don't get as much chance of chatting + with you as formerly since this portrait painting began. I am afraid I am + not making much progress with my English as I have nobody to help me now + that your time is occupied with this lady artist. You appear to enjoy her + company very much. All the same I suppose it is very monotonous. Has she + found out yet that you are there simply to keep an eye upon her?" I told + him that I was very careful not to betray myself in any way and that I did + not think she suspected she was being watched. + </p> + <p> + The Emperor then said: "I understand there is a rumor to the effect that + when this lady has finished Her Majesty's portrait she is going to paint + mine. I should very much like to know who says so." I told him this was + the first I had heard about it so could not say. I asked him whether he + would like to have his portrait painted but he only answered: "That is + rather a difficult question for me to answer. You know best whether I + ought to have it painted or not. + </p> + <p> + "I see Her Majesty having so many photographs taken and even the eunuchs + are in the picture." I understood at once what he meant, so I asked him if + he wished me to take him with my little kodak. He looked surprised and + asked: "Can you take pictures, too? If it is not too risky for us, we + might try it some day when we have an opportunity. Don't forget, but I + think we must be very careful." + </p> + <p> + He then changed the conversation by saying: "Well, now that we have time + to talk I want to ask you a question and I expect you to answer me truly. + What is the general opinion amongst the foreigners regarding myself? Do + they consider me a man of character and do they think me clever? I am very + anxious to know." Before I could say anything in answer to this question + he continued: "I know very well that they regard me as nothing more than a + boy, and as being of no consequence at all. Tell me, is not this so?" I + replied that many foreigners had asked me about him—as to what kind + of man he was, but that they had never expressed any opinion of their own + regarding him excepting that they understood he was in the best of health. + "If any wrong impression does exist regarding myself and my position at + the Court," continued the Emperor, "it is owing to the very conservative + customs of the Chinese Court. I am not expected to either say or do + anything on my own initiative, consequently outsiders never hear much + about me and I am regarded as being nothing more than a figure-head. I + know this is so. Whenever they ask you about me in the future just explain + to them exactly what my position here is. I have plenty of ideas regarding + the development of this country but you know I am not able to carry them + out as I am not my own master. I don't think the Empress Dowager herself + has sufficient power to alter the state of things existing in China at + present, and even if she has, she is not willing to. I am afraid it will + be a long time before anything can be done towards reform." + </p> + <p> + The Emperor went on to say how nice it would be if he were allowed to + travel about from place to place the same as the European monarchs, but of + course such a thing was out of the question for him. I told him that + several Princesses had expressed a wish to visit the St. Louis Exposition + and said I thought it would be a good thing if that could be arranged as + they would see for themselves the difference between their own country and + customs and foreign countries and customs. The Emperor expressed doubts as + to this permission being granted as such a thing had never been heard of + before. + </p> + <p> + We talked for quite a long time, mostly about foreign customs, and the + Emperor remarked that he would very much like to visit Europe and see for + himself how things were carried on there. + </p> + <p> + Just then one of my eunuchs came and said that Her Majesty was awake, so I + had to hurry off to her room. + </p> + <p> + We now arrive at the tenth moon. + </p> + <p> + The first day it snowed, and the head eunuch enquired of Her Majesty + whether it was her intention to celebrate her birthday at the Summer + Palace as usual. As previously explained the Summer Palace was Her + Majesty's favorite place of abode; so she replied in the affirmative and + arrangements were accordingly made for the celebration to be held there as + usual. The head eunuch then brought Her Majesty a list giving the names + and ranks of all the Princesses and the names of the wives and daughters + of the Manchu officials, and she selected those whom she wished to be + present at the celebrations. On this occasion she selected forty-five + ladies, who were duly informed that she desired their presence at the + Palace. I was standing behind Her Majesty's chair all this time, and she + turned and said: "Usually I do not ask many people to my birthday + celebrations, but on this occasion I have made an exception as I want you + to see the way they dress and how ignorant they are of Court etiquette." + </p> + <p> + The celebrations commenced on the sixth day of the tenth moon. Miss Carl, + having returned to the American Legation in Peking for the time being, my + mother, my sister and myself went back to the Palace again. Early on the + morning of the sixth, the eunuchs decorated the verandas with different + colored silks and hung lanterns all over the place and amongst the trees. + At about seven o'clock in the morning the visitors began to arrive and I + quite agreed with what Her Majesty had told me about them. The eunuchs + introduced them to all the Court ladies, but they seemed to have very + little to say, appearing very shy. They were then conducted to the waiting + room, but there were so many of them that we Court ladies had to stand + outside on the veranda. Some of them were very expensively dressed, but + their colors were, for the most part, very old fashioned, and their + manners very awkward. We watched them for quite a while and then went off + to report to Her Majesty. + </p> + <p> + On such occasions as this Her Majesty was generally in pretty good + spirits. She commenced asking us a lot of questions. Amongst other things + she asked whether we had noticed an elderly lady among the visitors, + dressed as a bride. She explained that this lady was the only Manchu lady + present who was married to a Chinese official, and had been invited + because of her previous connection with the Court. Her Majesty said she + had never seen her herself, but understood that she was a very clever + woman. We had not noticed such a person, and suggested that perhaps she + had not yet arrived. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty dressed very quickly, and as soon as she was ready she came + into the hall, where the head eunuch brought in the visitors and presented + them to Her Majesty. We Court ladies were all standing in a row behind the + Throne. As they came in, some kowtowed; others courtesied, while others + did not do anything at all, in fact nobody appeared to know what to do + with herself. Her Majesty spoke a few words of welcome and thanked them + for the presents they had sent her. + </p> + <p> + I would like to say here that, contrary to the general idea which exists, + Her Majesty always expressed her thanks for any present or service + rendered, no matter how insignificant. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty could see plainly that everybody was embarrassed and ordered + the head eunuch to show them to their respective rooms, and told them to + make themselves at home and to go and take a rest. They hesitated a + moment, not knowing whether to go or not, until Her Majesty said to us: + "Take them and present them to the Young Empress." + </p> + <p> + When we arrived at the Palace of the Young Empress they were duly + presented and were not nearly so shy as before. The Young Empress informed + them that in case they desired to know anything or to be put right on any + point of Court etiquette, the Court ladies would be pleased to give them + all necessary information and she decided that the best way would be for + each Court lady to have charge of so many of the visitors, as it would not + be nice to have any mistakes occur during the ceremony, on the tenth. So + we each were allotted so many guests and had to look after them and + instruct them how to act on the different occasions. + </p> + <p> + During Her Majesty's afternoon rest I paid a visit to the guests I was to + take charge of. Among them was the bride referred to by Her Majesty. So I + went and made myself agreeable to her and found her very interesting. She + had evidently received a good education, unlike the majority of Manchu + ladies, as I found she could read and write Chinese exceptionally well. I + then explained to all of them what they would have to do, and how to + address Her Majesty, should it be necessary to do so. I don't know whether + I have mentioned it previously, but whenever anybody spoke to Her Majesty, + they always addressed her as "Great Ancestor," and when referring to + themselves, instead of the pronoun "I," they would say "Your slave." In + all Manchu families a similar rule is observed, the pronouns "You" and "I" + being dispensed with and the titles "Mother" and "Father" and the son's or + daughter's first name being substituted. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was very particular about this rule being strictly observed. + </p> + <p> + For the next four days, until the day of the ceremony, these visitors + passed their time in learning the Court etiquette and going to the + theatre. + </p> + <p> + Every morning, as usual, we waited on Her Majesty and reported anything of + interest which had occurred during the previous day. Then we all preceded + Her Majesty to the theatre, where we awaited her arrival standing in the + courtyard. On Her Majesty appearing, we would all kneel down until she had + passed into the building opposite the stage, kneeling in rows—first + the Emperor, behind him the Young Princess, next the Secondary wife, then + the Princesses and Court ladies, and last of all the visitors. The first + two days everything went of all right, but on the third morning the + Emperor, from whom we received the signal, suddenly turned and said: "Her + Majesty is coming." Down we all went on our knees, the Emperor alone + remaining standing and laughing at us. Of course there was no sign of Her + Majesty and everybody joined in the laugh. He was never so happy as when + he could work off a joke like this. + </p> + <p> + On the evening of the ninth, none of the Court ladies went to bed, as we + all had to be up betimes on the morning of the tenth. The visitors were + told to proceed by chair to Her Majesty's special Audience Hall on the top + of the hill, where they were to await our arrival. They arrived at the + Audience Hall at three o'clock in the morning, and we followed soon + afterwards, arriving there about daybreak. By and bye Her Majesty arrived + and the ceremony commenced. This ceremony in no way differed from the one + previously described in connection with the Emperor's birthday, so there + is no need to give particulars, except one thing. Very early on the + morning of the tenth, we had to bring another present to her and each of + us brought a hundred birds of various kinds. Each year, on her birthday, + Her Majesty did a very peculiar thing. She would buy 10,000 birds with her + own money, from her private purse and set them free. It was a very pretty + sight to see those huge cages hung in the courtyard of the Audience Hall. + Her Majesty would select the most lucky hour and order the eunuchs to + carry the cages and to follow her. The hour selected was four o'clock in + the afternoon. Her Majesty took the whole Court with her to the top of the + hill, where there was a Temple. First she burnt sandal wood and offered up + prayers to the Gods, then the eunuchs, each with a cage of birds, knelt in + front of Her Majesty and she opened each cage one after another and + watched the birds fly away, and prayed to the Gods that these birds should + not be caught again. Her Majesty did this very seriously and we asked each + other in whispers which bird we thought was the prettiest and would like + to keep it for ourselves. Among this lot there were a few parrots. Some + were pink; others were red and green; all were chained on stands, and when + the eunuchs broke the chains, the parrots would not move. Her Majesty + said: "How funny; each year a few parrots will not go away at all and I + have kept them until they died. Look at them now. They won't go away." By + this time the head eunuch arrived. Her Majesty told him what had happened + and he immediately knelt down and said: "Your Majesty's great luck. These + parrots understand Your Majesty's kindness and would rather stay here and + serve Your Majesty." This ceremony is called "Fang Sheng." It is + considered a very meritorious action and will not fail of reward in + Heaven. + </p> + <p> + One of the Court ladies asked me what I thought of the parrots that would + not fly away, and I told her that it was really very strange. She said: + "It is very simple and not strange at all. These eunuchs, ordered by the + head one, have bought these parrots long ago and trained them. During Her + Majesty's afternoon rest, these parrots were brought to the top of the + very same hill every day to accustom them to the place. The object of this + is just to please and otherwise fool Her Majesty, to make her feel happy + and believe that she is so merciful that even such dumb things would + rather stay with her." Continuing, she said: "The huge joke is this: while + Her Majesty is letting the birds free, there are a few eunuchs waiting at + the rear of the hill to capture them and sell them again, and so, no + matter how Her Majesty prays for their freedom, they will be caught at + once." + </p> + <p> + The celebrations were continued until the thirteenth day. Nobody did any + work and all was gaiety and enjoyment, the theatre being open every day. + Towards the close of the thirteenth day the visitors were informed that + the celebrations were at an end and they made arrangements to leave early + the next morning. They all bade Her Majesty good-bye that evening and + departed early the following day. + </p> + <p> + For the next few days we were all busy preparing for removing to the Sea + Palace. Her Majesty consulted her book and finally selected the 22d as + being the most favorable day for this removal. So at six o'clock on the + morning of the 22d the whole Court left the Summer Palace. It was snowing + very heavily and the journey was only accomplished with great difficulty. + Of course we were all in chairs, as usual, and the eunuchs who were not + employed as chair-bearers rode horseback. Many of the horses fell on the + slippery stones and one of Her Majesty's chair-bearers also slipped and + brought Her Majesty to the ground. All of a sudden I thought something + dreadful had happened, horses galloping and eunuchs howling: "Stop! + Stop!!" I heard someone saying: "See if she is still alive." The whole + procession stopped and blocked the way. This happened on the stone road + just before entering the Western Gate. Finally we saw that Her Majesty's + chair was resting on the ground, so we all alighted and went forward to + see what had happened. A great many people were talking excitedly all at + the same time, and for a moment I was rather frightened (for just about + that time we heard a rumor that some of the revolutionists were going to + take the life of the whole Court, and, although we heard that, we did not + dare tell Her Majesty), so I immediately went to her chair and found her + sitting there composedly giving orders to the chief eunuch not to punish + this chair-bearer, for he was not to blame, the stones being wet and very + slippery. Li Lien Ying said that would never do, for this chair-bearer + must have been careless, and how dare he carry the Old Buddha in this + careless way. After saying this, he turned his head to the beaters (these + beaters, carrying bamboo sticks, went everywhere with the Court, for such + occasions as this) and said: "Give him eighty blows on his back." This + poor victim, who was kneeling on the muddy ground, heard the order. The + beaters took him about a hundred yards away from us, pushed him down and + started to do their duty. It did not take very long to give the eighty + blows and, much to my surprise, this man got up, after receiving the + punishment, as if nothing had happened to him. He looked just as calm as + could be. While we were waiting a eunuch handed me a cup of tea, which I + presented to Her Majesty, and asked her if she was hurt. She smiled and + said it was nothing, ordering us to proceed on our journey. I must explain + about this tea; the eunuchs had it prepared all the time and always + carried a little stove along with hot water. Although this went every time + when the Court moved, it was seldom used. + </p> + <p> + As usual, all the Court ladies take a short cut to the Palace, so as to be + ready to receive Her Majesty, when she arrived. After waiting in the + courtyard for quite a long time, during which we were nearly frozen, Her + Majesty arrived, and we all knelt until she had passed, and then followed + her into the Palace. Her Majesty also complained of the cold and ordered + that fires should be brought into the hall. These fires were built in + brass portable stoves lined with clay, and were lighted outside and + brought into the hall after the smoke had passed off somewhat. There were + four stoves in all. All the windows and doors were closed, there being no + ventilation of any description, and very soon I began to feel sick. + However, I went on with my work getting Her Majesty's things in order + until I must have fainted, for the next thing I remembered was waking up + in a strange bed and inquiring where I was, but on hearing Her Majesty + giving orders in the next room, I knew it was all right. One of the Court + ladies brought me a cup of turnip juice which Her Majesty said I was to + drink. I drank it and felt much better. I was informed that Her Majesty + had gone to rest, and so I went off to sleep again myself. When I awoke, + Her Majesty was standing by my bedside. I tried to get up, but found that + I was too weak, so Her Majesty told me to lie still and keep quiet and I + would soon be all right again. She said that I had better have a room + close to her bedroom, and gave instructions for the eunuchs to remove me + there as soon as it was prepared. Every few minutes Her Majesty would send + to inquire how I was progressing and whether I wanted anything to eat. It + was the custom to stand up whenever receiving a message from Her Majesty, + but it was out of the question for me to do so, although I tried, with the + result that I made myself worse than ever. + </p> + <p> + Towards evening the head eunuch came to see me and brought several plates + of sweetmeats. He was very nice, and told me that I was very fortunate, as + Her Majesty very rarely bothered herself about any of the Court ladies and + that evidently she had taken a fancy to me. He sat talking for some little + time, and told me to eat some of the sweetmeats. Of course I was not able + to eat anything at all, let alone sweetmeats, so I told him to leave them + and I would eat them later. Before leaving he said that in case I wanted + anything I was to let him know. This visit was a great surprise to me, as + usually he took very little notice of any of us, but I was told afterwards + that the reason he was so nice was because Her Majesty showed such an + interest in me. + </p> + <p> + The next morning I was able to get up and resume my duties. I went in to + see Her Majesty and kowtowed to her, thanking her for her kindness during + my indisposition. Her Majesty said that the head eunuch had told her the + previous evening that I was much better and that she was glad I was up and + about again. She said it was nothing serious, simply that I was + unaccustomed to the fumes from the fires, which had gone to my head. + </p> + <p> + As the snow had stopped falling, Her Majesty decided that the next day we + would go and choose a place for Miss Carl to continue the painting. I + suggested that perhaps it would be better if we waited until Miss Carl + arrived herself, so that she could choose a suitable place for her work, + but Her Majesty said that would not do at all, because if it were left to + Miss Carl, doubtless she would choose some impossible place. Of course + there were many parts of the Palace which were kept quite private and Miss + Carl would not be allowed to go there. So the next day Her Majesty and + myself set out to find a place. After visiting many different rooms, all + of which were too dark, we finally fixed on a room on the lake side of the + Palace. Her Majesty said: "This is very convenient, as you can go to and + fro either by chair or by water." I found that it took about + three-quarters of an hour by chair to get to the Palace Gate, and rather + less than that by boat. I was expecting to return to stay at the Palace + with Her Majesty, but it was finally decided that this would not do, as it + would not be policy to allow Miss Carl, who was staying at the American + Legation, to go in and out of the Palace Gate alone, so Her Majesty said + it would be better for me to stay at my father's place in the city and + bring Miss Carl to the Palace each morning, returning with her in the + evening. This was anything but pleasant, but I had no other alternative + than to obey Her Majesty's instructions. + </p> + <p> + When Miss Carl arrived at the Palace the next day and saw the room which + had been selected for her to work in, she was not at all pleased. In the + first place she said it was too dark, so Her Majesty ordered the paper + windows to be replaced by glass. This made the room too bright, and Miss + Carl asked for some curtains so as to focus the light on the picture. When + I informed Her Majesty of this request, she said: "Well, this is the first + time I have ever changed anything in the Palace except to suit myself. + First I alter the windows, and she is not satisfied, but must have + curtains. I think we had better take the roof off, then perhaps she may be + suited." However, we fixed up the curtains to Miss Carl's satisfaction. + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty examined the portrait to see how it was progressing, she + said to me: "After all the trouble we have had over this picture, I am + afraid it is not going to be anything very wonderful. I notice that the + pearls in my cape are painted in different colors; some look white, some + pink, while others are green. You tell her about it." I tried to explain + to Her Majesty that Miss Carl had simply painted the pearls as she saw + them, according to the different shades of light, but Her Majesty could + not understand that at all and asked if I could see anything green about + them, or pink either. I again explained that this was simply the tints + caused by the light falling on the pearls, but she replied that she could + not see any shade except white. However, after a while she did not seem to + trouble any further about the matter. + </p> + <p> + Situated in a room near Her Majesty's bedroom in the Sea Palace was a + Pagoda, about ten feet in height, made of carved sandalwood. This + contained various images of Buddha, which Her Majesty used to worship + every morning. The ceremony consisted of Her Majesty burning incense + before the Pagoda, while a Court lady was told off each day to kowtow + before the images. Her Majesty told me that this Pagoda had been in the + Palace for more than a hundred years. Among the different images was one + representing the Goddess of Mercy. This image was only about five inches + in height and was made of pure gold. The inside was hollow and contained + all the principal anatomical parts of the human body, made out of jade and + pearls. This Goddess of Mercy was supposed to possess wonderful powers and + Her Majesty often worshiped before it when in any trouble, and maintained + that on many occasions her prayers had been answered. She said: "Of + course, when I pray to the image, I pray earnestly, not the same as you + girls, who simply kowtow because it is your duty and then get away as + quickly as possible." Her Majesty went on to say that she was quite aware + that many of the people in China were discarding the religion of their + ancestors in favor of Christianity, and that she was very much grieved + that this was so. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was a firm believer in the old Chinese superstitions connected + with the Sea Palace, and during one of our conversations she told me I was + not to be surprised at anything I saw. She said it was quite a common + occurrence for a person walking beside you to suddenly disappear + altogether, and explained that they were simply foxes who took human shape + to suit their purpose. They had probably lived in the Sea Palace for + thousands of years and possessed this power of changing their form at + will. She said that no doubt the eunuchs would tell me they were spirits + or ghosts, but that was not true: they were sacred foxes and would harm + nobody. As if to confirm this superstition, one evening, a few days later, + my fire having gone out, I sent my eunuch to see if any of the other Court + ladies were awake, and if so, to try to get me some hot water. He went out + taking his lantern along with him, but he returned almost immediately with + a face as white as chalk. On inquiring what was the matter, he replied: "I + have seen a ghost: a woman, who came up to me, blew the light out and + disappeared." I told him that perhaps it was one of the servant girls, but + he said "No"; he knew all the women attached to the Palace and he had + never seen this one before. He stuck to it that it was a ghost. I told him + that Her Majesty had said there were no ghosts, but that it might be a fox + which had taken human shape. He replied: "It was not a fox. Her Majesty + calls them foxes, because she is afraid to call them ghosts." He went on + to tell me that many years previously the head eunuch, Li Lien Ying, while + walking in the courtyard back of Her Majesty's Palace, saw a young servant + girl sitting on the edge of the well. He went over to ask her what she was + doing there, but on getting closer he found that there were several other + girls there also, and on seeing him approach, they all deliberately jumped + down the well. He immediately raised the alarm, and on one of the + attendants coming forward with a lantern, he explained what had occurred. + The attendant showed him that it was impossible for anybody to jump into + the well, as it was covered with a large stone. My eunuch said that a long + time before this several girls did actually commit suicide by jumping down + this well, and that what Li Lien Ying had seen were the ghosts of these + girls, and nothing more. It is believed by the Chinese that when a person + commits suicide their spirit remains in the neighborhood until such time + as they can entice somebody else to commit suicide, when they are free to + go to another world, and not before. I told him that I did not believe + such things and that I would very much like to see for myself. He replied: + "You will only want to see it once; that will be sufficient." + </p> + <p> + Things went along in the usual way until the first day of the eleventh + moon, when Her Majesty issued orders to the Court that as the eleventh + moon contained so many anniversaries of the deaths of previous rulers of + China, the usual theatrical performance would be eliminated and the Court + dress would in addition be modified to suit the occasion. On the ninth day + the Emperor was to go and worship at the Temple of Heaven. So, as was + customary on all these occasions, he confined himself to his own private + apartments for three days before the ninth, during which time he held no + communication whatsoever with anybody excepting his private eunuchs. Not + even the Young Empress, his wife, was allowed to see him during these + three days. + </p> + <p> + This ceremony did not differ very materially from the other sacrifices, + except that pigs were killed and placed on the numerous altars of the + Temple, where they remained for a time, after which they were distributed + among the different officials. The eating of the flesh of these pigs, + which had been blessed, was believed to bring good luck and prosperity, + and the officials who were presented with them considered themselves + greatly favored by Her Majesty. Another difference was that the Emperor + could not appoint a substitute to officiate for him; but must attend in + person, no matter what the circumstances might be. The reason for this + was, that according to the ancient law, the Emperor signs the death + warrant of every person sentenced to death, record of which is kept in the + Board of Punishments. At the end of the year the name of each person + executed is written on a piece of yellow paper and sent to the Emperor. + When the time for worshiping at the Temple arrives, he takes this yellow + paper and burns it in order that the ashes may go up to Heaven and his + ancestors know that he has been fearless and faithful, and has done his + duty according to the law. + </p> + <p> + As this ceremony of worshiping at the Temple of Heaven was to take place + in the Forbidden City, in spite of Her Majesty's dislike to the place, she + commanded that the whole of the Court be transferred there, her reason for + this being that she did not wish to be away from the Emperor's side even + for an hour. So we all moved to the Palace in the Forbidden City. After + the ceremony was over, the Court was to return to the Sea Palace, but as + the thirteenth day was the anniversary of the death of the Emperor Kang + Hsi, it was decided that we should remain in the Forbidden City, where the + ceremony was to be held. The Emperor Kang Hsi ruled over the Chinese + Empire for sixty-one years, the longest reign of any Chinese Ruler up to + the present time, and Her Majesty told us that he was the most wonderful + Emperor China had ever had and that we must respect his memory + accordingly. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0016" id="link2HCH0016"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER SEVENTEEN—THE AUDIENCE HALL + </h2> + <p> + ON the fourteenth day of the eleventh moon, after the morning audience, + Her Majesty informed us that there was a likelihood of war breaking out + between Russia and Japan and that she was very much troubled, as although + it actually had nothing whatever to do with China, she was afraid they + would fight on Chinese territory and that in the long run China would + suffer in some way or other. Of course we did not bother ourselves about + it much at the moment, but the next morning the head eunuch reported to + Her Majesty that fifty eunuchs were missing. As there was no apparent + reason for this, everybody was much excited. There was no rule against any + of the eunuchs going into the city after their duties were ended, + providing they returned before the Palace Gate was closed, but when on the + following morning it was reported that another hundred eunuchs had also + disappeared, Her Majesty at once said: "I know now what the trouble is; + they must have heard what I said about this war coming on and are afraid + there may be a repetition of the Boxer trouble, and so they have cleared + out." It was the custom whenever a eunuch was missing to send out search + parties and have him brought back and punished, but in the present + instance Her Majesty gave instructions that nothing was to be done about + recapturing them. One morning, however, one of Her Majesty's personal + attendants was missing, which made her furious. She said that she had been + very kind to this particular eunuch in many ways, and this was all the + thanks she got; he ran away at the first sign of trouble. I myself had + noticed how good she had been to this eunuch, but I was not really sorry + that he had left, as he used to take advantage of every opportunity of + getting some of the Court ladies into trouble. + </p> + <p> + These disappearances continued from day to day until Her Majesty decided + that it would be safer for us to remain in the Forbidden City until the + following spring at any rate. + </p> + <p> + On inquiring from my eunuch the cause of these disappearances, he said + that it was just as Her Majesty suspected; they were afraid of getting + mixed up in another such affair as the Boxer trouble, and added that he + was not a bit surprised at Her Majesty's favorite eunuch going along with + the rest. He further told me that even Li Lien Ying himself was not to be + absolutely relied upon, as at the time of Her Majesty's leaving Peking for + Shi An during the Boxer movement, he had feigned sickness, and followed a + little later, so that in the event of anything happening, he would be able + to return and make his escape. While talking about Li Lien Ying, my eunuch + told me in confidence that he was responsible for the death of many + innocent people, mostly eunuchs. He had unlimited power at the Court, and + it was very easy for him to get anybody put away who offended him or to + whom, for some reason or another, he took a dislike. Furthermore, the + eunuch informed me that, although not generally known, Li Lien Ying was + addicted to opium-smoking, which habit he indulged in very freely. Even + Her Majesty was unaware of this, as opium-smoking was strictly forbidden + in the Palace. + </p> + <p> + Each morning there was fresh news regarding the trouble between Russia and + Japan, and of course everybody gradually became very much excited at the + Palace. One day Her Majesty summoned the whole of the Court to a special + audience and there informed us that there was no need for us to get + excited at all; that if any trouble did occur, it was none of our business + and we should not be interfered with, as the spirits of our ancestors were + watching over us, and she did not want to hear any more talk and gossip on + the subject. However, she summoned all of the Court ladies to her + apartment and there commanded us to pray to the spirits of our ancestors + to protect us, which plainly showed that she was just as much worried as + we were ourselves. In spite of what she had said with reference to + gossiping about this trouble, Her Majesty often spoke about it herself, + and during one of our conversations she said she wished she could get + information each day as to what was actually occurring, so I suggested + that it would be very easy to get all the latest news by taking the + foreign papers and also Reuter's specials. Her Majesty jumped at the + suggestion and told me to have these sent each day to my father's house in + his name, and have them brought to the Palace, where I could translate + them for her. I told her that my father received all these papers as they + were published, so I arranged that they should be brought along as + directed by Her Majesty. Each morning during the audience I translated + into Chinese all the war news, but the telegrams began to arrive so + rapidly that it soon became quite impossible for me to write them all out + in Chinese, so I told Her Majesty that I would read and translate them + into Chinese as they arrived. This was much quicker and interested Her + Majesty so much that she insisted on my not only translating the war news, + but everything else of interest in the papers. Especially was she + interested in all news appertaining to the movements, etc., of the crowned + heads of Europe, and was very plainly astonished when she learned that + their every movement was known. She said: "Here, at any rate, it is more + private, for nobody outside the Palace ever knows what is going on inside, + not even my own people. It would be a good thing if they did know a little + more, then perhaps all these rumors about the Palace would stop." + </p> + <p> + Of course, during our stay in the Forbidden City, Miss Carl attended each + morning to work on the portrait. We had given her a nice room, which + seemed to suit her very well, and Her Majesty had instructed me to let her + have every convenience possible to assist her, as she was getting tired of + the business and would like to see it finished quickly. Her Majesty hardly + ever went near the place herself, but when she did go, she would be most + affable and, really, one would think that it was the greatest pleasure of + her life to go and inspect the portrait. + </p> + <p> + Things went very slowly during this eleventh moon on account of the Court + being in mourning, so one day Her Majesty suggested that she should show + us round the Forbidden City. First we proceeded to the Audience Hall. This + differs somewhat from the Audience Hall of the Summer Palace. To enter, + one must mount some twenty odd steps of white marble, with rails on either + side of the steps made of the same material. At the top of the steps a + large veranda, supported by huge pillars of wood, painted red, surrounded + the building. The windows along this verandah were of marvellously carved + trellis-work, designed to represent the character "Shou" arranged in + different positions. Then we entered the hall itself. The floor is of + brick, and Her Majesty told us that all these bricks were of solid gold + and had been there for centuries. They were of a peculiar black color, + doubtless painted over, and were so slippery that it was most difficult to + keep on one's feet. The furnishing was similar to that in the Audience + Halls in the Summer Palace and in the Sea Palace, with the exception that + the throne was made of dark brown wood inlaid with jade of different + colors. + </p> + <p> + The Hall was only used for audience on very rare occasions, such as the + birthday of the Empress Dowager and New Year's Day, and no foreigner has + ever entered this building. All the usual audiences were held in a smaller + building in the Forbidden City. + </p> + <p> + After spending some little time in the Audience Hall, we next visited the + Emperor's quarters. These were much smaller than those occupied by Her + Majesty, but were very elaborately furnished. There were thirty-two rooms, + many of which were never used, but all were furnished in the same + expensive style. In the rear of this building was the Palace of the Young + Empress, which was smaller still, having about twenty-four rooms in all, + and in the same building three rooms were set apart for the use of the + Secondary wife of the Emperor. Although close together, the Palaces of the + Emperor and his wife were not connected by any entrance, but both + buildings were surrounded by verandas connecting with Her Majesty's + apartments, which were quite a distance away. There were several other + buildings, which were used as waiting rooms for visitors. In addition to + the above, there were several buildings which were not used at all; these + were sealed and nobody seemed to know what they contained, or whether they + contained anything at all. Even Her Majesty said she had never been inside + these buildings, as they had been sealed for many years. Even the entrance + to the enclosure containing these buildings was always closed, and this + was the only occasion that any of us ever even passed through. They were + quite different in appearance from any other buildings in the Palace, + being very dirty and evidently of great age. We were commanded not to talk + about the place at all. + </p> + <p> + The apartments of the Court ladies were connected with those of Her + Majesty, but the rooms were so small one could hardly turn round in them; + also they were very cold in winter. The servants' quarters were at the end + of our apartments, but there was no entrance and they could only be + reached by passing along our veranda, while the only entrance we ourselves + had to our rooms was by passing along Her Majesty's veranda. This was Her + Majesty's own idea, in order that she could keep an eye on all of us and + could see when we either went out or came in. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty now conducted us to her own Palace, and pausing a little said: + "I will now show you something which will be quite new to you." We entered + a room adjoining her bedroom, which was connected by a narrow passage some + fifteen feet in length. On either side the walls were painted and + decorated very beautifully. Her Majesty spoke to one of the eunuch + attendants, who stooped down and removed from the ground at each end of + this passage two wooden plugs which were fitted into holes in the + basement. I then began to realize that what I had hitherto regarded as + solid walls were in reality sliding panels of wood. These panels when + opened revealed a kind of grotto. There were no windows, but in the roof + was a skylight. At one end of this room or grotto was a large rock, on the + top of which was a seat with a yellow cushion, and beside the cushion an + incense burner. Everything had the appearance of being very old. The room + contained no furniture of any description. One end of this room led into + another passage similar to the one already described, having sliding + panels, which led into another grotto, and so on; in fact the whole of the + palace walls were intersected by these secret passages, each concealing an + inner room. Her Majesty told us that during the Ming dynasty these rooms + had been used for various purposes, principally by the Emperor when he + wished to be alone. One of these secret rooms was used by Her Majesty as a + treasure room where she kept her valuables. During the time of the Boxer + trouble, she hid all her valuables here before she fled. When she returned + and opened this secret room she found everything intact, not one of the + vandals who ransacked the Palace even suspecting there was such a place. + </p> + <p> + We returned to our veranda, and on looking around for the rooms we had + just vacated, could see nothing excepting black stone walls, so well were + they hidden. One of the principal reasons for Her Majesty's dislike to the + Forbidden City was the mysteries which it contained, many of which she did + not know of herself. She said: "I don't even talk about these places at + all, as people might think that they were used for all kinds of purposes." + </p> + <p> + While at the Palace in the Forbidden City I met the three Secondary wives + of the previous Emperor Tung Chi, son of the Empress Dowager, who, since + the death of the Emperor, had resided in the Forbidden City and spent + their time in doing needlework, etc., for Her Majesty. When I got to know + them I found that they were highly educated, one of them, Yu Fai, being + exceptionally clever. She could write poetry and play many musical + instruments, and was considered to be the best educated lady in the Empire + of China. Her knowledge of western countries and their customs surprised + me very much; she seemed to know a little bit of everything. I asked how + it was that I had never seen them before, and was informed that they never + visited Her Majesty unless commanded by her to do so, but that when Her + Majesty stayed in the Forbidden City, of course they had to call and pay + their respects each day. One day I received an invitation to visit them in + their Palace. This was separated from all the other buildings in the city. + It was rather a small building, and very simply furnished, with just a few + eunuchs and servant girls to wait upon them. They said they preferred this + simple life, as they never received any visitors and had nobody to please + but themselves. Yu Fai's room was literally packed with literature of all + descriptions. She showed me several poems which she had written, but they + were of a melancholy character, plainly showing the trend of her thoughts. + She was in favor of establishing schools for the education of young girls, + as only very few could even read or write their own language, and she + suggested that I should speak to Her Majesty about it at the first + opportunity. In spite of her desire to see western reforms introduced into + China, however, she was not in favor of employing missionary teachers, as + these people always taught their religion at the expense of other + subjects, which she feared would set the Chinese against the movement. + </p> + <p> + Toward the end of the eleventh moon Her Majesty granted an audience to the + Viceroy of Chihli, Yuan Shih Kai, and as this particular day was a holiday + and Miss Carl was absent, I was able to attend. Her Majesty asked him for + his opinion of the trouble between Russia and Japan. He said that although + these two countries might make war against each other, China would not be + implicated in any way, but that after the war was over, there was sure to + be trouble over Manchuria. Her Majesty said she was quite aware of that, + as they were fighting on Chinese territory, and that the best thing for + China to do would be to keep absolutely neutral in the matter, as she had + quite enough of war during the China-Japan war. She said it would be best + to issue orders to all the officials to see that the Chinese did not + interfere in any way, so as not to give any excuse for being brought into + the trouble. + </p> + <p> + She then asked his opinion as to what would be the result in the event of + war—who would win. He said that it was very hard to say, but that he + thought Japan would win. Her Majesty thought that if Japan were + victorious, she would not have so much trouble over the matter, although + she expressed doubts as to the outcome, saying that Russia was a large + country and had many soldiers, and that the result was far from certain. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty then spoke about the condition of things in China. She said + that in case China were forced into war with another nation, we should be + nowhere. We had nothing ready, no navy and no trained army, in fact + nothing to enable us to protect ourselves. Yuan Shih Kai, however, assured + her there was no need to anticipate any trouble at present so far as China + was concerned. Her Majesty replied that in any event it was time China + began to wake up and endeavor to straighten things out in some way or + other, but she did not know where to begin; that it was her ambition to + see China holding a prominent position among the nations of the world and + that she was constantly receiving memorials suggesting this reform and + that reform, but that we never seemed to get any further. + </p> + <p> + After this audience was over, Her Majesty held an audience with the Grand + Council. She told them what had been said during her interview with Yuan + Shih Kai, and of course they all agreed that something should be done. + Several suggestions were discussed with regard to national defense, etc., + but a certain Prince said that although he was in perfect sympathy with + reform generally, he was very much against the adoption of foreign + clothing, foreign modes of living, and the doing away with the queue. Her + Majesty quite agreed with these remarks and said that it would not be wise + to change any Chinese custom for one which was less civilized. As usual, + nothing definite was decided upon when the audience was over. + </p> + <p> + For the next few days nothing was talked of but the war, and many Chinese + generals were received in audience by Her Majesty. These audiences were + sometimes very amusing, as these soldiers were quite unaccustomed to the + rules of the Court and did not know the mode of procedure when in the + presence of Her Majesty. Many foolish suggestions were made by these + generals. During one of the conversations Her Majesty remarked on the + inefficiency of the navy and referred to the fact that we had no trained + naval officers. One of the generals replied that we had more men in China + than in any other country, and as for ships, why we had dozens of river + boats and China merchant boats, which could be used in case of war. Her + Majesty ordered him to retire, saying that it was perfectly true that we + had plenty of men in China, but that the majority of them were like + himself, of very little use to the country. After he had retired, + everybody commenced to laugh, but Her Majesty stopped us, saying that she + did not feel at all like laughing, she was too angry to think that such + men held positions as officers in the army and navy. One of the Court + ladies asked me why Her Majesty was so angry with the man for mentioning + the river boats, and was very much surprised when I informed her that the + whole of them would be worse than useless against a single war vessel. + </p> + <p> + Just about the end of the eleventh moon Chang Chih Tung, Viceroy of + Wuchang, arrived, and was received in audience. Her Majesty said to him: + "Now, you are one of the oldest officials in the country, and I want you + to give me your unbiased opinion as to what effect this war is going to + have on China. Do not be afraid to give your firm opinion, as I want to be + prepared for anything which is likely to happen." He answered that no + matter what the result of the war might be, China would in all probability + have to make certain concessions to the Powers with regard to Manchuria + for trade purposes, but that we should not otherwise be interfered with. + Her Majesty repeated what had been discussed at the previous audiences on + this subject and also regarding reform in China. Chang Chih Tung replied + that we had plenty of time for reform, and that if we were in too great a + hurry, we should not accomplish anything at all. He suggested that the + matter be discussed at length before deciding upon anything definite. In + his opinion it would be foolish to go to extremes in the matter of reform. + He said that ten or fifteen years ago he would have been very much against + any reform whatsoever, but that he now saw the need for it to a certain + extent, as circumstances had changed very much. He said that we should + adhere strictly to our own mode of living and not abandon the traditions + of our ancestors. In other words, he simply advised the adoption of + western civilization where it was an improvement on our own, and nothing + more. Her Majesty was delighted with the interview, for Chang Chih Tung's + opinions coincided exactly with her own. + </p> + <p> + During the whole of these audiences the Emperor, although present each + time, never opened his lips to say a word, but sat listening all the time. + As a rule, Her Majesty would ask his opinion, just as a matter of form, + but he invariably replied that he was quite in accord with what Her + Majesty had said or decided upon. + </p> + <p> + Of the many religious ceremonies in connection with the Buddhist religion + the "La-pachow" was the most important. This was held on the 8th day of + the twelfth moon each year. According to the common belief, on this eighth + day of the twelfth moon, many centuries ago, a certain Buddhist priest Ju + Lai set out to beg for food, and after receiving a good supply of rice and + beans from the people, he returned and divided it with his brother + priests, giving each an equal share, and he became celebrated for his + great charity. This day was therefore set apart as an anniversary to + commemorate the event. The idea was that by practising self-denial on this + day, one would gain favor in the sight of this Buddha Ju Lai, therefore + the only food eaten was rice, grain and beans, all mixed together in a + sort of porridge, but without any salt or other flavoring. It was not at + all pleasant to eat, being absolutely tasteless. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0017" id="link2HCH0017"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER EIGHTEEN—THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS + </h2> + <p> + WE now reached the time set apart for cleaning the Palace in preparation + for the New Year festivals. Everything had to be taken down and thoroughly + overhauled, and all the images, pictures, furniture and everything else + were subjected to a thorough scrubbing. Her Majesty again consulted her + book in order to choose a lucky day on which to commence these operations, + finally choosing the twelfth day as being most favorable. As we had all + received our orders previously, we commenced early on the morning of the + twelfth. Several of the Court ladies were told off to take down and clean + the images of Buddha and prepare new curtains for them. The rest of the + cleaning was done by the eunuchs. I asked Her Majesty whether I was to + clean her jewelry, but she answered that as nobody but herself ever wore + it, it didn't need cleaning. + </p> + <p> + After everything had been cleaned to Her Majesty's satisfaction, she + prepared a list of names of the people she desired to attend the ceremony + of Tzu Sui. This ceremony was held on the last day of each year and was + something like the midnight services usually held in Europe on the last + night of each old year—just a farewell ceremony to bid the old year + adieu. The guests were invited about a fortnight ahead, so as to give them + plenty of time to get ready. Her Majesty also ordered new winter clothing + for the Court ladies. The only difference between these new garments and + those we were then wearing was that they were trimmed with the fur of the + silver fox instead of the gray squirrel. + </p> + <p> + The next thing was to prepare cakes, which were to be placed before the + Buddhas and ancestors, during the New Year. It was necessary that Her + Majesty should make the first one herself. So when Her Majesty decided + that it was time to prepare these cakes the whole Court went into a room + specially prepared for the purpose and the eunuchs brought in the + ingredients-ground rice, sugar and yeast. These were mixed together into a + sort of dough and then steamed instead of baked, which caused it to rise + just like ordinary bread, it being believed that the higher the cake + rises, the better pleased are the gods and the more fortunate the maker. + The first cake turned out fine and we all congratulated Her Majesty, who + was evidently much pleased herself at the result. Then she ordered each of + the Court ladies to make one, which we did, with disastrous results, not + one turning out as it should. This being my first year, there was some + excuse for my failure, but I was surprised that none of the older Court + ladies fared any better, and on inquiring from one of them the reason, she + replied: "Why, I did it purposely, of course, so as to flatter Her + Majesty's vanity. Certainly I could make them just as well as she, if not + better, but it would not be good policy." After we had all finished making + our cakes, the eunuchs were ordered to make the rest, and needless to say + they were perfect in every way. + </p> + <p> + The next thing was to prepare small plates of dates and fresh fruits of + every kind. These were decorated with evergreens, etc., and placed before + the images of Buddha. Then we prepared glass dishes of candy, which were + to be offered to the God of the Kitchen. On the twenty-third day of the + last moon the God of the Kitchen left this earth to go on a visit to the + King of Heaven, to whom he reported all that we had been doing during the + past year, returning to earth again on the last day of the year. The idea + of offering him these sweets was in order that they should stick to his + mouth and prevent him from telling too much. When these candies were + prepared, we all adjourned to the kitchen and placed the offering on a + table specially placed for the purpose. Turning to the head cook, she + said: "You had better look out now; the God of the Kitchen will tell how + much you have stolen during the past year, and you will be punished." + </p> + <p> + The following day another ceremony had to be gone through, that of writing + out the New Year Greetings for the guests and Court, so in the morning we + all went with Her Majesty to the Audience Hall, where the eunuchs had + prepared large sheets of yellow, red and pale green paper. Her Majesty + took up a large brush and commenced to write. On some of these sheets she + wrote the character "Shou" (Long Life) and on others "Fu" (Prosperity). By + and bye, when she began to feel tired, she would get either one of the + Court ladies or one of the official writers to finish them for her. When + finished, they were distributed to the guests and different officials, the + ones Her Majesty had written herself being reserved for her special + favorites. These were given out a few days before the New Year. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty received New Year presents from all the Viceroys and principal + officials. She would examine each present as it was received, and if it + found favor in her eyes, she would use it, but if not, she would have it + locked away in one of the storerooms and probably never see it again. + These presents consisted of small pieces of furniture, curios, jewelry, + silks, in fact everything—even clothing. The present sent by Viceroy + Yuan Shih Kai was a yellow satin robe, embroidered with different colored + precious stones and pearls designed to represent the peony flower; the + leaves were of green jade. It was really a magnificent thing, and must + have cost a fortune. The only drawback was its weight; it was too heavy to + wear comfortably. Her Majesty appeared delighted with this gown, and wore + it the first day, after which it was discarded altogether, although I + often suggested that she should wear it, as it was the most magnificent + gown I ever saw. Once when Her Majesty was granting an audience to the + Diplomatic Corps, I suggested that she should wear this dress, but she + refused, giving no reason, so nobody outside the Court has ever seen this + wonderful garment. + </p> + <p> + Another costly present was received from the Viceroy of Canton, and + consisted of four bags of pearls, each bag containing several thousands. + They were all perfect in shape and color, and would have brought fabulous + prices in Europe or America. However, Her Majesty had so many jewels, + especially pearls, that she hardly paid any attention to them beyond + remarking that they were very nice. + </p> + <p> + The Young Empress and the Court ladies were also expected to give presents + to Her Majesty each New Year. These were for the most part articles that + we had made ourselves, such as shoes, handkerchiefs, collars, bags, etc. + My mother, my sister and myself made presents of mirrors, perfumes, soaps + and similar toilet accessories which we had brought with us from Paris. + These Her Majesty appreciated very much; she was very vain. The eunuchs + and servant girls gave fancy cakes and other food stuffs. + </p> + <p> + The presents were so numerous that they filled several rooms, but we were + not allowed to remove them until Her Majesty gave orders to do so. + </p> + <p> + The Court ladies also exchanged presents among themselves, which often led + to confusion and amusement. On this occasion I had received some ten or a + dozen different presents, and when it came my turn to give something, I + decided to use up some of the presents I had received from my companions. + To my surprise, the next day I received from one of the Court ladies an + embroidered handkerchief which I immediately recognized as the identical + handkerchief I had myself sent her as my New Year's present. On mentioning + the fact, this lady turned and said: "Well, that is rather funny; I was + just wondering what had made you return the shoes I sent you." Of course + everybody laughed very heartily, and still further merriment was caused + when, on comparing all the presents, it was found that quite half of us + had received back our own presents. In order to settle the matter, we + threw them all into a heap and divided them as evenly as possible, + everybody being satisfied with the result. + </p> + <p> + About a week before New Year's day all audiences ceased and the seals were + put away until after the holidays. During this time no business was + transacted by Her Majesty. Everything was much more comfortable and we + could see that Her Majesty also appreciated the change from bustle to + quietness. We had nothing whatever to do but to take things easy until the + last day of the year. + </p> + <p> + Early on the morning of the thirtieth Her Majesty went to worship before + the Buddhas and Ancestral Tablets. After this ceremony was finished, the + guests began to arrive, until by midday, all the guests, numbering about + fifty, were present. The principal guests were: The Imperial Princess + (Empress Dowager's adopted daughter), Princess Chung (wife of Emperor + Kwang Hsu's brother), Princesses Shun and Tao (wives of the Emperor's + younger brothers), Princess hung (wife of the nephew of the Imperial + Princess), and Prince Ching's family. All these ladies were frequent + visitors to the Court. Next day many other Princesses, not of the Imperial + family, but whose titles were honorary titles bestowed by previous rulers, + came. Next, the daughters of the high Manchu officials and many other + people whom I had never seen before. By midday all the guests had arrived, + and, after being presented to Her Majesty, were taken to their different + apartments and told to rest a while. At two o'clock in the afternoon + everybody assembled in the Audience Hall, lined up according to their + different ranks and, led by the Young Empress, kowtowed to Her Majesty. + This was the ceremony Tzu Sui already referred to, and was simply a last + goodbye to Her Majesty before the New Year set in. When it was all over, + Her Majesty gave each of us a small purse made of red satin embroidered + with gold, containing a sum of money. This is to enable each one to + commence the New Year with a kind of reserve fund for a rainy day, when + they would have this money to fall back upon. It is an old Manchu custom + and is still kept up. + </p> + <p> + The evening was spent in music and enjoyment, and was carried on right + through the night, none of us going to bed. At Her Majesty's suggestion we + commenced gambling with dice, Her Majesty providing each of us with money, + sometimes as much as $200. She told us to be serious about it, and to try + and win, but of course we took good care not to win from Her Majesty. When + Her Majesty began to tire, she stopped the game and said: "Now, all this + money I have won I am going to throw on the floor, and you girls can + scramble for it." We knew that she wanted to see some fun, so we fought + for it as hard as we could. + </p> + <p> + At midnight the eunuchs brought into the room a large brass brazier + containing live charcoal. Her Majesty pulled a leaf from a large evergreen + tree, which had been placed there for the purpose, and threw it into the + fire. We each followed her example, adding large pieces of resin, which + perfumed the whole atmosphere. This ceremony was supposed to bring good + luck during the coming year. + </p> + <p> + The next item was making cakes or pies for New Year's day. On the first of + the New Year, nobody is allowed to eat rice, these cakes taking its place. + They were made of flour paste, with minced meat inside. While some of us + were preparing these cakes, others were peeling lotus seeds for Her + Majesty's breakfast. + </p> + <p> + It was now well on into the morning hours and Her Majesty said that she + was tired and would go and rest a while. She was not going to sleep, + however, so we could carry on our noise as much as we liked. This we did + for some time, and on visiting Her Majesty's bedroom, we found that she + was fast asleep. We then all repaired to our various rooms and commenced + to make ourselves tidy for the day. As soon as Her Majesty was awake, we + all proceeded to her bedroom, taking with us plates of apples + (representing "Peace"), olives ("Long Life"), lotus seeds (Blessing). She + suitably acknowledged these gifts and wished us all good luck in return. + She inquired whether we had been to bed and, on learning that we had been + up all night, she said that was right. She herself had not meant to sleep, + only to rest a little, but somehow she had not been able to keep awake, + and gave as a reason that she was an old woman. We waited on her until she + had finished her toilet and then wished her a Happy New Year. We then + proceeded to pay our respects to the Emperor and to the Young Empress. + There was nothing further to be done in the way of ceremonies, and we + therefore all accompanied Her Majesty to the theatre. The performance took + place on a stage erected in the courtyard, and Her Majesty closed in one + part of her veranda for the use of the guests and Court ladies. During the + performance I began to feel very drowsy, and eventually fell fast asleep + leaning against one of the pillars. I awoke rather suddenly to find that + something had been dropped into my mouth, but on investigation I found it + was nothing worse than a piece of candy, which I immediately proceeded to + eat. On approaching Her Majesty, she asked me how I had enjoyed the candy, + and told me not to sleep, but to have a good time like the rest. I never + saw Her Majesty in better humor. She played with us just like a young + girl, and one could hardly recognize in her the severe Empress Dowager we + knew her to be. + </p> + <p> + The guests also all seemed to be enjoying themselves very much. In the + evening, after the theatrical performance was over, Her Majesty ordered + the eunuchs to bring in their instruments and give us some music. She + herself sang several songs, and we all sang at intervals. Then Her Majesty + ordered the eunuchs to sing. Some were trained singers, and sang very + nicely, but others could not sing at all and caused quite a lot of + amusement by their efforts to please Her Majesty. The Emperor appeared to + be the only one present who was not having a good time; he never smiled + once. On meeting him outside, I asked him why he looked so sad, but he + only answered: "A Happy New Year" in English, smiled once, and walked + away. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty rose very early next morning and proceeded to the Audience + Hall to worship the God of Wealth. We all accompanied her and took part in + the ceremony. During the next few days we did nothing but gamble and + scramble for Her Majesty's winnings. This was all very nice in its way, + until one day one of the Court ladies began to cry, and accused me of + stepping on her toes in the scramble. This made Her Majesty angry and she + ordered the offender to go to her room and stay there for three days, + saying that she did not deserve to be enjoying herself if she could not + stand a little thing like that. + </p> + <p> + The tenth of the first moon was the birthday of the Young Empress, and we + asked Her Majesty whether we would be allowed to give presents. She gave + us permission to give whatever presents we might wish to. However, we + submitted all our presents to Her Majesty for her approval, before giving + them to the Young Empress, and we had to be very discreet and not choose + anything which Her Majesty might think was too good. It was very difficult + to tell what to send, as Her Majesty might take a fancy to any of the + presents herself, even though they might not be of much value + intrinsically. In such a case Her Majesty would tell us that she would + keep it, and to give the Young Empress something else. + </p> + <p> + The celebration was very similar to that of the Emperor's birthday, but + not on such an elaborate scale. We presented the Ru Yee to the Young + Empress and kowtowed to her. She was supposed to receive these tokens of + respect sitting on her throne, but out of deference to Her Majesty (we + were Her Majesty's Court ladies) she stood up. She always was very polite + to us under all circumstances. + </p> + <p> + On this day, as on the Emperor's birthday, the Emperor, Young Empress and + Secondary wife dined together. These were the only two occasions when they + did so, always dining separately at other times. Her Majesty sent two of + her Court ladies to wait upon the Empress, I myself being one of them. I + was very pleased, as I wanted to see for myself how they conducted + themselves when together. I went into the Young Empress' room and informed + her that Her Majesty had ordered us to wait upon them, to which she simply + answered: "Very well." So we went to the dining room and set the table, + placing the chairs into position. The meal was much different from what I + expected. Instead of being stiff and serious like Her Majesty when dining + they were quite free and easy, and we were allowed to join in the + conversation and partake of some of the food and wine. A very pretty + ceremony was gone through at the commencement of the meal. The Emperor and + Young Empress seated themselves, and the Secondary wife filled their cups + with wine and presented it to them in turn as a sign of respect, the + Emperor first. When the meal was over we returned to Her Majesty's + apartment and told her that everything had passed off nicely. We knew very + well that we had been sent simply to act as spies, but we had nothing + interesting to tell Her Majesty. She asked if the Emperor had been very + serious and we answered "Yes." + </p> + <p> + The New Year celebrations terminated with the Festival of Lanterns on the + fifteenth day of the first moon. These lanterns were of different shapes, + representing animals, flowers, fruits, etc., etc. They were made of white + gauze, painted in different colors. One lantern representing a dragon + about fifteen feet long was fastened to ten poles, and ten eunuchs were + required to hold it in position. In front of this dragon a eunuch was + holding a lantern representing a large pearl, which the dragon was + supposed to devour. This ceremony was gone through to the accompaniment of + music. + </p> + <p> + After the lanterns came a firework display. These fireworks represented + different scenes in the history of China, grape vines, wisteria blossoms, + and many other flowers. It was a very imposing sight. Portable wooden + houses had been placed near the fireworks from which Her Majesty and the + rest of the Court could see them without being out in the cold air. This + display lasted for several hours without a stop, and thousands of + firecrackers were set off during the time. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy the + noise very much. Altogether it was a good finish to the celebrations and + we all enjoyed it very much. + </p> + <p> + The next morning all the guests departed from the Palace and we + re-commenced our everyday life. + </p> + <p> + As usual after the guests had departed Her Majesty began to criticise + their mode of dressing, their ignorance of Court etiquette, etc., but + added that she was rather glad, as she didn't want them to know anything + about Court life. + </p> + <p> + As Spring soon arrived it was time for the farmers to commence sowing seed + for the rice crop, and of course there was another ceremony. The Emperor + visited the Temple of Agriculture where he prayed for a good harvest. Then + he proceeded to a small plot of ground situated in the temple and after + turning the earth over with a hand plow he sowed the first seeds of the + season. This was to show the farmers that their labors were not despised + and that even the Emperor was not ashamed to engage in this work. Anybody + could attend this ceremony, it being quite a public affair, and many + farmers were present. + </p> + <p> + About this same time the Young Empress went to see the silkworms and watch + for the eggs to be hatched. As soon as they were out, the Young Empress + gathered mulberry leaves for the worms to feed upon and watched them until + they were big enough to commence spinning. Each day a fresh supply of + leaves were gathered and they were fed four or five times daily. Several + of the Court ladies were told off to feed the worms during the night and + see that they did not escape. These silkworms grow very rapidly and we + could see the difference each day. Of course when they became full grown + they required more food and we were kept busy constantly feeding them. The + Young Empress was able to tell by holding them up to the light when they + were ready to spin. If they were transparent then they were ready, and + were placed on paper and left there. When spinning the silkworm does not + eat, therefore all we had to do was to watch that they did not get away. + After spinning for four or five days their supply of silk becomes + exhausted and they shrivel up and apparently die. These apparently dead + worms were collected by the Young Empress and placed in a box where they + were kept until they developed into moths. They were then placed on thick + paper and left there to lay their eggs. + </p> + <p> + If left to themselves, the silkworms when ready for spinning will spin the + silk around their bodies until they are completely covered up, gradually + forming a cocoon. In order to determine when they have finished spinning + it was customary to take the cocoon and rattle it near the ear. If the + worm was exhausted you could plainly hear the body rattle inside the + cocoon. The cocoon is then placed in boiling water until it becomes soft. + This, of course, kills the worm. In order to separate the silk a needle is + used to pick up the end of the thread which is then wound on to a spool + and is ready for weaving. A few of the cocoons were kept until the worms + had turned into moths, which soon ate their way out of the cocoons when + they were placed on sheets of paper and left to lay their eggs, which are + taken away and kept in a cool place until the following Spring, when the + eggs are hatched and become worms. + </p> + <p> + When the silk had all been separated we took it to Her Majesty for + inspection and approval. On this particular occasion Her Majesty ordered + one of the eunuchs to bring in some silk which she herself had woven when + a young girl in the Palace, and on comparing it with the new silk it was + found to be just as good in every way although many years had passed since + it was made. + </p> + <p> + All this was done with the same object as the Emperor sowing the seeds, + viz.:—to set the people a good example and to encourage them in + their work. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0018" id="link2HCH0018"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER NINETEEN—THE SEA PALACE + </h2> + <p> + THIS year we had a very hot spring and Her Majesty was desirous of getting + back again to the Sea Palace. However, as war had already been declared + between Russia and Japan it was thought best to remain in the Forbidden + City until things were more settled. Her Majesty was very much worried + over this war and spent most of her time in offering prayers to the + different divinities for the welfare of China and we, of course, were + expected to join her. Things were very monotonous about this time and + nothing particular occurred until the beginning of the second moon. By + this time Her Majesty was quite sick of staying in the Forbidden City and + said that no matter what happened she would remove the Court to the Sea + Palace, where Miss Carl could get along and finish the portrait which had + been hanging on for nearly a year. So on the sixth day of the second moon + we moved back to the Sea Palace. Everything looked fresh and green and + many of the trees had commenced to blossom. Her Majesty took us around the + lake and we were in such good spirits that Her Majesty remarked that we + acted more like a lot of wild animals escaped from a menagerie than human + beings. She was much brighter now, but said that she would be happier + still to get to the Summer Palace. + </p> + <p> + Miss Carl was summoned to the Palace, and Her Majesty visited her and + asked to see the portrait. She again asked me how long it would be before + it was finished, and I told her that unless she gave a little more of her + time to posing it might not be finished for quite a long time. After a lot + of consideration Her Majesty finally agreed to give Miss Carl five minutes + each day after the morning audience, but that she desired it to be + distinctly understood that she did not intend to pose for anything but the + face. She accordingly sat for two mornings, but on the third morning she + made an excuse saying that she was not feeling well. I told her that Miss + Carl could not proceed further unless she sat for the face, so, although + she was very angry, she gave Miss Carl a few more sittings until the face + was finished. She absolutely refused to sit again whether it was finished + or not, saying that she would have nothing more to do with the portrait. I + myself sat for the remainder of the portrait, viz.:—for Her + Majesty's dress, jewels, etc., and so by degrees the portrait was + completed. + </p> + <p> + When Her Majesty learned that the portrait was nearing completion she was + very much pleased, and I thought it a good opportunity to again broach the + subject of payment. Her Majesty asked me whether I really thought it + necessary to pay cash for the portrait and how much. I told her that as + painting was Miss Carl's profession, if she had not been engaged on + painting Her Majesty's portrait she would most probably have been engaged + on other similar work for which she would have received compensation, and + that therefore she would naturally expect to be paid even more handsomely + in this instance. It was difficult to make Her Majesty understand this and + she asked if I was quite certain that Miss Carl would not be offended by + an offer of money, also Mrs. Conger who had presented her. I explained + that in America and Europe it was quite customary for ladies to earn their + own living either by painting, teaching or in some other similar manner, + and that it was no disgrace but rather the opposite. Her Majesty seemed + very much surprised to learn this, and asked why Miss Carl's brother did + not support her himself. I told Her Majesty that Miss Carl did not desire + him to provide for her, besides which he was married and had a family to + support. Her Majesty gave it as her opinion that this was a funny kind of + civilization. In China when the parents were dead it was the duty of the + sons to provide for their unmarried sisters until such time as they + married. She also said that if Chinese ladies were to work for their + living it would only set people talking about them. However, she promised + to speak with Her Ministers about paying Miss Carl, and I felt somewhat + relieved as there seemed to be a probability of something satisfactory + being arranged after all. + </p> + <p> + The twelfth day of the second moon was the anniversary of another + interesting ceremony, viz.:—the birthday of the flowers and trees. + After the morning audience we all went into the Palace grounds, where the + eunuchs were waiting with huge rolls of red silk. These we all commenced + to cut into narrow strips about two inches wide and three feet long. When + we had cut sufficient Her Majesty took a strip of red silk and another of + yellow silk which she tied round the stem of one of the peony trees (in + China the peony is considered to be the queen of flowers). Then all the + Court ladies, eunuchs and servant girls set to work to decorate every + single tree and plant in the grounds with red silk ribbons, in the same + manner as Her Majesty had done. This took up nearly the entire morning and + it made a very pretty picture, with the bright costumes of the Court + ladies, green trees and beautiful flowers. + </p> + <p> + We then went to a theatrical performance. This represented all the tree + fairies and flower fairies celebrating their birthday. The Chinese believe + that all the trees and flowers have their own particular fairies, the tree + fairies being men and the flower fairies being women. The costumes were + very pretty and were chosen to blend with the green trees and flowers + which were on the stage. One of the costumes worn by a lotus fairy was + made of pink silk, worked so as to represent the petals of the flower, the + skirt being of green silk to represent the lotus leaves. Whenever this + fairy moved about the petals would move just as though wafted by the + breeze, like a natural flower. Several other costumes representing + different flowers were made in the same manner. The scene was a woodland + dell, surrounded with huge rocks perforated with caves, out of which came + innumerable small fairies bearing decanters of wine. These small fairies + represented the smaller flowers, daisies, pomegranate blossoms, etc. The + result can be better imagined than described. All the fairies gathered + together and drank the wine, after which they commenced to sing, + accompanied by stringed instruments, played very softly. The final scene + was a very fitting ending to the performance. It represented a small + rainbow which gradually descended until it rested on the rocks; then each + fairy in turn would sit upon the rainbow which rose again and conveyed + them through the clouds into Heaven. This completed the celebration and we + all retired to our rooms. + </p> + <p> + On the fourteenth day of the second moon (March 2, 1904), I completed my + first year at Court. I had quite forgotten this fact until Her Majesty + reminded me of it. She asked whether I was comfortable and happy where I + was or did I long to return to Paris. I answered truly that although I had + enjoyed myself while in France still I preferred the life of the Court, it + was so interesting, besides which I was in my own native land and among + all my friends and relations, and naturally I preferred that to living in + a strange land. Her Majesty smiled and said she was afraid that sooner or + later I would tire of the life in the Palace and fly away again across the + ocean. She said that the only way to make sure of me was to marry me off. + She again asked me what was my objection to getting married; was I afraid + of having a mother-in-law, or what was it? If that was all, I need not + worry, for so long as she was alive there was nothing to be afraid of. Her + Majesty said that even if I were married it would not be necessary for me + to stay at home all the time, but that I would be able to spend my time in + the Palace as usual. Continuing, she said: "Last year when this marriage + question came up I was willing to make allowances as you had been brought + up somewhat differently from the rest of my Court ladies, but do not run + away with the idea that I have forgotten all about it. I am still on the + lookout for a suitable husband for you." I simply answered as before—that + I had absolutely no desire to marry, but that I wanted to stay where I was + and live at the Court so long as Her Majesty was willing to have me there. + She made some remark about my being stubborn and said that I should + probably change my mind before long. + </p> + <p> + During the latter part of the second moon Miss Carl worked very hard to + get the portrait finished and Her Majesty again consulted her book in + order to select a lucky day on which to put the final touches to the + picture. The 19th of April, 1904, was chosen by Her Majesty as the best + time, and Miss Carl was duly notified. Miss Carl most emphatically stated + that it was quite impossible to finish the portrait properly by the time + named, and I told Her Majesty what Miss Carl said, explaining that there + were many small finishing touches to be added and I suggested it would be + better to give Miss Carl a few days longer if possible. However, Her + Majesty said that it must be finished by four o'clock on the 19th day of + April, and therefore there was nothing further to be said. + </p> + <p> + About a week before the time fixed for completion Her Majesty paid a visit + to the studio to finally inspect the picture. She seemed very much pleased + with it, but still objected to her face being painted dark on one side and + light on the other. As I have said before, I had explained that this was + the shading, but Her Majesty insisted on my telling Miss Carl to make both + sides of her face alike. This led to a pretty hot discussion between Miss + Carl and myself but she finally saw that it was no use going against Her + Majesty's wishes in the matter, so consented to make some slight + alteration. Happening to catch sight of some foreign characters at the + foot of the painting Her Majesty inquired what they were and on being + informed that they were simply the artist's name, said: "Well, I know + foreigners do some funny things, but I think this about the funniest I + ever heard of. Fancy putting her own name on my picture. This will + naturally convey the impression that it is a portrait of Miss Carl, and + not a portrait of myself at all." I again had to explain the reason for + this, saying that it was always customary for foreign artists to write + their names at the foot of any picture they painted, whether portrait or + otherwise. So Her Majesty said she supposed it was all right, and would + have to remain, but she looked anything but satisfied with it. + </p> + <p> + By working practically all night and all day, Miss Carl managed to get the + portrait finished by the time stipulated, and Her Majesty arranged that + Mrs. Conger and the other ladies of the Diplomatic Corps should come to + the Palace and see the portrait. This was quite a private audience and Her + Majesty received them in one of the small Audience Halls. After the usual + greetings Her Majesty ordered us to conduct the ladies to the studio, + which we did, Her Majesty bidding them good-bye and remaining in her own + apartments. The Young Empress in accordance with instructions from Her + Majesty, accompanied us to the studio, and acted as hostess. Everybody + expressed great admiration for the portrait and it was voted a marvellous + likeness. After inspecting the picture we all adjourned for refreshments. + The Young Empress sat at the head of the table and asked me to sit next to + her. Shortly after everybody was seated a eunuch came and asked the Young + Empress to inform these ladies that the Emperor was slightly indisposed + and was unable to be present. I interpreted this, and everybody appeared + satisfied. As a matter of fact the Emperor was quite well, but we had + forgotten all about him. And so the guests departed without seeing him on + this occasion. + </p> + <p> + On reporting everything to Her Majesty as usual, she asked what they + thought of the portrait, and we told her that they had admired it very + much. Her Majesty said: "Of course they did, it was painted by a foreign + artist." She didn't appear to be very much interested and was quite cross + about something, which caused me great disappointment after all the + trouble Miss Carl had taken to finish the portrait. Her Majesty then + remarked that Miss Carl had taken a long time to get the portrait + finished, and asked why nobody had reminded her to inform the Emperor + about the audience, being particularly angry with the head eunuch on this + occasion. Her Majesty said that as soon as she remembered, she immediately + sent a eunuch to make excuses, as the ladies might very well think that + something had happened to the Emperor and it might cause talk. I told her + that I explained to them that the Emperor was not well and they evidently + thought nothing further of his absence. + </p> + <p> + By the next day the carpenters in the Palace had finished the frame for + the portrait and when it had been properly fitted Her Majesty ordered my + brother to take a photograph of it. This photograph turned out so well + that Her Majesty said it was better than the portrait itself. + </p> + <p> + The picture being now quite finished, Miss Carl prepared to take her + leave, which she did a few days later, having received a handsome present + in cash from Her Majesty in addition to a decoration and many other + presents as remuneration for her services. For quite a long time after + Miss Carl had left the Palace I felt very lonely, as during her stay I had + found her a genial companion and we had many things in common to talk + about. Her Majesty noticed that I was rather quiet, and asked me the + cause. She said: "I suppose you are beginning to miss your friend, the + lady artist." I did not care to admit that this was so, for fear she might + think me ungrateful to herself, besides which I knew she did not like the + idea of my being too friendly with foreigners. So I explained to Her + Majesty that I always did regret losing old friends but that I would get + used to the change very soon. Her Majesty was very nice about it and said + she wished that she was a little more sentimental over such small things, + but that when I got to her age I should be able to take things more + philosophically. + </p> + <p> + After Miss Carl had left the Court, Her Majesty asked me one day: "Did she + ever ask you much about the Boxer movement of 1900?" I told her that I + knew very little of the Boxer movement myself, as I was in Paris at the + time and I could not say very much. I assured her that the lady artist + never mentioned the subject to me. Her Majesty said: "I hate to mention + about that affair and I would not like to have foreigners ask my people + questions on that subject. Do you know, I have often thought that I am the + most clever woman that ever lived and others cannot compare with me. + Although I have heard much about Queen Victoria and read a part of her + life which someone has translated into Chinese, still I don't think her + life was half so interesting and eventful as mine. My life is not finished + yet and no one knows what is going to happen in the future. I may surprise + the foreigners some day with something extraordinary and do something + quite contrary to anything I have yet done. England is one of great powers + of the world, but this has not been brought about by Queen Victoria's + absolute rule. She had the able men of parliament back of her at all times + and of course they discussed everything until the best result was + obtained, then she would sign the necessary documents and really had + nothing to say about the policy of the country. Now look at me. I have + 400,000,000 people, all dependent on my judgment. Although I have the + Grand Council to consult with, they only look after the different + appointments, but anything of an important nature I must decide myself. + What does the Emperor know? I have been very successful so far, but I + never dreamt that the Boxer movement would end with such serious results + for China. That is the only mistake I have made in my life. I should have + issued an Edict at once to stop the Boxers practising their belief, but + both Prince Tuan and Duke Lan told me that they firmly believed the Boxers + were sent by Heaven to enable China to get rid of all the undesirable and + hated foreigners. Of course they meant mostly missionaries, and you know + how I hate them and how very religious I always am, so I thought I would + not say anything then but would wait and see what would happen. I felt + sure they were going too far as one day Prince Tuan brought the Boxer + leader to the Summer Palace and summoned all the eunuchs into the + courtyard of the Audience Hall and examined each eunuch on the head to see + if there was a cross. He said, 'This cross is not visible to you, but I + can identify a Christian by finding a cross on the head.' Prince Tuan then + came to my private Palace and told me that the Boxer leader was at the + Palace Gate and had found two eunuchs who were Christians and asked me + what was to be done. I immediately became very angry and told him that he + had no right to bring any Boxers to the Palace without my permission; but + he said this leader was so powerful that he was able to kill all the + foreigners and was not afraid of the foreign guns, as all the gods were + protecting him. Prince Tuan told me that he had witnessed this himself. A + Boxer shot another with a revolver and the bullet hit him, but did not + harm him in the least. Then Prince Tuan suggested that I hand these two + eunuchs supposed to be Christians to the Boxer leader, which I did. I + heard afterwards that these two eunuchs were beheaded right in the country + somewhere near here. This chief Boxer came to the Palace the next day, + accompanied by Prince Tuan and Duke Lan, to make all the eunuchs burn + incense sticks to prove that they were not Christians. After that Prince + Tuan also suggested that we had better let the chief Boxer come every day + and teach the eunuchs their belief; that nearly all of Peking was studying + with the Boxers. The next day I was very much surprised to see all my + eunuchs dressed as Boxers. They wore red jackets, red turbans and yellow + trousers. I was sorry to see all my attendants discard their official + robes and wear a funny costume like that. Duke Lan presented me with a + suit of Boxer clothes. At that time Yung Lu, who was the head of the Grand + Council, was ill and asked leave of absence for a month. While he was + sick, I used to send one of the eunuchs to see him every day, and that day + the eunuch returned and informed me that Yung Lu was quite well and would + come to the Palace the next day, although he still had fifteen days more + leave. I was puzzled to know why he should give up the balance of his + leave. However, I was very anxious to see him, as I wished to consult him + about this chief Boxer. Yung Lu looked grieved when he learned what had + taken place at the Palace, and said that these Boxers were nothing but + revolutionaries and agitators. They were trying to get the people to help + them to kill the foreigners, but he was very much afraid the result would + be against the Government. I told him that probably he was right, and + asked him what should be done. He told me that he would talk to Prince + Tuan, but the next day Prince Tuan told me that he had had a fight with + Yung Lu about the Boxer question, and said that all of Peking had become + Boxers, and if we tried to turn them, they would do all they could to kill + everyone in Peking, including the Court; that they (the Boxer party) had + the day selected to kill all the foreign representatives; that Tung Fou + Hsiang, a very conservative General and one of the Boxers, had promised to + bring his troops out to help the Boxers to fire on the Legations. When I + heard this I was very much worried and anticipated serious trouble, so I + sent for Yung Lu at once and kept Prince Tuan with me. Yung Lu came, + looking very much worried, and he was more so after I had told him what + the Boxers were going to do. He immediately suggested that I should issue + an Edict, saying that these Boxers were a secret society and that no one + should believe their teaching, and to instruct the Generals of the nine + gates to drive all the Boxers out of the city at once. When Prince Tuan + heard this he was very angry and told Yung Lu that if such an Edict was + issued, the Boxers would come to the Court and kill everybody. When Prince + Tuan told me this, I thought I had better leave everything to him. After + he left the Palace, Yung Lu said that Prince Tuan was absolutely crazy and + that he was sure these Boxers would be the cause of a great deal of + trouble. Yung Lu also said that Prince Tuan must be insane to be helping + the Boxers to destroy the Legations; that these Boxers were a very common + lot, without education, and they imagined the few foreigners in China were + the only ones on the earth and if they were killed it would be the end of + them. They forgot how very strong these foreign countries are, and that if + the foreigners in China were all killed, thousands would come to avenge + their death. Yung Lu assured me that one foreign soldier could kill one + hundred Boxers without the slightest trouble, and begged me to give him + instructions to order General Nieh, who was afterwards killed by the + Boxers, to bring his troops to protect the Legations. Of course I gave him + this instruction at once, and also told him that he must see Prince Tuan + at once and Duke Lan to tell them that this was a very serious affair and + that they had better not interfere with Yung Lu's plans. Matters became + worse day by day and Yung Lu was the only one against the Boxers, but what + could one man accomplish against so many? One day Prince Tuan and Duke Lan + came and asked me to issue an Edict ordering the Boxers to kill all the + Legation people first and then all remaining foreigners. I was very angry + and refused to issue this Edict. After we had talked a very long time, + Prince Tuan said that this must be done without delay, for the Boxers were + getting ready to fire on the Legations and would do so the very next day. + I was furious and ordered several of the eunuchs to drive him out, and he + said as he was going out: 'If you refuse to issue that Edict, I will do it + for you whether you are willing or not,' and he did. After that you know + what happened. He issued these Edicts unknown to me and was responsible + for a great many deaths. He found that he could not carry his plans + through and heard that the foreign troops were not very far from Peking. + He was so frightened that he made us all leave Peking." As she finished + saying this, she started to cry, and I told her that I felt very sorry for + her. She said: "You need not feel sorry for me for what I have gone + through; but you must feel sorry that my fair name is ruined. That is the + only mistake I have made in my whole life and it was done in a moment of + weakness. Before I was just like a piece of pure jade; everyone admired me + for what I have done for my country, but the jade has a flaw in it since + this Boxer movement and it will remain there to the end of my life. I have + regretted many, many times that I had such confidence in, and believed + that wicked Prince Tuan; he was responsible for everything." + </p> + <p> + By the end of the third moon Her Majesty had had enough of the Sea Palace + and the Court moved into the Summer Palace. This time we travelled by boat + as it was very beautiful weather. On reaching the water-gates of the + Palace we found everything just lovely and the peach blossoms were in full + bloom. Her Majesty plainly showed how glad she was to be back once more + and for the time being seemed to have forgotten everything else, even the + war. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0019" id="link2HCH0019"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER TWENTY—CONCLUSION + </h2> + <p> + MY second year at the Palace was very much the same as the first. We + celebrated each anniversary and festival in the same way as before: the + usual audience was held each morning by Her Majesty, after which the day + was given up to enjoyment. Amongst other things Her Majesty took great + interest in her vegetable gardens, and superintended the planting of the + different seeds. When vegetables were ready for pulling, from time to + time, all the Court ladies were supplied with a kind of small pruning fork + and gathered in the crop. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy seeing us work in + the fields, and when the fit seized her she would come along and help. In + order to encourage us in this work, Her Majesty would give a small present + to the one who showed the best results so we naturally did our best in + order to please her, as much as for the reward. Another hobby of Her + Majesty's was the rearing of chickens, and a certain number of birds were + allotted to each of the Court ladies. We were supposed to look after these + ourselves and the eggs had to be taken to Her Majesty every morning. I + could not understand why it was that my chickens gave less eggs than any + of the others until one day my eunuch informed me that he had seen one of + the other eunuchs stealing the eggs from my hen house and transferring + them to another, in order to help his mistress to head the list. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty was very particular not to encourage untidyness or + extravagance among the Court ladies. On one occasion she told me to open a + parcel which was lying in her room. I was about to cut the string when Her + Majesty stopped me and told me to untie it. This I managed to do after a + lot of trouble, and opened the parcel. Her Majesty next made me fold the + paper neatly and place it in a drawer along with the string so that I + would know where to find it should it be wanted again. From time to time + Her Majesty would give each of us money for our own private use and + whenever we wanted to buy anything, say flowers, handkerchiefs, shoes, + ribbons, etc., these could be bought from the servant girls who used to + make them in the Palace and we would enter each item in a small note book + supplied by Her Majesty for the purpose. At the end of each month Her + Majesty examined our accounts and in case she considered that we had been + extravagant she would give us a good scolding, while on the other hand, if + we managed to show a good balance she would compliment us on our good + management. Thus under Her Majesty's tuition we learned to be careful and + tidy against such time as we might be called upon to look after homes of + our own. + </p> + <p> + About this time my father began to show signs of breaking down and asked + for permission to withdraw from public life. However, Her Majesty would + not hear of this and decided to give him another six months vacation + instead. It was his intention to go to Shanghai and see the family + physician, but Her Majesty did not approve of this, maintaining that her + own doctors were quite as good as any foreign doctor. These doctors + therefore attended him for some time, prescribing all kinds of different + concoctions daily. After a while he seemed to pick up a little but was + still unable to get about on account of having chronic rheumatism. We + therefore again suggested that it would be better for him to see his own + doctor in Shanghai, who understood my father thoroughly, but Her Majesty + could not be made to see it in that light. She said that what we wanted + was a little patience, that the Chinese doctors might be slow, but they + were sure, and she was convinced they would completely cure my father very + soon. The fact of the matter was she was afraid that if my father went to + stay in Shanghai the rest of the family would want to be there with him, + which was not in her programme at all. So we decided to remain in Peking + unless my father showed signs of getting worse. + </p> + <p> + In due course the time arrived on which it had been arranged to hold the + Spring Garden Party for the Diplomatic Corps, and as usual one day was set + apart for the Ministers, Secretaries and members of the various Legations, + and the following day for their wives, etc. This year very few guests + attended the Garden Party but among those who did come were several + strangers. About half a dozen ladies from the Japanese Legation came with + Madame Uchida, wife of the Japanese Minister. Her Majesty was always very + pleased to see this lady whom she very much admired on account of her + extreme politeness. After the usual presentation we conducted the ladies + to luncheon, showed them over the Palace grounds, after which we wished + them good-bye and they took their leave. We reported everything to Her + Majesty, and as usual were asked many questions. Among the guests there + was one lady (English so far as I could make out) dressed in a heavy tweed + travelling costume, having enormous pockets, into which she thrust her + hands as though it were extremely cold. She wore a cap of the same + material. Her Majesty asked if I had noticed this lady with the clothes + made out of "rice bags," and wasn't it rather unusual to be presented at + Court in such a dress. Her Majesty wanted to know who she was and where + she came from. I replied that she certainly did not belong to any of the + Legations as I was acquainted with everybody there. Her Majesty said that + whoever she was she certainly was not accustomed to moving in decent + society as she (Her Majesty) was quite certain that it was not the thing + to appear at a European Court in such a costume. "I can tell in a moment," + Her Majesty added, "whether any of these people are desirous of showing + proper respect to me, or whether they consider that I am not entitled to + it. These foreigners seem to have the idea that the Chinese are ignorant + and that therefore they need not be so particular as in European Society. + I think it would be best to let it be understood for the future what dress + should be worn at the different Court Functions, and at the same time use + a certain amount of discretion in issuing invitations. In that way I can + also keep the missionary element out, as well as other undesirables. I + like to meet any distinguished foreigners who may be visiting in China, + but I do not want any common people at my Court." I suggested that the + Japanese custom could be followed, viz.: to issue proper invitation cards, + stipulating at the foot the dress to be worn on each particular occasion. + Her Majesty thought this would meet the case and it was decided to + introduce a similar rule in China. + </p> + <p> + Whenever the weather permitted, Her Majesty would pass quite a lot of her + time in the open air watching the eunuchs at work in the gardens. During + the early Spring the lotus plants were transplanted and she would take + keen interest in this work. All the old roots had to be cut away and the + new bulbs planted in fresh soil. Although the lotus grew in the shallowest + part of the lake (the West side) it was necessary for the eunuchs to wade + into the water sometimes up to their waists in order to weed out the old + plants and set the young ones. Her Majesty would sit for hours on her + favorite bridge (The Jade Girdle Bridge) and superintend the eunuchs at + their work, suggesting from time to time as to how the bulbs were to be + planted. This work generally took three or four days, and the Court ladies + in attendance would stand beside Her Majesty and pass the time making + fancy tassels for Her Majesty's cushions, in fact doing anything so long + as we did not idle. + </p> + <p> + It was during the Spring that Yuan Shih Kai paid another visit to the + Palace, and among other subjects discussed was the Russo-Japan war. He + told Her Majesty that it was developing into a very serious affair and + that he feared China would be the principal sufferer in the long run. Her + Majesty was very much upset by this news, and mentioned that she had been + advised by one of the censors to make a present to the Japanese of a large + quantity of rice, but had decided to take no action whatever in the + matter, which resolve Yuan Shih Kai strongly supported. + </p> + <p> + I was still working each day translating the various newspaper reports and + telegrams relating to the war and one morning, seeing a paragraph to the + effect that Kang Yu Wei (Leader of the Reform Movement in China in 1898) + had arrived at Singapore from Batavia, I thought it might interest Her + Majesty and so translated it along with the rest. Her Majesty immediately + became very much excited which made me feel frightened as I did not know + what could be the matter. However, she explained to me that this man had + caused all kinds of trouble in China, that before meeting Kang Yu Wei the + Emperor had been a zealous adherent to the traditions of his ancestors but + since then had plainly shown his desire to introduce reforms and even + Christianity into the country. "On one occasion," continued Her Majesty, + "he caused the Emperor to issue instructions for the Summer Palace to be + surrounded by soldiers so as to keep me prisoner until these reforms could + be put into effect, but through the faithfulness of Yung Lu, a member of + the Grand Council, and Yuan Shill Kai, Viceroy of Chihli, I was able to + frustrate the plot. I immediately proceeded to the Forbidden City, where + the Emperor was then staying and after discussing the question with him he + replied that he realized his mistake and asked me to take over the reins + of government and act in his stead." + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + (The result of this was, of course, the Edict of 1898 + appointing the Empress Dowager as Regent of China.) +</pre> + <p> + Her Majesty had immediately ordered the capture of Kang Yu Wei and his + followers, but he had managed to effect his escape and she had heard + nothing further about him until I translated this report in the newspaper. + She seemed relieved, however, to know where he was, and seemed anxious to + hear what he was doing. She suddenly became very angry again and asked why + it was that the foreign governments offered protection to Chinese + political agitators and criminals. Why couldn't they leave China to deal + with her own subjects and mind their own business a little more? She gave + me instructions to keep a lookout for any further news of this gentleman + and report to her immediately, but I made up my mind that in any case, I + would not mention anything about him again and so the matter gradually + died away. + </p> + <p> + During one of our visits to the Sea Palace Her Majesty drew attention to a + large piece of vacant ground and said that it had formerly been the site + of the Audience Hall which had been destroyed by fire during the Boxer + trouble. Her Majesty explained that this had been purely an accident and + was not deliberately destroyed by the foreign troops. She said that it had + long been an eyesore to her as it was so ugly, and that she had now + determined to build another Audience Hall on the same site, as the present + Audience Hall was too small to accommodate the foreign guests when they + paid their respects at New Year. She therefore commanded the Board of + Works to prepare a model of the new building in accordance with her own + ideas, and submit it for her approval. Up to that time all the buildings + in the Palace Grounds were typically Chinese but this new Audience Hall + was to be more or less on the foreign plan and up to date in every + respect. This model was accordingly prepared and submitted to Her Majesty. + It was only a small wooden model but was complete in every detail, even to + the pattern of the windows and the carving on the ceilings and panels. + However, I never knew anything to quite come up to Her Majesty's ideas, + and this was no exception. She criticised the model from every standpoint, + ordering this room to be enlarged and that room to be made smaller: this + window to be moved to another place, etc., etc. So the model went back for + reconstruction. When it was again brought for Her Majesty's inspection + everybody agreed that it was an improvement on the first one, and even Her + Majesty expressed great satisfaction. The next thing was to find a name + for the new building and after serious and mature consideration it was + decided to name it Hai Yen Tang (Sea Coast Audience Hall). Building + operations were commenced immediately and Her Majesty took great interest + in the progress of the work. It had already been decided that this + Audience Hall was to be furnished throughout in foreign style, with the + exception of the throne, which, of course, retained its Manchu appearance. + Her Majesty compared the different styles of furniture with the catalogues + we had brought with us from France and finally decided on the Louis + Fifteenth style, but everything was to be covered with Imperial Yellow, + with curtains and carpets to match. When everything had been selected to + Her Majesty's satisfaction, my mother asked permission to defray the + expense herself and make a present of this furniture. This Her Majesty + agreed to and the order was accordingly placed with a well-known Paris + firm from whom we had purchased furniture when in France. By the time the + building was completed the furniture had arrived, and it was quickly + installed. Her Majesty went to inspect it and, of course, had to find + fault as usual. She didn't seem at all pleased with the result of the + experiment and said that after all a Chinese building would have been the + best as it would have had a more dignified appearance. However, the thing + was finished and it was no use finding fault now, as it could not be + changed. + </p> + <p> + During the Summer months I had plenty of leisure time and devoted about an + hour each day to helping the Emperor with his English. He was a most + intelligent man with a wonderful memory and learned very quickly. His + pronunciation, however, was not good. In a very short time he was able to + read short stories out of an ordinary school reader and could write from + dictation fairly well. His handwriting was exceptionally fine, while in + copying old English and ornamental characters, he was an expert. Her + Majesty seemed pleased that the Emperor had taken up this study, and said + she thought of taking it up herself as she was quite sure she would learn + it very quickly if she tried. After two lessons she lost patience, and did + not mention the matter again. + </p> + <p> + Of course these lessons gave me plenty of opportunity to talk with His + Majesty, and on one occasion he ventured the remark that I didn't seem to + have made much progress with Her Majesty in the matter of reform. I told + him that many things had been accomplished since my arrival at Court, and + mentioned the new Audience Hall as an instance. He didn't appear to think + that anything worth talking about, and advised me to give up the matter + altogether. He said when the proper time arrived—if it ever did + arrive—then I might be of use, but expressed grave doubts on the + subject. He also enquired about my father and I told him that unless his + health improved very soon it would be necessary for us to leave the Court + for a while at any rate. He replied that although he should very much + regret such a necessity, he really believed that it would be for the best. + He said he felt certain that I should never be able to settle down + permanently to Court life after spending so many years abroad, and for his + part would put no obstacles in the way of my leaving the Court if I + desired to do so. + </p> + <p> + Her Majesty had given me permission to visit my father twice every month, + and everything appeared to be going along nicely until one day one of Her + Majesty's servant girls told me that Her Majesty was trying to arrange + another marriage for me. At first I did not take any notice of this, but + shortly afterwards Her Majesty informed me that everything was arranged + and that I was to be married to a certain Prince whom she had chosen. I + could see that Her Majesty was waiting for me to say something, so I told + her that I was very much worried at that time about my father and begged + her to allow the matter to stand over for the time being at any rate. This + made Her Majesty very angry, and she told me that she considered me very + ungrateful after all she had done for me. I didn't reply, and as her + Majesty did not say anything more at the time, I tried to forget about it. + However, on my next visit home, I told my father all about it, and as + before he was strongly opposed to such a marriage. He suggested that on my + return to the Palace I should lay the whole matter before Li Lien Ying, + the head eunuch, and explain my position, for if anybody could influence + Her Majesty, he was the one. I, therefore, took the first opportunity of + speaking to him. At first he appeared very reluctant to interfere in the + matter, and said he thought I ought to do as Her Majesty wished, but on my + stating that I had no desire to marry at all, but was quite willing to + remain at Court in my present position, he promised to do his best for me. + I never heard anything further about my marriage, either from Her Majesty + or Li Lien Ying, and therefore concluded that he had been able to arrange + the matter satisfactorily. + </p> + <p> + The Summer passed without anything further important occurring. During the + eighth moon the bamboos were cut down and here again the Court ladies were + called upon to assist, our work being to carve designs and characters on + the cut trees, Her Majesty assisting. These were afterwards made into + chairs, tables and other useful articles for Her Majesty's teahouse. + During the long Autumn evenings Her Majesty would teach us Chinese history + and poetry and every tenth day would put us through an examination in + order to find out how much we had learned, prizes being awarded for + proficiency. The younger eunuchs also took part in these lessons and some + of their answers to Her Majesty's questions were very amusing. If Her + Majesty were in a good humor she would laugh with the rest of us, but + sometimes she would order them to be punished for their ignorance and + stupidity. However, as they were quite accustomed to being punished they + did not seem to mind very much and forgot all about it the next minute. + </p> + <p> + As Her Majesty's seventieth birthday was approaching the Emperor proposed + to celebrate this event on an unusually grand scale, but Her Majesty would + not give her consent to this proposal on account of the war trouble, for + fear people might comment on it. The only difference, therefore, between + this birthday and former ones was that Her Majesty gave presents to the + Court, in addition to receiving them. These included the bestowal of + titles, promotions and increases in salary. Among the titles conferred by + Her Majesty, my sister and myself received the title of Chun Chu Hsien + (Princess). These titles, however, were confined to members of the Court, + and were granted specially by the Empress Dowager. Similar promotions to + outside officials were always conferred by the Emperor. It was proposed to + hold the celebrations in the Forbidden City as it was more suited for such + an important event. However, Her Majesty did not like this idea at all, + and gave instructions that the Court should not be moved until three days + before the 10th of the tenth moon, the date of her birthday. This entailed + a lot of unnecessary work as it necessitated decorating both the Summer + Palace and the Forbidden City. Everything was hurry and bustle. To add to + this, it snowed very heavily during the few days previous to the tenth. + Her Majesty was in a very good mood. She was very fond of being out in the + snow and expressed a wish to have some photographs taken of herself on the + hillside. So my brother was commanded to bring his camera, and took + several very good pictures of Her Majesty. + </p> + <p> + On the seventh day the Court moved into the Forbidden City and the + celebrations commenced. The decorations were beautiful; the Courtyards + being covered with glass roofs to keep out the snow. The theatres were in + full swing each day. The actual ceremony, which took place on the tenth, + did not differ in any respect from previous ones. Everything passed off + smoothly, and the Court removed again into the Sea Palace. + </p> + <p> + While at the Sea Palace we received news that my father's condition was + becoming serious, and he again tendered his resignation to Her Majesty. + She sent her eunuchs to find out exactly what the matter was, and on + learning that he was really very ill, accepted his resignation. Her + Majesty agreed that it might be better for him to go to Shanghai and see + if the foreign physicians could do him any good. She said she supposed it + would be necessary for my mother to accompany him to Shanghai, but did not + consider it serious enough to send my sister and myself along also. I + tried to explain that it was my duty to go along with him as he might be + taken worse and die before I could get down to see him again, and I begged + Her Majesty to allow me to go. She offered all kinds of objections but + eventually, seeing that I was bent on going, she said: "Well, he is your + father, and I suppose you want to be with him, so you may go on the + understanding that you return to Court as soon as ever possible." We did + not get away until the middle of the eleventh moon, as Her Majesty + insisted on making clothes for us and other preparations for our journey. + Of course we could do nothing but await Her Majesty's pleasure. + </p> + <p> + When everything was ready Her Majesty referred to her book to choose a + suitable day for our departure, and fixed on the thirteenth as being the + best. We therefore left the Palace for our own house on the twelfth. We + kowtowed and said good-bye to Her Majesty, thanking her for her many + kindnesses during our stay with her. Everybody cried, even Her Majesty. We + then went to say good-bye to the Emperor and Young Empress. The Emperor + simply shook hands and wished us "Good Luck" in English. Everybody + appeared sorry to see us leave. After standing about for a long time Her + Majesty said it was no use wasting any more time and that we had better + start. At the gate the head eunuch bade us good-bye and we entered our + carriage and drove to my father's house, our own eunuchs accompanying us + to the door. We found everything prepared for our journey, and early the + next morning we took train to Tientsin where we just managed to catch the + last steamer of the season leaving for Shanghai. As it was, the water was + so shallow that we ran aground on the Taku bar. + </p> + <p> + On arrival in Shanghai my father immediately consulted his physician who + examined him and prescribed medicine. The trip itself seemed to have done + him a lot of good. I very soon began to miss my life at Court, and, + although I had many friends in Shanghai and was invited to dinner parties + and dances; still I did not seem to be able to enjoy myself. Everything + seemed different to what I had been accustomed to in Peking and I simply + longed for the time when I should be able to return to Her Majesty. About + two weeks after our arrival, Her Majesty sent a special messenger down to + Shanghai to see how we were getting along. He brought us many beautiful + presents and also a lot of medicine for my father. We were very glad to + see him. He informed us that we were missed very much at Court and advised + us to return as soon as it was possible for us to do so. As my father + began to show signs of improvement he suggested that there was no further + need for me to stay in Shanghai, and thought it better that I should + return to Peking and resume my duties at Court. I therefore returned early + in the New Year. The river was frozen and I had to travel by boat to + Chinwantao, from thence by rail to Peking. It was a most miserable journey + and I was very glad when it was over. Her Majesty had sent my eunuchs to + the station to meet me and I at once proceeded to the Palace. On meeting + Her Majesty we both cried again by way of expressing our happiness. I + informed her that my father was progressing favorably and that I hoped to + be able to remain with her permanently. + </p> + <p> + I resumed my previous duties, but this time I had neither my sister for a + companion nor my mother to chat with and everything appeared changed. Her + Majesty was just the same, however, and treated me most kindly. Still, I + was not comfortable, and heartily wished myself back again in Shanghai. I + stayed at the Court, going through pretty much the same daily routine as + before until the second moon (March 1905), when I received a telegram + summoning me to Shanghai as my father had become worse, and was in a + critical condition and wished to see me. I showed Her Majesty the telegram + and waited for her decision. She commenced by telling me that my father + was a very old man, and therefore his chances of recovery were not so + great as if he were younger, finally winding up by telling me that I could + go to him at once. I again wished everybody good-bye, fully expecting to + return very soon; but this was not to be. I found my father in a very + dangerous condition, and after a lingering illness, he died on the 18th of + December, 1905. Of course we went into mourning for one hundred days which + in itself prevented my returning to the Court. + </p> + <p> + While in Shanghai I made many new friends and acquaintances and gradually + began to realize that after all, the attractions of Court life had not + been able to eradicate the influences which had been brought to bear upon + me while in Europe. At heart I was a foreigner, educated in a foreign + country, and, having already met my husband the matter was soon settled + and I became an American citizen. However, I often look back to the two + years I spent at the Court of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager of China, + the most eventful and happiest days of my girlhood. + </p> + <p> + Although I was not able to do much towards influencing Her Majesty in the + matter of reform, I still hope to live to see the day when China shall + wake up and take her proper place among the nations of the world. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Years in the Forbidden City, by +The Princess Der Ling + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY *** + +***** This file should be named 889-h.htm or 889-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/8/889/ + +Produced by Charles Keller for Sarah, and by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Two Years in the Forbidden City + +Author: The Princess Der Ling + +Posting Date: August 6, 2008 [EBook #889] +Release Date: April, 1997 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY *** + + + + +Produced by Charles Keller for Sarah + + + + + +TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY + + +By The Princess Der Ling + +First Lady In Waiting To The Empress Dowager + + + + + TO + MY BELOVED FATHER + LORD YU KENG + + + + +FOREWORD + +THE author of the following narrative has peculiar qualifications for +her task. She is a daughter of Lord Yu Keng, a member of the Manchu +White Banner Corps, and one of the most advanced and progressive Chinese +officials of his generation. Lord Yu Keng entered the army when very +young, and served in the Taiping rebellion and the Formosan war with +France, and as Vice Minister of War during the China-Japan war in 1895. +Later he was Minister to Japan, which post he quitted in 1898 to become +President of the Tsung-li-yamen (Chinese Foreign Office). In 1899 he was +appointed Minister to France, where he remained four years. At a period +when the Chinese Government was extremely conservative and reactionary, +Lord Yu Keng labored indefatigably for reform. He was instrumental +in reorganizing China's postal service on modern lines, but failed in +efforts to revise the revenue system and modernize the army and navy, +from being ahead of his times. He died in 1905. The progressive spirit +of Lord Yu Keng was shown in the education of his children. When it +became known that his daughters were receiving a foreign education--then +an almost unheard--of proceeding among high Manchu officials-attempts +were made to impeach him as pro-foreign and revolutionary, but he was +not deterred. His children got their early education in missionary +schools, and the daughters later attended a convent in France, where +the author of this work finished her schooling and entered society. +On returning to China, she became First Lady-in-Waiting to the Empress +Dowager, and while serving at the Court in that capacity she received +the impressions which provide the subject-matter of this book. +Her opportunity to observe and estimate the characteristics of the +remarkable woman who ruled China for so long was unique, and her +narrative throws a new light on one of the most extraordinary +personalities of modern times. While on leave from her duties to attend +upon her father, who was fatally ill in Shanghai, Princess Der Ling took +a step which terminated connexion with the Chinese Court. This was +her engagement to Mr. Thaddeus C. White, an American, to whom she was +married on May 21, 1907. Yielding to the urgent solicitation of friends, +she consented to put some of her experiences into literary form, and +the following chronicle, in which the most famous of Chinese women, the +customs and atmosphere of her Court are portrayed by an intimate of the +same race, is a result. + +THOMAS F. MILLARD. + +SHANGHAI, July 24, 1911. + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + + I. INTRODUCTORY + II. AT THE PALACE + III. A PLAY AT THE COURT + IV. A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS + V. AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS + VI. IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY + VII. SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT + VIII. THE COURT LADIES + IX. THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU + X. THE YOUNG EMPRESS + XI. OUR COSTUMES + XII. THE EMPRESS AND MRS. CONGER + XIII. THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT + XIV. THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY + XV. THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL + XVI. THE SUMMER PALACE + XVII. THE AUDIENCE HALL + XVIII. THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS + XIX. THE SEA PALACE + XX. CONCLUSION + + + + + +TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY + + +MY father and mother, Lord and Lady Yu Keng, and family, together with +our suite consisting of the First Secretary, Second Secretary, Naval +and Military Attaches, Chancellors, their families, servants, +etc.,--altogether fifty-five people,--arrived in Shanghai on January 2, +1903, on the S.S. "Annam" from Paris, where for four years my father +had been Chinese Minister. Our arrival was anything but pleasant, as the +rain came down in torrents, and we had the greatest difficulty getting +our numerous retinue landed and safely housed, not to mention the tons +of baggage that had to be looked after. We had found from previous +experience that none of our Legation people or servants could be +depended upon to do anything when travelling, in consequence of which +the entire charge devolved upon my mother, who was without doubt +the genius of the party in arranging matters and straightening out +difficulties. + +When the launch from the steamer arrived at the jetty off the French +Bund, we were met by the Shanghai Taotai (the highest official in the +city), the Shanghai Magistrate and numerous other officials, all dressed +in their official robes. The Taotai told my father that he had prepared +the Tien Ho Gung (Temple of the Queen of Heaven) for us to reside in +during our stay in Shanghai, but my father refused the offer, saying +that he had telegraphed from Hong Kong and made all arrangements to go +to the Hotel des Colonies in the French Concession. We had had previous +experience staying in this temple while on our way to Japan, where my +father went as Minister in 1895, and did not care to try it a second +time. The building is very old and very much out of repair. It was a +beautiful place in its prime, but had been allowed to go to rack and +ruin. The custom is that the magistrate has to find a place and supply +the food, etc., for high officials when passing through, and it is not +exactly the thing to refuse their kind offer, but my father was always +very independent and politely declined all proffers of assistance. + +At last we did safely arrive in the Hotel des Colonies, where my +father found awaiting him two telegrams from the Imperial Palace. These +telegrams ordered my father to go to Peking at once, but, as the river +to Tientsin was frozen, it was out of the question for us to go by that +route, and as my father was very old and quite ill at that time, in +fact constantly under the doctor's care, the only accessible way, via +Chinwangtao, was equally out of the question, as it was a long and most +tedious journey and quite beyond his strength. In view of all these +difficulties, he telegraphed that, after the ice had broken up in the +Peiho River, we would come by the first steamer leaving Shanghai for +Tientsin. + +We left Shanghai on the 22d of February and arrived at Tientsin on the +26th, and, as before, were met by the Customs Taotai of the port and +numerous other officials (the same as when we arrived at Shanghai). + +There is a very curious custom of reverence, which must be performed by +all high officials on their return from abroad. Immediately upon landing +on the shores of China, arrangements are made with the nearest Viceroy +or Governor to receive their obeisance to Ching Sheng An (to worship the +Emperor of Peace), a Taotai being considered of too low a rank for such +an honor. As soon as we arrived, Yuan Shih Kai, who was then Viceroy of +Chihli Province at Tientsin, sent an official to my father to prepare +the time and place for this function, which is an extremely pretty +one. When arrangements had been made, both my father and Yuan Shih Kai +dressed in their full ceremonial robes, which is the dragon long robe, +with a reddish black three-quarter length coat over it, chao chu (amber +beads), hat with peacock feather and red coral button, and repaired at +once to the Wan Shou Kung (10,000 years palace), which is especially +built for functions of this kind, where they were met by a large number +of officials of the lower grades. At the back centre of this Temple, or +Palace, stands a very long narrow table on which are placed the tablets +of the Emperor and Empress Dowager, on which is written, "Wan sway, wan +sway, wan wan sway" (10,000 years times 10,000 years times 10,000 +10,000 years). The Viceroy, or in this case Yuan Shih Kai, and the other +officials arrived first. Yuan stood at the left side of this table and +the others arranged themselves in two diminishing lines starting from +the front corners of the table. Soon afterward my father came and knelt +directly in front of the centre of the table and said, "Ah ha Ching +Sheng An" (Your servant gives you greeting). After this ceremony was +over my father immediately arose and inquired after Their Majesties' +health, and Yuan replied that they were quite well. This closed the +function. + +We stayed in Tientsin for three days, arriving in Peking on the +twenty-ninth. My father's condition was much worse and he begged for +four months' leave of absence, in which to recuperate, which was granted +by Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager. As our beautiful mansion, which we +had built and furnished just before leaving for Paris, was burned during +the Boxer Rising of 1900, entailing a loss of over taels 100,000, we +rented and moved into a Chinese house. Our old house was not entirely +new. When we bought the place there was a very fine but old Chinese +house, the palace of a Duke, standing on the ground, and by some clever +re-arrangement and building on, it was transformed into a beautiful +foreign style house with all the fine hardwood carving of the old house +worked into it. By using the words "foreign style," it is meant that, in +so far as the Chinese house could be made to look like a foreign house, +without tearing it down entirely, it was changed, that is the doors +and windows, passageways, furnishings, etc., were foreign, but the +arrangement of the house itself and courtyard was Chinese. This, like +all Chinese houses in Peking, was built in a very rambling fashion, +and with the gardens, covered about ten acres of ground. We had just +finished furnishing it and moved in only four days when we left for +Paris; and it has always been a great sorrow to my family that we should +lose this magnificent place, after having spent so much time and money +in building and beautifying it. However, this is only one of the many +trials that a high official in China is called upon to bear. + +The houses in Peking are built in a very rambling fashion, covering a +large amount of ground, and our former house was no exception to the +rule. It had sixteen small houses, one story high, containing about 175 +rooms, arranged in quadrangles facing the courtyard, which went to make +up the whole; and so placed, that without having to actually go out of +doors, you could go from one to the other by verandas built along the +front and enclosed in glass. My reader will wonder what possible use +we could make of all of these rooms; but what with our large family, +numerous secretaries, Chinese writers, messengers, servants, mafoos +(coachmen), and chair coolies, it was not a difficult task to use them. + +The gardens surrounding the houses were arranged in the Chinese way, +with small lakes, stocked with gold fish, and in which the beautiful +lotus flower grew; crossed by bridges; large weeping willows along the +banks; and many different varieties of flowers in prettily arranged +flower beds, running along winding paths, which wound in and out between +the lakes. At the time we left for Paris, in the month of June, 1899, +the gardens were a solid mass of flowers and foliage, and much admired +by all who saw them. + +As we now had no place of our own in Peking we did not know where to +go, so, while we were at Tientsin, my father telegraphed to one of his +friends to find him a house. After some little trouble one was secured, +and it turned out to be a very famous place indeed. It was the house +where Li Hung Chang signed the treaties with the Foreign Powers after +the Boxer Rising and also where he died. We were the first people to +live there since the death of Li Hung Chang, as the Chinese people were +very superstitious and were afraid that, if they went there to live, +something dreadful would happen to them. We soon made ourselves very +comfortable, and while we lived there, none of the dreadful things +happened to us that all of our good friends told us would be visited +upon us if we dared to take this place. However, in view of our having +lost our place by fire, I am inclined to think that their fears were +well founded. + +The loss sustained by having this house burned we never recovered, as my +father, being an official of the Government, it would have been very +bad form to have tried to recover this money, besides a possible loss +of standing, as Government officials are supposed never to consider +themselves or families in the service of their country, and any private +losses in the service must be borne without complaint. + +On the first of March, 1903, Prince Ching and his son, Prince Tsai Chen, +came to see us and told us that Her Majesty wished to see my mother, my +sister, and myself at once; that we should be at the Summer Palace (Wan +Shou Shan) at six o'clock the following morning. My mother told Prince +Ching that we had been wearing foreign clothes all these years, while +abroad, and had no suitable Manchu clothes to wear. He replied that he +had told Her Majesty all about us and also mentioned that he had seen us +in European attire and she had said that it would not be necessary for +us to wear Manchu costume to go to the Palace, that she would be glad +to have us wear foreign clothes, as it would give her an opportunity to +study the foreign way of dressing. Both my sister and myself had a +very difficult time deciding what we should wear for this occasion; +she wished to wear her pale blue velvet gown, as she thought that color +suited her the best. My mother had always made us dress exactly alike, +ever since we were little girls. I said that I preferred to wear my red +velvet gown, as I had the idea it might please Her Majesty. After a long +discussion I had my way. We had lovely red hats trimmed with plumes and +the same color shoes, and stockings to match. My mother wore a lovely +gown of sea green chiffon cloth embroidered with pale mauve iris and +trimmed with mauve velvet; she wore her large black velvet hat with long +white plumes. + +As we lived in the central part of the city and the only means of travel +was by sedan chair and the distance from our house to the Palace was +about thirty-six Chinese li (a three-hour ride), we had to start at +three o'clock in the morning, in order to be there at six. As this was +our first visit to the Palace, Prince Ching's message threw us into a +great state of excitement, and we were naturally anxious to look our +best and to be there on time. It had been the dream of my life to go to +the Palace and see what it was like, and up to this time I had never +had an opportunity, as most of my life had been spent out of Peking,--in +fact, out of China. Another reason why this chance had never come +before was, that my father had never registered our names (my sister and +myself) in the Government book for the registration of births of Manchu +children, in consequence of which the Empress Dowager did not know until +we came back from Paris that Lord Yu Keng had any daughters. My father +told me the reason why he did not put our names in this book was, that +he wished to give us the best education obtainable, and the only way +he could do it was not to let the Empress Dowager know. Besides this, +according to the Manchu custom, the daughters of all Manchu officials +of the second rank and above, after reaching the age of fourteen years, +should go to the Palace, in order that the Emperor may select them for +secondary wives if he so desires, and my father had other plans and +ambitions for us. It was in this way that the late Empress Dowager was +selected by the Emperor Hsien Feng. + + (comment: li is 1/3 mile or 1/2 km) + +We started at three o'clock that morning in total darkness riding in +four coolie sedan chairs, one on each side of the chair. In going such a +long distance it was necessary to have two relays of chair coolies. This +meant twenty-four coolies for the three chairs, not counting an extra +coolie for each chair who acted as a sort of head chair bearer. Besides +this there were three military officers on horses, one for each chair +and two servants riding at the back of each chair. In addition there +were three big Chinese carts following behind for the chair coolies to +ride in and rest. This made a cavalcade consisting of forty-five men, +nine horses and three carts. + +I had a rather nervous feeling riding along in the chair surrounded by +inky blackness, with nothing to relieve the stillness of the night but +the rough voices of the chair bearers calling back and forth to each +other to be careful of stones and holes in the road, which was very +uneven, and the clump, clump of the horses. To my readers who have never +had the experience of riding a long distance in a sedan chair I would +say that it is a most uncomfortable conveyance, as you have to sit +perfectly still and absolutely straight, otherwise the chair is liable +to upset. This ride was a very long one and I felt quite stiff and tired +by the time I reached the Palace gates. + + + +CHAPTER TWO--AT THE PALACE + +WHEN we reached the City gates, which were about half way between our +house and the Summer Palace, they were wide open for us to pass. This +quite surprised us, as all gates are closed at seven o'clock in the +evening and are not opened except on special occasions until daylight. +We inquired of the guard why this was, and were told that orders had +been given for the gates to be opened for us to pass. The officials who +had charge were standing in a double line dressed in full official dress +and saluted us as we passed. + +It was still quite dark when we had passed through the gate and I +thought of the many experiences of my short life; but this was by far +the strangest of them all. I wondered what Her Majesty would be like and +whether she would like me or not. We were told that probably we would be +asked to stay at the Court, and I thought that if that came to pass, I +would possibly be able to influence Her Majesty in favor of reform and +so be of valuable assistance to China. These thoughts made me feel happy +and I made up my mind then and there that I would do all I could and +use any influence I might have in the future towards the advancement of +China and for her welfare. While I was still dreaming of these pleasant +prospects, a faint red line appeared on the horizon heralding the coming +of a most perfect day, and so it proved. As the light grew brighter and +I could distinguish objects, a very pretty view gradually opened to me, +and as we came nearer to the Palace I could see a high red wall which +zigzagged from hill to hill and enclosed the Palace grounds. The tops of +the wall and buildings were covered with yellow and green tiles and made +a most dazzling picture in the bright sunlight. Pagodas of different +sizes and styles were passed, and when we arrived at the village of Hai +Tien, about four li from the Palace gates, we were told by the officers +we only had a short distance further to go. This was good news, as I +began to think we would never get there. This village was quite a pretty +country place of one-story houses built of brick, which were very neat +and clean as are most of the houses in the northern part of China. The +children trouped out to see the procession pass, and I heard one remark +to another: "Those ladies are going to the Palace to become Empresses," +which amused me very much. + +Soon after leaving Hai Tien we came to a pai lou (archway), a very +beautiful piece of old Chinese architecture and carved work, and from +here got our first view of the Palace gates, which were about 100 yards +ahead. These gates are cut into the solid wall surrounding the Palace +and consist of one very large gate in the center and two smaller ones on +each side. The center gate is only opened when their Majesties pass in +and out of the Palace. Our chairs were set down in front of the left +gate, which was open. Outside of these gates, at a distance of about 500 +yards, were two buildings where the guard stayed at night. + +Just as we arrived I saw a number of officials talking excitedly, and +some of them went into the gate shouting "Li la, doula" (have come, have +arrived). When we got out of our chairs, we were met by two eunuchs of +the fourth rank (chrystal button and feather). This feather which is +worn by eunuchs of the fourth rank, comes from a bird called the magh +(horse-fowl) which is found in Szechuen Province. They are grey and +are dyed black, and are much wider than the peacock feather. These +two eunuchs were accompanied by ten small eunuchs carrying yellow +silk screens, which they placed around our chairs when we alighted. It +appeared that Her Majesty had given orders that these screens (huang +wai mor) should be brought to us. This is considered a great honor. They +were ten feet long and twenty feet high and were held by two eunuchs. + +These two eunuchs of high rank were extremely polite and stood at each +side of the gate and invited us to enter. Passing through this gate we +came into a very large paved courtyard about three hundred feet square, +in which there were a great many small flower beds and old pine trees +from which hung all kinds of birds in cages. On the side opposite to the +gates we had entered was a red brick wall with three gates exactly like +the others; on the right and left side were long rows of low buildings +each containing twelve rooms, used as waiting rooms. The courtyard was +full of people dressed in official robes of the different ranks, and, +after the Chinese fashion, all seemed to be very busy doing nothing. +When they saw us they stood still and stared. The two eunuchs who were +showing us the way conducted us to one of these rooms. This room was +about twenty feet square, just ordinarily furnished in black wood +furniture with red cloth cushions and silk curtains hanging from the +three windows. We were not in this room more than five minutes when a +gorgeously dressed eunuch came and said: "Imperial Edict says to invite +Yu tai tai (Lady Yu) and young ladies to wait in the East side Palace." +On his saying this, the two eunuchs who were with us knelt down +and replied "Jur" (Yes). Whenever Her Majesty gives an order it is +considered an Imperial Edict or command and all servants are required to +kneel when any command is transmitted to them the same as they would if +in Her Majesty's presence, Then they told us to follow them and we went +through another left gate to another courtyard laid out exactly the same +as the former, except that the Ren Shou Dien (audience hall) is situated +on the north side and the other buildings were a little larger. The +eunuchs showed us into the east side building, which was beautifully +furnished with reddish blackwood exquisitely carved, the chairs +and tables covered with blue satin and the walls hung with the same +material. In different parts of the room were fourteen clocks of all +sizes and shapes. I know this, for I counted them. + +In a little while two servant girls came and waited on us and told us +that Her Majesty was dressing and that we were to wait a little time. +This little time proved to be a matter of more than two hours and +a half, but as this is considered nothing in China, we did not get +impatient. From time to time eunuchs came and brought milk to drink and +about twenty or more dishes of various kinds of food which Her Majesty +sent. She also sent us each a gold ring with a large pearl in the +center. Later the chief eunuch, Li Lien Ying, came dressed in his +official clothes. He was of the second rank and wore a red button and +peacock feather and was the only eunuch that was ever allowed to wear +the peacock feather. He was a very ugly man, very old and his face was +full of wrinkles; but he had beautiful manners and said that Her Majesty +would receive us in a little while, and brought us each a jade ring +which she had sent us. We were very much surprised that she should give +us such beautiful presents before she had even seen us, and felt most +kindly disposed toward her for her generosity. + +Soon after Li Lien Ying had gone, two court ladies, daughters of Prince +Ching, came in and asked the eunuchs who were attending us if we could +speak Chinese, which we thought a great joke. I was the first one to +speak, and told them of course we could speak our own language, although +we knew several others. They were very much surprised and said: "Oh! +how funny, they can talk the language as well as we do." We in turn were +very much surprised to find such ignorant people in the Imperial Palace +and concluded that their opportunities for acquiring knowledge were very +limited. Then they told us Her Majesty was waiting to receive us, and we +went immediately. + +After walking through three courtyards very similar to those we had +previously passed through, we came to a magnificent building just one +mass of exquisite carving. Large lanterns made of buffalo horns hung all +over the veranda covered with red silk from which red silk tassels were +hanging and from each of these tassels was suspended a beautiful piece +of jade. There were two smaller buildings flanking this large one, also +one mass of carvings and hung with lanterns. + +At the door of the large building we met a lady, dressed the same as +Prince Ching's daughters, with the exception that she had a phoenix in +the center of her headdress which distinguished her from the others. +This lady came out to meet us, smiling, and shook hands with us in the +most approved foreign fashion. We were told later that this was the +Young Empress, wife of the Emperor Kwang Hsu. She said: "Her Majesty has +sent me to meet you," and was very sweet and polite, and had beautiful +manners; but was not very pretty. Then we heard a loud voice from the +hall saying, "Tell them to come in at once." We went into this hall +immediately and saw an old lady dressed in a beautiful yellow satin gown +embroidered all over with pink peonies, and wearing the same kind of +headdress with flowers on each side made of pearls and jade, a pearl +tassel on the left side and a beautiful phoenix in the center made of +purest jade. Over her gown she wore a cape, the most magnificent and +costly thing I ever saw. This cape was made of about three thousand five +hundred pearls the size of a canary bird's egg, all exactly alike in +color and perfectly round. It was made on the fish net pattern and had +a fringe of jade pendants and was joined with two pure jade clasps. In +addition to this Her Majesty wore two pairs of pearl bracelets, one +pair of jade bracelets, several jade rings and on her third and little +fingers of her right hand she wore gold finger nail protectors about +three inches long and on the left hand two finger nail protectors made +of jade and about the same length. Her shoes were trimmed with small +tassels made of pearls and embroidered with tiny pieces of different +colored jade. + +Her Majesty stood up when she saw us and shook hands with us. She had +a most fascinating smile and was very much surprised that we knew +the Court etiquette so well. After she had greeted us, she said to my +mother: "Yu tai tai (Lady Yu), you are a wonder the way you have brought +your daughters up. They speak Chinese just as well as I do, although I +know they have been abroad for so many years, and how is it that they +have such beautiful manners?" "Their father was always very strict with +them," my mother replied; "he made them study their own language first +and they had to study very hard." "I am pleased to hear their father +has been so careful with them," Her Majesty said, "and given them such +a fine education." She took my hands and looked into my face and smiled +and kissed me on both cheeks and said to my mother: "I wish to have your +daughters and hope they will stay with me." We were very much pleased +at this and thanked her for her kindness. Her Majesty asked all sorts of +questions about our Paris gowns and said we must wear them all the +time, as she had very little chance to see them at the Court. She was +particularly in love with our Louis XV high heel shoes. While we were +talking to her we saw a gentleman standing at a little distance and +after a while she said, "Let me introduce you to the Emperor Kwang Hsu, +but you must call him Wan Sway Yeh (Master of 10,000 years) and call me +Lao Tsu Tsung (the Great Ancestor)." His Majesty shyly shook hands with +us. He was a man about five feet, seven inches in height, very thin, +but with very strong features; high nose and forehead, large, brilliant +black eyes, strong mouth, very white, even teeth; altogether good +looking. I noticed he had a very sad look, although he was smiling all +the time we were there. At this juncture the head eunuch came, knelt +down on the marble floor and announced that Her Majesty's chair was +ready and she asked us to go with her to the Audience Hall, distant +about two minutes' walk, where she was going to receive the heads of the +different Boards. It was a beautiful day and her open chair was waiting. +This chair is carried by eight eunuchs all dressed in official robes, +a most unusual sight. The head eunuch walked on her left side and the +second eunuch on her right side, each with a steadying hand on the chair +pole. Four eunuchs of the fifth rank in front and twelve eunuchs of the +sixth rank walked behind. Each eunuch carried something in his hand, +such as Her Majesty's clothes, shoes, handkerchiefs, combs, brushes, +powder boxes, looking glasses of different sizes, perfumes, pins, black +and red ink, yellow paper, cigarettes, water pipes, and the last one +carried her yellow satin-covered stool. Besides this there were +two amahs (old women servants) and four servant girls all carrying +something. This procession was most interesting to see and made one +think it a lady's dressing room on legs. The Emperor walked on Her +Majesty's right and the Young Empress on the left, as did also the Court +ladies. + +The Audience Hall was about two hundred feet long by about one hundred +and fifty feet wide, and at the left side was a long table covered with +yellow satin. When Her Majesty came down from the chair she went into +the Hall and mounted her throne just behind this table, and His Majesty +mounted a smaller one at her left side, the Ministers all kneeling on +the floor in front of her and on the opposite side of the table. + +At the back of the Hall was a large dais about twenty feet long by about +eighteen feet wide, enclosed by a magnificently carved railing about +two feet high running all the way round, open only in the front in +two places just large enough for a person to pass through. These two +openings were reached by a flight of six steps. At the back of this dais +was a small screen and immediately in front of this, in the center, +was Her Majesty's throne. Immediately behind was an immense carved wood +screen, the most beautiful thing I ever saw, twenty feet long by ten +feet high. In front of Her Majesty's throne was a long narrow table. At +the left side was a smaller throne for the Emperor. + +The theme of the carving and furnishings of this dais was the phoenix +and peony most exquisitely carved in ebony wood, in fact the theme of +the entire room was the same. On each side of Her Majesty's throne were +two upright ebony poles on the top of which were peacock feathers made +into the shape of a fan The upholstery was entirely of yellow Chinese +velvet. + +Just before Her Majesty took her seat on her throne she ordered us to go +behind this screen with the Young Empress and the Court ladies. This +we did, and could hear the conversation between Her Majesty and the +Ministers very plainly, and as my readers will see later, I made good +use of this. + + + +CHAPTER THREE--A PLAY AT THE COURT + +THIS day to me was a medley of brilliant impressions. I was a great +novelty among these exclusive Court ladies, brought up rigidly apart +from foreign life and customs, and I was subjected to a rapid fire of +questions. I soon found that these women were the same as others the +world over in point of curiosity and love of gossip. The fourth daughter +of Prince Ching (Sze Gurgur), a young widow and a strikingly handsome +woman, spoke to me. "Were you brought up in Europe and educated?" she +asked. "I am told that when people go to that country and drink the +water there, they quickly forget their own country. Did you really study +to acquire all those languages or was it drinking the water that gave +them to you?" I mentioned that I met her brother, Prince Tsai Chen, in +Paris on his way to London for the coronation of King Edward, and that +we should have liked to have gone also, as my father had a special +invitation, but were prevented from doing so by his urgent duties in +Paris in settling the Yunnan question, to which the Princess replied: +"Is there a king in England? I had thought that our Empress Dowager +was Queen of the world." Her sister, wife of the brother of the Young +Empress, a most intelligent, quiet and dignified lady, stood by smiling +and listening to the eager questions. After numerous questions had been +asked the Young Empress finally said: "How ignorant you are. I know that +each country has its ruler and that some countries are republics. The +United States is a republic and very friendly toward us, but I am sorry +that such a common class of people go there, as they will think we +are all the same. What I should like to see is some of our good Manchu +people go, as then they would see what we really are." She afterwards +told me she had been reading a history of the different countries, +which had been translated into Chinese, and she seemed to be very well +informed. + +After the Audience was over, Her Majesty called us out from behind the +screen and told us to go with her to see the theatre. She said, as it +was such a beautiful day, she preferred to walk, so we started, walking +a little behind her, as is the custom. Along the way she pointed out +from time to time different places and things that were her particular +favorites, and as she had to keep turning around all the time, she +finally told us to come and walk alongside of her. This, as I afterwards +found out, was a great condescension on her part and a thing that +she very seldom ever did. She, like everybody else, had her pets and +hobbies, such as flowers, trees, plants, dogs, horses, etc., and there +was one dog in particular that was her favorite pet. This dog was with +Her Majesty always and followed her wherever she went, and a more homely +dog I never saw. It had absolutely nothing to recommend it in any way. +Her Majesty thought it beautiful, and called it Shui Ta (Sea Otter). + +A short distance from the Audience Hall we came to a large courtyard. +On each side of this courtyard were two immense baskets fifteen feet +in height, built of natural logs and literally covered with purple +wisteria. They were simply gorgeous and great favorites of Her Majesty. +She was always very proud of them when in bloom and took great delight +in showing them to the people. + +From this courtyard we entered a sort of passageway which ran along +the sides of a big hill and led directly to the theatre, where we soon +arrived. This theatre is quite unlike anything that you can imagine. +It is built around the four sides of an open courtyard, each side being +separate and distinct. The building has five stories. It is entirely +open on the front and has two stages, one above the other. The three top +stories are used for holding the drops and for store rooms. The stage on +the first floor is of the ordinary kind; but that on the second floor +is built to represent a temple and used when playing religious plays, of +which Her Majesty was very fond. + +On the two sides were long, low buildings with large verandas running +their entire length, where the Princes and Ministers sat when invited +by Her Majesty to witness the play. Directly opposite this stage was +a spacious building, containing three large rooms, which was used +exclusively by Her Majesty. The floor was raised about ten feet above +the ground, which brought it on a level with the stage. Large glass +windows ran along in front, so made that they could be removed in the +summer and replaced with pale blue gauze screens. Two of these rooms +were used as sitting rooms and the third, the one on the right, she used +as a bedroom, and it had a long couch running across the front, on which +she used to sit or lie according to her mood. This day she invited us +to go to this room with her. Later I was told that she would very +often come to this room, look at the play for a while and then take her +siesta. She could certainly sleep soundly, for the din and noise did +not disturb her in the least. If any of my readers have ever been to a +Chinese theatre, they can well imagine how difficult it would be to woo +the God of Sleep in such a pandemonium. + +As soon as we were in this bedroom the play commenced. It was a +religious play called "The Empress of Heaven's Party or Feast to all +the Buddhist Priests to eat her famous peaches and drink her best wine." +This party or feast is given on the third day of the third moon of each +year. + +The first act opens with a Buddhist Priest, dressed in a yellow coat +robe with a red scarf draped over his left shoulder, descending in a +cloud from Heaven to invite all the priests to this party. I was very +much surprised to see this actor apparently suspended in the air and +actually floating on this cloud, which was made of cotton. The clever +way in which they moved the scenery, etc., was most interesting, and +before the play was finished I concluded that any theatre manager could +well take lessons from these people; and it was all done without the +slightest bit of machinery. + +As this Buddhist Priest was descending, a large pagoda began to slowly +rise from the center of the stage in which was a buddha singing and +holding an incense burner in front of him. Then four other smaller +pagodas slowly rose from the four corners of the stage, each containing +a buddha the same as the first. When the first Buddhist Priest had +descended, the five buddhas came out of the pagodas, which immediately +disappeared, and walked about the stage, still singing. Gradually from +the wing came numbers of buddhas singing until the stage was full, and +they all formed into a ring. Then I saw a large lotus flower, made of +pink silk, and two large green leaves appearing from the bottom of the +stage, and as it rose the petals and leaves gradually opened and I saw a +beautiful lady buddha (Goddess of Mercy) dressed all in white silk, with +a white hood on her head, standing in the center of this flower. As the +leaves opened I saw a girl and a boy in the center of them. When the +petals of the lotus flower were wide open this lady buddha began to +gradually ascend herself, and as she ascended, the petals closed until +she seemed to be standing on a lotus bud. The girl standing in the +leaf on the Goddess' right side held a bottle made of jade and a willow +branch. The legend of this is that if the Goddess dips the willow branch +into the jade bottle and spreads it over a dead person it will bring +the person to life. The boy and the girl are the two attendants of the +buddha. + +Finally the three came down from the flower and leaves and joined the +rest of the buddhas. Then the Empress of Heaven came, a good old lady +with snow-white hair, dressed from head to foot in Imperial yellow, +followed by many attendants, and ascended the throne, which was in the +center of the stage, and said: "We will go to the banquet hall." This +ended the first scene. + +The second scene opened with tables set for the feast to be given by the +Empress of Heaven. These tables were loaded down with peaches and wine +and four attendants guarding them. Suddenly a bee came buzzing near and +scattered a powder under the nostrils of the attendants, which made them +sleepy. When they had fallen asleep, this bee transformed itself into a +big monkey and this monkey ate all the peaches and drank all the wine. +As soon as he had finished he disappeared. + +A blast of trumpets announced the coming of the Empress of Heaven and +she soon arrived accompanied by all the Buddhist Priests and their +attendants. When the Empress of Heaven saw all the peaches and wine had +disappeared, she woke the attendants and asked them why they were asleep +and where the peaches and wine had gone. They said that they did not +know, that they were waiting for her to come and fell asleep. Then one +of the guests suggested that she should find out what had become of the +feast, and attendants were sent out to the guard to find out from +the soldiers if anyone had gone out of the gate recently. Before the +messenger had time to return, the Guard of Heaven came and informed the +Empress that a big monkey, who was very drunk and carrying a big stick, +had just gone out of the gate. When she was told this, she ordered the +soldiers of heaven and several buddhas to go and find him at his place. +It seems that this monkey had originally been made from a piece of stone +and lived in a large hole in a mountain on the earth. He was endowed +with supernatural powers and could walk on the clouds. He was allowed +to come to heaven and the Empress of Heaven gave him a position looking +after the Imperial orchards. + +When they got to his place on the earth, they found that he had taken +some of the peaches with him and he, with other monkeys, was having a +feast. The soldiers challenged him to come out and fight. He immediately +accepted this challenge, but the soldiers could do nothing with him. He +pulled the hair out of his coat and transformed each hair into a little +monkey and each monkey had an iron rod in its hand. He himself had +a special iron rod, which had been given to him by the King of Sea +Dragons. This rod he could make any size he wanted from a needle to a +crowbar. + +Among the buddhas who had gone with the soldiers was one named Erh Lang +Yeh, who was the most powerful of them all and had three eyes. This +buddha had a dog which was very powerful and he told the dog to bite +this monkey, which he did, and the monkey fell down and they caught him +and brought him up to heaven. When they got there the Empress of Heaven +ordered that he should be handed to Lao Chun, an old taoist god, and +that he should burn him in his incense burner. The incense burner was +very large, and when they took the monkey to him he placed him inside +this burner and watched him very carefully to see that he did not get +out. After he had watched for a long time he thought the monkey must be +dead and went out for a few minutes. The monkey, however, was not dead +and as soon as Lao Chun went out, he escaped and stole some golden +pills which Lao Chun kept in a gourd and went back to his hole in the +mountains. These pills were very powerful and if one of them were eaten +it would give eternal life, and the monkey knew this. The monkey ate one +and it tasted good and he gave the little monkeys some. When Lao Chun +came back and found both the monkey and the pills gone he went and +informed the Empress of Heaven. This ended the second scene. + +The third scene opened with the buddhas and soldiers at the monkey's +place in the mountains and they again asked him to come out and fight. +The monkey said: "What! Coming again?" and laughed at them. They started +to fight again, but he was so strong they could not get the best of him. +Even the dog who had bit him before was powerless this time, and they +finally gave it up and returned to heaven and told the Empress of Heaven +that they could not capture him the second time, as he was too strong. +Then the Empress of Heaven called a little god about fifteen years old +by the name of Neur Cha, who had supernatural powers, and told him to go +down to earth to the monkey's place and see if he could finish him. This +god was made of lotus flowers and leaves, that is, his bones were made +of flowers and his flesh made of leaves and he could transform himself +into anything that he wished. When Neur Cha got to the monkey's place +and the monkey saw him, he said: "What! A little boy like you come to +fight me? Well, if you think you can beat me, come on," and the boy +transformed himself into an immense man with three heads and six arms. +When the monkey saw this, he transformed himself also into the same +thing. When the little god saw that this would not do, he transformed +himself into a very big man and started to take the monkey, but the +monkey transformed himself into a very large sword and cut this man into +two pieces. The little god again transformed himself into fire to burn +the monkey, but the monkey transformed himself into water and put the +fire out. Again the little god transformed himself, this time into a +very fierce lion, but the monkey transformed himself into a big net to +catch the lion. So this little god, seeing that he could not get the +best of the monkey, gave it up and went back to heaven, and told the +Empress of Heaven that the monkey was too strong for him. The Empress +of Heaven was in despair, so she sent for Ju Li, an old ancestor of the +buddhas, who was the all-powerful one of them all; and Kuan Yin, Goddess +of Mercy, and sent them down to the monkey's place to see if they could +capture him. When they arrived at the hole in the mountain the monkey +came out and looked at Ju Li, but did not say a word, as he knew who +this god was. This god pointed a finger at him and he knelt down and +submitted. Ju Li said: "Come with me," and took the monkey and put him +under another mountain and told him he would have to stay there until +he promised he would be good. Ju Li said: "You stay here until one day +I lift this mountain up for you to come out to go with a Buddhist Priest +to the West side of heaven and demand the prayer books that are kept +there. You will have to suffer a great deal on the way and face many +dangers, but if you come back with this Buddhist Priest and the prayer +books, by that time your savage temper will be gone and you will be put +in a nice place in heaven and enjoy life forever afterwards." + +This finished the play, which was very interesting, and I enjoyed it +from beginning to end. It was acted very cleverly and quite realistic, +and I was very much surprised to know that the eunuchs could act so +well. Her Majesty told us that the scenery was all painted by the +eunuchs and that she had taught them about all they knew. Unlike most +theatres in China, it had a curtain which was closed between the acts, +also wing slides and drop scenes. Her Majesty had never seen a foreign +theatre and I could not understand where she got all her ideas from. She +was very fond of reading religious books and fairy tales, and wrote +them into plays and staged them herself, and was extremely proud of her +achievement. + +Her Majesty sat talking, we standing, for some little time and she asked +me if I understood the play, and I told her that I did and she seemed +quite pleased. Then she said in such a charming way: "Oh! I am so +interested in talking with you that I have forgotten to order my lunch. +Are you hungry? Could you get Chinese food when you were abroad, and +were you homesick? I know I would be if I left my own country for so +long a time; but the reason why you were abroad so long was not your +fault. It was my order that sent Yu Keng to Paris and I am not a bit +sorry, for you see how much you can help me now, and I am proud of you +and will show you to the foreigners that they may see our Manchu ladies +can speak other languages than their own." While she was talking I +noticed that the eunuchs were laying three large tables with nice white +table cloths, and I could see a number of other eunuchs standing in +the courtyard with boxes of food. These boxes or trays are made of wood +painted yellow and are large enough to hold four small and two large +bowls of food. After the tables were laid ready, the eunuchs outside +formed themselves into a double line from the courtyard to a little gate +running into another courtyard and passed these trays from one to the +other up to the entrance of the room, where they were taken by four +nicely dressed eunuchs and placed on the tables. + +It seems that it was a habit of Her Majesty to take her meals wherever +she happened to be, so that there was no particular place that she +used as a dining room. I should also mention that these bowls were of +Imperial yellow with silver covers. Some were ornamented with green +dragons and some with the Chinese character Shou (Long Life). + +There were about one hundred and fifty different kinds of food, for I +counted them. They were placed in long rows, one row of large bowls and +one row of small plates, and then another row of small bowls, and so on. +As the setting of the tables was going on, two Court ladies came into +the bedroom, each carrying a large yellow box. I was very much surprised +to see Court ladies doing this kind of work and I said to myself, if +I come here will I have to do this sort of thing? Although these boxes +appeared to be quite heavy, they brought them in very gracefully. Two +small tables were placed in front of Her Majesty, then they opened the +boxes and placed a number of very cute plates containing all sorts of +sweets, lotus flower seeds, dried and cooked with sugar, watermelon +seeds, walnuts cooked in different ways, and fruits of the season cut +and sliced. As these plates were being placed on the tables Her Majesty +said that she liked these dainties better than meat and gave us some and +told us to make ourselves at home. We thanked her for her kindness and +enjoyed them very much. I noticed that she ate quite a quantity from the +different plates and wondered how she would be able to eat her lunch. +When she had finished, two of the Court ladies came and took the plates +away and Her Majesty told us that she always gave what was left to the +Court ladies after she had finished eating. + +After this a eunuch came in carrying a cup of tea. This tea cup was +made of pure white jade and the saucer and cover was of solid gold. Then +another eunuch came in carrying a silver tray on which were two jade +cups similar to the others, one containing honeysuckle flowers and the +other rose petals. He also brought a pair of gold chopsticks. They both +knelt on the floor in front of Her Majesty and held the trays up so +that she could reach them. She took the golden cover off of the cup +containing tea and took some of the honeysuckle flowers and placed +them in the tea. While she was doing this and sipping the tea, she was +telling how fond she was of flowers and what a delicate flavor they gave +to the tea. Then she said: "I will let you taste some of my tea and see +if you like it," and ordered one of the eunuchs to bring us some +tea, the same as she was drinking. When it came, she put some of the +honeysuckle flowers in the cup for us and watched us drink it. It was +the most delicious tea I had ever tasted and the putting of flowers in +it gave it an extremely delicate flavour. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR--A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS + +WHEN we had finished drinking tea, she told us to go with her into the +next room, where the tables had been prepared for lunch, and I wondered +if she had any room for lunch, after all that she had just eaten, but +I soon found out. As soon as she was inside the room, she ordered the +covers to be removed and they were all taken off at one time. Then she +took her seat at the head of the table and told us to stand at the foot. +She then said: "generally the Emperor takes lunch with me when we have +the theatre, but he is shy to-day, as you are all new to him. I hope he +will get over it and not be so bashful. You three had better eat with me +to-day." Of course, we knew that this was an especial favor, and thanked +her by kowtowing before we commenced to eat. This kowtowing, or bowing +our heads to the ground, was very tiring at first and made us dizzy, +until we got used to it. + +When we commenced to eat, Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to place +plates for us and give us silver chopsticks, spoons, etc., and said: + +"I am sorry you have to eat standing, but I cannot break the law of our +great ancestors. Even the Young Empress cannot sit in my presence. I +am sure the foreigners must think we are barbarians to treat our Court +ladies in this way and I don't wish them to know anything about our +customs. You will see how differently I act in their presence, so that +they cannot see my true self." + +I was watching her while she was talking to my mother and marvelled +to see how she could eat, after having eaten such a quantity of candy, +walnuts, etc., while in her bedroom. + +Beef was a thing that was tabooed within the precincts of the Palace, as +it was considered a great sin to kill and eat animals that were used as +beasts of burden. The food consisted mostly of pork, mutton and game, +fowls and vegetables. This day we had pork cooked in ten different ways, +such as meat balls, sliced cold in two different ways, red and white, +the red being cooked with a special kind of sauce made of beans which +gives it the red color and has a delicious taste. Chopped pork with +chopped bamboo shoots, pork cut in cubes and cooked with cherries +and pork cooked with onions and sliced thin. This last dish was Her +Majesty's favorite and I must say it was good. Then there was a sort of +pancake made of eggs, pork and mushrooms chopped fine and fried, also +pork cooked with cabbage and another dish cooked with turnips. The fowl +and mutton was cooked in several different ways. In the center of the +table was a very large bowl about two feet in diameter of the same +yellow porcelain, in which there was a chicken, a duck and some shark +fins in a clear soup. Shark fins are considered a great delicacy in +China. Besides this there was roast chicken, boneless chicken and roast +duck. Ducks and chickens are stuffed with little pine needles to give +them a fine flavor and roasted in open air ovens. + +There was another dish that Her Majesty was very fond of and that was +the skin of roast pork cut into very small slices and fried until it +curls up like a rasher of bacon. + +As a rule the Manchu people seldom eat rice, but are very fond of bread +and this day we had bread, made in a number of different ways, such as +baked, steamed, fried, some with sugar and some with salt and +pepper, cut in fancy shapes or made in fancy moulds such as dragons, +butterflies, flowers, etc., and one kind was made with mincemeat inside. +Then we had a number of different kinds of pickles, of which Her Majesty +was very fond. Then there was beans and green peas, and peanuts made +into cakes and served with sugarcane syrup. + +I did not eat very much, as I was too busy watching Her Majesty and +listening to what she said, although she told us to eat all we could. +In addition to all I have mentioned, we had many different kinds of +porridge, some made of sweet corn and some with tiny yellow rice (like +bird seed), and Her Majesty said that we must all eat porridge after our +meat. + +After we had finally finished eating, Her Majesty rose from the table +and said: "Come into my bedroom and you will see the Young Empress and +the Court ladies eat; they always eat after I am finished." We went with +her and I stood near the door between the two rooms and saw the Young +Empress and Court ladies come in and stand around the table eating very +quietly. They were never allowed to sit down and eat their food. + +All this time the theatre had been going on playing some fairy tales, +but they were not near as interesting as the first play that we had +seen. Her Majesty sat on her long couch in the bedroom and the eunuch +brought her some tea and she ordered some brought for us. My reader +can imagine how delighted I was to be treated in this way. In China the +people think their sovereign is the supreme being and that her word is +law. One must never raise their eyes when talking to her. This is a sign +of great respect. I thought these extreme favors must be most unusual. I +had been told that Her Majesty had a very fierce temper, but seeing her +so kind and gracious to us and talking to us in such a motherly way, I +thought my informant must be wrong and that she was the sweetest woman +in the world. + +When Her Majesty had rested a while, she told us that it was time we +were returning to the city, as it was getting late. She gave us eight +big yellow boxes of fruit and cakes to take home with us. She said to +my mother: "Tell Yu Keng (my father) to get better soon and tell him to +take the medicine I am sending by you and to rest well. Also give him +these eight boxes of fruit and cakes." I thought my father, who had been +quite ill since we returned from Paris, would not be much benefited if +he ate all those cakes. However, I knew he would appreciate her kind +thoughtfulness even if it were detrimental to his health. + +As perhaps most of my readers know, it is the custom to kowtow when Her +Majesty gives presents and we kowtowed to her when she gave us the fruit +and cakes and thanked her for her kindness. + +Just as we were leaving, Her Majesty said to my mother that she liked us +very much and wanted us to come and be her Court ladies and stay at the +Palace. We thought this was another great favor and again thanked her, +and she asked us when we could come and told us to bring our clothes and +things only, as she would fix everything for us and showed us the house +we would live in when we came and told us to come back inside of two +days. This house contained three very large rooms and was situated on +the right side of her own or private Palace. This Palace Ler Shou Tong +(Ever Happy Palace) is situated on the shores of the lake and was Her +Majesty's favorite place and where she spent most of her time, reading +and resting and when the spirit moved her she would go for a sail on the +lake. In this Palace she had quite a number of bedrooms and made use of +them all. + +When she had finished showing us this house we took leave of Her +Majesty, the Young Empress and the Court ladies, and after a long and +tiresome ride, reached home exhausted but happy, after the most eventful +day of our lives. When we got into the house, we were surprised to find +several eunuchs waiting our return. They had brought us each four rolls +of Imperial brocade from Her Majesty. Once more we had to bend to custom +in thanking her for these gifts. This time, the gift having been sent to +the house, we placed the silk on a table in the center of the room and +kowtowed to thank Her Majesty and told the eunuchs to tell Her Majesty +how grateful we were to her for all her kindness and for the beautiful +gifts. + +There is another thing that had to be done according to the custom, and +that was to give the eunuchs a present or tip, and we had to give each +of the eunuchs ten taels for their trouble. We afterwards found out that +when eunuchs went anywhere to take presents for Her Majesty, they were +required to report to her when they returned how the recipient had +thanked her and what had been given them, which she allowed them to +keep. She also asked them numerous questions about our house, whether we +were pleased with her, etc. These people are extremely fond of talking +and after we had returned to the Palace again, they told us what Her +Majesty had said about us the first day we were there. + +My mother felt very much worried to go to the Palace and leave my father +all alone owing to his being in poor health, but we could not disobey +Her Majesty's order, so we returned to the Palace three days later. + +Our first day there was a busy one for us. When we first arrived we went +and thanked Her Majesty for the present that she had sent us. She told +us that she was very busy to-day, as she was going to receive a Russian +lady, Madame Plancon, wife of the Russian Minister to China, who was +bringing a miniature portrait of the Czar and Czarina and family as a +present from the Czar to her, the Empress Dowager. She asked me if I +could speak Russian. I told her that I could not, but that most Russians +spoke French, which seemed to satisfy her. She, however, said: "Why +don't you tell me you speak Russian, I won't know or be able to find +out," and at the same time was looking at one of the Court ladies. I +concluded that someone must be fooling her, for she seemed to appreciate +the fact that I had told her the truth. This afterwards proved to be +true and one of the Court ladies was dismissed for pretending she could +talk foreign languages when she could not speak a word. + +Besides this audience there was the theatre and the engagement ceremony +of Her Majesty's nephew, Ter Ju. The engagement ceremony, according to +the Manchu custom, is performed by two of the Princesses of the Royal +family going to the house of the prospective bride, who sits on her bed +cross-legged, her eyes closed and awaits their coming. When they arrive +at the house, they go to her bedroom and place a symbol called Ru Yee, +made of pure jade about one and a half feet long, in her lap and suspend +two small bags made of silk and beautifully embroidered, each containing +a gold coin, from the buttons of her gown, and place two gold rings on +her fingers, on which is carved the characters Ta Hsi (Great Happiness). +The meaning of the symbol or sceptre Ru Yee is "May all joy be yours." + +During this entire ceremony absolute silence is maintained and +immediately they have finished, they return to the Palace and inform Her +Majesty that the ceremony has been completed. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE--AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS + +No one informed us the day before that there was to be an audience +to receive the Russian Minister's wife on that very day. We told Her +Majesty that we must go and change our clothes in order to receive this +lady. The dresses we wore that day were very simply made and short. The +reason we wore this kind of costume was that there was no carpet and +the bare brick floor had ruined our beautiful red velvet gowns, also the +clumsy eunuchs had kept stepping on our trains all the time. We had made +up our minds that short dresses for general wear every day would be more +practical. Her Majesty said: "Why must you change your clothes? I see +you look much better without that tail dragging behind you on the floor. +I laughed at the idea of having a tail on one's dresses. I noticed that +the first day when you came to the Court." Before we had time to +explain to her, she said: "I see, dresses with tails behind must be more +dignified than short ones, am I right?" We told her it was so. Then she +said: "Go and put on your most beautiful gowns at once." We immediately +went and changed. My sister and myself wore our pink crepe de chine +gowns, trimmed with Brussels lace and transparent yokes of the same +color chiffon. My mother wore her gray crepe de chine embroidered with +black roses and a little touch of pale blue satin on her collar and +belt. We dressed in a great hurry, as Her Majesty had sent eunuchs to +see if we were ready. When she saw us she exclaimed: "Here are three +fairies with long tails." Then she asked us: "Is it very tiring to hold +half of your dress in your hand when you are walking? The costume is +pretty, but I do dislike the tail, there is no sense having a thing like +that. I wonder what these foreigners will think of me having you dressed +in their costume. I am sure they won't like the idea. My reason is +this: I want them to see you in foreign clothes in order to let them +understand I know something about the way they dress. I must say that +no foreign ladies have yet been presented to me dressed in such lovely +gowns as you three have. I don't believe foreigners are as wealthy as +the Chinese. I also notice they wear very little jewelry. I was told +that I have more jewelry than any sovereign in the world and yet I am +getting more all the time." + +We were very busy getting ready to receive Mdme. Plancon, who arrived +about eleven o'clock and was received in the waiting room of the first +courtyard by my sister and from there conducted to the audience hall, +Ren Shou Dien, where she was received by Her Majesty, who was sitting on +her big throne on the raised dais. The Emperor was present, sitting on +Her Majesty's left hand and I stood on her right to interpret for her. +Her Majesty was dressed in a yellow transparent satin brocade gown, +embroidered with hollyhocks and the Chinese character "Shou" (Long Life) +and trimmed with gold braid. She wore her big pearl, which is about the +size and shape of an egg, suspended from the button of her dress, also +numerous bracelets and rings and gold finger nail protectors. Her hair +was dressed in the same style as usual. + +When Mdme. Plancon entered the hall, my sister brought her to the steps +of the dais and she courtesied to Her Majesty. I then went forward and +brought her up onto the dais and Her Majesty shook hands with her and +she presented the photograph which she had brought to Her Majesty. +Her Majesty made a very pretty speech of acceptance, expressing her +appreciation of the gift of their Majesties, the Czar and Czarina. I +interpreted this speech in French to Mdme. Plancon, as she could not +speak English. After this, Her Majesty told me to take Mdme. Plancon to +the Emperor, which I did. He stood up when she came near and shook hands +with her and asked after their Majesties' health. This over, Her Majesty +stepped down from her throne and took Mdme. Plancon to her own Palace, +the one with so many bedrooms, and when they arrived, Her Majesty asked +her to sit down, and they talked together for about ten minutes, I +interpreting for them, after which I took her to see the Young Empress. + +The Manchu law is very strict as regards the mother-in-law and the +daughter-in-law, and the Young Empress had been sitting behind the +screen at the back of the throne during the audience, and it was there +that I found her. From there we went to the banquet hall, where luncheon +was served in Manchu style. + +Here I must explain the difference between the Chinese way of eating and +the Manchu. The Chinese place the bowls of food, one at a time, in the +center of the table and everyone eats out of these bowls, sticking their +chopsticks in and helping themselves to what they want. The Manchus eat +quite differently and are served with individual bowls and dishes, the +same as in any other country. Her Majesty was very proud of this and +said that it saved time, not to mention being cleaner. The food in the +Palace was always very good and clean, especially when we had foreign +guests, and of course we had a variety of dishes for such occasions, +such as sharkfins, birds' nest pudding, not to mention a great quantity +of other things. + +Her Majesty had given me the order that morning to have the tables +nicely decorated and they did look very nice when we sat down. +Besides the usual tableware, we had gold dragon menu holders, little +peach-shaped silver saucers filled with almonds and dried watermelon +seeds, and knives and forks in addition to chopsticks. + +Her Majesty and the Emperor never ate with guests, so Mdme. Plancon was +entertained by the Imperial Princess and the Court ladies. When luncheon +was half over a eunuch came and told me that Her Majesty wanted to see +me at once. The thought flashed through my head that something had gone +wrong, or that some of the eunuchs had been making false reports, a bad +habit of the Court; and I was much surprised to find her all smiles. She +told me what a nice, polite lady Mdme. Plancon was, that she had seen +many ladies who had come to the Court, but none with manners like this +one, that she was sorry to say that some of the ladies who came did not +behave very well. She said: "They seem to think we are only Chinese and +do not know anything, and look down upon us. I notice these things very +quickly and am surprised to see people who claim to be well educated and +civilized acting the way they do. I think we whom they call barbarians +are much more civilized and have better manners." She was always very +polite to the foreign ladies, no matter how badly they behaved, but +after they had gone, she would tell us who was nice and who was not. +After she had finished saying this, she gave me a beautiful piece of +green jade to give to Madame Plancon. When I gave it to her, she said +she wished to thank Her Majesty, and I took her to the Palace again. + +When we had finished luncheon, she told me how pleased she was with her +reception and the kindness that Her Majesty had shown her, and took her +departure, we accompanying her to the courtyard of the Audience Hall, +where her chair was waiting. + +Her Majesty had made a rule or custom that after all guests had +departed, we must go to her and report everything. I suppose she was +like all women, a bit of a gossip as well as the rest; it appeared so at +any rate. She wanted to know what Mdme. Plancon said, whether she liked +the jade and whether she enjoyed her luncheon, etc. + +Her Majesty was very well pleased that I had interpreted so well for her +and said: "I have never had anyone to interpret for me this way before. +Although I don't understand the language, I can see that you speak it +fluently. How did you learn? I will never let you go away from me any +more. Sometimes the foreign ladies bring their own interpreters, but +I can't understand their Chinese and have to guess at what they are +saying, especially some of the missionaries Mrs. Conger brings with her. +I am very happy to have you and want you to stay with me as long as +I live and I will arrange a marriage for you, but won't tell you just +now." + +I felt very happy at what Her Majesty had said and thought I had made my +debut under very favorable auspices, and was very glad that Her Majesty +liked me; but this marriage question worried me, for nothing was farther +from my mind than this. I afterwards told my mother about it and she +told me not to worry, as I could always refuse when the time came. + +When we had told Her Majesty all that Mdme. Plancon had said, she told +us we could go to our rooms, that as we had risen early that morning and +had worked very hard, we must be tired and needed rest, that she would +not need us any more that day. We courtesied to her according to the +custom when saying good night, and retired. + + + +CHAPTER SIX--IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY + +THE building where we had our rooms, as I have said before, contained +four large rooms and a hall, and we three, my mother, sister and myself, +each took a room and gave the fourth to our maids. Her Majesty had +ordered a eunuch to accompany us and this eunuch told us that Her +Majesty had ordered four young eunuchs to attend on us and that if they +did not behave, we should tell him. He also said his name was Li, but as +there were so many by this name, including the head eunuch, it was very +hard to tell them apart. + +When we arrived, which took some time, he pointed to a building on our +right and said that it was Her Majesty's own Palace and the one which +we had just left. I could not understand why it had taken us so long to +come, when the Palace was so near, and asked him about it. He told us +that our little buildings were at the left side of the Emperor's Palace +and that Her Majesty had had the entrance leading from our place to her +Palace closed up for certain reasons which he would not tell, but said: +"You see this place ought to face East instead of towards the lake." The +view on the lake was beautiful and I told him I liked it much better the +way it was. He smiled and said: "You will have to learn a lot before you +find out this wicked place." I was surprised at what the eunuch said, +but did not like to ask him any questions. He also told us that the +Emperor's Palace was just behind our place and was a large building +similar to Her Majesty's Palace. We looked and could see the trees of +his courtyard above the roof. Then he pointed to another building behind +the Emperor's, which was larger but lower than the Emperor's Palace, and +also had a large courtyard, and said it was the Young Empress's Palace. +It had two buildings flanking it on each side and the eunuch told us +that the one on the left was the Secondary Wife's bedroom. That there +had been an entrance between the two Palaces, but that Lao Fo Yeh (The +great old Buddha), as the eunuchs called Her Majesty, had blocked it up +so that the Emperor and Empress could not communicate with each other, +except through Her Majesty's own Palace. I suppose this was the way she +kept watch over them and knew at all times what they were doing. This +was all news to me and I did not know what to think of it. I was afraid +that this eunuch Li would tell me more of these curious things, so I +told him I was tired and would go to my room and rest, and he went away. + +When I finally got inside my room and had a chance to look around, I saw +that it was very prettily furnished with ebonywood furniture, which was +covered with red satin cushions and the windows were hung with red silk +curtains. All the bedrooms were just alike. The kong (bed) was made of +brick covered with the same kind of wood and ran along the wall under +the front window. It had high teaster posts with slats running across on +which red curtains were hung. These kongs are very curiously built. They +are made of brick and have a hole in the front center in which fire is +placed to heat the brick in winter time. During the day a sort of table +is placed on top of the kong and removed again at night. + +Shortly after we had gone to our rooms, some eunuchs came and brought +our dinner, which they placed on a table in the center of the hall. They +told us the food had been sent by Her Majesty and that she had ordered +them to tell us to make ourselves comfortable. We were so tired that we +could not eat very much and were about to retire for the night when this +eunuch Li came again and told us that we must be up at five o'clock, not +later, so I told my eunuch to knock on my window at five. Immediately +after this we went to bed, but did not sleep immediately, as we wanted +to talk over the events of the day, which had been many and strange. +After we did finally get to bed, it seemed as if we had just fallen +asleep when I heard someone knocking on my window. I woke up with a +start and asked what the matter was and a eunuch told me it was five +o'clock and time to get up. + +I immediately got up and opened my window and looked out. The day was +just dawning and the sky was a beautiful deep red which was reflected +in the lake, which was perfectly calm. The scenery was lovely and in the +distance I could see Her Majesty's peony mountain, which was literally +covered with these beautiful flowers. I dressed at once and went to Her +Majesty's Palace and there met the Young Empress sitting on the veranda. +I courtesied to her as a good morning salute. The Emperor's Secondary +wife was there also, but we had been ordered not to courtesy to her, +as she was considered not to have any standing there. There was also a +number of young Court ladies, many of whom I had never seen before. The +Young Empress introduced me to them, saying that they were also Court +ladies. They were daughters of high Manchu officials and some were very +pretty and bright. The Young Empress told me that these ten (there were +just ten there) were never allowed to go near Her Majesty, as they were +just learning the court etiquette. They were all dressed very nicely in +pretty Manchu gowns, the same design as that worn by the Young Empress. + +After I had been introduced to these young ladies and talked with them +a while, I went inside with the Young Empress and there met Sze Gurgur, +fourth daughter of Prince Ching and a young widow twenty-four years +of age, Yuen Da Nai Nai, widow of Her Majesty's nephew. Both were busy +getting things ready for Her Majesty. The Young Empress told us that +we must go at once to Her Majesty's bedroom and assist Her Majesty to +dress, so we went at once and courtesied to her and said: "Lao Tsu Tsung +Chi Hsiang" (old ancestor, all joy be with you). Her Majesty was still +in bed and smiled to us and asked us if we had slept well. We told her +the rooms were very comfortable, etc. I thought to myself, we had slept +very well for the little time we had, but I had not had half enough. The +day before had been very hard for us and we were quite unused to it and +it had made us very lame and sore running around so much. + +She asked us if we had had any breakfast and we told her not yet. +She scolded Li for not having given the order for our breakfast to be +brought to our rooms and said: "You must not feel like strangers, order +anything you may want." Then she arose and started to dress. She put +on her white silk socks first, having slept in her pantaloons as is the +custom, and tied them at the ankle with pretty ribbon. I must tell you +here that although she always slept in her clothes, she changed them for +clean ones every day. Then she put on a pale pink shirt of soft material +and over that a short silk gown, that was embroidered with bamboo +leaves, as she always wore low heeled shoes in the morning and +consequently could not wear her long gowns. After she had dressed she +walked over to a window in front of which were two long tables covered +with toilet articles of every kind and description. + +As she was washing her face and dressing her hair, she said to my mother +that she could not bear to have the servant girls, eunuchs, or old +women, touch her bed, that they were dirty, so the Court ladies must +make it. When she said this she turned to my sister and myself, we were +standing a little to one side, and said: "You two must not think for a +moment that the Court ladies do servant's work, but you know I am an old +woman and could easily be your grandmother and it will do you no harm to +work a little for me. When it comes your turn, you can superintend the +others and don't have to do the work with your own hands." Then Her +Majesty said to me: "Der Ling you are a great help to me in every way +and I make you my first lady-in-waiting. You must not work too much +for you will have to make all the arrangements for the audiences for +foreigners and you will have to interpret for me. I also want you to +look after my jewels and don't want you to do rough work at all. Roon +Ling (my sister) can choose what she likes to do. I have two more +besides you, Sze Gurgur and Yuen Da Nai Nai, making four altogether and +you must all work together. It is not necessary to be too polite to them +and if they are not nice to you, you let me know." Although I was very +happy at receiving this appointment, I knew that according to custom I +must refuse it, so I thanked Her Majesty very kindly for the honor +she had given me and said that I did not know enough to hold such an +important position and would prefer to be just an ordinary Court lady, +and that I would learn as quickly as possible to be useful to her. +She hardly let me finish what I was saying, when she laughed and said: +"Stop! don't say anything like that; you are too modest, which shows you +are very clever and not a bit conceited. I am surprised to see what a +perfect little Manchu lady you are, knowing even such small etiquette as +this, although you have spent many years outside of China." She was very +fond of making fun and liked very much to tease, and said that I could +try and if she saw that I could not do the work, she would scold me +and put someone else in my place. After all this that she had said, +I accepted the appointment and went over to her bed to see how it was +made, and I found that it was very easy work to do. As this would be +one of my duties, I watched while the bed was being fixed. First of +all, after Her Majesty had risen, the bedclothes were taken out into +the courtyard by the eunuchs and aired, then the bed, which was made of +beautifully carved wood, was brushed off with a sort of whiskbroom, +and a piece of felt placed over it. Then three thick mattresses made +of yellow brocade were placed over the felt. After this came the sheets +made of different colored soft silk, and over the whole thing was placed +a covering of plain yellow satin embroidered with gold dragons and blue +clouds. She had a great many pillows, all beautifully embroidered, which +were placed on the bed during the daytime; but had a particular one +stuffed with tea leaves on which she slept. It is said that stuffing +the pillow on which you sleep with tea leaves is good for the eyes. +In addition to all these, she had another very curiously shaped pillow +about twelve inches long in the middle of which was a hole about three +inches square. It was stuffed with dried flowers, and the idea of the +hole was that when she laid on it she could place her ear in this hole +and in this way hear any and every sound. I suppose in that way no one +could come on her unawares. + +Besides this last yellow embroidered cover, there were six covers of +different colors, pale mauve, blue, pink, green and violet, and were +placed one on top of the other. Over the top of the bed was a frame +of wood handsomely carved and from this frame white crepe curtains, +beautifully embroidered, hung, and numerous little gauze silk bags +filled with scent were suspended from the carved work of the frame. The +odor from these bags was very strong and made one feel sick until they +became used to it. Her Majesty was also very fond of musk and used it on +all occasions. + +It took us about fifteen minutes to make the bed, and when I had +finished, I turned around and saw that Her Majesty was dressing her +hair. I stood beside her Majesty while the eunuch was dressing it and +saw that as old as she was, she still had beautiful long hair which +was as soft as velvet and raven black. She parted it in the center and +brought it low at the back of her ears, and the back braid was brushed +up on the top of her head and made it into a tight knot. When she +had finished doing this, she was ready to have the Gu'un Dzan (Manchu +headdress) placed on and pinned through the knot with two large pins. +Her Majesty always dressed her hair first and then washed her face. She +was as fussy and particular as a young girl and would give it to the +eunuch if he did not get it just to suit her. She had dozens of bottles +of all kinds of perfume, also perfumed soap. When she had finished +washing her face, she dried it on a soft towel and sprayed it with a +kind of glycerine made of honey and flower petals. After that she put +some kind of strong scented pink powder on her face. + +When she had completed her toilet, she turned to me and said: "It must +seem to you quite funny to see an old lady like me taking so much care +and pains in dressing and fixing up. Well! I like to dress myself up and +to see others dress nicely. It always gives me pleasure to see pretty +girls dressed nicely; it makes you want to be young again yourself." I +told her that she looked quite young and was still beautiful, and that +although we were young we would never dare compare ourselves with her. +This pleased her very much, as she was very fond of compliments, and +I took great pains that morning to study her and to find out what she +liked and what she didn't. + +After this Her Majesty took me into another room and showed me where her +jewels were kept. This room was covered with shelves on three sides of +the room from top to bottom, on which were placed piles of ebony boxes +all containing jewels. Small yellow strips were pasted on some of the +boxes on which was written the contents. Her Majesty pointed to a row of +boxes on the right side of the room and said: "Here is where I keep my +favorite everyday jewels, and some day you must go over them and see +that they are all there. The rest are all jewels which I wear on special +occasions. There are about three thousand boxes in this room and I have +a lot more locked up in my safety room, which I will show you when I am +not busy." Then she said: "I am sorry you cannot read and write Chinese, +otherwise I would give you a list of these things and you could keep a +check on them." I was very much surprised at this and wondered who had +told her I couldn't. I was anxious to know, but did not dare to ask her, +so I told her that although I was not a scholar, I had studied Chinese +for some time and could read and write a little, that if she would give +me a list I would try and read it. She said: "That is funny, someone +told me the first day you were here, I forget now who it was, that you +could not read or write your own language at all." While she was saying +this, she was looking all around the room and I was sure she knew who it +was that had told her, but she would not tell me. Then she said: "When +we have time this afternoon, I will go over this list with you. Bring +me those five boxes on the first row of shelves." I brought the boxes to +her room and placed them on the table. She opened the first one and it +contained a most beautiful peony made of coral and jade and each petal +trembled like a real flower. This flower was made by stringing the +petals which were made of coral on very fine brass wire, also the leaves +which were made of pure jade. She took this flower and placed it on the +right side of her headdress. Then she opened another box and took +from it a magnificent jade butterfly made in the same way. This was an +invention of her own and it was done by carving the coral and jade into +petals and leaves and boring holes in the lower ends through which +brass wire was run. The other two boxes contained bracelets and rings of +different patterns. There was a pair of gold bracelets set with pearls, +another pair set with jade, with a piece of jade hanging from the end +of a small gold chain, etc. The last two contained chains of pearls, the +like of which I never saw before, and I fell in love with them at +once. Her Majesty took one which was made into a plum blossom string +by winding a circle of five pearls around a larger one, then one single +pearl, then another circle of five pearls around a large one, and so on, +making quite a long chain, which she suspended from one of the buttons +of her gown. + +At this juncture one of the Court ladies came in carrying several gowns +for Her Majesty to select from. She looked at them and said that none of +them suited her, to take them back and bring more. I had a look at +them and thought they were perfectly lovely, such pretty colors and so +beautifully embroidered. In a short while the same Court lady came +back carrying more, and from these Her Majesty selected a sea-green one +embroidered all over with white storks. She put this gown on and looked +at herself in the mirror for a while, then took off her jade butterfly. +She said: "You see I am very particular about little details. The jade +butterfly is too green and it kills my gown. Put it back in the box and +bring me a pearl stork in No. 35 box." I went back to the jewel room and +fortunately found No. 35 box and brought it to her. She opened the box +and took from it a stork made entirely of pearls set in silver, the +bird's bill being made of coral. The pearls making the body of the bird +were so cleverly set that the silver could not be seen at all unless +one looked at it very closely. It was a most magnificent piece of +workmanship and the pearls were of perfect color and shape. Her Majesty +took it and placed it in her hair and did look very graceful and pretty. +Then she picked out a mauve-colored short jacket, also embroidered with +storks, which she put on over her gown. Her handkerchief and shoes +were also embroidered with storks and when she was entirely dressed she +looked like the stork lady. + +Just as she had finished dressing, the Emperor Kwang Hsu came into the +bedroom dressed in his official clothes. These clothes were exactly like +other official clothes, except that he had no button on his hat and did +not wear the peacock feather. He knelt down before Her Majesty and said: +"Chin Baba, Chi Hsiang" (dear father, all joy be with you). It may seem +curious that the Emperor and all of us should call Her Majesty father, +and the reason why this was done was because Her Majesty always wanted +to be a man and compelled everyone to address her as if she were +actually one. This was only one of her many peculiarities. + +I did not know whether to courtesy to the Emperor or not, not having +received any orders as to what I should do. However, I thought it better +to be too polite than not enough, so I waited until either he or Her +Majesty went out of the room, as we were not allowed to salute or +courtesy to anyone in her presence. In a little while the Emperor went +out and I followed him out into the hall and just as I was in the act +of courtesying Her Majesty came out. She looked at me in a very peculiar +way, as if she did not approve of what I had done, but said nothing. I +felt very uncomfortable and made up my mind that being too polite did +not always pay after all. + +I then returned to the room again and saw a small eunuch placing several +yellow boxes on a table at the left side of the room. Her Majesty seated +herself in a large chair, which was called her little throne, and this +eunuch opened the boxes, took a yellow envelope from each box and handed +them to Her Majesty. She opened these envelopes with an ivory paper +knife and read their contents. They were memorials from the heads of the +different Boards, or from the Viceroys of the different Provinces. The +Emperor had come back and was standing at the side of this table and +after she had finished reading, she handed them over to him. While all +this was being done I stood at the back of her chair. I watched the +Emperor as the different papers were handed to him and noticed that it +did not take him very long to finish reading their contents. After he +was finished reading the papers, they were placed back in the boxes. +During all this time absolute silence was maintained. Just as they had +finished the head eunuch came in, knelt down and announced that Her +Majesty's chair was ready. She immediately got up and went out of the +house, we following her, and I took her arm while she was descending the +steps to go to her chair. When she had entered the chair to go to the +Audience Hall, the Emperor and Young Empress and we all followed in +our usual places, the eunuchs, amahs and servant girls carrying all the +things exactly the same as was done the first day I came to the Palace. +When we arrived at the Audience Hall, we took our places behind the big +screen and the audience commenced. I was very curious to find out just +how the audiences were conducted and wanted to listen to what was going +on, but the Court ladies would not leave me alone. However, when they +were all talking together with my sister, I stole away into a corner +where I could sit and rest and listen to the conversation between +the different Ministers and Her Majesty. Trust a woman for being +inquisitive. + +The first part of the audience I could not hear very well, as so many +people were whispering and talking at the same time, but by peeping +through the carved-work of the screen, I could see a General talking to +Her Majesty. I also saw the members of the Grand Council come in headed +by Prince Ching, who was the Councillor-in-Chief. After the General had +finished, Her Majesty talked with Prince Ching about the appointment of +some minor officials, a list of whose names had been handed to her. She +looked over this list and spoke about several of the people, but Prince +Ching suggested some others, saying: "Although these people whose names +have been submitted to Your Majesty should receive appointments, those +that I have suggested are better fitted for the positions." Her Majesty +said: "All right, I leave it all to you." Then I heard Her Majesty say +to the Emperor, "Is that correct?" and he replied, "Yes." This finished +the Audience for the morning and the Ministers and Grand Councillors +took their leave. We came out from behind the screen to Her Majesty and +she said that she wanted to go for a walk to get some fresh air. The +servant girls brought her a mirror, placed it on a table, and Her +Majesty took off her heavy headdress, leaving the simple knot on the top +of her head, which was quite becoming. She wanted to change some of the +flower jewels and I opened a box which one of the eunuchs had brought +and took out some very dainty flowers made of pearls. I handed her one +which she placed at the side of this knot, then she selected a jade +dragonfly which she placed on the other side. She said these small +flowers were favorites of hers and she liked to wear them when she took +off her heavy headdress. I was watching her very closely and wondered +what I was going to do with the flowers she had taken off. I had not +brought the boxes to put them in, as I did not know she was going to +change again after the audience, and felt a little nervous as to what +was the right thing to do, or as to what she would say. However, I saw +a eunuch come in carrying these boxes and felt much relieved. I quickly +placed the things in the boxes where they belonged. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN--SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT + +MY first day with Her Majesty was very trying as I did not know just +what she wanted or how she wanted things done, and no one seemed willing +to tell me; but by watching very closely I was soon able to grasp the +situation. After I had finished putting the things in the boxes I did +not know whether to take them back to the jewel room or not, or whether +to wait until Her Majesty ordered me, and again I was in a quandary. I +saw she was talking to my mother, so I waited a little time and finally +made up my mind I would risk it and take them back, which I did. As +I was returning I met Her Majesty in the big courtyard. She had just +changed her gown again and looked much shorter as she had also changed +her shoes for ones with lower heels. This gown was made of heavy +sky-blue crepe with no embroidery at all, just trimmed with pale pink +ribbons, and she looked very nice in it. When Her Majesty saw me, she +asked me: "Where have you been?" I told her that I had just been putting +her jewels away. Then she said: "Has anyone told you to put them away +as soon as I am finished with them? I forgot to tell you this morning, +although I had meant to." I said that no one had told me anything, that +I was afraid to have the eunuchs taking such valuable things here and +there, that I was sure that she did not want to use them any more, so I +thought it would be safer to put them away in the jewel room again. Her +Majesty looked at me and said: "I can see that these girls don't tell +you anything and I am very glad to see that you have done just the right +thing. That is why I thought someone must have told you what to do. +Anything you want to know you can ask me, but don't talk to these mean +people here." I could see from this that there must be some jealousy +among them and decided that I was well able to find my own way, as I +knew Her Majesty liked me and would help me out. + +Her Majesty walked along a little way, then laughed and said to me: +"Don't I look more comfortable now? I am going for a long walk and take +lunch on the top of the hill. There is a nice place up there and I am +sure you will like it. Come, let us go." + +The Emperor had gone back to his own Palace, and the head eunuch had +also disappeared. As we were walking along, Her Majesty was talking +and smiling as if she had never a care or trouble in the world, or any +important questions of state to settle. I thought from what I had seen +so far that she had a very sweet disposition. She looked back and said: +"Just see how many people are following us." I turned and saw the +same crowd that had accompanied Her Majesty earlier in the day to the +Audience Hall. + +After passing out of the large courtyard on the West side, we came to a +large, long veranda running in a zig-zag fashion along the front of the +lake, and it was so long that I could not see the end of it. It was very +prettily made of solid carved work from one end to the other. Electric +lights were hanging from the ceiling at intervals, and when they were +lighted at night, made a beautiful sight. + +Her Majesty was a very fast walker and we had to step lively to keep up +with her. The eunuchs and the servant girls walked on the right side and +only one of the eunuchs was allowed to walk behind us, and he was the +one who carried Her Majesty's yellow satin stool, which, like her dog, +went everywhere she did. This stool she used to rest on when taking a +walk. We walked for quite a long while and I began to feel tired, but +Her Majesty, as old as she was, was still walking very fast and did not +appear to be the least bit tired. She asked me if I liked the Palace and +whether I would be satisfied to live with her, etc. I told her that it +was a great pleasure for me to serve her, that it had been my dream +for years, and now that my dream had come true, I could not help but be +satisfied. + +We finally arrived at the place where the marble boat was kept, and I +was about finished. I never saw such vitality in an old woman in my life +as Her Majesty had, and it was no wonder that she had ruled this vast +Empire of China so successfully for so many years. + +This boat was magnificent, being one mass of carved work, but the inside +was all spoiled. Her Majesty showed us all over the boat, and whilst we +were looking at the ruin, she said: "Look at those colored glasses in +the windows and these beautiful paintings. They were all spoiled by the +foreign troops in 1900. I don't intend to have it repaired as I don't +want to forget the lesson I have learned and this is a good reminder." +After we had been standing there a few minutes, a eunuch who had been +carrying the famous satin stool, came forward, and Her Majesty sat +down to rest. While we were talking I noticed two large and very +fancy-looking boats approaching us, with several smaller ones coming +along behind. As they came nearer I saw that they were also very +beautifully made, and looked like floating pagodas of beautifully +carved natural wood. The windows of the pagodas were hung with red gauze +curtains and all was trimmed with silk. Her Majesty said: "There are the +boats. We must go over to the west side of the lake and have luncheon." +Her Majesty got up and walked to the edge of the lake, two eunuchs +supporting her, one at each side. She stepped into the boat and we all +followed her example. The inside of the boat was very nicely furnished +with carved ebony furniture with blue satin cushions, one with many +pots of flowers on both sides of the window. There were two more cabins +behind this sitting room. Her Majesty told me to go in to see those two +rooms. One little room was a dressing room full of toilet articles. The +other one had two couches and several small chairs for Her Majesty to +rest whenever she felt tired. Her Majesty sat on her throne and ordered +us to sit on the floor. The eunuchs brought in red satin cushions for us +to sit upon. To sit on the floor is all right for Chinese clothes, but +of course it was out of the question with Paris gowns, and I felt very +uncomfortable, but did not like to say so. I wanted to change into +Manchu clothes, for I knew they were comfortable and easy to work in, +but having received no order from Her Majesty, I did not dare to suggest +it. Her Majesty noticed how very uncomfortable we looked sitting on the +floor. She said: "You can stand up if you want to and just watch those +boats following us." I put my head out of the window and noticed the +Young Empress and several other Court ladies were in the other boat. +They waved to me, and I waved back. Her Majesty laughed and said to me: +"I give you this apple to throw to them." While saying this she took one +from the big plates that stood upon the center table. I tried very hard, +but the apple did not reach the other boat, but went to the bottom of +the lake. Her Majesty laughed and told me to try again, but I failed. +Finally, she took one and threw it herself. It went straight to the +other boat and hit one of the ladies' head. We all laughed quite +heartily. Then I began to enjoy myself. There were several open boats +full of eunuchs, and another one of servant girls, amahs and the rest +with Her Majesty's luncheon. The lake was beautiful and looked so green +in the sun. I told Her Majesty that this color reminded me of the sea. +She said: "You have travelled so much, and yet you have not had enough, +but are still thinking of the sea. You must not go abroad any more, but +stay with me. I want you to enjoy this sailing on this lake instead of +the rough sea." I promised her that I would be only too happy to stay +with her. I must say the truth, I did enjoy the lovely scenery, the +beautiful weather, superb sunshine, with Her Majesty so kind to me and +talking to me in such a motherly way made me love her more and more +every minute I was there. I was so extremely happy there that even Paris +pleasures had gone out of my memory entirely. + +At last we arrived at another part of the lake. This was more of a +stream, very narrow, just wide enough for one boat to pass. On both +sides of the bank were planted drooping willow trees that reminded me of +the Chinese Fairy tales I have read. This time I saw the servant girls, +amahs, and also eunuchs carrying boxes, walking on both sides of the +shore. Only two boats were going then, the Young Empress' and ours. +Her Majesty said: "We will arrive at the bottom of the hill in a few +minutes." When we came near the shore I saw her yellow chair and several +red chairs waiting. We landed and walked to the chairs. I watched Her +Majesty get into hers and noticed this was not the same chair she used +this morning. This little one was, of course, of yellow, with yellow +poles, and two eunuchs carried it, with yellow rope across their +shoulders, and four eunuchs supported the poles, one on each corner of +the chair. They were just going to raise her chair up when she said: "Yu +tai tai (Lady Yu) I give you and your daughters special favor and give +you a red chair with red cord that I have given to only a few people." +The Young Empress looked at us, which I understood at once was meant for +us to kowtow to her, which we did, and waited until the Empress got into +hers. Then we went to search for ours. To my surprise our own eunuchs +were standing waiting beside our chairs. On the poles I noticed that +my name was written and I asked our eunuch the reason. He said that Her +Majesty gave the order the night before. It was a lovely ride going to +the top of the hill. I saw Her Majesty's chair in front, and the Young +Empress'. They looked to me quite dangerous in ascending that way, and +the men at the back of the chair had to raise the poles above their +heads so as to make the chair the same level in ascending. I was quite +nervous and was very much afraid that they might fall off and injure me. +Our eunuchs were walking beside our chairs. I said to one of them that +I was afraid the chair bearers might slip. He told me to look back of my +chair, which I did, and to my surprise they had the poles raised up also +above their heads, and I did not feel it at all. He told me that these +chair bearers practice for such purposes and that there was no danger +at all. It made my heart stop beating looking back and seeing the other +Court ladies in their chairs way below mine, the eunuchs and servant +girls walking, for fear I might fall off at any time. At last we arrived +at the top of the hill. We helped Her Majesty to alight and followed +her into the most lovely building I ever saw, the best one in the Summer +Palace to my idea (name of this pavilion, Ching Fo Ker). This Palace had +only two rooms, with windows on every side. One could see everywhere. +Her Majesty used one large one to take her luncheon in and the other as +a toilet room. I noticed that wherever we went we found Her Majesty's +toilet room. Her Majesty took us around the compound and showed us the +lovely flowers planted everywhere. One of the young eunuchs told me that +Her Majesty's dainties were ready. That was my first day of real work. I +went out and found two large yellow boxes of different kinds of candies +and fruits, as I have before mentioned. I carried two plates at a time, +and finished in nine times, placing them on a square table near her. She +was talking to my mother then about flowers. I noticed that although she +was talking, she was watching me at the same time. I placed the plates +upon the table very carefully, and already having noticed the day before +what were her favorite dishes, and placed these near her. She smiled +at me and said: "You have done it very nicely. And how do you know that +these are my favorites and have placed them near me? Who told you?" I +replied that no one had told me anything and that I had noticed the day +before what Lao Tsu Tsung liked (according to the Manchu custom one must +address a superior or one's parents in the third person). Her Majesty +said: "I can see you use your heart in everything (in China people say +heart instead of head) and are not like the crowd I have here; they +haven't the brains of a bird." She was soon busy eating, and gave me +some candies, and told me to eat right there in her presence. Of course +I never forgot to thank her, for I thought I had rather thank her too +much than too little. She told me: "Whenever I give you small things you +need not kowtow. Just say: 'Hsieh Lao Tsu Tsung Shang' (Thank the old +ancestor), that is enough." After a little while she finished eating, +and told me to take the dishes away. She said: "To-day is your day, so +these things are yours. Take them out and sit down on the veranda and +enjoy yourself. You see I could not eat all. There are lots of things +left. If you like you can tell your own eunuch to send them to your +room." I placed the little dishes back in the boxes and took them to the +veranda. There I placed them upon the table and told the Young Empress +to eat some. I did not know whether it was right to offer them to her or +not and thought I could not do her any harm, even if I tried. She said +all right, that she would eat some. I took a piece of candy and had just +put it into my mouth when I heard Her Majesty calling my name. I hurried +in and found her sitting at her table ready to take her lunch. She said: +"What else did Mdme. Plancon say yesterday? Was she really pleased? Do +you think they, the foreigners, really like me? I don't think so; on the +contrary I know they haven't forgotten the Boxer Rising in Kwang Hsu's +26th year. I don't mind owning up that I like our old ways the best, and +I don't see any reason why we should adopt the foreign style. Did any of +the foreign ladies ever tell you that I am a fierce-looking old woman?" +I was very much surprised that she should call me in and ask me such +questions during her meal. She looked quite serious and it seemed to +me she was quite annoyed. I assured her that no one ever said anything +about Her Majesty but nice things. The foreigners told me how nice she +was, and how graceful, etc. This seemed to please her, and she smiled +and said: "Of course they have to tell you that, just to make you feel +happy by saying that your sovereign is perfect, but I know better. I +can't worry too much, but I hate to see China in such a poor condition. +Although the people around me seem to comfort me by telling that almost +every nation feels very friendly towards China, I don't think that is +true. I hope we will be strong some day." While she was saying this I +noticed her worried expression. I did not know what to say, but tried to +comfort her by saying that that time will come, and we are all looking +forward to it. I wanted to advise her on some points, but seeing that +she was angry, I thought I had better not make any suggestions that +day, but wait until I had another opportunity. I felt sorry for her, and +would have given anything in the world to help her by telling what the +general opinion of her was so as to let her know the truth, which no one +dared to tell her. Something told me to be silent. I kept thinking all +the time she was talking to me, and finally made up my mind that the +time was not yet ripe for me to make any suggestion. I had grown to love +her very much, so I wanted to take care not to offend her; that would +probably finish my ambition. I wanted to study her first thoroughly and +then try to influence her to reform China. + +I stood all the time while she was eating. She got up from the table +and handed me her napkin (this napkin was made of a piece of silk a yard +square, woven in many colors). One corner was turned in, and a golden +butterfly was fastened to it. It had a hook at the back of this +butterfly so as to hook on her collar. She said: "I am sure you must be +hungry. Go and tell the Young Empress and the rest of the people to come +and eat. You can eat anything you want from these tables, so eat all you +can." I was very, very hungry. Just imagine, I had been up since 5:00 +o'clock and had only a light breakfast, and had walked a great deal. +It was almost noon when Her Majesty sat down at her table. She ate so +slowly, too. While I stood there talking to her I thought she would +never finish. She ate a good meal. The Young Empress stood at the head +of the table, and we all stood on either side. We did not like to be +forward, so we stood at the other end of the table. The food was very +much the same as the first day we were there. Her Majesty came out from +the inner room, had just finished washing her face and hands, and had +changed into another gown. This one was simple, but very pretty. It was +woven with pink and gray raw silks, which gave it a changeable light +whenever she moved. She came out and said: "I want to see you people +eat; why is it that you are standing at the end of the table, the best +dishes are not there? All of you come over here and eat near the Young +Empress." So we moved from our end of the table to the other. Her +Majesty stood near me, and pointed to a smoked fish and wanted me to try +it, as it was her favorite, and said: "Make yourselves at home. You know +you have to fight your own battles here with this crowd. Of course you +can come and tell me if anyone does not treat you fair." Her Majesty +then went out, saying that she would walk a bit. I noticed that some of +the court ladies did not look pleased, seeing that Her Majesty paid so +much attention to us. I could see they were a little jealous of me, but +that did not worry me in the least. + +After we got through our luncheon, I followed the Young Empress, for it +was all so new to me, and I did not know what I must do--whether to join +Her Majesty or not. After seeing that they were jealous of me, I paid +strict attention to everything, so as not to make any mistake in doing +my work and let them have the satisfaction of laughing at me. I would +not give them the chance. I heard Her Majesty talking to the eunuchs who +looked after the garden, about some branches which ought to be cut down, +saying they were lazy. So we went to her. She said to us: "You see +I have to look after everything myself, if not, my flowers would be +ruined. I can't depend on them at all. I wonder what they are good for. +They ought to look around every day and cut down the dead branches +and leaves. They have not been punished for several days and they are +looking forward to it." She laughed and said: "I will not disappoint +them, but give them all they wish to have." I thought these people must +be idiots, looking forward to a whipping, and wondered who would whip +them. Her Majesty turned to me and said: "Have you ever witnessed such +an operation?" I told her that I had, having seen the convicts being +whipped at a Magistrate's Yamen when I was a little girl living at +Shansi (on the Yangtsze). She said: "That is nothing. The convicts are +not half so wicked as these eunuchs. Of course they deserve a heavier +punishment when they are bad." Her Majesty said that I should learn to +play dice with her, as she never had enough people to play with, so we +went back to the same room where she had taken her lunch. A square +table was in the middle of this large room and a little throne of Her +Majesty's, facing south (her favorite direction). Her Majesty sat on her +throne and said to me: "I will show you how to play this game. Do you +think you know enough Chinese to read this map?" I noticed a large map, +the same size as the table, and laid upon it, drawn in different colors. +In the center of the map was written the direction of the game. It said: +"This game is called the 'Eight Fairies Travel across the Sea.' The +names are Lu Hsien, Chang Hsien, Li Hsien, Lan Hsien, Hang Hsien, Tsao +Hsien and Hain Hsien. These seven were masculine fairies. Hor Hsien was +the only lady fairy." This map was the map of the Chinese Empire, and +the names of the different provinces were written on the drawing. There +were eight pieces of round ivory, about one inch and a half in diameter +and a quarter of an inch thick. The names of these fairies were engraved +upon them. This game could be played either by eight people or four +people, when each person had to take two fairies' places, instead of +one. A porcelain bowl was placed in the center of the map, to compare +the point by throwing six dice into the bowl. For instance, four people +play. One throws these six dice into the bowl and counts the points on +them. The highest that one could get was 36, and should 36 be thrown the +fairy should go to Hangehow to enjoy the beautiful scenery. This person +threw dice for Lu Hsien and had 36 points and placed this ivory piece of +Lu Hsien on Hangehow upon the map. The same person has to throw another +time for another fairy, so each person throws twice if four people play +the game, and once if played by eight. These different points count +different provinces. They are counted thus:--Six dice alike. One pair +in six dice, to three pairs. The lowest was the double 1, 2, 3. If +any unfortunate fairy got this he should go on exile and be left out +altogether. Any one of the fairies that travelled round the map to reach +the Imperial Palace, the first, was the winner. + +I read this to Her Majesty. She seemed to be quite pleased, and said: "I +had no idea that you could read so well. This game was my own invention +and I taught three Court ladies to play. I had a very hard time teaching +them. I also taught them how to read Chinese in order to play the game, +but it took them so long to learn anything that I got quite discouraged +before I got through with them. I am sure you know how to play it +now." I was very much surprised to hear that these Court ladies were as +ignorant as this. I thought they must be excellent scholars, so did not +dare to show my knowledge of Chinese literature. We began to play the +game. Her Majesty was lucky. The two fairies held by her were way ahead +of ours. One of the Court ladies said to me: "You will be surprised to +see that Lao Tsu Tsung is always the winner." Her Majesty smiled and +said to me: "You will never be able to catch my fairies." She said: "You +are the first day here to play this game and if any of your fairies beat +any of mine I will give you a nice present, so hurry up." I thought +I could never get ahead of her fairies, for they were so far ahead +of mine, but I tried hard, as Her Majesty told me to call out for the +points I wanted. I did, but it came out something so different that it +amused her a great deal. I had no idea how long we were playing this +game. We counted who came next, and that was one of my fairies, so Her +Majesty said to me: "I was sure you could not beat me, as no one could. +Seeing that yours are next to mine, I will give you the present just the +same." While she was saying this she told a servant girl to bring her +some embroidered handkerchiefs. This girl brought several colored ones +to her, and she asked me what color I preferred. She handed me a pink +one and a pale blue one, all embroidered with purple wisteria, and said: +"These two are the best, and I want you to take them." I was just going +to thank her by bowing to the ground, but I found that my legs could not +move. I tried hard and succeeded finally, with difficulty. Her Majesty +laughed very heartily at me and said: "You see you are not accustomed to +standing so long and you cannot bend your knees any more." Although my +legs were sore I thought I had better not show it, but smiled and told +her that it was nothing, only my legs were a little stiff, that was all. +She said: "You must go and sit on the veranda and rest a minute." I was +only too glad to sit down, so I went to the veranda and found the Young +Empress sitting there with several Court ladies. The Young Empress said: +"You must be tired standing so long. Come and sit near me." My legs were +very stiff and my back was tired. Of course Her Majesty did not know how +uncomfortable we were while she was sitting on her cozy throne. Foreign +attire is out of the question for the Imperial Palace of Peking. I had +hoped that Her Majesty would tell us to change into our Manchu gowns. I +noticed that she asked many questions every day about foreign costumes, +and she said: "The foreign costume is not any prettier than ours and +I should say they must be quite uncomfortable round one's waist. I +wouldn't be squeezed that way for anything." Although she was saying +such things she did not suggest that we should give them up, so we had +to wait patiently for her orders. The Young Empress took her watch out +of her pocket, and said to me: "This game has lasted just two hours." I +said to her that it seemed to me longer than that. While we were talking +I saw our own eunuchs bringing four round boxes, made of thin board, +carried at each end of bamboo poles. They put them down near where we +sat, and one of them brought me a cup of tea. When my mother and sister +came the same eunuch brought another two cups, and there were several +Court ladies talking with us. This eunuch did not give them any. I +noticed at the other end of this long veranda there were another two +boxes, exactly the same as these, and a big tall eunuch made tea and +brought it to the Young Empress in a yellow porcelain cup, with a silver +saucer and a silver top cover. He did not give any to the others. + +I was puzzled when one of the Court ladies sitting next to me said: +"Would you mind telling Wang (our head eunuch) to give me a cup of your +tea, just to save me the trouble to go and get it from the small room at +the end of this long veranda?" I gave her such a surprised look, for I +did not know that this was our tea, but I thought I'd just tell Wang to +bring her a cup, and find out afterwards the reason, for I would give +anything in the world rather than appear ignorant before those people. +While we were talking Her Majesty came out. Before she reached the +veranda I got up and told the Young Empress that Her Majesty was coming. +I saw her first because I sat facing her back hall. Her Majesty said to +us all: "It is almost three o'clock now, and I am going to rest a while. +Let us leave here." We all stood in a line for her to enter her chair, +and then we went to ours. It was quite a fast ride and we got out of +our chairs before arriving at the courtyard of her own Palace. We walked +ahead of her chair and formed into another line for her to alight. She +walked to her bedroom and we all followed. A eunuch brought her a cup of +hot water and another brought a bowl of sugar. She took her golden spoon +and took two teaspoonfuls of sugar and put it into her cup of hot water, +and drank it very slowly. She said: "You know before one goes to sleep +or ever lies down, sugar water will quiet one's nerves. I always take +it, and find it very good indeed." She took the flowers off from her +headdress and I fixed them back in their boxes at once, and placed them +in the jewel-room. When I came out of this jewel-room she was in bed +already, and said to us: "You all go and rest a while. I don't need you +now." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT--THE COURT LADIES + +WE retired from her room, but I noticed that two of the Court ladies did +not come out with us. One of them said to me: "I am glad that I can rest +a bit to-day, for I have been sitting three afternoons in succession." +At first I did not know what she meant. Then she said: "Oh, your turn +has not come yet. We don't know whether you received the order or not. +You know two of us must stay with Her Majesty during her afternoon +siesta, to watch the eunuchs and the servant girls." I thought that was +the funniest thing I had ever heard of, and wondered how many people +would be in her room. The Young Empress said: "We had better go at once +and rest ourselves, otherwise Her Majesty will be up again before we get +the chance." Of course I had not the least idea how long she slept. So +we went back to our rooms. I did not realize how tired I was until I sat +down in my room. I felt finished and awfully sleepy at the same time, +for I was not used to getting up at 5 o'clock. Everything was so new +to me. As I sat there my thoughts wandered to Paris, and I thought how +strange it was that I used to go to bed at 5 o'clock after the dances, +and here I had to get up at such a time. All the surroundings seemed new +to me, seeing the eunuchs running here and there waiting on us, as if +they were chambermaids. I told them that I didn't need them any more. I +wanted them to go out of the room so that I could lie down a bit. They +brought us tea and different kinds of candies, and asked what else was +wanted. I was just going to change into a comfortable dress, when the +eunuch came in and informed me that "Yo ker lila" (visitors have come), +and two Court ladies came, and another girl of about seventeen came +in. I had seen her that very morning when I came to the Palace, busy +working, but I was not introduced to her. These two girls said: "We have +come to see you and also to find out if you are comfortable." I thought +they were kind to come and see me that way, but I did not like their +faces. They introduced this mean-looking girl to me and told me her +name was Chun Shou (Graceful Long Life). She did not look as if her life +would last long, being so thin and delicate. She looked sick and worn +out to me. I did not know who she was. She courtesied to me and I +returned to her, in a sort of half way. (I will explain about the +courtesy.) + +(To Her Majesty, the Emperor and the Young Empress, we went down and +bent our knees, while we stood upright to the people of lower rank +than ourselves. In this case one must always wait while the inferior +courtesies first, and bend the knees a little bit in return. This was +the way I returned Chun Shou's courtesy to me.) The two girls then +said "Chun Shou's father is only a small official, so she has not much +standing at the Court. She is not exactly a Court lady, but she is not +a servant girl either." I almost laughed right out, to hear such a funny +statement, and wondered what she must be. I saw her sitting down with +the Court ladies that very morning, so of course I asked her to sit +down, too. These two Court ladies asked me if I felt tired, and how I +liked the Empress Dowager. I told them that Her Majesty was the most +lovely lady I had ever seen, and that I already loved her very much, +although I had only been there a few days. They looked at Chun Shou and +exchanged smiles. They did that in such a peculiar way that it annoyed +me. They asked: "Do you think you would like to live in this place, and +how long do you intend to stay?" I said I would love to stay long, and +would do my best to wait on Her Majesty, and be useful to her, for she +had been so kind towards us in the short time we had been there, and +besides, it was my duty to serve my sovereign and country. They laughed +and said: "We pity you, and are sorry for you. You must not expect any +appreciation here, no matter how hard you work. If you are really going +to do as you have said just now, you will be disliked by everybody." + +I did not know what they were talking about, or what their conversation +referred to. I thought this was so strange that I had better put a stop +to it, so I immediately changed the subject. I asked them who dressed +their hair, and who made their shoes for them, as they had asked me. +They answered my questions by saying that their maids did everything for +them. Chun Shou said to these two girls: "Tell her everything about this +Palace, and I am sure she will change her mind when she actually sees +things for herself." I didn't like this Chun Shou, and her face didn't +impress me. She was a little bit of a thing, tiny head with thin lips. +When she laughed one could only hear the noise she made; no expression +was on her face at all. I was just going to say something to them, so as +not to give them the opportunity of gossiping, but found they were too +cunning. They noticed that I tried every way to stop them, so they said: +"Now let us tell you everything. No one else will know. We like you very +much and we want to give you some warning, so as to be able to protect +yourself whenever you are in trouble." I told them that I would take +great care to do my work and didn't think that I would ever get into +trouble. They laughed and said: "That makes no difference. Her Majesty +will find fault." I could not believe these things that they said, and +intended to tell them that I refused to hear such statements, but I +thought I had better listen to what they had to say first and not to +offend them, for I never believed in making enemies. I then told them +that it would be impossible for so sweet and kind-hearted a person like +Lao Tsu Tsung (the old ancestor) to find fault with such helpless girls +as we were, for we were her people, and she could do anything she liked +with us. They said: "You don't know, and have no idea how wicked this +place is; such torture and suffering one could not imagine. We are sure +that you think you must be happy to be with the great Empress Dowager, +and proud to be her Court Lady. Your day hasn't come yet, for you all +are new to her. Yes, she is extremely kind to you just now, but wait +until she gets tired of you and then see what she will do. We have had +enough, and know what the Court life is. Of course you must have heard +that Li Lien Ying (the head eunuch) rules this Palace behind Lao Tsu +Tsung's back. We are all afraid of him. He pretends that he cannot +influence Lao Tsu Tsung, but we always know the result after a long +conversation consulting how to punish anyone. If any of us do anything +wrong, we always go to him and beg him to help us out. Then he says he +has no power to influence Her Majesty, and also that he dare not tell +her much, for she would scold him. We hate all the eunuchs, they are +such bad people. We can see very plainly they are awfully polite to you +because they can see that you are in favor. To receive such rudeness +from them, constantly, as we do, is unbearable. + +"Lao Tsu Tsung is very changeable. She may like one person to-day, +to-morrow she hates this same person worse than poison. She has moods, +and has no appreciation whatsoever. Even Chu Tzu, the Young Empress (Chu +Tzu means Mistress, that is to say she was mistress of us all, for the +Manchus were considered by the sovereign as slaves) is afraid of Li Lien +Ying, and has to be very nice to him. In fact, we all have to be polite +to him." They talked so long that I thought they would never finish. +About this time Wang came in and brought tea for us. Suddenly I heard +people howling in the distance, so I asked Wang what was the matter. The +girls were listening also and a eunuch came flying in and told us Lao +Fo Yeh chin la (The Great Buddha wakes up). The girls got up and said +we must all go to see her, so they went. I was not at all pleased with +their visit, and wished they hadn't come, especially as they told me +such horrible things. It made me quite sad to listen to the awful way +they talked about Her Majesty. I loved her the first day I was there, +and made up my mind to forget everything they had told me. + +I was cross also because I didn't have time to change my clothes, and +had to go up to Her Majesty at once. I went into her bedroom, and found +her sitting upon the bed cross-legged, with a small table placed on the +bed in front of her. She smiled and asked: "Have you had a good rest? +Did you sleep at all?" I said that I was not sleepy, and could not sleep +in the daytime. She said: "When you are old like me, you will be able to +sleep at any time. Just now you are young, and fond of play. I think you +must have been on the hills to gather flowers, or walked too much, for +you look tired." I could only say "Yes." The two Court ladies who had +just been talking nonsense about Her Majesty came in, to assist in +handing her the toilet articles. I looked at them, and felt ashamed for +them to face her, after having said so many disagreeable things. Her +Majesty washed her face and combed her hair, and a servant girl brought +her fresh flowers, of white jasmine and roses. Her Majesty stuck them in +her hair and said to me: "I am always fond of fresh flowers--better than +jade and pearls. I love to see the little plants grow, and I water them +myself. I have been so busy ever since you came that I haven't been able +to visit my plants. Tell them to get the dinner ready and I will take a +walk afterwards." I came out of her room and gave the eunuch the order. +As usual we brought little dainties to her. By this time Her Majesty was +dressed and was sitting in the large hall, playing solitaire with her +dominoes. The eunuch laid the tables as usual, and Her Majesty stopped +play, and commenced to eat. She asked me: "How do you like this kind +of life?" I told her that I very much enjoyed being with her. She said: +"What kind of a place is this wonderful Paris I have heard so much +about? Did you enjoy yourself while you were there, and do you wish to +go back again? It must be hard for you people to leave China for three +or four years, and I suppose you were all pleased when you received the +order to come back, after your father's term was finished." + +The only thing I could say was "Yes," because it wouldn't be nice to +tell her that I was awfully sorry to leave Paris. She said: "I think we +have everything in China, only the life is different. What is dancing? +Someone told me that two people hold hands and jump all over the room. +If that is the case I don't see any pleasure in it at all. Do you have +to jump up and down with men? They told me that old women, with white +hair, dance, too." I explained to her about the balls given by the +President, and all the private dances, and also all about the masquerade +balls, etc. Her Majesty said: "I don't like this masquerade ball because +you don't know whom you are dancing with if they are wearing a mask." I +explained to her how carefully the people issued their invitations, and +that anyone who behaved badly could never enter into high society. +Her Majesty said: "I would like to see how you jump, can you show me a +little?" I went in search of my sister, and found her busy talking to +the Young Empress. I told her that Her Majesty wished to see how people +dance, and that we must show her. The Young Empress and all the Court +ladies heard this, and all said that they also wished to see. My sister +said that she had noticed a large gramophone in Her Majesty's bedroom, +and that perhaps we could find some music. I thought that was a good +idea, and went to ask her for the gramophone. She said: "Oh, must you +jump with music?" I almost laughed when she said that, and told her it +was much nicer with music, as otherwise one could not keep in time. +She ordered the eunuchs to have the gramophone brought to the hall, +and said: "You jump while I take my dinner." We looked over a lot of +records, but they were all Chinese songs, but at last we found a waltz, +so we started to dance. We could see that a lot of people were looking +at us, who perhaps thought that we were crazy. When we had finished we +found Her Majesty laughing at us. She said: "I could never do that. Are +you not dizzy turning round and round? I suppose your legs must be +very tired also. It is very pretty, and just like the girls used to do +centuries ago in China. I know that it is difficult and one ought to +have any amount of grace to do it, but I don't think it would look nice +to see a man dancing with a girl like that. I object to the hand around +the girl's waist; I like to see the girls dance together. It would never +do for China for a girl to get too close to a man. I know the foreigners +don't seem to think about that at all. It shows that they are broader +minded than us. Is it true that the foreigners don't respect their +parents at all-that they could beat their parents and drive them out of +the house?" I told her that it was not so, and that someone had given +her wrong ideas about foreigners. Then she said: "I know that perhaps +sometimes one among the commonest class do that, and that people are apt +to take it wrong, and conclude that all foreigners treat their parents +that way. Now I see just the same thing done by the common people in +China." I wondered who had told her such nonsense and made her believe +it. + +After we had taken our dinner it was just half-past five, and Her +Majesty said she would take a walk along the long veranda, so we +followed her. She showed me her flowers, and said that she had planted +them herself. Whenever Her Majesty went anywhere there was always a lot +of attendants following her, exactly the same as when she went to the +morning audiences. When we reached the end of this long veranda, which +took us a quarter of an hour to walk, Her Majesty ordered her stool to +be brought into one of the summer houses. These summer houses were built +of nothing but bamboo, all the furniture being made of different shaped +bamboo. Her Majesty sat down, and one of the eunuchs brought tea and +honeysuckle flowers. She ordered the eunuchs to give us tea also. Her +Majesty said: "This is my simple way of enjoying life. I love to see the +country scenery. There are a great many pretty places which I will +show you and I am sure that after you have seen them you will not like +foreign countries any more. There is no scenery in the world which can +beat the Chinese. Some returned Ministers from abroad said to me that +the trees and mountains in foreign countries looked ugly and savage. Is +that true?" I concluded right away that someone had wished to please +her by saying things about foreigners, so I told her that I had been in +almost every country, and had found lovely scenery, but of course it was +different from China. While we were talking Her Majesty said that she +felt chilly and asked: "Are you cold? You see you have your own eunuchs, +they are all standing around, and have nothing to do. Next time tell +them to carry your wraps along with you. I think that foreign clothes +must be quite uncomfortable either too warm or too cold. I don't see how +you can eat, having your waist squeezed that way." Her Majesty got up +and we all went on walking slowly towards her own Palace. She sat down +on her favorite little throne in the hall and started to play solitaire. +We came out on the veranda, and the Young Empress said to us: "You must +be tired, for I know you are not used to doing such hard work all day +long without stopping. You had better wear Manchu clothes, because they +are comfortable and easy to work in. Look at your long train; you have +to take it up in your hands while walking." + +I told her that I would be only too pleased to change the clothes, but +that not having received an order from Her Majesty I could not make any +suggestions. The Young Empress said: "No, don't ask anything, and I am +sure Her Majesty will tell you to change by and by. Just now she wishes +to see your Paris gowns, because she wants to know how foreign ladies +dress on different occasions. She thought that some of the ladies came +to the Garden Party dressed in woolen clothes. We thought that foreign +ladies were not so extravagant as we are until we met Mdme. Plancon the +other day. Do you remember what Her Majesty said to you? 'That Mdme. +Plancon was so different from many ladies she had met, and also dressed +differently.'" It was a chiffon dress, with hand paintings, which Mdme. +Plancon wore, which pleased Her Majesty very much. While I was talking +with the Young Empress all the electric lights turned up, so I went to +Her Majesty to see if she needed anything. She said: "Let us play a game +of dice before I go to bed." We began to play the same thing as we had +done in the afternoon. Her Majesty won another game, this time it took +only an hour to finish the game. Her Majesty said to me: "Why can't you +win once?" I knew she wanted to tease, so I said that my luck was bad. +She laughed and said: "To-morrow you try to put your stocking on wrong +side out; that is a sure sign of winning." I told her that I would, +and I knew that pleased her. During the short time I was there I kept +studying her most of the while. I could see nothing would make her +happier than for me to obey her orders. Her Majesty said that she felt +tired, and that we must bring her milk. She said to me: "I want you to +burn incense sticks and bow to the ground every night to the Buddha in +the next room before I go to bed. I hope you are not a Christian, for if +you are I can never feel as if you are mine at all. Do tell me that you +are not." I did not expect that question at all, and I must say that it +was a very difficult question to answer. For my own protection I had +to say that I had nothing to do with the Christians. I felt guilty at +having deceived her that way, but it was absolutely necessary, and there +was no other way out of it. I knew that I had to answer her question +at once, because it would never do for her to see any hesitation, which +would arouse her suspicions. Although my face showed nothing, my heart +stopped beating for a while. I felt ashamed to have fooled her. The +earliest training I had was never to be ashamed to tell the truth. When +Her Majesty heard me say that I was not a Christian, she smiled +and said: "I admire you; although you have had so much to do with +foreigners, yet you did not adopt their religion. On the contrary, you +still keep to your own. Be strong and keep it as long as you live. You +have no idea how glad I am now, for I suspected you must believe in the +foreign God. Even if you don't want to, they can make you believe it. +Now I am ready for bed." + +We helped her to undress, and I, as usual, put away her jewels, and +noticed she wore only one pair of jade bracelets to sleep. She changed +into her bed clothes and lay down between the silk covers and said +to us: "You can go now." We courtesied to her and withdrew from her +bedroom. Out in the hall there was on the cold stone floor six eunuchs. +They were the watchmen and must not sleep at all during the night. In +her bedroom were two eunuchs, two servant girls, two old women servants +and sometimes two Court ladies. These people also must not sleep. The +two girls massaged her legs every night, and the two women were there to +watch the girls, the two eunuchs to watch the two old women, and the two +Court ladies to watch them all, in case they did any mischief. They all +took turns, and that was the reason why sometimes two Court ladies must +sit overnight when it happened that the eunuchs were not reliable. Her +Majesty trusted the Court ladies the most. I was never more surprised +in my life than when one of these six eunuchs told me in the hall, for I +had asked what they were all doing there. + +Later on one of the Court ladies said to me that it was customary for +them to take turns to attend at Her Majesty's bedchamber in the morning +to wake her up, and that I should take my turn the next morning and my +sister the following morning. While saying this she smiled in a most +peculiar way. I did not understand at the time, but found out later. I +asked her what I should do to wake Her Majesty, and she said: "There +is no particular way, you will have to use your own judgment; but be +careful not to make her angry. It was my turn this morning. I knew that +she was very tired, having had a very trying time the day before, so I +had to make a little more noise than usual when waking her. She was very +angry and scolded me dreadfully when she arose, as it was rather late. +This very often happens when Her Majesty gets up late, as she always +says that we do not make enough noise to wake her. However, I don't +think she will do this to you, just now, as you are new here; but wait +until you have been here a few months." What this Court lady said to me +worried me quite considerably; but from what I had seen of Her Majesty +so far, I could not believe that she would be angry with anyone who was +doing her duty properly. + + + +CHAPTER NINE--THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU + +THE next day I arose earlier than usual and dressed in a great hurry, as +I feared I might be late. When I got to Her Majesty's Palace there were +a few Court ladies there sitting on the veranda. They smiled and asked +me to sit down with them as it was still too early, being only five +o'clock. I had been told to wake Her Majesty at five thirty. The Young +Empress came up a few minutes later and we all courtesied and wished her +"good morning." After talking with us a few minutes, she asked if Her +Majesty was awake and which one of us was on duty that day. When I +informed her that it was my turn, she immediately ordered me to go to +Her Majesty's room at once. I went very quietly and found some servant +girls standing about and one Court lady, who was sitting on the floor. +She had been on duty all night. When she saw me she got up and whispered +to me, that now that I had come, she would go and change her clothes and +brush up a bit, and for me not to leave the room until Her Majesty was +awake. After this Court lady had gone, I went near to the bed and said: +"Lao Tsu Tsung, it is half-past five." She was sleeping with her face +toward the wall, and without looking to see who had called her, she +said: "Go away and leave me alone. I did not tell you to call me at +half-past five. Call me at six," and immediately went off to sleep +again. I waited until six and called her again. She woke and said: "This +is dreadful. What a nuisance you are." After she had said this, she +looked around and saw me standing by the bed. "Oh! it is you, is it? Who +told you to come and wake me?" I replied: "One of the Court ladies told +me that it was my turn to be on duty in Lao Tsu Tsung's bedchamber." +"That is funny. How dare they give orders without receiving instructions +from me first? They know that this part of their duty is not very +pleasant and have put it off on you because they know you are new here." +I made no reply to this. I got along as best I could that day and found +it no easy matter, as Her Majesty was very exacting in everything. +However, the next time I managed to divert her attention to things new +or interesting in order to take her mind off of what she was doing, and +in this way had much less trouble getting her out of bed. + +My reader can't imagine how very glad we were to get back to our rooms, +and it was just 10:30 P. M. I was very tired and sleepy, so I undressed +and went to bed at once. I think that as soon as my head touched the +pillow I was asleep. + +The following day there was the same thing, the usual audience in the +morning, of course busy all the time, which went on for fifteen days +before I realized it. I began to take great interest in the Court life, +and liked it better every day. Her Majesty was very sweet and kind to us +always, and took us to see the different places in the Summer Palace. We +went to see Her Majesty's farm, situated on the west side of the lake, +and had to cross over a high bridge to get there. This bridge is called +Tu Tai Chiao (Jade Girdle Bridge). Her Majesty often took us under this +bridge in a boat, or we walked round on the border. She seemed very fond +of sitting on the top of this bridge on her stool and taking her tea, +in fact this was one of her favorite places. She used to go and see +her farm once every four or five days, and it always pleased her if +she could take some vegetables and rice or corn from her own farm. She +cooked these things herself in one of the courtyards. I thought that +was good fun, and also turned up my sleeves to help her cook. We brought +fresh eggs also from the farm and Her Majesty taught us how to cook them +with black tea leaves. + +Her Majesty's cooking stoves were very peculiar. They were made of +brass, lined with bricks. They could be moved anywhere, for they had +no chimneys. Her Majesty told me to boil the eggs first until they were +hard, and to crack them but to keep the shells on, and add half a cup of +black tea, salt and spices. Her Majesty said: "I like the country life. +It seems more natural than the Court life. I am always glad to see young +people having fun, and not such grand dames when we are by ourselves. +Although I am not young any more, I am still very fond of play." Her +Majesty would taste first what we had been cooking, and would give us +all to taste. She asked: "Do you not think this food has more flavor +than that prepared by the cooks?" We all said it was fine. So we spent +the long days at the Court having good fun. + +I saw Emperor Kwang Hsu every morning, and whenever I had the time he +would always ask some words in English. I was surprised to learn that he +knew quite a bit of spelling, too. I found him extremely interesting. He +had very expressive eyes. He was entirely a different person when he was +alone with us. He would laugh and tease, but as soon as he was in the +presence of Her Majesty he would look serious, and as if he were worried +to death. At times he looked stupid. I was told by a great many people +who were presented to him at the different audiences that he did not +look intelligent, and that he would never talk. I knew better, for I +used to see him every day. I was at the Court long enough to study him, +and found him to be one of the most intelligent men in China. He was a +capital diplomat and had wonderful brains, only he had no opportunities. +Now a great many people have asked me the same question, if our Emperor +Kwang Hsu had any courage or brains. Of course outsiders have no idea +how strict the law is, and the way we have to respect our parents. He +was compelled to give up a great many things on account of the law. I +have had many long talks with him and found him a wise man, with +any amount of patience. His life was not a happy one; ever since his +childhood his health was poor. He told me that he never had studied +literature very much, but it came natural to him. He was a born musician +and could play any instrument without studying. He loved the piano, and +was always after me to teach him. There were several beautiful grand +pianos at the Audience Hall. He had very good taste for foreign music, +too. I taught him some easy waltzes and he kept the time beautifully. I +found him a good companion and a good friend, and he confided in me and +told me his troubles and sorrows. We talked a great deal about western +civilization, and I was surprised to learn he was so well informed in +everything. He used to tell me, time after time, his ambitions for the +welfare of his country. He loved his people and would have done anything +to help them whenever there was famine or flood. I noticed that he +felt for them. I know that some eunuchs gave false reports about his +character,--that he was cruel, etc. I had heard the same thing before +I went to the Palace. He was kind to the eunuchs, but there was always +that distinction between the master and the servants. He would never +allow the eunuchs to speak to him unless they were spoken to, and never +listened to any kind of gossip. I lived there long enough, and I know +just what kind of cruel people those eunuchs were. They had no respect +for their master. They came from the lowest class of people from the +country, had no education, no morals, no feeling for anything, not even +between themselves. The outside world has heard so many things against +His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu's character, but I assure my readers +that these things were told by the eunuchs to their families, and of +course they always stretched it out as far as possible in order to +make the conversation interesting. The majority of the people living in +Peking get all kinds of information through them. I have witnessed the +same thing many a time during my stay at the Palace. + +One day during the time of Her Majesty's afternoon rest we heard a +dreadful noise. It sounded just like the firing off of fire-crackers. +Such a noise was quite unusual in the Palace for such things are not +allowed to be brought into the Palace grounds. Of course Her Majesty +woke up. In a few seconds time everyone became excited and were running +to and fro as if the building was on fire. Her Majesty was giving orders +and telling the eunuchs to be quiet, but no one listened to her and kept +yelling and running around like crazy people, all talking at the same +time. Her Majesty was furious and ordered us to bring the yellow bag +to her. (I must explain about this bag. It was made of ordinary yellow +cloth and contained bamboo sticks of all sorts and sizes and are made to +beat the eunuchs, servant girls and old women servants with.) This +bag was carried everywhere Her Majesty went, to be handy in case of +emergency. Everyone of us knew where this bag was kept. We took all the +sticks from the bag and Her Majesty ordered us to go to the courtyard +and beat the eunuchs. It was such a funny sight to see all the Court +ladies and servant girls each with a stick trying to separate the +excited crowd. On my part I thought I was having good fun so I laughed +and found the rest were laughing too. Her Majesty was standing on the +veranda watching us but she was too far away to see well and with all +that noise, we knew she could not hear us laughing. We tried our best +to separate the crowd, but were laughing so much we did not have enough +strength to hurt any of them. All of a sudden all the eunuchs became +quiet and stopped talking, for one of them saw the head eunuch, Li Lien +Ying, followed by all his attendants coming towards them. Everyone +of them became frightened and stood there like statues. We stopped +laughing, too, and turned back each with a stick in our hand, walking +toward Her Majesty. Li Lien Ying was having a nap, too, and had heard +the noise and had come to enquire what the trouble was and to report it +to Her Majesty. It seemed one of the young eunuchs caught a crow. (The +eunuchs hated crows, as they are considered an unlucky bird. The people +in China called eunuchs crows because they were very disagreeable. That +was the reason why the eunuchs hated them so.) They always set traps to +catch them and then tied a huge fire-cracker to their legs, set fire to +the cracker and then set the unfortunate birds free. Naturally the poor +birds would be glad to fly away and by the time the powder exploded +would be high up in the air and the poor bird would be blown to pieces. +It seemed this was not the first time the eunuchs had played this cruel +trick. I was told it always delighted them so much to see blood and +torture. They always invited others to drink some wine with them to +celebrate an occasion such as this. This cruel deed was always done +outside of the wall of the Audience Hall but that day the crow flew +towards Her Majesty's own Palace while she was sleeping and the powder +exploded while the bird was passing the courtyard. After the head eunuch +had told Her Majesty what had happened, she was very angry and ordered +that this young eunuch be brought in and receive punishment in her +presence. I noticed one of the head eunuch's attendants push the culprit +out from the crowd. The head eunuch immediately gave orders to lay this +man on the ground and two eunuchs stood on each side of him and beat him +on his legs with two heavy bamboo sticks one at a time. The victim never +uttered a word while this was going on. The head eunuch counted until +this man had received one hundred blows, then he gave orders to stop. +Then he knelt in front of Her Majesty waiting for her orders and at +the same time kowtowed on the ground until his head made a noise on the +stone steps, asking to be punished for his carelessness and neglect of +duty. Her Majesty said that it was not his fault and ordered him to take +the offender away. During all this time the offender was still on the +ground, and did not dare to move. Two eunuchs each took hold of a foot +and dragged him out of the courtyard. We were all afraid even to breathe +aloud for fear Her Majesty would say that we were pretending to be +frightened at witnessing this punishment, at the same time when it +was over we would go and gossip about how cruel she was. No one was +surprised at what had happened, as we were accustomed to seeing it +almost every day and were quite used to it. I used to pity them, but I +changed my mind very soon after I had arrived. + +The first person I saw punished was a servant girl, she had made a +mistake about Her Majesty's socks and had brought two which were not +mates, Her Majesty finding that out, ordered another servant girl to +slap her face ten times on each cheek. This girl did not slap hard +enough, so Her Majesty said they were all good friends and would not +obey her orders, so she told the one who had been slapped to slap the +other. I thought that was too funny for anything and wanted to laugh +the worst way, but of course did not dare. That night I asked those two +girls how they felt slapping each other that way. The reason why I asked +them was because they were laughing and joking as usual immediately they +were out of Her Majesty's bedchamber. They told me that was nothing; +that they were quite used to it and never bothered themselves about such +small things. I in turn soon became used to it, and was as callous as +they were. + +Now regarding the servant girls, they are a much better class of people +than the eunuchs. They are the daughters of Manchu soldiers, and must +stay ten years at the Palace to wait upon Her Majesty, and then they are +free to marry. One got married after my first month at the Court. Her +Majesty gave her a small sum of money, five hundred taels. This girl was +so attached to Her Majesty that it was very hard for her to leave +the Court. She was an extremely clever girl. Her name was Chiu Yuen +(Autumn's Cloud). Her Majesty named her that because she was so very +delicate looking and slight. I liked her very much during the short time +that we were together. She told me not to listen to anyone's gossip at +the Court, also that Her Majesty had told her she was very fond of me. +On the twenty-second day of the third moon she left the Palace, and we +were all sorry to lose her. Her Majesty did not realize how much she +missed her until after she had gone. For a few days we had nothing but +troubles. It seemed as if everything went wrong. Her Majesty was not +at all satisfied without Chiu Yuen. The rest of the servant girls were +scared, and tried their best to please Her Majesty, but they had not the +ability, so we had to help and do a part of their work so as not to make +Her Majesty nervous. Unfortunately, she stopped us, and said: "You +have enough to do of your own work, and I do not want you to help the +servants. You don't please me a bit that way." She could see that I was +not accustomed to her ways, for she had spoken severely, so she smiled +and said to me: "I know you are good to help them so as not to make me +angry, but these servants are very cunning. It isn't that they cannot do +their work. They know very well that I always select the clever ones to +wait on me in my bedroom and they don't like that, so they pretend to be +stupid and make me angry so that I will send them to do the common work. +The eunuchs are worse. They are all afraid to take Chiu Yuen's place. +Now I have found them out, and I will only keep the stupid ones to wait +on me from now." I almost laughed when I noticed that they all looked +serious for a moment. I thought these people must be really stupid, and +not lazy, but I had dealings with them every day and found them out all +right. The eunuchs don't seem to have any brains at all. They are such +queer people and have no feelings. They have the same mood all day +long--I should say they are in a cruel mood. Whenever Her Majesty gave +an order they always said "Jer" (Yes) and as soon as they got to our +waiting room they would say to each other: "What was the order? I have +forgotten all about it." Then they used to come to one of us who had +happened to be present when the order was given: "Please tell us what +the order was. I did not listen while Her Majesty was talking." We +used to laugh and make fun of them. We knew they were afraid to ask Her +Majesty, and of course we had to tell them. One of the eunuch writers +had to keep writing down the orders that had been given during the day, +for Her Majesty wanted to keep records of everything. There were twenty +eunuchs who were educated and they were excellent scholars. These had +to answer any questions which Her Majesty happened to ask them about +Chinese literature, while she had a good knowledge of it herself. I +noticed that it pleased her a great deal if anyone could not answer a +question, or knew less than she did. She took delight in laughing at +them. Her Majesty was also very fond of teasing. She knew that the Court +ladies did not know very much about literature, so she used to try it on +us. We had to say something whether it was appropriate to her questions +or not, and that would make her laugh. I was told that Her Majesty did +not like anyone to be too clever, and yet she could not bear stupid +people, so I was rather nervous, and did not know how to act for the +first three weeks I was there, but it did not take me very long to study +her. She certainly admired clever girls, but she did not like those who +would show their cleverness too much. How I won her heart was this way. +Whenever I was with her I used to fix my whole attention on her and +watched her very closely (not staring, for she hated that) and always +carried out her orders properly. I noticed another thing, and that +was that whenever she wanted anything to be brought to her, such as +cigarettes, handkerchief, etc., she would only look at the article and +then look at anyone who happened to be there at the time. (There was +always a table in the room, on which everything she needed for the day +was placed.) I got so used to her habits that after a short time I +knew just what she wanted by looking at her eyes, and I was very seldom +mistaken. This pleased her a great deal. She was strong-minded, +and would always act the way she thought was right, and had perfect +confidence in herself. At times I have seen her looking very sad. +She had strong emotions, but her will was stronger. She could control +herself beautifully, and yet she liked people to sympathize with +her--only by actions, not by words, for she did not like anyone to know +her thoughts. I am sure my readers will think how hard it was to be +the Court lady of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager of China, but on the +contrary I enjoyed myself very much, as she was so interesting, and I +found that she was not at all difficult to please. + +The first day of the fourth moon Her Majesty was worried over the lack +of rain. She prayed every day after the audience for ten days, without +any result. Every one of us kept very quiet. Her Majesty did not even +give any orders that day, and spoke to no one. I noticed that the +eunuchs were scared, so we went without our luncheon. I worked so hard +that morning, and was so hungry--in fact all the Court ladies were. +I felt sorry for Her Majesty. Finally she told me I could go, as +she wanted to rest a while, so we came back to our own quarters. I +questioned our own eunuch Wang as to why Her Majesty was worrying about +rain, for we were having lovely weather then, day after day. He told me +that Lao Fo Yeh (Old Buddha) was worried for the poor farmers, as all +their crops were dead without rain for so long. Wang also reminded me +that it had not rained once since I came to live at the Palace. I did +not realize that it was so long as two months and seven days, and on the +other hand it seemed to me longer than that, for the life was very nice +and pleasant, and Her Majesty was very kind to me, as if she had known +me for years already. Her Majesty took very little food at dinner that +night. There was not a sound anywhere, and everyone kept quiet. The +Young Empress told us to eat as fast as we could, which puzzled me. When +we came back to our waiting room, the Young Empress said to me that Her +Majesty was very much worried for the poor farmers and that she would +pray for rain, and stop eating meat for two or three days. That same +night, before Her Majesty retired, she gave orders that no pigs were to +be slaughtered within the gates of Peking. The reason of this was that +by sacrificing ourselves by not eating meat the Gods would have pity on +us and send rain. She also gave orders that everyone should bathe the +body and wash out the mouth in order that we might be cleansed from +all impurities and be ready to fast and pray to the Gods. Also that the +Emperor should go to the temple inside the Forbidden City, to perform a +ceremony of sacrifice (called Chin Tan). He was not to eat meat or hold +converse with anyone, and to pray to the Gods to be merciful and send +rain to the poor farmers. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, wore a +piece of jade tablet about three inches square, engraved "Chai Chieh" +(the meaning being just like Chin Tan-not to eat meat but to pray three +times a day), both in Manchu and Chinese, and all the eunuchs who went +with the Emperor wore the same kind of tablets. The idea was that +this jade tablet was to remind one to be serious in performing the +ceremonies. + +The next morning Her Majesty got up very early and ordered me not +to bring any jewels for her. She dressed herself in great haste. Her +breakfast was very simple that day, just milk and steamed bread. Our own +breakfast was cabbage and rice cooked together, with a little salt. It +was tasteless. Her Majesty did not talk to us at all, except when giving +orders, and so, of course, we kept silent. Her Majesty wore a pale gray +gown, made very plain, with no embroidery or trimmings of any kind. +She wore gray shoes to match, not to mention her gray handkerchief. We +followed her into the hall where a eunuch knelt with a large branch of +willow tree. Her Majesty picked a little bunch of leaves and stuck it +on her head. The Young Empress did the same, and told us to follow her +example. Emperor Kwang Hsu took a branch and stuck it on his hat. After +that Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs and the servant girls to do the +same thing. It was a funny sight, and everyone did look queer with a +bunch of leaves on the head. The head eunuch came and knelt in front of +Her Majesty and said that everything was prepared for the ceremony in +the little pavilion in front of her own palace. She told us that she +preferred to walk, as she was going to pray. It took us only a few +minutes to cross the courtyard. When we arrived at this pavilion I +noticed a large square table was placed in the center of the room. A few +large sheets of yellow paper and a jade slab, containing some vermilion +powder instead of ink, with two little brushes to write with. At each +side of the table stood a pair of large porcelain vases, with two large +branches of willow. Of course no one was allowed to speak, but I was +curious and wanted to find out why everyone had to wear the willow +leaves on the head. Her Majesty's yellow satin cushion was placed in +front of this table. She stood there and took a piece of sandalwood and +placed it in the incense burner filled with live charcoal. The Young +Empress whispered to me to go over and help Her Majesty to burn them. +I placed several pieces in until she told me that was enough. Then Her +Majesty knelt on her cushion, the Young Empress knelt behind her, and we +all knelt in a row behind the Young Empress, and commenced to pray. The +Young Empress taught us that very morning how to say the prayer: "We +worship the Heavens, and beg all the Buddhas to take pity on us and save +the poor farmers from starving. We are willing to sacrifice for them. +Pray Heaven send us rain." We repeated the same prayer three times, and +bowed three times--nine times in all. After that Her Majesty went to her +usual morning audience. It was much earlier than usual that morning for +the Court was returning to the Forbidden City at noon. His Majesty, the +Emperor Kwang Hsu, was to pray at the Forbidden City and Her Majesty +always wanted to accompany him wherever he went. It was nine o'clock in +the morning when the audience was over. She ordered me not to bring any +jewels for her to the Forbidden City this time, for she would not need +them at all. I went to the jewel-room and locked everything up, and +placed the keys in a yellow envelope, sealed it, and placed the envelope +among the others, and gave them to a eunuch who takes care of these +things. We packed all her favorite things. Her gowns were the most +important things to pack, she had so many and it was impossible to take +all. I noticed that the Court lady who was looking after her gowns was +the busiest amongst us. She had to select gowns enough to last four or +five days. She told me that she had selected about fifty different ones. +I told her that Lao Tsu Tsung might stay at the Forbidden City four or +five days, and that she would not need so many gowns. She said it was +safer to bring many, for one was not sure what would be Her Majesty's +idea for the day. Packing at the Court was very simple. Eunuchs brought +many yellow trays, which are made of wood, painted yellow, about five +feet by four feet and one foot deep. We placed a large yellow silk scarf +in the tray, then the gowns, and covered them with a thick yellow cloth. +Everything was packed the same way. It took us about two hours to pack +fifty-six trays. These things always started off first, carried by the +eunuchs. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, the Young Empress and all +the Court ladies, had to kneel on the ground for Her Majesty's sedan +chair to pass the Palace Gate, then we went in search of our own chairs. +The procession as usual was pretty, soldiers marching in front of her +chair, four young Princes riding on horseback on each side of her, and +from forty to fifty eunuchs also on horseback behind her, all dressed in +their official robes. The Emperor's chair and the Young Empress' chair +were of the same color as Her Majesty's. The Secondary wife of the +Emperor had a deep yellow chair. The chairs of the Court ladies were +red, and were carried by four chair bearers, instead of eight like their +Majesties. Our own eunuchs also rode on horseback, behind us. We rode a +long time, it seemed to me, before I noticed the Emperor's chair begin +to descend from the stone-paved road, and we all followed him. I could +see that Her Majesty's chair was still going straight on, and we took a +nearer route to reach Wan Shou Si (The long life temple), to await Her +Majesty's arrival. We alighted from our chairs and started at once to +prepare Her Majesty's tea and her little dishes. I went to help her to +alight, and supported her right arm to mount the steps. Her Majesty +sat on Her Throne, and we placed a table in front of her and my sister +brought her tea. (The custom was, that if she went anywhere, or during +the festivals, we must bring to her everything, instead of the eunuchs.) +We placed all the dainties in front of her, and then we went to rest. +Her Majesty always stopped at this temple on the way from the Summer +Palace to the Forbidden City. + + + +CHAPTER TEN--THE YOUNG EMPRESS + +I THOUGHT of so many things while I was riding in my chair. It was a +glorious day. I felt sorry for Her Majesty, for she was very quiet +that day. Generally she was happy, and made everyone laugh with her. I +thought about the branches of willow, too, but could not understand the +meaning. I came out of the hall while Her Majesty was dining with the +Emperor, and found the Young Empress sitting in a small room on the left +side of the courtyard, with several Court ladies. When they saw me they +made signs for me to go there. I found them all drinking tea, and the +Young Empress said to me, "I am sure you must be tired and hungry. +Come and sit near me and have a cup of tea." I thanked her and sat down +beside her and we talked of what we saw on the roads and how we had +enjoyed our long ride. She said: "We have still an hour's ride before +we reach the Forbidden City." She also talked about the ceremony we +had performed that morning and said that we must all pray earnestly for +rain. I could not wait any longer, so I asked her what those branches of +willow meant. She smiled and told me that willow could bring water, as +the Buddhist religion believes, and that it was an old custom of the +Court wearing willow leaves, when praying for rain. She also told me +that we must perform the same ceremony every morning until the rain +came. + +We heard Her Majesty talking in the courtyard, and knew that she had +finished her luncheon, so we went in with the Young Empress, and ate +what was left, as usual. I found the food very nice indeed, although it +seemed rather funny without having meat. We came out into the courtyard +and saw that Her Majesty was walking up and down. She said to us: "My +legs are so stiff, riding in the chair. I must walk a little before we +leave here. Are you all tired?" We told her that we were not tired, so +she ordered us to walk with her. It looked very funny to see us walking +round and round, Her Majesty in front, and we following her. Her Majesty +turned and smiled at us, and said: "We are just like horses taking their +rounds at a stable." It reminded me of a circus. Li Lien Ying came and +knelt down, and said that it was time for Her Majesty to depart, in +order to reach the Forbidden City at the lucky hour she had selected, so +we left Wan Shou Si. All the chairs went very fast, and after an hour's +ride we came near the Palace Gate. We followed the Emperor's chair, +taking a shorter route, and noticed the gate was wide open. His Majesty, +the Emperor, and the Young Empress' chairs went in, but we had to alight +and walk in. There were small chairs waiting for us. (As I explained +before these little chairs were carried by eunuchs, with a rope across +their shoulders.) We came to the courtyard of the Audience Hall where +the Emperor and the Empress were waiting for us. As usual His Majesty +knelt in front. Behind him was the Young Empress, and we knelt in a row +behind her, waiting to welcome Her Majesty to her Palace. She went to +her room where the eunuchs had placed everything in order long before +her arrival. We held the ceremony that afternoon and evening. After Her +Majesty had retired we came back to our rooms and found that everything +was in order, our eunuchs had made up our beds already. It was very nice +to have them, for we could not do our own work at all. I was so tired +and my limbs were stiff. I immediately went to sleep and did not realize +how long I had slept until I heard someone knocking at my window. I got +up and pulled the blind away. I noticed that the sky looked dull and +thought it was clouded. I felt happy, and thought it might rain, and +so relieve Her Majesty. I got dressed in great haste, but much to my +disappointment I saw the sunshine on the opposite windows. + +The Palace in the Forbidden City was so old, and built in such a queer +way. The courtyards were small, and the verandas very broad. All the +rooms were dark. No electric light. We had to use candle light. One +could not see the sky except by going into the courtyard and looking +up. I found that I had risen before the sun was up, and I was not quite +awake yet, and thought the sky was clouded. I went to Her Majesty's own +Palace and found the Young Empress already there. She was always the +first and always looked so tidy I often wondered how early she had to +get up. She told me that I was not late, although Her Majesty was +awake but not up yet. I went into her bedroom and made my usual morning +courtesy to her. The first thing she asked me was about the weather. I +had to tell her the truth--that there was no sign of rain. Her Majesty +got up, dressed, and had her breakfast as usual, and told us there +would be no audience that morning. The Emperor went to the Temple, +sacrificing, and there was nothing important to attend to. We prayed for +three days in succession, but no rain came. I found that Her Majesty was +truly discouraged, and ordered each of us to pray twenty times a day. +We marked a spot with vermilion powder and a little water on big yellow +sheets of paper each time we prayed. + +On the sixth day of the fourth moon the sky was clouded. I ran to Her +Majesty's bedroom that morning to tell her the news, but found that +someone had told her already. She smiled, and said to me: "You are not +the first one to give me the good news. I know everyone of you wanted to +be the first to tell me. I feel very tired today, and wish to lie down +a little longer. You can go, and I will send for you when I am ready +to get up." When I went to search for the Young Empress I found all the +Court ladies there also. They all asked me if I had noticed the rain. We +came out of the waiting room and found that the courtyard was wet, and +after a while it rained very fast. Her Majesty got up, and we prayed as +usual. Fortunately the rain did not stop, but came pouring down all that +day. + +Her Majesty played solitaire with the dominoes, and I stood at the back +of her chair watching her. I saw that the Young Empress and all the +girls were standing on the veranda. Her Majesty saw them, too, and said +to me: "Go and tell them to wait in the waiting room. Can't they +see that the veranda is wet?" I went to them, but before I had the +opportunity of telling them anything the Young Empress told me that the +waiting room was wet, and that the water had gone in. As I said before, +this building was very old, and there were no drains at all. Her +Majesty's own Palace was high; it had twelve steps, while our waiting +room, which was on the left side of her Palace, was built right on the +ground, with no raised foundation at all. While I was talking on the +veranda just for a few minutes, I got quite wet. Her Majesty knocked at +her glass window and told us to go in. Now I must explain that none of +us, not even the Young Empress could enter Her Majesty's Palace without +her orders except we had work to do there, or were on duty. Her Majesty +was very happy that day. She laughed and said that we looked as if we +had just been pulled out of the lake. The Young Empress had on a pale +blue gown, and the red tassel on her headdress was dripping red water +all over her gown. She smiled and said to us: "Look at those girls; +their gowns are all spoiled." While we were talking, Her Majesty gave us +orders for us to change our clothes. + +After they had gone, I went back to Her Majesty. She looked at me and +said: "You are wet also, only your clothes do not show." I had on a +cashmere dress which was made very plain. She touched my arm and said: +"How wet you are. You had better change, and put on a thick dress. I +think foreign clothes must be very uncomfortable; the waist is too small +and it seems to me out of proportion to the rest of the body. I am +sure that you will look much prettier in our Manchu gown. I want you to +change and put your Parisian clothes away as souvenirs. I only wanted to +know how foreign ladies dressed and now I have seen enough. The Dragon +Boat Festival will be here next month and I will make some pretty gowns +for you." I thanked her by kowtowing to the ground and told her that +I would be only too pleased to change into Manchu clothes, but having +lived so many years abroad, and having always worn foreign clothes, +I had not had any made. We were planning to change into Manchu gowns +before coming to the Court, but we had received orders that Lao Tsu +Tsung wished to see us in foreign clothes. I was very glad when I +received that order as there were several reasons why I wanted to wear +Manchu gowns. First, the Court ladies at the beginning treated us as +outsiders. Secondly, I knew that Her Majesty did not like them, and +besides, we were very uncomfortable living at the Palace in Peking, and +made up our minds that we must wear Manchu clothes, which were made for +it. We had so much work to do, and having to stand most of the time one +absolutely needed loose garments. Her Majesty ordered one of the eunuchs +to bring one of her dresses for me to try on, so I went back to my own +room, and took off my wet clothes and changed. I tried on her gown, but +it was too loose for me. The length was quite all right and so were the +sleeves. Her Majesty told one of the eunuch writers to write down my +measurements in order to have a gown made for me, and said she was sure +it would fit me. She did the same thing for my mother and sister, and +ordered our gowns to be made at once. I knew she was pleased, as she +told me what color would suit me the best. She said that I should always +wear pink and pale blue, for they suited, and were her favorite colors, +too. She also talked about our headdress, and ordered some made the same +as worn by the other Court ladies. She said to me: "I know you can +wear my shoes, for I tried yours on the first day you came, don't you +remember? I must select a lucky day for you to become a Manchu once +more," she said this with a smile, "and no more foreign clothes after +that." She took her special book for lucky days and hours, and studied +it a little while, then she said the eighteenth of that month was the +best. Li Lien Ying, the head eunuch knew how to please Her Majesty, and +said he would give orders to have everything ready for us at that time. +Her Majesty told us the way we must have our hair dressed, and what kind +of flowers we should wear, in fact she was very happy arranging to make +us into Manchus. A short while after she dismissed us for the day. It +rained for three days without stopping. The last day the Emperor came +back, and all ceremonies ceased. Her Majesty never liked to stay in the +Forbidden City, and I was not a bit surprised, as I hated the place. +We had to use candles to dress by, in the morning, as the rooms were in +absolute darkness even in the middle of the afternoon. It rained so much +that finally Her Majesty said she would return to the Summer Palace the +next day, whether it was raining or not, and we were all very glad to +go. + +We returned to the Summer Palace on the seventh. It was a dull day, but +no rain. We packed everything in just the same way we had done when +we came, and stopped at Wan Shou Si and had our luncheon. That day we +commenced to eat meat again. I noticed that Her Majesty enjoyed her meal +very much. She asked me if I liked the food without meat, and I told her +that everything was nicely done and that I enjoyed the food very much, +although without meat. She told me that she could not eat that kind of +food and enjoy it, and that if it were not necessary to make sacrifice +she would not have abstained. + +The first garden party of the year was given by the Empress Dowager to +the ladies of the Diplomatic Corps, in the fourth moon. This year Her +Majesty desired to deviate a little from previous custom, and issued +orders that stalls should be arranged in the garden, on a similar +principal to a bazaar, on which were to be displayed curios, embroidered +work, flowers, etc., etc. These were to be given as presents to the +guests. The guests were: Mrs. Conger, wife of the American Minister, +Mrs. Williams, wife of Chinese Secretary of the American Legation, +Madame and Mademoiselle de Carcer, wife and daughter of the Spanish +Minister, Madame Uchida, wife of the Japanese Minister, and a few ladies +of the Japanese Legation, Madame Almeida, wife of the Portuguese +Charge d' Affaires, Madame Cannes, wife of the Secretary of the French +Legation, the wives of several French Officers, Lady Susan Townley, +wife of the First Secretary of the British Legation, two ladies from the +German Legation, wives of German Officers, and wives of a few Customs +Officials. On this occasion Her Majesty selected a most beautiful gown +of peacock blue, embroidered all over with phoenix. The embroidery was +raised and each phoenix had a string of pearls two inches long sewed +into its mouth. Whenever Her Majesty stirred, these strings of tiny +pearls moved forwards and backwards and it made a very pretty effect. +Of course, she wore her jade phoenix on her hair as usual and shoes +and handkerchief embroidered with the same pattern. My mother wore a +lavender silk gown, trimmed with silver braid, her hat was of the same +shade with plumes to match. My sister and myself wore pale blue Chinese +silk gowns with insertion and medallions of Irish crochet and trimmed +with tiny velvet bands. We wore blue hats with large pink roses. All the +Court ladies dressed in their most picturesque gowns and it was a very +pretty sight to see the procession walking to the Audience Hall. + +Her Majesty was in her happiest mood that morning and said to us: "I +wonder how I would look in foreign clothes; my waist is very small, but +wearing this kind of loose gown it would not show. I don't think I would +need to squeeze myself so tight, either, but I don't think there is +anything in the world prettier than our Manchu gowns." + +First the guests were received in audience by Their Majesties. They were +accompanied by the Doyen, Baron Czikann, Minister for Austria, and an +interpreter from each Legation. On entering the Audience Hall all the +guests stood in line and the Doyen presented a short address to +Their Majesties. This was translated to Prince Ching, who, in turn, +communicated it to the Emperor. The Emperor made a suitable reply in +Chinese which was translated by the Doyen's interpreter. Then the Doyen +mounted the steps of the dais and shook hands with Their Majesties, the +rest of the guests being presented in turn. I was standing at the right +hand of the Empress Dowager and as each guest came forward, called out +their names, and the Legation which they represented. Her Majesty had +a few words for everyone, and when she saw a new face she would ask how +long they had been in China; whether they liked it, etc., etc. All these +conversations I interpreted for Her Majesty. As the guests finished +paying their respects they passed along and remained standing in the +Hall until everybody had been presented. + +The interpreters, who did not take part in this ceremony but had +remained standing in the Hall until it was over, were then conducted +by Prince Ching to another part of the Palace, where refreshments were +provided for them. After they had gone out Their Majesties descended +from the dais and mixed with the guests. + +The formal ceremony now being concluded, chairs were brought in and +everybody made themselves comfortable. Tea was brought in by the +eunuchs and after a few minutes' conversation, we all adjourned to +the refreshment room, with the exception of the Empress Dowager, the +Emperor, the Young Empress and the Secondary wife. In the absence of Her +Majesty, the Imperial Princess (The Empress Dowager's adopted daughter) +officiated as hostess, Mrs. Conger sitting at her right and Madame de +Carcer, wife of the Spanish Minister, on her left. The food was all +Chinese, but knives and forks were provided for the use of the guests. +During the luncheon the Imperial Princess stood up and spoke a few +words of welcome, which I translated into English and French. After the +luncheon was over we adjourned to the garden where Their Majesties were +awaiting us. A brass band was playing European airs. + +Her Majesty led the way around the gardens, passing the various stalls +on the way, where the ladies would stop and admire the different +articles, which were later presented to them as souvenirs of the +occasion. On arriving at a teahouse which had been erected in the +gardens, everybody rested and partook of tea. Their Majesties then +wished everybody good-bye and the guests were then conducted to their +chairs and took their departure. + +As usual, we reported to Her Majesty everything that had taken place and +how the guests had enjoyed themselves. She said: "How is it that these +foreign ladies have such large feet? Their shoes are like boats and +the funny way they walk I cannot say I admire. I haven't yet seen one +foreigner with pretty hands. Although they have white skins, their faces +are covered with white hair. Do you think they are beautiful?" I replied +that I had seen some American beauties when I was abroad. Her Majesty +said: "No matter how beautiful they are they have ugly eyes. I can't +bear that blue color, they remind me of a cat." After a few more +remarks, she ordered us to retire, saying that we must be tired. We +were rather used up and glad of an opportunity to rest, so made our +courtesies and retired. + +We had been at the Palace more than two months, and I had had no +opportunity to see my father at all, who was quite ill at that time. +We did not know whether we could ask leave of absence from the Court. I +received letters from my father every day, telling me to have courage, +and to do my duty. My mother asked the Young Empress if it would be +correct to ask Her Majesty for permission to go home for a day or two. +The Young Empress told us that it would be quite all right to do that, +but she thought it would be better if we could wait until after the +eighth, for there would be a feast on that day. The eighth day of the +fourth moon every year is the ceremony of eating green peas. According +to the Buddhist religion there is a hereafter which divides or grades, +according to the life that is lived on earth, that is to say, those who +live good lives go to Heaven when they die and those who are bad go to a +bad place to suffer. On this occasion Her Majesty sent to the people she +liked, each a plate containing eight peas, and we had to eat them. The +Young Empress told me that if I presented a plate of peas to Her Majesty +it would please her, which I did. This meant: "May we meet in the +hereafter" (Chi Yuen Dou). Her Majesty was very happy that day. We went +to the west side of the lake and had our luncheon there. Her Majesty +talked to us about the first day we came to the Court, and then said to +mother: "I wonder if Yu Keng is any better. When will he be able to come +to the Court? I haven't seen him since he returned from France." (My +father had asked three months leave of absence from the Court on account +of his poor health.) My mother answered and said that he was feeling +better, but that his legs were still very weak, and he could not walk +much. Her Majesty then said to us: "Oh, I have forgotten to tell you +that if you wish to go home, you can ask permission. I have been so busy +lately, and forgot to remind you." We thanked her and told her that we +would like to go home and see how my father was, so she gave orders that +we should leave the Court the next day. Then she asked me how long I +would like to stay at home, and of course I knew the custom, and told +her that I was waiting for her orders: "Would two or three days be +enough?" We told her that it suited us beautifully. I was so surprised +when she mentioned it to us, and wondered if anyone had told her of our +intentions, or if Her Majesty was a mind reader. + +When she retired that afternoon I went to see the Young Empress, who +was always very nice and kind, and asked me to sit near her. Her eunuch +brought me a cup of tea. Her rooms were furnished exactly the same as +Her Majesty's, but everything looked extremely dainty, and showed very +good taste. We talked about the life at the Palace for a long time, and +she told me that she was very fond of us, and so was Her Majesty. I told +her that Her Majesty had mentioned to us about going home for two or +three days and that I was surprised to see how thoughtful she was. She +said that someone had reminded Her Majesty to let us go home, for we had +been at the Court for more than two months. I found out afterwards that +it was the head eunuch Li who had heard that we were anxious to go. The +Young Empress said to me: "I want to teach you to be wise, that is, +you are ordered to leave the Court to-morrow, but Her Majesty did not +mention any particular hour. You must not talk about it to anyone, and +don't show that you are excited to go home. Don't dress as if you are +going out to-morrow, but be natural and do your work as if you don't +care about going at all. Don't you remind her, in case she forgets to +tell you to go, and come back on the second day, which is the custom. It +will show that you are anxious to see Her Majesty, so you come back +one day earlier than the appointed time." I was so happy to get this +information and asked her if it would be all right to bring Her Majesty +some presents when we returned to the Court. She said that was just the +proper thing to do. The next day we did the same work, and went to the +Audience Hall with Her Majesty, as usual. After the audience was over +Her Majesty ordered her luncheon to be served at the country teahouse. +This teahouse was built in country style, and right on top of her peony +mountain, with bamboo and straw, and all the furniture was made of +bamboo also. They were beautifully made, and the frames of the +windows were carved into a line of characters--Shou (long life), and +butterflies, with pink silk curtain hangings. At the rear of this +exquisite little building was a bamboo shade, with railings all around, +hung with red silk lanterns. The seats were built against the railings, +so that one could sit on them comfortably. This was supposed to be +used by the Court ladies as their waiting room. We played dice with Her +Majesty when luncheon was over. We played a very long time, and I won +the game that day. Her Majesty laughed and said to me: "You have luck +to-day. I think you are so happy to go home that your fairies have +helped you to win the game." As I mentioned before, this game was called +"Eight Fairies Going across the Sea." "I think it is time for you to go +now." While saying this she turned and asked one of the eunuchs what the +time was, and he answered that it was half-past two. We kowtowed to Her +Majesty, and stood waiting for more orders. Then she said: "I am sorry +to see you go although I know you are coming back within two or three +days. I know I shall miss you." To my mother she said: "Tell Yu Keng to +take care of his health and get well soon. I have ordered four eunuchs +to accompany you, and am sending some of my own rice for him." We had +to kowtow again in thanking Her Majesty for her kindness and finally she +said: "Nemen tzowba" (you can go now). + +We withdrew, and found the Young Empress on the veranda. We courtesied +to her, and said good-bye to the Court ladies and came to our rooms +to get ready to start. Our eunuchs were very good, and had everything +packed up ready for us. We gave ten taels to each of our eunuchs, for +that was the custom, and gave four taels to each chair bearer of the +Palace. When we arrived at the Palace Gate our own chairs were waiting +for us. We said good-bye to our eunuchs. Strange to say they seemed +attached to us and told us to come back soon. The four eunuchs ordered +by Her Majesty to see us home were there, and as soon as we got into our +chairs I saw them riding on horseback beside us. It seemed to me just +like a dream the two months I had spent at the Court, and I must say I +felt very sorry to leave Her Majesty, but at the same time I wanted very +much to see my father. We got home after a two hours' ride, and found +him looking much better, and one can imagine how happy he was to see us. +The four eunuchs came into our parlor, and placed the yellow bag of rice +on the table. My father thanked Her Majesty by kowtowing to the ground. +We gave these eunuchs each a little present, and they departed. + +I told my father about my life at the Palace, and how very kind Her +Majesty was to me. He asked me if I could influence Her Majesty to +reform some day, and hoped he would live to see it. Somehow or other I +had the idea that I could and promised him that I would try my best. + +Her Majesty sent two eunuchs to see us the next morning, and also sent +us food and fruits. They told us that Her Majesty missed us, and had +told them to ask if we missed her. We told these eunuchs that we were +returning to the Court the next day. We stayed at home only two days and +a great many people came to see us, and kept us busy all the time. My +father suggested that we should start from the house at about 3:00 A. +M., so as to get to the Summer Palace before Her Majesty was up. We left +our house at 3:00 A. M. in total darkness, just like we had two months +before. What a change. I thought I was the happiest girl in the world. +I was told by many people, especially by the Young Empress, that Her +Majesty was extremely fond of me. I had also heard that she did not care +for young people at all. Although I was happy, I noticed that some of +the Court ladies did not like me, and they made me uncomfortable on many +occasions by not telling me just the way Her Majesty wanted the work to +be done. They smiled to each other whenever Her Majesty was saying to +my mother that she liked me, and that I was always careful in doing +anything that pleased her. I knew I was going to see those people again. +However, I made up my mind to fight my battles alone. I only wished to +be useful to Her Majesty, and would not take any notice of them. + +It was a little after five o'clock when we reached the Summer Palace. +Our own eunuchs were very happy to see us again and told us that Her +Majesty was not up yet and that we had time to go to our rooms, where +they had some breakfast prepared for us. We went to see the Young +Empress first, and found she was ready to go to Her Majesty's Palace. +She was also very glad to see us, and told us that our Manchu costumes +were all ready, and that she had seen them and they were perfectly +lovely. We were very hungry, and enjoyed our breakfast immensely. After +that we went to see Her Majesty. She was awake, so we went into her +bedroom. We greeted her the same way that we did every morning, and +kowtowed to her and thanked her for all the things she had sent us while +we were at home. She sat up on the bed, smiled, and said: "Are you glad +to come back? I know everyone who comes to me and stays for a while +does not like to go away from here any more. I am glad to see you (to +my mother). How is Yu Keng?" My mother told her that my father was much +better. She asked us what we did for those two days, staying at home. +She also wanted to know whether we still remembered which day she had +chosen for us to change into our Manchu costume. We told her we knew the +date, and were looking forward to it. The eunuchs brought in three +large yellow trays, full of beautiful gowns, shoes, white silk socks, +handkerchiefs, bags for nuts, in fact the whole set, including the gu'un +dzan (Manchu headdress). We kowtowed to her, and told her we were very +much pleased with everything she had given us. Her Majesty told the +eunuchs to bring everything out for us to see. She said to us: "You see +I give you one full official dress, one set of Chao Chu (amber heads), +two embroidered gowns, four ordinary gowns for everyday wear, and two +gowns for Chi Chen wear (the anniversary of the death of an Emperor or +Empress), one sky blue, the other mauve, with very little trimming. +I also have a lot of underwear for you." I was excited and told Her +Majesty that I would like to commence to dress up at once. She smiled, +and said: "You must wait until the day comes, the lucky day I have +selected for you. You must try to fix your hair first, which is the most +difficult thing to do. Ask the Young Empress to teach you." Although +she told me to wait, I knew she was pleased to see that I showed so much +enthusiasm. She asked me the first day when we came to the Court why +my hair was so curly. I showed her that I curled it with paper, and she +teased me ever afterwards. She also said that I could not pull my hair +straight in time to wear Manchu clothes, that everyone would laugh at +me, and how ugly I would look. That night one Court lady came over to me +while I was sitting on the veranda and said: "I wonder if you will look +nice in Manchu dress?" I told her I only wanted to look natural. "You +have lived so many years abroad we consider you are a foreigner to us." +I told her that as long as Her Majesty considered I was one of her own, +I would be satisfied and that she need not worry herself about me. I +knew they were jealous of us, so I went in search of the Young Empress +and left this girl alone. We were talking with the Young Empress in the +waiting room, and this girl came in and sat near me, smiling to herself +most of the time. One of the servant girls was fixing some fresh flowers +for Her Majesty. She looked at her and asked her why she was smiling. +The Young Empress saw, and asked her the same question. She would not +answer, but kept on smiling all the time. At this moment a eunuch came +and said that Her Majesty wanted me. I afterwards tried to find out what +she had told the Young Empress but could not. Several days passed very +quietly. Her Majesty was happy, and so was I. One day the Young Empress +reminded us that we should make all preparations in order to be able +to dress ourselves properly on the eighteenth, as the time was getting +short--only two days left. That night, after Her Majesty had retired, I +went to my own room and fixed my headdress on and went to see the Young +Empress. She said that I looked very nice, and that she was sure Her +Majesty would like me better in Manchu costume. I told her that I used +to wear Manchu dress when I was a little girl, before we went to Europe, +and of course I knew how to put it on. I also told her that I could not +understand why these girls looked upon me as a foreigner. She said that +they only showed their ignorance, and that they were jealous of me and I +should not pay any attention to them at all. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN--OUR COSTUMES + +THE next day we got up earlier than usual and dressed ourselves in our +new gowns. I could not believe my own eyes, and asked several times +whether that was myself or not. I found that I looked all right, +although I hadn't been wearing this sort of costume for so long. +They seemed to think that we would look awkward. Our own eunuchs were +delighted to see us dressed that way. The Young Empress came in while +passing our rooms on her way to the Empress Dowager's Palace, and waited +for us to go with her. When we arrived at the waiting room a lot of +people came in and looked at us, and talked so much about us, that it +made me feel rather shy. Everyone told us that we looked much better +that way than in foreign clothes, except the Emperor Kwang Hsu. He +said to me: "I think your Parisian gowns are far prettier than this." +I smiled and said nothing. He shook his head at me, and went into Her +Majesty's bedroom. Li Lien Ying came and saw us, and was very much +excited and told me to go and see Her Majesty at once. I told him that +everyone was looking at us, as if we were curios. He said: "You don't +know how nice you look now, and I wish that you would not wear foreign +clothes at all." Her Majesty laughed so loud when she saw us that it +made me uncomfortable, for I was afraid we looked unnatural to her. She +said: "I cannot believe you are the same girls. Just look at yourselves +in this looking-glass." She pointed to a large mirror in her room. "See +how you have changed. I feel that you belong to me now. I must have some +more gowns made for you." Then Li Lien Ying said that the twenty-fourth +would be the first day of the Summer. On that day everyone would begin +to wear jade hairpins instead of gold, and we had none. Her Majesty said +to Li: "I am very glad you told me that. I must give them each a jade +hairpin after having asked them to change into Manchu dress." Li went +away and came back with a box of hairpins of pure green jade. Her +Majesty took a beautiful one and handed it to my mother and told her +that that pin had been worn by three Empresses. She took two very nice +ones, and gave one to me and one to my sister. She told us that these +two were a pair, and that the other Empress Dowager (the East Empress +Dowager) used to wear one, and that the other was worn by herself when +she was young. I felt ashamed that Her Majesty had given us so many +presents and I had done nothing for her in any way. However, we thanked +her most sincerely, and showed our appreciation. She said: "I look upon +you as my own people, and the gowns I have made for you are the very +best. I have also decided to let you wear the full Court dress, the +same as one of the Princesses. You are my Court lady, so you are equally +ranked here." Li stood there behind her and made a sign to us to kowtow +to her. I cannot remember how many times I kowtowed that day. The +headdress was very heavy, and I was not quite used to it; I was afraid +it might fall off. Her Majesty also said that she would make our rank +known to the Court on her seventieth birthday. I will explain this. On +every decade from the time of her birth Her Majesty used to give special +favors to anyone she liked, or to anyone who had done something for her, +and had been useful to her. She could promote anyone at any time, but +on these occasions it was something special. The Young Empress +congratulated us, and said that Her Majesty was looking for a young +Prince to marry me. She was also very fond of teasing. I wrote to my +father about all the favors that had been given to me. He wrote me he +hoped that I deserved them all, and that I must do all I could to be +useful and loyal to Her Majesty as long as she lived. + +I was very happy. Life was perfectly lovely at the Palace. Her Majesty +was always nice and kind. I noticed the difference in the way she had +treated us since (as she said) we had become Manchus once more. One day +Her Majesty asked me while we were sailing on the lake in the moonlight, +if I wanted to go to Europe any more. It was a superb night, and several +boats were sailing behind us. In one boat several eunuchs were playing +a kind of sweet music on the flute and an instrument very much like the +mandolin, called Yeuh Chin (small harp, like the shape of the moon), +with Her Majesty singing very softly to herself. I told her I was +satisfied to be with her, and did not wish to go anywhere at all. She +said that I must learn to sing poetry and that she would teach me every +day. I told her that my father had made me study all kinds of poetry and +I had composed some myself. She looked surprised and said: "Why didn't +you tell me that before? I love poems. You must read to me sometimes. +I have many books here containing poems of different dynasties." I told +her that my knowledge of Chinese literature was very limited, and I +dared not let her see how little I knew. I had only studied eight years. +Her Majesty told me that the Young Empress and herself were the only +ones who were familiar with Chinese literature at the Court. She told +me that she tried to teach the Court ladies to read and write some time +ago, but having found them so lazy she gave them up. My father told me +to be very careful not to show them what I could do until I was asked, +so I kept it to myself. After they found this out, some of the Court +ladies were very disagreeable to me, and this went on day after day. + +Except for this unpleasantness the fourth moon passed very agreeably. +The first day of the fifth moon was a busy day for us all, as from the +first to the fifth of the fifth moon was the festival of five poisonous +insects, which I will explain later--also called the Dragon Boat +Festival. All the Viceroys, Governors and high officials, besides +the Imperial Family, Court ladies and eunuchs, all offer Her Majesty +beautiful presents. I never saw such a lot of things as came into the +Palace during this festival. Each person who sent in presents must +accompany them with a sheet of yellow paper, and at the right lower +corner the sender's name must be written and also the word Kuai Jin, +meaning to present their gifts kneeling, also to write what the presents +were. The eunuchs took big yellow trays to bring them in. During these +five days everyone was busy, especially the eunuchs. I could not count +just how many people sent presents to Her Majesty. The presents were of +every kind, such as things for the household; silks and jewelry of all +kinds and description. A large part of the presents were foreign goods +of the ordinary kind. I also saw lovely carved thrones and embroideries. +Her Majesty ordered them to be put away, and the foreign things to be +kept in her Palace, for those were new to her. + +The third day of the fifth moon was the day for just the people of the +Palace to make presents. It was a most beautiful sight to see. We were +busy all night making preparations, and had to go and help the Young +Empress. The next morning we placed our presents in the big courtyard +in these big yellow trays. The Young Empress had her trays in the first +row. The presents from the Young Empress to the Empress Dowager were +made by her own hands. There were ten pairs of shoes, silk embroidered +handkerchiefs, little bags for betel nuts, and bags for tobacco, all +exquisitely done. The Secondary wife of the Emperor Kwang Hsu presented +about the same to Her Majesty. The Court ladies' presents were all +different, as we could ask permission to go out shopping before the +Feast. We could not go out together, for one or two of us must be there +at all times, and it was very exciting to tell each other what we had +bought. We ourselves did not ask permission to go out of the Palace, +for we had our presents ready long before. Everyone seemed to be talking +about presents, whether Her Majesty would like them or not. My mother, +my sister and myself had written to Paris to get some lovely French +brocades, one set of furniture, French Empire style. We had learned Her +Majesty's taste already during our short stay there, so including those +presents we also gave her fans, perfumes, soaps and some other French +novelties. Her Majesty always looked over everything, and noticed +some of the presents were of very poor quality, and wanted to know the +sender's name. The eunuchs and servant girls also made her good and +useful presents. Her Majesty would select the articles she liked the +best, and order the rest to be put away, and she might never see them +again. I must say that Her Majesty liked and admired some foreign things +very much, she especially loved the French fancy brocades, for she was +making new gowns almost every day. She was also pleased with soaps and +powder that would beautify the skin. She always thanked us in a very +nice way and said how very thoughtful we were in selecting beautiful +articles for her. Her Majesty would also say something nice to the +eunuchs and girls, and that made everyone feel pleased. + +The fourth day of the fifth moon was the day that Her Majesty gave +presents to us all, the different Princes, high officials, servant +girls and eunuchs. Her memory was something extraordinary, for she could +remember every one of the presents that had been given to her the day +before, and the names of the givers also. That was a busy day for us. +Her Majesty gave people presents according to the way they gave her. We +had yellow sheets of paper and wrote out the names of those to whom +she wished to give. That day Her Majesty was very angry with one of the +wives of a certain Prince because her presents were the poorest. Her +Majesty told me to keep that tray in her room and said she would go over +them and see what they were. I knew she was not pleased, for she had +a telltale face. She told us to measure the silks and ribbons in that +tray, and leave it in the hall. The ribbons were all of different +lengths, all too short to trim a gown, and the dress materials were not +of good quality. Her Majesty said to me: "Now you look for yourself. +Are these good presents? I know very well all these things were given +to them by other people and they of course would select the best for +themselves, and give me what was left. They know they are obliged to +send me something. I am surprised to see how careless they are. Probably +they thought as I receive so many presents I would not notice. They are +mistaken, for I notice the poorest the first, in fact I can remember +everything. I can see those who gave me things in order to please me, +and those who gave because they were obliged to. I will return them the +same way." She gave the Court ladies each a beautiful embroidered gown +and a few hundred taels, the same to the Young Empress and the Secondary +wife. The presents which she gave us were a little different, consisting +of two embroidered gowns, several simple ones, jackets and sleeveless +jackets, shoes, and flowers for the Manchu headdress. She said that +we had not so many gowns, and instead of giving us the money, she had +things made for us. Besides that, she gave me a pair of very pretty +earrings, but none to my sister, for she noticed that I had a pair of +ordinary gold earrings, while my sister had a pair set with pearls and +jade. Her Majesty said to my mother: "Yu Tai Tai. I can see you love one +daughter better than the other. Roonling has such pretty earrings and +poor Derling has none." Before my mother could answer her she had turned +to me while I was standing at the back of her chair: "I will have a nice +pair made for you. You are mine now." My mother told her that I did not +like to wear heavy earrings. Her Majesty laughed and said: "Never mind, +she is mine now, and I will give her everything she needs. You have +nothing to do with her." The earrings she gave me were very heavy. Her +Majesty said that if I would wear them every day I would get used to +them, and so it proved that after some time I thought nothing of it. + +Now about this Feast. It is also called the Dragon Boat Feast. The fifth +of the fifth moon at noon was the most poisonous hour for the poisonous +insects, and reptiles such as frogs, lizards, snakes, hide themselves in +the mud, for that hour they are paralyzed. Some medical men search +for them at that hour and place them in jars, and when they are dried, +sometime use them as medicine. Her Majesty told me this, so that day I +went all over everywhere and dug into the ground, but found nothing. The +usual custom was that at noon Her Majesty took a small cup filled with +spirits of wine, and added a kind of yellow powder (something like +sulphur). She took a small brush and dipped it into the cup and made a +few spots of this yellow paint under our nostrils and ears. This was to +prevent any insects from crawling on us during the coming summer. The +reason why it was also called the Dragon Boat Festival was because at +the time of the Chou Dynasty the country was divided into several parts. +Each place had a ruler. The Emperor Chou had a Prime Minister named Chi +Yuan, who advised him to make alliance with the other six countries, +but the Emperor refused, and Chi Yuan thought that the country would be +taken by others in the near future. He could not influence the Emperor, +so he made up his mind to commit suicide and jumped into the river, +taking a large piece of stone with him. This happened on the fifth day +of the fifth moon, so the year afterwards, the Emperor got into a Dragon +boat to worship his soul, and throw rice cakes, called Tzu Tsi, into the +river. On that day the people have celebrated this feast ever since. +At the Palace the theatre played first this history, which was very +interesting, and also played the insects trying to hide themselves +before the most poisonous hour arrived. On that day we all wore tiger +shoes, the front part of which was made of a tiger's head, with little +tigers made of yellow silk to wear on the headdress. These tigers were +only for the children to wear, and signified that they would be as +strong as a tiger, but Her Majesty wanted us to wear them also. The +wives of the Manchu officials came to the Court, and when they saw us +they laughed at us. We told them it was by Her Majesty's orders. + +A register recording the birthdays of all the Court ladies was kept by +the head eunuch, and a few days before my own birthday came around, the +tenth day of the fifth moon, he informed me that the custom of the Court +was to make a present to Her Majesty and said that the present should +take the form of fruit, cakes, etc., so I ordered eight boxes of +different kinds. + +Early in the morning I put on full Court dress, and made myself look as +nice as possible and went to wish Her Majesty good morning. When she had +finished dressing, the eunuchs brought in the presents and, kneeling, +I presented them to Her Majesty, bowing to the ground nine times. She +thanked me and wished me a happy birthday. She then made me a present of +a pair of sandalwood bracelets, beautifully carved, also a few rolls of +brocade silk. She also informed me that she had ordered some macaroni +in honor of my birthday. This macaroni is called (Chang Shou Me'en) long +life macaroni. This was the custom. I again bowed and thanked her for +her kindness and thoughtfulness. After bowing to the Young Empress and +receiving in return two pairs of shoes and several embroidered neckties, +I returned to my room, where I found presents from all the Court ladies. + +Altogether I had a very happy birthday. + +I can never forget the fifteenth day of the fifth moon as long as I +live, for that was a bad day for everyone. As usual we went to Her +Majesty's bedroom quite early that morning. She could not get up and +complained that her back ached so much. We rubbed her back, in turns, +and finally she got up, though a little late. She was not satisfied. +The Emperor came in and knelt down to wish her good morning, but she +scarcely took any notice of him. I noticed that when the Emperor saw +that Her Majesty was not well, he said very little to her. The eunuch +who dressed her hair every morning was ill, and had ordered another one +to help her. Her Majesty told us to watch him very closely to see that +he did not pull her hair off. She could not bear to see even one or two +hairs fall out. This eunuch was not used to trickery, for instance, in +case the hair was falling off, he could not hide it like the other one +did. This poor man did not know what to do with any that came out. He +was frightened, and Her Majesty, seeing him through the mirror, asked +him whether he had pulled her hair out. He said that he had. This made +her furious, and she told him to replace it. I almost laughed, but the +eunuch was very much frightened and started to cry. Her Majesty ordered +him to leave the room, and said she would punish him later. We helped +her to fix up her hair. I must say it was not an easy job, for she had +very long hair and it was difficult to comb. + +She went to the morning audience, as usual, and after that she told the +head eunuch what had happened. This Li was indeed a bad and cruel man, +and said: "Why not beat him to death?" Immediately she ordered Li +to take this man to his own quarters to receive punishment. Then Her +Majesty said the food was bad, and ordered the cooks to be punished +also. They told me that whenever Her Majesty was angry everything went +wrong, so I was not surprised that so many things happened that day. Her +Majesty said that we all looked too vain with our hair too low down +at the back of the head. (This Manchu headdress is placed right in the +center of one's head and the back part is called the swallow's tail, and +must reach the bottom part of one's collar.) We had our hair done up the +same way every day, and she had previously never said a word about it. +She looked at us, and said: "Now I am going to the audience, and don't +need you all here. Go back to your rooms and fix your hair all over +again. If I ever see you all like that again I am going to cut your hair +off." I was never more surprised in my life when I heard her speak +so sharply to us. I don't know whether I was spoken to or not, but I +thought it well to be wise, and I answered I would. We were all ready to +go and Her Majesty stood there watching us. When we were about five or +six feet away we heard her scolding Chun Shou (the girl who was neither +a Court lady nor a servant). Her Majesty said she was pretending she was +all right, and Her Majesty ordered her to go also. When we were walking +towards our own place, some of them laughed at Chun Shou, which made +her angry. When Her Majesty was angry with anyone, she would say that we +were all doing something on purpose to make her angry. I must say that +everyone of us was scared, and wondered who would have dared to do that. +On the contrary, we tried our best to please her in every way. + +But that day she was furious all day and I tried to stay away from her. +I noticed some of the eunuchs went to her to ask questions concerning +important matters, but she would not look at them, but kept on reading +her book. To tell the truth, I felt miserable that day. At the beginning +I thought all the eunuchs were faithful servants, but seeing them every +day, I got to know them. It did not do them any harm to be punished once +in a while. + +The Young Empress told me to go in and wait on Her Majesty as usual. She +said that probably if I would suggest playing dice with her, she might +forget her troubles. At first I did not want to go, for I was afraid +that she might say something to me, but seeing that the poor Young +Empress spoke to me so nicely, I told her I would try. When I entered +Her Majesty's sitting room I found her reading a book. She looked at me +and said: "Come over here, I would like to tell you something. You know +these people at the Palace are no good and I don't like them at all. +I don't want them to poison your ears by telling you how wicked I am. +Don't talk to them. You must not fix your hair too low down at the back +of your head. I was not angry with you this morning. I know you are +different. Don't let them influence you. I want you to be on my side, +and do as I tell you." Her Majesty spoke very kindly to me, and her face +changed also--not at all the same face she had that morning. Of course I +promised her that I would be only too happy to do all I could to please +her. She spoke to me just like a good mother would speak to a dear +child. I changed my opinion and thought that perhaps after all she was +right, but I had often heard from the officials that one cannot be +good to a eunuch, as he would do all he could to injure you without any +reason whatsoever. + +I noticed that day they all seemed to be more careful in doing their +work. I was told that when once Her Majesty got angry, she would never +finish. On the contrary, she talked to me very nicely, just as if there +had been no troubles at all. She was not difficult to wait upon, only +one had to watch her moods. I thought how fascinating she was, and I had +already forgotten that she had been angry. She seemed to have guessed +what I was thinking, and said: "I can make people hate me worse than +poison, and can also make them love me. I have that power." I thought +she was right there. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE--THE EMPRESS AND MRS. CONGER + +ON the twenty-sixth day of the fifth moon, during the morning audience, +Prince Ching told Her Majesty that Mrs. Conger, the wife of the American +Minister to Peking, had asked for a private audience, and would Her +Majesty please mention a day. She told him not to give any answer until +the next day, just to give her time to think it over. I was sitting +behind the large screen, listening, but the other Court ladies made +too much noise, so Her Majesty ordered them not to say a word during +audience. I was very glad myself, because I could listen to some of the +interesting conversations between the Empress Dowager and her Ministers. +After the audience, Her Majesty ordered her lunch to be served on the +top of the hill at Pai Yuen Dien (Spreading Cloud Pavilion). She said +that she preferred to walk, so we followed her very slowly. To get to +this place we had to mount two hundred and seventy-two steps, besides +ten minutes' climbing over rough stones. She did not seem to mind +the climbing part at all. It was the funniest thing to see two little +eunuchs on either side, to support her arms, trying to keep pace with +her. I noticed that she was very much preoccupied, and did not speak +to any of us. When we arrived at our destination we were very tired and +quite exhausted. Her Majesty, who was a good walker herself, laughed at +us. She was always very much pleased when she excelled in games of skill +or endurance. She said: "You see I am old, and can walk much faster than +you young people. You are all no use. What is the matter with you?" Her +Majesty was very fond of receiving compliments. I had been there long +enough to know and had learned to say things which would please her. She +also hated anyone to pay her compliments at the wrong moment, so one had +to be very careful even in paying her compliments. + +This "spreading cloud" pavilion was a beautiful Palace. It had an open +space in front of the building, just like one of the courtyards, with +pink and white oleanders all over the place. There was a porcelain table +and several porcelain stools. Her Majesty sat on her own yellow satin +stool and was drinking her tea in silence. It was very windy that day, +although the sky was blue with warm sunshine. Her Majesty sat there +just for a few minutes, and then said it was too windy and went into the +building. I was more than glad to go in, too, and whispered to the Young +Empress that I thought the wind might blow off my headdress. The eunuchs +brought the luncheon and placed everything upon the table. The Young +Empress made a sign for us to follow her, which we did. When we came to +the back veranda we sat down on the window seats. I will explain about +these seats. All the windows were built low at the Palace, and on the +veranda there was something like a bench built along the window, about +a foot wide. There were no chairs to be seen excepting Her Majesty's +thrones. The Young Empress asked me whether I had noticed that Her +Majesty had something on her mind. I told her that perhaps she was +thinking about the private audience which Prince Ching had mentioned +that morning. She said that I had guessed right, and asked: "Do you know +anything about this audience? When will it take place?" I said that Her +Majesty had not yet given her answer. + +By this time Her Majesty had finished eating and was walking up and down +the room, watching us eating. She came over to my mother and said: "I am +just wondering why Mrs. Conger asks for a private audience. Perhaps she +has something to say to me. I would like to know just what it is so I +can prepare an answer." My mother said that probably Mrs. Conger had +someone visiting her who wished to be presented to Her Majesty. "No, +it can't be that, because they must give the list of names of those who +wish to come to the Palace. I don't mind the formal audiences, but I +don't think that I should have private ones at all. I don't like to be +questioned, as you all know. The foreigners are, of course, very nice +and polite, according to their own way, but they cannot compare with us, +so far as etiquette is concerned. I may be conservative in saying that I +admire our custom and will not change it as long as I live. You see our +people are taught to be polite from their earliest childhood, and just +look back at the oldest teachings and compare them with the new. People +seem to like the latter the best. I mean that the new idea is to be +Christians, to chop up their Ancestral Tablets and burn them. I know +many families here who have broken up because of the missionaries, who +are always influencing the young people to believe their religion. Now +I tell you why I feel uneasy about this audience is because we are too +polite to refuse anyone who asks any favors in person. The foreigners +don't seem to understand that. I'll tell you what I will do. Whenever +they ask me anything, I'll simply tell them that I am not my own boss, +but have to consult with my Ministers; that although I am the Empress +Dowager of China, I must also obey the law. To tell the truth, I like +Madame Uchida (wife of the Japanese Minister to Peking) very much. She +is always very nice and doesn't ask any silly questions. Of course the +Japanese are very much like ourselves, not at all forward. Last year, +before you came to the Court, a missionary lady came with Mrs. Conger, +and suggested that I should establish a school for girls at the Palace. +I did not like to offend her, and said that I would take it into +consideration. Now, just imagine it for a moment. Wouldn't it be foolish +to have a school at the Palace; besides, where am I going to get so +many girls to study? I have enough to do as it is. I don't want all the +children of the Imperial family studying at my Palace." + +Her Majesty laughed while she was telling us this, and everyone else +laughed, too. She said: "I am sure you will laugh. Mrs. Conger is a +very nice lady. America is always very friendly towards China, and I +appreciate their nice behavior at the Palace during the twenty-sixth +year of Kwang Hsu (1900), but I cannot say that I love the missionaries, +too. Li Lien Ying told me that these missionaries here give the Chinese +a certain medicine, and that after that they wish to become Christians, +and then they would pretend to tell the Chinese to think it over very +carefully, for they would never force anyone to believe their religion +against their own will. Missionaries also take the poor Chinese children +and gouge their eyes out, and use them as a kind of medicine." I told +her that that was not true; that I had met a great many missionaries, +and that they were very kind-hearted and willing to do anything to +help the poor Chinese. I also told her what they had done for the poor +orphans--given them a home, food and clothing; that sometimes they went +into the interior and found the blind children who might be useless to +their parents, and when they get them they have to support them. I +know several cases like that. These country people offer their deformed +children to the missionaries, as they are too poor to feed and take care +of them. I told her about their schools, and how they helped the poor +people. Her Majesty then laughed, and said: "Of course I believe what +you say, but why don't these missionaries stay in their own country and +be useful to their own people?" I thought it would be of no use for me +to talk too much, but at the same time I would like her to know of the +dreadful times some of the missionaries had in China. Some time ago, +two of them were murdered at Wu Shuih, in June, 1892 (a little below +Hankow), the church being burnt down by the mob. My father was appointed +by Viceroy Chang Chih Tung to investigate the matter. After much trouble +he caught three of the murderers and, according to the Chinese law, they +were put to death by hanging in wooden cages, and the Government paid an +indemnity to the families of the murdered missionaries. The year after, +1893, a Catholic church was burnt down at Mar Cheng, on the Yangtse, +near Ichang. The mob said they saw many blind children at the church, +who were made to work after having their eyes gouged out. The Prefect of +Ichang Province said it was true that missionaries did get the Chinese +childrens' eyes for making medicine, so my father suggested having those +blind children brought into the Yamen and ask them. The Prefect was +a most wicked man, and was very anti-foreign also. He gave the poor +children plenty of food, and taught them to say that the missionaries +did gouge their eyes out, but when they were brought in the next day +they said that the missionaries treated them very kindly and gave them a +nice home, good food and clothing. They said they were blind long before +they became Catholics, and also said that the Prefect had taught them +to say that the missionaries were cruel to them, which was not true. The +blind children begged to go back to the school and said that they were +very happy there. + +Her Majesty said: "That may be all right for them to help the poor and +relieve their suffering. For instance, like our great Buddha Ju Lai, who +fed the hungry birds with his own flesh. I would love them if they would +leave my people alone. Let us believe our own religion. Do you know how +the Boxer rising began? Why, the Chinese Christians were to blame. The +Boxers were treated badly by them, and wanted revenge. Of course that is +always the trouble with the low class of people. They went too far, +and at the same time thought to make themselves rich by setting fire to +every house in Peking. It made no difference whose house. They wanted to +burn so long as they could get money. These Chinese Christians are the +worst people in China. They rob the poor country people of their land +and property, and the missionaries, of course, always protect them, in +order to get a share themselves. Whenever a Chinese Christian is taken +to the Magistrate's Yamen, he is not supposed to kneel down on the +ground and obey the Chinese law, as others do, and is always very rude +to his own Government Officials. Then these missionaries do the best +they can to protect him, whether he is wrong or not, and believe +everything he says and make the magistrate set the prisoner free. Do you +remember that your father established rules in the twenty-fourth year of +Kwang Hsu, how the Chinese officials should treat the Bishops whenever +they had dealings with each other? I know the common class of people +become Christians--also those who are in trouble--but I don't believe +that any of the high officials are Christians." Her Majesty looked +around and whispered: "Kang Yue Wai (the reformer in 1898) tried to make +the Emperor believe that religion. No one shall believe as long as +I live. I must say that I admire the foreigners in some ways. For +instance, their navies and armies, and engineers, but as regards +civilization I should say that China is the first country by all means. +I know that many people believe that the Government had connections with +the Boxers, but that is not true. As soon as we found out the trouble we +issued several Edicts, and ordered the soldiers to drive them out, but +they had gone too far already. I made up my mind not to go out of the +Palace at all. I am an old woman, and did not care whether I died or +not, but Prince Tuang and Duke Lan suggested that we should go at once. +They also suggested that we should go in disguise, which made me very +angry, and I refused. After the return of the Court to Peking, I was +told that many people believed that I did go in disguise, and said that +I was dressed in one of my servant's clothes, and rode in a broken cart +drawn by a mule, and that this old woman servant of mine was dressed as +the Empress Dowager, and rode in my sedan chair. I wonder who made that +story up? Of course everyone believed it, and such a story would get to +the foreigners in Peking without any trouble. + +"Now to come back to the question of the Boxer Rising. How badly I was +treated by my own servants. No one seemed anxious to go with me, and a +great many ran away before the Court had any idea of leaving the Capital +at all, and those who stayed would not work, but stood around and waited +to see what was going to happen. I made up my mind to ask and see how +many would be willing to go, so I said to everyone: 'If you servants are +willing to go with me, you can do so, and those who are not willing, can +leave me.' I was very much surprised to find that there were very +few standing around listening. Only seventeen eunuchs, two old women +servants and one servant girl, that was Sho Chu. Those people said they +would go with me, no matter what happened. I had 3,000 eunuchs, but they +were nearly all gone before I had the chance of counting them. Some of +the wicked ones were even rude to me, and threw my valuable vases on the +stone floor, and smashed them. They knew that I could not punish them at +that important moment, for we were leaving. I cried very much and prayed +for our Great Ancestors' Souls to protect us. Everyone knelt with me and +prayed. The Young Empress was the only one of my family who went with +me. A certain relative of mine, whom I was very fond of, and gave her +everything she asked, refused to go with me. I knew that the reason she +would not go was because she thought the foreign soldiers would catch up +the runaway Court, and kill everyone. + +"After we had been gone about seven days, I sent one eunuch back, to +find out who was still in Peking. She asked this eunuch whether there +were any foreign soldiers chasing us, and whether I was killed. Soon +after the Japanese soldiers took her Palace, and drove her out. She +thought she was going to die anyway, and as I was not yet assassinated, +she might catch up with the Court, and go with us. I could not +understand how she traveled so fast. One evening we were staying at a +little country house, when she came in with her husband, a nice man. She +was telling me how much she had missed me, and how very anxious she +had been all that time to know whether I was safe or not, and cried. I +refused to listen to what she was saying and told her plainly that I did +not believe a word. From that time she was finished for me. I had a very +hard time, traveling in a sedan chair, from early morning, before the +sun rose, until dark and in the evening had to stop at some country +place. I am sure you would pity me, old as I am, that I should have had +to suffer in that way. + +"The Emperor went all the way in a cart, drawn by a mule, also the +Empress. I went along, and was praying to our Great Ancestors for +protection, but the Emperor was very quiet, and never opened his mouth. +One day something happened. It rained so much and some of the chair +carriers ran away. Some of the mules died suddenly. It was very hot, +and the rain was pouring down on our heads. Five small eunuchs ran away +also, because we were obliged to punish them the night before on account +of their bad behavior to the Magistrate, who did all he could to make +me comfortable, but of course food was scarce. I heard these eunuchs +quarreling with the Magistrate, who bowed to the ground, begging them +to keep quiet, and promised them everything. I was of course very angry. +Traveling under such circumstances one ought to be satisfied that one +was provided for. + +"It took us more than a month before we reached Shi An. I cannot tell +you how fatigued I was, and was of course worrying very much, which made +me quite ill for almost three months. So long as I live I cannot forget +it. + +"We returned to Peking early in the twenty-eighth year of Kwang Hsu and +I had another dreadful feeling when I saw my own Palace again. Oh! it +was quite changed; a great many valuable ornaments broken or stolen. All +the valuable things at the Sea Palace had been taken away, and someone +had broken the fingers of my white jade Buddha, to whom I used to +worship every day. Several foreigners sat on my throne and had their +photos taken. When I was at the Shi An I was just like being sent +into exile, although the Viceroy's Yamen was prepared for us, but the +building was very old, damp and unhealthy. The Emperor became ill. It +would take a long time to tell you everything; I thought I had enough +trouble, but this last was the worst. When I have time, I will tell you +more about it. I want you to know the absolute truth. + +"Now let us come back to the question of Mrs. Conger's private audience. +There must be something special, but I hope that she will not ask for +anything, for I hate to refuse her. Can you guess what it is?" I told +Her Majesty that there could not be anything special; besides, Mrs. +Conger considered herself to be a person who knew Chinese etiquette +very well, and I didn't believe she would ask for anything at all. Her +Majesty said: "The only objection I have is that Mrs. Conger always +brings one of the missionaries as her interpreter, when I have your +mother, your sister and yourself, which I think should be sufficient. I +don't think it is right for her to do that; besides, I cannot understand +their Chinese very well. I like to see the ladies of the Diplomatic +body sometimes, but not the missionaries. I will stop that when the +opportunity comes." + +The next morning Prince Ching told Her Majesty that the American +Admiral, and Mrs. Evans, and suite wished to be presented to her. The +American Minister asked two private audiences. He said he had made +a mistake by telling her that Mrs. Conger had asked an audience for +herself, the day before. + +After the regular morning audience was over Her Majesty laughed and +said: "Didn't I tell you yesterday that there must be a reason for +asking an audience? I rather would like to meet the American Admiral +and his wife." Turning to us she said: "Be sure and fix everything up +pretty, change everything in my bedroom, so as not to show them our +daily life." We all said "Jur" (yes), but we knew it was going to be a +hard task to turn the Palace upside down. + +It was just the night before the appointed audience. We started to work +taking off the pink silk curtains from every window, and changing them +for sky blue (the color she hated); then we changed the cushions on the +chairs to the same color. While we were watching the eunuchs doing the +work, several of them came into the room, carrying a large tray full of +clocks. By this time her Majesty had come into the room, and ordered us +to remove all her white and green jade Buddhas and take some of the jade +ornaments away, for those things were sacred, and no foreigners should +see them, so we replaced them with these clocks, instead. We also took +away the three embroidered door curtains, and changed them for ordinary +blue satin ones. I must explain that these three curtains were sacred, +too. They were embroidered to represent five hundred Buddhist deities, +on old gold satin, and had been used by Emperor Tou Kwang. Her Majesty +believed that by hanging these curtains at her door they would guard +against evil spirits entering her room. The order was that one of us +should remember to place them back again when the audience was over. We +fixed every piece of furniture in her bedroom. Her toilet table was the +most important thing. She would not let anyone see it-not even the wives +of the Officials who came in, so of course we had to put it in a safe +place, and lock it up. We changed her bed from pink color into blue. +All her furniture was made of sandalwood, also carvings on her bed. This +sandalwood, before it was made into furniture, was placed in different +temples, to be sanctified, so of course no foreigner could see it. As +we could not take this carving from her bed, we covered it up with +embroidered hangings. While we were working Her Majesty came in and told +us not to hurry in her bedroom, because the audience the next day would +only be for Admiral Robley Evans and his staff, and they would not visit +the private rooms. The audience for Mrs. Evans and the other ladies +would be the day after. She said it was important to see that the +Audience Hall was fixed up properly. She said: "Place the only carpet +we have here in the hall. I don't like carpets anyway, but it cannot be +helped." + +After we had finished, Her Majesty started to tell us what to wear for +the ladies' audience. She said to me: "You need not come to the throne +to-morrow, there will only be gentlemen. I will get one of the Ministers +from Wai-Wu-Pu (Bureau of Foreign Affairs). I don't want you to talk to +so many strange men. It is not the Manchu custom. These people are all +strangers. They might go back to America and tell everybody what you +look like." At the same time Her Majesty gave orders for the Imperial +Yellow Gown to be brought in next day, for the gentleman's audience. She +said that she must dress in her official robe for this occasion. This +robe was made of yellow satin, embroidered with gold dragons. She wore a +necklace composed of one hundred and eight pearls, which formed part of +this official dress. She said: "I don't like to wear this official robe. +It is not pretty, but I am afraid I will have to." She said to all of +us: "You need not dress especially." + +The next morning Her Majesty got up early, and was busier than ever. +It seemed to me that whenever we had an audience we always had so much +trouble. Something was sure to go wrong and make Her Majesty angry. She +said: "I want to look nice, and be amiable, but these people always make +me angry. I know the American Admiral will go home and tell his people +about me, and I don't want him to have a wrong impression." It took her +almost two hours to dress her hair, and by that time it was too late +for her usual morning audience, so she proposed holding that after the +foreigners had gone away. She looked at herself in the looking-glass, +with her Imperial robe on, and told me that she did not like it, and +asked me whether I thought the foreigners would know that it was an +official robe. "I look too ugly in yellow. It makes my face look the +same color as my robe," she said. I suggested that as it was only a +private audience, if she wished to dress differently, it would not +matter at all. She seemed delighted, and I was afraid lest I had not +made a proper suggestion, but anyway I was too busy to worry. Her +Majesty ordered that her different gowns should be brought in, and +after looking them over she selected one embroidered all over with the +character "Shou" (long life), covered with precious stones and pearls, +on pale green satin. She tried it on, and said that it was becoming to +her, so she ordered me to go to the jewel-room and get flowers to match +for her hair. On one side of the headdress was the character (shou) +and on the other side was a bat (the bat in China is considered to be +lucky). Of course her shoes, handkerchiefs and everything else were +embroidered in the same way. After she was dressed, she smiled and said: +"I look all right now. We had better go to the audience hall and wait +for them, and at the same time we can play a game of dice." Then to us +all she said: "All of you will stay at the back of the screen during +the audience. You can see all right, but I don't wish that you should +be seen." The eunuchs had laid the map down on the table and were just +going to commence playing dice, when one of the high rank eunuchs came +into the Hall and, kneeling down, said that the American Admiral had +arrived at the Palace Gate, together with the American Minister--ten or +twelve people altogether. Her Majesty smiled and said to me: "I thought +it was just going to be the American Minister and the Admiral, and one +or two of his staff. Who can the rest of the people be? However, never +mind, I will receive them anyway." We helped her to mount her throne +upon the dais, fixed her clothes, and handed her the paper containing +the speech she was to give. Then we went back of the screen, with the +Young Empress. It was so very quiet, not a sound anywhere, that we could +hear the boots of the visitors as they walked over the stones in the +courtyard. We were peeping from behind the screen, and could see several +of the Princes mounting the steps, conducting these people to the Hall. +The Admiral and the American Minister came in, and stood in a line. They +bowed three times to the Empress Dowager. The Emperor was also on his +throne, sitting at her left hand. His throne was very small, just +like an ordinary chair. Her Majesty's speech was simply to welcome the +Admiral to China. They then came up to the dais and shook hands with +their Majesties, ascending on one side, and retiring down the other. +Prince Ching took them into another Palace building, where they had +lunch, and the audience was over. It was very simple and formal. + +After the audience was over Her Majesty said that she could hear us +laughing behind the screen, and that maybe the people would talk about +it, and did not like it at all. I told her that it was not myself who +laughed. She said: "The next time when I have men in audience you need +not come into the Audience Hall at all. Of course it is different when I +have my own people at the morning audiences." + +Her Majesty did not go to her bedroom that afternoon. She said she +wanted to wait until these people had gone and hear what they had to +say. After a couple of hours Prince Ching came in and reported that they +had lunched, and that they were very pleased to have seen Her Majesty, +and had gone away. I must here explain that the Admiral had entered by +the left gate of the Palace. The middle gate was only used for Their +Majesties, with one exception, viz.: in the case of anyone presenting +credentials. Then they entered by the center gate. The Admiral left by +the same gate he had entered. Her Majesty asked Prince Ching whether +he had showed them around the Palace buildings or not (this was in +the Summer Palace), and what they had thought about it. Did they say +anything, and were they pleased or not. She said to Prince Ching: "You +can go now, and make the necessary preparations for the ladies' audience +next day." That same evening Her Majesty said to us: "You must all dress +alike to-morrow, and wear your prettiest clothes. These foreign ladies +who are coming to the Palace may never see us again, and if we don't +show them what we have now, we will not have another opportunity." She +ordered us all, including the Young Empress, to wear pale blue, also the +Secondary wife of the Emperor. She said to me: "If the ladies ask who +the Secondary wife is, you can tell them; but if they don't ask, I don't +want you to introduce her to them at all. I have to be very careful. +These people at the Palace here are not used to seeing so many people +and they might not have nice manners, and the foreigners will laugh at +them." Then she said to us again: "I always give presents when ladies +come to the Court, but don't know whether I will give this time or not, +for at the last audience I did not give anything at all." Addressing me, +she said: "You can prepare some pieces of jade, in case I need them. Put +them in a nice box and have them all ready. Don't bring them to me until +I ask for them." She said: "We have talked enough now, and you can all +go to rest." We courtesied good night. I was only too glad to go to my +own room. + +The next morning everything went on very nicely and there was no trouble +at all. Her Majesty was well satisfied, for we had all taken great care +in fixing ourselves up. She said to me: "You never put enough paint on +your face. People might take you for a widow. You will have to paint +your lips, as that is the custom. I don't need you yet, so go back and +put some more paint on." So I went back to my room and painted myself +just like the rest of them, but I could not help laughing at seeing +myself so changed. By the time I got to her room again, she said: "Now +you look all right. If you think that powder is expensive, I will buy +some for you." She said that with a laugh, for she always liked to tease +me. + +By the time Her Majesty had finished her toilet, one of the ladies +brought a number of gowns for her to select one from. She said she would +wear pale blue that day. She looked over twenty or thirty gowns, but +found nothing which suited her, so she gave orders for some more to be +brought in. Finally she chose a blue gown embroidered with one hundred +butterflies, and wore a purple sleeveless jacket, which was also +embroidered with butterflies. At the bottom of this gown were pearl +tassels. She wore her largest pearls, one of which was almost as large +as an egg, and was her favorite jewel. She only wore this on special +occasions. She wore two jade butterflies on each side of her headdress. +Her bracelets and rings were also all designed in butterflies, in fact +everything matched. Among her beautiful jewels, she always wore some +kind of fresh flowers. White jessamine was her favorite flower. The +Young Empress and the Court ladies were not allowed to wear fresh +flowers at all unless given to them by Her Majesty as a special favor. +We could wear pearls and jade, etc., but she said that the fresh flowers +were for her, her idea being that we were too young, and might spoil +fresh flowers if we wore them. After she was dressed we went into the +Audience Hall. She ordered her cards to be brought in as she wanted to +play solitaire. She talked all the time she was playing, and said that +we must all be very nice and polite to the American ladies, and +show them everywhere. She said: "It doesn't matter now, for we have +everything changed." She said: "I want to laugh myself. What is the use +of changing everything? They will imagine we are always like this. By +and bye, if they question you about anything, just tell them that it +is not so, and that we change everything at each audience, just to give +them a bit of surprise. You must tell it some day, otherwise no one will +know it at all, and the trouble would not be worth the while." It was a +private audience for ladies, and Her Majesty did not use the big throne, +but was sitting on her little throne at the left side of the Audience +Hall, where she received her own Ministers every morning; the Emperor +was standing. A eunuch came in, the same as the day before, and +announced that the ladies had arrived at the Palace Gate, nine in all. +Her Majesty sent some of the Court ladies to meet them in the courtyard, +and bring them to the Audience Hall, which they did. I was standing at +the right side of Her Majesty's chair, and could see them mounting +the steps. Her Majesty whispered to me, and asked: "Which one is Mrs. +Evans?" As I had never seen the lady, I answered that I could not +tell, but when they got nearer I saw a lady walking with the American +Minister's wife, and concluded that she must be Mrs. Evans, and told Her +Majesty. As they got nearer, Her Majesty said: "Again that missionary +lady with Mrs. Conger. I think she must like to see me. She comes every +time. I will tell her I am very glad to see her always, and see if she +understands what I mean." + +Mrs. Conger shook hands with Her Majesty and presented Mrs. Evans and +also the wives of the American officers. I was watching Her Majesty and +saw that she was very nice and amiable, with such a pleasant smile--so +different from her everyday manner. She told them she was delighted to +see them. Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to have chairs brought in +for the ladies, and at the same time other eunuchs brought in tea. Her +Majesty asked Mrs. Evans whether she liked China; what she thought of +Peking; how long she had been there; how long she was going to stay, and +where she was staying. I was so accustomed to Her Majesty's questions +that I knew exactly what she would ask. Mrs. Conger told her interpreter +to tell Her Majesty that she had not seen her for such a long time, and +enquired about Her Majesty's health. Her Majesty said to me: "You tell +Mrs. Conger that I am in good health and that I am delighted to see her. +It is a pity that I cannot hold an audience more frequently, otherwise +I could see more of her." She continued: "The Imperial Princess (her +adopted daughter-daughter of Prince Kung) will accompany them to lunch." +This ended the audience. + +Lunch was served at the back of her own Palace building (Yang Yuen +Hsuen--the place where the clouds gather to rest). This room was +specially furnished as a banqueting room where refreshments could be +served. All the Court ladies went to the lunch, except Her Majesty, the +Young Empress and the Secondary wife. It had taken me two hours to fix +the table for the luncheon. Her Majesty ordered that a white foreign +tablecloth should be used, as it looked cleaner. The eunuch gardeners +had decorated the table with fresh flowers, and Her Majesty gave +instructions as to how the seats were to be placed. She said: "Mrs. +Evans is the guest of honor. Although Mrs. Conger is the wife of the +American Minister, she is more of a resident, so Mrs. Evans must have +the principal seat." She also told me to arrange to seat everybody +according to their respective ranks. The Imperial Princess and Princess +Shun (Her Majesty's niece, sister of the Young Empress) were hostesses, +and were to sit opposite each other. We placed golden menu holders and +little gold plates for almonds and watermelon seeds; the rest all silver +ware, including chopsticks. Her Majesty ordered that foreign knives and +forks should be provided also. The food was served in Manchu style, and +was composed of twenty-four courses, besides sweetmeats--candies and +fruits. Her Majesty instructed us that only the best champagne was to be +served. She said: "I know that foreign ladies love to drink." + +I think I was the only one who was really happy to meet these ladies, +more so than the rest of the Court ladies, the reason being that Her +Majesty lectured them too severely, telling them how to behave, so that +they had grown to hate the very mention of a foreign audience. While we +were eating, a eunuch came in and told me that Her Majesty was waiting +at her private Palace, and that I should bring these ladies there after +the lunch was over. So when we had finished we entered her own Palace +and found her waiting there for us. She got up and told me to ask Mrs. +Evans whether she had had anything to eat--that the food was not very +good. (This is a custom with the Chinese when entertaining, always to +underrate the food.) She said that she would like to show Mrs. Evans +her private apartments, so that she could form some idea of the way we +lived, so she took Mrs. Evans to one of her bedrooms. She invited Mrs. +Evans and Mrs. Conger to sit down, and the eunuchs brought in tea, as +usual. Her Majesty asked Mrs. Evans to stay a little while in Peking, +and to visit the different temples. She said: "Our country, although +very old, has not such fine buildings as there are in America. I +suppose you will find everything very strange. I am rather too old now, +otherwise I would like to travel around the world. I have read much +about different countries, but of course there is nothing like visiting +the different places and seeing them yourself. However, one cannot tell. +I may be able to go after all, by and bye, but I am afraid to leave +my own country. By the time I returned I should not know the place any +more, I'm afraid. Here everything seems to depend on me. Our Emperor is +quite young." + +She then turned and ordered us to take these ladies to visit the +different buildings of the Palace, also the famous temple of the King +of Dragons. This is on a little island in the center of the lake of +the Summer Palace. Mrs. Conger said that she had something to ask Her +Majesty, and told the Missionary lady to proceed. While Mrs. Conger was +speaking to this lady Her Majesty became rather impatient as she wanted +to know what they were talking about, so she asked me. It was very hard +for me to listen to both of the ladies and to Her Majesty at the same +time. The only words I heard were: "The portrait," so I guessed the +rest. Before I had a chance to tell Her Majesty this Missionary lady +said: "Mrs. Conger has come with the special object of asking permission +to have Her Majesty's portrait painted by an American lady artist, Miss +Carl, as she is desirous of sending it to the St. Louis Exhibition, in +order that the American people may form some idea of what a beautiful +lady the Empress Dowager of China is." Miss Carl is the sister of Mr. F. +Carl who was for so many years Commissioner of Customs in Chefoo. + +Her Majesty looked surprised, for she had been listening very carefully +whilst this lady was talking. She did not like to say that she did +not quite understand, so she turned to me, as had been previously +arranged,--a sign for me to interpret. I did not, however, do so +immediately, so Mrs. Conger told her missionary friend to repeat the +request in case Her Majesty had not quite understood it. Her Majesty +then said to me: "I cannot quite understand what this lady says. I think +perhaps you can tell me better." So I explained everything, but I knew +that Her Majesty did not know what a portrait was like, as, up to that +time she had never even had a photograph taken of herself. + +I must here explain that in China a portrait is only painted after +death, in memorium of the deceased, in order that the following +generations may worship the deceased. I noticed that Her Majesty was +somewhat shocked when the request was made known to her. I did not want +Her Majesty to appear ignorant before these foreign ladies, so I pulled +her sleeve and told her that I would explain everything to her later. +She replied: "Explain a little to me now." This was spoken in the +Court language, which the visitors were unable to understand, it being +somewhat different from the ordinary Chinese language. This enabled +Her Majesty to form some idea of the conversation, so she thanked Mrs. +Conger for her kind thought, and promised to give her answer later. She +said to me: "Tell Mrs. Conger that I cannot decide anything alone, as +she is probably aware that I have to consult with my Ministers before +deciding anything of an important character. Tell her that I have to +be very careful not to do anything which would give my people an +opportunity to criticize my actions. I have to adhere to the rules +and customs of my ancestors." I noticed that Her Majesty did not seem +inclined to discuss the subject further at the moment. + +Just then the head eunuch came in and, kneeling down, informed Her +Majesty that the boats for the ladies were ready to take them across the +lake, to see the temple. This action on the part of the eunuch was owing +to his having received a signal from one of the Court ladies, which +implied that Her Majesty was getting tired of the conversation, and +wished to change the subject. I must explain that on every occasion when +a foreign audience was taking place, one of the Court ladies was +always told off to watch Her Majesty, and whenever she appeared to be +displeased or tired of any particular subject under discussion, she, the +Court lady, would give the signal to the head eunuch, who would break in +upon the conversation in the above manner, and thus save the situation +from becoming embarrassing. So Her Majesty said good-bye to the ladies, +as she thought it would be too late for them to have to return to say +good-bye, besides which it would give them more time to see the various +sights. + +The ladies then proceeded to the island in the Empress Dowager's +pleasure boat known as the Imperial barge, previously described, and +visited the temple. This temple is built on top of a small rock, in the +center of which is a natural cave, and it was generally supposed that +no human being had ever been inside of this cave. The Empress Dowager +believed the popular superstition that this hole was the home of the +King of Dragons--from which the temple derives its name. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN--THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT + +AFTER staying a little while at the temple, we returned to the Palace, +and the ladies said goodbye and took chairs to the Palace gate, where +their own chairs were waiting for them. I then went to report to Her +Majesty in the usual way what had been said by the visitors; whether +they had expressed themselves as being pleased with the reception they +had received. Her Majesty said: "I like Mrs. Evans. I think she is a +very good woman. It seems to me that her manners are quite different +from those of the other American ladies whom I have met. I like to meet +people who are polite." Then, referring to the subject of the portrait +Her Majesty said: "I wonder why Mrs. Conger has this idea. Now please +explain to me what painting a portrait really is." When I explained that +it would be necessary for her to sit for several hours each day she was +excited, and afraid she would never have the patience to see it through. +She asked me what she must do during the sitting, so I explained that +she would simply have to pose for the portrait, sitting in one position +all the time She said: "I shall be an old woman by the time the portrait +is finished." I told her that I had had my own portrait painted during +my stay in Paris, by the same artist Mrs. Conger had proposed should +paint her own portrait (Miss Carl). She immediately told me to fetch +the portrait of myself so that she could examine it and see what it was +like, so I gave the order right away to a eunuch who was standing by to +go to my house and bring it. Her Majesty said: "I do not understand +why I must sit for the portrait Couldn't someone else do it for me." +I explained to her that as it was her own portrait, and not that of +somebody else, they wished to paint, it would be necessary for her to +sit herself. She then enquired whether it would be necessary for her to +wear the same dress at each sitting, also the same jewels and ornaments. +I replied that it would be necessary to do so on each occasion. Her +Majesty then explained that in China it was only necessary for an artist +to see his subject once, after which he could start right away and +finish the portrait in a very short time, and thought that a really +first-class foreign artist should be able to do the same. Of course I +explained the difference between foreign portrait painting and Chinese, +and told her that when she had seen it she would see the difference and +understand the reason for so many sittings. She said: "I wonder what +kind of a person this lady artist is. Does she speak Chinese?" I said +that I knew Miss Carl very well, and that she was a very nice lady, but +that she didn't speak Chinese. She said: "If her brother has been in the +Customs service for so long, how is it that she doesn't speak Chinese +also?" I told her that Miss Carl had been away from China for a long +time; that in fact she had only been in China for a very short time +altogether, most of her work being in Europe and America. Her Majesty +said: "I am glad she doesn't understand Chinese. The only objection +about this portrait painting is that I have to have a foreigner at the +Palace all the time. With my own people gossiping they might tell her +things which I don't want anyone to know." I told her that would be +impossible as Miss Carl did not understand Chinese at all, neither did +any of the people at Court understand English, with the exception of +ourselves (my mother, sister and myself). Her Majesty answered: "You +must not rely too much on that, as after spending a short time at the +Court they will soon learn to understand each other." Continuing, +she said: "By the way, how long will it take before this portrait is +finished?" I told her that it depended entirely upon how often she sat, +and how long each time. I didn't like to tell her exactly how long it +would take, as I was afraid she might consider it too much bother, so +I said that when the artist arrived I would tell her to get along and +finish the portrait as quickly as possible. + +Her Majesty said: "I don't see how I can very well refuse Mrs. Conger's +request. Of course I told her, as you know, that I would have to consult +with my Ministers, just to give me time to think the matter over. If +you know all about this artist lady, and think she is quite all right to +come here to the Palace, of course she may come, and I will tell Prince +Ching to reply to Mrs. Conger to that effect. First of all we must talk +over what we are going to do, for to have a foreign lady staying in the +Palace is out of the question altogether. As a rule I always spend the +summer at my Summer Palace, and it is so far from the city that I +don't think she will be able to go to and from the Palace every day, on +account of the distance. Now, where can we put her? Someone will have +to watch her all the time. This is such a difficult matter that I hardly +know what to decide upon. How would you like to look after her? Do you +think you could manage it in such a way that no one at the Palace will +have a chance to talk with her during the daytime, but who is going to +stay and watch her during the night?" Her Majesty walked up and down the +room thinking it over for quite a while. Finally she smiled and said: "I +have it. We can treat her as a prisoner without her knowing it, but it +will all depend on your mother, your sister and yourself to act for me +in this matter. Each of you will have to play your part very carefully, +and I mine also. I will give orders to have the Palace Garden of Prince +Chung (the Emperor Kwang Hsu's father) fixed up for Miss Carl during her +stay here." + +This Palace garden is quite close to Her Majesty's own Palace, about ten +minutes' drive. It is not in the Palace ground, but is quite a separate +Palace outside the Summer Palace. + +Continuing, Her Majesty said: "Now, you will have to come with her every +morning and return to stay with her every night. I think this is the +safest way out of the difficulty, but be careful with regard to all +correspondence which she may either receive or send away. The only thing +about it is that it will give you a lot of extra work, but you know +how particular I am over things of this kind, and it will save a lot +of trouble in the end. There is another thing you will have to be very +careful about, and that is to watch that Miss Carl has no chance to talk +with the Emperor. The reason why I say this is because, as you know, +the Emperor is of a shy disposition, and might say something which would +offend her. I will appoint four extra eunuchs to be in attendance during +the sittings for the portrait, so that they will be on hand in case +anything is wanted." Her Majesty then said: "I noticed that Mrs. Conger +was watching you when you pulled my sleeve. I wonder what she thought +of it. You needn't care, anyway. Let her think anything she likes. I +understood what you meant if Mrs. Conger didn't, and that is all that +is necessary." I told her that perhaps Mrs. Conger thought I wanted to +advise her to refuse this request, but Her Majesty said: "What does that +matter? If it hadn't been that you know the artist yourself I would not +have consented in any case. It is not the painting of the portrait that +I mind, but it might give rise to serious results." + +The next morning I received a letter from Mrs. Conger begging me not to +prejudice Her Majesty against Miss Carl in any way. I translated this to +Her Majesty, and it made her furious. She said: "No one has any right +to write to you in such a way. How dare she suggest that you would say +anything against Miss Carl? Didn't I tell you she was watching you when +you pulled my sleeve? When you reply to that letter tell her whatever +you like, but answer in the same way she writes herself, or, better +still, you write and inform her that it is not customary for any Court +lady to try and influence Her Majesty in this country, and that in +addition, you are not so mean as to say anything against anybody. If you +don't like to say that, just say that as Miss Carl is a personal friend +of yours you certainly would never think of saying anything against +her." + +I therefore replied to Mrs. Conger's letter in the ordinary way, making +it as formal as possible. + +Her Majesty then talked of nothing but the portrait during the whole of +that afternoon. By and bye she said: "I hope that Mrs. Conger will not +send a missionary lady with Miss Carl to keep her company during her +stay at the Palace. If she does I will certainly refuse to sit." The next +morning the eunuch arrived with my portrait, and everyone at the Court +had a good look at it before I took it to show to Her Majesty. Some of +them were of the opinion that it was very much like me, while the others +thought the painting a very poor one. When I informed Her Majesty of the +arrival of the portrait she ordered that it should be brought into her +bedroom immediately. She scrutinized it very carefully for a while, even +touching the painting in her curiosity. Finally she burst out laughing +and said: "What a funny painting this is, it looks as though it had been +painted with oil." (Of course it was an oil painting.) "Such rough work +I never saw in all my life. The picture itself is marvellously like you, +and I do not hesitate to say that none of our Chinese painters could get +the expression which appears on this picture. What a funny dress you +are wearing in this picture. Why are your arms and neck all bare? I have +heard that foreign ladies wear their dresses without sleeves and without +collars, but I had no idea that it was so bad and ugly as the dress you +are wearing here. I cannot imagine how you could do it. I should have +thought you would have been ashamed to expose yourself in that manner. +Don't wear any more such dresses, please. It has quite shocked me. What +a funny kind of civilization this is to be sure. Is this dress only worn +on certain occasions, or is it worn any time, even when gentlemen are +present?" I explained to her that it was the usual evening dress for +ladies and was worn at dinners, balls, receptions, etc. Her Majesty +laughed and exclaimed: "This is getting worse and worse. Everything +seems to go backwards in foreign countries. Here we don't even expose +our wrists when in the company of gentlemen, but foreigners seem to +have quite different ideas on the subject. The Emperor is always talking +about reform, but if this is a sample we had much better remain as we +are. Tell me, have you yet changed your opinion with regard to foreign +customs? Don't you think that our own customs are much nicer?" Of course +I was obliged to say "yes" seeing that she herself was so prejudiced. +She again examined the portrait and said: "Why is it that one side +of your face is painted white and the other black? This is not +natural--your face is not black. Half of your neck is painted black, +too. How is it?" I explained that it was simply the shading and was +painted exactly as the artist saw me from the position in which she was +sitting. Her Majesty then enquired: "Do you think that this Artist lady +will paint my picture to look black also? It is going to America, and +I don't want the people over there to imagine that half of my face is +white and half black." I didn't like to tell her the truth, that her +portrait would in all probability be painted the same as mine, so I +promised Her Majesty that I would tell the artist exactly how she wished +to be painted. She then asked me if I knew when the artist proposed +commencing the portrait. I told her that the artist was still in +Shanghai, but that Mrs. Conger had already written to her to come up to +Peking, to make the necessary preparations. One week later I received a +letter from Miss Carl informing me that she proposed coming up to Peking +at once, and that she would be delighted if Her Majesty would allow +her to paint this portrait. I translated the letter to Her Majesty, who +said: "I am very glad that you know this lady personally. It will make +it much easier for me. You know there may be some things which I may +want to tell Miss Carl, but which I don't want Mrs. Conger to know. I +mean that there might be certain things which I shall have to say to +Miss Carl, which, if Mrs. Conger heard of them, would give her the +impression that I was very difficult to please. You understand what I +mean. As this lady is a friend of yours, you will of course be able to +tell her things in such a manner as not to offend her, and I may tell +you again that if it were not that she is a personal friend of your +own I would not have her here at all, as it is quite contrary to our +custom." + +On the third day of the second-fifth moon Prince Ching informed Her +Majesty that the artist had arrived at Peking and was staying with Mrs. +Conger and wished to know Her Majesty's pleasure in regard to commencing +the portrait. Now I must explain that the Chinese year varies as to the +number of moons it contains. For example, one year contains the ordinary +twelve months or moons. The following year may contain thirteen moons. +Then the two years following that may contain twelve moons only, and +thirteen moons the next year, and so on. At the time of the proposed +visit of the artist the Chinese year contained thirteen moons, there +being two fifth moons in that year. When Prince Ching asked Her Majesty +to name the day on which Miss Carl should commence her work, she +replied: "I will give her my answer to-morrow. I must first consult my +book, as I don't want to start this portrait on an unlucky day." So the +next day, after her usual morning audience Her Majesty consulted this +book for quite a time. Finally she said to me: "According to my book the +next lucky day will not occur for another ten days or so," and handed me +the book to look myself. Eventually she picked out the twentieth day of +the second-fifth moon as the most lucky day for beginning the work. Next +she had to consult the book again in order to fix on the exact hour, +finally fixing on 7 o'clock in the evening. I was very much worried when +she told me that, as by that time it would be quite dark, so I explained +to Her Majesty as nicely as I could that it would be impossible for Miss +Carl to work at that hour of the day. Her Majesty replied: "Well, we +have electric lights here. Surely that would be sufficient light for +her." Then I had to explain that it would not be possible to get such +good results by means of artificial light as if it were painted during +the daytime. You see I was anxious to get her to change the hour, as +I was sure that Miss Carl would refuse to paint by means of electric +light. Her Majesty replied: "What a bother. I can paint pictures myself +in any kind of light, and she ought to be able to do the same." After +much discussion it was finally settled that 10 o'clock on the morning of +the twentieth day of the second-fifth moon should be the time for Miss +Carl to commence to paint this portrait, and I can assure you that I +felt very much relieved when it was all settled. When the eunuch brought +in my portrait, he also brought in several photographs which I had had +taken during my stay in Paris, but I decided not to show them to Her +Majesty in case she should decide to have a photograph taken instead of +having this portrait painted, as it would be much quicker and save her +the trouble of sitting each day. However, as Her Majesty was passing on +the veranda in front of my bedroom the next morning she stepped into +the room just to have a look around and, as she put it, to see whether +I kept everything clean, and in good order. This was the first time +she had visited me in my own room, and I was naturally very much +embarrassed, as she very rarely visited the rooms of her Court ladies. I +could not keep her standing, and I could not ask her to sit down in +any of my own chairs, as it is the Chinese custom that the Emperor and +Empress should only sit down in their own special chairs, which are +usually carried by an attendant wherever they go. I therefore was on the +point of giving an order for her own stool to be brought in, when Her +Majesty stopped me and said that she would sit on one of the chairs in +the room, and so bring me good luck. So she sat down in an easy chair. +A eunuch brought in her tea, which I handed to her myself instead of +letting the eunuch wait upon her. This of course was Court etiquette, +and was also a sign of respect + +After she had finished her tea, she got up and went around the room, +examining everything, opening up all my bureau drawers and boxes in +order to see whether I kept my things in proper order. Happening to +glance into one corner of the room she exclaimed: "What are those +pictures on the table over there," and walked across to examine them. As +soon as she picked them up, she exclaimed in much surprise: "Why, they +are all photographs of yourself, and are very much better than the +picture you had painted. They are more like you. Why didn't you show +them to me before?" I hardly knew what to answer, and when she saw that +I was very much embarrassed by her question, she immediately started +talking about something else. She often acted in this manner when she +saw that any of us were not quite prepared for any of her questions, +but she would be sure to reopen the subject at some future time, when we +were expected to give a direct answer. + +After examining the photographs for sometime, which by the way, were +all taken in European dress, Her Majesty said: "Now these are good +photographs; much better than the portrait you had painted. Still I have +given my promise, and I suppose I shall have to keep it. However, if +I do have my photograph taken, it will not interfere at all with the +painting of the portrait. The only trouble is I cannot ask an ordinary +professional photographer to the Palace. It would hardly be the thing." + +My mother thereupon explained to Her Majesty that if she desired to have +her photograph taken, one of my brothers, who had studied photography +for some considerable time, would be able to do all that was necessary. + +I would like to explain that I had two brothers at Court at that time, +who held appointments under the Empress Dowager. One was in charge of +all the electrical installation at the Summer Palace, and the other, her +private steam launch. It was the custom for all the sons of the Manchu +officials to hold certain positions at the Court for two or three years. +They were perfectly free to walk about the grounds of the Palace, and +saw Her Majesty daily. Her Majesty was always very kind to these young +men, and chatted with them in quite a motherly way. These young fellows +had to come to the Palace each morning very early, but as no man was +allowed to stay all night in the Palace they of course had to leave when +they had finished their duties for the day. + +When Her Majesty heard what my mother said, she was very much surprised, +and asked why she had never been told that my brother was learned in +photography. My mother replied that she had no idea that Her Majesty +wished to have a photograph taken, and had not dared to suggest such a +thing herself. Her Majesty laughed, and said: "You may suggest anything +you like, as I want to try anything that is new to me, especially as +outsiders can know nothing about it." She gave orders to send for my +brother at once. On his arrival Her Majesty said to him: "I hear that +you are a photographer. I am going to give you something to do." My +brother was kneeling, as was the custom of the Court, whilst Her Majesty +was addressing him. Everybody, with the exception of the Court ladies, +had to kneel when she was speaking to them. Even the Emperor himself was +no exception to this rule. Of course the Court ladies, being constantly +in attendance, were allowed not to kneel, as Her Majesty was talking to +us all the time, and it was her orders that we should not do so, as it +would be wasting a lot of time. + +Her Majesty asked my brother when he would be able to come and take her +photograph, and what kind of weather was necessary. My brother said that +he would go back to Peking that night, to fetch his camera, and that he +could take the photograph at any time she desired, as the weather would +not affect the work. So Her Majesty decided to have her photograph taken +the next morning. She said: "I want to have one taken first of all in +my chair, when going to the audience, and you can take some others +afterwards." She also asked my brother how long she would have to sit, +and was surprised to learn that only a few seconds would suffice. Next +she enquired how long it would be before it was finished, so that she +could see it. My brother answered that if it were taken in the morning +it could be finished late the same afternoon. Her Majesty said that was +delightful, and expressed a wish to watch him do the work. She told +my brother that he might select any room in the Palace to work in, and +ordered a eunuch to make the necessary preparations. + +The next day was a beautiful day, and at eight o'clock my brother was +waiting in the courtyard with several cameras. Her Majesty went to the +courtyard and examined each of them. She said: "How funny it is that you +can take a person's picture with a thing like that." After the method of +taking the photograph had been fully explained to her, she commanded one +of the eunuchs to stand in front of the camera so that she might +look through the focusing glass, to see what it was like. Her Majesty +exclaimed: "Why is it your head is upside down? Are you standing on your +head or feet?" So we explained when the photo was taken it would not +look that way. She was delighted with the result of her observations, +and said that it was marvellous. Finally she told me to go and stand +there, as she wanted to have a look at me through this glass also. She +then exchanged places with me, and desired that I should look through +the glass and see if I could make out what she was doing. She waved +her hand in front of the camera, and on my telling her of it, she was +pleased. + +She then entered her chair, and ordered the bearers to proceed. My +brother took another photograph of Her Majesty in the procession as she +passed the camera. After she had passed the camera she turned and asked +my brother: "Did you take a picture?" and on my brother answering that +he had, Her Majesty said: "Why didn't you tell me? I was looking too +serious. Next time when you are going to take one, let me know so that I +may try and look pleasant." + +I knew that Her Majesty was very much pleased. While we were at the back +of the screen during the audience, I noticed that she seemed anxious to +get it over, in order to have some more photographs taken. It only took +about twenty minutes to get that particular audience over, which was +very rare. + +After the people had gone, we came from behind the screen and Her +Majesty said: "Let us go and have some more pictures taken while the +weather is fine." So she walked the courtyard of the Audience Hall, +where my brother had a camera ready, and had another photograph taken. +She said that she would like to have some taken sitting on her throne, +exactly as though she were holding an audience. It took us only a few +minutes to have everything prepared in the courtyard. The screen was +placed behind the throne, and her footstool was also placed ready for +her, and she ordered one of the Court ladies to go and bring several +gowns for her to select from. At the same time I went and brought some +of her favorite jewelry. She ordered the two gowns which she had worn +at the audiences when she received Admiral Evans and Mrs. Evans, to be +brought in, and also the same jewels as she had worn on those respective +occasions. She had two photographs taken in these costumes, one in +each dress. Next she wanted one taken in a plain gown, without any +embroidery. She then ordered my brother to go and finish the pictures +which had already been taken, as she was anxious to see what they were +like. She said to my brother: "You wait a minute, I want to go with +you and see how you work on them." Of course, I had not considered +it necessary to explain to Her Majesty the process of developing the +pictures, the dark room, etc., so I explained to her as well as I could +the whole thing. Her Majesty replied: "It doesn't matter. I want to +go and see the room, no matter what kind of a room it is." So we all +adjourned to the dark room in order to see my brother work on the +photographs. We placed a chair so that Her Majesty could sit down. She +said to my brother: "You must forget that I am here, and go along with +your work just as usual." She watched for a while, and was very pleased +when she saw that the plates were developing so quickly. My brother held +up the plate to the red light, to enable her to see more distinctly. +Her Majesty said: "It is not very clear. I can see that it is myself all +right, but why is it that my face and hands are dark?" We explained to +her that when the picture was printed on paper, these dark spots would +show white, and the white parts would be dark. She said: "Well, one is +never too old to learn. This is something really new to me. I am not +sorry that I suggested having my photograph taken, and only hope that +I shall like the portrait painting as well." She said to my brother: +"Don't finish these photographs until after I have had my afternoon +rest. I want to see you do it." When she got up at about half-past +three, it did not take her long to dress herself, as was her usual +custom, and she went immediately to where my brother had the papers and +everything prepared. He then showed Her Majesty how the printing was +done. There was plenty of light, as it was summer time, and as it was +only four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun was still high. Her Majesty +watched for two hours while my brother was printing, and was delighted +to see each picture come out quite plainly. She held the first one in +her hands so long while examining the others, that when she came to look +at it again, she found that it had turned quite black. She could not +understand this at all, and exclaimed: "Why has this gone black? Is it +bad luck?" We explained to her that it must be washed after printing, +otherwise a strong light would cause the picture to fade, as this one +had done. She said: "How very interesting, and what a lot of work there +is." + +After the printing process had been finished, my brother placed the +pictures in a chemical bath, as usual, finally washing them in clean +water. This caused Her Majesty even more surprise when she saw how clear +the pictures came out, and caused her to exclaim: "How extraordinary. +Everything is quite true to life." When they were finally completed, +she took the whole of them to her own room and sat down on her little +throne, and gazed at them for a long time. She even took her mirror in +order to compare her reflection with the photographs just taken. + +All this time my brother was standing in the courtyard awaiting Her +Majesty's further commands. Suddenly she recollected this fact, and +said: "Why, I had forgotten all about your brother. The poor fellow +must be still standing waiting to know what I want next. You go and tell +him--no, I had better go and speak to him myself. He has worked so hard +all the day, that I want to say something to make him feel happy." She +ordered my brother to print ten copies of each of the photographs, and +to leave all his cameras at the Palace, in order that he could proceed +with the work the next day. + +The following ten days it rained continually, which made Her Majesty +very impatient, as it was impossible to take any more photographs until +the weather improved. Her Majesty wanted to have some taken in the +Throne Room, but this room was too dark, the upper windows being pasted +over with thick paper, only the lower windows allowing the light to +enter. My brother tried several times, but failed to get a good picture. + +During this rainy period the Court was moved to the Sea Palace, as +the Emperor was to sacrifice at the Temple of Earth. This was a yearly +ceremony and was carried out on similar lines to all other annual +ceremonies. On account of the rain Her Majesty ordered that boats should +be brought alongside the west shore of the Summer Palace. On entering +the boats, Her Majesty, accompanied by the Court, proceeded to +the Western Gate of the city, and on arrival at the last bridge, +disembarked. Chairs were awaiting us and we rode to the gate of the Sea +Palace. There we again entered the boats and proceeded across the lake, +a distance of about a mile. While crossing the lake Her Majesty noticed +a lot of lotus plants which were in full bloom. She said: "We are going +to stay at least three days here. I hope the weather will be fine, as +I should like to have some photographs taken in the open boats on the +lake. I have also another; good idea, and that is, I want to have one +taken as 'Kuan Yin' (Goddess of Mersy). The two chief eunuchs will be +dressed as attendants. The necessary gowns were made some time ago, and +I occasionally put them on. Whenever I have been angry, or worried over +anything, by dressing up as the Goddess of Mercy it helps me to calm +myself, and so play the part I represent. I can assure you that it does +help me a great deal, as it makes me remember that I am looked upon as +being all-merciful. By having a photograph taken of myself dressed in +this costume, I shall be able to see myself as I ought to be at all +times." + +When we arrived at the private Palace the rain ceased. We walked to +her bedroom, although the ground was still in bad condition. One of +Her Majesty's peculiarities was a desire to go out in the rain and walk +about. She would not even use an umbrella unless it was raining very +heavily. The eunuchs always carried our umbrellas, but if Her Majesty +did not use her umbrella, of course we could not very well use ours. The +same thing applied in everything. If Her Majesty wanted to walk, we had +to walk also, and if she decided to ride in her chair, we had to get +into our chairs and ride as well. The only exception to this rule was +when Her Majesty, being tired walking, ordered her stool to rest on. We +were not allowed to sit in her presence, but had to stand all the time. +Her Majesty liked her Sea Palace better than her Palace in the Forbidden +City. It was far prettier, and had the effect of making her good +tempered. + +Her Majesty ordered us to retire early that day, as we were all very +tired after the trip, and said that in the event of it being fine the +next day, she would have the proposed photographs taken. However, much +to Her Majesty's disappointment, it rained incessantly for the next +three days, so it was decided to stay a few days longer. On the last day +of our stay it cleared up sufficiently to enable the photographs to be +taken, after which we all returned to the Summer Palace. + +The day after our arrival at the Summer Palace Her Majesty said that +we had better prepare everything for the audience to receive the lady +artist (Miss Carl). She told the chief eunuch to issue orders to all +the other eunuchs not to speak to Miss Carl, but simply be polite as +occasion required. We Court ladies received similar orders. Also, that +we were not to address Her Majesty while Miss Carl was present. The +Emperor received similar instructions. Her Majesty gave orders to have +the Gardens of Prince Chung's Palace ready. She then said to us: "I +trust you three to look after this lady artist. I have already given +orders for food to be supplied by the Wai Wu Pu. The only thing that +I have been worried about is that I have no foreign food here for Miss +Carl." She ordered us to have our stove taken over to Prince Chung's +Palace in case Miss Carl desired something cooked. She said: "I know +it will be very hard for you to take her to the Palace each morning and +return with her at night, besides having to watch her all day long, but +I know you do not mind. You are doing all this for me." After a while +she smiled, and said: "How selfish of me. I order you to bring all your +things to this place, but what is your father going to do? The best +thing will be to ask your father to come and live in the same place. The +country air might benefit him." We kowtowed and thanked Her Majesty, +as this was a special favor, no official nor anyone else having been +allowed to live in Prince Chung's Palace previously. We all were very +pleased--I could now see my father every day. Hitherto we had only been +able to see him about once a month, and then only by asking special +leave. + +The next day Her Majesty sent us to Prince Chung's Palace to make all +necessary arrangements for Miss Carl's stay. + +This Palace of Prince Chung's was a magnificent place. All the smaller +dwellings were quite separate from each other, not in one large +building, as was the custom. There was a small lake in the grounds, and +lovely little paths to walk along, exactly like the Empress Dowager's +Summer Palace, but, of course, on a much smaller scale. We selected one +of these small dwellings, or summer houses, for the use of Miss Carl +during her stay, and had it fitted up nicely, to make her as comfortable +as possible. We ourselves were to occupy the next house to Miss Carl, in +order that we might always be on hand, and at the same time keep a good +eye on her. We returned to the Summer Palace the same evening, and told +Her Majesty just how everything had been arranged. She said: "I want you +all to be very careful not to let this lady know that you are watching +her." She seemed very anxious about this, repeating these instructions +for several days prior to Miss Carl's arrival. + +I felt very much relieved when the day before the audience arrived, and +everything was finally fixed to Her Majesty's satisfaction. She ordered +us to retire early that evening, as she wanted to rest and look well +the next morning. When morning came we hurried over everything, even +the usual morning audience, so that we could be ready when Miss Carl +arrived. + +While I was standing behind the screen, as usual, a eunuch came and told +me that Mrs. Conger, the artist, and another lady had arrived, and that +they were now in the waiting room. By that time the audience was about +finished. The chief eunuch came in and told Her Majesty that the foreign +ladies had arrived and were waiting in another room. Her Majesty said to +us: "I think I will go to the courtyard and meet them there." Of course, +at all private audiences Her Majesty received the people in the Throne +Room, but as Miss Carl was more of a guest, she did not think it +necessary to go through the usual formal reception. + +While we were descending the steps we saw the ladies entering the gate +of the courtyard. I pointed out Miss Carl to Her Majesty, and noticed +that she eyed Miss Carl very keenly. When we arrived in the courtyard, +Mrs. Conger came forward and greeted Her Majesty and then presented Miss +Carl. Her Majesty's first impression of Miss Carl was a good one, as +Miss Carl was smiling very pleasantly, and Her Majesty, who always liked +to see a pleasant smile, exclaimed to me in an undertone: "She seems to +be a very pleasant person," to which I replied that I was very glad she +thought so, as I was very anxious about the impression Miss Carl would +make on Her Majesty. Her Majesty watched Miss Carl and myself as we +greeted each other, and I could see that she was satisfied. She told me +afterwards that she had noticed Miss Carl appeared very glad to see +me again, and said: "We will handle her pretty easily, I think." Her +Majesty then went to her own private Palace, and we all followed. On our +arrival, Miss Carl told me that she had brought her own canvas. This +was a piece about six feet by four feet. I had told Miss Carl a little +previously that Her Majesty refused to sit for a very small portrait and +that she would like a life-size one. When Her Majesty saw the canvas she +appeared to be very much disappointed, as in her opinion even that was +not large enough. We placed the tables ready for Miss Carl, and Her +Majesty asked her to choose the position in which she wished to paint. +I knew that Miss Carl would have great difficulty in choosing a good +position on account of the windows being built so low, there being very +little light except low down near the ground. However, Miss Carl finally +placed the canvas near the door of the room. Her Majesty told Mrs. +Conger and the rest to sit down for a while as she wanted to change into +another gown. I followed her into her bedroom. The first question Her +Majesty asked was how old I thought Miss Carl was, as she herself could +not guess her age, her hair being extremely light, in fact almost white. +I could hardly refrain from laughing outright on hearing this, and told +Her Majesty that Miss Carl's hair was naturally of a light color. Her +Majesty said that she had often seen ladies with golden hair, but never +one with white hair, excepting old ladies. She said: "I think that she +is very nice, however, and hope she will paint a good portrait." + +Turning to one of the Court ladies, she ordered her to fetch a yellow +gown as although, as she put it, she did not like yellow, she thought it +would be the best color for a portrait. She selected one from a number +which the Court lady brought, embroidered all over with purple wisteria. +Her shoes and handkerchiefs matched. She also wore a blue silk scarf, +embroidered with the character "Shou" (long life). Each character had +a pearl in the center. She wore a pair of jade bracelets and also jade +nail protectors. In addition she wore jade butterflies and a tassel on +one side of her headdress, and, as usual, fresh flowers on the other +side. Her Majesty certainly did look beautiful on that occasion. + +By the time she came out from her room Miss Carl had everything +prepared. When she saw how Her Majesty was dressed, she exclaimed: "How +beautiful Her Majesty looks in this dress," which remark I interpreted +to Her Majesty, and it pleased her very much. + +She seated herself on her throne, ready to pose for the picture. She +just sat down in an ordinary easy position, placing one hand on a +cushion. Miss Carl explained: "That is an excellent position, as it is +so natural. Please do not move." I told Her Majesty what Miss Carl said, +and she asked me whether she looked all right, or not. If not, she would +change her position. I assured her that she looked very grand in that +position. However, she asked the opinion of the Young Empress and some +of the Court ladies, who all agreed that she could not look better. I +could see that they never looked at Her Majesty at all, they were too +much interested in what Miss Carl was doing. + +When Miss Carl commenced to make the rough sketch of Her Majesty +everyone watched with open mouth, as they had never seen anything done +so easily and so naturally. The Young Empress whispered to me: "Although +I don't know anything about portrait painting, still I can see that she +is a good artist. She has never seen any of our clothes and headdresses, +and she has copied them exactly. Just imagine one of our Chinese artists +trying to paint a foreign lady, what a mess he would make of it." + +After the sketch was finished Her Majesty was delighted and thought +it was wonderful for Miss Carl to have made it so quickly and so +accurately. I explained that this was a rough sketch and that when Miss +Carl commenced painting, she would soon see the difference. Her Majesty +told me to ask Miss Carl whether she was tired and would like to rest; +also to tell her that she was very busy all the day, and would only be +able to give her a few minutes' sitting each day. We then took Miss +Carl to luncheon, together with Mrs. Conger, and after luncheon we +accompanied Her Majesty to the theatre. + +After Mrs. Conger had departed I took Miss Carl to my room to rest. As +soon as we arrived there, Her Majesty sent a eunuch to call me to her +bedroom. Her Majesty said: "I don't want this lady to paint during my +afternoon rest. She can rest at the same time. As soon as I am up you +can bring her here to paint. I am glad that it looks like turning out +better than I had anticipated." I therefore told Miss Carl Her Majesty's +wishes in this respect and that she could paint for a little while, +if she chose to, after Her Majesty had had her rest. Miss Carl was so +interested in Her Majesty, she told me she didn't want to rest at +all, but that she would like to go on with the painting right away. Of +course, I did not like to tell her anything the first day, as it might +upset her, and did not say that this was a command from Her Majesty. +After a lot of maneuvering I got her to give up the idea of continuing +straight off, without offending her. I took her out on the veranda as +the eunuch was preparing the table for Her Majesty's dinner in the room +we were then occupying. The Young Empress kept Miss Carl busy talking, I +acting as interpreter. Soon one of the eunuchs came and informed us that +Her Majesty had finished dinner, and would we please come and take ours. +On entering the room I was very much surprised to see that chairs had +been placed there, as this had never been done previously, everybody, +with the exception of Her Majesty, taking their meals standing. The +Young Empress was also very much surprised and asked me whether I knew +anything about it. I said that perhaps it was on account of Miss Carl +being there. The Young Empress told me to go over and ask Her Majesty, +as she was afraid to sit down without receiving orders to do so. +Her Majesty whispered to me: "I don't want Miss Carl to think we are +barbarians, and treat the Young Empress and the Court ladies in that +manner. Of course, she does not understand our Court etiquette and might +form a wrong impression, so you can all sit down without coming over to +thank me, but be natural, as though you were accustomed to sitting down +to dinner every day." + +After Her Majesty had washed her hands she came over to our table. Of +course we all stood up. Her Majesty told me to ask Miss Carl whether she +liked the food, and was pleased when Miss Carl answered that she liked +the food better than her own kind. That relieved Her Majesty. + +After dinner was over I told Miss Carl to say good-bye to Her Majesty. +We courtesied to her, also to the Young Empress, and said good night to +the Court ladies. We then took Miss Carl to the Palace of Prince Chung. +It took us about ten minutes' ride in the carts. We showed Miss Carl her +bedroom, and were pleased to leave her and get to our own rooms, for a +good night's rest. + +The next morning we took Miss Carl to the Palace, and arrived there +during the morning audience. Of course Miss Carl, being a foreigner, +could not enter the Throne Room, so we sat down on the back veranda +of the Audience Hall and waited until it was over. This, of course, +prevented my being in attendance each morning, as usual, and was a great +disappointment to me, as I was unable to keep in touch with what was +taking place. Moreover, during the time I had been at Court, my one +object had been to endeavor to interest Her Majesty in Western customs +and civilization. I believed that to a great extent Her Majesty was +becoming interested in these things, and would refer the subjects of our +conversations to her Ministers, for their opinions. For instance, I had +shown her photographs taken of a Naval Review at which I was present +in France. Her Majesty seemed to be impressed, and said that she would +certainly like to be able to make a similar display in China. This +matter she consulted with her Ministers, but they gave the usual evasive +answer, viz.: "There is plenty of time for that." From this you will see +that Her Majesty was not able to introduce reforms entirely alone, even +though she might desire to do so, but had to consult the Ministers, who +would always agree with Her Majesty, but would suggest that the matter +be put off for a time. + +My experience while at the Palace was that everybody seemed to be afraid +to suggest anything new for fear they might get themselves into trouble. + +When Her Majesty came out from the Audience Hall, Miss Carl went up +to her and kissed Her Majesty's hand, which caused her great surprise, +although she did not show it at the time. Afterwards, however, when we +were alone, she asked me why Miss Carl had done this, as it was not a +Chinese custom. She naturally thought that it must be a foreign custom, +and therefore said nothing about it. + +Her Majesty then proceeded on foot to her own Palace, to change her +dress for the portrait. It was a beautiful morning, and when she had +posed for about ten minutes, she told me that she felt too tired to +proceed, and asked if it would be all right to ask Miss Carl to postpone +it. I explained that as Miss Carl was going to be at the Palace for +some time, the postponement of one day's sitting would not make much +difference at that time, although I knew that Miss Carl would naturally +be disappointed. Still, I had to humor Her Majesty as much as possible, +otherwise she might have thrown up the whole thing. Miss Carl said that +if Her Majesty wished to go to rest, she could be working painting the +screen and the throne, and Her Majesty could pose again later on if she +felt like it. This pleased Her Majesty, and she said that she would try +to sit again after taking her afternoon's rest. Her Majesty ordered me +to give Miss Carl her lunch in my own room at twelve o'clock each day, +my mother, my sister and myself keeping her company. Dinner at the +Palace was usually taken about six o'clock, and it was arranged that +Miss Carl should take dinner with the Young Empress and the Court ladies +at that hour, after Her Majesty had finished dining. Her Majesty also +ordered that champagne or any other wine which Miss Carl preferred, +should be served, as she said she knew it was the custom for all foreign +ladies to take wine with their meals. Where she got hold of this +idea, nobody knew. I was sure that Her Majesty had been misinformed by +somebody, but it would have been bad policy to have tried to tell her +different at the moment. She disliked very much to be told that she was +wrong in any of these things, and it could only be done by waiting and +casually introducing the subject at some other time. + +After Miss Carl had gone to rest during the afternoon, Her Majesty +sent for me and asked the usual question, viz.: What had Miss Carl been +saying? etc., etc. She seemed particularly anxious to know what Miss +Carl thought of her, and when I told her that Miss Carl had said that +she was very beautiful and quite young looking, she said: "Oh! well, +of course Miss Carl would say that to you." However, on my assuring her +that Miss Carl had given this opinion without being asked for it, +she showed very plainly that she was not at all displeased with the +compliment. + +Suddenly Her Majesty said: "I have been thinking that if Miss Carl can +paint the screen and the throne, surely she ought to be able to paint +my clothes and jewels, without it being necessary for me to pose all the +time." I told her that would be quite impossible, as nobody could hold +the things for Miss Carl to get the proper effect. To my surprise she +answered: "Well, that is easily gotten over. You wear them in my place." +I hardly knew what to say, but thought I would get out of the +difficulty by telling her that perhaps Miss Carl would not like such an +arrangement. Her Majesty, however, could see no possible objection +on Miss Carl's part, as she herself could pose when the time came for +painting her face. So I put the matter as nicely as possible to Miss +Carl, and it was finally arranged that I should dress in Her Majesty's +robes and jewels whenever Her Majesty felt too tired to do the posing +herself. In this manner the portrait of the Empress Dowager was painted, +and with the exception of just a few hours to enable Miss Carl to +get Her Majesty's facial expression, I had to sit for two hours each +morning, and for another two hours each afternoon until the portrait was +finished. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN--THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY + +MY father's four months' leave having expired, he was received in +audience by their Majesties on the first day of the sixth moon. He was +much improved in health, but his rheumatism was still very troublesome. +This was particularly noticeable when climbing the steps to the Audience +Hall, and Her Majesty ordered two of the eunuchs to assist him. + +First he thanked Her Majesty for her kindness towards my sister and +myself, and, as was the custom, took off his hat and knelt down, bowing +his head until it struck the ground. This ceremony was always gone +through by any official who had received special favors from Their +Majesties. + +He then replaced his hat on his head and remained kneeling before the +throne. Her Majesty then questioned him about his life in Paris, from +time to time complimenting him on his work. Seeing that remaining in +this kneeling position appeared to be making him tired, Her Majesty +ordered one of the eunuchs to bring a cushion for him to use, which was +another great honor, as this cushion was only used by the President of +the Grand Council. + +Her Majesty told him that as he was now getting to be a very old man, +she did not intend sending him away from China again, as she wanted to +keep my sister and myself at the Court, which she could not do if she +sent him to some foreign country, as he would want to take his daughters +with him. She said she was pleased, that although we had been away from +China for such a long time, we were well acquainted with the Manchu +customs. My father replied that it had been his care that we should be +brought up according to the customs of our own country. + +Her Majesty when asked the Emperor if he had anything to say, and he +replied by asking my father if he spoke French, and thought it very +strange on learning that he did not. My father explained that he had +never had the time to study it, besides which he considered himself too +old to learn a foreign language. + +The Emperor next asked what was the feeling in France towards China. +My father replied that they were very friendly at that time, but that +immediately after the Boxer trouble the post of Minister had been a +very embarrassing one. Her Majesty said that it had been an unfortunate +affair, but she was glad that everything was now settled satisfactorily. +She told my father that he was to get well again as quickly as possible, +and the audience came to an end. + +Afterwards Her Majesty said that my father was looking very old since +his return from France and that he would have to be careful and take +things easy until he got stronger again. She was pleased that he had +shown appreciation of her interest in my sister and myself. + +Preparations were now commenced for celebrating the birthday of His +Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, which was to take place on the 28th of +that month. The actual date of the Emperor's birthday was the 26th of +the sixth moon, but this day, being the anniversary of the death of a +previous Emperor of China, we were unable to hold any festivities, +and so it was always celebrated on the 28th day instead. The official +celebration lasted for seven days, three days before and four days after +the actual date. During that time the whole of the Court dressed in +official robes, and no business of any kind whatever was attended to. +This being the Emperor's 32nd birthday, and as the full celebrations +only took place every tenth year, i. e. On his 20th birthday, his 30th +birthday, and so on, the festivities were not carried out on a very +grand scale. However, it was quite sufficient to interfere with all +business, and the usual morning audiences did not take place during +these seven days. The Empress Dowager herself was the only person who +did not dress especially during these celebrations, and who did not take +any active part in the festivities. Another reason why the celebrations +were not carried out on a very large scale was the fact that the Empress +Dowager, being alive, she took precedence, according to the Manchu +custom, over the Emperor himself, in fact she was the actual ruler of +the country, the Emperor being second. The Emperor was quite aware of +this fact, and when the Empress commanded that preparations be commenced +for the celebrations, the Emperor would always suggest that it was not +at all necessary to celebrate the occasion unless it happened to be a +tenth year, and would very reluctantly agree to the festivities taking +place. Of course this was more out of politeness on the part of the +Emperor and to conform to the recognized etiquette, but the nation +recognized this birthday and naturally celebrated according to the usual +custom. During this period, therefore, the painting of the portrait was +postponed. + +When the morning of the 25th arrived, the Emperor dressed himself in his +official robe-yellow gown, embroidered with gold dragons and coat of a +reddish black color. Of course, being the Emperor, in place of the +usual button on the hat he wore a large pearl. I might mention that +the Emperor was the only person who could wear this particular pearl in +place of a button. He came as usual to wish Her Majesty Chi Hsiang and +then proceeded to the temple to worship before the ancestral tablets. +After this ceremony was over he returned to the Empress Dowager and +kowtowed to her. All the Chinese adopt this rule of kowtowing to their +parents on their own birthdays, as a sign of reverence and respect. The +Emperor next proceeded to the Audience Hall, where all the Ministers +were assembled, and received their salutations and congratulations. This +ceremony very often caused amusement, for to see several hundred people +all bobbing their heads up and down, especially when they did not all +manage to do it together, was a very funny sight. Even the Emperor +himself had to laugh, it was such an extraordinary spectacle. + +The musical instruments which were used during the ceremony deserve a +little description. The principal instrument is made of hard wood, and +has a flat bottom about three feet in diameter, with a dome-shaped top +raised about three feet from the ground. The inside is quite hollow. +A long pole made of the same material is used as a drumstick, and an +official, specially appointed, beats with all his might on the drum. The +noise can be better imagined than described. This is used as a signal to +announce when the Emperor takes his seat upon the throne. In addition +to the above, a full sized model of a tiger, also made of similar hard +wood, and having twenty-four scales on its back, is brought into the +courtyard. In this case they did not beat the instrument, but scraped +along its back over the scales, which emitted a noise similar to the +letting off simultaneously of innumerable crackers. This noise was kept +up during the whole of the ceremony, and what with the drum and this +tiger instrument it was sufficient to deafen one. During the ceremony, +an official crier used to call out the different orders, such as when +to kneel, bow, stand up, kowtow, etc., etc., but with the noise it +was quite impossible to hear a single word of what he uttered. Another +instrument was composed of a frame made of wood, about eight feet high +by three feet broad. Across this frame were three wooden bars, from +which was suspended twelve bells, made out of pure gold. When these were +struck with a wooden stick the sound was not at all unlike the dulcimer, +only, of course, very much louder. This was placed on the right side +of the Audience Hall. On the left side a similar instrument was placed, +with the exception that the bells were carved out of white jade. The +music which could be brought out of the instrument was very sweet. + +When this ceremony of receiving the Ministers was concluded, the Emperor +proceeded to his private Palace, where the Young Empress (his wife), +the Secondary wife and all the Court ladies were gathered, and, after +kowtowing, all of the Court ladies present, led by the Young Empress, +knelt before him and presented him with a Ru Yee. This is a kind of +sceptre. Some are made out of pure jade, while others are made out of +wood inlaid with jade. This Ru Yee is a symbol of good luck and was +supposed to bring happiness and prosperity to the person to whom it was +presented. The ceremony was gone through to the accompaniment of music +played on string instruments, which was very sweet. + +Next the eunuchs were received by the Emperor, and they similarly +congratulated him, but without the accompaniment of music. After the +eunuchs came the servant girls, and the whole of the ceremony was over. +The Emperor next proceeded to Her Majesty's Palace, where he knelt +before Her Majesty and thanked her for the celebration which had been +given in his honor, after which Her Majesty, accompanied by the whole +Court, went to the theatre to see the play. On arrival at the theatre we +were all presented by Her Majesty with sweetmeats, this being the custom +on these occasions, and after a little while Her Majesty retired for her +afternoon rest. Thus the celebration ended. + +Two days after the celebration the seventh moon commenced. The +seventh day of the seventh moon was the occasion of another important +anniversary. + +The two stars, Niu Lang (Capricorn) and Chih Nu (Lyra) are supposed to +be the patrons of agriculture and weaving and, according to tradition, +were at one time man and wife. As the result of a quarrel, however, they +were doomed to live apart, being separated from each other by the "Milky +Way." But on the seventh day of the seventh moon of each year they are +allowed to see each other and the magpies are supposed to build a bridge +to enable them to meet. + +The ceremony is rather peculiar. Several basins full of water were +placed so that the sun's rays would fall upon them. Her Majesty then +took several tiny needles and dropped one into each basin. These floated +on the water, casting a shadow across the bottom of the basins. These +shadows took different forms, according to the position of the needle, +and if the shadow took certain prescribed forms, the person throwing +in the needle was supposed to be very lucky and clever, while if they +represented certain other forms, they were despised by the gods as being +ignorant. In addition, Her Majesty burned incense and offered up prayers +to the two gods referred to. + +This was always a sad moon for Her Majesty, it being the anniversary of +the death of her husband, the Emperor Hsien Feng, who died on the 17th +of that month. The fifteenth of the seventh moon each year is the day of +the festival for the dead, and early in the morning the Court moved +to the Sea Palace in order to sacrifice. The Chinese hold that when +a person dies, his soul still remains on the earth, and on these +anniversaries they burn imitation money, the belief being that the soul +of the departed one will benefit to the extent of the amount of money so +represented. On the anniversary above referred to Her Majesty sent for +hundreds of Buddhist priests to pray for those unfortunate people who +had died without leaving anyone who could sacrifice for them. On the +evening of this day, Her Majesty and all her Court ladies set out in +open boats on the lake, where imitation lotus flowers were arranged as +lanterns, with a candle placed in the centre, which formed a sort of +floating light, the idea being to give light to the spirits of those who +had departed during the year, so as to enable them to come and receive +the blessings which had been prepared for them. Her Majesty ordered us +to light the candles and place the flowers on the water ourselves, as +she said it would be appreciated by the spirits of the dead. Some of the +eunuchs had told Her Majesty that they had actually seen some of these +spirits, which assertion was thoroughly believed. Although she had never +seen them herself, she accounted for this by the fact that she was of +too high a rank and the spirits were afraid of her, but she ordered all +the rest of us to keep a sharp lookout and tell her if we saw anything. +Of course we didn't see anything, but many of the Court ladies were so +frightened that they closed their eyes for fear they might see something +supernatural. + +Her Majesty was devoted to the late Emperor Hsien Feng, and she was very +sad and morose during this period. We all had to be very careful indeed +not to upset her in any way, as she would find fault on the slightest +provocation. She hardly had a word to say to any of us, and cried almost +incessantly. I could hardly understand the reason for such grief, seeing +that the Emperor had died so many years previously. None of the Court +ladies were allowed to dress in light-coloured gowns during the whole of +the seventh moon. We all dressed either in dark blue or pale blue, while +Her Majesty herself dressed in black every day without exception. Even +her handkerchiefs were black. The theatres which were usually opened on +the first and fifteenth of each month, were closed during the seventh +moon. There was no music, and everything was conducted in the most +solemn manner; in fact, the whole Court was in deep mourning. + +On the morning of the seventeenth day of the seventh moon, Her Majesty +visited the late Emperor's tablet, and knelt there crying for quite a +while. In order to show respect for the late Emperor, none of us were +allowed to eat meat for three days. This being my first year at the +Palace, it appeared to me very strange, after the customary gaiety and +noise. Of course I felt very sorry for Her Majesty, as I could see that +it was a genuine display of grief and was not in any way put on. As I +was her favorite at that time, she kept me close to her side during this +sad period. The Young Empress said to me one day: "Her Majesty is very +much attached to you, and I think you had better stay with her for the +time being." This I did, and I was so miserable myself that when Her +Majesty commenced crying I would cry also. When she saw that I was +crying, Her Majesty would immediately stop and ask me not to cry. She +would tell me that I was too young to cry, and that in any case I did +not know what real sorrow was as yet. During the conversations we had at +that time she would tell me quite a lot about herself. On one occasion +she said: "You know I have had a very hard life ever since I was a +young girl. I was not a bit happy when with my parents, as I was not the +favorite. My sisters had everything they wanted, while I was, to a great +extent, ignored altogether. When I first came to the Court, a lot of +the people were jealous of me because I was considered to be a beautiful +woman at that time. I must say myself that I was a clever one, for I +fought my own battles, and won them, too. When I arrived at Court the +late Emperor became very much attached to me and would hardly glance at +any of the other ladies. Fortunately, I was lucky in giving birth to a +son, as it made me the Emperor's undisputed favorite; but after that +I had very bad luck. During the last year of his reign the Emperor was +seized with a sudden illness. In addition to this the foreign soldiers +burnt down the Palace at Yuen Ming Yuen, so we fled to Jehol. Of course +everybody knows what took place at that time. I was still a young woman, +with a dying husband and a young son. The East Empress Dowager's nephew +was a bad man, who coveted the throne, which he had no right to in +any event, as he was not of royal blood. I would not wish anyone to +experience what I myself passed through at that time. When the Emperor +was in a dying condition, being practically unconscious of what was +taking place around him, I took my son to his bedside and asked him what +was going to be done about his successor to the throne. He made no reply +to this, but, as has always been the case in emergencies, I was equal to +the occasion, and I said to him: 'Here is your son,' on hearing which he +immediately opened his eyes and said: 'Of course he will succeed to the +throne.' I naturally felt relieved when this was settled once and +for all. These words were practically the last he spoke, for he died +immediately afterwards. Although it is now so many years ago, I can see +him now in that dying condition, just as though it all happened only +yesterday. + +"I thought that I could be happy with my son as the Emperor Tung Chi, +but unfortunately he died before he was twenty years of age. Since that +time I have been a changed woman, as all happiness was over as far as I +was concerned when he died. I had also quite a lot of trouble with the +East Empress Dowager and found it very difficult to keep on good terms +with her. However, she died five years after the death of my son. In +addition to all this, when the Emperor Kwang Hsu was brought to me as a +baby three years old, he was a very sickly child, and could hardly walk, +he was so thin and weak. His parents seemed to be afraid of giving him +anything to eat. You know his father was Prince Chung, and his mother +was my sister, so of course he was almost the same as my own son, +in fact I adopted him as such. Even now, after all my trouble on his +account, he is not in perfect health. As you know, I have had plenty of +other troubles beside these, but it is useless to mention them now. I +am disappointed with everything, as nothing has turned out as I had +expected." With this remark Her Majesty commenced crying afresh. +Continuing, she said: "People seem to think that just because I am the +Empress Dowager that I am bound to be happy, but what I have just +told you is not all. I have gone through much more than that. If ever +anything went wrong, I was always the one who was blamed. The censors +even dare to impeach me once in a while. However, I am philosopher +enough to take things for what they are worth, otherwise I would have +been in my own grave long, long ago. Just imagine how small minded these +people are. Amongst other things they objected to my transferring my +Court to the Summer Palace during the hot weather, although I could do +no harm by being there. Even in the short time you have spent at Court, +you can see that I am unable to decide anything alone, while whenever +they want anything they consult with each other and then present their +petition to me, which, unless it is something of a very serious nature, +I never think of refusing." + +After the time set apart for mourning had expired, we all went back +to the Summer Palace, where Miss Carl re-commenced her work on Her +Majesty's portrait. Her Majesty apparently soon got tired of this +portrait painting, for one day she asked me when I thought it would be +finished. She was afraid that it would not be finished by the time the +cold weather came on, when we always removed the Court to the Forbidden +City, and she said it would be a lot of trouble and inconvenience to +have to continue the portrait there. I told Her Majesty that it could +easily be arranged and that she need not worry herself. + +After I had been posing in Her Majesty's place for several days Her +Majesty asked me whether Miss Carl had said anything about it, and if +she did, I was to inform her that it was a command from Her Majesty, and +that I dare not make any further suggestions in that respect. So we had +no further trouble with Miss Carl after that. I had, however, quite +a lot of trouble with the eunuchs, who, in spite of Her Majesty's +instructions, were anything but polite to Miss Carl. Of course Miss +Carl herself did not know this. I tried to make them behave better by +threatening to tell Her Majesty about them, which had a good effect for +a while, but they were soon as bad as ever. + +At the commencement of the eighth moon, Her Majesty always attended to +the transplanting of her chrysanthemums, which was one of her favorite +flowers, so each day she would take us with her to the west side of the +lake and, assisted by us, would cut the tops of the young plants and set +them in flower pots. I was very much surprised at this, as there were +no roots, only the stems of the flowers, but Her Majesty assured me that +they would soon grow into very pretty plants. Every day we went over to +water these flowers until they began to bud. In case it rained heavily, +Her Majesty would order some of the eunuchs to go over and cover up +these chrysanthemum plants with mats, so that they would not be broken. +It was characteristic of Her Majesty that, no matter what other business +she had to attend to, her flowers had her first consideration and +she would, if necessary, even go without her usual rest in order to +superintend them personally. She also spent quite a time in looking +after her orchard, where she had planted apple trees, pear trees, etc. +Another thing which I began to notice was that when the spring and +summer days had passed, she got quite irritable and sad, while in the +winter she was simply unbearable. She loathed cold weather. + +One day, during the eighth moon, Her Majesty was taken slightly ill, and +complained of suffering from severe headaches. This was the only time I +ever saw Her Majesty actually sick. She, however, got up as usual in +the morning, and held audience, but was unable to take her luncheon, and +very soon had to retire to her bed. Several doctors were summoned, each +of whom took her pulse. This was quite a ceremony in itself. The doctors +knelt at the bedside, and Her Majesty stretched forth her arm, resting +her hand upon a small pillow which was provided for that purpose. After +this each doctor wrote out his prescription, all of which were different +from each other. We handed them to Her Majesty, who chose the one which +she thought was the nicest to take, and two attendants and the doctor +himself had to take a dose in her presence before she would touch it. +Then she would take it all right. + +During this time it rained a great deal and was very hot. The climate at +this time of the year is very damp, which causes the flies to make their +appearance in millions. If there was one thing more than another that +Her Majesty detested it was these flies. During the actual summer they +were not so troublesome as at this particular time. Of course every +precaution was taken to keep them away, a eunuch being posted at each +door, provided with sort of a switch made of horse hair fastened at the +end of a bamboo pole. We were never troubled by mosquitoes, however; in +fact I never saw a mosquito curtain in the Palace during the whole of +my stay there. These flies were an abomination, and in spite of all that +could be done a few would find their way into the rooms. Whenever they +alighted on Her Majesty she would scream, while if by any chance one +were to alight on her food she would order the whole lot to be thrown +away. This would spoil her appetite for the whole day and put her into +a terrible temper as well. Whenever she saw one anywhere near her, she +would order whoever happened to be present to go and catch it. I myself +often received this order, but I detested them almost as much as Her +Majesty did, they were so dirty, and stuck to one's hands whenever they +touched them. + +After her illness Her Majesty was indisposed more or less for quite a +long time, and doctors were constantly in attendance. She took so many +different kinds of medicine that instead of getting better she got worse +and eventually contracted a fever. Her Majesty was very much afraid of +fevers of any kind and we had to stay with her all night and all day and +had to take our meals whenever we could get away from her bedside for a +few minutes. Another peculiarity was Her Majesty's aversion for any kind +of perfume near her when she was sick, while when she was feeling well +she was simply smothered in it. The same applied to fresh flowers; in +spite of her love for them under ordinary conditions, when she was sick +she could not bear them anywhere near. Her nerves became absolutely +unstrung, as she was unable to sleep during the day, and consequently +the time passed very slowly to her. In order to make the time pass +a little less tediously, she gave instructions for one of the better +educated eunuchs to read to her during the daytime. This reading +generally consisted of ancient Chinese history, poetry and all kinds of +Chinese lore, and while the eunuch was reading to her we had to stand by +her bedside, one of us being told off to massage her legs, which seemed +to soothe her somewhat. This same program was gone through every day +until she was completely herself again--some ten days later. + +One day Her Majesty asked me: "What kind of medicine does a foreign +doctor usually give in case of a fever? I have heard that they make you +take all kinds of pills. This must be very dangerous, as you never know +what they are made of. Here in China all medicines are made from roots, +and I can always find out whether I am receiving the right medicine, +as I have a book which explains what each different medicine is for. +Another thing I have heard is that foreign doctors generally operate +on you with a knife, while we cure the same sickness by means of our +medicine. Li Lien Ying told me that one of our little eunuchs had a boil +on his wrist and someone advised him to go to the hospital. Of course +they didn't know what they would do, and the foreign doctor there opened +the boil with a knife, which frightened the child very much. I was very +much surprised when I heard he was all right again in a couple of days." +Continuing, Her Majesty said: "A year ago one of the foreign ladies came +to the Palace, and hearing me cough a lot, gave me some black pills and +told me to swallow them. I did not like to offend her, so I took the +pills and told her I would take them by and bye. However, I was afraid +to take them and threw them away." Of course I answered that I didn't +know much about medicines, to which she replied that she had seen me +take foreign medicines whenever I was not feeling well. She then said: +"Of course I know there are people in Peking who do take the medicines +given them by foreign doctors and even some of my own relatives +patronize these foreigners also. They try not to let me know, but I do +know for all that. In any case, if they choose to kill themselves by +taking these things, it is none of my business; that is the reason why, +when they are sick, I never send my own doctors to attend them." + +When Her Majesty had completely recovered from her illness she used to +go out on the lake a great deal, sometimes in an open boat and at other +times in a steam launch. She always appeared to enjoy this kind of +thing. For some reason or other she always insisted on taking the west +side of the lake, which was very shallow, and invariably the launch +would get stuck fast in the mud, which seemed to afford Her Majesty +great enjoyment; she simply loved to feel the launch strike the bottom. +The open boats would then come alongside and we would have to get out +of the launch and enter the boats and proceed to the top of the nearest +hill to watch the efforts of the eunuchs trying to refloat the launch. +It was a characteristic of Her Majesty to experience a keen sense of +enjoyment at the troubles of other people. The eunuchs knew this quite +well, and whenever opportunity offered, they would do something which +they thought would amuse Her Majesty. So long as it was nothing of a +serious nature Her Majesty would always overlook it, but in case it +proved serious or was carelessness, she would always order them to be +severely punished. Thus it was very hard to tell just what to do in +order to please her. + +Another of Her Majesty's peculiarities was inquisitiveness. For example: +As I have stated before, it was the custom for Her Majesty to have +sweetmeats brought to her before every meal, and after she had finished +with them, the remainder were distributed among the Court ladies. +Whenever it happened that we were very busy, we did not bother with the +sweetmeats at all, which Her Majesty very soon found out. One day, after +she had finished dining, she came and looked through the window to see +what we were doing, and saw some of the eunuchs eating the sweetmeats +which she had given to us. She did not say anything, but simply ordered +that the sweetmeats should be brought back again, making us believe that +she wanted some more herself. I knew that there was something wrong, as +she never ordered them back before. When she saw what was left of them, +she asked who had been eating so many, as they were nearly all finished, +but she got no reply--we were all too scared. However, after thinking +it over, I came to the conclusion that it would be best to tell her the +truth, for I was quite certain that she knew anyhow. So I told her that +we had all been very busy and had forgotten all about the sweetmeats, +and that the eunuchs had come and taken them themselves, and I added +that this was not the first time they had done so. I was rather glad +that she had given me this opportunity to report the eunuchs, for Her +Majesty replied that if she intended the eunuchs to have sweetmeats, she +herself could give them some, but thought it a lack of appreciation +on our part not eating them ourselves after she had been so kind as to +provide them for us. She turned to me, and said: "I am glad that you +have told the truth, as I saw myself what was happening." She gave +orders that the offending eunuchs should each have three months' wages +deducted as a punishment, but of course I knew very well they didn't +mind that, as they were making many times the amount of their salary in +other ways. On my return to the sitting room, one of the Court ladies +said: "You should not have told Her Majesty about the eunuchs, they are +sure to revenge themselves in some way." I asked how they could possibly +injure me in any way, as they were only servants, but she told me that +they would find some underhand way in which to get even with me, this +being their general custom. Of course I knew the eunuchs were a bad lot, +but could not see what cause they had to be against me in any way. I +knew they dare not say anything against me to Her Majesty, so I forgot +all about the matter. I found out afterwards that one of the tricks they +used to play on any of the Court ladies who offended them was to try and +prejudice Her Majesty against us. For instance, if Her Majesty told one +of the eunuchs that a certain thing should be done, instead of telling +me what Her Majesty wanted, the eunuch would go off to one of the other +ladies and tell her. In this way Her Majesty would get the impression +that I was too lazy to wait upon her myself, and of course the other +lady would get all the credit. Although Her Majesty was very kind to me, +also the Young Empress, it was very hard to get along with eunuchs, +and it was not good policy to offend them in any way. They regarded +themselves as being exclusively the servants of Her Majesty, the +Empress Dowager, and refused to take instructions from anybody else, +consequently they were often very rude to the other ladies of the Court, +not even excepting the Young Empress. + +Everything proceeded as usual until the eighth moon, when the Emperor +was to sacrifice at the "Temple of the Sun." On this occasion the +Emperor wore a red robe. + +About this time Mrs. Conger asked for a private audience, as she +wanted to see Her Majesty and at the same time see how the portrait was +progressing. Her Majesty replied that she would receive her and gave +orders accordingly. At this private audience Mrs. Conger brought into +the Court two of her relatives to be presented to Her Majesty, besides +Miss Campbell and a missionary lady. As it was a private audience, +the guests were conducted to Her Majesty's private Palace. They were +received in the hall which was being used as studio for this lady +artist, although Her Majesty was out of patience with the portrait +painting, and talked to us a great deal about it, yet when she saw Mrs. +Conger and the others she was extremely polite and told them that the +portrait was going to be a masterpiece. She was in an unusually good +humor that day and told me to give orders to the eunuchs to open all the +buildings and show them to her guests. Her Majesty led the way from one +room to another and showed them her curios in the different rooms, until +she came to rest in one of the bedrooms, when she ordered chairs to be +brought in for the guests. There were many chairs in this room, but they +were really small thrones of Her Majesty's, although they looked like +any ordinary chairs. The custom is that no matter what kind of a chair +it may be, as soon as she uses it, it is at once called her throne and +no one is allowed to sit on it thereafter unless the order is given by +her. + +During the time the eunuchs were bringing in the chairs kept purposely +for foreigners to use, one of the ladies of the party made a mistake and +sat upon one of Her Majesty's thrones. I noticed her at once, and before +I had a chance to warn her, Her Majesty made a sign of annoyance to me. +I went to this lady at once and told her I wanted to show her something +and naturally she was obliged to get up. The trouble was this, although +Her Majesty felt that no one had the right to sit upon her throne, she +expected me to get this lady off the chair and at the same time not to +tell her the reason why. While I was busy interpreting for her, she said +in an undertone: "There she is again, sitting on my bed. We had +better leave this room." After this the ladies were conducted to the +refreshment room, and when they had partaken of lunch, bade Her Majesty +good-bye, leaving Miss Carl with us. As usual we reported to her that we +had seen the guests safely off. She said to me: "That was a funny lady: +first she sat upon my throne, and then upon my bed. Perhaps she does not +know what a throne is when she sees one, and yet foreigners laugh at +us. I am sure that our manners are far superior to theirs. Another +thing--did you notice that Mrs. Conger handed a parcel to Miss Carl out +in the courtyard when she came in?" I replied that I had noticed her +passing something like a parcel, but could not tell what the parcel +contained. She thereupon told me to go and ask Miss Carl what it was. At +that time I had received so many peculiar orders from Her Majesty that +I was beginning to get accustomed to them and used my own discretion in +carrying out her instructions. Therefore I did not ask Miss Carl, but +set about finding out for myself. However, when I began to look around +for the parcel, it had mysteriously disappeared and I could not find +the thing anywhere. This naturally worried me, knowing as I did that +Her Majesty liked her instructions carried out quickly. While I was +searching, one of the eunuchs came in and told me that Her Majesty +wanted to see me, and of course I had to go to her. Before she could say +anything to me, I informed Her Majesty that I had not been able to +ask Miss Carl about the parcel as she was asleep, but would do so +immediately she got up. Her Majesty said: "I don't want Miss Carl to +think I have told you to ask what the parcel contains, otherwise she +might think I am suspicious of what is going on, so you must manage +to get the information somehow without mentioning the matter; you are +clever enough to do that much." Shortly afterwards, while I was walking +along with Miss Carl to Her Majesty's Palace, to proceed with the +portrait, I noticed that she was carrying the parcel in question, which +was a great relief to me, I can assure you. On arrival at the Palace, +Miss Carl said to me: "You need not trouble to pose at present, as it is +rather dark, and I can be painting the throne; you can look through +this magazine, if you like, to pass the time away." So I opened up the +parcel, which proved to contain nothing more than an ordinary American +monthly magazine. After glancing through the book, I made an excuse to +hurry away and inform Her Majesty. However, she had already gone out +for her usual trip on the lake, so I took my chair and followed. When I +reached the lake, Her Majesty, who had seen me, sent a small boat and I +was rowed out to the launch. Before I could get a chance to speak, Her +Majesty said with a smile: "I know all about it, it was a book and Miss +Carl handed it to you to read." I was very much disappointed that I had +had my journey for nothing. I knew that the eunuchs would report it to +Her Majesty at the first opportunity, but I hardly expected they would +have done so already. Her Majesty was now quite satisfied, and simply +asked whether Miss Carl suspected that she had enquired about the +matter. + +As I was about to return to Miss Carl, Her Majesty called me and said: +"There is one thing I want to tell you and that is whenever any foreign +ladies are visiting the Palace, always keep close to the Emperor so that +in the event of their speaking to him you can interpret." I answered +that so far whenever any foreigners were present I was present also and +did not think that anybody had held any conversation with the Emperor +whatsoever. She explained that her reason for mentioning this was +that she wanted me to be just as courteous to the Emperor as I was to +herself, and I was to place myself entirely at his disposal whenever +visitors were present. Of course I knew very well that this was not +the true reason at all but that she wanted to take every precaution +to preclude the possibility of foreigners influencing the Emperor in +matters of reform, etc. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN--THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL + +ON the fifteenth day of the eighth moon came the celebration of the +Mid-Autumn Festival, sometimes called the Moon Festival. + +This name is derived from the belief which the Chinese hold that the +moon is not permanently round when full, but that on this particular day +it is a perfect circle. The ceremony which is gone through is conducted +entirely by the Court ladies and consists of worshiping the moon as soon +as it appears in the sky. In other respects the celebrations are exactly +the same as in the Dragon Boat Festival, presents were exchanged between +Her Majesty and the Court officials. The festival concluded with a +theatrical performance which describes a scene in the moon. The belief +is that a beautiful maiden lives in the moon, her only companion being +a white rabbit, called a Jade Rabbit. According to the play this rabbit +escapes from the moon to the Earth and becomes a young and beautiful +girl. A golden rooster which lives in the sun, becoming aware of the +rabbit's descent to the earth, himself descends from the sun and +changes into a handsome prince. Of course they very naturally meet and +immediately fall in love. Now, on the earth lived another rabbit--a +red one, who, on finding out what was going on, changed himself into a +prince also and set about making love to the beautiful maiden with the +object of cutting out the rooster. However, he was seriously handicapped +inasmuch as he was unable to change the color of his face, which +remained red, therefore his love making met with no success and the +rooster prince had it all his own way. At this point, the beautiful +maiden in the moon, on discovering her loss, sent the soldiers of Heaven +to re-capture her rabbit, with the result that she was taken back to +the moon and the rooster being left alone, had no alternative but to +reluctantly return to his home in the sun. + +During this performance the head eunuch brought a young man into +the courtyard, who kowtowed to Her Majesty. This was such an unusual +occurrence that everybody noticed it. I could see that he was a stranger +and did not belong to the Court and I wondered who he could be. At +the other end of the veranda I saw two or three of the Court ladies +whispering together and smiling. They finally came over to me and asked +if I knew who he was. I told them that he was a stranger to me and +they ought to know better than I did as they had been at the Court much +longer. Anyhow I gave it as my opinion that he was decidedly ugly. That +same evening Her Majesty asked me whether I had noticed this young man, +and told me that he was the son of a very high Manchu official; that his +father was dead and that he had succeeded to the title and to a large +amount of money. I was surprised that Her Majesty should give such a +lengthy explanation about this young man, but I told her that I did +not think him very handsome. Her Majesty was talking in a very serious +manner but I did not think anything of the occurrence at the time but a +few days later while I was posing for the portrait I heard Her Majesty +whispering to my mother at the other end of the room. I saw that Her +Majesty was holding a photograph in her hands which she showed to my +mother, at the same time asking whether my mother considered him good +looking. My mother answered "not very." On Her Majesty replying that +beauty was not everything I began to suspect that there was something +going on which directly concerned me. I began to think of some excuse +in order to get out of what I could plainly see was a proposed marriage +between myself and this gentleman. I knew that if Her Majesty had made +up her mind that I was to marry him I could not help myself, but, at the +same time, I made up my own mind that rather than marry anyone whom I +did not like, especially one I had never seen before, I would leave the +Court altogether. When Her Majesty retired for her usual afternoon rest +she told me she wanted to see me for a moment. After beating about the +bush for some time, she asked me whether I would like to stay with her +always or whether I would like to go away again to some foreign country. +I at once answered that I was quite satisfied to stay with her as long +as she cared to have me but that when she was tired of me she could then +send me away. Her Majesty informed me that it had been her intention to +marry me to this young gentleman and asked my opinion. I told her that I +did not want to get married at all, especially seeing that my father was +sick at this time, and leaving home to go to live apart from my family +would break his heart and perhaps be the cause of his premature death. +Her Majesty said that was no excuse as I should not have to go out of +China but would be able to see my father and family any time I wished. +I told Her Majesty that I would much rather stay with her altogether and +that I did not want to marry anybody. Her Majesty then said: "I won't +listen to any excuse. I have already explained everything to your +mother, but much to my surprise she said it would be better to mention +it to you first, on account of your having been brought up differently +from the rest of the Court ladies. Had it not been for this fact I would +simply have arranged everything with your mother and the matter would +have been settled so far as you were concerned." I could not say +anything in answer to this, so commenced to cry. I told Her Majesty that +I was not like the rest of the Court ladies who pretended they did not +want to marry, when all the time they were simply looking forward to +getting married, if only for the change from the monotony of Court life. +I promised that I would stay with her forever, and that I had no desire +to go away from China again. I explained that I should not have gone +away at all had it not been that my father was transferred to Paris. Her +Majesty said: "Oh, well, I am very glad that you did go away as you are +more useful to me than you would have been had you stayed in China all +your life." After a lot more discussion Her Majesty said: "Well, I will +leave you to think the matter over. If you don't like the young man I +have chosen there are plenty of others," which remark did not help me +very much as I could see that she meant to marry me off anyway. However, +I had managed to get out of it this time, and thought I would be able +to arrange matters satisfactorily should the question come up again. +Nothing further was said about the matter until nearly a month later +when I heard that a marriage had been arranged between this gentleman +and the daughter of one of the princes. So everything ended very +satisfactorily from my point of view. + +The twenty-sixth day of the eighth moon was the occasion of another +celebration. At the time the Manchu Dynasty began, Emperor Shung Chih, +who had fought very hard to gain the throne, found himself on the +twenty-sixth day of the eighth moon, absolutely out of provisions of +every kind and it was necessary for him and his army to live on the +leaves of trees, which was the only form of food obtainable at the time. +Thus the anniversary of this day, even up to the present time, is always +celebrated by the Manchu people, who deny themselves all luxuries, +especially at the Court. We did not eat any meat on that day, but only +rice wrapped in lettuce leaves. Chopsticks were also discarded and the +food was conveyed to the mouth by the hands alone. Even the Empress +Dowager was no exception to this rule. This is done in order to remind +the present generation of the privation suffered by their ancestors who +established the Manchu Dynasty. + +Towards the close of the eighth moon Her Majesty's gourd plants, which +had been planted early in the spring, were ripening, and each day she +would take us all to see what progress they were making. She would pick +out those which she considered to be the most perfect in form, i. e., +those with the smallest waist and tie ribbons around them so as not to +lose sight of them. She pointed to one of these plants one day, and said +to me: "This reminds me of yourself when dressed in foreign clothes. +Surely you feel more comfortable in the clothes you are now wearing." +When these gourds were quite ripe they were cut down and Her Majesty +would scrape the outer skin with a bamboo knife, afterwards wiping the +fruit with a wet cloth. They were then allowed to dry and after a +few days they would assume a brownish color, when they were ready for +hanging as ornaments in the Summer Palace. In one room alone there were +over 10,000 of these gourds, of different shapes. It was the duty of the +Court ladies to periodically wipe these gourds with a cloth, in order to +give them a shiny appearance, and also to scrape any new ones which were +pulled and prepare them for the Palace. None of us cared very much +about this work excepting Her Majesty. One day whilst attending to these +gourds I happened to knock the top off one of the old ones which was Her +Majesty's particular favorite. I dared not go and tell Her Majesty what +had happened and one of the Court ladies suggested throwing the thing +away altogether and saying nothing about it as Her Majesty would not +be likely to find it out, having so many of them. However, I finally +decided to go and tell Her Majesty about it, and take punishment if +necessary. For a wonder Her Majesty did not make much bother about it. +She said: "Well it was quite an old one in any case and the top was +ready to drop off at any time; it so happens that you were the one to +wipe it, and of course it came off. It can't be helped." I told Her +Majesty that I was very much ashamed at being so careless, especially as +I knew it was one of her favorites, and there the matter ended. All the +rest of the Court ladies were in the waiting room and were anxious to +know how I would get out of it, and when I told them they said that had +it been any of them there would have been a fine row. They laughed, +and said it must be nice to be a favorite which made me feel very +uncomfortable. I told the Young Empress exactly what had happened, and +she said I was quite right to tell Her Majesty the truth and told me to +be very careful as there was much jealousy going on. + +At the beginning of the ninth moon the chrysanthemums commence to bud +and it was the duty of the ladies of the Court to go and trim them each +day by cutting away all the buds except one on each stalk. This trimming +gives the flower a better chance of developing, a much larger blossom +being the result. Even Her Majesty would help with this work. She was +very particular about these plants, and would not allow any of us to +meddle with them if our hands were not perfectly cool, as to touch them +with hot hands would cause the leaves to shrivel up. These flowers are +generally in full bloom about the end of the ninth moon or beginning of +the tenth moon. Her Majesty had a wonderful gift of being able to tell +what kind of flower would bloom from each separate plant, even before +the buds appeared. She would say: "This is going to be a red flower," +and we would place a bamboo stick in the flower pot, with the name +written on it. Then another, Her Majesty would declare to be a white one +and we would place a similar bamboo stick in the flower pot, with the +description, and so on. Her Majesty said: "This is your first year at +the Palace and no doubt you are surprised at what you have just seen and +heard me say, but I have never yet made a mistake. For you will see when +the flowers commence to bloom." It was a fact as everything turned out +exactly as she had predicted. None of us ever knew how she was able to +distinguish one from the other, but she was always right. I did once ask +her to explain how she was able to tell but she answered that it was a +secret. + +All this time the portrait was proceeding very slowly and one day Her +Majesty asked me how long I thought it would be before it was finished +and what the custom in Europe was as regards remuneration for such a +portrait. I replied that it was customary to pay very handsomely, but +she would not hear of such a suggestion, saying that in China it was not +the custom and that it would be regarded as an insult to offer money for +such a service. She suggested decorating Miss Carl as a reward for her +services, which she considered would be appreciated far more than +a money present. There was nothing for me to say at this time but I +determined to mention the matter again when a favorable opportunity +occurred. + +During the ninth moon a Russian circus visited Peking and of course +everybody talked of little else. Her Majesty, hearing so much talk about +this circus asked what it was like, and after we had explained to her, +she became very interested and said that she would like to see it. My +mother thought it would be a good idea to have the circus brought up to +the Summer Palace, where they could perform, so she asked Her Majesty +whether this might be done. Her Majesty was delighted with the idea, and +arrangements were accordingly made for the performance. While everything +was being fixed, the people belonging to the circus, and the animals, +were quartered near our own house and we had to feed them at our own +expense. However, we wanted to show Her Majesty what a circus was like +so the expense did not matter. It took them two days to erect the tent +and make all necessary preparations, and during this time Her Majesty +received reports as to what was being done, and the progress they were +making. + +The day before the performance, we noticed that Her Majesty, on coming +from her audience, looked very angry, and on our enquiring what was the +matter she informed my mother and myself that some censors had raised +objections against having this circus in the Palace grounds, as there +had never been anything of this kind allowed before and they had begged +Her Majesty to give up the idea. Her Majesty was very angry, and said: +"You see how much power I have here; I cannot even have a circus without +somebody raising objections. I think we had better pay them something +and let them go away." Of course we agreed to anything she thought best. +After considering for a time Her Majesty jumped up and said: "They have +the tent up already; they will talk just the same whether we have the +circus or not; I will have it anyway." So the performance duly took +place and Her Majesty and all the Court were delighted. One item +consisted of a young girl walking and dancing on a large globe. This +especially pleased Her Majesty and she insisted on the performance being +repeated several times. Another item of interest was the trapeze act. Of +course nobody present with the exception of my mother, sister and myself +had ever seen a circus performance before, and Her Majesty was very +much afraid that the man would fall from the trapeze and kill himself. +Another thing which interested Her Majesty was the bare-back riding, +which she thought simply wonderful. The only objection to the whole show +which she raised was when it was suggested to bring in the lions and +tigers, etc. She said it was not safe to bring wild beasts into the +Palace and that she would rather not see this part of the performance. +The proprietor of the circus, however, brought in a small baby elephant +which performed several clever tricks. This delighted Her Majesty more +than anything else and when the proprietor saw how pleased she was he +offered the elephant as a present, which she accepted. However, after +the performance was over we tried to make him go through his tricks +again but he would not budge an inch, so we had to give it up as a +bad job and send him away to be placed along with the other elephants +belonging to the Palace. + +Altogether there were three performances given by the circus, and before +the final performance, the circus Manager told me that he would very +much like to show the lions and tigers: there was no chance of any +accident and it really would be worth seeing. So after a lot of +discussion Her Majesty finally consented to allow them to be brought +in but on the distinct understanding that they should not be let out of +their cages. + +When they were brought in the ring all the eunuchs gathered around Her +Majesty, and after remaining in the ring for a few minutes Her Majesty +ordered them to be taken away again. She said: "I am not afraid for +myself, but they might get loose and hurt some of the people." This item +finished the whole of the performance and the circus departed richer by +some Taels 10,000 which Her Majesty had ordered to be given to them. + +For the next couple of days we discussed the merits of the circus but +afterwards, Her Majesty, when referring to the subject, expressed great +disappointment with the whole thing. She said she had expected +something entirely different and far more wonderful. This was another +characteristic of Her Majesty; nothing pleased her for more than +five minutes at a time. She said to me: "I don't see anything at all +wonderful in foreign accomplishments. Take for instance this portrait +which this lady is painting. I don't think it is going to be at all a +good picture, it seems so rough. (Her Majesty did not understand oil +painting). Then again why should she always want to have the things +before her while painting them. An ordinary Chinese artist could paint +my dress, shoes, etc., after seeing the things once. She cannot be very +much of an artist in my opinion, though you need not tell her that I +said so." Continuing, Her Majesty said: "By the way, what do you talk +about when you are posing for this portrait of mine; although I don't +understand what she is saying, still I can see she has a lot to say. Be +sure not to tell her anything connected with the Court life and do not +teach her any Chinese. I hear that she often asks what different things +are called in Chinese, but don't tell her. The less she knows the better +for us. I can see that she has seen nothing of our ordinary Court +life, as yet. I wonder what she would say if she were to see one of the +eunuchs being punished, or anything like that. She would think that we +were savages, I suppose. I noticed the other day, when I was angry, that +you took this lady artist away. This was very wise of you; it is +better that she should not see me in a temper, she might talk about +it afterwards. I wish this portrait was finished. The cool weather is +coming on and we have to open up the boxes and get our winter clothes +ready. You girls need winter clothes I know as you have none but foreign +dresses. Then, again, my birthday is next month and there will be the +usual celebrations. After that we return to the Sea Palace, and what can +we do with this artist? I suppose she will have to go back and stay at +the American Legation and come to the Sea Palace each day until the work +is finished. This will be a lot of trouble as it is not ten minutes' +drive as at present, but nearer an hour's drive. And even if this can be +satisfactorily arranged, what about the Winter Palace in the Forbidden +City? Try and get to know how long she expects to be before it is +finished." This gave me an opportunity to tell Her Majesty that Miss +Carl was just as anxious to get the work finished as she was to have it +finished, but explained that Miss Carl had very little time to paint as +Her Majesty could spare very little time to give personal sittings, and +again, when Her Majesty went to lie down each afternoon, Miss Carl had +to stop painting as she was working in the next room to Her Majesty's +bedroom. Her Majesty replied: "Well, if she expects me to sit for her +all day long I will give up the whole thing at once," and then added: "I +think you yourself are getting tired of sitting, and want me to take it +up again, but I have already had quite enough of it." Of course, I told +her that instead of being tired of it, I enjoyed sitting on Her Throne, +which I regarded as a great honor. I explained to Her Majesty that Miss +Carl did not like me to pose in her place, as she could not get along +so quickly as if she were to sit herself; but she simply said that I was +acting under her commands, and that should be sufficient for me. + +For the next ten days we were kept very busy selecting materials for +winter clothing and also official robes for my sister and myself to be +worn during the forthcoming birthday celebrations. These dresses were +full winter Court dresses, of red satin embroidered with golden dragons +and blue clouds, and were trimmed with gold braid and lined with grey +squirrel. The cuffs and collars (which were turned down) were of sable. +While Her Majesty was giving one of the eunuchs instructions as to how +these were to be made, the Young Empress beckoned to me, and I went out. +She said: "You go and kowtow to Her Majesty as it is a great favor for +her to give you a dress trimmed with sable. This is usually only worn +by a Princess." So when I returned to the room I availed myself of the +first opportunity to kowtow and thank Her Majesty for the great favor +she had granted me. She answered: "You deserve it, and I see no +reason why you should not be treated as a Princess anyway; many of the +Princesses are not of the Imperial family. Any title may be bestowed for +special services rendered to the country and you have been of more help +to me than any other Court lady I have ever had, and I can see that you +are faithful in the discharge of your duties. You may think I do not +notice these things, but I do. You are certainly entitled to be +ranked as a Princess, and in fact I never treat you different from the +Princesses, but rather better in many ways." Turning to a eunuch she +said: "Bring my fur cap here." This cap was made of sable, trimmed +with pearls and jade and Her Majesty explained that our caps would be +something after the same style except that the crown, instead of +being yellow as in the case of Her Majesty's cap, would be red. I was +naturally delighted. In addition to the cap and full Court dress Her +Majesty had two ordinary dresses made for everyday wear, one lined with +sheepskin and the other lined with grey squirrel. Then she gave us four +other dresses of finer material, lined with black and white fox skin, +and all trimmed with gold braid and embroidered ribbons. In addition +there were two other dresses, one of a pale pink color, embroidered with +one hundred butterflies and the other of a reddish color embroidered +with green bamboo leaves. Several short jackets, also lined with fur, +were also included in Her Majesty's present, and several sleeveless +jackets went to complete the lot. + +On coming out of the room, one of the Court ladies remarked that I was +very lucky to receive so many clothes from Her Majesty and said that +she had never received so many during the whole time she had been at +the Palace--nearly ten years. I could see she was jealous. The young +Empress, overhearing this conversation, joined us and told her that when +I arrived at the Palace I had nothing but foreign clothes and how was +I to manage if Her Majesty did not get me the proper dresses. This +incident was the beginning of another unpleasant time for me with the +ladies of the Court. At first I took no notice until one day one of the +girls attached to the Palace joined in the unkind remarks. She said that +before my arrival she had been Her Majesty's particular favorite, but +I gave her to understand that she had no right to discuss me in any +way whatsoever. The Young Empress, who was present, spoke to them about +their treatment of me and said that some fine day I would be telling +Her Majesty about it. This seemed to have a good effect for they never +troubled me much afterwards with their talk. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN--THE SUMMER PALACE + +JUST about the end of the ninth moon Her Majesty began to tire of doing +nothing day after day, and said: "What is the use of waiting until the +first of the month to have the theatrical performance? Let us have a +performance to-morrow." So she gave instructions for the eunuchs to +prepare for the play, which should be staged without the assistance of +any outside actors. I might here mention that certain of the eunuchs +were specially trained as actors and used to study their parts every +day. Indeed, they were far cleverer than the professionals from outside. + +Her Majesty gave the head eunuch the list of the plays she wished to be +performed, which were for the most part dramatised fairy tales, and we +had a performance the next day. + +After Her Majesty had gone to rest in the afternoon, during the +theatrical performance I met the Emperor returning to his own Palace. +I was surprised to see only one eunuch in attendance. This was the +Emperor's own private eunuch and he trusted him implicitly. He asked me +where I was going and I told him I was going to my room to rest a while. +He remarked that he had not seen me for quite a long time, which made me +laugh as I saw him every morning at the audience. He said: "I don't +get as much chance of chatting with you as formerly since this portrait +painting began. I am afraid I am not making much progress with my +English as I have nobody to help me now that your time is occupied with +this lady artist. You appear to enjoy her company very much. All the +same I suppose it is very monotonous. Has she found out yet that you +are there simply to keep an eye upon her?" I told him that I was very +careful not to betray myself in any way and that I did not think she +suspected she was being watched. + +The Emperor then said: "I understand there is a rumor to the effect that +when this lady has finished Her Majesty's portrait she is going to paint +mine. I should very much like to know who says so." I told him this was +the first I had heard about it so could not say. I asked him whether he +would like to have his portrait painted but he only answered: "That is +rather a difficult question for me to answer. You know best whether I +ought to have it painted or not. + +"I see Her Majesty having so many photographs taken and even the eunuchs +are in the picture." I understood at once what he meant, so I asked him +if he wished me to take him with my little kodak. He looked surprised +and asked: "Can you take pictures, too? If it is not too risky for us, +we might try it some day when we have an opportunity. Don't forget, but +I think we must be very careful." + +He then changed the conversation by saying: "Well, now that we have +time to talk I want to ask you a question and I expect you to answer +me truly. What is the general opinion amongst the foreigners regarding +myself? Do they consider me a man of character and do they think me +clever? I am very anxious to know." Before I could say anything in +answer to this question he continued: "I know very well that they regard +me as nothing more than a boy, and as being of no consequence at all. +Tell me, is not this so?" I replied that many foreigners had asked +me about him--as to what kind of man he was, but that they had never +expressed any opinion of their own regarding him excepting that they +understood he was in the best of health. "If any wrong impression does +exist regarding myself and my position at the Court," continued the +Emperor, "it is owing to the very conservative customs of the Chinese +Court. I am not expected to either say or do anything on my own +initiative, consequently outsiders never hear much about me and I am +regarded as being nothing more than a figure-head. I know this is +so. Whenever they ask you about me in the future just explain to them +exactly what my position here is. I have plenty of ideas regarding the +development of this country but you know I am not able to carry them out +as I am not my own master. I don't think the Empress Dowager herself +has sufficient power to alter the state of things existing in China at +present, and even if she has, she is not willing to. I am afraid it will +be a long time before anything can be done towards reform." + +The Emperor went on to say how nice it would be if he were allowed to +travel about from place to place the same as the European monarchs, but +of course such a thing was out of the question for him. I told him +that several Princesses had expressed a wish to visit the St. Louis +Exposition and said I thought it would be a good thing if that could be +arranged as they would see for themselves the difference between their +own country and customs and foreign countries and customs. The Emperor +expressed doubts as to this permission being granted as such a thing had +never been heard of before. + +We talked for quite a long time, mostly about foreign customs, and the +Emperor remarked that he would very much like to visit Europe and see +for himself how things were carried on there. + +Just then one of my eunuchs came and said that Her Majesty was awake, so +I had to hurry off to her room. + +We now arrive at the tenth moon. + +The first day it snowed, and the head eunuch enquired of Her Majesty +whether it was her intention to celebrate her birthday at the Summer +Palace as usual. As previously explained the Summer Palace was Her +Majesty's favorite place of abode; so she replied in the affirmative and +arrangements were accordingly made for the celebration to be held there +as usual. The head eunuch then brought Her Majesty a list giving the +names and ranks of all the Princesses and the names of the wives and +daughters of the Manchu officials, and she selected those whom she +wished to be present at the celebrations. On this occasion she selected +forty-five ladies, who were duly informed that she desired their +presence at the Palace. I was standing behind Her Majesty's chair all +this time, and she turned and said: "Usually I do not ask many people to +my birthday celebrations, but on this occasion I have made an exception +as I want you to see the way they dress and how ignorant they are of +Court etiquette." + +The celebrations commenced on the sixth day of the tenth moon. Miss +Carl, having returned to the American Legation in Peking for the time +being, my mother, my sister and myself went back to the Palace again. +Early on the morning of the sixth, the eunuchs decorated the verandas +with different colored silks and hung lanterns all over the place and +amongst the trees. At about seven o'clock in the morning the visitors +began to arrive and I quite agreed with what Her Majesty had told me +about them. The eunuchs introduced them to all the Court ladies, but +they seemed to have very little to say, appearing very shy. They were +then conducted to the waiting room, but there were so many of them that +we Court ladies had to stand outside on the veranda. Some of them were +very expensively dressed, but their colors were, for the most part, very +old fashioned, and their manners very awkward. We watched them for quite +a while and then went off to report to Her Majesty. + +On such occasions as this Her Majesty was generally in pretty good +spirits. She commenced asking us a lot of questions. Amongst other +things she asked whether we had noticed an elderly lady among the +visitors, dressed as a bride. She explained that this lady was the only +Manchu lady present who was married to a Chinese official, and had been +invited because of her previous connection with the Court. Her Majesty +said she had never seen her herself, but understood that she was a +very clever woman. We had not noticed such a person, and suggested that +perhaps she had not yet arrived. + +Her Majesty dressed very quickly, and as soon as she was ready she +came into the hall, where the head eunuch brought in the visitors and +presented them to Her Majesty. We Court ladies were all standing in +a row behind the Throne. As they came in, some kowtowed; others +courtesied, while others did not do anything at all, in fact nobody +appeared to know what to do with herself. Her Majesty spoke a few words +of welcome and thanked them for the presents they had sent her. + +I would like to say here that, contrary to the general idea which +exists, Her Majesty always expressed her thanks for any present or +service rendered, no matter how insignificant. + +Her Majesty could see plainly that everybody was embarrassed and ordered +the head eunuch to show them to their respective rooms, and told them +to make themselves at home and to go and take a rest. They hesitated a +moment, not knowing whether to go or not, until Her Majesty said to us: +"Take them and present them to the Young Empress." + +When we arrived at the Palace of the Young Empress they were duly +presented and were not nearly so shy as before. The Young Empress +informed them that in case they desired to know anything or to be put +right on any point of Court etiquette, the Court ladies would be pleased +to give them all necessary information and she decided that the best way +would be for each Court lady to have charge of so many of the visitors, +as it would not be nice to have any mistakes occur during the ceremony, +on the tenth. So we each were allotted so many guests and had to look +after them and instruct them how to act on the different occasions. + +During Her Majesty's afternoon rest I paid a visit to the guests I was +to take charge of. Among them was the bride referred to by Her +Majesty. So I went and made myself agreeable to her and found her very +interesting. She had evidently received a good education, unlike the +majority of Manchu ladies, as I found she could read and write Chinese +exceptionally well. I then explained to all of them what they would have +to do, and how to address Her Majesty, should it be necessary to do +so. I don't know whether I have mentioned it previously, but whenever +anybody spoke to Her Majesty, they always addressed her as "Great +Ancestor," and when referring to themselves, instead of the pronoun "I," +they would say "Your slave." In all Manchu families a similar rule is +observed, the pronouns "You" and "I" being dispensed with and the titles +"Mother" and "Father" and the son's or daughter's first name being +substituted. + +Her Majesty was very particular about this rule being strictly observed. + +For the next four days, until the day of the ceremony, these visitors +passed their time in learning the Court etiquette and going to the +theatre. + +Every morning, as usual, we waited on Her Majesty and reported anything +of interest which had occurred during the previous day. Then we all +preceded Her Majesty to the theatre, where we awaited her arrival +standing in the courtyard. On Her Majesty appearing, we would all kneel +down until she had passed into the building opposite the stage, kneeling +in rows--first the Emperor, behind him the Young Princess, next the +Secondary wife, then the Princesses and Court ladies, and last of all +the visitors. The first two days everything went of all right, but +on the third morning the Emperor, from whom we received the signal, +suddenly turned and said: "Her Majesty is coming." Down we all went on +our knees, the Emperor alone remaining standing and laughing at us. +Of course there was no sign of Her Majesty and everybody joined in the +laugh. He was never so happy as when he could work off a joke like this. + +On the evening of the ninth, none of the Court ladies went to bed, as we +all had to be up betimes on the morning of the tenth. The visitors were +told to proceed by chair to Her Majesty's special Audience Hall on the +top of the hill, where they were to await our arrival. They arrived at +the Audience Hall at three o'clock in the morning, and we followed +soon afterwards, arriving there about daybreak. By and bye Her Majesty +arrived and the ceremony commenced. This ceremony in no way differed +from the one previously described in connection with the Emperor's +birthday, so there is no need to give particulars, except one thing. +Very early on the morning of the tenth, we had to bring another present +to her and each of us brought a hundred birds of various kinds. Each +year, on her birthday, Her Majesty did a very peculiar thing. She would +buy 10,000 birds with her own money, from her private purse and set them +free. It was a very pretty sight to see those huge cages hung in the +courtyard of the Audience Hall. Her Majesty would select the most lucky +hour and order the eunuchs to carry the cages and to follow her. The +hour selected was four o'clock in the afternoon. Her Majesty took the +whole Court with her to the top of the hill, where there was a Temple. +First she burnt sandal wood and offered up prayers to the Gods, then the +eunuchs, each with a cage of birds, knelt in front of Her Majesty and +she opened each cage one after another and watched the birds fly away, +and prayed to the Gods that these birds should not be caught again. +Her Majesty did this very seriously and we asked each other in whispers +which bird we thought was the prettiest and would like to keep it for +ourselves. Among this lot there were a few parrots. Some were pink; +others were red and green; all were chained on stands, and when the +eunuchs broke the chains, the parrots would not move. Her Majesty said: +"How funny; each year a few parrots will not go away at all and I have +kept them until they died. Look at them now. They won't go away." +By this time the head eunuch arrived. Her Majesty told him what had +happened and he immediately knelt down and said: "Your Majesty's great +luck. These parrots understand Your Majesty's kindness and would rather +stay here and serve Your Majesty." This ceremony is called "Fang Sheng." +It is considered a very meritorious action and will not fail of reward +in Heaven. + +One of the Court ladies asked me what I thought of the parrots that +would not fly away, and I told her that it was really very strange. She +said: "It is very simple and not strange at all. These eunuchs, ordered +by the head one, have bought these parrots long ago and trained them. +During Her Majesty's afternoon rest, these parrots were brought to the +top of the very same hill every day to accustom them to the place. The +object of this is just to please and otherwise fool Her Majesty, to make +her feel happy and believe that she is so merciful that even such dumb +things would rather stay with her." Continuing, she said: "The huge joke +is this: while Her Majesty is letting the birds free, there are a few +eunuchs waiting at the rear of the hill to capture them and sell them +again, and so, no matter how Her Majesty prays for their freedom, they +will be caught at once." + +The celebrations were continued until the thirteenth day. Nobody did any +work and all was gaiety and enjoyment, the theatre being open every day. +Towards the close of the thirteenth day the visitors were informed that +the celebrations were at an end and they made arrangements to leave +early the next morning. They all bade Her Majesty good-bye that evening +and departed early the following day. + +For the next few days we were all busy preparing for removing to the Sea +Palace. Her Majesty consulted her book and finally selected the 22d as +being the most favorable day for this removal. So at six o'clock on +the morning of the 22d the whole Court left the Summer Palace. It was +snowing very heavily and the journey was only accomplished with great +difficulty. Of course we were all in chairs, as usual, and the eunuchs +who were not employed as chair-bearers rode horseback. Many of +the horses fell on the slippery stones and one of Her Majesty's +chair-bearers also slipped and brought Her Majesty to the ground. All of +a sudden I thought something dreadful had happened, horses galloping and +eunuchs howling: "Stop! Stop!!" I heard someone saying: "See if she is +still alive." The whole procession stopped and blocked the way. This +happened on the stone road just before entering the Western Gate. +Finally we saw that Her Majesty's chair was resting on the ground, so +we all alighted and went forward to see what had happened. A great many +people were talking excitedly all at the same time, and for a moment I +was rather frightened (for just about that time we heard a rumor that +some of the revolutionists were going to take the life of the whole +Court, and, although we heard that, we did not dare tell Her Majesty), +so I immediately went to her chair and found her sitting there +composedly giving orders to the chief eunuch not to punish this +chair-bearer, for he was not to blame, the stones being wet and very +slippery. Li Lien Ying said that would never do, for this chair-bearer +must have been careless, and how dare he carry the Old Buddha in this +careless way. After saying this, he turned his head to the beaters +(these beaters, carrying bamboo sticks, went everywhere with the Court, +for such occasions as this) and said: "Give him eighty blows on his +back." This poor victim, who was kneeling on the muddy ground, heard the +order. The beaters took him about a hundred yards away from us, pushed +him down and started to do their duty. It did not take very long to +give the eighty blows and, much to my surprise, this man got up, after +receiving the punishment, as if nothing had happened to him. He looked +just as calm as could be. While we were waiting a eunuch handed me a cup +of tea, which I presented to Her Majesty, and asked her if she was +hurt. She smiled and said it was nothing, ordering us to proceed on our +journey. I must explain about this tea; the eunuchs had it prepared +all the time and always carried a little stove along with hot water. +Although this went every time when the Court moved, it was seldom used. + +As usual, all the Court ladies take a short cut to the Palace, so as to +be ready to receive Her Majesty, when she arrived. After waiting in the +courtyard for quite a long time, during which we were nearly frozen, +Her Majesty arrived, and we all knelt until she had passed, and then +followed her into the Palace. Her Majesty also complained of the cold +and ordered that fires should be brought into the hall. These fires were +built in brass portable stoves lined with clay, and were lighted outside +and brought into the hall after the smoke had passed off somewhat. There +were four stoves in all. All the windows and doors were closed, there +being no ventilation of any description, and very soon I began to feel +sick. However, I went on with my work getting Her Majesty's things in +order until I must have fainted, for the next thing I remembered was +waking up in a strange bed and inquiring where I was, but on hearing Her +Majesty giving orders in the next room, I knew it was all right. One of +the Court ladies brought me a cup of turnip juice which Her Majesty said +I was to drink. I drank it and felt much better. I was informed that Her +Majesty had gone to rest, and so I went off to sleep again myself. When +I awoke, Her Majesty was standing by my bedside. I tried to get up, but +found that I was too weak, so Her Majesty told me to lie still and keep +quiet and I would soon be all right again. She said that I had better +have a room close to her bedroom, and gave instructions for the eunuchs +to remove me there as soon as it was prepared. Every few minutes Her +Majesty would send to inquire how I was progressing and whether I wanted +anything to eat. It was the custom to stand up whenever receiving a +message from Her Majesty, but it was out of the question for me to do +so, although I tried, with the result that I made myself worse than +ever. + +Towards evening the head eunuch came to see me and brought several +plates of sweetmeats. He was very nice, and told me that I was very +fortunate, as Her Majesty very rarely bothered herself about any of +the Court ladies and that evidently she had taken a fancy to me. He sat +talking for some little time, and told me to eat some of the sweetmeats. +Of course I was not able to eat anything at all, let alone sweetmeats, +so I told him to leave them and I would eat them later. Before leaving +he said that in case I wanted anything I was to let him know. This visit +was a great surprise to me, as usually he took very little notice of +any of us, but I was told afterwards that the reason he was so nice was +because Her Majesty showed such an interest in me. + +The next morning I was able to get up and resume my duties. I went in +to see Her Majesty and kowtowed to her, thanking her for her kindness +during my indisposition. Her Majesty said that the head eunuch had told +her the previous evening that I was much better and that she was glad I +was up and about again. She said it was nothing serious, simply that I +was unaccustomed to the fumes from the fires, which had gone to my head. + +As the snow had stopped falling, Her Majesty decided that the next day +we would go and choose a place for Miss Carl to continue the painting. +I suggested that perhaps it would be better if we waited until Miss Carl +arrived herself, so that she could choose a suitable place for her work, +but Her Majesty said that would not do at all, because if it were left +to Miss Carl, doubtless she would choose some impossible place. Of +course there were many parts of the Palace which were kept quite private +and Miss Carl would not be allowed to go there. So the next day +Her Majesty and myself set out to find a place. After visiting many +different rooms, all of which were too dark, we finally fixed on a +room on the lake side of the Palace. Her Majesty said: "This is very +convenient, as you can go to and fro either by chair or by water." I +found that it took about three-quarters of an hour by chair to get to +the Palace Gate, and rather less than that by boat. I was expecting +to return to stay at the Palace with Her Majesty, but it was finally +decided that this would not do, as it would not be policy to allow Miss +Carl, who was staying at the American Legation, to go in and out of the +Palace Gate alone, so Her Majesty said it would be better for me to stay +at my father's place in the city and bring Miss Carl to the Palace +each morning, returning with her in the evening. This was anything but +pleasant, but I had no other alternative than to obey Her Majesty's +instructions. + +When Miss Carl arrived at the Palace the next day and saw the room which +had been selected for her to work in, she was not at all pleased. In the +first place she said it was too dark, so Her Majesty ordered the paper +windows to be replaced by glass. This made the room too bright, and Miss +Carl asked for some curtains so as to focus the light on the picture. +When I informed Her Majesty of this request, she said: "Well, this is +the first time I have ever changed anything in the Palace except to suit +myself. First I alter the windows, and she is not satisfied, but must +have curtains. I think we had better take the roof off, then perhaps +she may be suited." However, we fixed up the curtains to Miss Carl's +satisfaction. + +When Her Majesty examined the portrait to see how it was progressing, +she said to me: "After all the trouble we have had over this picture, I +am afraid it is not going to be anything very wonderful. I notice that +the pearls in my cape are painted in different colors; some look white, +some pink, while others are green. You tell her about it." I tried to +explain to Her Majesty that Miss Carl had simply painted the pearls +as she saw them, according to the different shades of light, but Her +Majesty could not understand that at all and asked if I could see +anything green about them, or pink either. I again explained that this +was simply the tints caused by the light falling on the pearls, but she +replied that she could not see any shade except white. However, after a +while she did not seem to trouble any further about the matter. + +Situated in a room near Her Majesty's bedroom in the Sea Palace was +a Pagoda, about ten feet in height, made of carved sandalwood. This +contained various images of Buddha, which Her Majesty used to worship +every morning. The ceremony consisted of Her Majesty burning incense +before the Pagoda, while a Court lady was told off each day to kowtow +before the images. Her Majesty told me that this Pagoda had been in the +Palace for more than a hundred years. Among the different images was one +representing the Goddess of Mercy. This image was only about five inches +in height and was made of pure gold. The inside was hollow and contained +all the principal anatomical parts of the human body, made out of jade +and pearls. This Goddess of Mercy was supposed to possess wonderful +powers and Her Majesty often worshiped before it when in any trouble, +and maintained that on many occasions her prayers had been answered. She +said: "Of course, when I pray to the image, I pray earnestly, not the +same as you girls, who simply kowtow because it is your duty and then +get away as quickly as possible." Her Majesty went on to say that she +was quite aware that many of the people in China were discarding the +religion of their ancestors in favor of Christianity, and that she was +very much grieved that this was so. + +Her Majesty was a firm believer in the old Chinese superstitions +connected with the Sea Palace, and during one of our conversations she +told me I was not to be surprised at anything I saw. She said it was +quite a common occurrence for a person walking beside you to suddenly +disappear altogether, and explained that they were simply foxes who took +human shape to suit their purpose. They had probably lived in the Sea +Palace for thousands of years and possessed this power of changing their +form at will. She said that no doubt the eunuchs would tell me they were +spirits or ghosts, but that was not true: they were sacred foxes and +would harm nobody. As if to confirm this superstition, one evening, a +few days later, my fire having gone out, I sent my eunuch to see if any +of the other Court ladies were awake, and if so, to try to get me +some hot water. He went out taking his lantern along with him, but he +returned almost immediately with a face as white as chalk. On inquiring +what was the matter, he replied: "I have seen a ghost: a woman, who came +up to me, blew the light out and disappeared." I told him that perhaps +it was one of the servant girls, but he said "No"; he knew all the women +attached to the Palace and he had never seen this one before. He stuck +to it that it was a ghost. I told him that Her Majesty had said there +were no ghosts, but that it might be a fox which had taken human shape. +He replied: "It was not a fox. Her Majesty calls them foxes, because she +is afraid to call them ghosts." He went on to tell me that many years +previously the head eunuch, Li Lien Ying, while walking in the courtyard +back of Her Majesty's Palace, saw a young servant girl sitting on the +edge of the well. He went over to ask her what she was doing there, but +on getting closer he found that there were several other girls there +also, and on seeing him approach, they all deliberately jumped down +the well. He immediately raised the alarm, and on one of the attendants +coming forward with a lantern, he explained what had occurred. The +attendant showed him that it was impossible for anybody to jump into the +well, as it was covered with a large stone. My eunuch said that a long +time before this several girls did actually commit suicide by jumping +down this well, and that what Li Lien Ying had seen were the ghosts of +these girls, and nothing more. It is believed by the Chinese that when +a person commits suicide their spirit remains in the neighborhood until +such time as they can entice somebody else to commit suicide, when they +are free to go to another world, and not before. I told him that I +did not believe such things and that I would very much like to see for +myself. He replied: "You will only want to see it once; that will be +sufficient." + +Things went along in the usual way until the first day of the eleventh +moon, when Her Majesty issued orders to the Court that as the eleventh +moon contained so many anniversaries of the deaths of previous rulers +of China, the usual theatrical performance would be eliminated and the +Court dress would in addition be modified to suit the occasion. On the +ninth day the Emperor was to go and worship at the Temple of Heaven. So, +as was customary on all these occasions, he confined himself to his own +private apartments for three days before the ninth, during which time +he held no communication whatsoever with anybody excepting his private +eunuchs. Not even the Young Empress, his wife, was allowed to see him +during these three days. + +This ceremony did not differ very materially from the other sacrifices, +except that pigs were killed and placed on the numerous altars of +the Temple, where they remained for a time, after which they were +distributed among the different officials. The eating of the flesh of +these pigs, which had been blessed, was believed to bring good luck and +prosperity, and the officials who were presented with them considered +themselves greatly favored by Her Majesty. Another difference was that +the Emperor could not appoint a substitute to officiate for him; but +must attend in person, no matter what the circumstances might be. The +reason for this was, that according to the ancient law, the Emperor +signs the death warrant of every person sentenced to death, record of +which is kept in the Board of Punishments. At the end of the year the +name of each person executed is written on a piece of yellow paper and +sent to the Emperor. When the time for worshiping at the Temple arrives, +he takes this yellow paper and burns it in order that the ashes may +go up to Heaven and his ancestors know that he has been fearless and +faithful, and has done his duty according to the law. + +As this ceremony of worshiping at the Temple of Heaven was to take place +in the Forbidden City, in spite of Her Majesty's dislike to the place, +she commanded that the whole of the Court be transferred there, +her reason for this being that she did not wish to be away from the +Emperor's side even for an hour. So we all moved to the Palace in the +Forbidden City. After the ceremony was over, the Court was to return +to the Sea Palace, but as the thirteenth day was the anniversary of the +death of the Emperor Kang Hsi, it was decided that we should remain in +the Forbidden City, where the ceremony was to be held. The Emperor Kang +Hsi ruled over the Chinese Empire for sixty-one years, the longest reign +of any Chinese Ruler up to the present time, and Her Majesty told us +that he was the most wonderful Emperor China had ever had and that we +must respect his memory accordingly. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN--THE AUDIENCE HALL + +ON the fourteenth day of the eleventh moon, after the morning audience, +Her Majesty informed us that there was a likelihood of war breaking +out between Russia and Japan and that she was very much troubled, as +although it actually had nothing whatever to do with China, she was +afraid they would fight on Chinese territory and that in the long run +China would suffer in some way or other. Of course we did not bother +ourselves about it much at the moment, but the next morning the head +eunuch reported to Her Majesty that fifty eunuchs were missing. As there +was no apparent reason for this, everybody was much excited. There +was no rule against any of the eunuchs going into the city after their +duties were ended, providing they returned before the Palace Gate was +closed, but when on the following morning it was reported that another +hundred eunuchs had also disappeared, Her Majesty at once said: "I know +now what the trouble is; they must have heard what I said about this war +coming on and are afraid there may be a repetition of the Boxer trouble, +and so they have cleared out." It was the custom whenever a eunuch +was missing to send out search parties and have him brought back and +punished, but in the present instance Her Majesty gave instructions that +nothing was to be done about recapturing them. One morning, however, +one of Her Majesty's personal attendants was missing, which made her +furious. She said that she had been very kind to this particular eunuch +in many ways, and this was all the thanks she got; he ran away at the +first sign of trouble. I myself had noticed how good she had been to +this eunuch, but I was not really sorry that he had left, as he used to +take advantage of every opportunity of getting some of the Court ladies +into trouble. + +These disappearances continued from day to day until Her Majesty decided +that it would be safer for us to remain in the Forbidden City until the +following spring at any rate. + +On inquiring from my eunuch the cause of these disappearances, he said +that it was just as Her Majesty suspected; they were afraid of getting +mixed up in another such affair as the Boxer trouble, and added that +he was not a bit surprised at Her Majesty's favorite eunuch going along +with the rest. He further told me that even Li Lien Ying himself was not +to be absolutely relied upon, as at the time of Her Majesty's leaving +Peking for Shi An during the Boxer movement, he had feigned sickness, +and followed a little later, so that in the event of anything happening, +he would be able to return and make his escape. While talking about Li +Lien Ying, my eunuch told me in confidence that he was responsible for +the death of many innocent people, mostly eunuchs. He had unlimited +power at the Court, and it was very easy for him to get anybody put +away who offended him or to whom, for some reason or another, he took +a dislike. Furthermore, the eunuch informed me that, although not +generally known, Li Lien Ying was addicted to opium-smoking, which habit +he indulged in very freely. Even Her Majesty was unaware of this, as +opium-smoking was strictly forbidden in the Palace. + +Each morning there was fresh news regarding the trouble between Russia +and Japan, and of course everybody gradually became very much excited +at the Palace. One day Her Majesty summoned the whole of the Court to a +special audience and there informed us that there was no need for us to +get excited at all; that if any trouble did occur, it was none of our +business and we should not be interfered with, as the spirits of our +ancestors were watching over us, and she did not want to hear any more +talk and gossip on the subject. However, she summoned all of the Court +ladies to her apartment and there commanded us to pray to the spirits of +our ancestors to protect us, which plainly showed that she was just as +much worried as we were ourselves. In spite of what she had said with +reference to gossiping about this trouble, Her Majesty often spoke about +it herself, and during one of our conversations she said she wished she +could get information each day as to what was actually occurring, so +I suggested that it would be very easy to get all the latest news by +taking the foreign papers and also Reuter's specials. Her Majesty jumped +at the suggestion and told me to have these sent each day to my father's +house in his name, and have them brought to the Palace, where I could +translate them for her. I told her that my father received all these +papers as they were published, so I arranged that they should be brought +along as directed by Her Majesty. Each morning during the audience I +translated into Chinese all the war news, but the telegrams began to +arrive so rapidly that it soon became quite impossible for me to write +them all out in Chinese, so I told Her Majesty that I would read and +translate them into Chinese as they arrived. This was much quicker +and interested Her Majesty so much that she insisted on my not only +translating the war news, but everything else of interest in the papers. +Especially was she interested in all news appertaining to the movements, +etc., of the crowned heads of Europe, and was very plainly astonished +when she learned that their every movement was known. She said: "Here, +at any rate, it is more private, for nobody outside the Palace ever +knows what is going on inside, not even my own people. It would be a +good thing if they did know a little more, then perhaps all these rumors +about the Palace would stop." + +Of course, during our stay in the Forbidden City, Miss Carl attended +each morning to work on the portrait. We had given her a nice room, +which seemed to suit her very well, and Her Majesty had instructed me +to let her have every convenience possible to assist her, as she was +getting tired of the business and would like to see it finished quickly. +Her Majesty hardly ever went near the place herself, but when she did +go, she would be most affable and, really, one would think that it was +the greatest pleasure of her life to go and inspect the portrait. + +Things went very slowly during this eleventh moon on account of the +Court being in mourning, so one day Her Majesty suggested that she +should show us round the Forbidden City. First we proceeded to the +Audience Hall. This differs somewhat from the Audience Hall of the +Summer Palace. To enter, one must mount some twenty odd steps of +white marble, with rails on either side of the steps made of the same +material. At the top of the steps a large veranda, supported by huge +pillars of wood, painted red, surrounded the building. The windows along +this verandah were of marvellously carved trellis-work, designed to +represent the character "Shou" arranged in different positions. Then we +entered the hall itself. The floor is of brick, and Her Majesty told +us that all these bricks were of solid gold and had been there for +centuries. They were of a peculiar black color, doubtless painted over, +and were so slippery that it was most difficult to keep on one's feet. +The furnishing was similar to that in the Audience Halls in the Summer +Palace and in the Sea Palace, with the exception that the throne was +made of dark brown wood inlaid with jade of different colors. + +The Hall was only used for audience on very rare occasions, such as the +birthday of the Empress Dowager and New Year's Day, and no foreigner +has ever entered this building. All the usual audiences were held in a +smaller building in the Forbidden City. + +After spending some little time in the Audience Hall, we next visited +the Emperor's quarters. These were much smaller than those occupied by +Her Majesty, but were very elaborately furnished. There were thirty-two +rooms, many of which were never used, but all were furnished in the +same expensive style. In the rear of this building was the Palace of the +Young Empress, which was smaller still, having about twenty-four rooms +in all, and in the same building three rooms were set apart for the +use of the Secondary wife of the Emperor. Although close together, the +Palaces of the Emperor and his wife were not connected by any entrance, +but both buildings were surrounded by verandas connecting with Her +Majesty's apartments, which were quite a distance away. There were +several other buildings, which were used as waiting rooms for visitors. +In addition to the above, there were several buildings which were not +used at all; these were sealed and nobody seemed to know what they +contained, or whether they contained anything at all. Even Her Majesty +said she had never been inside these buildings, as they had been sealed +for many years. Even the entrance to the enclosure containing these +buildings was always closed, and this was the only occasion that any +of us ever even passed through. They were quite different in appearance +from any other buildings in the Palace, being very dirty and evidently +of great age. We were commanded not to talk about the place at all. + +The apartments of the Court ladies were connected with those of Her +Majesty, but the rooms were so small one could hardly turn round in +them; also they were very cold in winter. The servants' quarters were at +the end of our apartments, but there was no entrance and they could +only be reached by passing along our veranda, while the only entrance we +ourselves had to our rooms was by passing along Her Majesty's veranda. +This was Her Majesty's own idea, in order that she could keep an eye on +all of us and could see when we either went out or came in. + +Her Majesty now conducted us to her own Palace, and pausing a little +said: "I will now show you something which will be quite new to you." +We entered a room adjoining her bedroom, which was connected by a narrow +passage some fifteen feet in length. On either side the walls were +painted and decorated very beautifully. Her Majesty spoke to one of the +eunuch attendants, who stooped down and removed from the ground at each +end of this passage two wooden plugs which were fitted into holes in the +basement. I then began to realize that what I had hitherto regarded as +solid walls were in reality sliding panels of wood. These panels when +opened revealed a kind of grotto. There were no windows, but in the roof +was a skylight. At one end of this room or grotto was a large rock, +on the top of which was a seat with a yellow cushion, and beside the +cushion an incense burner. Everything had the appearance of being very +old. The room contained no furniture of any description. One end of +this room led into another passage similar to the one already described, +having sliding panels, which led into another grotto, and so on; in fact +the whole of the palace walls were intersected by these secret passages, +each concealing an inner room. Her Majesty told us that during the Ming +dynasty these rooms had been used for various purposes, principally by +the Emperor when he wished to be alone. One of these secret rooms was +used by Her Majesty as a treasure room where she kept her valuables. +During the time of the Boxer trouble, she hid all her valuables here +before she fled. When she returned and opened this secret room she found +everything intact, not one of the vandals who ransacked the Palace even +suspecting there was such a place. + +We returned to our veranda, and on looking around for the rooms we had +just vacated, could see nothing excepting black stone walls, so well +were they hidden. One of the principal reasons for Her Majesty's dislike +to the Forbidden City was the mysteries which it contained, many of +which she did not know of herself. She said: "I don't even talk about +these places at all, as people might think that they were used for all +kinds of purposes." + +While at the Palace in the Forbidden City I met the three Secondary +wives of the previous Emperor Tung Chi, son of the Empress Dowager, who, +since the death of the Emperor, had resided in the Forbidden City and +spent their time in doing needlework, etc., for Her Majesty. When I got +to know them I found that they were highly educated, one of them, Yu +Fai, being exceptionally clever. She could write poetry and play many +musical instruments, and was considered to be the best educated lady +in the Empire of China. Her knowledge of western countries and their +customs surprised me very much; she seemed to know a little bit of +everything. I asked how it was that I had never seen them before, and +was informed that they never visited Her Majesty unless commanded by +her to do so, but that when Her Majesty stayed in the Forbidden City, +of course they had to call and pay their respects each day. One day I +received an invitation to visit them in their Palace. This was separated +from all the other buildings in the city. It was rather a small +building, and very simply furnished, with just a few eunuchs and servant +girls to wait upon them. They said they preferred this simple life, +as they never received any visitors and had nobody to please but +themselves. Yu Fai's room was literally packed with literature of all +descriptions. She showed me several poems which she had written, but +they were of a melancholy character, plainly showing the trend of her +thoughts. She was in favor of establishing schools for the education +of young girls, as only very few could even read or write their own +language, and she suggested that I should speak to Her Majesty about it +at the first opportunity. In spite of her desire to see western reforms +introduced into China, however, she was not in favor of employing +missionary teachers, as these people always taught their religion at +the expense of other subjects, which she feared would set the Chinese +against the movement. + +Toward the end of the eleventh moon Her Majesty granted an audience to +the Viceroy of Chihli, Yuan Shih Kai, and as this particular day was +a holiday and Miss Carl was absent, I was able to attend. Her Majesty +asked him for his opinion of the trouble between Russia and Japan. +He said that although these two countries might make war against each +other, China would not be implicated in any way, but that after the war +was over, there was sure to be trouble over Manchuria. Her Majesty said +she was quite aware of that, as they were fighting on Chinese territory, +and that the best thing for China to do would be to keep absolutely +neutral in the matter, as she had quite enough of war during the +China-Japan war. She said it would be best to issue orders to all the +officials to see that the Chinese did not interfere in any way, so as +not to give any excuse for being brought into the trouble. + +She then asked his opinion as to what would be the result in the event +of war--who would win. He said that it was very hard to say, but that +he thought Japan would win. Her Majesty thought that if Japan were +victorious, she would not have so much trouble over the matter, although +she expressed doubts as to the outcome, saying that Russia was a large +country and had many soldiers, and that the result was far from certain. + +Her Majesty then spoke about the condition of things in China. She said +that in case China were forced into war with another nation, we should +be nowhere. We had nothing ready, no navy and no trained army, in fact +nothing to enable us to protect ourselves. Yuan Shih Kai, however, +assured her there was no need to anticipate any trouble at present so +far as China was concerned. Her Majesty replied that in any event it +was time China began to wake up and endeavor to straighten things out in +some way or other, but she did not know where to begin; that it was her +ambition to see China holding a prominent position among the nations +of the world and that she was constantly receiving memorials suggesting +this reform and that reform, but that we never seemed to get any +further. + +After this audience was over, Her Majesty held an audience with the +Grand Council. She told them what had been said during her interview +with Yuan Shih Kai, and of course they all agreed that something should +be done. Several suggestions were discussed with regard to national +defense, etc., but a certain Prince said that although he was in perfect +sympathy with reform generally, he was very much against the adoption of +foreign clothing, foreign modes of living, and the doing away with the +queue. Her Majesty quite agreed with these remarks and said that it +would not be wise to change any Chinese custom for one which was less +civilized. As usual, nothing definite was decided upon when the audience +was over. + +For the next few days nothing was talked of but the war, and many +Chinese generals were received in audience by Her Majesty. These +audiences were sometimes very amusing, as these soldiers were quite +unaccustomed to the rules of the Court and did not know the mode of +procedure when in the presence of Her Majesty. Many foolish suggestions +were made by these generals. During one of the conversations Her Majesty +remarked on the inefficiency of the navy and referred to the fact that +we had no trained naval officers. One of the generals replied that we +had more men in China than in any other country, and as for ships, why +we had dozens of river boats and China merchant boats, which could be +used in case of war. Her Majesty ordered him to retire, saying that +it was perfectly true that we had plenty of men in China, but that the +majority of them were like himself, of very little use to the country. +After he had retired, everybody commenced to laugh, but Her Majesty +stopped us, saying that she did not feel at all like laughing, she was +too angry to think that such men held positions as officers in the army +and navy. One of the Court ladies asked me why Her Majesty was so angry +with the man for mentioning the river boats, and was very much surprised +when I informed her that the whole of them would be worse than useless +against a single war vessel. + +Just about the end of the eleventh moon Chang Chih Tung, Viceroy of +Wuchang, arrived, and was received in audience. Her Majesty said to him: +"Now, you are one of the oldest officials in the country, and I want you +to give me your unbiased opinion as to what effect this war is going to +have on China. Do not be afraid to give your firm opinion, as I want to +be prepared for anything which is likely to happen." He answered that +no matter what the result of the war might be, China would in all +probability have to make certain concessions to the Powers with regard +to Manchuria for trade purposes, but that we should not otherwise be +interfered with. Her Majesty repeated what had been discussed at the +previous audiences on this subject and also regarding reform in China. +Chang Chih Tung replied that we had plenty of time for reform, and that +if we were in too great a hurry, we should not accomplish anything at +all. He suggested that the matter be discussed at length before deciding +upon anything definite. In his opinion it would be foolish to go to +extremes in the matter of reform. He said that ten or fifteen years ago +he would have been very much against any reform whatsoever, but that +he now saw the need for it to a certain extent, as circumstances had +changed very much. He said that we should adhere strictly to our own +mode of living and not abandon the traditions of our ancestors. In other +words, he simply advised the adoption of western civilization where +it was an improvement on our own, and nothing more. Her Majesty was +delighted with the interview, for Chang Chih Tung's opinions coincided +exactly with her own. + +During the whole of these audiences the Emperor, although present each +time, never opened his lips to say a word, but sat listening all the +time. As a rule, Her Majesty would ask his opinion, just as a matter of +form, but he invariably replied that he was quite in accord with what +Her Majesty had said or decided upon. + +Of the many religious ceremonies in connection with the Buddhist +religion the "La-pachow" was the most important. This was held on the +8th day of the twelfth moon each year. According to the common belief, +on this eighth day of the twelfth moon, many centuries ago, a certain +Buddhist priest Ju Lai set out to beg for food, and after receiving a +good supply of rice and beans from the people, he returned and divided +it with his brother priests, giving each an equal share, and he became +celebrated for his great charity. This day was therefore set apart as +an anniversary to commemorate the event. The idea was that by practising +self-denial on this day, one would gain favor in the sight of this +Buddha Ju Lai, therefore the only food eaten was rice, grain and beans, +all mixed together in a sort of porridge, but without any salt or +other flavoring. It was not at all pleasant to eat, being absolutely +tasteless. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN--THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS + +WE now reached the time set apart for cleaning the Palace in preparation +for the New Year festivals. Everything had to be taken down and +thoroughly overhauled, and all the images, pictures, furniture and +everything else were subjected to a thorough scrubbing. Her Majesty +again consulted her book in order to choose a lucky day on which to +commence these operations, finally choosing the twelfth day as being +most favorable. As we had all received our orders previously, we +commenced early on the morning of the twelfth. Several of the Court +ladies were told off to take down and clean the images of Buddha and +prepare new curtains for them. The rest of the cleaning was done by the +eunuchs. I asked Her Majesty whether I was to clean her jewelry, but +she answered that as nobody but herself ever wore it, it didn't need +cleaning. + +After everything had been cleaned to Her Majesty's satisfaction, +she prepared a list of names of the people she desired to attend the +ceremony of Tzu Sui. This ceremony was held on the last day of each year +and was something like the midnight services usually held in Europe on +the last night of each old year--just a farewell ceremony to bid the old +year adieu. The guests were invited about a fortnight ahead, so as to +give them plenty of time to get ready. Her Majesty also ordered new +winter clothing for the Court ladies. The only difference between these +new garments and those we were then wearing was that they were trimmed +with the fur of the silver fox instead of the gray squirrel. + +The next thing was to prepare cakes, which were to be placed before the +Buddhas and ancestors, during the New Year. It was necessary that Her +Majesty should make the first one herself. So when Her Majesty decided +that it was time to prepare these cakes the whole Court went into a +room specially prepared for the purpose and the eunuchs brought in the +ingredients-ground rice, sugar and yeast. These were mixed together into +a sort of dough and then steamed instead of baked, which caused it to +rise just like ordinary bread, it being believed that the higher the +cake rises, the better pleased are the gods and the more fortunate +the maker. The first cake turned out fine and we all congratulated Her +Majesty, who was evidently much pleased herself at the result. Then +she ordered each of the Court ladies to make one, which we did, with +disastrous results, not one turning out as it should. This being my +first year, there was some excuse for my failure, but I was surprised +that none of the older Court ladies fared any better, and on inquiring +from one of them the reason, she replied: "Why, I did it purposely, of +course, so as to flatter Her Majesty's vanity. Certainly I could make +them just as well as she, if not better, but it would not be good +policy." After we had all finished making our cakes, the eunuchs were +ordered to make the rest, and needless to say they were perfect in every +way. + +The next thing was to prepare small plates of dates and fresh fruits +of every kind. These were decorated with evergreens, etc., and placed +before the images of Buddha. Then we prepared glass dishes of candy, +which were to be offered to the God of the Kitchen. On the twenty-third +day of the last moon the God of the Kitchen left this earth to go on a +visit to the King of Heaven, to whom he reported all that we had been +doing during the past year, returning to earth again on the last day of +the year. The idea of offering him these sweets was in order that they +should stick to his mouth and prevent him from telling too much. When +these candies were prepared, we all adjourned to the kitchen and placed +the offering on a table specially placed for the purpose. Turning to +the head cook, she said: "You had better look out now; the God of the +Kitchen will tell how much you have stolen during the past year, and you +will be punished." + +The following day another ceremony had to be gone through, that of +writing out the New Year Greetings for the guests and Court, so in the +morning we all went with Her Majesty to the Audience Hall, where the +eunuchs had prepared large sheets of yellow, red and pale green paper. +Her Majesty took up a large brush and commenced to write. On some of +these sheets she wrote the character "Shou" (Long Life) and on others +"Fu" (Prosperity). By and bye, when she began to feel tired, she would +get either one of the Court ladies or one of the official writers to +finish them for her. When finished, they were distributed to the guests +and different officials, the ones Her Majesty had written herself being +reserved for her special favorites. These were given out a few days +before the New Year. + +Her Majesty received New Year presents from all the Viceroys and +principal officials. She would examine each present as it was received, +and if it found favor in her eyes, she would use it, but if not, she +would have it locked away in one of the storerooms and probably never +see it again. These presents consisted of small pieces of furniture, +curios, jewelry, silks, in fact everything--even clothing. The present +sent by Viceroy Yuan Shih Kai was a yellow satin robe, embroidered with +different colored precious stones and pearls designed to represent the +peony flower; the leaves were of green jade. It was really a magnificent +thing, and must have cost a fortune. The only drawback was its weight; +it was too heavy to wear comfortably. Her Majesty appeared delighted +with this gown, and wore it the first day, after which it was discarded +altogether, although I often suggested that she should wear it, as it +was the most magnificent gown I ever saw. Once when Her Majesty was +granting an audience to the Diplomatic Corps, I suggested that she +should wear this dress, but she refused, giving no reason, so nobody +outside the Court has ever seen this wonderful garment. + +Another costly present was received from the Viceroy of Canton, and +consisted of four bags of pearls, each bag containing several thousands. +They were all perfect in shape and color, and would have brought +fabulous prices in Europe or America. However, Her Majesty had so many +jewels, especially pearls, that she hardly paid any attention to them +beyond remarking that they were very nice. + +The Young Empress and the Court ladies were also expected to give +presents to Her Majesty each New Year. These were for the most part +articles that we had made ourselves, such as shoes, handkerchiefs, +collars, bags, etc. My mother, my sister and myself made presents of +mirrors, perfumes, soaps and similar toilet accessories which we had +brought with us from Paris. These Her Majesty appreciated very much; she +was very vain. The eunuchs and servant girls gave fancy cakes and other +food stuffs. + +The presents were so numerous that they filled several rooms, but we +were not allowed to remove them until Her Majesty gave orders to do so. + +The Court ladies also exchanged presents among themselves, which often +led to confusion and amusement. On this occasion I had received some +ten or a dozen different presents, and when it came my turn to give +something, I decided to use up some of the presents I had received from +my companions. To my surprise, the next day I received from one of the +Court ladies an embroidered handkerchief which I immediately recognized +as the identical handkerchief I had myself sent her as my New Year's +present. On mentioning the fact, this lady turned and said: "Well, that +is rather funny; I was just wondering what had made you return the +shoes I sent you." Of course everybody laughed very heartily, and still +further merriment was caused when, on comparing all the presents, it was +found that quite half of us had received back our own presents. In order +to settle the matter, we threw them all into a heap and divided them as +evenly as possible, everybody being satisfied with the result. + +About a week before New Year's day all audiences ceased and the seals +were put away until after the holidays. During this time no business was +transacted by Her Majesty. Everything was much more comfortable and we +could see that Her Majesty also appreciated the change from bustle to +quietness. We had nothing whatever to do but to take things easy until +the last day of the year. + +Early on the morning of the thirtieth Her Majesty went to worship before +the Buddhas and Ancestral Tablets. After this ceremony was finished, the +guests began to arrive, until by midday, all the guests, numbering about +fifty, were present. The principal guests were: The Imperial Princess +(Empress Dowager's adopted daughter), Princess Chung (wife of Emperor +Kwang Hsu's brother), Princesses Shun and Tao (wives of the Emperor's +younger brothers), Princess hung (wife of the nephew of the Imperial +Princess), and Prince Ching's family. All these ladies were frequent +visitors to the Court. Next day many other Princesses, not of the +Imperial family, but whose titles were honorary titles bestowed by +previous rulers, came. Next, the daughters of the high Manchu officials +and many other people whom I had never seen before. By midday all the +guests had arrived, and, after being presented to Her Majesty, were +taken to their different apartments and told to rest a while. At two +o'clock in the afternoon everybody assembled in the Audience Hall, lined +up according to their different ranks and, led by the Young Empress, +kowtowed to Her Majesty. This was the ceremony Tzu Sui already referred +to, and was simply a last goodbye to Her Majesty before the New Year set +in. When it was all over, Her Majesty gave each of us a small purse made +of red satin embroidered with gold, containing a sum of money. This is +to enable each one to commence the New Year with a kind of reserve fund +for a rainy day, when they would have this money to fall back upon. It +is an old Manchu custom and is still kept up. + +The evening was spent in music and enjoyment, and was carried on right +through the night, none of us going to bed. At Her Majesty's suggestion +we commenced gambling with dice, Her Majesty providing each of us with +money, sometimes as much as $200. She told us to be serious about it, +and to try and win, but of course we took good care not to win from Her +Majesty. When Her Majesty began to tire, she stopped the game and said: +"Now, all this money I have won I am going to throw on the floor, and +you girls can scramble for it." We knew that she wanted to see some fun, +so we fought for it as hard as we could. + +At midnight the eunuchs brought into the room a large brass brazier +containing live charcoal. Her Majesty pulled a leaf from a large +evergreen tree, which had been placed there for the purpose, and threw +it into the fire. We each followed her example, adding large pieces of +resin, which perfumed the whole atmosphere. This ceremony was supposed +to bring good luck during the coming year. + +The next item was making cakes or pies for New Year's day. On the first +of the New Year, nobody is allowed to eat rice, these cakes taking its +place. They were made of flour paste, with minced meat inside. While +some of us were preparing these cakes, others were peeling lotus seeds +for Her Majesty's breakfast. + +It was now well on into the morning hours and Her Majesty said that she +was tired and would go and rest a while. She was not going to sleep, +however, so we could carry on our noise as much as we liked. This we did +for some time, and on visiting Her Majesty's bedroom, we found that she +was fast asleep. We then all repaired to our various rooms and commenced +to make ourselves tidy for the day. As soon as Her Majesty was awake, +we all proceeded to her bedroom, taking with us plates of apples +(representing "Peace"), olives ("Long Life"), lotus seeds (Blessing). +She suitably acknowledged these gifts and wished us all good luck in +return. She inquired whether we had been to bed and, on learning that +we had been up all night, she said that was right. She herself had not +meant to sleep, only to rest a little, but somehow she had not been able +to keep awake, and gave as a reason that she was an old woman. We waited +on her until she had finished her toilet and then wished her a Happy New +Year. We then proceeded to pay our respects to the Emperor and to +the Young Empress. There was nothing further to be done in the way of +ceremonies, and we therefore all accompanied Her Majesty to the theatre. +The performance took place on a stage erected in the courtyard, and Her +Majesty closed in one part of her veranda for the use of the guests and +Court ladies. During the performance I began to feel very drowsy, and +eventually fell fast asleep leaning against one of the pillars. I awoke +rather suddenly to find that something had been dropped into my mouth, +but on investigation I found it was nothing worse than a piece of candy, +which I immediately proceeded to eat. On approaching Her Majesty, she +asked me how I had enjoyed the candy, and told me not to sleep, but to +have a good time like the rest. I never saw Her Majesty in better +humor. She played with us just like a young girl, and one could hardly +recognize in her the severe Empress Dowager we knew her to be. + +The guests also all seemed to be enjoying themselves very much. In the +evening, after the theatrical performance was over, Her Majesty ordered +the eunuchs to bring in their instruments and give us some music. She +herself sang several songs, and we all sang at intervals. Then Her +Majesty ordered the eunuchs to sing. Some were trained singers, and sang +very nicely, but others could not sing at all and caused quite a lot of +amusement by their efforts to please Her Majesty. The Emperor appeared +to be the only one present who was not having a good time; he never +smiled once. On meeting him outside, I asked him why he looked so sad, +but he only answered: "A Happy New Year" in English, smiled once, and +walked away. + +Her Majesty rose very early next morning and proceeded to the Audience +Hall to worship the God of Wealth. We all accompanied her and took part +in the ceremony. During the next few days we did nothing but gamble and +scramble for Her Majesty's winnings. This was all very nice in its way, +until one day one of the Court ladies began to cry, and accused me of +stepping on her toes in the scramble. This made Her Majesty angry and +she ordered the offender to go to her room and stay there for three +days, saying that she did not deserve to be enjoying herself if she +could not stand a little thing like that. + +The tenth of the first moon was the birthday of the Young Empress, and +we asked Her Majesty whether we would be allowed to give presents. She +gave us permission to give whatever presents we might wish to. However, +we submitted all our presents to Her Majesty for her approval, before +giving them to the Young Empress, and we had to be very discreet and not +choose anything which Her Majesty might think was too good. It was very +difficult to tell what to send, as Her Majesty might take a fancy to +any of the presents herself, even though they might not be of much value +intrinsically. In such a case Her Majesty would tell us that she would +keep it, and to give the Young Empress something else. + +The celebration was very similar to that of the Emperor's birthday, but +not on such an elaborate scale. We presented the Ru Yee to the Young +Empress and kowtowed to her. She was supposed to receive these tokens of +respect sitting on her throne, but out of deference to Her Majesty +(we were Her Majesty's Court ladies) she stood up. She always was very +polite to us under all circumstances. + +On this day, as on the Emperor's birthday, the Emperor, Young Empress +and Secondary wife dined together. These were the only two occasions +when they did so, always dining separately at other times. Her Majesty +sent two of her Court ladies to wait upon the Empress, I myself being +one of them. I was very pleased, as I wanted to see for myself how they +conducted themselves when together. I went into the Young Empress' room +and informed her that Her Majesty had ordered us to wait upon them, to +which she simply answered: "Very well." So we went to the dining room +and set the table, placing the chairs into position. The meal was much +different from what I expected. Instead of being stiff and serious +like Her Majesty when dining they were quite free and easy, and we were +allowed to join in the conversation and partake of some of the food and +wine. A very pretty ceremony was gone through at the commencement of the +meal. The Emperor and Young Empress seated themselves, and the Secondary +wife filled their cups with wine and presented it to them in turn as a +sign of respect, the Emperor first. When the meal was over we returned +to Her Majesty's apartment and told her that everything had passed off +nicely. We knew very well that we had been sent simply to act as spies, +but we had nothing interesting to tell Her Majesty. She asked if the +Emperor had been very serious and we answered "Yes." + +The New Year celebrations terminated with the Festival of Lanterns on +the fifteenth day of the first moon. These lanterns were of different +shapes, representing animals, flowers, fruits, etc., etc. They were made +of white gauze, painted in different colors. One lantern representing +a dragon about fifteen feet long was fastened to ten poles, and ten +eunuchs were required to hold it in position. In front of this dragon +a eunuch was holding a lantern representing a large pearl, which the +dragon was supposed to devour. This ceremony was gone through to the +accompaniment of music. + +After the lanterns came a firework display. These fireworks represented +different scenes in the history of China, grape vines, wisteria +blossoms, and many other flowers. It was a very imposing sight. Portable +wooden houses had been placed near the fireworks from which Her Majesty +and the rest of the Court could see them without being out in the cold +air. This display lasted for several hours without a stop, and thousands +of firecrackers were set off during the time. Her Majesty seemed to +enjoy the noise very much. Altogether it was a good finish to the +celebrations and we all enjoyed it very much. + +The next morning all the guests departed from the Palace and we +re-commenced our everyday life. + +As usual after the guests had departed Her Majesty began to criticise +their mode of dressing, their ignorance of Court etiquette, etc., but +added that she was rather glad, as she didn't want them to know anything +about Court life. + +As Spring soon arrived it was time for the farmers to commence sowing +seed for the rice crop, and of course there was another ceremony. The +Emperor visited the Temple of Agriculture where he prayed for a good +harvest. Then he proceeded to a small plot of ground situated in the +temple and after turning the earth over with a hand plow he sowed the +first seeds of the season. This was to show the farmers that their +labors were not despised and that even the Emperor was not ashamed to +engage in this work. Anybody could attend this ceremony, it being quite +a public affair, and many farmers were present. + +About this same time the Young Empress went to see the silkworms and +watch for the eggs to be hatched. As soon as they were out, the Young +Empress gathered mulberry leaves for the worms to feed upon and watched +them until they were big enough to commence spinning. Each day a fresh +supply of leaves were gathered and they were fed four or five times +daily. Several of the Court ladies were told off to feed the worms +during the night and see that they did not escape. These silkworms grow +very rapidly and we could see the difference each day. Of course when +they became full grown they required more food and we were kept busy +constantly feeding them. The Young Empress was able to tell by holding +them up to the light when they were ready to spin. If they were +transparent then they were ready, and were placed on paper and left +there. When spinning the silkworm does not eat, therefore all we had to +do was to watch that they did not get away. After spinning for four or +five days their supply of silk becomes exhausted and they shrivel up and +apparently die. These apparently dead worms were collected by the Young +Empress and placed in a box where they were kept until they developed +into moths. They were then placed on thick paper and left there to lay +their eggs. + +If left to themselves, the silkworms when ready for spinning will spin +the silk around their bodies until they are completely covered up, +gradually forming a cocoon. In order to determine when they have +finished spinning it was customary to take the cocoon and rattle it +near the ear. If the worm was exhausted you could plainly hear the body +rattle inside the cocoon. The cocoon is then placed in boiling water +until it becomes soft. This, of course, kills the worm. In order to +separate the silk a needle is used to pick up the end of the thread +which is then wound on to a spool and is ready for weaving. A few of the +cocoons were kept until the worms had turned into moths, which soon ate +their way out of the cocoons when they were placed on sheets of paper +and left to lay their eggs, which are taken away and kept in a cool +place until the following Spring, when the eggs are hatched and become +worms. + +When the silk had all been separated we took it to Her Majesty for +inspection and approval. On this particular occasion Her Majesty ordered +one of the eunuchs to bring in some silk which she herself had woven +when a young girl in the Palace, and on comparing it with the new silk +it was found to be just as good in every way although many years had +passed since it was made. + +All this was done with the same object as the Emperor sowing the seeds, +viz.:--to set the people a good example and to encourage them in their +work. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN--THE SEA PALACE + +THIS year we had a very hot spring and Her Majesty was desirous of +getting back again to the Sea Palace. However, as war had already been +declared between Russia and Japan it was thought best to remain in the +Forbidden City until things were more settled. Her Majesty was very much +worried over this war and spent most of her time in offering prayers +to the different divinities for the welfare of China and we, of course, +were expected to join her. Things were very monotonous about this time +and nothing particular occurred until the beginning of the second moon. +By this time Her Majesty was quite sick of staying in the Forbidden City +and said that no matter what happened she would remove the Court to +the Sea Palace, where Miss Carl could get along and finish the portrait +which had been hanging on for nearly a year. So on the sixth day of the +second moon we moved back to the Sea Palace. Everything looked fresh and +green and many of the trees had commenced to blossom. Her Majesty took +us around the lake and we were in such good spirits that Her Majesty +remarked that we acted more like a lot of wild animals escaped from a +menagerie than human beings. She was much brighter now, but said that +she would be happier still to get to the Summer Palace. + +Miss Carl was summoned to the Palace, and Her Majesty visited her and +asked to see the portrait. She again asked me how long it would be +before it was finished, and I told her that unless she gave a little +more of her time to posing it might not be finished for quite a long +time. After a lot of consideration Her Majesty finally agreed to give +Miss Carl five minutes each day after the morning audience, but that she +desired it to be distinctly understood that she did not intend to pose +for anything but the face. She accordingly sat for two mornings, but +on the third morning she made an excuse saying that she was not feeling +well. I told her that Miss Carl could not proceed further unless she sat +for the face, so, although she was very angry, she gave Miss Carl a few +more sittings until the face was finished. She absolutely refused to sit +again whether it was finished or not, saying that she would have nothing +more to do with the portrait. I myself sat for the remainder of the +portrait, viz.:--for Her Majesty's dress, jewels, etc., and so by +degrees the portrait was completed. + +When Her Majesty learned that the portrait was nearing completion she +was very much pleased, and I thought it a good opportunity to again +broach the subject of payment. Her Majesty asked me whether I really +thought it necessary to pay cash for the portrait and how much. I told +her that as painting was Miss Carl's profession, if she had not been +engaged on painting Her Majesty's portrait she would most probably have +been engaged on other similar work for which she would have received +compensation, and that therefore she would naturally expect to be paid +even more handsomely in this instance. It was difficult to make Her +Majesty understand this and she asked if I was quite certain that Miss +Carl would not be offended by an offer of money, also Mrs. Conger who +had presented her. I explained that in America and Europe it was quite +customary for ladies to earn their own living either by painting, +teaching or in some other similar manner, and that it was no disgrace +but rather the opposite. Her Majesty seemed very much surprised to learn +this, and asked why Miss Carl's brother did not support her himself. I +told Her Majesty that Miss Carl did not desire him to provide for her, +besides which he was married and had a family to support. Her Majesty +gave it as her opinion that this was a funny kind of civilization. In +China when the parents were dead it was the duty of the sons to provide +for their unmarried sisters until such time as they married. She also +said that if Chinese ladies were to work for their living it would only +set people talking about them. However, she promised to speak with Her +Ministers about paying Miss Carl, and I felt somewhat relieved as there +seemed to be a probability of something satisfactory being arranged +after all. + +The twelfth day of the second moon was the anniversary of another +interesting ceremony, viz.:--the birthday of the flowers and trees. +After the morning audience we all went into the Palace grounds, where +the eunuchs were waiting with huge rolls of red silk. These we all +commenced to cut into narrow strips about two inches wide and three feet +long. When we had cut sufficient Her Majesty took a strip of red silk +and another of yellow silk which she tied round the stem of one of +the peony trees (in China the peony is considered to be the queen of +flowers). Then all the Court ladies, eunuchs and servant girls set to +work to decorate every single tree and plant in the grounds with red +silk ribbons, in the same manner as Her Majesty had done. This took up +nearly the entire morning and it made a very pretty picture, with the +bright costumes of the Court ladies, green trees and beautiful flowers. + +We then went to a theatrical performance. This represented all the +tree fairies and flower fairies celebrating their birthday. The Chinese +believe that all the trees and flowers have their own particular +fairies, the tree fairies being men and the flower fairies being women. +The costumes were very pretty and were chosen to blend with the green +trees and flowers which were on the stage. One of the costumes worn by a +lotus fairy was made of pink silk, worked so as to represent the petals +of the flower, the skirt being of green silk to represent the lotus +leaves. Whenever this fairy moved about the petals would move just +as though wafted by the breeze, like a natural flower. Several other +costumes representing different flowers were made in the same manner. +The scene was a woodland dell, surrounded with huge rocks perforated +with caves, out of which came innumerable small fairies bearing +decanters of wine. These small fairies represented the smaller flowers, +daisies, pomegranate blossoms, etc. The result can be better imagined +than described. All the fairies gathered together and drank the wine, +after which they commenced to sing, accompanied by stringed instruments, +played very softly. The final scene was a very fitting ending to the +performance. It represented a small rainbow which gradually descended +until it rested on the rocks; then each fairy in turn would sit upon +the rainbow which rose again and conveyed them through the clouds into +Heaven. This completed the celebration and we all retired to our rooms. + +On the fourteenth day of the second moon (March 2, 1904), I completed my +first year at Court. I had quite forgotten this fact until Her Majesty +reminded me of it. She asked whether I was comfortable and happy where +I was or did I long to return to Paris. I answered truly that although +I had enjoyed myself while in France still I preferred the life of the +Court, it was so interesting, besides which I was in my own native land +and among all my friends and relations, and naturally I preferred that +to living in a strange land. Her Majesty smiled and said she was afraid +that sooner or later I would tire of the life in the Palace and fly away +again across the ocean. She said that the only way to make sure of me +was to marry me off. She again asked me what was my objection to getting +married; was I afraid of having a mother-in-law, or what was it? If +that was all, I need not worry, for so long as she was alive there was +nothing to be afraid of. Her Majesty said that even if I were married it +would not be necessary for me to stay at home all the time, but that I +would be able to spend my time in the Palace as usual. Continuing, she +said: "Last year when this marriage question came up I was willing to +make allowances as you had been brought up somewhat differently from the +rest of my Court ladies, but do not run away with the idea that I have +forgotten all about it. I am still on the lookout for a suitable husband +for you." I simply answered as before--that I had absolutely no desire +to marry, but that I wanted to stay where I was and live at the Court so +long as Her Majesty was willing to have me there. She made some remark +about my being stubborn and said that I should probably change my mind +before long. + +During the latter part of the second moon Miss Carl worked very hard to +get the portrait finished and Her Majesty again consulted her book in +order to select a lucky day on which to put the final touches to the +picture. The 19th of April, 1904, was chosen by Her Majesty as the +best time, and Miss Carl was duly notified. Miss Carl most emphatically +stated that it was quite impossible to finish the portrait properly by +the time named, and I told Her Majesty what Miss Carl said, explaining +that there were many small finishing touches to be added and I suggested +it would be better to give Miss Carl a few days longer if possible. +However, Her Majesty said that it must be finished by four o'clock on +the 19th day of April, and therefore there was nothing further to be +said. + +About a week before the time fixed for completion Her Majesty paid a +visit to the studio to finally inspect the picture. She seemed very much +pleased with it, but still objected to her face being painted dark on +one side and light on the other. As I have said before, I had explained +that this was the shading, but Her Majesty insisted on my telling Miss +Carl to make both sides of her face alike. This led to a pretty hot +discussion between Miss Carl and myself but she finally saw that it was +no use going against Her Majesty's wishes in the matter, so consented +to make some slight alteration. Happening to catch sight of some foreign +characters at the foot of the painting Her Majesty inquired what they +were and on being informed that they were simply the artist's name, +said: "Well, I know foreigners do some funny things, but I think this +about the funniest I ever heard of. Fancy putting her own name on my +picture. This will naturally convey the impression that it is a portrait +of Miss Carl, and not a portrait of myself at all." I again had to +explain the reason for this, saying that it was always customary for +foreign artists to write their names at the foot of any picture they +painted, whether portrait or otherwise. So Her Majesty said she supposed +it was all right, and would have to remain, but she looked anything but +satisfied with it. + +By working practically all night and all day, Miss Carl managed to get +the portrait finished by the time stipulated, and Her Majesty arranged +that Mrs. Conger and the other ladies of the Diplomatic Corps should +come to the Palace and see the portrait. This was quite a private +audience and Her Majesty received them in one of the small Audience +Halls. After the usual greetings Her Majesty ordered us to conduct the +ladies to the studio, which we did, Her Majesty bidding them good-bye +and remaining in her own apartments. The Young Empress in accordance +with instructions from Her Majesty, accompanied us to the studio, and +acted as hostess. Everybody expressed great admiration for the portrait +and it was voted a marvellous likeness. After inspecting the picture we +all adjourned for refreshments. The Young Empress sat at the head of +the table and asked me to sit next to her. Shortly after everybody was +seated a eunuch came and asked the Young Empress to inform these ladies +that the Emperor was slightly indisposed and was unable to be present. I +interpreted this, and everybody appeared satisfied. As a matter of fact +the Emperor was quite well, but we had forgotten all about him. And so +the guests departed without seeing him on this occasion. + +On reporting everything to Her Majesty as usual, she asked what they +thought of the portrait, and we told her that they had admired it very +much. Her Majesty said: "Of course they did, it was painted by a foreign +artist." She didn't appear to be very much interested and was quite +cross about something, which caused me great disappointment after all +the trouble Miss Carl had taken to finish the portrait. Her Majesty +then remarked that Miss Carl had taken a long time to get the portrait +finished, and asked why nobody had reminded her to inform the Emperor +about the audience, being particularly angry with the head eunuch on +this occasion. Her Majesty said that as soon as she remembered, she +immediately sent a eunuch to make excuses, as the ladies might very +well think that something had happened to the Emperor and it might cause +talk. I told her that I explained to them that the Emperor was not well +and they evidently thought nothing further of his absence. + +By the next day the carpenters in the Palace had finished the frame for +the portrait and when it had been properly fitted Her Majesty ordered my +brother to take a photograph of it. This photograph turned out so well +that Her Majesty said it was better than the portrait itself. + +The picture being now quite finished, Miss Carl prepared to take her +leave, which she did a few days later, having received a handsome +present in cash from Her Majesty in addition to a decoration and many +other presents as remuneration for her services. For quite a long time +after Miss Carl had left the Palace I felt very lonely, as during her +stay I had found her a genial companion and we had many things in common +to talk about. Her Majesty noticed that I was rather quiet, and asked me +the cause. She said: "I suppose you are beginning to miss your friend, +the lady artist." I did not care to admit that this was so, for fear she +might think me ungrateful to herself, besides which I knew she did not +like the idea of my being too friendly with foreigners. So I explained +to Her Majesty that I always did regret losing old friends but that I +would get used to the change very soon. Her Majesty was very nice about +it and said she wished that she was a little more sentimental over such +small things, but that when I got to her age I should be able to take +things more philosophically. + +After Miss Carl had left the Court, Her Majesty asked me one day: "Did +she ever ask you much about the Boxer movement of 1900?" I told her that +I knew very little of the Boxer movement myself, as I was in Paris at +the time and I could not say very much. I assured her that the lady +artist never mentioned the subject to me. Her Majesty said: "I hate to +mention about that affair and I would not like to have foreigners ask my +people questions on that subject. Do you know, I have often thought that +I am the most clever woman that ever lived and others cannot compare +with me. Although I have heard much about Queen Victoria and read a part +of her life which someone has translated into Chinese, still I don't +think her life was half so interesting and eventful as mine. My life is +not finished yet and no one knows what is going to happen in the future. +I may surprise the foreigners some day with something extraordinary and +do something quite contrary to anything I have yet done. England is one +of great powers of the world, but this has not been brought about by +Queen Victoria's absolute rule. She had the able men of parliament back +of her at all times and of course they discussed everything until the +best result was obtained, then she would sign the necessary documents +and really had nothing to say about the policy of the country. Now look +at me. I have 400,000,000 people, all dependent on my judgment. Although +I have the Grand Council to consult with, they only look after the +different appointments, but anything of an important nature I must +decide myself. What does the Emperor know? I have been very successful +so far, but I never dreamt that the Boxer movement would end with such +serious results for China. That is the only mistake I have made in +my life. I should have issued an Edict at once to stop the Boxers +practising their belief, but both Prince Tuan and Duke Lan told me that +they firmly believed the Boxers were sent by Heaven to enable China +to get rid of all the undesirable and hated foreigners. Of course they +meant mostly missionaries, and you know how I hate them and how very +religious I always am, so I thought I would not say anything then but +would wait and see what would happen. I felt sure they were going too +far as one day Prince Tuan brought the Boxer leader to the Summer Palace +and summoned all the eunuchs into the courtyard of the Audience Hall and +examined each eunuch on the head to see if there was a cross. He said, +'This cross is not visible to you, but I can identify a Christian by +finding a cross on the head.' Prince Tuan then came to my private Palace +and told me that the Boxer leader was at the Palace Gate and had found +two eunuchs who were Christians and asked me what was to be done. I +immediately became very angry and told him that he had no right to bring +any Boxers to the Palace without my permission; but he said this leader +was so powerful that he was able to kill all the foreigners and was not +afraid of the foreign guns, as all the gods were protecting him. Prince +Tuan told me that he had witnessed this himself. A Boxer shot another +with a revolver and the bullet hit him, but did not harm him in the +least. Then Prince Tuan suggested that I hand these two eunuchs supposed +to be Christians to the Boxer leader, which I did. I heard afterwards +that these two eunuchs were beheaded right in the country somewhere near +here. This chief Boxer came to the Palace the next day, accompanied by +Prince Tuan and Duke Lan, to make all the eunuchs burn incense sticks +to prove that they were not Christians. After that Prince Tuan also +suggested that we had better let the chief Boxer come every day and +teach the eunuchs their belief; that nearly all of Peking was studying +with the Boxers. The next day I was very much surprised to see all my +eunuchs dressed as Boxers. They wore red jackets, red turbans and yellow +trousers. I was sorry to see all my attendants discard their official +robes and wear a funny costume like that. Duke Lan presented me with +a suit of Boxer clothes. At that time Yung Lu, who was the head of the +Grand Council, was ill and asked leave of absence for a month. While he +was sick, I used to send one of the eunuchs to see him every day, and +that day the eunuch returned and informed me that Yung Lu was quite well +and would come to the Palace the next day, although he still had fifteen +days more leave. I was puzzled to know why he should give up the balance +of his leave. However, I was very anxious to see him, as I wished to +consult him about this chief Boxer. Yung Lu looked grieved when he +learned what had taken place at the Palace, and said that these Boxers +were nothing but revolutionaries and agitators. They were trying to get +the people to help them to kill the foreigners, but he was very much +afraid the result would be against the Government. I told him that +probably he was right, and asked him what should be done. He told me +that he would talk to Prince Tuan, but the next day Prince Tuan told me +that he had had a fight with Yung Lu about the Boxer question, and said +that all of Peking had become Boxers, and if we tried to turn them, they +would do all they could to kill everyone in Peking, including the Court; +that they (the Boxer party) had the day selected to kill all the foreign +representatives; that Tung Fou Hsiang, a very conservative General and +one of the Boxers, had promised to bring his troops out to help the +Boxers to fire on the Legations. When I heard this I was very much +worried and anticipated serious trouble, so I sent for Yung Lu at once +and kept Prince Tuan with me. Yung Lu came, looking very much worried, +and he was more so after I had told him what the Boxers were going to +do. He immediately suggested that I should issue an Edict, saying that +these Boxers were a secret society and that no one should believe their +teaching, and to instruct the Generals of the nine gates to drive all +the Boxers out of the city at once. When Prince Tuan heard this he was +very angry and told Yung Lu that if such an Edict was issued, the Boxers +would come to the Court and kill everybody. When Prince Tuan told me +this, I thought I had better leave everything to him. After he left the +Palace, Yung Lu said that Prince Tuan was absolutely crazy and that he +was sure these Boxers would be the cause of a great deal of trouble. +Yung Lu also said that Prince Tuan must be insane to be helping the +Boxers to destroy the Legations; that these Boxers were a very common +lot, without education, and they imagined the few foreigners in China +were the only ones on the earth and if they were killed it would be the +end of them. They forgot how very strong these foreign countries are, +and that if the foreigners in China were all killed, thousands would +come to avenge their death. Yung Lu assured me that one foreign soldier +could kill one hundred Boxers without the slightest trouble, and begged +me to give him instructions to order General Nieh, who was afterwards +killed by the Boxers, to bring his troops to protect the Legations. Of +course I gave him this instruction at once, and also told him that he +must see Prince Tuan at once and Duke Lan to tell them that this was +a very serious affair and that they had better not interfere with Yung +Lu's plans. Matters became worse day by day and Yung Lu was the only one +against the Boxers, but what could one man accomplish against so many? +One day Prince Tuan and Duke Lan came and asked me to issue an Edict +ordering the Boxers to kill all the Legation people first and then all +remaining foreigners. I was very angry and refused to issue this Edict. +After we had talked a very long time, Prince Tuan said that this must +be done without delay, for the Boxers were getting ready to fire on the +Legations and would do so the very next day. I was furious and ordered +several of the eunuchs to drive him out, and he said as he was going +out: 'If you refuse to issue that Edict, I will do it for you whether +you are willing or not,' and he did. After that you know what happened. +He issued these Edicts unknown to me and was responsible for a great +many deaths. He found that he could not carry his plans through and +heard that the foreign troops were not very far from Peking. He was so +frightened that he made us all leave Peking." As she finished saying +this, she started to cry, and I told her that I felt very sorry for her. +She said: "You need not feel sorry for me for what I have gone through; +but you must feel sorry that my fair name is ruined. That is the only +mistake I have made in my whole life and it was done in a moment of +weakness. Before I was just like a piece of pure jade; everyone admired +me for what I have done for my country, but the jade has a flaw in it +since this Boxer movement and it will remain there to the end of my +life. I have regretted many, many times that I had such confidence +in, and believed that wicked Prince Tuan; he was responsible for +everything." + +By the end of the third moon Her Majesty had had enough of the Sea +Palace and the Court moved into the Summer Palace. This time we +travelled by boat as it was very beautiful weather. On reaching the +water-gates of the Palace we found everything just lovely and the peach +blossoms were in full bloom. Her Majesty plainly showed how glad she +was to be back once more and for the time being seemed to have forgotten +everything else, even the war. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY--CONCLUSION + +MY second year at the Palace was very much the same as the first. We +celebrated each anniversary and festival in the same way as before: the +usual audience was held each morning by Her Majesty, after which the day +was given up to enjoyment. Amongst other things Her Majesty took great +interest in her vegetable gardens, and superintended the planting of the +different seeds. When vegetables were ready for pulling, from time to +time, all the Court ladies were supplied with a kind of small pruning +fork and gathered in the crop. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy seeing us +work in the fields, and when the fit seized her she would come along and +help. In order to encourage us in this work, Her Majesty would give a +small present to the one who showed the best results so we naturally +did our best in order to please her, as much as for the reward. Another +hobby of Her Majesty's was the rearing of chickens, and a certain number +of birds were allotted to each of the Court ladies. We were supposed to +look after these ourselves and the eggs had to be taken to Her Majesty +every morning. I could not understand why it was that my chickens gave +less eggs than any of the others until one day my eunuch informed me +that he had seen one of the other eunuchs stealing the eggs from my hen +house and transferring them to another, in order to help his mistress to +head the list. + +Her Majesty was very particular not to encourage untidyness or +extravagance among the Court ladies. On one occasion she told me to open +a parcel which was lying in her room. I was about to cut the string when +Her Majesty stopped me and told me to untie it. This I managed to do +after a lot of trouble, and opened the parcel. Her Majesty next made me +fold the paper neatly and place it in a drawer along with the string so +that I would know where to find it should it be wanted again. From time +to time Her Majesty would give each of us money for our own private +use and whenever we wanted to buy anything, say flowers, handkerchiefs, +shoes, ribbons, etc., these could be bought from the servant girls who +used to make them in the Palace and we would enter each item in a small +note book supplied by Her Majesty for the purpose. At the end of each +month Her Majesty examined our accounts and in case she considered that +we had been extravagant she would give us a good scolding, while on the +other hand, if we managed to show a good balance she would compliment us +on our good management. Thus under Her Majesty's tuition we learned to +be careful and tidy against such time as we might be called upon to look +after homes of our own. + +About this time my father began to show signs of breaking down and asked +for permission to withdraw from public life. However, Her Majesty would +not hear of this and decided to give him another six months vacation +instead. It was his intention to go to Shanghai and see the family +physician, but Her Majesty did not approve of this, maintaining that +her own doctors were quite as good as any foreign doctor. These doctors +therefore attended him for some time, prescribing all kinds of different +concoctions daily. After a while he seemed to pick up a little but was +still unable to get about on account of having chronic rheumatism. We +therefore again suggested that it would be better for him to see his own +doctor in Shanghai, who understood my father thoroughly, but Her Majesty +could not be made to see it in that light. She said that what we wanted +was a little patience, that the Chinese doctors might be slow, but they +were sure, and she was convinced they would completely cure my father +very soon. The fact of the matter was she was afraid that if my father +went to stay in Shanghai the rest of the family would want to be there +with him, which was not in her programme at all. So we decided to remain +in Peking unless my father showed signs of getting worse. + +In due course the time arrived on which it had been arranged to hold the +Spring Garden Party for the Diplomatic Corps, and as usual one day was +set apart for the Ministers, Secretaries and members of the various +Legations, and the following day for their wives, etc. This year very +few guests attended the Garden Party but among those who did come were +several strangers. About half a dozen ladies from the Japanese Legation +came with Madame Uchida, wife of the Japanese Minister. Her Majesty +was always very pleased to see this lady whom she very much admired +on account of her extreme politeness. After the usual presentation we +conducted the ladies to luncheon, showed them over the Palace grounds, +after which we wished them good-bye and they took their leave. We +reported everything to Her Majesty, and as usual were asked many +questions. Among the guests there was one lady (English so far as I +could make out) dressed in a heavy tweed travelling costume, having +enormous pockets, into which she thrust her hands as though it were +extremely cold. She wore a cap of the same material. Her Majesty asked +if I had noticed this lady with the clothes made out of "rice bags," and +wasn't it rather unusual to be presented at Court in such a dress. Her +Majesty wanted to know who she was and where she came from. I replied +that she certainly did not belong to any of the Legations as I was +acquainted with everybody there. Her Majesty said that whoever she was +she certainly was not accustomed to moving in decent society as she +(Her Majesty) was quite certain that it was not the thing to appear at a +European Court in such a costume. "I can tell in a moment," Her Majesty +added, "whether any of these people are desirous of showing proper +respect to me, or whether they consider that I am not entitled to it. +These foreigners seem to have the idea that the Chinese are ignorant and +that therefore they need not be so particular as in European Society. I +think it would be best to let it be understood for the future what dress +should be worn at the different Court Functions, and at the same time +use a certain amount of discretion in issuing invitations. In that way I +can also keep the missionary element out, as well as other undesirables. +I like to meet any distinguished foreigners who may be visiting in +China, but I do not want any common people at my Court." I suggested +that the Japanese custom could be followed, viz.: to issue proper +invitation cards, stipulating at the foot the dress to be worn on each +particular occasion. Her Majesty thought this would meet the case and it +was decided to introduce a similar rule in China. + +Whenever the weather permitted, Her Majesty would pass quite a lot of +her time in the open air watching the eunuchs at work in the gardens. +During the early Spring the lotus plants were transplanted and she would +take keen interest in this work. All the old roots had to be cut away +and the new bulbs planted in fresh soil. Although the lotus grew in the +shallowest part of the lake (the West side) it was necessary for the +eunuchs to wade into the water sometimes up to their waists in order to +weed out the old plants and set the young ones. Her Majesty would +sit for hours on her favorite bridge (The Jade Girdle Bridge) and +superintend the eunuchs at their work, suggesting from time to time as +to how the bulbs were to be planted. This work generally took three or +four days, and the Court ladies in attendance would stand beside +Her Majesty and pass the time making fancy tassels for Her Majesty's +cushions, in fact doing anything so long as we did not idle. + +It was during the Spring that Yuan Shih Kai paid another visit to the +Palace, and among other subjects discussed was the Russo-Japan war. He +told Her Majesty that it was developing into a very serious affair and +that he feared China would be the principal sufferer in the long run. +Her Majesty was very much upset by this news, and mentioned that she had +been advised by one of the censors to make a present to the Japanese of +a large quantity of rice, but had decided to take no action whatever in +the matter, which resolve Yuan Shih Kai strongly supported. + +I was still working each day translating the various newspaper reports +and telegrams relating to the war and one morning, seeing a paragraph to +the effect that Kang Yu Wei (Leader of the Reform Movement in China in +1898) had arrived at Singapore from Batavia, I thought it might interest +Her Majesty and so translated it along with the rest. Her Majesty +immediately became very much excited which made me feel frightened as I +did not know what could be the matter. However, she explained to me that +this man had caused all kinds of trouble in China, that before meeting +Kang Yu Wei the Emperor had been a zealous adherent to the traditions of +his ancestors but since then had plainly shown his desire to introduce +reforms and even Christianity into the country. "On one occasion," +continued Her Majesty, "he caused the Emperor to issue instructions for +the Summer Palace to be surrounded by soldiers so as to keep me +prisoner until these reforms could be put into effect, but through the +faithfulness of Yung Lu, a member of the Grand Council, and Yuan Shill +Kai, Viceroy of Chihli, I was able to frustrate the plot. I immediately +proceeded to the Forbidden City, where the Emperor was then staying and +after discussing the question with him he replied that he realized his +mistake and asked me to take over the reins of government and act in his +stead." + + (The result of this was, of course, the Edict of 1898 + appointing the Empress Dowager as Regent of China.) + +Her Majesty had immediately ordered the capture of Kang Yu Wei and his +followers, but he had managed to effect his escape and she had heard +nothing further about him until I translated this report in the +newspaper. She seemed relieved, however, to know where he was, and +seemed anxious to hear what he was doing. She suddenly became very +angry again and asked why it was that the foreign governments offered +protection to Chinese political agitators and criminals. Why couldn't +they leave China to deal with her own subjects and mind their own +business a little more? She gave me instructions to keep a lookout for +any further news of this gentleman and report to her immediately, but I +made up my mind that in any case, I would not mention anything about him +again and so the matter gradually died away. + +During one of our visits to the Sea Palace Her Majesty drew attention +to a large piece of vacant ground and said that it had formerly been the +site of the Audience Hall which had been destroyed by fire during +the Boxer trouble. Her Majesty explained that this had been purely an +accident and was not deliberately destroyed by the foreign troops. She +said that it had long been an eyesore to her as it was so ugly, and that +she had now determined to build another Audience Hall on the same site, +as the present Audience Hall was too small to accommodate the foreign +guests when they paid their respects at New Year. She therefore +commanded the Board of Works to prepare a model of the new building in +accordance with her own ideas, and submit it for her approval. Up to +that time all the buildings in the Palace Grounds were typically Chinese +but this new Audience Hall was to be more or less on the foreign plan +and up to date in every respect. This model was accordingly prepared +and submitted to Her Majesty. It was only a small wooden model but was +complete in every detail, even to the pattern of the windows and the +carving on the ceilings and panels. However, I never knew anything to +quite come up to Her Majesty's ideas, and this was no exception. She +criticised the model from every standpoint, ordering this room to be +enlarged and that room to be made smaller: this window to be moved to +another place, etc., etc. So the model went back for reconstruction. +When it was again brought for Her Majesty's inspection everybody agreed +that it was an improvement on the first one, and even Her Majesty +expressed great satisfaction. The next thing was to find a name for the +new building and after serious and mature consideration it was decided +to name it Hai Yen Tang (Sea Coast Audience Hall). Building operations +were commenced immediately and Her Majesty took great interest in the +progress of the work. It had already been decided that this Audience +Hall was to be furnished throughout in foreign style, with the exception +of the throne, which, of course, retained its Manchu appearance. Her +Majesty compared the different styles of furniture with the catalogues +we had brought with us from France and finally decided on the Louis +Fifteenth style, but everything was to be covered with Imperial Yellow, +with curtains and carpets to match. When everything had been selected +to Her Majesty's satisfaction, my mother asked permission to defray the +expense herself and make a present of this furniture. This Her Majesty +agreed to and the order was accordingly placed with a well-known Paris +firm from whom we had purchased furniture when in France. By the time +the building was completed the furniture had arrived, and it was quickly +installed. Her Majesty went to inspect it and, of course, had to find +fault as usual. She didn't seem at all pleased with the result of the +experiment and said that after all a Chinese building would have been +the best as it would have had a more dignified appearance. However, the +thing was finished and it was no use finding fault now, as it could not +be changed. + +During the Summer months I had plenty of leisure time and devoted about +an hour each day to helping the Emperor with his English. He was a most +intelligent man with a wonderful memory and learned very quickly. His +pronunciation, however, was not good. In a very short time he was able +to read short stories out of an ordinary school reader and could write +from dictation fairly well. His handwriting was exceptionally fine, +while in copying old English and ornamental characters, he was an +expert. Her Majesty seemed pleased that the Emperor had taken up this +study, and said she thought of taking it up herself as she was quite +sure she would learn it very quickly if she tried. After two lessons she +lost patience, and did not mention the matter again. + +Of course these lessons gave me plenty of opportunity to talk with His +Majesty, and on one occasion he ventured the remark that I didn't seem +to have made much progress with Her Majesty in the matter of reform. +I told him that many things had been accomplished since my arrival at +Court, and mentioned the new Audience Hall as an instance. He didn't +appear to think that anything worth talking about, and advised me to +give up the matter altogether. He said when the proper time arrived--if +it ever did arrive--then I might be of use, but expressed grave doubts +on the subject. He also enquired about my father and I told him that +unless his health improved very soon it would be necessary for us to +leave the Court for a while at any rate. He replied that although he +should very much regret such a necessity, he really believed that it +would be for the best. He said he felt certain that I should never be +able to settle down permanently to Court life after spending so many +years abroad, and for his part would put no obstacles in the way of my +leaving the Court if I desired to do so. + +Her Majesty had given me permission to visit my father twice every +month, and everything appeared to be going along nicely until one day +one of Her Majesty's servant girls told me that Her Majesty was trying +to arrange another marriage for me. At first I did not take any notice +of this, but shortly afterwards Her Majesty informed me that everything +was arranged and that I was to be married to a certain Prince whom +she had chosen. I could see that Her Majesty was waiting for me to say +something, so I told her that I was very much worried at that time about +my father and begged her to allow the matter to stand over for the time +being at any rate. This made Her Majesty very angry, and she told me +that she considered me very ungrateful after all she had done for me. I +didn't reply, and as her Majesty did not say anything more at the time, +I tried to forget about it. However, on my next visit home, I told my +father all about it, and as before he was strongly opposed to such a +marriage. He suggested that on my return to the Palace I should lay +the whole matter before Li Lien Ying, the head eunuch, and explain my +position, for if anybody could influence Her Majesty, he was the one. +I, therefore, took the first opportunity of speaking to him. At first he +appeared very reluctant to interfere in the matter, and said he thought +I ought to do as Her Majesty wished, but on my stating that I had no +desire to marry at all, but was quite willing to remain at Court in +my present position, he promised to do his best for me. I never heard +anything further about my marriage, either from Her Majesty or Li Lien +Ying, and therefore concluded that he had been able to arrange the +matter satisfactorily. + +The Summer passed without anything further important occurring. During +the eighth moon the bamboos were cut down and here again the Court +ladies were called upon to assist, our work being to carve designs +and characters on the cut trees, Her Majesty assisting. These were +afterwards made into chairs, tables and other useful articles for Her +Majesty's teahouse. During the long Autumn evenings Her Majesty would +teach us Chinese history and poetry and every tenth day would put us +through an examination in order to find out how much we had learned, +prizes being awarded for proficiency. The younger eunuchs also took part +in these lessons and some of their answers to Her Majesty's questions +were very amusing. If Her Majesty were in a good humor she would laugh +with the rest of us, but sometimes she would order them to be punished +for their ignorance and stupidity. However, as they were quite +accustomed to being punished they did not seem to mind very much and +forgot all about it the next minute. + +As Her Majesty's seventieth birthday was approaching the Emperor +proposed to celebrate this event on an unusually grand scale, but Her +Majesty would not give her consent to this proposal on account of the +war trouble, for fear people might comment on it. The only difference, +therefore, between this birthday and former ones was that Her Majesty +gave presents to the Court, in addition to receiving them. These +included the bestowal of titles, promotions and increases in salary. +Among the titles conferred by Her Majesty, my sister and myself received +the title of Chun Chu Hsien (Princess). These titles, however, were +confined to members of the Court, and were granted specially by the +Empress Dowager. Similar promotions to outside officials were always +conferred by the Emperor. It was proposed to hold the celebrations in +the Forbidden City as it was more suited for such an important +event. However, Her Majesty did not like this idea at all, and gave +instructions that the Court should not be moved until three days before +the 10th of the tenth moon, the date of her birthday. This entailed a +lot of unnecessary work as it necessitated decorating both the Summer +Palace and the Forbidden City. Everything was hurry and bustle. To add +to this, it snowed very heavily during the few days previous to the +tenth. Her Majesty was in a very good mood. She was very fond of being +out in the snow and expressed a wish to have some photographs taken +of herself on the hillside. So my brother was commanded to bring his +camera, and took several very good pictures of Her Majesty. + +On the seventh day the Court moved into the Forbidden City and the +celebrations commenced. The decorations were beautiful; the Courtyards +being covered with glass roofs to keep out the snow. The theatres were +in full swing each day. The actual ceremony, which took place on the +tenth, did not differ in any respect from previous ones. Everything +passed off smoothly, and the Court removed again into the Sea Palace. + +While at the Sea Palace we received news that my father's condition was +becoming serious, and he again tendered his resignation to Her Majesty. +She sent her eunuchs to find out exactly what the matter was, and on +learning that he was really very ill, accepted his resignation. Her +Majesty agreed that it might be better for him to go to Shanghai and see +if the foreign physicians could do him any good. She said she supposed +it would be necessary for my mother to accompany him to Shanghai, but +did not consider it serious enough to send my sister and myself along +also. I tried to explain that it was my duty to go along with him as he +might be taken worse and die before I could get down to see him again, +and I begged Her Majesty to allow me to go. She offered all kinds of +objections but eventually, seeing that I was bent on going, she said: +"Well, he is your father, and I suppose you want to be with him, so you +may go on the understanding that you return to Court as soon as ever +possible." We did not get away until the middle of the eleventh moon, as +Her Majesty insisted on making clothes for us and other preparations +for our journey. Of course we could do nothing but await Her Majesty's +pleasure. + +When everything was ready Her Majesty referred to her book to choose a +suitable day for our departure, and fixed on the thirteenth as being the +best. We therefore left the Palace for our own house on the twelfth. +We kowtowed and said good-bye to Her Majesty, thanking her for her many +kindnesses during our stay with her. Everybody cried, even Her Majesty. +We then went to say good-bye to the Emperor and Young Empress. The +Emperor simply shook hands and wished us "Good Luck" in English. +Everybody appeared sorry to see us leave. After standing about for a +long time Her Majesty said it was no use wasting any more time and that +we had better start. At the gate the head eunuch bade us good-bye and +we entered our carriage and drove to my father's house, our own eunuchs +accompanying us to the door. We found everything prepared for our +journey, and early the next morning we took train to Tientsin where +we just managed to catch the last steamer of the season leaving for +Shanghai. As it was, the water was so shallow that we ran aground on the +Taku bar. + +On arrival in Shanghai my father immediately consulted his physician +who examined him and prescribed medicine. The trip itself seemed to have +done him a lot of good. I very soon began to miss my life at Court, +and, although I had many friends in Shanghai and was invited to dinner +parties and dances; still I did not seem to be able to enjoy myself. +Everything seemed different to what I had been accustomed to in Peking +and I simply longed for the time when I should be able to return to Her +Majesty. About two weeks after our arrival, Her Majesty sent a special +messenger down to Shanghai to see how we were getting along. He brought +us many beautiful presents and also a lot of medicine for my father. We +were very glad to see him. He informed us that we were missed very much +at Court and advised us to return as soon as it was possible for us to +do so. As my father began to show signs of improvement he suggested that +there was no further need for me to stay in Shanghai, and thought it +better that I should return to Peking and resume my duties at Court. I +therefore returned early in the New Year. The river was frozen and I had +to travel by boat to Chinwantao, from thence by rail to Peking. It was a +most miserable journey and I was very glad when it was over. Her Majesty +had sent my eunuchs to the station to meet me and I at once proceeded +to the Palace. On meeting Her Majesty we both cried again by way of +expressing our happiness. I informed her that my father was progressing +favorably and that I hoped to be able to remain with her permanently. + +I resumed my previous duties, but this time I had neither my sister for +a companion nor my mother to chat with and everything appeared changed. +Her Majesty was just the same, however, and treated me most kindly. +Still, I was not comfortable, and heartily wished myself back again +in Shanghai. I stayed at the Court, going through pretty much the same +daily routine as before until the second moon (March 1905), when I +received a telegram summoning me to Shanghai as my father had become +worse, and was in a critical condition and wished to see me. I showed +Her Majesty the telegram and waited for her decision. She commenced by +telling me that my father was a very old man, and therefore his chances +of recovery were not so great as if he were younger, finally winding up +by telling me that I could go to him at once. I again wished everybody +good-bye, fully expecting to return very soon; but this was not to be. +I found my father in a very dangerous condition, and after a lingering +illness, he died on the 18th of December, 1905. Of course we went into +mourning for one hundred days which in itself prevented my returning to +the Court. + +While in Shanghai I made many new friends and acquaintances and +gradually began to realize that after all, the attractions of Court life +had not been able to eradicate the influences which had been brought to +bear upon me while in Europe. At heart I was a foreigner, educated in a +foreign country, and, having already met my husband the matter was soon +settled and I became an American citizen. However, I often look back to +the two years I spent at the Court of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager +of China, the most eventful and happiest days of my girlhood. + +Although I was not able to do much towards influencing Her Majesty in +the matter of reform, I still hope to live to see the day when China +shall wake up and take her proper place among the nations of the world. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Two Years in the Forbidden City, by +The Princess Der Ling + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY *** + +***** This file should be named 889.txt or 889.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/8/8/889/ + +Produced by Charles Keller for Sarah + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +Scanned by Charles Keller for Sarah with OmniPage Professional OCR + + + + + +TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY +BY THE PRINCESS DER LING + + + + +FIRST LADY IN WAITING +TO THE EMPRESS DOWAGER + + + + +TO +MY BELOVED FATHER +LORD YU KENG + + + + +FOREWORD +THE author of the following narrative has peculiar qualifications +for her task. She is a daughter of Lord Yu Keng, a member of the +Manchu White Banner Corps, and one of the most advanced and +progressive Chinese officials of his generation. Lord Yu Keng +entered the army when very young, and served in the Taiping +rebellion and the Formosan war with France, and as Vice Minister +of War during the China-Japan war in 1895. Later he was Minister +to Japan, which post he quitted in 1898 to become President of the +Tsung-li-yamen (Chinese Foreign Office). In 1899 he was appointed +Minister to France, where he remained four years. At a period when +the Chinese Government was extremely conservative and reactionary, +Lord Yu Keng labored indefatigably for reform. He was instrumental +in reorganizing China's postal service on modern lines, but failed +in efforts to revise the revenue system and modernize the army and +navy, from being ahead of his times. He died in 1905. The +progressive spirit of Lord Yu Keng was shown in the education of +his children. When it became known that his daughters were +receiving a foreign education--then an almost unheard--of +proceeding among high Manchu officials-attempts were made to +impeach him as pro-foreign and revolutionary, but he was not +deterred. His children got their early education in missionary +schools, and the daughters later attended a convent in France, +where the author of this work finished her schooling and entered +society. On returning to China, she became First Lady-in-Waiting +to the Empress Dowager, and while serving at the Court in that +capacity she received the impressions which provide the +subject-matter of this book. Her opportunity to observe and +estimate the characteristics of the remarkable woman who ruled +China for so long was unique, and her narrative throws a new light +on one of the most extraordinary personalities of modern times. +While on leave from her duties to attend upon her father, who was +fatally ill in Shanghai, Princess Der Ling took a step which +terminated connexion with the Chinese Court. This was her +engagement to Mr. Thaddeus C. White, an American, to whom she was +married on May 21, 1907. Yielding to the urgent solicitation of +friends, she consented to put some of her experiences into +literary form, and the following chronicle, in which the most +famous of Chinese women, the customs and atmosphere of her Court +are portrayed by an intimate of the same race, is a result. +THOMAS F. MILLARD. SHANGHAI, July 24, 1911. + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTER + +I. INTRODUCTORY +II. AT THE PALACE +III. A PLAY AT THE COURT +IV. A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS +V. AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS +VI. IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY +VII. SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT +VIII. THE COURT LADIES +IX. THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU +X. THE YOUNG EMPRESS +XI. OUR COSTUMES +XII. THE EMPRESS AND MRS. CONGER +XIII. THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT +XIV. THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY +XV. THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL +XVI. THE SUMMER PALACE +XVII. THE AUDIENCE HALL +XVIII. THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS +XIX. THE SEA PALACE +XX. CONCLUSION + + + +TWO YEARS IN THE FORBIDDEN CITY + + +MY father and mother, Lord and Lady Yu Keng, and family, together +with our suite consisting of the First Secretary, Second +Secretary, Naval and Military Attaches, Chancellors, their +families, servants, etc.,--altogether fifty-five people,--arrived +in Shanghai on January 2, 1903, on the S.S. "Annam" from Paris, +where for four years my father had been Chinese Minister. Our +arrival was anything but pleasant, as the rain came down in +torrents, and we had the greatest difficulty getting our numerous +retinue landed and safely housed, not to mention the tons of +baggage that had to be looked after. We had found from previous +experience that none of our Legation people or servants could be +depended upon to do anything when travelling, in consequence of +which the entire charge devolved upon my mother, who was without +doubt the genius of the party in arranging matters and +straightening out difficulties. + +When the launch from the steamer arrived at the jetty off the +French Bund, we were met by the Shanghai Taotai (the highest +official in the city), the Shanghai Magistrate and numerous other +officials, all dressed in their official robes. The Taotai told my +father that he had prepared the Tien Ho Gung (Temple of the Queen +of Heaven) for us to reside in during our stay in Shanghai, but my +father refused the offer, saying that he had telegraphed from Hong +Kong and made all arrangements to go to the Hotel des Colonies in +the French Concession. We had had previous experience staying in +this temple while on our way to Japan, where my father went as +Minister in 1895, and did not care to try it a second time. The +building is very old and very much out of repair. It was a +beautiful place in its prime, but had been allowed to go to rack +and ruin. The custom is that the magistrate has to find a place +and supply the food, etc., for high officials when passing +through, and it is not exactly the thing to refuse their kind +offer, but my father was always very independent and politely +declined all proffers of assistance. + +At last we did safely arrive in the Hotel des Colonies, where my +father found awaiting him two telegrams from the Imperial Palace. +These telegrams ordered my father to go to Peking at once, but, as +the river to Tientsin was frozen, it was out of the question for +us to go by that route, and as my father was very old and quite +ill at that time, in fact constantly under the doctor's care, the +only accessible way, via Chinwangtao, was equally out of the +question, as it was a long and most tedious journey and quite +beyond his strength. In view of all these difficulties, he +telegraphed that, after the ice had broken up in the Peiho River, +we would come by the first steamer leaving Shanghai for Tientsin. + +We left Shanghai on the 22d of February and arrived at Tientsin on +the 26th, and, as before, were met by the Customs Taotai of the +port and numerous other officials (the same as when we arrived at +Shanghai). + +There is a very curious custom of reverence, which must be +performed by all high officials on their return from abroad. +Immediately upon landing on the shores of China, arrangements are +made with the nearest Viceroy or Governor to receive their +obeisance to Ching Sheng An (to worship the Emperor of Peace), a +Taotai being considered of too low a rank for such an honor. As +soon as we arrived, Yuan Shih Kai, who was then Viceroy of Chihli +Province at Tientsin, sent an official to my father to prepare the +time and place for this function, which is an extremely pretty +one. When arrangements had been made, both my father and Yuan Shih +Kai dressed in their full ceremonial robes, which is the dragon +long robe, with a reddish black three-quarter length coat over it, +chao chu (amber beads), hat with peacock feather and red coral +button, and repaired at once to the Wan Shou Kung (10,000 years +palace), which is especially built for functions of this kind, +where they were met by a large number of officials of the lower +grades. At the back centre of this Temple, or Palace, stands a +very long narrow table on which are placed the tablets of the +Emperor and Empress Dowager, on which is written, "Wan sway, wan +sway, wan wan sway" (10,000 years times 10,000 years times 10,000 +10,000 years). The Viceroy, or in this case Yuan Shih Kai, and the +other officials arrived first. Yuan stood at the left side of this +table and the others arranged themselves in two diminishing lines +starting from the front corners of the table. Soon afterward my +father came and knelt directly in front of the centre of the table +and said, "Ah ha Ching Sheng An" (Your servant gives you +greeting). After this ceremony was over my father immediately +arose and inquired after Their Majesties' health, and Yuan replied +that they were quite well. This closed the function. + +We stayed in Tientsin for three days, arriving in Peking on the +twenty-ninth. My father's condition was much worse and he begged +for four months' leave of absence, in which to recuperate, which +was granted by Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager. As our beautiful +mansion, which we had built and furnished just before leaving for +Paris, was burned during the Boxer Rising of 1900, entailing a +loss of over taels 100,000, we rented and moved into a Chinese +house. Our old house was not entirely new. When we bought the +place there was a very fine but old Chinese house, the palace of a +Duke, standing on the ground, and by some clever re-arrangement +and building on, it was transformed into a beautiful foreign style +house with all the fine hardwood carving of the old house worked +into it. By using the words "foreign style," it is meant that, in +so far as the Chinese house could be made to look like a foreign +house, without tearing it down entirely, it was changed, that is +the doors and windows, passageways, furnishings, etc., were +foreign, but the arrangement of the house itself and courtyard was +Chinese. This, like all Chinese houses in Peking, was built in a +very rambling fashion, and with the gardens, covered about ten +acres of ground. We had just finished furnishing it and moved in +only four days when we left for Paris; and it has always been a +great sorrow to my family that we should lose this magnificent +place, after having spent so much time and money in building and +beautifying it. However, this is only one of the many trials that +a high official in China is called upon to bear. + +The houses in Peking are built in a very rambling fashion, +covering a large amount of ground, and our former house was no +exception to the rule. It had sixteen small houses. one story +high, containing about 175 rooms, arranged in quadrangles facing +the courtyard, which went to make up the whole; and so placed, +that without having to actually go out of doors, you could go from +one to the other by verandas built along the front and enclosed in +glass. My reader will wonder what possible use we could make of +all of these rooms; but what with our large family, numerous +secretaries, Chinese writers, messengers, servants, mafoos +(coachmen), and chair coolies, it was not a difficult task to use +them. + +The gardens surrounding the houses were arranged in the Chinese +way, with small lakes, stocked with gold fish, and in which the +beautiful lotus flower grew; crossed by bridges; large weeping +willows along the banks; and many different varieties of flowers +in prettily arranged flower beds, running along winding paths, +which wound in and out between the lakes. At the time we left for +Paris, in the month of June, 1899, the gardens were a solid mass +of flowers and foliage, and much admired by all who saw them. + +As we now had no place of our own in Peking we did not know where +to go, so, while we were at Tientsin, my father telegraphed to one +of his friends to find him a house. After some little trouble one +was secured, and it turned out to be a very famous place indeed. +It was the house where Li Hung Chang signed the treaties with the +Foreign Powers after the Boxer Rising and also where he died. We +were the first people to live there since the death of Li Hung +Chang, as the Chinese people were very superstitious and were +afraid that, if they went there to live, something dreadful would +happen to them. We soon made ourselves very comfortable, and while +we lived there, none of the dreadful things happened to us that +all of our good friends told us would be visited upon us if we +dared to take this place. However, in view of our having lost our +place by fire, I am inclined to think that their fears were well +founded. + +The loss sustained by having this house burned we never recovered, +as my father, being an official of the Government, it would have +been very bad form to have tried to recover this money, besides a +possible loss of standing, as Government officials are supposed +never to consider themselves or families in the service of their +country, and any private losses in the service must be borne +without complaint. + +On the first of March, 1903, Prince Ching and his son, Prince Tsai +Chen, came to see us and told us that Her Majesty wished to see my +mother, my sister, and myself at once; that we should be at the +Summer Palace (Wan Shou Shan) at six o'clock the following +morning. My mother told Prince Ching that we had been wearing +foreign clothes all these years, while abroad, and had no suitable +Manchu clothes to wear. He replied that he had told Her Majesty +all about us and also mentioned that he had seen us in European +attire and she had said that it would not be necessary for us to +wear Manchu costume to go to the Palace, that she would be glad to +have us wear foreign clothes, as it would give her an opportunity +to study the foreign way of dressing. Both my sister and myself +had a very difficult time deciding what we should wear for this +occasion; she wished to wear her pale blue velvet gown, as she +thought that color suited her the best. My mother had always made +us dress exactly alike, ever since we were little girls. I said +that I preferred to wear my red velvet gown, as I had the idea it +might please Her Majesty. After a long discussion I had my way. We +had lovely red hats trimmed with plumes and the same color shoes, +and stockings to match. My mother wore a lovely gown of sea green +chiffon cloth embroidered with pale mauve iris and trimmed with +mauve velvet; she wore her large black velvet hat with long white +plumes. + +As we lived in the central part of the city and the only means of +travel was by sedan chair and the distance from our house to the +Palace was about thirty-six Chinese li (a three-hour ride), we had +to start at three o'clock in the morning, in order to be there at +six. As this was our first visit to the Palace, Prince Ching's +message threw us into a great state of excitement, and we were +naturally anxious to look our best and to be there on time. It had +been the dream of my life to go to the Palace and see what it was +like, and up to this time I had never had an opportunity, as most +of my life had been spent out of Peking,--in fact, out of China. +Another reason why this chance had never come before was, that my +father had never registered our names (my sister and myself) in +the Government book for the registration of births of Manchu +children, in consequence of which the Empress Dowager did not know +until we came back from Paris that Lord Yu Keng had any daughters. +My father told me the reason why he did not put our names in this +book was, that he wished to give us the best education obtainable, +and the only way he could do it was not to let the Empress Dowager +know. Besides this, according to the Manchu custom, the daughters +of all Manchu officials of the second rank and above, after +reaching the age of fourteen years, should go to the Palace, in +order that the Emperor may select them for secondary wives if he +so desires, and my father had other plans and ambitions for us. It +was in this way that the late Empress Dowager was selected by the +Emperor Hsien Feng. + +(comment: li is 1/3 mile or 1/2 km) + + We started at three o'clock that morning in total darkness riding +in four coolie sedan chairs, one on each side of the chair. In +going such a long distance it was necessary to have two relays of +chair coolies. This meant twenty-four coolies for the three +chairs, not counting an extra coolie for each chair who acted as a +sort of head chair bearer. Besides this there were three military +officers on horses, one for each chair and two servants riding at +the back of each chair. In addition there were three big Chinese +carts following behind for the chair coolies to ride in and rest. +This made a cavalcade consisting of fortyfive men, nine horses and +three carts. + +I had a rather nervous feeling riding along in the chair +surrounded by inky blackness, with nothing to relieve the +stillness of the night but the rough voices of the chair bearers +calling back and forth to each other to be careful of stones and +holes in the road, which was very uneven, and the clump, clump of +the horses. To my readers who have never had the experience of +riding a long distance in a sedan chair I would say that it is a +most uncomfortable conveyance, as you have to sit perfectly still +and absolutely straight, otherwise the chair is liable to upset. +This ride was a very long one and I felt quite stiff and tired by +the time I reached the Palace gates. + + + +CHAPTER TWO + +AT THE PALACE + + WHEN we reached the City gates, which were about half way between +our house and the Summer Palace, they were wide open for us to +pass. This quite surprised us, as all gates are closed at seven +o'clock in the evening and are not opened except on special +occasions until daylight. We inquired of the guard why this was, +and were told that orders had been given for the gates to be +opened for us to pass. The officials who had charge were standing +in a double line dressed in full official dress and saluted us as +we passed. + +It was still quite dark when we had passed through the gate and I +thought of the many experiences of my short life; but this was by +far the strangest of them all. I wondered what Her Majesty would +be like and whether she would like me or not. We were told that +probably we would be asked to stay at the Court, and I thought +that if that came to pass, I would possibly be able to influence +Her Majesty in favor of reform and so be of valuable assistance to +China. These thoughts made me feel happy and I made up my mind +then and there that I would do all I could and use any influence I +might have in the future towards the advancement of China and for +her welfare. While I was still dreaming of these pleasant +prospects, a faint red line appeared on the horizon heralding the +coming of a most perfect day, and so it proved. As the light grew +brighter and I could distinguish objects, a very pretty view +gradually opened to me, and as we came nearer to the Palace I +could see a high red wall which zigzagged from hill to hill and +enclosed the Palace grounds. The tops of the wall and buildings +were covered with yellow and green tiles and made a most dazzling +picture in the bright sunlight. Pagodas of different sizes and +styles were passed, and when we arrived at the village of Hai +Tien, about four li from the Palace gates, we were told by the +officers we only had a short distance further to go. This was good +news, as I began to think we would never get there. This village +was quite a pretty country place of one-story houses built of +brick, which were very neat and clean as are most of the houses in +the northern part of China. The children trouped out to see the +procession pass, and I heard one remark to another: "Those ladies +are going to the Palace to become Empresses," which amused me very +much. + +Soon after leaving Hai Tien we came to a pai lou (archway), a very +beautiful piece of old Chinese architecture and carved work, and +from here got our first view of the Palace gates, which were about +100 yards ahead. These gates are cut into the solid wall +surrounding the Palace and consist of one very large gate in the +center and two smaller ones on each side. The center gate is only +opened when their Majesties pass in and out of the Palace. Our +chairs were set down in front of the left gate, which was open. +Outside of these gates, at a distance of about 500 yards, were two +buildings where the guard stayed at night. + +Just as we arrived I saw a number of officials talking excitedly, +and some of them went into the gate shouting "Li la, doula" (have +come, have arrived). When we got out of our chairs, we were met by +two eunuchs of the fourth rank (chrystal button and feather). This +feather which is worn by eunuchs of the fourth rank, comes from a +bird called the magh (horse-fowl) which is found in Szechuen +Province. They are grey and are dyed black, and are much wider +than the peacock feather. These two eunuchs were accompanied by +ten small eunuchs carrying yellow silk screens, which they placed +around our chairs when we alighted. It appeared that Her Majesty +had given orders that these screens (huang wai mor) should be +brought to us. This is considered a great honor. They were ten +feet long and twenty feet high and were held by two eunuchs. + +These two eunuchs of high rank were extremely polite and stood at +each side of the gate and invited us to enter. Passing through +this gate we came into a very large paved courtyard about three +hundred feet square, in which there were a great many small flower +beds and old pine trees from which hung all kinds of birds in +cages. On the side opposite to the gates we had entered was a red +brick wall with three gates exactly like the others; on the right +and left side were long rows of low buildings each containing +twelve rooms, used as waiting rooms. The courtyard was full of +people dressed in official robes of the different ranks, and, +after the Chinese fashion, all seemed to be very busy doing +nothing. When they saw us they stood still and stared. The two +eunuchs who were showing us the way conducted us to one of these +rooms. This room was about twenty feet square, just ordinarily +furnished in black wood furniture with red cloth cushions and silk +curtains hanging from the three windows. We were not in this room +more than five minutes when a gorgeously dressed eunuch came and +said: "Imperial Edict says to invite Yu tai tai (Lady Yu) and +young ladies to wait in the East side Palace." On his saying this, +the two eunuchs who were with us knelt down and replied "Jur" +(Yes). Whenever Her Majesty gives an order it is considered an +Imperial Edict or command and all servants are required to kneel +when any command is transmitted to them the same as they would if +in Her Majesty's presence, Then they told us to follow them and we +went through another left gate to another courtyard laid out +exactly the same as the former, except that the Ren Shou Dien +(audience hall) is situated on the north side and the other +buildings were a little larger. The eunuchs showed us into the +east side building, which was beautifully furnished with reddish +blackwood exquisitely carved, the chairs and tables covered with +blue satin and the walls hung with the same material. In different +parts of the room were fourteen clocks of all sizes and shapes. I +know this, for I counted them. + +In a little while two servant girls came and waited on us and told +us that Her Majesty was dressing and that we were to wait a little +time. This little time proved to be a matter of more than two +hours and a half, but as this is considered nothing in China, we +did not get impatient. From time to time eunuchs came and brought +milk to drink and about twenty or more dishes of various kinds of +food which Her Majesty sent. She also sent us each a gold ring +with a large pearl in the center. Later the chief eunuch, Li Lien +Ying, came dressed in his official clothes. He was of the second +rank and wore a red button and peacock feather and was the only +eunuch that was ever allowed to wear the peacock feather. He was a +very ugly man, very old and his face was full of wrinkles; but he +had beautiful manners and said that Her Majesty would receive us +in a little while, and brought us each a jade ring which she had +sent us. We were very much surprised that she should give us such +beautiful presents before she had even seen us, and felt most +kindly disposed toward her for her generosity. + +Soon after Li Lien Ying had gone, two court ladies, daughters of +Prince Ching, came in and asked the eunuchs who were attending us +if we could speak Chinese, which we thought a great joke. I was +the first one to speak, and told them of course we could speak our +own language, although we knew several others. They were very much +surprised and said: "Oh! how funny, they can talk the language as +well as we do." We in turn were very much surprised to find such +ignorant people in the Imperial Palace and concluded that their +opportunities for acquiring knowledge were very limited. Then they +told us Her Majesty was waiting to receive us, and we went +immediately. + +After walking through three courtyards very similar to those we +had previously passed through, we came to a magnificent building +just one mass of exquisite carving. Large lanterns made of buffalo +horns hung all over the veranda covered with red silk from which +red silk tassels were hanging and from each of these tassels was +suspended a beautiful piece of jade. There were two smaller +buildings flanking this large one, also one mass of carvings and +hung with lanterns. + +At the door of the large building we met a lady, dressed the same +as Prince Ching's daughters, with the exception that she had a +phoenix in the center of her headdress which distinguished her +from the others. This lady came out to meet us, smiling, and shook +hands with us in the most approved foreign fashion. We were told +later that this was the Young Empress, wife of the Emperor Kwang +Hsu. She said: "Her Majesty has sent me to meet you," and was very +sweet and polite, and had beautiful manners; but was not very +pretty. Then we heard a loud voice from the hall saying, "Tell +them to come in at once." We went into this hall immediately and +saw an old lady dressed in a beautiful yellow satin gown +embroidered all over with pink peonies, and wearing the same kind +of headdress with flowers on each side made of pearls and jade, a +pearl tassel on the left side and a beautiful phoenix in the +center made of purest jade. Over her gown she wore a cape, the +most magnificent and costly thing I ever saw. This cape was made +of about three thousand five hundred pearls the size of a canary +bird's egg, all exactly alike in color and perfectly round. It was +made on the fish net pattern and had a fringe of jade pendants and +was joined with two pure jade clasps. In addition to this Her +Majesty wore two pairs of pearl bracelets, one pair of jade +bracelets, several jade rings and on her third and little fingers +of her right hand she wore gold finger nail protectors about three +inches long and on the left hand two finger nail protectors made +of jade and about the same length. Her shoes were trimmed with +small tassels made of pearls and embroidered with tiny pieces of +different colored jade. + +Her Majesty stood up when she saw us and shook hands with us. She +had a most fascinating smile and was very much surprised that we +knew the Court etiquette so well. After she had greeted us, she +said to my mother: "Yu tai tai (Lady Yu), you are a wonder the way +you have brought your daughters up. They speak Chinese just as +well as I do, although I know they have been abroad for so many +years, and how is it that they have such beautiful manners?" +"Their father was always very strict with them," my mother +replied; "he made them study their own language first and they had +to study very hard." "I am pleased to hear their father has been +so careful with them," Her Majesty said, "and given them such a +fine education." She took my hands and looked into my face and +smiled and kissed me on both cheeks and said to my mother: "I wish +to have your daughters and hope they will stay with me." We were +very much pleased at this and thanked her for her kindness. Her +Majesty asked all sorts of questions about our Paris gowns and +said we must wear them all the time, as she had very little chance +to see them at the Court. She was particularly in love with our +Louis XV high heel shoes. While we were talking to her we saw a +gentleman standing at a little distance and after a while she +said, "Let me introduce you to the Emperor Kwang Hsu, but you must +call him Wan Sway Yeh (Master of 10,000 years) and call me Lao Tsu +Tsung (the Great Ancestor)." His Majesty shyly shook hands with +us. He was a man about five feet, seven inches in height, very +thin, but with very strong features; high nose and forehead, +large, brilliant black eyes, strong mouth, very white, even teeth; +altogether good looking. I noticed he had a very sad look, +although he was smiling all the time we were there. At this +juncture the head eunuch came, knelt down on the marble floor and +announced that Her Majesty's chair was ready and she asked us to +go with her to the Audience Hall, distant about two minutes' walk, +where she was going to receive the heads of the different Boards. +It was a beautiful day and her open chair was waiting. This chair +is carried by eight eunuchs all dressed in official robes, a most +unusual sight. The head eunuch walked on her left side and the +second eunuch on her right side, each with a steadying hand on the +chair pole. Four eunuchs of the fifth rank in front and twelve +eunuchs of the sixth rank walked behind. Each eunuch carried +something in his hand, such as Her Majesty's clothes, shoes, +handkerchiefs, combs, brushes, powder boxes, looking glasses of +different sizes, perfumes, pins, black and red ink, yellow paper, +cigarettes, water pipes, and the last one carried her yellow +satin-covered stool. Besides this there were two amahs (old women +servants) and four servant girls all carrying something. This +procession was most interesting to see and made one think it a +lady's dressing room on legs. The Emperor walked on Her Majesty's +right and the Young Empress on the left, as did also the Court +ladies. + +The Audience Hall was about two hundred feet long by about one +hundred and fifty feet wide, and at the left side was a long table +covered with yellow satin. When Her Majesty came down from the +chair she went into the Hall and mounted her throne just behind +this table, and His Majesty mounted a smaller one at her left +side, the Ministers all kneeling on the floor in front of her and +on the opposite side of the table. + +At the back of the Hall was a large dais about twenty feet long by +about eighteen feet wide, enclosed by a magnificently carved +railing about two feet high running all the way round, open only +in the front in two places just large enough for a person to pass +through. These two openings were reached by a flight of six steps. +At the back of this dais was a small screen and immediately in +front of this, in the center, was Her Majesty's throne. +Immediately behind was an immense carved wood screen, the most +beautiful thing I ever saw, twenty feet long by ten feet high. In +front of Her Majesty's throne was a long narrow table. At the left +side was a smaller throne for the Emperor. + +The theme of the carving and furnishings of this dais was the +phoenix and peony most exquisitely carved in ebony wood, in fact +the theme of the entire room was the same. On each side of Her +Majesty's throne were two upright ebony poles on the top of which +were peacock feathers made into the shape of a fan The upholstery +was entirely of yellow Chinese velvet. + +Just before Her Majesty took her seat on her throne she ordered us +to go behind this screen with the Young Empress and the Court +ladies. This we did, and could hear the conversation between Her +Majesty and the Ministers very plainly, and as my readers will see +later, I made good use of this. + + + +CHAPTER THREE + +A PLAY AT THE COURT + + THIS day to me was a medley of brilliant impressions. I was a +great novelty among these exclusive Court ladies, brought up +rigidly apart from foreign life and customs, and I was subjected +to a rapid fire of questions. I soon found that these women were +the same as others the world over in point of curiosity and love +of gossip. The fourth daughter of Prince Ching (Sze Gurgur), a +young widow and a strikingly handsome woman, spoke to me. "Were +you brought up in Europe and educated?" she asked. "I am told that +when people go to that country and drink the water there, they +quickly forget their own country. Did you really study to acquire +all those languages or was it drinking the water that gave them to +you?" I mentioned that I met her brother, Prince Tsai Chen, in +Paris on his way to London for the coronation of King Edward, and +that we should have liked to have gone also, as my father had a +special invitation, but were prevented from doing so by his urgent +duties in Paris in settling the Yunnan question, to which the +Princess replied: "Is there a king in England? I had thought that +our Empress Dowager was Queen of the world." Her sister, wife of +the brother of the Young Empress, a most intelligent, quiet and +dignified lady, stood by smiling and listening to the eager +questions. After numerous questions had been asked the Young +Empress finally said: "How ignorant you are. I know that each +country has its ruler and that some countries are republics. The +United States is a republic and very friendly toward us, but I am +sorry that such a common class of people go there, as they will +think we are all the same. What I should like to see is some of +our good Manchu people go, as then they would see what we really +are." She afterwards told me she had been reading a history of the +different countries, which had been translated into Chinese, and +she seemed to be very well informed. + +After the Audience was over, Her Majesty called us out from behind +the screen and told us to go with her to see the theatre. She +said, as it was such a beautiful day, she preferred to walk, so we +started, walking a little behind her, as is the custom. Along the +way she pointed out from time to time different places and things +that were her particular favorites, and as she had to keep turning +around all the time, she finally told us to come and walk +alongside of her. This, as I afterwards found out, was a great +condescension on her part and a thing that she very seldom ever +did. She, like everybody else, had her pets and hobbies, such as +flowers, trees, plants, dogs, horses, etc., and there was one dog +in particular that was her favorite pet. This dog was with Her +Majesty always and followed her wherever she went, and a more +homely dog I never saw. It had absolutely nothing to recommend it +in any way. Her Majesty thought it beautiful, and called it Shui +Ta (Sea Otter). + +A short distance from the Audience Hall we came to a large +courtyard. On each side of this courtyard were two immense baskets +fifteen feet in height, built of natural logs and literally +covered with purple wisteria. They were simply gorgeous and great +favorites of Her Majesty. She was always very proud of them when +in bloom and took great delight in showing them to the people. + +From this courtyard we entered a sort of passageway which ran +along the sides of a big hill and led directly to the theatre, +where we soon arrived. This theatre is quite unlike anything that +you can imagine. It is built around the four sides of an open +courtyard, each side being separate and distinct. The building has +five stories. It is entirely open on the front and has two stages, +one above the other. The three top stories are used for holding +the drops and for store rooms. The stage on the first floor is of +the ordinary kind; but that on the second floor is built to +represent a temple and used when playing religious plays, of which +Her Majesty was very fond. + +On the two sides were long, low buildings with large verandas +running their entire length, where the Princes and Ministers sat +when invited by Her Majesty to witness the play. Directly opposite +this stage was a spacious building, containing three large rooms, +which was used exclusively by Her Majesty. The floor was raised +about ten feet above the ground, which brought it on a level with +the stage. Large glass windows ran along in front, so made that +they could be removed in the summer and replaced with pale blue +gauze screens. Two of these rooms were used as sitting rooms and +the third, the one on the right, she used as a bedroom, and it had +a long couch running across the front, on which she used to sit or +lie according to her mood. This day she invited us to go to this +room with her. Later I was told that she would very often come to +this room, look at the play for a while and then take her siesta. +She could certainly sleep soundly, for the din and noise did not +disturb her in the least. If any of my readers have ever been to a +Chinese theatre, they can well imagine how difficult it would be +to woo the God of Sleep in such a pandemonium. + +As soon as we were in this bedroom the play commenced. It was a +religious play called "The Empress of Heaven's Party or Feast to +all the Buddhist Priests to eat her famous peaches and drink her +best wine." This party or feast is given on the third day of the +third moon of each year. + +The first act opens with a Buddhist Priest, dressed in a yellow +coat robe with a red scarf draped over his left shoulder, +descending in a cloud from Heaven to invite all the priests to +this party. I was very much surprised to see this actor apparently +suspended in the air and actually floating on this cloud, which +was made of cotton. The clever way in which they moved the +scenery, etc., was most interesting, and before the play was +finished I concluded that any theatre manager could well take +lessons from these people; and it was all done without the +slightest bit of machinery. + +As this Buddhist Priest was descending, a large pagoda began to +slowly rise from the center of the stage in which was a buddha +singing and holding an incense burner in front of him. Then four +other smaller pagodas slowly rose from the four corners of the +stage, each containing a buddha the same as the first. When the +first Buddhist Priest had descended, the five buddhas came out of +the pagodas, which immediately disappeared, and walked about the +stage, still singing. Gradually from the wing came numbers of +buddhas singing until the stage was full, and they all formed into +a ring. Then I saw a large lotus flower, made of pink silk, and +two large green leaves appearing from the bottom of the stage, and +as it rose the petals and leaves gradually opened and I saw a +beautiful lady buddha (Goddess of Mercy) dressed all in white +silk, with a white hood on her head, standing in the center of +this flower. As the leaves opened I saw a girl and a boy in the +center of them. When the petals of the lotus flower were wide open +this lady buddha began to gradually ascend herself, and as she +ascended, the petals closed until she seemed to be standing on a +lotus bud. The girl standing in the leaf on the Goddess' right +side held a bottle made of jade and a willow branch. The legend of +this is that if the Goddess dips the willow branch into the jade +bottle and spreads it over a dead person it will bring the person +to life. The boy and the girl are the two attendants of the +buddha. + +Finally the three came down from the flower and leaves and joined +the rest of the buddhas. Then the Empress of Heaven came, a good +old lady with snow-white hair, dressed from head to foot in +Imperial yellow, followed by many attendants, and ascended the +throne, which was in the center of the stage, and said: "We will +go to the banquet hall." This ended the first scene. + +The second scene opened with tables set for the feast to be given +by the Empress of Heaven. These tables were loaded down with +peaches and wine and four attendants guarding them. Suddenly a bee +came buzzing near and scattered a powder under the nostrils of the +attendants, which made them sleepy. When they had fallen asleep, +this bee transformed itself into a big monkey and this monkey ate +all the peaches and drank all the wine. As soon as he had finished +he disappeared. + +A blast of trumpets announced the coming of the Empress of Heaven +and she soon arrived accompanied by all the Buddhist Priests and +their attendants. When the Empress of Heaven saw all the peaches +and wine had disappeared, she woke the attendants and asked them +why they were asleep and where the peaches and wine had gone. They +said that they did not know, that they were waiting for her to +come and fell asleep. Then one of the guests suggested that she +should find out what had become of the feast, and attendants were +sent out to the guard to find out from the soldiers if anyone had +gone out of the gate recently. Before the messenger had time to +return, the Guard of Heaven came and informed the Empress that a +big monkey, who was very drunk and carrying a big stick, had just +gone out of the gate. When she was told this, she ordered the +soldiers of heaven and several buddhas to go and find him at his +place. It seems that this monkey had originally been made from a +piece of stone and lived in a large hole in a mountain on the +earth. He was endowed with supernatural powers and could walk on +the clouds. He was allowed to come to heaven and the Empress of +Heaven gave him a position looking after the Imperial orchards. + +When they got to his place on the earth, they found that he had +taken some of the peaches with him and he, with other monkeys, was +having a feast. The soldiers challenged him to come out and fight. +He immediately accepted this challenge, but the soldiers could do +nothing with him. He pulled the hair out of his coat and +transformed each hair into a little monkey and each monkey had an +iron rod in its hand. He himself had a special iron rod, which had +been given to him by the King of Sea Dragons. This rod he could +make any size he wanted from a needle to a crowbar. + +Among the buddhas who had gone with the soldiers was one named Erh +Lang Yeh, who was the most powerful of them all and had three +eyes. This buddha had a dog which was very powerful and he told +the dog to bite this monkey, which he did, and the monkey fell +down and they caught him and brought him up to heaven. When they +got there the Empress of Heaven ordered that he should be handed +to Lao Chun, an old taoist god, and that he should burn him in his +incense burner. The incense burner was very large, and when they +took the monkey to him he placed him inside this burner and +watched him very carefully to see that he did not get out. After +he had watched for a long time he thought the monkey must be dead +and went out for a few minutes. The monkey, however, was not dead +and as soon as Lao Chun went out, he escaped and stole some golden +pills which Lao Chun kept in a gourd and went back to his hole in +the mountains. These pills were very powerful and if one of them +were eaten it would give eternal life, and the monkey knew this. +The monkey ate one and it tasted good and he gave the little +monkeys some. When Lao Chun came back and found both the monkey +and the pills gone he went and informed the Empress of Heaven. +This ended the second scene. + +The third scene opened with the buddhas and soldiers at the +monkey's place in the mountains and they again asked him to come +out and fight. The monkey said: "What! Coming again?" and laughed +at them. They started to fight again, but he was so strong they +could not get the best of him. Even the dog who had bit him before +was powerless this time, and they finally gave it up and returned +to heaven and told the Empress of Heaven that they could not +capture him the second time, as he was too strong. Then the +Empress of Heaven called a little god about fifteen years old by +the name of Neur Cha, who had supernatural powers, and told him to +go down to earth to the monkey's place and see if he could finish +him. This god was made of lotus flowers and leaves, that is, his +bones were made of flowers and his flesh made of leaves and he +could transform himself into anything that he wished. When Neur +Cha got to the monkey's place and the monkey saw him, he said: +"What! A little boy like you come to fight me? Well, if you think +you can beat me, come on," and the boy transformed himself into an +immense man with three heads and six arms. When the monkey saw +this, he transformed himself also into the same thing. When the +little god saw that this would not do, he transformed himself into +a very big man and started to take the monkey, but the monkey +transformed himself into a very large sword and cut this man into +two pieces. The little god again transformed himself into fire to +burn the monkey, but the monkey transformed himself into water and +put the fire out. Again the little god transformed himself, this +time into a very fierce lion, but the monkey transformed himself +into a big net to catch the lion. So this little god, seeing that +he could not get the best of the monkey, gave it up and went back +to heaven, and told the Empress of Heaven that the monkey was too +strong for him. The Empress of Heaven was in despair, so she sent +for Ju Li, an old ancestor of the buddhas, who was the +all-powerful one of them all; and Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, and +sent them down to the monkey's place to see if they could capture +him. When they arrived at the hole in the mountain the monkey came +out and looked at Ju Li, but did not say a word, as he knew who +this god was. This god pointed a finger at him and he knelt down +and submitted. Ju Li said: "Come with me," and took the monkey and +put him under another mountain and told him he would have to stay +there until he promised he would be good. Ju Li said: "You stay +here until one day I lift this mountain up for you to come out to +go with a Buddhist Priest to the West side of heaven and demand +the prayer books that are kept there. You will have to suffer a +great deal on the way and face many dangers, but if you come back +with this Buddhist Priest and the prayer books, by that time your +savage temper will be gone and you will be put in a nice place in +heaven and enjoy life forever afterwards." + +This finished the play, which was very interesting, and I enjoyed +it from beginning to end. It was acted very cleverly and quite +realistic, and I was very much surprised to know that the eunuchs +could act so well. Her Majesty told us that the scenery was all +painted by the eunuchs and that she had taught them about all they +knew. Unlike most theatres in China, it had a curtain which was +closed between the acts, also wing slides and drop scenes. Her +Majesty had never seen a foreign theatre and I could not +understand where she got all her ideas from. She was very fond of +reading religious books and fairy tales, and wrote them into plays +and staged them herself, and was extremely proud of her +achievement. + +Her Majesty sat talking, we standing, for some little time and she +asked me if I understood the play, and I told her that I did and +she seemed quite pleased. Then she said in such a charming way: +"Oh! I am so interested in talking with you that I have forgotten +to order my lunch. Are you hungry? Could you get Chinese food when +you were abroad, and were you homesick? I know I would be if I +left my own country for so long a time; but the reason why you +were abroad so long was not your fault. It was my order that sent +Yu Keng to Paris and I am not a bit sorry, for you see how much +you can help me now, and I am proud of you and will show you to +the foreigners that they may see our Manchu ladies can speak other +languages than their own." While she was talking I noticed that +the eunuchs were laying three large tables with nice white table +cloths, and I could see a number of other eunuchs standing in the +courtyard with boxes of food. These boxes or trays are made of +wood painted yellow and are large enough to hold four small and +two large bowls of food. After the tables were laid ready, the +eunuchs outside formed themselves into a double line from the +courtyard to a little gate running into another courtyard and +passed these trays from one to the other up to the entrance of the +room, where they were taken by four nicely dressed eunuchs and +placed on the tables. + +It seems that it was a habit of Her Majesty to take her meals +wherever she happened to be, so that there was no particular place +that she used as a dining room. I should also mention that these +bowls were of Imperial yellow with silver covers. Some were +ornamented with green dragons and some with the Chinese character +Shou (Long Life). + +There were about one hundred and fifty different kinds of food, +for I counted them. They were placed in long rows, one row of +large bowls and one row of small plates, and then another row of +small bowls, and so on. As the setting of the tables was going on, +two Court ladies came into the bedroom, each carrying a large +yellow box. I was very much surprised to see Court ladies doing +this kind of work and I said to myself, if I come here will I have +to do this sort of thing? Although these boxes appeared to be +quite heavy, they brought them in very gracefully. Two small +tables were placed in front of Her Majesty, then they opened the +boxes and placed a number of very cute plates containing all sorts +of sweets, lotus flower seeds, dried and cooked with sugar, +watermelon seeds, walnuts cooked in different ways, and fruits of +the season cut and sliced. As these plates were being placed on +the tables Her Majesty said that she liked these dainties better +than meat and gave us some and told us to make ourselves at home. +We thanked her for her kindness and enjoyed them very much. I +noticed that she ate quite a quantity from the different plates +and wondered how she would be able to eat her lunch. When she had +finished, two of the Court ladies came and took the plates away +and Her Majesty told us that she always gave what was left to the +Court ladies after she had finished eating. + +After this a eunuch came in carrying a cup of tea. This tea cup +was made of pure white jade and the saucer and cover was of solid +gold. Then another eunuch came in carrying a silver tray on which +were two jade cups similar to the others, one containing +honeysuckle flowers and the other rose petals. He also brought a +pair of gold chopsticks. They both knelt on the floor in front of +Her Majesty and held the trays up so that she could reach them. +She took the golden cover off of the cup containing tea and took +some of the honeysuckle flowers and placed them in the tea. While +she was doing this and sipping the tea, she was telling how fond +she was of flowers and what a delicate flavor they gave to the +tea. Then she said: "I will let you taste some of my tea and see +if you like it," and ordered one of the eunuchs to bring us some +tea, the same as she was drinking. When it came, she put some of +the honeysuckle flowers in the cup for us and watched us drink it. +It was the most delicious tea I had ever tasted and the putting of +flowers in it gave it an extremely delicate flavour. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR + +A LUNCHEON WITH THE EMPRESS + + WHEN we had finished drinking tea, she told us to go with her +into the next room, where the tables had been prepared for lunch, +and I wondered if she had any room for lunch, after all that she +had just eaten, but I soon found out. As soon as she was inside +the room, she ordered the covers to be removed and they were all +taken off at one time. Then she took her seat at the head of the +table and told us to stand at the foot. She then said: "generally +the Emperor takes lunch with me when we have the theatre, but he +is shy to-day, as you are all new to him. I hope he will get over +it and not be so bashful. You three had better eat with me +to-day." Of course, we knew that this was an especial favor, and +thanked her by kowtowing before we commenced to eat. This +kowtowing, or bowing our heads to the ground, was very tiring at +first and made us dizzy, until we got used to it. + +When we commenced to eat, Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to place +plates for us and give us silver chopsticks, spoons, etc., and +said: + +"I am sorry you have to eat standing, but I cannot break the law +of our great ancestors. Even the Young Empress cannot sit in my +presence. I am sure the foreigners must think we are barbarians to +treat our Court ladies in this way and I don't wish them to know +anything about our customs. You will see how differently I act in +their presence, so that they cannot see my true self." + +I was watching her while she was talking to my mother and +marvelled to see how she could eat, after having eaten such a +quantity of candy, walnuts, etc., while in her bedroom. + +Beef was a thing that was tabooed within the precincts of the +Palace, as it was considered a great sin to kill and eat animals +that were used as beasts of burden. The food consisted mostly of +pork, mutton and game, fowls and vegetables. This day we had pork +cooked in ten different ways, such as meat balls, sliced cold in +two different ways, red and white, the red being cooked with a +special kind of sauce made of beans which gives it the red color +and has a delicious taste. Chopped pork with chopped bamboo +shoots, pork cut in cubes and cooked with cherries and pork cooked +with onions and sliced thin. This last dish was Her Majesty's +favorite and I must say it was good. Then there was a sort of +pancake made of eggs, pork and mushrooms chopped fine and fried, +also pork cooked with cabbage and another dish cooked with +turnips. The fowl and mutton was cooked in several different ways. +In the center of the table was a very large bowl about two feet in +diameter of the same yellow porcelain, in which there was a +chicken, a duck and some shark fins in a clear soup. Shark fins +are considered a great delicacy in China. Besides this there was +roast chicken, boneless chicken and roast duck. Ducks and chickens +are stuffed with little pine needles to give them a fine flavor +and roasted in open air ovens. + +There was another dish that Her Majesty was very fond of and that +was the skin of roast pork cut into very small slices and fried +until it curls up like a rasher of bacon. + +As a rule the Manchu people seldom eat rice, but are very fond of +bread and this day we had bread, made in a number of different +ways, such as baked, steamed, fried, some with sugar and some with +salt and pepper, cut in fancy shapes or made in fancy moulds such +as dragons, butterflies, flowers, etc., and one kind was made with +mincemeat inside. Then we had a number of different kinds of +pickles, of which Her Majesty was very fond. Then there was beans +and green peas, and peanuts made into cakes and served with +sugarcane syrup. + +I did not eat very much, as I was too busy watching Her Majesty +and listening to what she said, although she told us to eat all we +could. In addition to all I have mentioned, we had many different +kinds of porridge, some made of sweet corn and some with tiny +yellow rice (like bird seed), and Her Majesty said that we must +all eat porridge after our meat. + +After we had finally finished eating, Her Majesty rose from the +table and said: "Come into my bedroom and you will see the Young +Empress and the Court ladies eat; they always eat after I am +finished." We went with her and I stood near the door between the +two rooms and saw the Young Empress and Court ladies come in and +stand around the table eating very quietly. They were never +allowed to sit down and eat their food. + +All this time the theatre had been going on playing some fairy +tales, but they were not near as interesting as the first play +that we had seen. Her Majesty sat on her long couch in the bedroom +and the eunuch brought her some tea and she ordered some brought +for us. My reader can imagine how delighted I was to be treated in +this way. In China the people think their sovereign is the supreme +being and that her word is law. One must never raise their eyes +when talking to her. This is a sign of great respect. I thought +these extreme favors must be most unusual. I had been told that +Her Majesty had a very fierce temper, but seeing her so kind and +gracious to us and talking to us in such a motherly way, I thought +my informant must be wrong and that she was the sweetest woman in +the world. + +When Her Majesty had rested a while, she told us that it was time +we were returning to the city, as it was getting late. She gave us +eight big yellow boxes of fruit and cakes to take home with us. +She said to my mother: "Tell Yu Keng (my father) to get better +soon and tell him to take the medicine I am sending by you and to +rest well. Also give him these eight boxes of fruit and cakes." I +thought my father, who had been quite ill since we returned from +Paris, would not be much benefited if he ate all those cakes. +However, I knew he would appreciate her kind thoughtfulness even +if it were detrimental to his health. + +As perhaps most of my readers know, it is the custom to kowtow +when Her Majesty gives presents and we kowtowed to her when she +gave us the fruit and cakes and thanked her for her kindness. + +Just as we were leaving, Her Majesty said to my mother that she +liked us very much and wanted us to come and be her Court ladies +and stay at the Palace. We thought this was another great favor +and again thanked her, and she asked us when we could come and +told us to bring our clothes and things only, as she would fix +everything for us and showed us the house we would live in when we +came and told us to come back inside of two days. This house +contained three very large rooms and was situated on the right +side of her own or private Palace. This Palace Ler Shou Tong (Ever +Happy Palace) is situated on the shores of the lake and was Her +Majesty's favorite place and where she spent most of her time, +reading and resting and when the spirit moved her she would go for +a sail on the lake. In this Palace she had quite a number of +bedrooms and made use of them all. + +When she had finished showing us this house we took leave of Her +Majesty, the Young Empress and the Court ladies, and after a long +and tiresome ride, reached home exhausted but happy, after the +most eventful day of our lives. When we got into the house, we +were surprised to find several eunuchs waiting our return. They +had brought us each four rolls of Imperial brocade from Her +Majesty. Once more we had to bend to custom in thanking her for +these gifts. This time, the gift having been sent to the house, we +placed the silk on a table in the center of the room and kowtowed +to thank Her Majesty and told the eunuchs to tell Her Majesty how +grateful we were to her for all her kindness and for the beautiful +gifts. + +There is another thing that had to be done according to the +custom, and that was to give the eunuchs a present or tip, and we +had to give each of the eunuchs ten taels for their trouble. We +afterwards found out that when eunuchs went anywhere to take +presents for Her Majesty, they were required to report to her when +they returned how the recipient had thanked her and what had been +given them, which she allowed them to keep. She also asked them +numerous questions about our house, whether we were pleased with +her, etc. These people are extremely fond of talking and after we +had returned to the Palace again, they told us what Her Majesty +had said about us the first day we were there. + +My mother felt very much worried to go to the Palace and leave my +father all alone owing to his being in poor health, but we could +not disobey Her Majesty's order, so we returned to the Palace +three days later. + +Our first day there was a busy one for us. When we first arrived +we went and thanked Her Majesty for the present that she had sent +us. She told us that she was very busy to-day, as she was going to +receive a Russian lady, Madame Plancon, wife of the Russian +Minister to China, who was bringing a miniature portrait of the +Czar and Czarina and family as a present from the Czar to her, the +Empress Dowager. She asked me if I could speak Russian. I told her +that I could not, but that most Russians spoke French, which +seemed to satisfy her. She, however, said: "Why don't you tell me +you speak Russian, I won't know or be able to find out," and at +the same time was looking at one of the Court ladies. I concluded +that someone must be fooling her, for she seemed to appreciate the +fact that I had told her the truth. This afterwards proved to be +true and one of the Court ladies was dismissed for pretending she +could talk foreign languages when she could not speak a word. + +Besides this audience there was the theatre and the engagement +ceremony of Her Majesty's nephew, Ter Ju. The engagement ceremony, +according to the Manchu custom, is performed by two of the +Princesses of the Royal family going to the house of the +prospective bride, who sits on her bed cross-legged, her eyes +closed and awaits their coming. When they arrive at the house, +they go to her bedroom and place a symbol called Ru Yee, made of +pure jade about one and a half feet long, in her lap and suspend +two small bags made of silk and beautifully embroidered, each +containing a gold coin, from the buttons of her gown, and place +two gold rings on her fingers, on which is carved the characters +Ta Hsi (Great Happiness). The meaning of the symbol or sceptre Ru +Yee is "May all joy be yours." + +During this entire ceremony absolute silence is maintained and +immediately they have finished, they return to the Palace and +inform Her Majesty that the ceremony has been completed. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE + +AN AUDIENCE WITH THE EMPRESS + + No one informed us the day before that there was to be an +audience to receive the Russian Minister's wife on that very day. +We told Her Majesty that we must go and change our clothes in +order to receive this lady. The dresses we wore that day were very +simply made and short. The reason we wore this kind of costume was +that there was no carpet and the bare brick floor had ruined our +beautiful red velvet gowns, also the clumsy eunuchs had kept +stepping on our trains all the time. We had made up our minds that +short dresses for general wear every day would be more practical. +Her Majesty said: "Why must you change your clothes? I see you +look much better without that tail dragging behind you on the +floor. I laughed at the idea of having a tail on one's dresses. I +noticed that the first day when you came to the Court." Before we +had time to explain to her, she said: "I see, dresses with tails +behind must be more dignified than short ones, am I right?" We +told her it was so. Then she said: "Go and put on your most +beautiful gowns at once." We immediately went and changed. My +sister and myself wore our pink crepe de chine gowns, trimmed with +Brussels lace and transparent yokes of the same color chiffon. My +mother wore her gray crepe de chine embroidered with black roses +and a little touch of pale blue satin on her collar and belt. We +dressed in a great hurry, as Her Majesty had sent eunuchs to see +if we were ready. When she saw us she exclaimed: "Here are three +fairies with long tails." Then she asked us: "Is it very tiring to +hold half of your dress in your hand when you are walking? The +costume is pretty, but I do dislike the tail, there is no sense +having a thing like that. I wonder what these foreigners will +think of me having you dressed in their costume. I am sure they +won't like the idea. My reason is this: I want them to see you in +foreign clothes in order to let them understand I know something +about the way they dress. I must say that no foreign ladies have +yet been presented to me dressed in such lovely gowns as you three +have. I don't believe foreigners are as wealthy as the Chinese. I +also notice they wear very little jewelry. I was told that I have +more jewelry than any sovereign in the world and yet I am getting +more all the time." + +We were very busy getting ready to receive Mdme. Plancon, who +arrived about eleven o'clock and was received in the waiting room +of the first courtyard by my sister and from there conducted to +the audience hall, Ren Shou Dien, where she was received by Her +Majesty, who was sitting on her big throne on the raised dais. The +Emperor was present, sitting on Her Majesty's left hand and I +stood on her right to interpret for her. Her Majesty was dressed +in a yellow transparent satin brocade gown, embroidered with +hollyhocks and the Chinese character "Shou" (Long Life) and +trimmed with gold braid. She wore her big pearl, which is about +the size and shape of an egg, suspended from the button of her +dress, also numerous bracelets and rings and gold finger nail +protectors. Her hair was dressed in the same style as usual. + +When Mdme. Plancon entered the hall, my sister brought her to the +steps of the dais and she courtesied to Her Majesty. I then went +forward and brought her up onto the dais and Her Majesty shook +hands with her and she presented the photograph which she had +brought to Her Majesty. Her Majesty made a very pretty speech of +acceptance, expressing her appreciation of the gift of their +Majesties, the Czar and Czarina. I interpreted this speech in +French to Mdme. Plancon, as she could not speak English. After +this, Her Majesty told me to take Mdme. Plancon to the Emperor, +which I did. He stood up when she came near and shook hands with +her and asked after their Majesties' health. This over, Her +Majesty stepped down from her throne and took Mdme. Plancon to her +own Palace, the one with so many bedrooms, and when they arrived, +Her Majesty asked her to sit down, and they talked together for +about ten minutes, I interpreting for them, after which I took her +to see the Young Empress. + +The Manchu law is very strict as regards the mother-in-law and the +daughter-in-law, and the Young Empress had been sitting behind the +screen at the back of the throne during the audience, and it was +there that I found her. From there we went to the banquet hall, +where luncheon was served in Manchu style. + +Here I must explain the difference between the Chinese way of +eating and the Manchu. The Chinese place the bowls of food, one at +a time, in the center of the table and everyone eats out of these +bowls, sticking their chopsticks in and helping themselves to what +they want. The Manchus eat quite differently and are served with +individual bowls and dishes, the same as in any other country. Her +Majesty was very proud of this and said that it saved time, not to +mention being cleaner. The food in the Palace was always very good +and clean, especially when we had foreign guests, and of course we +had a variety of dishes for such occasions, such as sharkfins, +birds' nest pudding, not to mention a great quantity of other +things. + +Her Majesty had given me the order that morning to have the tables +nicely decorated and they did look very nice when we sat down. +Besides the usual tableware, we had gold dragon menu holders, +little peach-shaped silver saucers filled with almonds and dried +watermelon seeds, and knives and forks in addition to chopsticks. + +Her Majesty and the Emperor never ate with guests, so Mdme. +Plancon was entertained by the Imperial Princess and the Court +ladies. When luncheon was half over a eunuch came and told me that +Her Majesty wanted to see me at once. The thought flashed through +my head that something had gone wrong, or that some of the eunuchs +had been making false reports, a bad habit of the Court; and I was +much surprised to find her all smiles. She told me what a nice, +polite lady Mdme. Plancon was, that she had seen many ladies who +had come to the Court, but none with manners like this one, that +she was sorry to say that some of the ladies who came did not +behave very well. She said: "They seem to think we are only +Chinese and do not know anything, and look down upon us. I notice +these things very quickly and am surprised to see people who claim +to be well educated and civilized acting the way they do. I think +we whom they call barbarians are much more civilized and have +better manners." She was always very polite to the foreign ladies, +no matter how badly they behaved, but after they had gone, she +would tell us who was nice and who was not. After she had finished +saying this, she gave me a beautiful piece of green jade to give +to Madame Plancon. When I gave it to her, she said she wished to +thank Her Majesty, and I took her to the Palace again. + +When we had finished luncheon, she told me how pleased she was +with her reception and the kindness that Her Majesty had shown +her, and took her departure, we accompanying her to the courtyard +of the Audience Hall, where her chair was waiting. + +Her Majesty had made a rule or custom that after all guests had +departed, we must go to her and report everything. I suppose she +was like all women, a bit of a gossip as well as the rest; it +appeared so at any rate. She wanted to know what Mdme. Plancon +said, whether she liked the jade and whether she enjoyed her +luncheon, etc. + +Her Majesty was very well pleased that I had interpreted so well +for her and said: "I have never had anyone to interpret for me +this way before. Although I don't understand the language, I can +see that you speak it fluently. How did you learn? I will never +let you go away from me any more. Sometimes the foreign ladies +bring their own interpreters, but I can't understand their Chinese +and have to guess at what they are saying, especially some of the +missionaries Mrs. Conger brings with her. I am very happy to have +you and want you to stay with me as long as I live and I will +arrange a marriage for you, but won't tell you just now." + +I felt very happy at what Her Majesty had said and thought I had +made my debut under very favorable auspices, and was very glad +that Her Majesty liked me; but this marriage question worried me, +for nothing was farther from my mind than this. I afterwards told +my mother about it and she told me not to worry, as I could always +refuse when the time came. + +When we had told Her Majesty all that Mdme. Plancon had said, she +told us we could go to our rooms, that as we had risen early that +morning and had worked very hard, we must be tired and needed +rest, that she would not need us any more that day. We courtesied +to her according to the custom when saying good night, and +retired. + + + +CHAPTER SIX + +IN ATTENDANCE ON HER MAJESTY + + THE building where we had our rooms, as I have said before, +contained four large rooms and a hall, and we three, my mother, +sister and myself, each took a room and gave the fourth to our +maids. Her Majesty had ordered a eunuch to accompany us and this +eunuch told us that Her Majesty had ordered four young eunuchs to +attend on us and that if they did not behave, we should tell him. +He also said his name was Li, but as there were so many by this +name, including the head eunuch, it was very hard to tell them +apart. + +When we arrived, which took some time, he pointed to a building on +our right and said that it was Her Majesty's own Palace and the +one which we had just left. I could not understand why it had +taken us so long to come, when the Palace was so near, and asked +him about it. He told us that our little buildings were at the +left side of the Emperor's Palace and that Her Majesty had had the +entrance leading from our place to her Palace closed up for +certain reasons which he would not tell, but said: "You see this +place ought to face East instead of towards the lake." The view on +the lake was beautiful and I told him I liked it much better the +way it was. He smiled and said: "You will have to learn a lot +before you find out this wicked place." I was surprised at what +the eunuch said, but did not like to ask him any questions. He +also told us that the Emperor's Palace was just behind our place +and was a large building similar to Her Majesty's Palace. We +looked and could see the trees of his courtyard above the roof. +Then he pointed to another building behind the Emperor's, which +was larger but lower than the Emperor's Palace, and also had a +large courtyard, and said it was the Young Empress's Palace. It +had two buildings flanking it on each side and the eunuch told us +that the one on the left was the Secondary Wife's bedroom. That +there had been an entrance between the two Palaces, but that Lao +Fo Yeh (The great old Buddha), as the eunuchs called Her Majesty, +had blocked it up so that the Emperor and Empress could not +communicate with each other, except through Her Majesty's own +Palace. I suppose this was the way she kept watch over them and +knew at all times what they were doing. This was all news to me +and I did not know what to think of it. I was afraid that this +eunuch Li would tell me more of these curious things, so I told +him I was tired and would go to my room and rest, and he went +away. + +When I finally got inside my room and had a chance to look around, +I saw that it was very prettily furnished with ebonywood +furniture, which was covered with red satin cushions and the +windows were hung with red silk curtains. All the bedrooms were +just alike. The kong (bed) was made of brick covered with the same +kind of wood and ran along the wall under the front window. It had +high teaster posts with slats running across on which red curtains +were hung. These kongs are very curiously built. They are made of +brick and have a hole in the front center in which fire is placed +to heat the brick in winter time. During the day a sort of table +is placed on top of the kong and removed again at night. + +Shortly after we had gone to our rooms, some eunuchs came and +brought our dinner, which they placed on a table in the center of +the hall. They told us the food had been sent by Her Majesty and +that she had ordered them to tell us to make ourselves +comfortable. We were so tired that we could not eat very much and +were about to retire for the night when this eunuch Li came again +and told us that we must be up at five o'clock, not later, so I +told my eunuch to knock on my window at five. Immediately after +this we went to bed, but did not sleep immediately, as we wanted +to talk over the events of the day, which had been many and +strange. After we did finally get to bed, it seemed as if we had +just fallen asleep when I heard someone knocking on my window. I +woke up with a start and asked what the matter was and a eunuch +told me it was five o'clock and time to get up. + +I immediately got up and opened my window and looked out. The day +was just dawning and the sky was a beautiful deep red which was +reflected in the lake, which was perfectly calm. The scenery was +lovely and in the distance I could see Her Majesty's peony +mountain, which was literally covered with these beautiful +flowers. I dressed at once and went to Her Majesty's Palace and +there met the Young Empress sitting on the veranda. I courtesied +to her as a good morning salute. The Emperor's Secondary wife was +there also, but we had been ordered not to courtesy to her, as she +was considered not to have any standing there. There was also a +number of young Court ladies, many of whom I had never seen +before. The Young Empress introduced me to them, saying that they +were also Court ladies. They were daughters of high Manchu +officials and some were very pretty and bright. The Young Empress +told me that these ten (there were just ten there) were never +allowed to go near Her Majesty, as they were just learning the +court etiquette. They were all dressed very nicely in pretty +Manchu gowns, the same design as that worn by the Young Empress. + +After I had been introduced to these young ladies and talked with +them a while, I went inside with the Young Empress and there met +Sze Gurgur, fourth daughter of Prince Ching and a young widow +twenty-four years of age, Yuen Da Nai Nai, widow of Her Majesty's +nephew. Both were busy getting things ready for Her Majesty. The +Young Empress told us that we must go at once to Her Majesty's +bedroom and assist Her Majesty to dress, so we went at once and +courtesied to her and said: "Lao Tsu Tsung Chi Hsiang" (old +ancestor, all joy be with you). Her Majesty was still in bed and +smiled to us and asked us if we had slept well. We told her the +rooms were very comfortable, etc. I thought to myself, we had +slept very well for the little time we had, but I had not had half +enough. The day before had been very hard for us and we were quite +unused to it and it had made us very lame and sore running around +so much. + +She asked us if we had had any breakfast and we told her not yet. +She scolded Li for not having given the order for our breakfast to +be brought to our rooms and said: "You must not feel like +strangers, order anything you may want." Then she arose and +started to dress. She put on her white silk socks first, having +slept in her pantaloons as is the custom, and tied them at the +ankle with pretty ribbon. I must tell you here that although she +always slept in her clothes, she changed them for clean ones every +day. Then she put on a pale pink shirt of soft material and over +that a short silk gown, that was embroidered with bamboo leaves, +as she always wore low heeled shoes in the morning and +consequently could not wear her long gowns. After she had dressed +she walked over to a window in front of which were two long tables +covered with toilet articles of every kind and description. + +As she was washing her face and dressing her hair, she said to my +mother that she could not bear to have the servant girls, eunuchs, +or old women, touch her bed, that they were dirty, so the Court +ladies must make it. When she said this she turned to my sister +and myself, we were standing a little to one side, and said: "You +two must not think for a moment that the Court ladies do servant's +work, but you know I am an old woman and could easily be your +grandmother and it will do you no harm to work a little for me. +When it comes your turn, you can superintend the others and don't +have to do the work with your own hands." Then Her Majesty said to +me: "Der Ling you are a great help to me in every way and I make +you my first lady-in-waiting. You must not work too much for you +will have to make all the arrangements for the audiences for +foreigners and you will have to interpret for me. I also want you +to look after my jewels and don't want you to do rough work at +all. Roon Ling (my sister) can choose what she likes to do. I have +two more besides you, Sze Gurgur and Yuen Da Nai Nai, making four +altogether and you must all work together. It is not necessary to +be too polite to them and if they are not nice to you, you let me +know." Although I was very happy at receiving this appointment, I +knew that according to custom I must refuse it, so I thanked Her +Majesty very kindly for the honor she had given me and said that I +did not know enough to hold such an important position and would +prefer to be just an ordinary Court lady, and that I would learn +as quickly as possible to be useful to her. She hardly let me +finish what I was saying, when she laughed and said: "Stop! don't +say anything like that; you are too modest, which shows you are +very clever and not a bit conceited. I am surprised to see what a +perfect little Manchu lady you are, knowing even such small +etiquette as this, although you have spent many years outside of +China." She was very fond of making fun and liked very much to +tease, and said that I could try and if she saw that I could not +do the work, she would scold me and put someone else in my place. +After all this that she had said, I accepted the appointment and +went over to her bed to see how it was made, and I found that it +was very easy work to do. As this would be one of my duties, I +watched while the bed was being fixed. First of all, after Her +Majesty had risen, the bedclothes were taken out into the +courtyard by the eunuchs and aired, then the bed, which was made +of beautifully carved wood, was brushed off with a sort of +whiskbroom, and a piece of felt placed over it. Then three thick +mattresses made of yellow brocade were placed over the felt. After +this came the sheets made of different colored soft silk, and over +the whole thing was placed a covering of plain yellow satin +embroidered with gold dragons and blue clouds. She had a great +many pillows, all beautifully embroidered, which were placed on +the bed during the daytime; but had a particular one stuffed with +tea leaves on which she slept. It is said that stuffing the pillow +on which you sleep with tea leaves is good for the eyes. In +addition to all these, she had another very curiously shaped +pillow about twelve inches long in the middle of which was a hole +about three inches square. It was stuffed with dried flowers, and +the idea of the hole was that when she laid on it she could place +her ear in this hole and in this way hear any and every sound. I +suppose in that way no one could come on her unawares. + +Besides this last yellow embroidered cover, there were six covers +of different colors, pale mauve, blue, pink, green and violet, and +were placed one on top of the other. Over the top of the bed was a +frame of wood handsomely carved and from this frame white crepe +curtains, beautifully embroidered, hung, and numerous little gauze +silk bags filled with scent were suspended from the carved work of +the frame. The odor from these bags was very strong and made one +feel sick until they became used to it. Her Majesty was also very +fond of musk and used it on all occasions. + +It took us about fifteen minutes to make the bed, and when I had +finished, I turned around and saw that Her Majesty was dressing +her hair. I stood beside her Majesty while the eunuch was dressing +it and saw that as old as she was, she still had beautiful long +hair which was as soft as velvet and raven black. She parted it in +the center and brought it low at the back of her ears, and the +back braid was brushed up on the top of her head and made it into +a tight knot. When she had finished doing this, she was ready to +have the Gu'un Dzan (Manchu headdress) placed on and pinned +through the knot with two large pins. Her Majesty always dressed +her hair first and then washed her face. She was as fussy and +particular as a young girl and would give it to the eunuch if he +did not get it just to suit her. She had dozens of bottles of all +kinds of perfume, also perfumed soap. When she had finished +washing her face, she dried it on a soft towel and sprayed it with +a kind of glycerine made of honey and flower petals. After that +she put some kind of strong scented pink powder on her face. + +When she had completed her toilet, she turned to me and said: "It +must seem to you quite funny to see an old lady like me taking so +much care and pains in dressing and fixing up. Well! I like to +dress myself up and to see others dress nicely. It always gives me +pleasure to see pretty girls dressed nicely; it makes you want to +be young again yourself." I told her that she looked quite young +and was still beautiful, and that although we were young we would +never dare compare ourselves with her. This pleased her very much, +as she was very fond of compliments, and I took great pains that +morning to study her and to find out what she liked and what she +didn't. + +After this Her Majesty took me into another room and showed me +where her jewels were kept. This room was covered with shelves on +three sides of the room from top to bottom, on which were placed +piles of ebony boxes all containing jewels. Small yellow strips +were pasted on some of the boxes on which was written the +contents. Her Majesty pointed to a row of boxes on the right side +of the room and said: "Here is where I keep my favorite everyday +jewels, and some day you must go over them and see that they are +all there. The rest are all jewels which I wear on special +occasions. There are about three thousand boxes in this room and I +have a lot more locked up in my safety room, which I will show you +when I am not busy." Then she said: "I am sorry you cannot read +and write Chinese, otherwise I would give you a list of these +things and you could keep a check on them." I was very much +surprised at this and wondered who had told her I couldn't. I was +anxious to know, but did not dare to ask her, so I told her that +although I was not a scholar, I had studied Chinese for some time +and could read and write a little, that if she would give me a +list I would try and read it. She said: "That is funny, someone +told me the first day you were here, I forget now who it was, that +you could not read or write your own language at all." While she +was saying this, she was looking all around the room and I was +sure she knew who it was that had told her, but she would not tell +me. Then she said: "When we have time this afternoon, I will go +over this list with you. Bring me those five boxes on the first +row of shelves." I brought the boxes to her room and placed them +on the table. She opened the first one and it contained a most +beautiful peony made of coral and jade and each petal trembled +like a real flower. This flower was made by stringing the petals +which were made of coral on very fine brass wire, also the leaves +which were made of pure jade. She took this flower and placed it +on the right side of her headdress. Then she opened another box +and took from it a magnificent jade butterfly made in the same +way. This was an invention of her own and it was done by carving +the coral and jade into petals and leaves and boring holes in the +lower ends through which brass wire was run. The other two boxes +contained bracelets and rings of different patterns. There was a +pair of gold bracelets set with pearls, another pair set with +jade, with a piece of jade hanging from the end of a small gold +chain, etc. The last two contained chains of pearls, the like of +which I never saw before, and I fell in love with them at once. +Her Majesty took one which was made into a plum blossom string by +winding a circle of five pearls around a larger one, then one +single pearl, then another circle of five pearls around a large +one, and so on, making quite a long chain, which she suspended +from one of the buttons of her gown. + +At this juncture one of the Court ladies came in carrying several +gowns for Her Majesty to select from. She looked at them and said +that none of them suited her, to take them back and bring more. I +had a look at them and thought they were perfectly lovely, such +pretty colors and so beautifully embroidered. In a short while the +same Court lady came back carrying more, and from these Her +Majesty selected a sea-green one embroidered all over with white +storks. She put this gown on and looked at herself in the mirror +for a while, then took off her jade butterfly. She said: "You see +I am very particular about little details. The jade butterfly is +too green and it kills my gown. Put it back in the box and bring +me a pearl stork in No. 35 box." I went back to the jewel room and +fortunately found No. 35 box and brought it to her. She opened the +box and took from it a stork made entirely of pearls set in +silver, the bird's bill being made of coral. The pearls making the +body of the bird were so cleverly set that the silver could not be +seen at all unless one looked at it very closely. It was a most +magnificent piece of workmanship and the pearls were of perfect +color and shape. Her Majesty took it and placed it in her hair and +did look very graceful and pretty. Then she picked out a +mauve-colored short jacket, also embroidered with storks, which +she put on over her gown. Her handkerchief and shoes were also +embroidered with storks and when she was entirely dressed she +looked like the stork lady. + +Just as she had finished dressing, the Emperor Kwang Hsu came into +the bedroom dressed in his official clothes. These clothes were +exactly like other official clothes, except that he had no button +on his hat and did not wear the peacock feather. He knelt down +before Her Majesty and said: "Chin Baba, Chi Hsiang" (dear father, +all joy be with you). It may seem curious that the Emperor and all +of us should call Her Majesty father, and the reason why this was +done was because Her Majesty always wanted to be a man and +compelled everyone to address her as if she were actually one. +This was only one of her many peculiarities. + +I did not know whether to courtesy to the Emperor or not, not +having received any orders as to what I should do. However, I +thought it better to be too polite than not enough, so I waited +until either he or Her Majesty went out of the room, as we were +not allowed to salute or courtesy to anyone in her presence. In a +little while the Emperor went out and I followed him out into the +hall and just as I was in the act of courtesying Her Majesty came +out. She looked at me in a very peculiar way, as if she did not +approve of what I had done, but said nothing. I felt very +uncomfortable and made up my mind that being too polite did not +always pay after all. + +I then returned to the room again and saw a small eunuch placing +several yellow boxes on a table at the left side of the room. Her +Majesty seated herself in a large chair, which was called her +little throne, and this eunuch opened the boxes, took a yellow +envelope from each box and handed them to Her Majesty. She opened +these envelopes with an ivory paper knife and read their contents. +They were memorials from the heads of the different Boards, or +from the Viceroys of the different Provinces. The Emperor had come +back and was standing at the side of this table and after she had +finished reading, she handed them over to him. While all this was +being done I stood at the back of her chair. I watched the Emperor +as the different papers were handed to him and noticed that it did +not take him very long to finish reading their contents. After he +was finished reading the papers, they were placed back in the +boxes. During all this time absolute silence was maintained. Just +as they had finished the head eunuch came in, knelt down and +announced that Her Majesty's chair was ready. She immediately got +up and went out of the house, we following her, and I took her arm +while she was descending the steps to go to her chair. When she +had entered the chair to go to the Audience Hall, the Emperor and +Young Empress and we all followed in our usual places, the +eunuchs, amahs and servant girls carrying all the things exactly +the same as was done the first day I came to the Palace. When we +arrived at the Audience Hall, we took our places behind the big +screen and the audience commenced. I was very curious to find out +just how the audiences were conducted and wanted to listen to what +was going on, but the Court ladies would not leave me alone. +However, when they were all talking together with my sister, I +stole away into a corner where I could sit and rest and listen to +the conversation between the different Ministers and Her Majesty. +Trust a woman for being inquisitive. + +The first part of the audience I could not hear very well, as so +many people were whispering and talking at the same time, but by +peeping through the carved-work of the screen, I could see a +General talking to Her Majesty. I also saw the members of the +Grand Council come in headed by Prince Ching, who was the +Councillor-in-Chief. After the General had finished, Her Majesty +talked with Prince Ching about the appointment of some minor +officials, a list of whose names had been handed to her. She +looked over this list and spoke about several of the people, but +Prince Ching suggested some others, saying: "Although these people +whose names have been submitted to Your Majesty should receive +appointments, those that I have suggested are better fitted for +the positions." Her Majesty said: "All right, I leave it all to +you." Then I heard Her Majesty say to the Emperor, "Is that +correct?" and he replied, "Yes." This finished the Audience for +the morning and the Ministers and Grand Councillors took their +leave. We came out from behind the screen to Her Majesty and she +said that she wanted to go for a walk to get some fresh air. The +servant girls brought her a mirror, placed it on a table, and Her +Majesty took off her heavy headdress, leaving the simple knot on +the top of her head, which was quite becoming. She wanted to +change some of the flower jewels and I opened a box which one of +the eunuchs had brought and took out some very dainty flowers made +of pearls. I handed her one which she placed at the side of this +knot, then she selected a jade dragonfly which she placed on the +other side. She said these small flowers were favorites of hers +and she liked to wear them when she took off her heavy headdress. +I was watching her very closely and wondered what I was going to +do with the flowers she had taken off. I had not brought the boxes +to put them in, as I did not know she was going to change again +after the audience, and felt a little nervous as to what was the +right thing to do, or as to what she would say. However, I saw a +eunuch come in carrying these boxes and felt much relieved. I +quickly placed the things in the boxes where they belonged. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN + +SOME INCIDENTS OF THE COURT + + MY first day with Her Majesty was very trying as I did not know +just what she wanted or how she wanted things done, and no one +seemed willing to tell me; but by watching very closely I was soon +able to grasp the situation. After I had finished putting the +things in the boxes I did not know whether to take them back to +the jewel room or not, or whether to wait until Her Majesty +ordered me, and again I was in a quandary. I saw she was talking +to my mother, so I waited a little time and finally made up my +mind I would risk it and take them back, which I did. As I was +returning I met Her Majesty in the big courtyard. She had just +changed her gown again and looked much shorter as she had also +changed her shoes for ones with lower heels. This gown was made of +heavy sky-blue crepe with no embroidery at all, just trimmed with +pale pink ribbons, and she looked very nice in it. When Her +Majesty saw me, she asked me: "Where have you been?" I told her +that I had just been putting her jewels away. Then she said: "Has +anyone told you to put them away as soon as I am finished with +them? I forgot to tell you this morning, although I had meant to." +I said that no one had told me anything, that I was afraid to have +the eunuchs taking such valuable things here and there, that I was +sure that she did not want to use them any more, so I thought it +would be safer to put them away in the jewel room again. Her +Majesty looked at me and said: "I can see that these girls don't +tell you anything and I am very glad to see that you have done +just the right thing. That is why I thought someone must have told +you what to do. Anything you want to know you can ask me, but +don't talk to these mean people here." I could see from this that +there must be some jealousy among them and decided that I was well +able to find my own way, as I knew Her Majesty liked me and would +help me out. + +Her Majesty walked along a little way, then laughed and said to +me: "Don't I look more comfortable now? I am going for a long walk +and take lunch on the top of the hill. There is a nice place up +there and I am sure you will like it. Come, let us go." + +The Emperor had gone back to his own Palace, and the head eunuch +had also disappeared. As we were walking along, Her Majesty was +talking and smiling as if she had never a care or trouble in the +world, or any important questions of state to settle. I thought +from what I had seen so far that she had a very sweet disposition. +She looked back and said: "Just see how many people are following +us." I turned and saw the same crowd that had accompanied Her +Majesty earlier in the day to the Audience Hall. + +After passing out of the large courtyard on the West side, we came +to a large, long veranda running in a zig-zag fashion along the +front of the lake, and it was so long that I could not see the end +of it. It was very prettily made of solid carved work from one end +to the other. Electric lights were hanging from the ceiling at +intervals, and when they were lighted at night, made a beautiful +sight. + +Her Majesty was a very fast walker and we had to step lively to +keep up with her. The eunuchs and the servant girls walked on the +right side and only one of the eunuchs was allowed to walk behind +us, and he was the one who carried Her Majesty's yellow satin +stool, which, like her dog, went everywhere she did. This stool +she used to rest on when taking a walk. We walked for quite a long +while and I began to feel tired, but Her Majesty, as old as she +was, was still walking very fast and did not appear to be the +least bit tired. She asked me if I liked the Palace and whether I +would be satisfied to live with her, etc. I told her that it was a +great pleasure for me to serve her, that it had been my dream for +years, and now that my dream had come true, I could not help but +be satisfied. + +We finally arrived at the place where the marble boat was kept, +and I was about finished. I never saw such vitality in an old +woman in my life as Her Majesty had, and it was no wonder that she +had ruled this vast Empire of China so successfully for so many +years. + +This boat was magnificent, being one mass of carved work, but the +inside was all spoiled. Her Majesty showed us all over the boat, +and whilst we were looking at the ruin, she said: "Look at those +colored glasses in the windows and these beautiful paintings. They +were all spoiled by the foreign troops in 1900. I don't intend to +have it repaired as I don't want to forget the lesson I have +learned and this is a good reminder." After we had been standing +there a few minutes, a eunuch who had been carrying the famous +satin stool, came forward, and Her Majesty sat down to rest. While +we were talking I noticed two large and very fancy-looking boats +approaching us, with several smaller ones coming along behind. As +they came nearer I saw that they were also very beautifully made, +and looked like floating pagodas of beautifully carved natural +wood. The windows of the pagodas were hung with red gauze curtains +and all was trimmed with silk. Her Majesty said: "There are the +boats. We must go over to the west side of the lake and have +luncheon." Her Majesty got up and walked to the edge of the lake, +two eunuchs supporting her, one at each side. She stepped into the +boat and we all followed her example. The inside of the boat was +very nicely furnished with carved ebony furniture with blue satin +cushions, one with many pots of flowers on both sides of the +window. There were two more cabins behind this sitting room. Her +Majesty told me to go in to see those two rooms. One little room +was a dressing room full of toilet articles. The other one had two +couches and several small chairs for Her Majesty to rest whenever +she felt tired. Her Majesty sat on her throne and ordered us to +sit on the floor. The eunuchs brought in red satin cushions for us +to sit upon. To sit on the floor is all right for Chinese clothes, +but of course it was out of the question with Paris gowns, and I +felt very uncomfortable, but did not like to say so. I wanted to +change into Manchu clothes, for I knew they were comfortable and +easy to work in, but having received no order from Her Majesty, I +did not dare to suggest it. Her Majesty noticed how very +uncomfortable we looked sitting on the floor. She said: "You can +stand up if you want to and just watch those boats following us." +I put my head out of the window and noticed the Young Empress and +several other Court ladies were in the other boat. They waved to +me, and I waved back. Her Majesty laughed and said to me: "I give +you this apple to throw to them." While saying this she took one +from the big plates that stood upon the center table. I tried very +hard, but the apple did not reach the other boat, but went to the +bottom of the lake. Her Majesty laughed and told me to try again, +but I failed. Finally, she took one and threw it herself. It went +straight to the other boat and hit one of the ladies' head. We all +laughed quite heartily. Then I began to enjoy myself. There were +several open boats full of eunuchs, and another one of servant +girls, amahs and the rest with Her Majesty's luncheon. The lake +was beautiful and looked so green in the sun. I told Her Majesty +that this color reminded me of the sea. She said: "You have +travelled so much, and yet you have not had enough, but are still +thinking of the sea. You must not go abroad any more, but stay +with me. I want you to enjoy this sailing on this lake instead of +the rough sea." I promised her that I would be only too happy to +stay with her. I must say the truth, I did enjoy the lovely +scenery, the beautiful weather, superb sunshine, with Her Majesty +so kind to me and talking to me in such a motherly way made me +love her more and more every minute I was there. I was so +extremely happy there that even Paris pleasures had gone out of my +memory entirely. + +At last we arrived at another part of the lake. This was more of a +stream, very narrow, just wide enough for one boat to pass. On +both sides of the bank were planted drooping willow trees that +reminded me of the Chinese Fairy tales I have read. This time I +saw the servant girls, amahs, and also eunuchs carrying boxes, +walking on both sides of the shore. Only two boats were going +then, the Young Empress' and ours. Her Majesty said: "We will +arrive at the bottom of the hill in a few minutes." When we came +near the shore I saw her yellow chair and several red chairs +waiting. We landed and walked to the chairs. I watched Her Majesty +get into hers and noticed this was not the same chair she used +this morning. This little one was, of course, of yellow, with +yellow poles, and two eunuchs carried it, with yellow rope across +their shoulders, and four eunuchs supported the poles, one on each +corner of the chair. They were just going to raise her chair up +when she said: "Yu tai tai (Lady Yu) I give you and your daughters +special favor and give you a red chair with red cord that I have +given to only a few people." The Young Empress looked at us, which +I understood at once was meant for us to kowtow to her, which we +did, and waited until the Empress got into hers. Then we went to +search for ours. To my surprise our own eunuchs were standing +waiting beside our chairs. On the poles I noticed that my name was +written and I asked our eunuch the reason. He said that Her +Majesty gave the order the night before. It was a lovely ride +going to the top of the hill. I saw Her Majesty's chair in front, +and the Young Empress'. They looked to me quite dangerous in +ascending that way, and the men at the back of the chair had to +raise the poles above their heads so as to make the chair the same +level in ascending. I was quite nervous and was very much afraid +that they might fall off and injure me. Our eunuchs were walking +beside our chairs. I said to one of them that I was afraid the +chair bearers might slip. He told me to look back of my chair, +which I did, and to my surprise they had the poles raised up also +above their heads, and I did not feel it at all. He told me that +these chair bearers practice for such purposes and that there was +no danger at all. It made my heart stop beating looking back and +seeing the other Court ladies in their chairs way below mine, the +eunuchs and servant girls walking, for fear I might fall off at +any time. At last we arrived at the top of the hill. We helped Her +Majesty to alight and followed her into the most lovely building I +ever saw, the best one in the Summer Palace to my idea (name of +this pavilion, Ching Fo Ker). This Palace had only two rooms, with +windows on every side. One could see everywhere. Her Majesty used +one large one to take her luncheon in and the other as a toilet +room. I noticed that wherever we went we found Her Majesty's +toilet room. Her Majesty took us around the compound and showed us +the lovely flowers planted everywhere. One of the young eunuchs +told me that Her Majesty's dainties were ready. That was my first +day of real work. I went out and found two large yellow boxes of +different kinds of candies and fruits, as I have before mentioned. +I carried two plates at a time, and finished in nine times, +placing them on a square table near her. She was talking to my +mother then about flowers. I noticed that although she was +talking, she was watching me at the same time. I placed the plates +upon the table very carefully, and already having noticed the day +before what were her favorite dishes, and placed these near her. +She smiled at me and said: "You have done it very nicely. And how +do you know that these are my favorites and have placed them near +me? Who told you?" I replied that no one had told me anything and +that I had noticed the day before what Lao Tsu Tsung liked +(according to the Manchu custom one must address a superior or +one's parents in the third person). Her Majesty said: "I can see +you use your heart in everything (in China people say heart +instead of head) and are not like the crowd I have here; they +haven't the brains of a bird." She was soon busy eating, and gave +me some candies, and told me to eat right there in her presence. +Of course I never forgot to thank her, for I thought I had rather +thank her too much than too little. She told me: "Whenever I give +you small things you need not kowtow. Just say: `Hsieh Lao Tsu +Tsung Shang' (Thank the old ancestor), that is enough." After a +little while she finished eating, and told me to take the dishes +away. She said: "To-day is your day, so these things are yours. +Take them out and sit down on the veranda and enjoy yourself. You +see I could not eat all. There are lots of things left. If you +like you can tell your own eunuch to send them to your room." I +placed the little dishes back in the boxes and took them to the +veranda. There I placed them upon the table and told the Young +Empress to eat some. I did not know whether it was right to offer +them to her or not and thought I could not do her any harm, even +if I tried. She said all right, that she would eat some. I took a +piece of candy and had just put it into my mouth when I heard Her +Majesty calling my name. I hurried in and found her sitting at her +table ready to take her lunch. She said: "What else did Mdme. +Plancon say yesterday? Was she really pleased? Do you think they, +the foreigners, really like me? I don't think so; on the contrary +I know they haven't forgotten the Boxer Rising in Kwang Hsu's 26th +year. I don't mind owning up that I like our old ways the best, +and I don't see any reason why we should adopt the foreign style. +Did any of the foreign ladies ever tell you that I am a +fierce-looking old woman?" I was very much surprised that she +should call me in and ask me such questions during her meal. She +looked quite serious and it seemed to me she was quite annoyed. I +assured her that no one ever said anything about Her Majesty but +nice things. The foreigners told me how nice she was, and how +graceful, etc. This seemed to please her, and she smiled and said: +"Of course they have to tell you that, just to make you feel happy +by saying that your sovereign is perfect, but I know better. I +can't worry too much, but I hate to see China in such a poor +condition. Although the people around me seem to comfort me by +telling that almost every nation feels very friendly towards +China, I don't think that is true. I hope we will be strong some +day." While she was saying this I noticed her worried expression. +I did not know what to say, but tried to comfort her by saying +that that time will come, and we are all looking forward to it. I +wanted to advise her on some points, but seeing that she was +angry, I thought I had better not make any suggestions that day, +but wait until I had another opportunity. I felt sorry for her, +and would have given anything in the world to help her by telling +what the general opinion of her was so as to let her know the +truth, which no one dared to tell her. Something told me to be +silent. I kept thinking all the time she was talking to me, and +finally made up my mind that the time was not yet ripe for me to +make any suggestion. I had grown to love her very much, so I +wanted to take care not to offend her; that would probably finish +my ambition. I wanted to study her first thoroughly and then try +to influence her to reform China. + +I stood all the time while she was eating. She got up from the +table and handed me her napkin (this napkin was made of a piece of +silk a yard square, woven in many colors). One corner was turned +in, and a golden butterfly was fastened to it. It had a hook at +the back of this butterfly so as to hook on her collar. She said: +"I am sure you must be hungry. Go and tell the Young Empress and +the rest of the people to come and eat. You can eat anything you +want from these tables, so eat all you can." I was very, very +hungry. Just imagine, I had been up since 5:00 o'clock and had +only a light breakfast, and had walked a great deal. It was almost +noon when Her Majesty sat down at her table. She ate so slowly, +too. While I stood there talking to her I thought she would never +finish. She ate a good meal. The Young Empress stood at the head +of the table, and we all stood on either side. We did not like to +be forward, so we stood at the other end of the table. The food +was very much the same as the first day we were there. Her Majesty +came out from the inner room, had just finished washing her face +and hands, and had changed into another gown. This one was simple, +but very pretty. It was woven with pink and gray raw silks, which +gave it a changeable light whenever she moved. She came out and +said: "I want to see you people eat; why is it that you are +standing at the end of the table, the best dishes are not there? +All of you come over here and eat near the Young Empress." So we +moved from our end of the table to the other. Her Majesty stood +near me, and pointed to a smoked fish and wanted me to try it, as +it was her favorite, and said: "Make yourselves at home. You know +you have to fight your own battles here with this crowd. Of course +you can come and tell me if anyone does not treat you fair." Her +Majesty then went out, saying that she would walk a bit. I noticed +that some of the court ladies did not look pleased, seeing that +Her Majesty paid so much attention to us. I could see they were a +little jealous of me, but that did not worry me in the least. + +After we got through our luncheon, I followed the Young Empress, +for it was all so new to me, and I did not know what I must +do--whether to join Her Majesty or not. After seeing that they +were jealous of me, I paid strict attention to everything, so as +not to make any mistake in doing my work and let them have the +satisfaction of laughing at me. I would not give them the chance. +I heard Her Majesty talking to the eunuchs who looked after the +garden, about some branches which ought to be cut down, saying +they were lazy. So we went to her. She said to us: "You see I have +to look after everything myself, if not, my flowers would be +ruined. I can't depend on them at all. I wonder what they are good +for. They ought to look around every day and cut down the dead +branches and leaves. They have not been punished for several days +and they are looking forward to it." She laughed and said: "I will +not disappoint them, but give them all they wish to have." I +thought these people must be idiots, looking forward to a +whipping, and wondered who would whip them. Her Majesty turned to +me and said: "Have you ever witnessed such an operation?" I told +her that I had, having seen the convicts being whipped at a +Magistrate's Yamen when I was a little girl living at Shansi (on +the Yangtsze). She said: "That is nothing. The convicts are not +half so wicked as these eunuchs. Of course they deserve a heavier +punishment when they are bad." Her Majesty said that I should +learn to play dice with her, as she never had enough people to +play with, so we went back to the same room where she had taken +her lunch. A square table was in the middle of this large room and +a little throne of Her Majesty's, facing south (her favorite +direction). Her Majesty sat on her throne and said to me: "I will +show you how to play this game. Do you think you know enough +Chinese to read this map?" I noticed a large map, the same size as +the table, and laid upon it, drawn in different colors. In the +center of the map was written the direction of the game. It said: +"This game is called the `Eight Fairies Travel across the Sea.' +The names are Lu Hsien, Chang Hsien, Li Hsien, Lan Hsien, Hang +Hsien, Tsao Hsien and Hain Hsien. These seven were masculine +fairies. Hor Hsien was the only lady fairy." This map was the map +of the Chinese Empire, and the names of the different provinces +were written on the drawing. There were eight pieces of round +ivory, about one inch and a half in diameter and a quarter of an +inch thick. The names of these fairies were engraved upon them. +This game could be played either by eight people or four people, +when each person had to take two fairies' places, instead of one. +A porcelain bowl was placed in the center of the map, to compare +the point by throwing six dice into the bowl. For instance, four +people play. One throws these six dice into the bowl and counts +the points on them. The highest that one could get was 36, and +should 36 be thrown the fairy should go to Hangehow to enjoy the +beautiful scenery. This person threw dice for Lu Hsien and had 36 +points and placed this ivory piece of Lu Hsien on Hangehow upon +the map. The same person has to throw another time for another +fairy, so each person throws twice if four people play the game, +and once if played by eight. These different points count +different provinces. They are counted thus:--Six dice alike. One +pair in six dice, to three pairs. The lowest was the double 1, 2, +3. If any unfortunate fairy got this he should go on exile and be +left out altogether. Any one of the fairies that travelled round +the map to reach the Imperial Palace, the first, was the winner. + +I read this to Her Majesty. She seemed to be quite pleased, and +said: "I had no idea that you could read so well. This game was my +own invention and I taught three Court ladies to play. I had a +very hard time teaching them. I also taught them how to read +Chinese in order to play the game, but it took them so long to +learn anything that I got quite discouraged before I got through +with them. I am sure you know how to play it now." I was very much +surprised to hear that these Court ladies were as ignorant as +this. I thought they must be excellent scholars, so did not dare +to show my knowledge of Chinese literature. We began to play the +game. Her Majesty was lucky. The two fairies held by her were way +ahead of ours. One of the Court ladies said to me: "You will be +surprised to see that Lao Tsu Tsung is always the winner." Her +Majesty smiled and said to me: "You will never be able to catch my +fairies." She said: "You are the first day here to play this game +and if any of your fairies beat any of mine I will give you a nice +present, so hurry up." I thought I could never get ahead of her +fairies, for they were so far ahead of mine, but I tried hard, as +Her Majesty told me to call out for the points I wanted. I did, +but it came out something so different that it amused her a great +deal. I had no idea how long we were playing this game. We counted +who came next, and that was one of my fairies, so Her Majesty said +to me: "I was sure you could not beat me, as no one could. Seeing +that yours are next to mine, I will give you the present just the +same." While she was saying this she told a servant girl to bring +her some embroidered handkerchiefs. This girl brought several +colored ones to her, and she asked me what color I preferred. She +handed me a pink one and a pale blue one, all embroidered with +purple wisteria, and said: "These two are the best, and I want you +to take them." I was just going to thank her by bowing to the +ground, but I found that my legs could not move. I tried hard and +succeeded finally, with difficulty. Her Majesty laughed very +heartily at me and said: "You see you are not accustomed to +standing so long and you cannot bend your knees any more." +Although my legs were sore I thought I had better not show it, but +smiled and told her that it was nothing, only my legs were a +little stiff, that was all. She said: "You must go and sit on the +veranda and rest a minute." I was only too glad to sit down, so I +went to the veranda and found the Young Empress sitting there with +several Court ladies. The Young Empress said: "You must be tired +standing so long. Come and sit near me." My legs were very stiff +and my back was tired. Of course Her Majesty did not know how +uncomfortable we were while she was sitting on her cozy throne. +Foreign attire is out of the question for the Imperial Palace of +Peking. I had hoped that Her Majesty would tell us to change into +our Manchu gowns. I noticed that she asked many questions every +day about foreign costumes, and she said: "The foreign costume is +not any prettier than ours and I should say they must be quite +uncomfortable round one's waist. I wouldn't be squeezed that way +for anything." Although she was saying such things she did not +suggest that we should give them up, so we had to wait patiently +for her orders. The Young Empress took her watch out of her +pocket, and said to me: "This game has lasted just two hours." I +said to her that it seemed to me longer than that. While we were +talking I saw our own eunuchs bringing four round boxes, made of +thin board, carried at each end of bamboo poles. They put them +down near where we sat, and one of them brought me a cup of tea. +When my mother and sister came the same eunuch brought another two +cups, and there were several Court ladies talking with us. This +eunuch did not give them any. I noticed at the other end of this +long veranda there were another two boxes, exactly the same as +these, and a big tall eunuch made tea and brought it to the Young +Empress in a yellow porcelain cup, with a silver saucer and a +silver top cover. He did not give any to the others. + +I was puzzled when one of the Court ladies sitting next to me +said: "Would you mind telling Wang (our head eunuch) to give me a +cup of your tea, just to save me the trouble to go and get it from +the small room at the end of this long veranda?" I gave her such a +surprised look, for I did not know that this was our tea, but I +thought I'd just tell Wang to bring her a cup, and find out +afterwards the reason, for I would give anything in the world +rather than appear ignorant before those people. While we were +talking Her Majesty came out. Before she reached the veranda I got +up and told the Young Empress that Her Majesty was coming. I saw +her first because I sat facing her back hall. Her Majesty said to +us all: "It is almost three o'clock now, and I am going to rest a +while. Let us leave here." We all stood in a line for her to enter +her chair, and then we went to ours. It was quite a fast ride and +we got out of our chairs before arriving at the courtyard of her +own Palace. We walked ahead of her chair and formed into another +line for her to alight. She walked to her bedroom and we all +followed. A eunuch brought her a cup of hot water and another +brought a bowl of sugar. She took her golden spoon and took two +teaspoonfuls of sugar and put it into her cup of hot water, and +drank it very slowly. She said: "You know before one goes to sleep +or ever lies down, sugar water will quiet one's nerves. I always +take it, and find it very good indeed." She took the flowers off +from her headdress and I fixed them back in their boxes at once, +and placed them in the jewel-room. When I came out of this +jewel-room she was in bed already, and said to us: "You all go and +rest a while. I don't need you now." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT + +THE COURT LADIES + + WE retired from her room, but I noticed that two of the Court +ladies did not come out with us. One of them said to me: "I am +glad that I can rest a bit to-day, for I have been sitting three +afternoons in succession." At first I did not know what she meant. +Then she said: "Oh, your turn has not come yet. We don't know +whether you received the order or not. You know two of us must +stay with Her Majesty during her afternoon siesta, to watch the +eunuchs and the servant girls." I thought that was the funniest +thing I had ever heard of, and wondered how many people would be +in her room. The Young Empress said: "We had better go at once and +rest ourselves, otherwise Her Majesty will be up again before we +get the chance." Of course I had not the least idea how long she +slept. So we went back to our rooms. I did not realize how tired I +was until I sat down in my room. I felt finished and awfully +sleepy at the same time, for I was not used to getting up at 5 +o'clock. Everything was so new to me. As I sat there my thoughts +wandered to Paris, and I thought how strange it was that I used to +go to bed at 5 o'clock after the dances, and here I had to get up +at such a time. All the surroundings seemed new to me, seeing the +eunuchs running here and there waiting on us, as if they were +chambermaids. I told them that I didn't need them any more. I +wanted them to go out of the room so that I could lie down a bit. +They brought us tea and different kinds of candies, and asked what +else was wanted. I was just going to change into a comfortable +dress, when the eunuch came in and informed me that "Yo ker lila" +(visitors have come), and two Court ladies came, and another girl +of about seventeen came in. I had seen her that very morning when +I came to the Palace, busy working, but I was not introduced to +her. These two girls said: "We have come to see you and also to +find out if you are comfortable." I thought they were kind to come +and see me that way, but I did not like their faces. They +introduced this mean-looking girl to me and told me her name was +Chun Shou (Graceful Long Life). She did not look as if her life +would last long, being so thin and delicate. She looked sick and +worn out to me. I did not know who she was. She courtesied to me +and I returned to her, in a sort of half way. (I will explain +about the courtesy.) + +(To Her Majesty, the Emperor and the Young Empress, we went down +and bent our knees, while we stood upright to the people of lower +rank than ourselves. In this case one must always wait while the +inferior courtesies first, and bend the knees a little bit in +return. This was the way I returned Chun Shou's courtesy to me.) +The two girls then said "Chun Shou's father is only a small +official, so she has not much standing at the Court. She is not +exactly a Court lady, but she is not a servant girl either." I +almost laughed right out, to hear such a funny statement, and +wondered what she must be. I saw her sitting down with the Court +ladies that very morning, so of course I asked her to sit down, +too. These two Court ladies asked me if I felt tired, and how I +liked the Empress Dowager. I told them that Her Majesty was the +most lovely lady I had ever seen, and that I already loved her +very much, although I had only been there a few days. They looked +at Chun Shou and exchanged smiles. They did that in such a +peculiar way that it annoyed me. They asked: "Do you think you +would like to live in this place, and how long do you intend to +stay?" I said I would love to stay long, and would do my best to +wait on Her Majesty, and be useful to her, for she had been so +kind towards us in the short time we had been there, and besides, +it was my duty to serve my sovereign and country. They laughed and +said: "We pity you, and are sorry for you. You must not expect any +appreciation here, no matter how hard you work. If you are really +going to do as you have said just now, you will be disliked by +everybody." + +I did not know what they were talking about, or what their +conversation referred to. I thought this was so strange that I had +better put a stop to it, so I immediately changed the subject. I +asked them who dressed their hair, and who made their shoes for +them, as they had asked me. They answered my questions by saying +that their maids did everything for them. Chun Shou said to these +two girls: "Tell her everything about this Palace, and I am sure +she will change her mind when she actually sees things for +herself." I didn't like this Chun Shou, and her face didn't +impress me. She was a little bit of a thing, tiny head with thin +lips. When she laughed one could only hear the noise she made; no +expression was on her face at all. I was just going to say +something to them, so as not to give them the opportunity of +gossiping, but found they were too cunning. They noticed that I +tried every way to stop them, so they said: "Now let us tell you +everything. No one else will know. We like you very much and we +want to give you some warning, so as to be able to protect +yourself whenever you are in trouble." I told them that I would +take great care to do my work and didn't think that I would ever +get into trouble. They laughed and said: "That makes no +difference. Her Majesty will find fault." I could not believe +these things that they said, and intended to tell them that I +refused to hear such statements, but I thought I had better listen +to what they had to say first and not to offend them, for I never +believed in making enemies. I then told them that it would be +impossible for so sweet and kind-hearted a person like Lao Tsu +Tsung (the old ancestor) to find fault with such helpless girls as +we were, for we were her people, and she could do anything she +liked with us. They said: "You don't know, and have no idea how +wicked this place is; such torture and suffering one could not +imagine. We are sure that you think you must be happy to be with +the great Empress Dowager, and proud to be her Court Lady. Your +day hasn't come yet, for you all are new to her. Yes, she is +extremely kind to you just now, but wait until she gets tired of +you and then see what she will do. We have had enough, and know +what the Court life is. Of course you must have heard that Li Lien +Ying (the head eunuch) rules this Palace behind Lao Tsu Tsung's +back. We are all afraid of him. He pretends that he cannot +influence Lao Tsu Tsung, but we always know the result after a +long conversation consulting how to punish anyone. If any of us do +anything wrong, we always go to him and beg him to help us out. +Then he says he has no power to influence Her Majesty, and also +that he dare not tell her much, for she would scold him. We hate +all the eunuchs, they are such bad people. We can see very plainly +they are awfully polite to you because they can see that you are +in favor. To receive such rudeness from them, constantly, as we +do, is unbearable. + +"Lao Tsu Tsung is very changeable. She may like one person to-day, +to-morrow she hates this same person worse than poison. She has +moods, and has no appreciation whatsoever. Even Chu Tzu, the Young +Empress (Chu Tzu means Mistress, that is to say she was mistress +of us all, for the Manchus were considered by the sovereign as +slaves) is afraid of Li Lien Ying, and has to be very nice to him. +In fact, we all have to be polite to him." They talked so long +that I thought they would never finish. About this time Wang came +in and brought tea for us. Suddenly I heard people howling in the +distance, so I asked Wang what was the matter. The girls were +listening also and a eunuch came flying in and told us Lao Fo Yeh +chin la (The Great Buddha wakes up). The girls got up and said we +must all go to see her, so they went. I was not at all pleased +with their visit, and wished they hadn't come, especially as they +told me such horrible things. It made me quite sad to listen to +the awful way they talked about Her Majesty. I loved her the first +day I was there, and made up my mind to forget everything they had +told me. + +I was cross also because I didn't have time to change my clothes, +and had to go up to Her Majesty at once. I went into her bedroom, +and found her sitting upon the bed cross-legged, with a small +table placed on the bed in front of her. She smiled and asked: +"Have you had a good rest? Did you sleep at all?" I said that I +was not sleepy, and could not sleep in the daytime. She said: +"When you are old like me, you will be able to sleep at any time. +Just now you are young, and fond of play. I think you must have +been on the hills to gather flowers, or walked too much, for you +look tired." I could only say "Yes." The two Court ladies who had +just been talking nonsense about Her Majesty came in, to assist in +handing her the toilet articles. I looked at them, and felt +ashamed for them to face her, after having said so many +disagreeable things. Her Majesty washed her face and combed her +hair, and a servant girl brought her fresh flowers, of white +jasmine and roses. Her Majesty stuck them in her hair and said to +me: "I am always fond of fresh flowers--better than jade and +pearls. I love to see the little plants grow, and I water them +myself. I have been so busy ever since you came that I haven't +been able to visit my plants. Tell them to get the dinner ready +and I will take a walk afterwards." I came out of her room and +gave the eunuch the order. As usual we brought little dainties to +her. By this time Her Majesty was dressed and was sitting in the +large hall, playing solitaire with her dominoes. The eunuch laid +the tables as usual, and Her Majesty stopped play, and commenced +to eat. She asked me: "How do you like this kind of life?" I told +her that I very much enjoyed being with her. She said: "What kind +of a place is this wonderful Paris I have heard so much about? Did +you enjoy yourself while you were there, and do you wish to go +back again? It must be hard for you people to leave China for +three or four years, and I suppose you were all pleased when you +received the order to come back, after your father's term was +finished." + +The only thing I could say was "Yes," because it wouldn't be nice +to tell her that I was awfully sorry to leave Paris. She said: "I +think we have everything in China, only the life is different. +What is dancing? Someone told me that two people hold hands and +jump all over the room. If that is the case I don't see any +pleasure in it at all. Do you have to jump up and down with men? +They told me that old women, with white hair, dance, too." I +explained to her about the balls given by the President, and all +the private dances, and also all about the masquerade balls, etc. +Her Majesty said: "I don't like this masquerade ball because you +don't know whom you are dancing with if they are wearing a mask." +I explained to her how carefully the people issued their +invitations, and that anyone who behaved badly could never enter +into high society. Her Majesty said: "I would like to see how you +jump, can you show me a little?" I went in search of my sister, +and found her busy talking to the Young Empress. I told her that +Her Majesty wished to see how people dance, and that we must show +her. The Young Empress and all the Court ladies heard this, and +all said that they also wished to see. My sister said that she had +noticed a large gramophone in Her Majesty's bedroom, and that +perhaps we could find some music. I thought that was a good idea, +and went to ask her for the gramophone. She said: "Oh, must you +jump with music?" I almost laughed when she said that, and told +her it was much nicer with music, as otherwise one could not keep +in time. She ordered the eunuchs to have the gramophone brought to +the hall, and said: "You jump while I take my dinner." We looked +over a lot of records, but they were all Chinese songs, but at +last we found a waltz, so we started to dance. We could see that a +lot of people were looking at us, who perhaps thought that we were +crazy. When we had finished we found Her Majesty laughing at us. +She said: "I could never do that. Are you not dizzy turning round +and round? I suppose your legs must be very tired also. It is very +pretty, and just like the girls used to do centuries ago in China. +I know that it is difficult and one ought to have any amount of +grace to do it, but I don't think it would look nice to see a man +dancing with a girl like that. I object to the hand around the +girl's waist; I like to see the girls dance together. It would +never do for China for a girl to get too close to a man. I know +the foreigners don't seem to think about that at all. It shows +that they are broader minded than us. Is it true that the +foreigners don't respect their parents at all-that they could beat +their parents and drive them out of the house?" I told her that it +was not so, and that someone had given her wrong ideas about +foreigners. Then she said: "I know that perhaps sometimes one +among the commonest class do that, and that people are apt to take +it wrong, and conclude that all foreigners treat their parents +that way. Now I see just the same thing done by the common people +in China." I wondered who had told her such nonsense and made her +believe it. + +After we had taken our dinner it was just half-past five, and Her +Majesty said she would take a walk along the long veranda, so we +followed her. She showed me her flowers, and said that she had +planted them herself. Whenever Her Majesty went anywhere there was +always a lot of attendants following her, exactly the same as when +she went to the morning audiences. When we reached the end of this +long veranda, which took us a quarter of an hour to walk, Her +Majesty ordered her stool to be brought into one of the summer +houses. These summer houses were built of nothing but bamboo, all +the furniture being made of different shaped bamboo. Her Majesty +sat down, and one of the eunuchs brought tea and honeysuckle +flowers. She ordered the eunuchs to give us tea also. Her Majesty +said: "This is my simple way of enjoying life. I love to see the +country scenery. There are a great many pretty places which I will +show you and I am sure that after you have seen them you will not +like foreign countries any more. There is no scenery in the world +which can beat the Chinese. Some returned Ministers from abroad +said to me that the trees and mountains in foreign countries +looked ugly and savage. Is that true?" I concluded right away that +someone had wished to please her by saying things about +foreigners, so I told her that I had been in almost every country, +and had found lovely scenery, but of course it was different from +China. While we were talking Her Majesty said that she felt chilly +and asked: "Are you cold? You see you have your own eunuchs, they +are all standing around, and have nothing to do. Next time tell +them to carry your wraps along with you. I think that foreign +clothes must be quite uncomfortable either too warm or too cold. I +don't see how you can eat, having your waist squeezed that way." +Her Majesty got up and we all went on walking slowly towards her +own Palace. She sat down on her favorite little throne in the hall +and started to play solitaire. We came out on the veranda, and the +Young Empress said to us: "You must be tired, for I know you are +not used to doing such hard work all day long without stopping. +You had better wear Manchu clothes, because they are comfortable +and easy to work in. Look at your long train; you have to take it +up in your hands while walking." + +I told her that I would be only too pleased to change the clothes, +but that not having received an order from Her Majesty I could not +make any suggestions. The Young Empress said: "No, don't ask +anything, and I am sure Her Majesty will tell you to change by and +by. Just now she wishes to see your Paris gowns, because she wants +to know how foreign ladies dress on different occasions. She +thought that some of the ladies came to the Garden Party dressed +in woolen clothes. We thought that foreign ladies were not so +extravagant as we are until we met Mdme. Plancon the other day. Do +you remember what Her Majesty said to you? `That Mdme. Plancon was +so different from many ladies she had met, and also dressed +differently.' " It was a chiffon dress, with hand paintings, which +Mdme. Plancon wore, which pleased Her Majesty very much. While I +was talking with the Young Empress all the electric lights turned +up, so I went to Her Majesty to see if she needed anything. She +said: "Let us play a game of dice before I go to bed." We began to +play the same thing as we had done in the afternoon. Her Majesty +won another game, this time it took only an hour to finish the +game. Her Majesty said to me: "Why can't you win once?" I knew she +wanted to tease, so I said that my luck was bad. She laughed and +said: "To-morrow you try to put your stocking on wrong side out; +that is a sure sign of winning." I told her that I would, and I +knew that pleased her. During the short time I was there I kept +studying her most of the while. I could see nothing would make her +happier than for me to obey her orders. Her Majesty said that she +felt tired, and that we must bring her milk. She said to me: "I +want you to burn incense sticks and bow to the ground every night +to the Buddha in the next room before I go to bed. I hope you are +not a Christian, for if you are I can never feel as if you are +mine at all. Do tell me that you are not." I did not expect that +question at all, and I must say that it was a very difficult +question to answer. For my own protection I had to say that I had +nothing to do with the Christians. I felt guilty at having +deceived her that way, but it was absolutely necessary, and there +was no other way out of it. I knew that I had to answer her +question at once, because it would never do for her to see any +hesitation, which would arouse her suspicions. Although my face +showed nothing, my heart stopped beating for a while. I felt +ashamed to have fooled her. The earliest training I had was never +to be ashamed to tell the truth. When Her Majesty heard me say +that I was not a Christian, she smiled and said: "I admire you; +although you have had so much to do with foreigners, yet you did +not adopt their religion. On the contrary, you still keep to your +own. Be strong and keep it as long as you live. You have no idea +how glad I am now, for I suspected you must believe in the foreign +God. Even if you don't want to, they can make you believe it. Now +I am ready for bed." + +We helped her to undress, and I, as usual, put away her jewels, +and noticed she wore only one pair of jade bracelets to sleep. She +changed into her bed clothes and lay down between the silk covers +and said to us: "You can go now." We courtesied to her and +withdrew from her bedroom. Out in the hall there was on the cold +stone floor six eunuchs. They were the watchmen and must not sleep +at all during the night. In her bedroom were two eunuchs, two +servant girls, two old women servants and sometimes two Court +ladies. These people also must not sleep. The two girls massaged +her legs every night, and the two women were there to watch the +girls, the two eunuchs to watch the two old women, and the two +Court ladies to watch them all, in case they did any mischief. +They all took turns, and that was the reason why sometimes two +Court ladies must sit overnight when it happened that the eunuchs +were not reliable. Her Majesty trusted the Court ladies the most. +I was never more surprised in my life than when one of these six +eunuchs told me in the hall, for I had asked what they were all +doing there. + +Later on one of the Court ladies said to me that it was customary +for them to take turns to attend at Her Majesty's bedchamber in +the morning to wake her up, and that I should take my turn the +next morning and my sister the following morning. While saying +this she smiled in a most peculiar way. I did not understand at +the time, but found out later. I asked her what I should do to +wake Her Majesty, and she said: "There is no particular way, you +will have to use your own judgment; but be careful not to make her +angry. It was my turn this morning. I knew that she was very +tired, having had a very trying time the day before, so I had to +make a little more noise than usual when waking her. She was very +angry and scolded me dreadfully when she arose, as it was rather +late. This very often happens when Her Majesty gets up late, as +she always says that we do not make enough noise to wake her. +However, I don't think she will do this to you, just now, as you +are new here; but wait until you have been here a few months." +What this Court lady said to me worried me quite considerably; but +from what I had seen of Her Majesty so far, I could not believe +that she would be angry with anyone who was doing her duty +properly. + + + +CHAPTER NINE + +THE EMPEROR KWANG HSU + + THE next day I arose earlier than usual and dressed in a great +hurry, as I feared I might be late. When I got to Her Majesty's +Palace there were a few Court ladies there sitting on the veranda. +They smiled and asked me to sit down with them as it was still too +early, being only five o'clock. I had been told to wake Her +Majesty at five thirty. The Young Empress came up a few minutes +later and we all courtesied and wished her "good morning." After +talking with us a few minutes, she asked if Her Majesty was awake +and which one of us was on duty that day. When I informed her that +it was my turn, she immediately ordered me to go to Her Majesty's +room at once. I went very quietly and found some servant girls +standing about and one Court lady, who was sitting on the floor. +She had been on duty all night. When she saw me she got up and +whispered to me, that now that I had come, she would go and change +her clothes and brush up a bit, and for me not to leave the room +until Her Majesty was awake. After this Court lady had gone, I +went near to the bed and said: "Lao Tsu Tsung, it is half-past +five." She was sleeping with her face toward the wall, and without +looking to see who had called her, she said: "Go away and leave me +alone. I did not tell you to call me at half-past five. Call me at +six," and immediately went off to sleep again. I waited until six +and called her again. She woke and said: "This is dreadful. What a +nuisance you are." After she had said this, she looked around and +saw me standing by the bed. "Oh! it is you, is it? Who told you to +come and wake me?" I replied: "One of the Court ladies told me +that it was my turn to be on duty in Lao Tsu Tsung's bedchamber." +"That is funny. How dare they give orders without receiving +instructions from me first? They know that this part of their duty +is not very pleasant and have put it off on you because they know +you are new here." I made no reply to this. I got along as best I +could that day and found it no easy matter, as Her Majesty was +very exacting in everything. However, the next time I managed to +divert her attention to things new or interesting in order to take +her mind off of what she was doing, and in this way had much less +trouble getting her out of bed. + +My reader can't imagine how very glad we were to get back to our +rooms, and it was just 10:30 P. M. I was very tired and sleepy, so +I undressed and went to bed at once. I think that as soon as my +head touched the pillow I was asleep. + +The following day there was the same thing, the usual audience in +the morning, of course busy all the time, which went on for +fifteen days before I realized it. I began to take great interest +in the Court life, and liked it better every day. Her Majesty was +very sweet and kind to us always, and took us to see the different +places in the Summer Palace. We went to see Her Majesty's farm, +situated on the west side of the lake, and had to cross over a +high bridge to get there. This bridge is called Tu Tai Chiao (Jade +Girdle Bridge). Her Majesty often took us under this bridge in a +boat, or we walked round on the border. She seemed very fond of +sitting on the top of this bridge on her stool and taking her tea, +in fact this was one of her favorite places. She used to go and +see her farm once every four or five days, and it always pleased +her if she could take some vegetables and rice or corn from her +own farm. She cooked these things herself in one of the +courtyards. I thought that was good fun, and also turned up my +sleeves to help her cook. We brought fresh eggs also from the farm +and Her Majesty taught us how to cook them with black tea leaves. + + Her Majesty's cooking stoves were very peculiar. They were made +of brass, lined with bricks. They could be moved anywhere, for +they had no chimneys. Her Majesty told me to boil the eggs first +until they were hard, and to crack them but to keep the shells on, +and add half a cup of black tea, salt and spices. Her Majesty +said: "I like the country life. It seems more natural than the +Court life. I am always glad to see young people having fun, and +not such grand dames when we are by ourselves. Although I am not +young any more, I am still very fond of play." Her Majesty would +taste first what we had been cooking, and would give us all to +taste. She asked: "Do you not think this food has more flavor than +that prepared by the cooks?" We all said it was fine. So we spent +the long days at the Court having good fun. + +I saw Emperor Kwang Hsu every morning, and whenever I had the time +he would always ask some words in English. I was surprised to +learn that he knew quite a bit of spelling, too. I found him +extremely interesting. He had very expressive eyes. He was +entirely a different person when he was alone with us. He would +laugh and tease, but as soon as he was in the presence of Her +Majesty he would look serious, and as if he were worried to death. +At times he looked stupid. I was told by a great many people who +were presented to him at the different audiences that he did not +look intelligent, and that he would never talk. I knew better, for +I used to see him every day. I was at the Court long enough to +study him, and found him to be one of the most intelligent men in +China. He was a capital diplomat and had wonderful brains, only he +had no opportunities. Now a great many people have asked me the +same question, if our Emperor Kwang Hsu had any courage or brains. +Of course outsiders have no idea how strict the law is, and the +way we have to respect our parents. He was compelled to give up a +great many things on account of the law. I have had many long +talks with him and found him a wise man, with any amount of +patience. His life was not a happy one; ever since his childhood +his health was poor. He told me that he never had studied +literature very much, but it came natural to him. He was a born +musician and could play any instrument without studying. He loved +the piano, and was always after me to teach him. There were +several beautiful grand pianos at the Audience Hall. He had very +good taste for foreign music, too. I taught him some easy waltzes +and he kept the time beautifully. I found him a good companion and +a good friend, and he confided in me and told me his troubles and +sorrows. We talked a great deal about western civilization, and I +was surprised to learn he was so well informed in everything. He +used to tell me, time after time, his ambitions for the welfare of +his country. He loved his people and would have done anything to +help them whenever there was famine or flood. I noticed that he +felt for them. I know that some eunuchs gave false reports about +his character,--that he was cruel, etc. I had heard the same thing +before I went to the Palace. He was kind to the eunuchs, but there +was always that distinction between the master and the servants. +He would never allow the eunuchs to speak to him unless they were +spoken to, and never listened to any kind of gossip. I lived there +long enough, and I know just what kind of cruel people those +eunuchs were. They had no respect for their master. They came from +the lowest class of people from the country, had no education, no +morals, no feeling for anything, not even between themselves. The +outside world has heard so many things against His Majesty, the +Emperor Kwang Hsu's character, but I assure my readers that these +things were told by the eunuchs to their families, and of course +they always stretched it out as far as possible in order to make +the conversation interesting. The majority of the people living in +Peking get all kinds of information through them. I have witnessed +the same thing many a time during my stay at the Palace. + +One day during the time of Her Majesty's afternoon rest we heard a +dreadful noise. It sounded just like the firing off of +fire-crackers. Such a noise was quite unusual in the Palace for +such things are not allowed to be brought into the Palace grounds. +Of course Her Majesty woke up. In a few seconds time everyone +became excited and were running to and fro as if the building was +on fire. Her Majesty was giving orders and telling the eunuchs to +be quiet, but no one listened to her and kept yelling and running +around like crazy people, all talking at the same time. Her +Majesty was furious and ordered us to bring the yellow bag to her. +(I must explain about this bag. It was made of ordinary yellow +cloth and contained bamboo sticks of all sorts and sizes and are +made to beat the eunuchs, servant girls and old women servants +with.) This bag was carried everywhere Her Majesty went, to be +handy in case of emergency. Everyone of us knew where this bag was +kept. We took all the sticks from the bag and Her Majesty ordered +us to go to the courtyard and beat the eunuchs. It was such a +funny sight to see all the Court ladies and servant girls each +with a stick trying to separate the excited crowd. On my part I +thought I was having good fun so I laughed and found the rest were +laughing too. Her Majesty was standing on the veranda watching us +but she was too far away to see well and with all that noise, we +knew she could not hear us laughing. We tried our best to separate +the crowd, but were laughing so much we did not have enough +strength to hurt any of them. All of a sudden all the eunuchs +became quiet and stopped talking, for one of them saw the head +eunuch, Li Lien Ying, followed by all his attendants coming +towards them. Everyone of them became frightened and stood there +like statues. We stopped laughing, too, and turned back each with +a stick in our hand, walking toward Her Majesty. Li Lien Ying was +having a nap, too, and had heard the noise and had come to enquire +what the trouble was and to report it to Her Majesty. It seemed +one of the young eunuchs caught a crow. (The eunuchs hated crows, +as they are considered an unlucky bird. The people in China called +eunuchs crows because they were very disagreeable. That was the +reason why the eunuchs hated them so.) They always set traps to +catch them and then tied a huge fire-cracker to their legs, set +fire to the cracker and then set the unfortunate birds free. +Naturally the poor birds would be glad to fly away and by the time +the powder exploded would be high up in the air and the poor bird +would be blown to pieces. It seemed this was not the first time +the eunuchs had played this cruel trick. I was told it always +delighted them so much to see blood and torture. They always +invited others to drink some wine with them to celebrate an +occasion such as this. This cruel deed was always done outside of +the wall of the Audience Hall but that day the crow flew towards +Her Majesty's own Palace while she was sleeping and the powder +exploded while the bird was passing the courtyard. After the head +eunuch had told Her Majesty what had happened, she was very angry +and ordered that this young eunuch be brought in and receive +punishment in her presence. I noticed one of the head eunuch's +attendants push the culprit out from the crowd. The head eunuch +immediately gave orders to lay this man on the ground and two +eunuchs stood on each side of him and beat him on his legs with +two heavy bamboo sticks one at a time. The victim never uttered a +word while this was going on. The head eunuch counted until this +man had received one hundred blows, then he gave orders to stop. +Then he knelt in front of Her Majesty waiting for her orders and +at the same time kowtowed on the ground until his head made a +noise on the stone steps, asking to be punished for his +carelessness and neglect of duty. Her Majesty said that it was not +his fault and ordered him to take the offender away. During all +this time the offender was still on the ground, and did not dare +to move. Two eunuchs each took hold of a foot and dragged him out +of the courtyard. We were all afraid even to breathe aloud for +fear Her Majesty would say that we were pretending to be +frightened at witnessing this punishment, at the same time when it +was over we would go and gossip about how cruel she was. No one +was surprised at what had happened, as we were accustomed to +seeing it almost every day and were quite used to it. I used to +pity them, but I changed my mind very soon after I had arrived. + +The first person I saw punished was a servant girl, she had made a +mistake about Her Majesty's socks and had brought two which were +not mates, Her Majesty finding that out, ordered another servant +girl to slap her face ten times on each cheek. This girl did not +slap hard enough, so Her Majesty said they were all good friends +and would not obey her orders, so she told the one who had been +slapped to slap the other. I thought that was too funny for +anything and wanted to laugh the worst way, but of course did not +dare. That night I asked those two girls how they felt slapping +each other that way. The reason why I asked them was because they +were laughing and joking as usual immediately they were out of Her +Majesty's bedchamber. They told me that was nothing; that they +were quite used to it and never bothered themselves about such +small things. I in turn soon became used to it, and was as callous +as they were. + +Now regarding the servant girls, they are a much better class of +people than the eunuchs. They are the daughters of Manchu +soldiers, and must stay ten years at the Palace to wait upon Her +Majesty, and then they are free to marry. One got married after my +first month at the Court. Her Majesty gave her a small sum of +money, five hundred taels. This girl was so attached to Her +Majesty that it was very hard for her to leave the Court. She was +an extremely clever girl. Her name was Chiu Yuen (Autumn's Cloud). +Her Majesty named her that because she was so very delicate +looking and slight. I liked her very much during the short time +that we were together. She told me not to listen to anyone's +gossip at the Court, also that Her Majesty had told her she was +very fond of me. On the twenty-second day of the third moon she +left the Palace, and we were all sorry to lose her. Her Majesty +did not realize how much she missed her until after she had gone. +For a few days we had nothing but troubles. It seemed as if +everything went wrong. Her Majesty was not at all satisfied +without Chiu Yuen. The rest of the servant girls were scared, and +tried their best to please Her Majesty, but they had not the +ability, so we had to help and do a part of their work so as not +to make Her Majesty nervous. Unfortunately, she stopped us, and +said: "You have enough to do of your own work, and I do not want +you to help the servants. You don't please me a bit that way." She +could see that I was not accustomed to her ways, for she had +spoken severely, so she smiled and said to me: "I know you are +good to help them so as not to make me angry, but these servants +are very cunning. It isn't that they cannot do their work. They +know very well that I always select the clever ones to wait on me +in my bedroom and they don't like that, so they pretend to be +stupid and make me angry so that I will send them to do the common +work. The eunuchs are worse. They are all afraid to take Chiu +Yuen's place. Now I have found them out, and I will only keep the +stupid ones to wait on me from now." I almost laughed when I +noticed that they all looked serious for a moment. I thought these +people must be really stupid, and not lazy, but I had dealings +with them every day and found them out all right. The eunuchs +don't seem to have any brains at all. They are such queer people +and have no feelings. They have the same mood all day long--I +should say they are in a cruel mood. Whenever Her Majesty gave an +order they always said "Jer" (Yes) and as soon as they got to our +waiting room they would say to each other: "What was the order? I +have forgotten all about it." Then they used to come to one of us +who had happened to be present when the order was given: "Please +tell us what the order was. I did not listen while Her Majesty was +talking." We used to laugh and make fun of them. We knew they were +afraid to ask Her Majesty, and of course we had to tell them. One +of the eunuch writers had to keep writing down the orders that had +been given during the day, for Her Majesty wanted to keep records +of everything. There were twenty eunuchs who were educated and +they were excellent scholars. These had to answer any questions +which Her Majesty happened to ask them about Chinese literature, +while she had a good knowledge of it herself. I noticed that it +pleased her a great deal if anyone could not answer a question, or +knew less than she did. She took delight in laughing at them. Her +Majesty was also very fond of teasing. She knew that the Court +ladies did not know very much about literature, so she used to try +it on us. We had to say something whether it was appropriate to +her questions or not, and that would make her laugh. I was told +that Her Majesty did not like anyone to be too clever, and yet she +could not bear stupid people, so I was rather nervous, and did not +know how to act for the first three weeks I was there, but it did +not take me very long to study her. She certainly admired clever +girls, but she did not like those who would show their cleverness +too much. How I won her heart was this way. Whenever I was with +her I used to fix my whole attention on her and watched her very +closely (not staring, for she hated that) and always carried out +her orders properly. I noticed another thing, and that was that +whenever she wanted anything to be brought to her, such as +cigarettes, handkerchief, etc., she would only look at the article +and then look at anyone who happened to be there at the time. +(There was always a table in the room, on which everything she +needed for the day was placed.) I got so used to her habits that +after a short time I knew just what she wanted by looking at her +eyes, and I was very seldom mistaken. This pleased her a great +deal. She was strong-minded, and would always act the way she +thought was right, and had perfect confidence in herself. At times +I have seen her looking very sad. She had strong emotions, but her +will was stronger. She could control herself beautifully, and yet +she liked people to sympathize with her--only by actions, not by +words, for she did not like anyone to know her thoughts. I am sure +my readers will think how hard it was to be the Court lady of Her +Majesty, the Empress Dowager of China, but on the contrary I +enjoyed myself very much, as she was so interesting, and I found +that she was not at all difficult to please. + +The first day of the fourth moon Her Majesty was worried over the +lack of rain. She prayed every day after the audience for ten +days, without any result. Every one of us kept very quiet. Her +Majesty did not even give any orders that day, and spoke to no +one. I noticed that the eunuchs were scared, so we went without +our luncheon. I worked so hard that morning, and was so hungry--in +fact all the Court ladies were. I felt sorry for Her Majesty. +Finally she told me I could go, as she wanted to rest a while, so +we came back to our own quarters. I questioned our own eunuch Wang +as to why Her Majesty was worrying about rain, for we were having +lovely weather then, day after day. He told me that Lao Fo Yeh +(Old Buddha) was worried for the poor farmers, as all their crops +were dead without rain for so long. Wang also reminded me that it +had not rained once since I came to live at the Palace. I did not +realize that it was so long as two months and seven days, and on +the other hand it seemed to me longer than that, for the life was +very nice and pleasant, and Her Majesty was very kind to me, as if +she had known me for years already. Her Majesty took very little +food at dinner that night. There was not a sound anywhere, and +everyone kept quiet. The Young Empress told us to eat as fast as +we could, which puzzled me. When we came back to our waiting room, +the Young Empress said to me that Her Majesty was very much +worried for the poor farmers and that she would pray for rain, and +stop eating meat for two or three days. That same night, before +Her Majesty retired, she gave orders that no pigs were to be +slaughtered within the gates of Peking. The reason of this was +that by sacrificing ourselves by not eating meat the Gods would +have pity on us and send rain. She also gave orders that everyone +should bathe the body and wash out the mouth in order that we +might be cleansed from all impurities and be ready to fast and +pray to the Gods. Also that the Emperor should go to the temple +inside the Forbidden City, to perform a ceremony of sacrifice +(called Chin Tan). He was not to eat meat or hold converse with +anyone, and to pray to the Gods to be merciful and send rain to +the poor farmers. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, wore a piece +of jade tablet about three inches square, engraved "Chai Chieh" +(the meaning being just like Chin Tan-not to eat meat but to pray +three times a day), both in Manchu and Chinese, and all the +eunuchs who went with the Emperor wore the same kind of tablets. +The idea was that this jade tablet was to remind one to be serious +in performing the ceremonies. + +The next morning Her Majesty got up very early and ordered me not +to bring any jewels for her. She dressed herself in great haste. +Her breakfast was very simple that day, just milk and steamed +bread. Our own breakfast was cabbage and rice cooked together, +with a little salt. It was tasteless. Her Majesty did not talk to +us at all, except when giving orders, and so, of course, we kept +silent. Her Majesty wore a pale gray gown, made very plain, with +no embroidery or trimmings of any kind. She wore gray shoes to +match, not to mention her gray handkerchief. We followed her into +the hall where a eunuch knelt with a large branch of willow tree. +Her Majesty picked a little bunch of leaves and stuck it on her +head. The Young Empress did the same, and told us to follow her +example. Emperor Kwang Hsu took a branch and stuck it on his hat. +After that Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs and the servant girls +to do the same thing. It was a funny sight, and everyone did look +queer with a bunch of leaves on the head. The head eunuch came and +knelt in front of Her Majesty and said that everything was +prepared for the ceremony in the little pavilion in front of her +own palace. She told us that she preferred to walk, as she was +going to pray. It took us only a few minutes to cross the +courtyard. When we arrived at this pavilion I noticed a large +square table was placed in the center of the room. A few large +sheets of yellow paper and a jade slab, containing some vermilion +powder instead of ink, with two little brushes to write with. At +each side of the table stood a pair of large porcelain vases, with +two large branches of willow. Of course no one was allowed to +speak, but I was curious and wanted to find out why everyone had +to wear the willow leaves on the head. Her Majesty's yellow satin +cushion was placed in front of this table. She stood there and +took a piece of sandalwood and placed it in the incense burner +filled with live charcoal. The Young Empress whispered to me to go +over and help Her Majesty to burn them. I placed several pieces in +until she told me that was enough. Then Her Majesty knelt on her +cushion, the Young Empress knelt behind her, and we all knelt in a +row behind the Young Empress, and commenced to pray. The Young +Empress taught us that very morning how to say the prayer: "We +worship the Heavens, and beg all the Buddhas to take pity on us +and save the poor farmers from starving. We are willing to +sacrifice for them. Pray Heaven send us rain." We repeated the +same prayer three times, and bowed three times--nine times in all. +After that Her Majesty went to her usual morning audience. It was +much earlier than usual that morning for the Court was returning +to the Forbidden City at noon. His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, +was to pray at the Forbidden City and Her Majesty always wanted to +accompany him wherever he went. It was nine o'clock in the morning +when the audience was over. She ordered me not to bring any jewels +for her to the Forbidden City this time, for she would not need +them at all. I went to the jewel-room and locked everything up, +and placed the keys in a yellow envelope, sealed it, and placed +the envelope among the others, and gave them to a eunuch who takes +care of these things. We packed all her favorite things. Her gowns +were the most important things to pack, she had so many and it was +impossible to take all. I noticed that the Court lady who was +looking after her gowns was the busiest amongst us. She had to +select gowns enough to last four or five days. She told me that +she had selected about fifty different ones. I told her that Lao +Tsu Tsung might stay at the Forbidden City four or five days, and +that she would not need so many gowns. She said it was safer to +bring many, for one was not sure what would be Her Majesty's idea +for the day. Packing at the Court was very simple. Eunuchs brought +many yellow trays, which are made of wood, painted yellow, about +five feet by four feet and one foot deep. We placed a large yellow +silk scarf in the tray, then the gowns, and covered them with a +thick yellow cloth. Everything was packed the same way. It took us +about two hours to pack fifty-six trays. These things always +started off first, carried by the eunuchs. His Majesty, the +Emperor Kwang Hsu, the Young Empress and all the Court ladies, had +to kneel on the ground for Her Majesty's sedan chair to pass the +Palace Gate, then we went in search of our own chairs. The +procession as usual was pretty, soldiers marching in front of her +chair, four young Princes riding on horseback on each side of her, +and from forty to fifty eunuchs also on horseback behind her, all +dressed in their official robes. The Emperor's chair and the Young +Empress' chair were of the same color as Her Majesty's. The +Secondary wife of the Emperor had a deep yellow chair. The chairs +of the Court ladies were red, and were carried by four chair +bearers, instead of eight like their Majesties. Our own eunuchs +also rode on horseback, behind us. We rode a long time, it seemed +to me, before I noticed the Emperor's chair begin to descend from +the stone-paved road, and we all followed him. I could see that +Her Majesty's chair was still going straight on, and we took a +nearer route to reach Wan Shou Si (The long life temple), to await +Her Majesty's arrival. We alighted from our chairs and started at +once to prepare Her Majesty's tea and her little dishes. I went to +help her to alight, and supported her right arm to mount the +steps. Her Majesty sat on Her Throne, and we placed a table in +front of her and my sister brought her tea. (The custom was, that +if she went anywhere, or during the festivals, we must bring to +her everything, instead of the eunuchs.) We placed all the +dainties in front of her, and then we went to rest. Her Majesty +always stopped at this temple on the way from the Summer Palace to +the Forbidden City. + + + +CHAPTER TEN + +THE YOUNG EMPRESS + + I THOUGHT of so many things while I was riding in my chair. It +was a glorious day. I felt sorry for Her Majesty, for she was very +quiet that day. Generally she was happy, and made everyone laugh +with her. I thought about the branches of willow, too, but could +not understand the meaning. I came out of the hall while Her +Majesty was dining with the Emperor, and found the Young Empress +sitting in a small room on the left side of the courtyard, with +several Court ladies. When they saw me they made signs for me to +go there. I found them all drinking tea, and the Young Empress +said to me, "I am sure you must be tired and hungry. Come and sit +near me and have a cup of tea." I thanked her and sat down beside +her and we talked of what we saw on the roads and how we had +enjoyed our long ride. She said: "We have still an hour's ride +before we reach the Forbidden City." She also talked about the +ceremony we had performed that morning and said that we must all +pray earnestly for rain. I could not wait any longer, so I asked +her what those branches of willow meant. She smiled and told me +that willow could bring water, as the Buddhist religion believes, +and that it was an old custom of the Court wearing willow leaves, +when praying for rain. She also told me that we must perform the +same ceremony every morning until the rain came. + +We heard Her Majesty talking in the courtyard, and knew that she +had finished her luncheon, so we went in with the Young Empress, +and ate what was left, as usual. I found the food very nice +indeed, although it seemed rather funny without having meat. We +came out into the courtyard and saw that Her Majesty was walking +up and down. She said to us: "My legs are so stiff, riding in the +chair. I must walk a little before we leave here. Are you all +tired?" We told her that we were not tired, so she ordered us to +walk with her. It looked very funny to see us walking round and +round, Her Majesty in front, and we following her. Her Majesty +turned and smiled at us, and said: "We are just like horses taking +their rounds at a stable." It reminded me of a circus. Li Lien +Ying came and knelt down, and said that it was time for Her +Majesty to depart, in order to reach the Forbidden City at the +lucky hour she had selected, so we left Wan Shou Si. All the +chairs went very fast, and after an hour's ride we came near the +Palace Gate. We followed the Emperor's chair, taking a shorter +route, and noticed the gate was wide open. His Majesty, the +Emperor, and the Young Empress' chairs went in, but we had to +alight and walk in. There were small chairs waiting for us. (As I +explained before these little chairs were carried by eunuchs, with +a rope across their shoulders.) We came to the courtyard of the +Audience Hall where the Emperor and the Empress were waiting for +us. As usual His Majesty knelt in front. Behind him was the Young +Empress, and we knelt in a row behind her, waiting to welcome Her +Majesty to her Palace. She went to her room where the eunuchs had +placed everything in order long before her arrival. We held the +ceremony that afternoon and evening. After Her Majesty had retired +we came back to our rooms and found that everything was in order, +our eunuchs had made up our beds already. It was very nice to have +them, for we could not do our own work at all. I was so tired and +my limbs were stiff. I immediately went to sleep and did not +realize how long I had slept until I heard someone knocking at my +window. I got up and pulled the blind away. I noticed that the sky +looked dull and thought it was clouded. I felt happy, and thought +it might rain, and so relieve Her Majesty. I got dressed in great +haste, but much to my disappointment I saw the sunshine on the +opposite windows. + +The Palace in the Forbidden City was so old, and built in such a +queer way. The courtyards were small, and the verandas very broad. +All the rooms were dark. No electric light. We had to use candle +light. One could not see the sky except by going into the +courtyard and looking up. I found that I had risen before the sun +was up, and I was not quite awake yet, and thought the sky was +clouded. I went to Her Majesty's own Palace and found the Young +Empress already there. She was always the first and always looked +so tidy I often wondered how early she had to get up. She told me +that I was not late, although Her Majesty was awake but not up +yet. I went into her bedroom and made my usual morning courtesy to +her. The first thing she asked me was about the weather. I had to +tell her the truth--that there was no sign of rain. Her Majesty +got up, dressed, and had her breakfast as usual, and told us there +would be no audience that morning. The Emperor went to the Temple, +sacrificing, and there was nothing important to attend to. We +prayed for three days in succession, but no rain came. I found +that Her Majesty was truly discouraged, and ordered each of us to +pray twenty times a day. We marked a spot with vermilion powder +and a little water on big yellow sheets of paper each time we +prayed. + +On the sixth day of the fourth moon the sky was clouded. I ran to +Her Majesty's bedroom that morning to tell her the news, but found +that someone had told her already. She smiled, and said to me: +"You are not the first one to give me the good news. I know +everyone of you wanted to be the first to tell me. I feel very +tired today, and wish to lie down a little longer. You can go, and +I will send for you when I am ready to get up." When I went to +search for the Young Empress I found all the Court ladies there +also. They all asked me if I had noticed the rain. We came out of +the waiting room and found that the courtyard was wet, and after a +while it rained very fast. Her Majesty got up, and we prayed as +usual. Fortunately the rain did not stop, but came pouring down +all that day. + +Her Majesty played solitaire with the dominoes, and I stood at the +back of her chair watching her. I saw that the Young Empress and +all the girls were standing on the veranda. Her Majesty saw them, +too, and said to me: "Go and tell them to wait in the waiting +room. Can't they see that the veranda is wet?" I went to them, but +before I had the opportunity of telling them anything the Young +Empress told me that the waiting room was wet, and that the water +had gone in. As I said before, this building was very old, and +there were no drains at all. Her Majesty's own Palace was high; it +had twelve steps, while our waiting room, which was on the left +side of her Palace, was built right on the ground, with no raised +foundation at all. While I was talking on the veranda just for a +few minutes, I got quite wet. Her Majesty knocked at her glass +window and told us to go in. Now I must explain that none of us, +not even the Young Empress could enter Her Majesty's Palace +without her orders except we had work to do there, or were on +duty. Her Majesty was very happy that day. She laughed and said +that we looked as if we had just been pulled out of the lake. The +Young Empress had on a pale blue gown, and the red tassel on her +headdress was dripping red water all over her gown. She smiled and +said to us: "Look at those girls; their gowns are all spoiled." +While we were talking, Her Majesty gave us orders for us to change +our clothes. + +After they had gone, I went back to Her Majesty. She looked at me +and said: "You are wet also, only your clothes do not show." I had +on a cashmere dress which was made very plain. She touched my arm +and said: "How wet you are. You had better change, and put on a +thick dress. I think foreign clothes must be very uncomfortable; +the waist is too small and it seems to me out of proportion to the +rest of the body. I am sure that you will look much prettier in +our Manchu gown. I want you to change and put your Parisian +clothes away as souvenirs. I only wanted to know how foreign +ladies dressed and now I have seen enough. The Dragon Boat +Festival will be here next month and I will make some pretty gowns +for you." I thanked her by kowtowing to the ground and told her +that I would be only too pleased to change into Manchu clothes, +but having lived so many years abroad, and having always worn +foreign clothes, I had not had any made. We were planning to +change into Manchu gowns before coming to the Court, but we had +received orders that Lao Tsu Tsung wished to see us in foreign +clothes. I was very glad when I received that order as there were +several reasons why I wanted to wear Manchu gowns. First, the +Court ladies at the beginning treated us as outsiders. Secondly, I +knew that Her Majesty did not like them, and besides, we were very +uncomfortable living at the Palace in Peking, and made up our +minds that we must wear Manchu clothes, which were made for it. We +had so much work to do, and having to stand most of the time one +absolutely needed loose garments. Her Majesty ordered one of the +eunuchs to bring one of her dresses for me to try on, so I went +back to my own room, and took off my wet clothes and changed. I +tried on her gown, but it was too loose for me. The length was +quite all right and so were the sleeves. Her Majesty told one of +the eunuch writers to write down my measurements in order to have +a gown made for me, and said she was sure it would fit me. She did +the same thing for my mother and sister, and ordered our gowns to +be made at once. I knew she was pleased, as she told me what color +would suit me the best. She said that I should always wear pink +and pale blue, for they suited, and were her favorite colors, too. +She also talked about our headdress, and ordered some made the +same as worn by the other Court ladies. She said to me: "I know +you can wear my shoes, for I tried yours on the first day you +came, don't you remember? I must select a lucky day for you to +become a Manchu once more," she said this with a smile, "and no +more foreign clothes after that." She took her special book for +lucky days and hours, and studied it a little while, then she said +the eighteenth of that month was the best. Li Lien Ying, the head +eunuch knew how to please Her Majesty, and said he would give +orders to have everything ready for us at that time. Her Majesty +told us the way we must have our hair dressed, and what kind of +flowers we should wear, in fact she was very happy arranging to +make us into Manchus. A short while after she dismissed us for the +day. It rained for three days without stopping. The last day the +Emperor came back, and all ceremonies ceased. Her Majesty never +liked to stay in the Forbidden City, and I was not a bit +surprised, as I hated the place. We had to use candles to dress +by, in the morning, as the rooms were in absolute darkness even in +the middle of the afternoon. It rained so much that finally Her +Majesty said she would return to the Summer Palace the next day, +whether it was raining or not, and we were all very glad to go. + +We returned to the Summer Palace on the seventh. It was a dull +day, but no rain. We packed everything in just the same way we had +done when we came, and stopped at Wan Shou Si and had our +luncheon. That day we commenced to eat meat again. I noticed that +Her Majesty enjoyed her meal very much. She asked me if I liked +the food without meat, and I told her that everything was nicely +done and that I enjoyed the food very much, although without meat. +She told me that she could not eat that kind of food and enjoy it, +and that if it were not necessary to make sacrifice she would not +have abstained. + +The first garden party of the year was given by the Empress +Dowager to the ladies of the Diplomatic Corps, in the fourth moon. +This year Her Majesty desired to deviate a little from previous +custom, and issued orders that stalls should be arranged in the +garden, on a similar principal to a bazaar, on which were to be +displayed curios, embroidered work, flowers, etc., etc. These were +to be given as presents to the guests. The guests were: Mrs. +Conger, wife of the American Minister, Mrs. Williams, wife of +Chinese Secretary of the American Legation, Madame and +Mademoiselle de Carcer, wife and daughter of the Spanish Minister, +Madame Uchida, wife of the Japanese Minister, and a few ladies of +the Japanese Legation, Madame Almeida, wife of the Portuguese +Charge d' Affaires, Madame Cannes, wife of the Secretary of the +French Legation, the wives of several French Officers, Lady Susan +Townley, wife of the First Secretary of the British Legation, two +ladies from the German Legation, wives of German Officers, and +wives of a few Customs Officials. On this occasion Her Majesty +selected a most beautiful gown of peacock blue, embroidered all +over with phoenix. The embroidery was raised and each phoenix had +a string of pearls two inches long sewed into its mouth. Whenever +Her Majesty stirred, these strings of tiny pearls moved forwards +and backwards and it made a very pretty effect. Of course, she +wore her jade phoenix on her hair as usual and shoes and +handkerchief embroidered with the same pattern. My mother wore a +lavender silk gown, trimmed with silver braid, her hat was of the +same shade with plumes to match. My sister and myself wore pale +blue Chinese silk gowns with insertion and medallions of Irish +crochet and trimmed with tiny velvet bands. We wore blue hats with +large pink roses. All the Court ladies dressed in their most +picturesque gowns and it was a very pretty sight to see the +procession walking to the Audience Hall. + +Her Majesty was in her happiest mood that morning and said to us: +"I wonder how I would look in foreign clothes; my waist is very +small, but wearing this kind of loose gown it would not show. I +don't think I would need to squeeze myself so tight, either, but I +don't think there is anything in the world prettier than our +Manchu gowns." + +First the guests were received in audience by Their Majesties. +They were accompanied by the Doyen, Baron Czikann, Minister for +Austria, and an interpreter from each Legation. On entering the +Audience Hall all the guests stood in line and the Doyen presented +a short address to Their Majesties. This was translated to Prince +Ching, who, in turn, communicated it to the Emperor. The Emperor +made a suitable reply in Chinese which was translated by the +Doyen's interpreter. Then the Doyen mounted the steps of the dais +and shook hands with Their Majesties, the rest of the guests being +presented in turn. I was standing at the right hand of the Empress +Dowager and as each guest came forward, called out their names, +and the Legation which they represented. Her Majesty had a few +words for everyone, and when she saw a new face she would ask how +long they had been in China; whether they liked it, etc., etc. All +these conversations I interpreted for Her Majesty. As the guests +finished paying their respects they passed along and remained +standing in the Hall until everybody had been presented. + +The interpreters, who did not take part in this ceremony but had +remained standing in the Hall until it was over, were then +conducted by Prince Ching to another part of the Palace, where +refreshments were provided for them. After they had gone out Their +Majesties descended from the dais and mixed with the guests. + +The formal ceremony now being concluded, chairs were brought in +and everybody made themselves comfortable. Tea was brought in by +the eunuchs and after a few minutes' conversation, we all +adjourned to the refreshment room, with the exception of the +Empress Dowager, the Emperor, the Young Empress and the Secondary +wife. In the absence of Her Majesty, the Imperial Princess (The +Empress Dowager's adopted daughter) officiated as hostess, Mrs. +Conger sitting at her right and Madame de Carcer, wife of the +Spanish Minister, on her left. The food was all Chinese, but +knives and forks were provided for the use of the guests. During +the luncheon the Imperial Princess stood up and spoke a few words +of welcome, which I translated into English and French. After the +luncheon was over we adjourned to the garden where Their Majesties +were awaiting us. A brass band was playing European airs. + +Her Majesty led the way around the gardens, passing the various +stalls on the way, where the ladies would stop and admire the +different articles, which were later presented to them as +souvenirs of the occasion. On arriving at a teahouse which had +been erected in the gardens, everybody rested and partook of tea. +Their Majesties then wished everybody good-bye and the guests were +then conducted to their chairs and took their departure. + +As usual, we reported to Her Majesty everything that had taken +place and how the guests had enjoyed themselves. She said: "How is +it that these foreign ladies have such large feet? Their shoes are +like boats and the funny way they walk I cannot say I admire. I +haven't yet seen one foreigner with pretty hands. Although they +have white skins, their faces are covered with white hair. Do you +think they are beautiful?" I replied that I had seen some American +beauties when I was abroad. Her Majesty said: "No matter how +beautiful they are they have ugly eyes. I can't bear that blue +color, they remind me of a cat." After a few more remarks, she +ordered us to retire, saying that we must be tired. We were rather +used up and glad of an opportunity to rest, so made our courtesies +and retired. + +We had been at the Palace more than two months, and I had had no +opportunity to see my father at all, who was quite ill at that +time. We did not know whether we could ask leave of absence from +the Court. I received letters from my father every day, telling me +to have courage, and to do my duty. My mother asked the Young +Empress if it would be correct to ask Her Majesty for permission +to go home for a day or two. The Young Empress told us that it +would be quite all right to do that, but she thought it would be +better if we could wait until after the eighth, for there would be +a feast on that day. The eighth day of the fourth moon every year +is the ceremony of eating green peas. According to the Buddhist +religion there is a hereafter which divides or grades, according +to the life that is lived on earth, that is to say, those who live +good lives go to Heaven when they die and those who are bad go to +a bad place to suffer. On this occasion Her Majesty sent to the +people she liked, each a plate containing eight peas, and we had +to eat them. The Young Empress told me that if I presented a plate +of peas to Her Majesty it would please her, which I did. This +meant: "May we meet in the hereafter" (Chi Yuen Dou). Her Majesty +was very happy that day. We went to the west side of the lake and +had our luncheon there. Her Majesty talked to us about the first +day we came to the Court, and then said to mother: "I wonder if Yu +Keng is any better. When will he be able to come to the Court? I +haven't seen him since he returned from France." (My father had +asked three months leave of absence from the Court on account of +his poor health.) My mother answered and said that he was feeling +better, but that his legs were still very weak, and he could not +walk much. Her Majesty then said to us: "Oh, I have forgotten to +tell you that if you wish to go home, you can ask permission. I +have been so busy lately, and forgot to remind you." We thanked +her and told her that we would like to go home and see how my +father was, so she gave orders that we should leave the Court the +next day. Then she asked me how long I would like to stay at home, +and of course I knew the custom, and told her that I was waiting +for her orders: "Would two or three days be enough?" We told her +that it suited us beautifully. I was so surprised when she +mentioned it to us, and wondered if anyone had told her of our +intentions, or if Her Majesty was a mind reader. + +When she retired that afternoon I went to see the Young Empress, +who was always very nice and kind, and asked me to sit near her. +Her eunuch brought me a cup of tea. Her rooms were furnished +exactly the same as Her Majesty's, but everything looked extremely +dainty, and showed very good taste. We talked about the life at +the Palace for a long time, and she told me that she was very fond +of us, and so was Her Majesty. I told her that Her Majesty had +mentioned to us about going home for two or three days and that I +was surprised to see how thoughtful she was. She said that someone +had reminded Her Majesty to let us go home, for we had been at the +Court for more than two months. I found out afterwards that it was +the head eunuch Li who had heard that we were anxious to go. The +Young Empress said to me: "I want to teach you to be wise, that +is, you are ordered to leave the Court to-morrow, but Her Majesty +did not mention any particular hour. You must not talk about it to +anyone, and don't show that you are excited to go home. Don't +dress as if you are going out to-morrow, but be natural and do +your work as if you don't care about going at all. Don't you +remind her, in case she forgets to tell you to go, and come back +on the second day, which is the custom. It will show that you are +anxious to see Her Majesty, so you come back one day earlier than +the appointed time." I was so happy to get this information and +asked her if it would be all right to bring Her Majesty some +presents when we returned to the Court. She said that was just the +proper thing to do. The next day we did the same work, and went to +the Audience Hall with Her Majesty, as usual. After the audience +was over Her Majesty ordered her luncheon to be served at the +country teahouse. This teahouse was built in country style, and +right on top of her peony mountain, with bamboo and straw, and all +the furniture was made of bamboo also. They were beautifully made, +and the frames of the windows were carved into a line of +characters --Shou (long life), and butterflies, with pink silk +curtain hangings. At the rear of this exquisite little building +was a bamboo shade, with railings all around, hung with red silk +lanterns. The seats were built against the railings, so that one +could sit on them comfortably. This was supposed to be used by the +Court ladies as their waiting room. We played dice with Her +Majesty when luncheon was over. We played a very long time, and I +won the game that day. Her Majesty laughed and said to me: "You +have luck to-day. I think you are so happy to go home that your +fairies have helped you to win the game." As I mentioned before, +this game was called "Eight Fairies Going across the Sea." "I +think it is time for you to go now." While saying this she turned +and asked one of the eunuchs what the time was, and he answered +that it was half-past two. We kowtowed to Her Majesty, and stood +waiting for more orders. Then she said: "I am sorry to see you go +although I know you are coming back within two or three days. I +know I shall miss you." To my mother she said: "Tell Yu Keng to +take care of his health and get well soon. I have ordered four +eunuchs to accompany you, and am sending some of my own rice for +him." We had to kowtow again in thanking Her Majesty for her +kindness and finally she said: "Nemen tzowba" (you can go now). + +We withdrew, and found the Young Empress on the veranda. We +courtesied to her, and said good-bye to the Court ladies and came +to our rooms to get ready to start. Our eunuchs were very good, +and had everything packed up ready for us. We gave ten taels to +each of our eunuchs, for that was the custom, and gave four taels +to each chair bearer of the Palace. When we arrived at the Palace +Gate our own chairs were waiting for us. We said good-bye to our +eunuchs. Strange to say they seemed attached to us and told us to +come back soon. The four eunuchs ordered by Her Majesty to see us +home were there, and as soon as we got into our chairs I saw them +riding on horseback beside us. It seemed to me just like a dream +the two months I had spent at the Court, and I must say I felt +very sorry to leave Her Majesty, but at the same time I wanted +very much to see my father. We got home after a two hours' ride, +and found him looking much better, and one can imagine how happy +he was to see us. The four eunuchs came into our parlor, and +placed the yellow bag of rice on the table. My father thanked Her +Majesty by kowtowing to the ground. We gave these eunuchs each a +little present, and they departed. + +I told my father about my life at the Palace, and how very kind +Her Majesty was to me. He asked me if I could influence Her +Majesty to reform some day, and hoped he would live to see it. +Somehow or other I had the idea that I could and promised him that +I would try my best. + +Her Majesty sent two eunuchs to see us the next morning, and also +sent us food and fruits. They told us that Her Majesty missed us, +and had told them to ask if we missed her. We told these eunuchs +that we were returning to the Court the next day. We stayed at +home only two days and a great many people came to see us, and +kept us busy all the time. My father suggested that we should +start from the house at about 3:00 A. M., so as to get to the +Summer Palace before Her Majesty was up. We left our house at 3:00 +A. M. in total darkness, just like we had two months before. What +a change. I thought I was the happiest girl in the world. I was +told by many people, especially by the Young Empress, that Her +Majesty was extremely fond of me. I had also heard that she did +not care for young people at all. Although I was happy, I noticed +that some of the Court ladies did not like me, and they made me +uncomfortable on many occasions by not telling me just the way Her +Majesty wanted the work to be done. They smiled to each other +whenever Her Majesty was saying to my mother that she liked me, +and that I was always careful in doing anything that pleased her. +I knew I was going to see those people again. However, I made up +my mind to fight my battles alone. I only wished to be useful to +Her Majesty, and would not take any notice of them. + +It was a little after five o'clock when we reached the Summer +Palace. Our own eunuchs were very happy to see us again and told +us that Her Majesty was not up yet and that we had time to go to +our rooms, where they had some breakfast prepared for us. We went +to see the Young Empress first, and found she was ready to go to +Her Majesty's Palace. She was also very glad to see us, and told +us that our Manchu costumes were all ready, and that she had seen +them and they were perfectly lovely. We were very hungry, and +enjoyed our breakfast immensely. After that we went to see Her +Majesty. She was awake, so we went into her bedroom. We greeted +her the same way that we did every morning, and kowtowed to her +and thanked her for all the things she had sent us while we were +at home. She sat up on the bed, smiled, and said: "Are you glad to +come back? I know everyone who comes to me and stays for a while +does not like to go away from here any more. I am glad to see you +(to my mother). How is Yu Keng?" My mother told her that my father +was much better. She asked us what we did for those two days, +staying at home. She also wanted to know whether we still +remembered which day she had chosen for us to change into our +Manchu costume. We told her we knew the date, and were looking +forward to it. The eunuchs brought in three large yellow trays, +full of beautiful gowns, shoes, white silk socks, handkerchiefs, +bags for nuts, in fact the whole set, including the gu'un dzan +(Manchu headdress). We kowtowed to her, and told her we were very +much pleased with everything she had given us. Her Majesty told +the eunuchs to bring everything out for us to see. She said to us: +"You see I give you one full official dress, one set of Chao Chu +(amber heads), two embroidered gowns, four ordinary gowns for +everyday wear, and two gowns for Chi Chen wear (the anniversary of +the death of an Emperor or Empress), one sky blue, the other +mauve, with very little trimming. I also have a lot of underwear +for you." I was excited and told Her Majesty that I would like to +commence to dress up at once. She smiled, and said: "You must wait +until the day comes, the lucky day I have selected for you. You +must try to fix your hair first, which is the most difficult thing +to do. Ask the Young Empress to teach you." Although she told me +to wait, I knew she was pleased to see that I showed so much +enthusiasm. She asked me the first day when we came to the Court +why my hair was so curly. I showed her that I curled it with +paper, and she teased me ever afterwards. She also said that I +could not pull my hair straight in time to wear Manchu clothes, +that everyone would laugh at me, and how ugly I would look. That +night one Court lady came over to me while I was sitting on the +veranda and said: "I wonder if you will look nice in Manchu +dress?" I told her I only wanted to look natural. "You have lived +so many years abroad we consider you are a foreigner to us." I +told her that as long as Her Majesty considered I was one of her +own, I would be satisfied and that she need not worry herself +about me. I knew they were jealous of us, so I went in search of +the Young Empress and left this girl alone. We were talking with +the Young Empress in the waiting room, and this girl came in and +sat near me, smiling to herself most of the time. One of the +servant girls was fixing some fresh flowers for Her Majesty. She +looked at her and asked her why she was smiling. The Young Empress +saw, and asked her the same question. She would not answer, but +kept on smiling all the time. At this moment a eunuch came and +said that Her Majesty wanted me. I afterwards tried to find out +what she had told the Young Empress but could not. Several days +passed very quietly. Her Majesty was happy, and so was I. One day +the Young Empress reminded us that we should make all preparations +in order to be able to dress ourselves properly on the eighteenth, +as the time was getting short--only two days left. That night, +after Her Majesty had retired, I went to my own room and fixed my +headdress on and went to see the Young Empress. She said that I +looked very nice, and that she was sure Her Majesty would like me +better in Manchu costume. I told her that I used to wear Manchu +dress when I was a little girl, before we went to Europe, and of +course I knew how to put it on. I also told her that I could not +understand why these girls looked upon me as a foreigner. She said +that they only showed their ignorance, and that they were jealous +of me and I should not pay any attention to them at all. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN + +OUR COSTUMES + + THE next day we got up earlier than usual and dressed ourselves +in our new gowns. I could not believe my own eyes, and asked +several times whether that was myself or not. I found that I +looked all right, although I hadn't been wearing this sort of +costume for so long. They seemed to think that we would look +awkward. Our own eunuchs were delighted to see us dressed that +way. The Young Empress came in while passing our rooms on her way +to the Empress Dowager's Palace, and waited for us to go with her. +When we arrived at the waiting room a lot of people came in and +looked at us, and talked so much about us, that it made me feel +rather shy. Everyone told us that we looked much better that way +than in foreign clothes, except the Emperor Kwang Hsu. He said to +me: "I think your Parisian gowns are far prettier than this." I +smiled and said nothing. He shook his head at me, and went into +Her Majesty's bedroom. Li Lien Ying came and saw us, and was very +much excited and told me to go and see Her Majesty at once. I told +him that everyone was looking at us, as if we were curios. He +said: "You don't know how nice you look now, and I wish that you +would not wear foreign clothes at all." Her Majesty laughed so +loud when she saw us that it made me uncomfortable, for I was +afraid we looked unnatural to her. She said: "I cannot believe you +are the same girls. Just look at yourselves in this looking- +glass." She pointed to a large mirror in her room. "See how you +have changed. I feel that you belong to me now. I must have some +more gowns made for you." Then Li Lien Ying said that the +twenty-fourth would be the first day of the Summer. On that day +everyone would begin to wear jade hairpins instead of gold, and we +had none. Her Majesty said to Li: "I am very glad you told me +that. I must give them each a jade hairpin after having asked them +to change into Manchu dress." Li went away and came back with a +box of hairpins of pure green jade. Her Majesty took a beautiful +one and handed it to my mother and told her that that pin had been +worn by three Empresses. She took two very nice ones, and gave one +to me and one to my sister. She told us that these two were a +pair, and that the other Empress Dowager (the East Empress +Dowager) used to wear one, and that the other was worn by herself +when she was young. I felt ashamed that Her Majesty had given us +so many presents and I had done nothing for her in any way. +However, we thanked her most sincerely, and showed our +appreciation. She said: "I look upon you as my own people, and the +gowns I have made for you are the very best. I have also decided +to let you wear the full Court dress, the same as one of the +Princesses. You are my Court lady, so you are equally ranked +here." Li stood there behind her and made a sign to us to kowtow +to her. I cannot remember how many times I kowtowed that day. The +headdress was very heavy, and I was not quite used to it; I was +afraid it might fall off. Her Majesty also said that she would +make our rank known to the Court on her seventieth birthday. I +will explain this. On every decade from the time of her birth Her +Majesty used to give special favors to anyone she liked, or to +anyone who had done something for her, and had been useful to her. +She could promote anyone at any time, but on these occasions it +was something special. The Young Empress congratulated us, and +said that Her Majesty was looking for a young Prince to marry me. +She was also very fond of teasing. I wrote to my father about all +the favors that had been given to me. He wrote me he hoped that I +deserved them all, and that I must do all I could to be useful and +loyal to Her Majesty as long as she lived. + +I was very happy. Life was perfectly lovely at the Palace. Her +Majesty was always nice and kind. I noticed the difference in the +way she had treated us since (as she said) we had become Manchus +once more. One day Her Majesty asked me while we were sailing on +the lake in the moonlight, if I wanted to go to Europe any more. +It was a superb night, and several boats were sailing behind us. +In one boat several eunuchs were playing a kind of sweet music on +the flute and an instrument very much like the mandolin, called +Yeuh Chin (small harp, like the shape of the moon), with Her +Majesty singing very softly to herself. I told her I was satisfied +to be with her, and did not wish to go anywhere at all. She said +that I must learn to sing poetry and that she would teach me every +day. I told her that my father had made me study all kinds of +poetry and I had composed some myself. She looked surprised and +said: "Why didn't you tell me that before? I love poems. You must +read to me sometimes. I have many books here containing poems of +different dynasties." I told her that my knowledge of Chinese +literature was very limited, and I dared not let her see how +little I knew. I had only studied eight years. Her Majesty told me +that the Young Empress and herself were the only ones who were +familiar with Chinese literature at the Court. She told me that +she tried to teach the Court ladies to read and write some time +ago, but having found them so lazy she gave them up. My father +told me to be very careful not to show them what I could do until +I was asked, so I kept it to myself. After they found this out, +some of the Court ladies were very disagreeable to me, and this +went on day after day. + +Except for this unpleasantness the fourth moon passed very +agreeably. The first day of the fifth moon was a busy day for us +all, as from the first to the fifth of the fifth moon was the +festival of five poisonous insects, which I will explain +later--also called the Dragon Boat Festival. All the Viceroys, +Governors and high officials, besides the Imperial Family, Court +ladies and eunuchs, all offer Her Majesty beautiful presents. I +never saw such a lot of things as came into the Palace during this +festival. Each person who sent in presents must accompany them +with a sheet of yellow paper, and at the right lower corner the +sender's name must be written and also the word Kuai Jin, meaning +to present their gifts kneeling, also to write what the presents +were. The eunuchs took big yellow trays to bring them in. During +these five days everyone was busy, especially the eunuchs. I could +not count just how many people sent presents to Her Majesty. The +presents were of every kind, such as things for the household; +silks and jewelry of all kinds and description. A large part of +the presents were foreign goods of the ordinary kind. I also saw +lovely carved thrones and embroideries. Her Majesty ordered them +to be put away, and the foreign things to be kept in her Palace, +for those were new to her. + +The third day of the fifth moon was the day for just the people of +the Palace to make presents. It was a most beautiful sight to see. +We were busy all night making preparations, and had to go and help +the Young Empress. The next morning we placed our presents in the +big courtyard in these big yellow trays. The Young Empress had her +trays in the first row. The presents from the Young Empress to the +Empress Dowager were made by her own hands. There were ten pairs +of shoes, silk embroidered handkerchiefs, little bags for betel +nuts, and bags for tobacco, all exquisitely done. The Secondary +wife of the Emperor Kwang Hsu presented about the same to Her +Majesty. The Court ladies' presents were all different, as we +could ask permission to go out shopping before the Feast. We could +not go out together, for one or two of us must be there at all +times, and it was very exciting to tell each other what we had +bought. We ourselves did not ask permission to go out of the +Palace, for we had our presents ready long before. Everyone seemed +to be talking about presents, whether Her Majesty would like them +or not. My mother, my sister and myself had written to Paris to +get some lovely French brocades, one set of furniture, French +Empire style. We had learned Her Majesty's taste already during +our short stay there, so including those presents we also gave her +fans, perfumes, soaps and some other French novelties. Her Majesty +always looked over everything, and noticed some of the presents +were of very poor quality, and wanted to know the sender's name. +The eunuchs and servant girls also made her good and useful +presents. Her Majesty would select the articles she liked the +best, and order the rest to be put away, and she might never see +them again. I must say that Her Majesty liked and admired some +foreign things very much, she especially loved the French fancy +brocades, for she was making new gowns almost every day. She was +also pleased with soaps and powder that would beautify the skin. +She always thanked us in a very nice way and said how very +thoughtful we were in selecting beautiful articles for her. Her +Majesty would also say something nice to the eunuchs and girls, +and that made everyone feel pleased. + +The fourth day of the fifth moon was the day that Her Majesty gave +presents to us all, the different Princes, high officials, servant +girls and eunuchs. Her memory was something extraordinary, for she +could remember every one of the presents that had been given to +her the day before, and the names of the givers also. That was a +busy day for us. Her Majesty gave people presents according to the +way they gave her. We had yellow sheets of paper and wrote out the +names of those to whom she wished to give. That day Her Majesty +was very angry with one of the wives of a certain Prince because +her presents were the poorest. Her Majesty told me to keep that +tray in her room and said she would go over them and see what they +were. I knew she was not pleased, for she had a telltale face. She +told us to measure the silks and ribbons in that tray, and leave +it in the hall. The ribbons were all of different lengths, all too +short to trim a gown, and the dress materials were not of good +quality. Her Majesty said to me: "Now you look for yourself. Are +these good presents? I know very well all these things were given +to them by other people and they of course would select the best +for themselves, and give me what was left. They know they are +obliged to send me something. I am surprised to see how careless +they are. Probably they thought as I receive so many presents I +would not notice. They are mistaken, for I notice the poorest the +first, in fact I can remember everything. I can see those who gave +me things in order to please me, and those who gave because they +were obliged to. I will return them the same way." She gave the +Court ladies each a beautiful embroidered gown and a few hundred +taels, the same to the Young Empress and the Secondary wife. The +presents which she gave us were a little different, consisting of +two embroidered gowns, several simple ones, jackets and sleeveless +jackets, shoes, and flowers for the Manchu headdress. She said +that we had not so many gowns, and instead of giving us the money, +she had things made for us. Besides that, she gave me a pair of +very pretty earrings, but none to my sister, for she noticed that +I had a pair of ordinary gold earrings, while my sister had a pair +set with pearls and jade. Her Majesty said to my mother: "Yu Tai +Tai. I can see you love one daughter better than the other. +Roonling has such pretty earrings and poor Derling has none." +Before my mother could answer her she had turned to me while I was +standing at the back of her chair: "I will have a nice pair made +for you. You are mine now." My mother told her that I did not like +to wear heavy earrings. Her Majesty laughed and said: "Never mind, +she is mine now, and I will give her everything she needs. You +have nothing to do with her." The earrings she gave me were very +heavy. Her Majesty said that if I would wear them every day I +would get used to them, and so it proved that after some time I +thought nothing of it. + +Now about this Feast. It is also called the Dragon Boat Feast. The +fifth of the fifth moon at noon was the most poisonous hour for +the poisonous insects, and reptiles such as frogs, lizards, +snakes, hide themselves in the mud, for that hour they are +paralyzed. Some medical men search for them at that hour and place +them in jars, and when they are dried, sometime use them as +medicine. Her Majesty told me this, so that day I went all over +everywhere and dug into the ground, but found nothing. The usual +custom was that at noon Her Majesty took a small cup filled with +spirits of wine, and added a kind of yellow powder (something like +sulphur). She took a small brush and dipped it into the cup and +made a few spots of this yellow paint under our nostrils and ears. +This was to prevent any insects from crawling on us during the +coming summer. The reason why it was also called the Dragon Boat +Festival was because at the time of the Chou Dynasty the country +was divided into several parts. Each place had a ruler. The +Emperor Chou had a Prime Minister named Chi Yuan, who advised him +to make alliance with the other six countries, but the Emperor +refused, and Chi Yuan thought that the country would be taken by +others in the near future. He could not influence the Emperor, so +he made up his mind to commit suicide and jumped into the river, +taking a large piece of stone with him. This happened on the fifth +day of the fifth moon, so the year afterwards, the Emperor got +into a Dragon boat to worship his soul, and throw rice cakes, +called Tzu Tsi, into the river. On that day the people have +celebrated this feast ever since. At the Palace the theatre played +first this history, which was very interesting, and also played +the insects trying to hide themselves before the most poisonous +hour arrived. On that day we all wore tiger shoes, the front part +of which was made of a tiger's head, with little tigers made of +yellow silk to wear on the headdress. These tigers were only for +the children to wear, and signified that they would be as strong +as a tiger, but Her Majesty wanted us to wear them also. The wives +of the Manchu officials came to the Court, and when they saw us +they laughed at us. We told them it was by Her Majesty's orders. + +A register recording the birthdays of all the Court ladies was +kept by the head eunuch, and a few days before my own birthday +came around, the tenth day of the fifth moon, he informed me that +the custom of the Court was to make a present to Her Majesty and +said that the present should take the form of fruit, cakes, etc., +so I ordered eight boxes of different kinds. + +Early in the morning I put on full Court dress, and made myself +look as nice as possible and went to wish Her Majesty good +morning. When she had finished dressing, the eunuchs brought in +the presents and, kneeling, I presented them to Her Majesty, +bowing to the ground nine times. She thanked me and wished me a +happy birthday. She then made me a present of a pair of sandalwood +bracelets, beautifully carved, also a few rolls of brocade silk. +She also informed me that she had ordered some macaroni in honor +of my birthday. This macaroni is called (Chang Shou Me'en) long +life macaroni. This was the custom. I again bowed and thanked her +for her kindness and thoughtfulness. After bowing to the Young +Empress and receiving in return two pairs of shoes and several +embroidered neckties, I returned to my room, where I found +presents from all the Court ladies. + +Altogether I had a very happy birthday. + +I can never forget the fifteenth day of the fifth moon as long as +I live, for that was a bad day for everyone. As usual we went to +Her Majesty's bedroom quite early that morning. She could not get +up and complained that her back ached so much. We rubbed her back, +in turns, and finally she got up, though a little late. She was +not satisfied. The Emperor came in and knelt down to wish her good +morning, but she scarcely took any notice of him. I noticed that +when the Emperor saw that Her Majesty was not well, he said very +little to her. The eunuch who dressed her hair every morning was +ill, and had ordered another one to help her. Her Majesty told us +to watch him very closely to see that he did not pull her hair +off. She could not bear to see even one or two hairs fall out. +This eunuch was not used to trickery, for instance, in case the +hair was falling off, he could not hide it like the other one did. +This poor man did not know what to do with any that came out. He +was frightened, and Her Majesty, seeing him through the mirror, +asked him whether he had pulled her hair out. He said that he had. +This made her furious, and she told him to replace it. I almost +laughed, but the eunuch was very much frightened and started to +cry. Her Majesty ordered him to leave the room, and said she would +punish him later. We helped her to fix up her hair. I must say it +was not an easy job, for she had very long hair and it was +difficult to comb. + +She went to the morning audience, as usual, and after that she +told the head eunuch what had happened. This Li was indeed a bad +and cruel man, and said: "Why not beat him to death?" Immediately +she ordered Li to take this man to his own quarters to receive +punishment. Then Her Majesty said the food was bad, and ordered +the cooks to be punished also. They told me that whenever Her +Majesty was angry everything went wrong, so I was not surprised +that so many things happened that day. Her Majesty said that we +all looked too vain with our hair too low down at the back of the +head. (This Manchu headdress is placed right in the center of +one's head and the back part is called the swallow's tail, and +must reach the bottom part of one's collar.) We had our hair done +up the same way every day, and she had previously never said a +word about it. She looked at us, and said: "Now I am going to the +audience, and don't need you all here. Go back to your rooms and +fix your hair all over again. If I ever see you all like that +again I am going to cut your hair off." I was never more surprised +in my life when I heard her speak so sharply to us. I don't know +whether I was spoken to or not, but I thought it well to be wise, +and I answered I would. We were all ready to go and Her Majesty +stood there watching us. When we were about five or six feet away +we heard her scolding Chun Shou (the girl who was neither a Court +lady nor a servant). Her Majesty said she was pretending she was +all right, and Her Majesty ordered her to go also. When we were +walking towards our own place, some of them laughed at Chun Shou, +which made her angry. When Her Majesty was angry with anyone, she +would say that we were all doing something on purpose to make her +angry. I must say that everyone of us was scared, and wondered who +would have dared to do that. On the contrary, we tried our best to +please her in every way. + +But that day she was furious all day and I tried to stay away from +her. I noticed some of the eunuchs went to her to ask questions +concerning important matters, but she would not look at them, but +kept on reading her book. To tell the truth, I felt miserable that +day. At the beginning I thought all the eunuchs were faithful +servants, but seeing them every day, I got to know them. It did +not do them any harm to be punished once in a while. + +The Young Empress told me to go in and wait on Her Majesty as +usual. She said that probably if I would suggest playing dice with +her, she might forget her troubles. At first I did not want to go, +for I was afraid that she might say something to me, but seeing +that the poor Young Empress spoke to me so nicely, I told her I +would try. When I entered Her Majesty's sitting room I found her +reading a book. She looked at me and said: "Come over here, I +would like to tell you something. You know these people at the +Palace are no good and I don't like them at all. I don't want them +to poison your ears by telling you how wicked I am. Don't talk to +them. You must not fix your hair too low down at the back of your +head. I was not angry with you this morning. I know you are +different. Don't let them influence you. I want you to be on my +side, and do as I tell you." Her Majesty spoke very kindly to me, +and her face changed also--not at all the same face she had that +morning. Of course I promised her that I would be only too happy +to do all I could to please her. She spoke to me just like a good +mother would speak to a dear child. I changed my opinion and +thought that perhaps after all she was right, but I had often +heard from the officials that one cannot be good to a eunuch, as +he would do all he could to injure you without any reason +whatsoever. + +I noticed that day they all seemed to be more careful in doing +their work. I was told that when once Her Majesty got angry, she +would never finish. On the contrary, she talked to me very nicely, +just as if there had been no troubles at all. She was not +difficult to wait upon, only one had to watch her moods. I thought +how fascinating she was, and I had already forgotten that she had +been angry. She seemed to have guessed what I was thinking, and +said: "I can make people hate me worse than poison, and can also +make them love me. I have that power." I thought she was right +there. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE + +THE EMPRESS AND MRS. CONGER + + ON the twenty-sixth day of the fifth moon, during the morning +audience, Prince Ching told Her Majesty that Mrs. Conger, the wife +of the American Minister to Peking, had asked for a private +audience, and would Her Majesty please mention a day. She told him +not to give any answer until the next day, just to give her time +to think it over. I was sitting behind the large screen, +listening, but the other Court ladies made too much noise, so Her +Majesty ordered them not to say a word during audience. I was very +glad myself, because I could listen to some of the interesting +conversations between the Empress Dowager and her Ministers. After +the audience, Her Majesty ordered her lunch to be served on the +top of the hill at Pai Yuen Dien (Spreading Cloud Pavilion). She +said that she preferred to walk, so we followed her very slowly. +To get to this place we had to mount two hundred and seventy-two +steps, besides ten minutes' climbing over rough stones. She did +not seem to mind the climbing part at all. It was the funniest +thing to see two little eunuchs on either side, to support her +arms, trying to keep pace with her. I noticed that she was very +much preoccupied, and did not speak to any of us. When we arrived +at our destination we were very tired and quite exhausted. Her +Majesty, who was a good walker herself, laughed at us. She was +always very much pleased when she excelled in games of skill or +endurance. She said: "You see I am old, and can walk much faster +than you young people. You are all no use. What is the matter with +you?" Her Majesty was very fond of receiving compliments. I had +been there long enough to know and had learned to say things which +would please her. She also hated anyone to pay her compliments at +the wrong moment, so one had to be very careful even in paying her +compliments. + +This "spreading cloud" pavilion was a beautiful Palace. It had an +open space in front of the building, just like one of the +courtyards, with pink and white oleanders all over the place. +There was a porcelain table and several porcelain stools. Her +Majesty sat on her own yellow satin stool and was drinking her tea +in silence. It was very windy that day, although the sky was blue +with warm sunshine. Her Majesty sat there just for a few minutes, +and then said it was too windy and went into the building. I was +more than glad to go in, too, and whispered to the Young Empress +that I thought the wind might blow off my headdress. The eunuchs +brought the luncheon and placed everything upon the table. The +Young Empress made a sign for us to follow her, which we did. When +we came to the back veranda we sat down on the window seats. I +will explain about these seats. All the windows were built low at +the Palace, and on the veranda there was something like a bench +built along the window, about a foot wide. There were no chairs to +be seen excepting Her Majesty's thrones. The Young Empress asked +me whether I had noticed that Her Majesty had something on her +mind. I told her that perhaps she was thinking about the private +audience which Prince Ching had mentioned that morning. She said +that I had guessed right, and asked: "Do you know anything about +this audience? When will it take place?" I said that Her Majesty +had not yet given her answer. + +By this time Her Majesty had finished eating and was walking up +and down the room, watching us eating. She came over to my mother +and said: "I am just wondering why Mrs. Conger asks for a private +audience. Perhaps she has something to say to me. I would like to +know just what it is so I can prepare an answer." My mother said +that probably Mrs. Conger had someone visiting her who wished to +be presented to Her Majesty. "No, it can't be that, because they +must give the list of names of those who wish to come to the +Palace. I don't mind the formal audiences, but I don't think that +I should have private ones at all. I don't like to be questioned, +as you all know. The foreigners are, of course, very nice and +polite, according to their own way, but they cannot compare with +us, so far as etiquette is concerned. I may be conservative in +saying that I admire our custom and will not change it as long as +I live. You see our people are taught to be polite from their +earliest childhood, and just look back at the oldest teachings and +compare them with the new. People seem to like the latter the +best. I mean that the new idea is to be Christians, to chop up +their Ancestral Tablets and burn them. I know many families here +who have broken up because of the missionaries, who are always +influencing the young people to believe their religion. Now I tell +you why I feel uneasy about this audience is because we are too +polite to refuse anyone who asks any favors in person. The +foreigners don't seem to understand that. I'll tell you what I +will do. Whenever they ask me anything, I'll simply tell them that +I am not my own boss, but have to consult with my Ministers; that +although I am the Empress Dowager of China, I must also obey the +law. To tell the truth, I like Madame Uchida (wife of the Japanese +Minister to Peking) very much. She is always very nice and doesn't +ask any silly questions. Of course the Japanese are very much like +ourselves, not at all forward. Last year, before you came to the +Court, a missionary lady came with Mrs. Conger, and suggested that +I should establish a school for girls at the Palace. I did not +like to offend her, and said that I would take it into +consideration. Now, just imagine it for a moment. Wouldn't it be +foolish to have a school at the Palace; besides, where am I going +to get so many girls to study? I have enough to do as it is. I +don't want all the children of the Imperial family studying at my +Palace." + +Her Majesty laughed while she was telling us this, and everyone +else laughed, too. She said: "I am sure you will laugh. Mrs. +Conger is a very nice lady. America is always very friendly +towards China, and I appreciate their nice behavior at the Palace +during the twenty-sixth year of Kwang Hsu (1900), but I cannot say +that I love the missionaries, too. Li Lien Ying told me that these +missionaries here give the Chinese a certain medicine, and that +after that they wish to become Christians, and then they would +pretend to tell the Chinese to think it over very carefully, for +they would never force anyone to believe their religion against +their own will. Missionaries also take the poor Chinese children +and gouge their eyes out, and use them as a kind of medicine." I +told her that that was not true; that I had met a great many +missionaries, and that they were very kind-hearted and willing to +do anything to help the poor Chinese. I also told her what they +had done for the poor orphans--given them a home, food and +clothing; that sometimes they went into the interior and found the +blind children who might be useless to their parents, and when +they get them they have to support them. I know several cases like +that. These country people offer their deformed children to the +missionaries, as they are too poor to feed and take care of them. +I told her about their schools, and how they helped the poor +people. Her Majesty then laughed, and said: "Of course I believe +what you say, but why don't these missionaries stay in their own +country and be useful to their own people?" I thought it would be +of no use for me to talk too much, but at the same time I would +like her to know of the dreadful times some of the missionaries +had in China. Some time ago, two of them were murdered at Wu +Shuih, in June, 1892 (a little below Hankow), the church being +burnt down by the mob. My father was appointed by Viceroy Chang +Chih Tung to investigate the matter. After much trouble he caught +three of the murderers and, according to the Chinese law, they +were put to death by hanging in wooden cages, and the Government +paid an indemnity to the families of the murdered missionaries. +The year after, 1893, a Catholic church was burnt down at Mar +Cheng, on the Yangtse, near Ichang. The mob said they saw many +blind children at the church, who were made to work after having +their eyes gouged out. The Prefect of Ichang Province said it was +true that missionaries did get the Chinese childrens' eyes for +making medicine, so my father suggested having those blind +children brought into the Yamen and ask them. The Prefect was a +most wicked man, and was very anti-foreign also. He gave the poor +children plenty of food, and taught them to say that the +missionaries did gouge their eyes out, but when they were brought +in the next day they said that the missionaries treated them very +kindly and gave them a nice home, good food and clothing. They +said they were blind long before they became Catholics, and also +said that the Prefect had taught them to say that the missionaries +were cruel to them, which was not true. The blind children begged +to go back to the school and said that they were very happy there. + +Her Majesty said: "That may be all right for them to help the poor +and relieve their suffering. For instance, like our great Buddha +Ju Lai, who fed the hungry birds with his own flesh. I would love +them if they would leave my people alone. Let us believe our own +religion. Do you know how the Boxer rising began? Why, the Chinese +Christians were to blame. The Boxers were treated badly by them, +and wanted revenge. Of course that is always the trouble with the +low class of people. They went too far, and at the same time +thought to make themselves rich by setting fire to every house in +Peking. It made no difference whose house. They wanted to burn so +long as they could get money. These Chinese Christians are the +worst people in China. They rob the poor country people of their +land and property, and the missionaries, of course, always protect +them, in order to get a share themselves. Whenever a Chinese +Christian is taken to the Magistrate's Yamen, he is not supposed +to kneel down on the ground and obey the Chinese law, as others +do, and is always very rude to his own Government Officials. Then +these missionaries do the best they can to protect him, whether he +is wrong or not, and believe everything he says and make the +magistrate set the prisoner free. Do you remember that your father +established rules in the twenty-fourth year of Kwang Hsu, how the +Chinese officials should treat the Bishops whenever they had +dealings with each other? I know the common class of people become +Christians--also those who are in trouble--but I don't believe +that any of the high officials are Christians." Her Majesty looked +around and whispered: "Kang Yue Wai (the reformer in 1898) tried +to make the Emperor believe that religion. No one shall believe as +long as I live. I must say that I admire the foreigners in some +ways. For instance, their navies and armies, and engineers, but as +regards civilization I should say that China is the first country +by all means. I know that many people believe that the Government +had connections with the Boxers, but that is not true. As soon as +we found out the trouble we issued several Edicts, and ordered the +soldiers to drive them out, but they had gone too far already. I +made up my mind not to go out of the Palace at all. I am an old +woman, and did not care whether I died or not, but Prince Tuang +and Duke Lan suggested that we should go at once. They also +suggested that we should go in disguise, which made me very angry, +and I refused. After the return of the Court to Peking, I was told +that many people believed that I did go in disguise, and said that +I was dressed in one of my servant's clothes, and rode in a broken +cart drawn by a mule, and that this old woman servant of mine was +dressed as the Empress Dowager, and rode in my sedan chair. I +wonder who made that story up? Of course everyone believed it, and +such a story would get to the foreigners in Peking without any +trouble. + +"Now to come back to the question of the Boxer Rising. How badly I +was treated by my own servants. No one seemed anxious to go with +me, and a great many ran away before the Court had any idea of +leaving the Capital at all, and those who stayed would not work, +but stood around and waited to see what was going to happen. I +made up my mind to ask and see how many would be willing to go, so +I said to everyone: `If you servants are willing to go with me, +you can do so, and those who are not willing, can leave me.' I was +very much surprised to find that there were very few standing +around listening. Only seventeen eunuchs, two old women servants +and one servant girl, that was Sho Chu. Those people said they +would go with me, no matter what happened. I had 3,000 eunuchs, +but they were nearly all gone before I had the chance of counting +them. Some of the wicked ones were even rude to me, and threw my +valuable vases on the stone floor, and smashed them. They knew +that I could not punish them at that important moment, for we were +leaving. I cried very much and prayed for our Great Ancestors' +Souls to protect us. Everyone knelt with me and prayed. The Young +Empress was the only one of my family who went with me. A certain +relative of mine, whom I was very fond of, and gave her everything +she asked, refused to go with me. I knew that the reason she would +not go was because she thought the foreign soldiers would catch up +the runaway Court, and kill everyone. + +"After we had been gone about seven days, I sent one eunuch back, +to find out who was still in Peking. She asked this eunuch whether +there were any foreign soldiers chasing us, and whether I was +killed. Soon after the Japanese soldiers took her Palace, and +drove her out. She thought she was going to die anyway, and as I +was not yet assassinated, she might catch up with the Court, and +go with us. I could not understand how she traveled so fast. One +evening we were staying at a little country house, when she came +in with her husband, a nice man. She was telling me how much she +had missed me, and how very anxious she had been all that time to +know whether I was safe or not, and cried. I refused to listen to +what she was saying and told her plainly that I did not believe a +word. From that time she was finished for me. I had a very hard +time, traveling in a sedan chair, from early morning, before the +sun rose, until dark and in the evening had to stop at some +country place. I am sure you would pity me, old as I am, that I +should have had to suffer in that way. + +"The Emperor went all the way in a cart, drawn by a mule, also the +Empress. I went along, and was praying to our Great Ancestors for +protection, but the Emperor was very quiet, and never opened his +mouth. One day something happened. It rained so much and some of +the chair carriers ran away. Some of the mules died suddenly. It +was very hot, and the rain was pouring down on our heads. Five +small eunuchs ran away also, because we were obliged to punish +them the night before on account of their bad behavior to the +Magistrate, who did all he could to make me comfortable, but of +course food was scarce. I heard these eunuchs quarreling with the +Magistrate, who bowed to the ground, begging them to keep quiet, +and promised them everything. I was of course very angry. +Traveling under such circumstances one ought to be satisfied that +one was provided for. + +"It took us more than a month before we reached Shi An. I cannot +tell you how fatigued I was, and was of course worrying very much, +which made me quite ill for almost three months. So long as I live +I cannot forget it. + +"We returned to Peking early in the twenty-eighth year of Kwang +Hsu and I had another dreadful feeling when I saw my own Palace +again. Oh! it was quite changed; a great many valuable ornaments +broken or stolen. All the valuable things at the Sea Palace had +been taken away, and someone had broken the fingers of my white +jade Buddha, to whom I used to worship every day. Several +foreigners sat on my throne and had their photos taken. When I was +at the Shi An I was just like being sent into exile, although the +Viceroy's Yamen was prepared for us, but the building was very +old, damp and unhealthy. The Emperor became ill. It would take a +long time to tell you everything; I thought I had enough trouble, +but this last was the worst. When I have time, I will tell you +more about it. I want you to know the absolute truth. + +"Now let us come back to the question of Mrs. Conger's private +audience. There must be something special, but I hope that she +will not ask for anything, for I hate to refuse her. Can you guess +what it is?" I told Her Majesty that there could not be anything +special; besides, Mrs. Conger considered herself to be a person +who knew Chinese etiquette very well, and I didn't believe she +would ask for anything at all. Her Majesty said: "The only +objection I have is that Mrs. Conger always brings one of the +missionaries as her interpreter, when I have your mother, your +sister and yourself, which I think should be sufficient. I don't +think it is right for her to do that; besides, I cannot understand +their Chinese very well. I like to see the ladies of the +Diplomatic body sometimes, but not the missionaries. I will stop +that when the opportunity comes." + +The next morning Prince Ching told Her Majesty that the American +Admiral, and Mrs. Evans, and suite wished to be presented to her. +The American Minister asked two private audiences. He said he had +made a mistake by telling her that Mrs. Conger had asked an +audience for herself, the day before. + +After the regular morning audience was over Her Majesty laughed +and said: "Didn't I tell you yesterday that there must be a reason +for asking an audience? I rather would like to meet the American +Admiral and his wife." Turning to us she said: "Be sure and fix +everything up pretty, change everything in my bedroom, so as not +to show them our daily life." We all said "Jur" (yes), but we knew +it was going to be a hard task to turn the Palace upside down. + +It was just the night before the appointed audience. We started to +work taking off the pink silk curtains from every window, and +changing them for sky blue (the color she hated); then we changed +the cushions on the chairs to the same color. While we were +watching the eunuchs doing the work, several of them came into the +room, carrying a large tray full of clocks. By this time her +Majesty had come into the room, and ordered us to remove all her +white and green jade Buddhas and take some of the jade ornaments +away, for those things were sacred, and no foreigners should see +them, so we replaced them with these clocks, instead. We also took +away the three embroidered door curtains, and changed them for +ordinary blue satin ones. I must explain that these three curtains +were sacred, too. They were embroidered to represent five hundred +Buddhist deities, on old gold satin, and had been used by Emperor +Tou Kwang. Her Majesty believed that by hanging these curtains at +her door they would guard against evil spirits entering her room. +The order was that one of us should remember to place them back +again when the audience was over. We fixed every piece of +furniture in her bedroom. Her toilet table was the most important +thing. She would not let anyone see it-not even the wives of the +Officials who came in, so of course we had to put it in a safe +place, and lock it up. We changed her bed from pink color into +blue. All her furniture was made of sandalwood, also carvings on +her bed. This sandalwood, before it was made into furniture, was +placed in different temples, to be sanctified, so of course no +foreigner could see it. As we could not take this carving from her +bed, we covered it up with embroidered hangings. While we were +working Her Majesty came in and told us not to hurry in her +bedroom, because the audience the next day would only be for +Admiral Robley Evans and his staff, and they would not visit the +private rooms. The audience for Mrs. Evans and the other ladies +would be the day after. She said it was important to see that the +Audience Hall was fixed up properly. She said: "Place the only +carpet we have here in the hall. I don't like carpets anyway, but +it cannot be helped." + +After we had finished, Her Majesty started to tell us what to wear +for the ladies' audience. She said to me: "You need not come to +the throne to-morrow, there will only be gentlemen. I will get one +of the Ministers from Wai-Wu-Pu (Bureau of Foreign Affairs). I +don't want you to talk to so many strange men. It is not the +Manchu custom. These people are all strangers. They might go back +to America and tell everybody what you look like." At the same +time Her Majesty gave orders for the Imperial Yellow Gown to be +brought in next day, for the gentleman's audience. She said that +she must dress in her official robe for this occasion. This robe +was made of yellow satin, embroidered with gold dragons. She wore +a necklace composed of one hundred and eight pearls, which formed +part of this official dress. She said: "I don't like to wear this +official robe. It is not pretty, but I am afraid I will have to." +She said to all of us: "You need not dress especially." + +The next morning Her Majesty got up early, and was busier than +ever. It seemed to me that whenever we had an audience we always +had so much trouble. Something was sure to go wrong and make Her +Majesty angry. She said: "I want to look nice, and be amiable, but +these people always make me angry. I know the American Admiral +will go home and tell his people about me, and I don't want him to +have a wrong impression." It took her almost two hours to dress +her hair, and by that time it was too late for her usual morning +audience, so she proposed holding that after the foreigners had +gone away. She looked at herself in the looking-glass, with her +Imperial robe on, and told me that she did not like it, and asked +me whether I thought the foreigners would know that it was an +official robe. "I look too ugly in yellow. It makes my face look +the same color as my robe," she said. I suggested that as it was +only a private audience, if she wished to dress differently, it +would not matter at all. She seemed delighted, and I was afraid +lest I had not made a proper suggestion, but anyway I was too busy +to worry. Her Majesty ordered that her different gowns should be +brought in, and after looking them over she selected one +embroidered all over with the character "Shou" (long life), +covered with precious stones and pearls, on pale green satin. She +tried it on, and said that it was becoming to her, so she ordered +me to go to the jewel-room and get flowers to match for her hair. +On one side of the headdress was the character (shou) and on the +other side was a bat (the bat in China is considered to be lucky). +Of course her shoes, handkerchiefs and everything else were +embroidered in the same way. After she was dressed, she smiled and +said: "I look all right now. We had better go to the audience hall +and wait for them, and at the same time we can play a game of +dice." Then to us all she said: "All of you will stay at the back +of the screen during the audience. You can see all right, but I +don't wish that you should be seen." The eunuchs had laid the map +down on the table and were just going to commence playing dice, +when one of the high rank eunuchs came into the Hall and, kneeling +down, said that the American Admiral had arrived at the Palace +Gate, together with the American Minister--ten or twelve people +altogether. Her Majesty smiled and said to me: "I thought it was +just going to be the American Minister and the Admiral, and one or +two of his staff. Who can the rest of the people be? However, +never mind, I will receive them anyway." We helped her to mount +her throne upon the dais, fixed her clothes, and handed her the +paper containing the speech she was to give. Then we went back of +the screen, with the Young Empress. It was so very quiet, not a +sound anywhere, that we could hear the boots of the visitors as +they walked over the stones in the courtyard. We were peeping from +behind the screen, and could see several of the Princes mounting +the steps, conducting these people to the Hall. The Admiral and +the American Minister came in, and stood in a line. They bowed +three times to the Empress Dowager. The Emperor was also on his +throne, sitting at her left hand. His throne was very small, just +like an ordinary chair. Her Majesty's speech was simply to welcome +the Admiral to China. They then came up to the dais and shook +hands with their Majesties, ascending on one side, and retiring +down the other. Prince Ching took them into another Palace +building, where they had lunch, and the audience was over. It was +very simple and formal. + +After the audience was over Her Majesty said that she could hear +us laughing behind the screen, and that maybe the people would +talk about it, and did not like it at all. I told her that it was +not myself who laughed. She said: "The next time when I have men +in audience you need not come into the Audience Hall at all. Of +course it is different when I have my own people at the morning +audiences." + +Her Majesty did not go to her bedroom that afternoon. She said she +wanted to wait until these people had gone and hear what they had +to say. After a couple of hours Prince Ching came in and reported +that they had lunched, and that they were very pleased to have +seen Her Majesty, and had gone away. I must here explain that the +Admiral had entered by the left gate of the Palace. The middle +gate was only used for Their Majesties, with one exception, viz.: +in the case of anyone presenting credentials. Then they entered by +the center gate. The Admiral left by the same gate he had entered. +Her Majesty asked Prince Ching whether he had showed them around +the Palace buildings or not (this was in the Summer Palace), and +what they had thought about it. Did they say anything, and were +they pleased or not. She said to Prince Ching: "You can go now, +and make the necessary preparations for the ladies' audience next +day." That same evening Her Majesty said to us: "You must all +dress alike to-morrow, and wear your prettiest clothes. These +foreign ladies who are coming to the Palace may never see us +again, and if we don't show them what we have now, we will not +have another opportunity." She ordered us all, including the Young +Empress, to wear pale blue, also the Secondary wife of the +Emperor. She said to me: "If the ladies ask who the Secondary wife +is, you can tell them; but if they don't ask, I don't want you to +introduce her to them at all. I have to be very careful. These +people at the Palace here are not used to seeing so many people +and they might not have nice manners, and the foreigners will +laugh at them." Then she said to us again: "I always give presents +when ladies come to the Court, but don't know whether I will give +this time or not, for at the last audience I did not give anything +at all." Addressing me, she said: "You can prepare some pieces of +jade, in case I need them. Put them in a nice box and have them +all ready. Don't bring them to me until I ask for them." She said: +"We have talked enough now, and you can all go to rest." We +courtesied good night. I was only too glad to go to my own room. + +The next morning everything went on very nicely and there was no +trouble at all. Her Majesty was well satisfied, for we had all +taken great care in fixing ourselves up. She said to me: "You +never put enough paint on your face. People might take you for a +widow. You will have to paint your lips, as that is the custom. I +don't need you yet, so go back and put some more paint on." So I +went back to my room and painted myself just like the rest of +them, but I could not help laughing at seeing myself so changed. +By the time I got to her room again, she said: "Now you look all +right. If you think that powder is expensive, I will buy some for +you." She said that with a laugh, for she always liked to tease +me. + +By the time Her Majesty had finished her toilet, one of the ladies +brought a number of gowns for her to select one from. She said she +would wear pale blue that day. She looked over twenty or thirty +gowns, but found nothing which suited her, so she gave orders for +some more to be brought in. Finally she chose a blue gown +embroidered with one hundred butterflies, and wore a purple +sleeveless jacket, which was also embroidered with butterflies. At +the bottom of this gown were pearl tassels. She wore her largest +pearls, one of which was almost as large as an egg, and was her +favorite jewel. She only wore this on special occasions. She wore +two jade butterflies on each side of her headdress. Her bracelets +and rings were also all designed in butterflies, in fact +everything matched. Among her beautiful jewels, she always wore +some kind of fresh flowers. White jessamine was her favorite +flower. The Young Empress and the Court ladies were not allowed to +wear fresh flowers at all unless given to them by Her Majesty as a +special favor. We could wear pearls and jade, etc., but she said +that the fresh flowers were for her, her idea being that we were +too young, and might spoil fresh flowers if we wore them. After +she was dressed we went into the Audience Hall. She ordered her +cards to be brought in as she wanted to play solitaire. She talked +all the time she was playing, and said that we must all be very +nice and polite to the American ladies, and show them everywhere. +She said: "It doesn't matter now, for we have everything changed." +She said: "I want to laugh myself. What is the use of changing +everything? They will imagine we are always like this. By and bye, +if they question you about anything, just tell them that it is not +so, and that we change everything at each audience, just to give +them a bit of surprise. You must tell it some day, otherwise no +one will know it at all, and the trouble would not be worth the +while." It was a private audience for ladies, and Her Majesty did +not use the big throne, but was sitting on her little throne at +the left side of the Audience Hall, where she received her own +Ministers every morning; the Emperor was standing. A eunuch came +in, the same as the day before, and announced that the ladies had +arrived at the Palace Gate, nine in all. Her Majesty sent some of +the Court ladies to meet them in the courtyard, and bring them to +the Audience Hall, which they did. I was standing at the right +side of Her Majesty's chair, and could see them mounting the +steps. Her Majesty whispered to me, and asked: "Which one is Mrs. +Evans?" As I had never seen the lady, I answered that I could not +tell, but when they got nearer I saw a lady walking with the +American Minister's wife, and concluded that she must be Mrs. +Evans, and told Her Majesty. As they got nearer, Her Majesty said: +"Again that missionary lady with Mrs. Conger. I think she must +like to see me. She comes every time. I will tell her I am very +glad to see her always, and see if she understands what I mean." + +Mrs. Conger shook hands with Her Majesty and presented Mrs. Evans +and also the wives of the American officers. I was watching Her +Majesty and saw that she was very nice and amiable, with such a +pleasant smile--so different from her everyday manner. She told +them she was delighted to see them. Her Majesty ordered the +eunuchs to have chairs brought in for the ladies, and at the same +time other eunuchs brought in tea. Her Majesty asked Mrs. Evans +whether she liked China; what she thought of Peking; how long she +had been there; how long she was going to stay, and where she was +staying. I was so accustomed to Her Majesty's questions that I +knew exactly what she would ask. Mrs. Conger told her interpreter +to tell Her Majesty that she had not seen her for such a long +time, and enquired about Her Majesty's health. Her Majesty said to +me: "You tell Mrs. Conger that I am in good health and that I am +delighted to see her. It is a pity that I cannot hold an audience +more frequently, otherwise I could see more of her." She +continued: "The Imperial Princess (her adopted daughter-daughter +of Prince Kung) will accompany them to lunch." This ended the +audience. + +Lunch was served at the back of her own Palace building (Yang Yuen +Hsuen--the place where the clouds gather to rest). This room was +specially furnished as a banqueting room where refreshments could +be served. All the Court ladies went to the lunch, except Her +Majesty, the Young Empress and the Secondary wife. It had taken me +two hours to fix the table for the luncheon. Her Majesty ordered +that a white foreign tablecloth should be used, as it looked +cleaner. The eunuch gardeners had decorated the table with fresh +flowers, and Her Majesty gave instructions as to how the seats +were to be placed. She said: "Mrs. Evans is the guest of honor. +Although Mrs. Conger is the wife of the American Minister, she is +more of a resident, so Mrs. Evans must have the principal seat." +She also told me to arrange to seat everybody according to their +respective ranks. The Imperial Princess and Princess Shun (Her +Majesty's niece, sister of the Young Empress) were hostesses, and +were to sit opposite each other. We placed golden menu holders and +little gold plates for almonds and watermelon seeds; the rest all +silver ware, including chopsticks. Her Majesty ordered that +foreign knives and forks should be provided also. The food was +served in Manchu style, and was composed of twenty-four courses, +besides sweetmeats--candies and fruits. Her Majesty instructed us +that only the best champagne was to be served. She said: "I know +that foreign ladies love to drink." + +I think I was the only one who was really happy to meet these +ladies, more so than the rest of the Court ladies, the reason +being that Her Majesty lectured them too severely, telling them +how to behave, so that they had grown to hate the very mention of +a foreign audience. While we were eating, a eunuch came in and +told me that Her Majesty was waiting at her private Palace, and +that I should bring these ladies there after the lunch was over. +So when we had finished we entered her own Palace and found her +waiting there for us. She got up and told me to ask Mrs. Evans +whether she had had anything to eat--that the food was not very +good. (This is a custom with the Chinese when entertaining, always +to underrate the food.) She said that she would like to show Mrs. +Evans her private apartments, so that she could form some idea of +the way we lived, so she took Mrs. Evans to one of her bedrooms. +She invited Mrs. Evans and Mrs. Conger to sit down, and the +eunuchs brought in tea, as usual. Her Majesty asked Mrs. Evans to +stay a little while in Peking, and to visit the different temples. +She said: "Our country, although very old, has not such fine +buildings as there are in America. I suppose you will find +everything very strange. I am rather too old now, otherwise I +would like to travel around the world. I have read much about +different countries, but of course there is nothing like visiting +the different places and seeing them yourself. However, one cannot +tell. I may be able to go after all, by and bye, but I am afraid +to leave my own country. By the time I returned I should not know +the place any more, I'm afraid. Here everything seems to depend on +me. Our Emperor is quite young." + +She then turned and ordered us to take these ladies to visit the +different buildings of the Palace, also the famous temple of the +King of Dragons. This is on a little island in the center of the +lake of the Summer Palace. Mrs. Conger said that she had something +to ask Her Majesty, and told the Missionary lady to proceed. While +Mrs. Conger was speaking to this lady Her Majesty became rather +impatient as she wanted to know what they were talking about, so +she asked me. It was very hard for me to listen to both of the +ladies and to Her Majesty at the same time. The only words I heard +were: "The portrait," so I guessed the rest. Before I had a chance +to tell Her Majesty this Missionary lady said: "Mrs. Conger has +come with the special object of asking permission to have Her +Majesty's portrait painted by an American lady artist, Miss Carl, +as she is desirous of sending it to the St. Louis Exhibition, in +order that the American people may form some idea of what a +beautiful lady the Empress Dowager of China is." Miss Carl is the +sister of Mr. F. Carl who was for so many years Commissioner of +Customs in Chefoo. + +Her Majesty looked surprised, for she had been listening very +carefully whilst this lady was talking. She did not like to say +that she did not quite understand, so she turned to me, as had +been previously arranged,--a sign for me to interpret. I did not, +however, do so immediately, so Mrs. Conger told her missionary +friend to repeat the request in case Her Majesty had not quite +understood it. Her Majesty then said to me: "I cannot quite +understand what this lady says. I think perhaps you can tell me +better." So I explained everything, but I knew that Her Majesty +did not know what a portrait was like, as, up to that time she had +never even had a photograph taken of herself. + +I must here explain that in China a portrait is only painted after +death, in memorium of the deceased, in order that the following +generations may worship the deceased. I noticed that Her Majesty +was somewhat shocked when the request was made known to her. I did +not want Her Majesty to appear ignorant before these foreign +ladies, so I pulled her sleeve and told her that I would explain +everything to her later. She replied: "Explain a little to me +now." This was spoken in the Court language, which the visitors +were unable to understand, it being somewhat different from the +ordinary Chinese language. This enabled Her Majesty to form some +idea of the conversation, so she thanked Mrs. Conger for her kind +thought, and promised to give her answer later. She said to me: +"Tell Mrs. Conger that I cannot decide anything alone, as she is +probably aware that I have to consult with my Ministers before +deciding anything of an important character. Tell her that I have +to be very careful not to do anything which would give my people +an opportunity to criticize my actions. I have to adhere to the +rules and customs of my ancestors." I noticed that Her Majesty did +not seem inclined to discuss the subject further at the moment. + +Just then the head eunuch came in and, kneeling down, informed Her +Majesty that the boats for the ladies were ready to take them +across the lake, to see the temple. This action on the part of the +eunuch was owing to his having received a signal from one of the +Court ladies, which implied that Her Majesty was getting tired of +the conversation, and wished to change the subject. I must explain +that on every occasion when a foreign audience was taking place, +one of the Court ladies was always told off to watch Her Majesty, +and whenever she appeared to be displeased or tired of any +particular subject under discussion, she, the Court lady, would +give the signal to the head eunuch, who would break in upon the +conversation in the above manner, and thus save the situation from +becoming embarrassing. So Her Majesty said good-bye to the ladies, +as she thought it would be too late for them to have to return to +say good-bye, besides which it would give them more time to see +the various sights. + +The ladies then proceeded to the island in the Empress Dowager's +pleasure boat known as the Imperial barge, previously described, +and visited the temple. This temple is built on top of a small +rock, in the center of which is a natural cave, and it was +generally supposed that no human being had ever been inside of +this cave. The Empress Dowager believed the popular superstition +that this hole was the home of the King of Dragons--from which the +temple derives its name. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN + +THE EMPRESS'S PORTRAIT + + AFTER staying a little while at the temple, we returned to the +Palace, and the ladies said goodbye and took chairs to the Palace +gate, where their own chairs were waiting for them. I then went to +report to Her Majesty in the usual way what had been said by the +visitors; whether they had expressed themselves as being pleased +with the reception they had received. Her Majesty said: "I like +Mrs. Evans. I think she is a very good woman. It seems to me that +her manners are quite different from those of the other American +ladies whom I have met. I like to meet people who are polite." +Then, referring to the subject of the portrait Her Majesty said: +"I wonder why Mrs. Conger has this idea. Now please explain to me +what painting a portrait really is." When I explained that it +would be necessary for her to sit for several hours each day she +was excited, and afraid she would never have the patience to see +it through. She asked me what she must do during the sitting, so I +explained that she would simply have to pose for the portrait, +sitting in one position all the time She said: "I shall be an old +woman by the time the portrait is finished." I told her that I had +had my own portrait painted during my stay in Paris, by the same +artist Mrs. Conger had proposed should paint her own portrait +(Miss Carl). She immediately told me to fetch the portrait of +myself so that she could examine it and see what it was like, so I +gave the order right away to a eunuch who was standing by to go to +my house and bring it. Her Majesty said: "I do not understand why +I must sit for the portrait Couldn't someone else do it for me." I +explained to her that as it was her own portrait, and not that of +somebody else, they wished to paint, it would be necessary for her +to sit herself. She then enquired whether it would be necessary +for her to wear the same dress at each sitting, also the same +jewels and ornaments. I replied that it would be necessary to do +so on each occasion. Her Majesty then explained that in China it +was only necessary for an artist to see his subject once, after +which he could start right away and finish the portrait in a very +short time, and thought that a really first-class foreign artist +should be able to do the same. Of course I explained the +difference between foreign portrait painting and Chinese, and told +her that when she had seen it she would see the difference and +understand the reason for so many sittings. She said: "I wonder +what kind of a person this lady artist is. Does she speak +Chinese?" I said that I knew Miss Carl very well, and that she was +a very nice lady, but that she didn't speak Chinese. She said: "If +her brother has been in the Customs service for so long, how is it +that she doesn't speak Chinese also?" I told her that Miss Carl +had been away from China for a long time; that in fact she had +only been in China for a very short time altogether, most of her +work being in Europe and America. Her Majesty said: "I am glad she +doesn't understand Chinese. The only objection about this portrait +painting is that I have to have a foreigner at the Palace all the +time. With my own people gossiping they might tell her things +which I don't want anyone to know." I told her that would be +impossible as Miss Carl did not understand Chinese at all, neither +did any of the people at Court understand English, with the +exception of ourselves (my mother, sister and myself). Her Majesty +answered: "You must not rely too much on that, as after spending a +short time at the Court they will soon learn to understand each +other." Continuing, she said: "By the way, how long will it take +before this portrait is finished?" I told her that it depended +entirely upon how often she sat, and how long each time. I didn't +like to tell her exactly how long it would take, as I was afraid +she might consider it too much bother, so I said that when the +artist arrived I would tell her to get along and finish the +portrait as quickly as possible. + +Her Majesty said: "I don't see how I can very well refuse Mrs. +Conger's request. Of course I told her, as you know, that I would +have to consult with my Ministers, just to give me time to think +the matter over. If you know all about this artist lady, and think +she is quite all right to come here to the Palace, of course she +may come, and I will tell Prince Ching to reply to Mrs. Conger to +that effect. First of all we must talk over what we are going to +do, for to have a foreign lady staying in the Palace is out of the +question altogether. As a rule I always spend the summer at my +Summer Palace, and it is so far from the city that I don't think +she will be able to go to and from the Palace every day, on +account of the distance. Now, where can we put her? Someone will +have to watch her all the time. This is such a difficult matter +that I hardly know what to decide upon. How would you like to look +after her? Do you think you could manage it in such a way that no +one at the Palace will have a chance to talk with her during the +daytime, but who is going to stay and watch her during the night?" +Her Majesty walked up and down the room thinking it over for quite +a while. Finally she smiled and said: "I have it. We can treat her +as a prisoner without her knowing it, but it will all depend on +your mother, your sister and yourself to act for me in this +matter. Each of you will have to play your part very carefully, +and I mine also. I will give orders to have the Palace Garden of +Prince Chung (the Emperor Kwang Hsu's father) fixed up for Miss +Carl during her stay here." + +This Palace garden is quite close to Her Majesty's own Palace, +about ten minutes' drive. It is not in the Palace ground, but is +quite a separate Palace outside the Summer Palace. + +Continuing, Her Majesty said: "Now, you will have to come with her +every morning and return to stay with her every night. I think +this is the safest way out of the difficulty, but be careful with +regard to all correspondence which she may either receive or send +away. The only thing about it is that it will give you a lot of +extra work, but you know how particular I am over things of this +kind, and it will save a lot of trouble in the end. There is +another thing you will have to be very careful about, and that is +to watch that Miss Carl has no chance to talk with the Emperor. +The reason why I say this is because, as you know, the Emperor is +of a shy disposition, and might say something which would offend +her. I will appoint four extra eunuchs to be in attendance during +the sittings for the portrait, so that they will be on hand in +case anything is wanted." Her Majesty then said: "I noticed that +Mrs. Conger was watching you when you pulled my sleeve. I wonder +what she thought of it. You needn't care, anyway. Let her think +anything she likes. I understood what you meant if Mrs. Conger +didn't, and that is all that is necessary." I told her that +perhaps Mrs. Conger thought I wanted to advise her to refuse this +request, but Her Majesty said: "What does that matter? If it +hadn't been that you know the artist yourself I would not have +consented in any case. It is not the painting of the portrait that +I mind, but it might give rise to serious results." + +The next morning I received a letter from Mrs. Conger begging me +not to prejudice Her Majesty against Miss Carl in any way. I +translated this to Her Majesty, and it made her furious. She said: +"No one has any right to write to you in such a way. How dare she +suggest that you would say anything against Miss Carl? Didn't I +tell you she was watching you when you pulled my sleeve? When you +reply to that letter tell her whatever you like, but answer in the +same way she writes herself, or, better still, you write and +inform her that it is not customary for any Court lady to try and +influence Her Majesty in this country, and that in addition, you +are not so mean as to say anything against anybody. If you don't +like to say that, just say that as Miss Carl is a personal friend +of yours you certainly would never think of saying anything +against her." + +I therefore replied to Mrs. Conger's letter in the ordinary way, +making it as formal as possible. + +Her Majesty then talked of nothing but the portrait during the +whole of that afternoon. By and bye she said: "I hope that Mrs. +Conger will not send a missionary lady with Miss Carl to keep her +company during her stay at the Palace. If she does I will +certainly refuse to sit. The next morning the eunuch arrived with +my portrait, and everyone at the Court had a good look at it +before I took it to show to Her Majesty. Some of them were of the +opinion that it was very much like me, while the others thought +the painting a very poor one. When I informed Her Majesty of the +arrival of the portrait she ordered that it should be brought into +her bedroom immediately. She scrutinized it very carefully for a +while, even touching the painting in her curiosity. Finally she +burst out laughing and said: "What a funny painting this is, it +looks as though it had been painted with oil." (Of course it was +an oil painting.) "Such rough work I never saw in all my life. The +picture itself is marvellously like you, and I do not hesitate to +say that none of our Chinese painters could get the expression +which appears on this picture. What a funny dress you are wearing +in this picture. Why are your arms and neck all bare? I have heard +that foreign ladies wear their dresses without sleeves and without +collars, but I had no idea that it was so bad and ugly as the +dress you are wearing here. I cannot imagine how you could do it. +I should have thought you would have been ashamed to expose +yourself in that manner. Don't wear any more such dresses, please. +It has quite shocked me. What a funny kind of civilization this is +to be sure. Is this dress only worn on certain occasions, or is it +worn any time, even when gentlemen are present?" I explained to +her that it was the usual evening dress for ladies and was worn at +dinners, balls, receptions, etc. Her Majesty laughed and +exclaimed: "This is getting worse and worse. Everything seems to +go backwards in foreign countries. Here we don't even expose our +wrists when in the company of gentlemen, but foreigners seem to +have quite different ideas on the subject. The Emperor is always +talking about reform, but if this is a sample we had much better +remain as we are. Tell me, have you yet changed your opinion with +regard to foreign customs? Don't you think that our own customs +are much nicer?" Of course I was obliged to say "yes" seeing that +she herself was so prejudiced. She again examined the portrait and +said: "Why is it that one side of your face is painted white and +the other black? This is not natural--your face is not black. Half +of your neck is painted black, too. How is it?" I explained that +it was simply the shading and was painted exactly as the artist +saw me from the position in which she was sitting. Her Majesty +then enquired: "Do you think that this Artist lady will paint my +picture to look black also? It is going to America, and I don't +want the people over there to imagine that half of my face is +white and half black." I didn't like to tell her the truth, that +her portrait would in all probability be painted the same as mine, +so I promised Her Majesty that I would tell the artist exactly how +she wished to be painted. She then asked me if I knew when the +artist proposed commencing the portrait. I told her that the +artist was still in Shanghai, but that Mrs. Conger had already +written to her to come up to Peking, to make the necessary +preparations. One week later I received a letter from Miss Carl +informing me that she proposed coming up to Peking at once, and +that she would be delighted if Her Majesty would allow her to +paint this portrait. I translated the letter to Her Majesty, who +said: "I am very glad that you know this lady personally. It will +make it much easier for me. You know there may be some things +which I may want to tell Miss Carl, but which I don't want Mrs. +Conger to know. I mean that there might be certain things which I +shall have to say to Miss Carl, which, if Mrs. Conger heard of +them, would give her the impression that I was very difficult to +please. You understand what I mean. As this lady is a friend of +yours, you will of course be able to tell her things in such a +manner as not to offend her, and I may tell you again that if it +were not that she is a personal friend of your own I would not +have her here at all, as it is quite contrary to our custom." + +On the third day of the second-fifth moon Prince Ching informed +Her Majesty that the artist had arrived at Peking and was staying +with Mrs. Conger and wished to know Her Majesty's pleasure in +regard to commencing the portrait. Now I must explain that the +Chinese year varies as to the number of moons it contains. For +example, one year contains the ordinary twelve months or moons. +The following year may contain thirteen moons. Then the two years +following that may contain twelve moons only, and thirteen moons +the next year, and so on. At the time of the proposed visit of the +artist the Chinese year contained thirteen moons, there being two +fifth moons in that year. When Prince Ching asked Her Majesty to +name the day on which Miss Carl should commence her work, she +replied: "I will give her my answer to-morrow. I must first +consult my book, as I don't want to start this portrait on an +unlucky day." So the next day, after her usual morning audience +Her Majesty consulted this book for quite a time. Finally she said +to me: "According to my book the next lucky day will not occur for +another ten days or so," and handed me the book to look myself. +Eventually she picked out the twentieth day of the second-fifth +moon as the most lucky day for beginning the work. Next she had to +consult the book again in order to fix on the exact hour, finally +fixing on 7 o'clock in the evening. I was very much worried when +she told me that, as by that time it would be quite dark, so I +explained to Her Majesty as nicely as I could that it would be +impossible for Miss Carl to work at that hour of the day. Her +Majesty replied: "Well, we have electric lights here. Surely that +would be sufficient light for her." Then I had to explain that it +would not be possible to get such good results by means of +artificial light as if it were painted during the daytime. You see +I was anxious to get her to change the hour, as I was sure that +Miss Carl would refuse to paint by means of electric light. Her +Majesty replied: "What a bother. I can paint pictures myself in +any kind of light, and she ought to be able to do the same." After +much discussion it was finally settled that 10 o'clock on the +morning of the twentieth day of the second-fifth moon should be +the time for Miss Carl to commence to paint this portrait, and I +can assure you that I felt very much relieved when it was all +settled. When the eunuch brought in my portrait, he also brought +in several photographs which I had had taken during my stay in +Paris, but I decided not to show them to Her Majesty in case she +should decide to have a photograph taken instead of having this +portrait painted, as it would be much quicker and save her the +trouble of sitting each day. However, as Her Majesty was passing +on the veranda in front of my bedroom the next morning she stepped +into the room just to have a look around and, as she put it, to +see whether I kept everything clean, and in good order. This was +the first time she had visited me in my own room, and I was +naturally very much embarrassed, as she very rarely visited the +rooms of her Court ladies. I could not keep her standing, and I +could not ask her to sit down in any of my own chairs, as it is +the Chinese custom that the Emperor and Empress should only sit +down in their own special chairs, which are usually carried by an +attendant wherever they go. I therefore was on the point of giving +an order for her own stool to be brought in, when Her Majesty +stopped me and said that she would sit on one of the chairs in the +room, and so bring me good luck. So she sat down in an easy chair. +A eunuch brought in her tea, which I handed to her myself instead +of letting the eunuch wait upon her. This of course was Court +etiquette, and was also a sign of respect + +After she had finished her tea, she got up and went around the +room, examining everything, opening up all my bureau drawers and +boxes in order to see whether I kept my things in proper order. +Happening to glance into one corner of the room she exclaimed: +"What are those pictures on the table over there," and walked +across to examine them. As soon as she picked them up, she +exclaimed in much surprise: "Why, they are all photographs of +yourself, and are very much better than the picture you had +painted. They are more like you. Why didn't you show them to me +before?" I hardly knew what to answer, and when she saw that I was +very much embarrassed by her question, she immediately started +talking about something else. She often acted in this manner when +she saw that any of us were not quite prepared for any of her +questions, but she would be sure to reopen the subject at some +future time, when we were expected to give a direct answer. + +After examining the photographs for sometime, which by the way, +were all taken in European dress, Her Majesty said: "Now these are +good photographs; much better than the portrait you had painted. +Still I have given my promise, and I suppose I shall have to keep +it. However, if I do have my photograph taken, it will not +interfere at all with the painting of the portrait. The only +trouble is I cannot ask an ordinary professional photographer to +the Palace. It would hardly be the thing." + +My mother thereupon explained to Her Majesty that if she desired +to have her photograph taken, one of my brothers, who had studied +photography for some considerable time, would be able to do all +that was necessary. + +I would like to explain that I had two brothers at Court at that +time, who held appointments under the Empress Dowager. One was in +charge of all the electrical installation at the Summer Palace, +and the other, her private steam launch. It was the custom for all +the sons of the Manchu officials to hold certain positions at the +Court for two or three years. They were perfectly free to walk +about the grounds of the Palace, and saw Her Majesty daily. Her +Majesty was always very kind to these young men, and chatted with +them in quite a motherly way. These young fellows had to come to +the Palace each morning very early, but as no man was allowed to +stay all night in the Palace they of course had to leave when they +had finished their duties for the day. + +When Her Majesty heard what my mother said, she was very much +surprised, and asked why she had never been told that my brother +was learned in photography. My mother replied that she had no idea +that Her Majesty wished to have a photograph taken, and had not +dared to suggest such a thing herself. Her Majesty laughed, and +said: "You may suggest anything you like, as I want to try +anything that is new to me, especially as outsiders can know +nothing about it." She gave orders to send for my brother at once. +On his arrival Her Majesty said to him: "I hear that you are a +photographer. I am going to give you something to do." My brother +was kneeling, as was the custom of the Court, whilst Her Majesty +was addressing him. Everybody, with the exception of the Court +ladies, had to kneel when she was speaking to them. Even the +Emperor himself was no exception to this rule. Of course the Court +ladies, being constantly in attendance, were allowed not to kneel, +as Her Majesty was talking to us all the time, and it was her +orders that we should not do so, as it would be wasting a lot of +time. + +Her Majesty asked my brother when he would be able to come and +take her photograph, and what kind of weather was necessary. My +brother said that he would go back to Peking that night, to fetch +his camera, and that he could take the photograph at any time she +desired, as the weather would not affect the work. So Her Majesty +decided to have her photograph taken the next morning. She said: +"I want to have one taken first of all in my chair, when going to +the audience, and you can take some others afterwards." She also +asked my brother how long she would have to sit, and was surprised +to learn that only a few seconds would suffice. Next she enquired +how long it would be before it was finished, so that she could see +it. My brother answered that if it were taken in the morning it +could be finished late the same afternoon. Her Majesty said that +was delightful, and expressed a wish to watch him do the work. She +told my brother that he might select any room in the Palace to +work in, and ordered a eunuch to make the necessary preparations. + +The next day was a beautiful day, and at eight o'clock my brother +was waiting in the courtyard with several cameras. Her Majesty +went to the courtyard and examined each of them. She said: "How +funny it is that you can take a person's picture with a thing like +that." After the method of taking the photograph had been fully +explained to her, she commanded one of the eunuchs to stand in +front of the camera so that she might look through the focusing +glass, to see what it was like. Her Majesty exclaimed: "Why is it +your head is upside down? Are you standing on your head or feet?" +So we explained when the photo was taken it would not look that +way. She was delighted with the result of her observations, and +said that it was marvellous. Finally she told me to go and stand +there, as she wanted to have a look at me through this glass also. +She then exchanged places with me, and desired that I should look +through the glass and see if I could make out what she was doing. +She waved her hand in front of the camera, and on my telling her +of it, she was pleased. + +She then entered her chair, and ordered the bearers to proceed. My +brother took another photograph of Her Majesty in the procession +as she passed the camera. After she had passed the camera she +turned and asked my brother: "Did you take a picture?" and on my +brother answering that he had, Her Majesty said: "Why didn't you +tell me? I was looking too serious. Next time when you are going +to take one, let me know so that I may try and look pleasant." + +I knew that Her Majesty was very much pleased. While we were at +the back of the screen during the audience, I noticed that she +seemed anxious to get it over, in order to have some more +photographs taken. It only took about twenty minutes to get that +particular audience over, which was very rare. + +After the people had gone, we came from behind the screen and Her +Majesty said: "Let us go and have some more pictures taken while +the weather is fine." So she walked the courtyard of the Audience +Hall, where my brother had a camera ready, and had another +photograph taken. She said that she would like to have some taken +sitting on her throne, exactly as though she were holding an +audience. It took us only a few minutes to have everything +prepared in the courtyard. The screen was placed behind the +throne, and her footstool was also placed ready for her, and she +ordered one of the Court ladies to go and bring several gowns for +her to select from. At the same time I went and brought some of +her favorite jewelry. She ordered the two gowns which she had worn +at the audiences when she received Admiral Evans and Mrs. Evans, +to be brought in, and also the same jewels as she had worn on +those respective occasions. She had two photographs taken in these +costumes, one in each dress. Next she wanted one taken in a plain +gown, without any embroidery. She then ordered my brother to go +and finish the pictures which had already been taken, as she was +anxious to see what they were like. She said to my brother: "You +wait a minute, I want to go with you and see how you work on +them." Of course, I had not considered it necessary to explain to +Her Majesty the process of developing the pictures, the dark room, +etc., so I explained to her as well as I could the whole thing. +Her Majesty replied: "It doesn't matter. I want to go and see the +room, no matter what kind of a room it is." So we all adjourned to +the dark room in order to see my brother work on the photographs. +We placed a chair so that Her Majesty could sit down. She said to +my brother: "You must forget that I am here, and go along with +your work just as usual." She watched for a while, and was very +pleased when she saw that the plates were developing so quickly. +My brother held up the plate to the red light, to enable her to +see more distinctly. Her Majesty said: "It is not very clear. I +can see that it is myself all right, but why is it that my face +and hands are dark?" We explained to her that when the picture was +printed on paper, these dark spots would show white, and the white +parts would be dark. She said: "Well, one is never too old to +learn. This is something really new to me. I am not sorry that I +suggested having my photograph taken, and only hope that I shall +like the portrait painting as well." She said to my brother: +"Don't finish these photographs until after I have had my +afternoon rest. I want to see you do it." When she got up at about +half-past three, it did not take her long to dress herself, as was +her usual custom, and she went immediately to where my brother had +the papers and everything prepared. He then showed Her Majesty how +the printing was done. There was plenty of light, as it was summer +time, and as it was only four o'clock in the afternoon, the sun +was still high. Her Majesty watched for two hours while my brother +was printing, and was delighted to see each picture come out quite +plainly. She held the first one in her hands so long while +examining the others, that when she came to look at it again, she +found that it had turned quite black. She could not understand +this at all, and exclaimed: "Why has this gone black? Is it bad +luck?" We explained to her that it must be washed after printing, +otherwise a strong light would cause the picture to fade, as this +one had done. She said: "How very interesting, and what a lot of +work there is." + +After the printing process had been finished, my brother placed +the pictures in a chemical bath, as usual, finally washing them in +clean water. This caused Her Majesty even more surprise when she +saw how clear the pictures came out, and caused her to exclaim: +"How extraordinary. Everything is quite true to life." When they +were finally completed, she took the whole of them to her own room +and sat down on her little throne, and gazed at them for a long +time. She even took her mirror in order to compare her reflection +with the photographs just taken. + +All this time my brother was standing in the courtyard awaiting +Her Majesty's further commands. Suddenly she recollected this +fact, and said: "Why, I had forgotten all about your brother. The +poor fellow must be still standing waiting to know what I want +next. You go and tell him--no, I had better go and speak to him +myself. He has worked so hard all the day, that I want to say +something to make him feel happy." She ordered my brother to print +ten copies of each of the photographs, and to leave all his +cameras at the Palace, in order that he could proceed with the +work the next day. + +The following ten days it rained continually, which made Her +Majesty very impatient, as it was impossible to take any more +photographs until the weather improved. Her Majesty wanted to have +some taken in the Throne Room, but this room was too dark, the +upper windows being pasted over with thick paper, only the lower +windows allowing the light to enter. My brother tried several +times, but failed to get a good picture. + +During this rainy period the Court was moved to the Sea Palace, as +the Emperor was to sacrifice at the Temple of Earth. This was a +yearly ceremony and was carried out on similar lines to all other +annual ceremonies. On account of the rain Her Majesty ordered that +boats should be brought alongside the west shore of the Summer +Palace. On entering the boats, Her Majesty, accompanied by the +Court, proceeded to the Western Gate of the city, and on arrival +at the last bridge, disembarked. Chairs were awaiting us and we +rode to the gate of the Sea Palace. There we again entered the +boats and proceeded across the lake, a distance of about a mile. +While crossing the lake Her Majesty noticed a lot of lotus plants +which were in full bloom. She said: "We are going to stay at least +three days here. I hope the weather will be fine, as I should like +to have some photographs taken in the open boats on the lake. I +have also another; good idea, and that is, I want to have one +taken as `Kuan Yin' (Goddess of Mersy). The two chief eunuchs will +be dressed as attendants. The necessary gowns were made some time +ago, and I occasionally put them on. Whenever I have been angry, +or worried over anything, by dressing up as the Goddess of Mercy +it helps me to calm myself, and so play the part I represent. I +can assure you that it does help me a great deal, as it makes me +remember that I am looked upon as being all-merciful. By having a +photograph taken of myself dressed in this costume, I shall be +able to see myself as I ought to be at all times." + +When we arrived at the private Palace the rain ceased. We walked +to her bedroom, although the ground was still in bad condition. +One of Her Majesty's peculiarities was a desire to go out in the +rain and walk about. She would not even use an umbrella unless it +was raining very heavily. The eunuchs always carried our +umbrellas, but if Her Majesty did not use her umbrella, of course +we could not very well use ours. The same thing applied in +everything. If Her Majesty wanted to walk, we had to walk also, +and if she decided to ride in her chair, we had to get into our +chairs and ride as well. The only exception to this rule was when +Her Majesty, being tired walking, ordered her stool to rest on. We +were not allowed to sit in her presence, but had to stand all the +time. Her Majesty liked her Sea Palace better than her Palace in +the Forbidden City. It was far prettier, and had the effect of +making her good tempered. + +Her Majesty ordered us to retire early that day, as we were all +very tired after the trip, and said that in the event of it being +fine the next day, she would have the proposed photographs taken. +However, much to Her Majesty's disappointment, it rained +incessantly for the next three days, so it was decided to stay a +few days longer. On the last day of our stay it cleared up +sufficiently to enable the photographs to be taken, after which we +all returned to the Summer Palace. + +The day after our arrival at the Summer Palace Her Majesty said +that we had better prepare everything for the audience to receive +the lady artist (Miss Carl). She told the chief eunuch to issue +orders to all the other eunuchs not to speak to Miss Carl, but +simply be polite as occasion required. We Court ladies received +similar orders. Also, that we were not to address Her Majesty +while Miss Carl was present. The Emperor received similar +instructions. Her Majesty gave orders to have the Gardens of +Prince Chung's Palace ready. She then said to us: "I trust you +three to look after this lady artist. I have already given orders +for food to be supplied by the Wai Wu Pu. The only thing that I +have been worried about is that I have no foreign food here for +Miss Carl." She ordered us to have our stove taken over to Prince +Chung's Palace in case Miss Carl desired something cooked. She +said: "I know it will be very hard for you to take her to the +Palace each morning and return with her at night, besides having +to watch her all day long, but I know you do not mind. You are +doing all this for me." After a while she smiled, and said: "How +selfish of me. I order you to bring all your things to this place, +but what is your father going to do? The best thing will be to ask +your father to come and live in the same place. The country air +might benefit him." We kowtowed and thanked Her Majesty, as this +was a special favor, no official nor anyone else having been +allowed to live in Prince Chung's Palace previously. We all were +very pleased--I could now see my father every day. Hitherto we had +only been able to see him about once a month, and then only by +asking special leave. + +The next day Her Majesty sent us to Prince Chung's Palace to make +all necessary arrangements for Miss Carl's stay. + +This Palace of Prince Chung's was a magnificent place. All the +smaller dwellings were quite separate from each other, not in one +large building, as was the custom. There was a small lake in the +grounds, and lovely little paths to walk along, exactly like the +Empress Dowager's Summer Palace, but, of course, on a much smaller +scale. We selected one of these small dwellings, or summer houses, +for the use of Miss Carl during her stay, and had it fitted up +nicely, to make her as comfortable as possible. We ourselves were +to occupy the next house to Miss Carl, in order that we might +always be on hand, and at the same time keep a good eye on her. We +returned to the Summer Palace the same evening, and told Her +Majesty just how everything had been arranged. She said: "I want +you all to be very careful not to let this lady know that you are +watching her." She seemed very anxious about this, repeating these +instructions for several days prior to Miss Carl's arrival. + +I felt very much relieved when the day before the audience +arrived, and everything was finally fixed to Her Majesty's +satisfaction. She ordered us to retire early that evening, as she +wanted to rest and look well the next morning. When morning came +we hurried over everything, even the usual morning audience, so +that we could be ready when Miss Carl arrived. + +While I was standing behind the screen, as usual, a eunuch came +and told me that Mrs. Conger, the artist, and another lady had +arrived, and that they were now in the waiting room. By that time +the audience was about finished. The chief eunuch came in and told +Her Majesty that the foreign ladies had arrived and were waiting +in another room. Her Majesty said to us: "I think I will go to the +courtyard and meet them there." Of course, at all private +audiences Her Majesty received the people in the Throne Room, but +as Miss Carl was more of a guest, she did not think it necessary +to go through the usual formal reception. + +While we were descending the steps we saw the ladies entering the +gate of the courtyard. I pointed out Miss Carl to Her Majesty, and +noticed that she eyed Miss Carl very keenly. When we arrived in +the courtyard, Mrs. Conger came forward and greeted Her Majesty +and then presented Miss Carl. Her Majesty's first impression of +Miss Carl was a good one, as Miss Carl was smiling very +pleasantly, and Her Majesty, who always liked to see a pleasant +smile, exclaimed to me in an undertone: "She seems to be a very +pleasant person," to which I replied that I was very glad she +thought so, as I was very anxious about the impression Miss Carl +would make on Her Majesty. Her Majesty watched Miss Carl and +myself as we greeted each other, and I could see that she was +satisfied. She told me afterwards that she had noticed Miss Carl +appeared very glad to see me again, and said: "We will handle her +pretty easily, I think." Her Majesty then went to her own private +Palace, and we all followed. On our arrival, Miss Carl told me +that she had brought her own canvas. This was a piece about six +feet by four feet. I had told Miss Carl a little previously that +Her Majesty refused to sit for a very small portrait and that she +would like a life-size one. When Her Majesty saw the canvas she +appeared to be very much disappointed, as in her opinion even that +was not large enough. We placed the tables ready for Miss Carl, +and Her Majesty asked her to choose the position in which she +wished to paint. I knew that Miss Carl would have great difficulty +in choosing a good position on account of the windows being built +so low, there being very little light except low down near the +ground. However, Miss Carl finally placed the canvas near the door +of the room. Her Majesty told Mrs. Conger and the rest to sit down +for a while as she wanted to change into another gown. I followed +her into her bedroom. The first question Her Majesty asked was how +old I thought Miss Carl was, as she herself could not guess her +age, her hair being extremely light, in fact almost white. I could +hardly refrain from laughing outright on hearing this, and told +Her Majesty that Miss Carl's hair was naturally of a light color. +Her Majesty said that she had often seen ladies with golden hair, +but never one with white hair, excepting old ladies. She said: "I +think that she is very nice, however, and hope she will paint a +good portrait." + +Turning to one of the Court ladies, she ordered her to fetch a +yellow gown as although, as she put it, she did not like yellow, +she thought it would be the best color for a portrait. She +selected one from a number which the Court lady brought, +embroidered all over with purple wisteria. Her shoes and +handkerchiefs matched. She also wore a blue silk scarf, +embroidered with the character "Shou" (long life). Each character +had a pearl in the center. She wore a pair of jade bracelets and +also jade nail protectors. In addition she wore jade butterflies +and a tassel on one side of her headdress, and, as usual, fresh +flowers on the other side. Her Majesty certainly did look +beautiful on that occasion. + +By the time she came out from her room Miss Carl had everything +prepared. When she saw how Her Majesty was dressed, she exclaimed: +"How beautiful Her Majesty looks in this dress," which remark I +interpreted to Her Majesty, and it pleased her very much. + +She seated herself on her throne, ready to pose for the picture. +She just sat down in an ordinary easy position, placing one hand +on a cushion. Miss Carl explained: "That is an excellent position, +as it is so natural. Please do not move." I told Her Majesty what +Miss Carl said, and she asked me whether she looked all right, or +not. If not, she would change her position. I assured her that she +looked very grand in that position. However, she asked the opinion +of the Young Empress and some of the Court ladies, who all agreed +that she could not look better. I could see that they never looked +at Her Majesty at all, they were too much interested in what Miss +Carl was doing. + +When Miss Carl commenced to make the rough sketch of Her Majesty +everyone watched with open mouth, as they had never seen anything +done so easily and so naturally. The Young Empress whispered to +me: "Although I don't know anything about portrait painting, still +I can see that she is a good artist. She has never seen any of our +clothes and headdresses, and she has copied them exactly. Just +imagine one of our Chinese artists trying to paint a foreign lady, +what a mess he would make of it." + +After the sketch was finished Her Majesty was delighted and +thought it was wonderful for Miss Carl to have made it so quickly +and so accurately. I explained that this was a rough sketch and +that when Miss Carl commenced painting, she would soon see the +difference. Her Majesty told me to ask Miss Carl whether she was +tired and would like to rest; also to tell her that she was very +busy all the day, and would only be able to give her a few +minutes' sitting each day. We then took Miss Carl to luncheon, +together with Mrs. Conger, and after luncheon we accompanied Her +Majesty to the theatre. + +After Mrs. Conger had departed I took Miss Carl to my room to +rest. As soon as we arrived there, Her Majesty sent a eunuch to +call me to her bedroom. Her Majesty said: "I don't want this lady +to paint during my afternoon rest. She can rest at the same time. +As soon as I am up you can bring her here to paint. I am glad that +it looks like turning out better than I had anticipated." I +therefore told Miss Carl Her Majesty's wishes in this respect and +that she could paint for a little while, if she chose to, after +Her Majesty had had her rest. Miss Carl was so interested in Her +Majesty, she told me she didn't want to rest at all, but that she +would like to go on with the painting right away. Of course, I did +not like to tell her anything the first day, as it might upset +her, and did not say that this was a command from Her Majesty. +After a lot of maneuvering I got her to give up the idea of +continuing straight off, without offending her. I took her out on +the veranda as the eunuch was preparing the table for Her +Majesty's dinner in the room we were then occupying. The Young +Empress kept Miss Carl busy talking, I acting as interpreter. Soon +one of the eunuchs came and informed us that Her Majesty had +finished dinner, and would we please come and take ours. On +entering the room I was very much surprised to see that chairs had +been placed there, as this had never been done previously, +everybody, with the exception of Her Majesty, taking their meals +standing. The Young Empress was also very much surprised and asked +me whether I knew anything about it. I said that perhaps it was on +account of Miss Carl being there. The Young Empress told me to go +over and ask Her Majesty, as she was afraid to sit down without +receiving orders to do so. Her Majesty whispered to me: "I don't +want Miss Carl to think we are barbarians, and treat the Young +Empress and the Court ladies in that manner. Of course, she does +not understand our Court etiquette and might form a wrong +impression, so you can all sit down without coming over to thank +me, but be natural, as though you were accustomed to sitting down +to dinner every day." + +After Her Majesty had washed her hands she came over to our table. +Of course we all stood up. Her Majesty told me to ask Miss Carl +whether she liked the food, and was pleased when Miss Carl +answered that she liked the food better than her own kind. That +relieved Her Majesty. + +After dinner was over I told Miss Carl to say good-bye to Her +Majesty. We courtesied to her, also to the Young Empress, and said +good night to the Court ladies. We then took Miss Carl to the +Palace of Prince Chung. It took us about ten minutes' ride in the +carts. We showed Miss Carl her bedroom, and were pleased to leave +her and get to our own rooms, for a good night's rest. + +The next morning we took Miss Carl to the Palace, and arrived +there during the morning audience. Of course Miss Carl, being a +foreigner, could not enter the Throne Room, so we sat down on the +back veranda of the Audience Hall and waited until it was over. +This, of course, prevented my being in attendance each morning, as +usual, and was a great disappointment to me, as I was unable to +keep in touch with what was taking place. Moreover, during the +time I had been at Court, my one object had been to endeavor to +interest Her Majesty in Western customs and civilization. I +believed that to a great extent Her Majesty was becoming +interested in these things, and would refer the subjects of our +conversations to her Ministers, for their opinions. For instance, +I had shown her photographs taken of a Naval Review at which I was +present in France. Her Majesty seemed to be impressed, and said +that she would certainly like to be able to make a similar display +in China. This matter she consulted with her Ministers, but they +gave the usual evasive answer, viz.: "There is plenty of time for +that." From this you will see that Her Majesty was not able to +introduce reforms entirely alone, even though she might desire to +do so, but had to consult the Ministers, who would always agree +with Her Majesty, but would suggest that the matter be put off for +a time. + +My experience while at the Palace was that everybody seemed to be +afraid to suggest anything new for fear they might get themselves +into trouble. + +When Her Majesty came out from the Audience Hall, Miss Carl went +up to her and kissed Her Majesty's hand, which caused her great +surprise, although she did not show it at the time. Afterwards, +however, when we were alone, she asked me why Miss Carl had done +this, as it was not a Chinese custom. She naturally thought that +it must be a foreign custom, and therefore said nothing about it. + +Her Majesty then proceeded on foot to her own Palace, to change +her dress for the portrait. It was a beautiful morning, and when +she had posed for about ten minutes, she told me that she felt too +tired to proceed, and asked if it would be all right to ask Miss +Carl to postpone it. I explained that as Miss Carl was going to be +at the Palace for some time, the postponement of one day's sitting +would not make much difference at that time, although I knew that +Miss Carl would naturally be disappointed. Still, I had to humor +Her Majesty as much as possible, otherwise she might have thrown +up the whole thing. Miss Carl said that if Her Majesty wished to +go to rest, she could be working painting the screen and the +throne, and Her Majesty could pose again later on if she felt like +it. This pleased Her Majesty, and she said that she would try to +sit again after taking her afternoon's rest. Her Majesty ordered +me to give Miss Carl her lunch in my own room at twelve o'clock +each day, my mother, my sister and myself keeping her company. +Dinner at the Palace was usually taken about six o'clock, and it +was arranged that Miss Carl should take dinner with the Young +Empress and the Court ladies at that hour, after Her Majesty had +finished dining. Her Majesty also ordered that champagne or any +other wine which Miss Carl preferred, should be served, as she +said she knew it was the custom for all foreign ladies to take +wine with their meals. Where she got hold of this idea, nobody +knew. I was sure that Her Majesty had been misinformed by +somebody, but it would have been bad policy to have tried to tell +her different at the moment. She disliked very much to be told +that she was wrong in any of these things, and it could only be +done by waiting and casually introducing the subject at some other +time. + +After Miss Carl had gone to rest during the afternoon, Her Majesty +sent for me and asked the usual question, viz.: What had Miss Carl +been saying? etc., etc. She seemed particularly anxious to know +what Miss Carl thought of her, and when I told her that Miss Carl +had said that she was very beautiful and quite young looking, she +said: "Oh! well, of course Miss Carl would say that to you." +However, on my assuring her that Miss Carl had given this opinion +without being asked for it, she showed very plainly that she was +not at all displeased with the compliment. + +Suddenly Her Majesty said: "I have been thinking that if Miss Carl +can paint the screen and the throne, surely she ought to be able +to paint my clothes and jewels, without it being necessary for me +to pose all the time." I told her that would be quite impossible, +as nobody could hold the things for Miss Carl to get the proper +effect. To my surprise she answered: "Well, that is easily gotten +over. You wear them in my place." I hardly knew what to say, but +thought I would get out of the difficulty by telling her that +perhaps Miss Carl would not like such an arrangement. Her Majesty, +however, could see no possible objection on Miss Carl's part, as +she herself could pose when the time came for painting her face. +So I put the matter as nicely as possible to Miss Carl, and it was +finally arranged that I should dress in Her Majesty's robes and +jewels whenever Her Majesty felt too tired to do the posing +herself. In this manner the portrait of the Empress Dowager was +painted, and with the exception of just a few hours to enable Miss +Carl to get Her Majesty's facial expression, I had to sit for two +hours each morning, and for another two hours each afternoon until +the portrait was finished. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN + +THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY + + MY father's four months' leave having expired, he was received in +audience by their Majesties on the first day of the sixth moon. He +was much improved in health, but his rheumatism was still very +troublesome. This was particularly noticeable when climbing the +steps to the Audience Hall, and Her Majesty ordered two of the +eunuchs to assist him. + +First he thanked Her Majesty for her kindness towards my sister +and myself, and, as was the custom, took off his hat and knelt +down, bowing his head until it struck the ground. This ceremony +was always gone through by any official who had received special +favors from Their Majesties. + +He then replaced his hat on his head and remained kneeling before +the throne. Her Majesty then questioned him about his life in +Paris, from time to time complimenting him on his work. Seeing +that remaining in this kneeling position appeared to be making him +tired, Her Majesty ordered one of the eunuchs to bring a cushion +for him to use, which was another great honor, as this cushion was +only used by the President of the Grand Council. + +Her Majesty told him that as he was now getting to be a very old +man, she did not intend sending him away from China again, as she +wanted to keep my sister and myself at the Court, which she could +not do if she sent him to some foreign country, as he would want +to take his daughters with him. She said she was pleased, that +although we had been away from China for such a long time, we were +well acquainted with the Manchu customs. My father replied that it +had been his care that we should be brought up according to the +customs of our own country. + +Her Majesty when asked the Emperor if he had anything to say, and +he replied by asking my father if he spoke French, and thought it +very strange on learning that he did not. My father explained that +he had never had the time to study it, besides which he considered +himself too old to learn a foreign language. + +The Emperor next asked what was the feeling in France towards +China. My father replied that they were very friendly at that +time, but that immediately after the Boxer trouble the post of +Minister had been a very embarrassing one. Her Majesty said that +it had been an unfortunate affair, but she was glad that +everything was now settled satisfactorily. She told my father that +he was to get well again as quickly as possible, and the audience +came to an end. + +Afterwards Her Majesty said that my father was looking very old +since his return from France and that he would have to be careful +and take things easy until he got stronger again. She was pleased +that he had shown appreciation of her interest in my sister and +myself. + +Preparations were now commenced for celebrating the birthday of +His Majesty, the Emperor Kwang Hsu, which was to take place on the +28th of that month. The actual date of the Emperor's birthday was +the 26th of the sixth moon, but this day, being the anniversary of +the death of a previous Emperor of China, we were unable to hold +any festivities, and so it was always celebrated on the 28th day +instead. The official celebration lasted for seven days, three +days before and four days after the actual date. During that time +the whole of the Court dressed in official robes, and no business +of any kind whatever was attended to. This being the Emperor's +32nd birthday, and as the full celebrations only took place every +tenth year, i. e. On his 20th birthday, his 30th birthday, and so +on, the festivities were not carried out on a very grand scale. +However, it was quite sufficient to interfere with all business, +and the usual morning audiences did not take place during these +seven days. The Empress Dowager herself was the only person who +did not dress especially during these celebrations, and who did +not take any active part in the festivities. Another reason why +the celebrations were not carried out on a very large scale was +the fact that the Empress Dowager, being alive, she took +precedence, according to the Manchu custom, over the Emperor +himself, in fact she was the actual ruler of the country, the +Emperor being second. The Emperor was quite aware of this fact, +and when the Empress commanded that preparations be commenced for +the celebrations, the Emperor would always suggest that it was not +at all necessary to celebrate the occasion unless it happened to +be a tenth year, and would very reluctantly agree to the +festivities taking place. Of course this was more out of +politeness on the part of the Emperor and to conform to the +recognized etiquette, but the nation recognized this birthday and +naturally celebrated according to the usual custom. During this +period, therefore, the painting of the portrait was postponed. + +When the morning of the 25th arrived, the Emperor dressed himself +in his official robe-yellow gown, embroidered with gold dragons +and coat of a reddish black color. Of course, being the Emperor, +in place of the usual button on the hat he wore a large pearl. I +might mention that the Emperor was the only person who could wear +this particular pearl in place of a button. He came as usual to +wish Her Majesty Chi Hsiang and then proceeded to the temple to +worship before the ancestral tablets. After this ceremony was over +he returned to the Empress Dowager and kowtowed to her. All the +Chinese adopt this rule of kowtowing to their parents on their own +birthdays, as a sign of reverence and respect. The Emperor next +proceeded to the Audience Hall, where all the Ministers were +assembled, and received their salutations and congratulations. +This ceremony very often caused amusement, for to see several +hundred people all bobbing their heads up and down, especially +when they did not all manage to do it together, was a very funny +sight. Even the Emperor himself had to laugh, it was such an +extraordinary spectacle. + +The musical instruments which were used during the ceremony +deserve a little description. The principal instrument is made of +hard wood, and has a flat bottom about three feet in diameter, +with a dome-shaped top raised about three feet from the ground. +The inside is quite hollow. A long pole made of the same material +is used as a drumstick, and an official, specially appointed, +beats with all his might on the drum. The noise can be better +imagined than described. This is used as a signal to announce when +the Emperor takes his seat upon the throne. In addition to the +above, a full sized model of a tiger, also made of similar hard +wood, and having twenty-four scales on its back, is brought into +the courtyard. In this case they did not beat the instrument, but +scraped along its back over the scales, which emitted a noise +similar to the letting off simultaneously of innumerable crackers. +This noise was kept up during the whole of the ceremony, and what +with the drum and this tiger instrument it was sufficient to +deafen one. During the ceremony, an official crier used to call +out the different orders, such as when to kneel, bow, stand up, +kowtow, etc., etc., but with the noise it was quite impossible to +hear a single word of what he uttered. Another instrument was +composed of a frame made of wood, about eight feet high by three +feet broad. Across this frame were three wooden bars, from which +was suspended twelve bells, made out of pure gold. When these were +struck with a wooden stick the sound was not at all unlike the +dulcimer, only, of course, very much louder. This was placed on +the right side of the Audience Hall. On the left side a similar +instrument was placed, with the exception that the bells were +carved out of white jade. The music which could be brought out of +the instrument was very sweet. + +When this ceremony of receiving the Ministers was concluded, the +Emperor proceeded to his private Palace, where the Young Empress +(his wife), the Secondary wife and all the Court ladies were +gathered, and, after kowtowing, all of the Court ladies present, +led by the Young Empress, knelt before him and presented him with +a Ru Yee. This is a kind of sceptre. Some are made out of pure +jade, while others are made out of wood inlaid with jade. This Ru +Yee is a symbol of good luck and was supposed to bring happiness +and prosperity to the person to whom it was presented. The +ceremony was gone through to the accompaniment of music played on +string instruments, which was very sweet. + +Next the eunuchs were received by the Emperor, and they similarly +congratulated him, but without the accompaniment of music. After +the eunuchs came the servant girls, and the whole of the ceremony +was over. The Emperor next proceeded to Her Majesty's Palace, +where he knelt before Her Majesty and thanked her for the +celebration which had been given in his honor, after which Her +Majesty, accompanied by the whole Court, went to the theatre to +see the play. On arrival at the theatre we were all presented by +Her Majesty with sweetmeats, this being the custom on these +occasions, and after a little while Her Majesty retired for her +afternoon rest. Thus the celebration ended. + +Two days after the celebration the seventh moon commenced. The +seventh day of the seventh moon was the occasion of another +important anniversary. + +The two stars, Niu Lang (Capricorn) and Chih Nu (Lyra) are +supposed to be the patrons of agriculture and weaving and, +according to tradition, were at one time man and wife. As the +result of a quarrel, however, they were doomed to live apart, +being separated from each other by the "Milky Way." But on the +seventh day of the seventh moon of each year they are allowed to +see each other and the magpies are supposed to build a bridge to +enable them to meet. + +The ceremony is rather peculiar. Several basins full of water were +placed so that the sun's rays would fall upon them. Her Majesty +then took several tiny needles and dropped one into each basin. +These floated on the water, casting a shadow across the bottom of +the basins. These shadows took different forms, according to the +position of the needle, and if the shadow took certain prescribed +forms, the person throwing in the needle was supposed to be very +lucky and clever, while if they represented certain other forms, +they were despised by the gods as being ignorant. In addition, Her +Majesty burned incense and offered up prayers to the two gods +referred to. + +This was always a sad moon for Her Majesty, it being the +anniversary of the death of her husband, the Emperor Hsien Feng, +who died on the 17th of that month. The fifteenth of the seventh +moon each year is the day of the festival for the dead, and early +in the morning the Court moved to the Sea Palace in order to +sacrifice. The Chinese hold that when a person dies, his soul +still remains on the earth, and on these anniversaries they burn +imitation money, the belief being that the soul of the departed +one will benefit to the extent of the amount of money so +represented. On the anniversary above referred to Her Majesty sent +for hundreds of Buddhist priests to pray for those unfortunate +people who had died without leaving anyone who could sacrifice for +them. On the evening of this day, Her Majesty and all her Court +ladies set out in open boats on the lake, where imitation lotus +flowers were arranged as lanterns, with a candle placed in the +centre, which formed a sort of floating light, the idea being to +give light to the spirits of those who had departed during the +year, so as to enable them to come and receive the blessings which +had been prepared for them. Her Majesty ordered us to light the +candles and place the flowers on the water ourselves, as she said +it would be appreciated by the spirits of the dead. Some of the +eunuchs had told Her Majesty that they had actually seen some of +these spirits, which assertion was thoroughly believed. Although +she had never seen them herself, she accounted for this by the +fact that she was of too high a rank and the spirits were afraid +of her, but she ordered all the rest of us to keep a sharp lookout +and tell her if we saw anything. Of course we didn't see anything, +but many of the Court ladies were so frightened that they closed +their eyes for fear they might see something supernatural. + +Her Majesty was devoted to the late Emperor Hsien Feng, and she +was very sad and morose during this period. We all had to be very +careful indeed not to upset her in any way, as she would find +fault on the slightest provocation. She hardly had a word to say +to any of us, and cried almost incessantly. I could hardly +understand the reason for such grief, seeing that the Emperor had +died so many years previously. None of the Court ladies were +allowed to dress in light-coloured gowns during the whole of the +seventh moon. We all dressed either in dark blue or pale blue, +while Her Majesty herself dressed in black every day without +exception. Even her handkerchiefs were black. The theatres which +were usually opened on the first and fifteenth of each month, were +closed during the seventh moon. There was no music, and everything +was conducted in the most solemn manner; in fact, the whole Court +was in deep mourning. + +On the morning of the seventeenth day of the seventh moon, Her +Majesty visited the late Emperor's tablet, and knelt there crying +for quite a while. In order to show respect for the late Emperor, +none of us were allowed to eat meat for three days. This being my +first year at the Palace, it appeared to me very strange, after +the customary gaiety and noise. Of course I felt very sorry for +Her Majesty, as I could see that it was a genuine display of grief +and was not in any way put on. As I was her favorite at that time, +she kept me close to her side during this sad period. The Young +Empress said to me one day: "Her Majesty is very much attached to +you, and I think you had better stay with her for the time being." +This I did, and I was so miserable myself that when Her Majesty +commenced crying I would cry also. When she saw that I was crying, +Her Majesty would immediately stop and ask me not to cry. She +would tell me that I was too young to cry, and that in any case I +did not know what real sorrow was as yet. During the conversations +we had at that time she would tell me quite a lot about herself. +On one occasion she said: "You know I have had a very hard life +ever since I was a young girl. I was not a bit happy when with my +parents, as I was not the favorite. My sisters had everything they +wanted, while I was, to a great extent, ignored altogether. When I +first came to the Court, a lot of the people were jealous of me +because I was considered to be a beautiful woman at that time. I +must say myself that I was a clever one, for I fought my own +battles, and won them, too. When I arrived at Court the late +Emperor became very much attached to me and would hardly glance at +any of the other ladies. Fortunately, I was lucky in giving birth +to a son, as it made me the Emperor's undisputed favorite; but +after that I had very bad luck. During the last year of his reign +the Emperor was seized with a sudden illness. In addition to this +the foreign soldiers burnt down the Palace at Yuen Ming Yuen, so +we fled to Jehol. Of course everybody knows what took place at +that time. I was still a young woman, with a dying husband and a +young son. The East Empress Dowager's nephew was a bad man, who +coveted the throne, which he had no right to in any event, as he +was not of royal blood. I would not wish anyone to experience what +I myself passed through at that time. When the Emperor was in a +dying condition, being practically unconscious of what was taking +place around him, I took my son to his bedside and asked him what +was going to be done about his successor to the throne. He made no +reply to this, but, as has always been the case in emergencies, I +was equal to the occasion, and I said to him: `Here is your son,' +on hearing which he immediately opened his eyes and said: `Of +course he will succeed to the throne.' I naturally felt relieved +when this was settled once and for all. These words were +practically the last he spoke, for he died immediately afterwards. +Although it is now so many years ago, I can see him now in that +dying condition, just as though it all happened only yesterday. + +"I thought that I could be happy with my son as the Emperor Tung +Chi, but unfortunately he died before he was twenty years of age. +Since that time I have been a changed woman, as all happiness was +over as far as I was concerned when he died. I had also quite a +lot of trouble with the East Empress Dowager and found it very +difficult to keep on good terms with her. However, she died five +years after the death of my son. In addition to all this, when the +Emperor Kwang Hsu was brought to me as a baby three years old, he +was a very sickly child, and could hardly walk, he was so thin and +weak. His parents seemed to be afraid of giving him anything to +eat. You know his father was Prince Chung, and his mother was my +sister, so of course he was almost the same as my own son, in fact +I adopted him as such. Even now, after all my trouble on his +account, he is not in perfect health. As you know, I have had +plenty of other troubles beside these, but it is useless to +mention them now. I am disappointed with everything, as nothing +has turned out as I had expected." With this remark Her Majesty +commenced crying afresh. Continuing, she said: "People seem to +think that just because I am the Empress Dowager that I am bound +to be happy, but what I have just told you is not all. I have gone +through much more than that. If ever anything went wrong, I was +always the one who was blamed. The censors even dare to impeach me +once in a while. However, I am philosopher enough to take things +for what they are worth, otherwise I would have been in my own +grave long, long ago. Just imagine how small minded these people +are. Amongst other things they objected to my transferring my +Court to the Summer Palace during the hot weather, although I +could do no harm by being there. Even in the short time you have +spent at Court, you can see that I am unable to decide anything +alone, while whenever they want anything they consult with each +other and then present their petition to me, which, unless it is +something of a very serious nature, I never think of refusing." + +After the time set apart for mourning had expired, we all went +back to the Summer Palace, where Miss Carl re-commenced her work +on Her Majesty's portrait. Her Majesty apparently soon got tired +of this portrait painting, for one day she asked me when I thought +it would be finished. She was afraid that it would not be finished +by the time the cold weather came on, when we always removed the +Court to the Forbidden City, and she said it would be a lot of +trouble and inconvenience to have to continue the portrait there. +I told Her Majesty that it could easily be arranged and that she +need not worry herself. + +After I had been posing in Her Majesty's place for several days +Her Majesty asked me whether Miss Carl had said anything about it, +and if she did, I was to inform her that it was a command from Her +Majesty, and that I dare not make any further suggestions in that +respect. So we had no further trouble with Miss Carl after that. I +had, however, quite a lot of trouble with the eunuchs, who, in +spite of Her Majesty's instructions, were anything but polite to +Miss Carl. Of course Miss Carl herself did not know this. I tried +to make them behave better by threatening to tell Her Majesty +about them, which had a good effect for a while, but they were +soon as bad as ever. + +At the commencement of the eighth moon, Her Majesty always +attended to the transplanting of her chrysanthemums, which was one +of her favorite flowers, so each day she would take us with her to +the west side of the lake and, assisted by us, would cut the tops +of the young plants and set them in flower pots. I was very much +surprised at this, as there were no roots, only the stems of the +flowers, but Her Majesty assured me that they would soon grow into +very pretty plants. Every day we went over to water these flowers +until they began to bud. In case it rained heavily, Her Majesty +would order some of the eunuchs to go over and cover up these +chrysanthemum plants with mats, so that they would not be broken. +It was characteristic of Her Majesty that, no matter what other +business she had to attend to, her flowers had her first +consideration and she would, if necessary, even go without her +usual rest in order to superintend them personally. She also spent +quite a time in looking after her orchard, where she had planted +apple trees, pear trees, etc. Another thing which I began to +notice was that when the spring and summer days had passed, she +got quite irritable and sad, while in the winter she was simply +unbearable. She loathed cold weather. + +One day, during the eighth moon, Her Majesty was taken slightly +ill, and complained of suffering from severe headaches. This was +the only time I ever saw Her Majesty actually sick. She, however, +got up as usual in the morning, and held audience, but was unable +to take her luncheon, and very soon had to retire to her bed. +Several doctors were summoned, each of whom took her pulse. This +was quite a ceremony in itself. The doctors knelt at the bedside, +and Her Majesty stretched forth her arm, resting her hand upon a +small pillow which was provided for that purpose. After this each +doctor wrote out his prescription, all of which were different +from each other. We handed them to Her Majesty, who chose the one +which she thought was the nicest to take, and two attendants and +the doctor himself had to take a dose in her presence before she +would touch it. Then she would take it all right. + +During this time it rained a great deal and was very hot. The +climate at this time of the year is very damp, which causes the +flies to make their appearance in millions. If there was one thing +more than another that Her Majesty detested it was these flies. +During the actual summer they were not so troublesome as at this +particular time. Of course every precaution was taken to keep them +away, a eunuch being posted at each door, provided with sort of a +switch made of horse hair fastened at the end of a bamboo pole. We +were never troubled by mosquitoes, however; in fact I never saw a +mosquito curtain in the Palace during the whole of my stay there. +These flies were an abomination, and in spite of all that could be +done a few would find their way into the rooms. Whenever they +alighted on Her Majesty she would scream, while if by any chance +one were to alight on her food she would order the whole lot to be +thrown away. This would spoil her appetite for the whole day and +put her into a terrible temper as well. Whenever she saw one +anywhere near her, she would order whoever happened to be present +to go and catch it. I myself often received this order, but I +detested them almost as much as Her Majesty did, they were so +dirty, and stuck to one's hands whenever they touched them. + +After her illness Her Majesty was indisposed more or less for +quite a long time, and doctors were constantly in attendance. She +took so many different kinds of medicine that instead of getting +better she got worse and eventually contracted a fever. Her +Majesty was very much afraid of fevers of any kind and we had to +stay with her all night and all day and had to take our meals +whenever we could get away from her bedside for a few minutes. +Another peculiarity was Her Majesty's aversion for any kind of +perfume near her when she was sick, while when she was feeling +well she was simply smothered in it. The same applied to fresh +flowers; in spite of her love for them under ordinary conditions, +when she was sick she could not bear them anywhere near. Her +nerves became absolutely unstrung, as she was unable to sleep +during the day, and consequently the time passed very slowly to +her. In order to make the time pass a little less tediously, she +gave instructions for one of the better educated eunuchs to read +to her during the daytime. This reading generally consisted of +ancient Chinese history, poetry and all kinds of Chinese lore, and +while the eunuch was reading to her we had to stand by her +bedside, one of us being told off to massage her legs, which +seemed to soothe her somewhat. This same program was gone through +every day until she was completely herself again--some ten days +later. + +One day Her Majesty asked me: "What kind of medicine does a +foreign doctor usually give in case of a fever? I have heard that +they make you take all kinds of pills. This must be very +dangerous, as you never know what they are made of. Here in China +all medicines are made from roots, and I can always find out +whether I am receiving the right medicine, as I have a book which +explains what each different medicine is for. Another thing I have +heard is that foreign doctors generally operate on you with a +knife, while we cure the same sickness by means of our medicine. +Li Lien Ying told me that one of our little eunuchs had a boil on +his wrist and someone advised him to go to the hospital. Of course +they didn't know what they would do, and the foreign doctor there +opened the boil with a knife, which frightened the child very +much. I was very much surprised when I heard he was all right +again in a couple of days." Continuing, Her Majesty said: "A year +ago one of the foreign ladies came to the Palace, and hearing me +cough a lot, gave me some black pills and told me to swallow them. +I did not like to offend her, so I took the pills and told her I +would take them by and bye. However, I was afraid to take them and +threw them away." Of course I answered that I didn't know much +about medicines, to which she replied that she had seen me take +foreign medicines whenever I was not feeling well. She then said: +"Of course I know there are people in Peking who do take the +medicines given them by foreign doctors and even some of my own +relatives patronize these foreigners also. They try not to let me +know, but I do know for all that. In any case, if they choose to +kill themselves by taking these things, it is none of my business; +that is the reason why, when they are sick, I never send my own +doctors to attend them." + +When Her Majesty had completely recovered from her illness she +used to go out on the lake a great deal, sometimes in an open boat +and at other times in a steam launch. She always appeared to enjoy +this kind of thing. For some reason or other she always insisted +on taking the west side of the lake, which was very shallow, and +invariably the launch would get stuck fast in the mud, which +seemed to afford Her Majesty great enjoyment; she simply loved to +feel the launch strike the bottom. The open boats would then come +alongside and we would have to get out of the launch and enter the +boats and proceed to the top of the nearest hill to watch the +efforts of the eunuchs trying to refloat the launch. It was a +characteristic of Her Majesty to experience a keen sense of +enjoyment at the troubles of other people. The eunuchs knew this +quite well, and whenever opportunity offered, they would do +something which they thought would amuse Her Majesty. So long as +it was nothing of a serious nature Her Majesty would always +overlook it, but in case it proved serious or was carelessness, +she would always order them to be severely punished. Thus it was +very hard to tell just what to do in order to please her. + +Another of Her Majesty's peculiarities was inquisitiveness. For +example: As I have stated before, it was the custom for Her +Majesty to have sweetmeats brought to her before every meal, and +after she had finished with them, the remainder were distributed +among the Court ladies. Whenever it happened that we were very +busy, we did not bother with the sweetmeats at all, which Her +Majesty very soon found out. One day, after she had finished +dining, she came and looked through the window to see what we were +doing, and saw some of the eunuchs eating the sweetmeats which she +had given to us. She did not say anything, but simply ordered that +the sweetmeats should be brought back again, making us believe +that she wanted some more herself. I knew that there was something +wrong, as she never ordered them back before. When she saw what +was left of them, she asked who had been eating so many, as they +were nearly all finished, but she got no reply--we were all too +scared. However, after thinking it over, I came to the conclusion +that it would be best to tell her the truth, for I was quite +certain that she knew anyhow. So I told her that we had all been +very busy and had forgotten all about the sweetmeats, and that the +eunuchs had come and taken them themselves, and I added that this +was not the first time they had done so. I was rather glad that +she had given me this opportunity to report the eunuchs, for Her +Majesty replied that if she intended the eunuchs to have +sweetmeats, she herself could give them some, but thought it a +lack of appreciation on our part not eating them ourselves after +she had been so kind as to provide them for us. She turned to me, +and said: "I am glad that you have told the truth, as I saw myself +what was happening." She gave orders that the offending eunuchs +should each have three months' wages deducted as a punishment, but +of course I knew very well they didn't mind that, as they were +making many times the amount of their salary in other ways. On my +return to the sitting room, one of the Court ladies said: "You +should not have told Her Majesty about the eunuchs, they are sure +to revenge themselves in some way." I asked how they could +possibly injure me in any way, as they were only servants, but she +told me that they would find some underhand way in which to get +even with me, this being their general custom. Of course I knew +the eunuchs were a bad lot, but could not see what cause they had +to be against me in any way. I knew they dare not say anything +against me to Her Majesty, so I forgot all about the matter. I +found out afterwards that one of the tricks they used to play on +any of the Court ladies who offended them was to try and prejudice +Her Majesty against us. For instance, if Her Majesty told one of +the eunuchs that a certain thing should be done, instead of +telling me what Her Majesty wanted, the eunuch would go off to one +of the other ladies and tell her. In this way Her Majesty would +get the impression that I was too lazy to wait upon her myself, +and of course the other lady would get all the credit. Although +Her Majesty was very kind to me, also the Young Empress, it was +very hard to get along with eunuchs, and it was not good policy to +offend them in any way. They regarded themselves as being +exclusively the servants of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and +refused to take instructions from anybody else, consequently they +were often very rude to the other ladies of the Court, not even +excepting the Young Empress. + +Everything proceeded as usual until the eighth moon, when the +Emperor was to sacrifice at the "Temple of the Sun." On this +occasion the Emperor wore a red robe. + +About this time Mrs. Conger asked for a private audience, as she +wanted to see Her Majesty and at the same time see how the +portrait was progressing. Her Majesty replied that she would +receive her and gave orders accordingly. At this private audience +Mrs. Conger brought into the Court two of her relatives to be +presented to Her Majesty, besides Miss Campbell and a missionary +lady. As it was a private audience, the guests were conducted to +Her Majesty's private Palace. They were received in the hall which +was being used as studio for this lady artist, although Her +Majesty was out of patience with the portrait painting, and talked +to us a great deal about it, yet when she saw Mrs. Conger and the +others she was extremely polite and told them that the portrait +was going to be a masterpiece. She was in an unusually good humor +that day and told me to give orders to the eunuchs to open all the +buildings and show them to her guests. Her Majesty led the way +from one room to another and showed them her curios in the +different rooms, until she came to rest in one of the bedrooms, +when she ordered chairs to be brought in for the guests. There +were many chairs in this room, but they were really small thrones +of Her Majesty's, although they looked like any ordinary chairs. +The custom is that no matter what kind of a chair it may be, as +soon as she uses it, it is at once called her throne and no one is +allowed to sit on it thereafter unless the order is given by her. + +During the time the eunuchs were bringing in the chairs kept +purposely for foreigners to use, one of the ladies of the party +made a mistake and sat upon one of Her Majesty's thrones. I +noticed her at once, and before I had a chance to warn her, Her +Majesty made a sign of annoyance to me. I went to this lady at +once and told her I wanted to show her something and naturally she +was obliged to get up. The trouble was this, although Her Majesty +felt that no one had the right to sit upon her throne, she +expected me to get this lady off the chair and at the same time +not to tell her the reason why. While I was busy interpreting for +her, she said in an undertone: "There she is again, sitting on my +bed. We had better leave this room." After this the ladies were +conducted to the refreshment room, and when they had partaken of +lunch, bade Her Majesty good-bye, leaving Miss Carl with us. As +usual we reported to her that we had seen the guests safely off. +She said to me: "That was a funny lady: first she sat upon my +throne, and then upon my bed. Perhaps she does not know what a +throne is when she sees one, and yet foreigners laugh at us. I am +sure that our manners are far superior to theirs. Another +thing--did you notice that Mrs. Conger handed a parcel to Miss +Carl out in the courtyard when she came in?" I replied that I had +noticed her passing something like a parcel, but could not tell +what the parcel contained. She thereupon told me to go and ask +Miss Carl what it was. At that time I had received so many +peculiar orders from Her Majesty that I was beginning to get +accustomed to them and used my own discretion in carrying out her +instructions. Therefore I did not ask Miss Carl, but set about +finding out for myself. However, when I began to look around for +the parcel, it had mysteriously disappeared and I could not find +the thing anywhere. This naturally worried me, knowing as I did +that Her Majesty liked her instructions carried out quickly. While +I was searching, one of the eunuchs came in and told me that Her +Majesty wanted to see me, and of course I had to go to her. Before +she could say anything to me, I informed Her Majesty that I had +not been able to ask Miss Carl about the parcel as she was asleep, +but would do so immediately she got up. Her Majesty said: "I don't +want Miss Carl to think I have told you to ask what the parcel +contains, otherwise she might think I am suspicious of what is +going on, so you must manage to get the information somehow +without mentioning the matter; you are clever enough to do that +much." Shortly afterwards, while I was walking along with Miss +Carl to Her Majesty's Palace, to proceed with the portrait, I +noticed that she was carrying the parcel in question, which was a +great relief to me, I can assure you. On arrival at the Palace, +Miss Carl said to me: "You need not trouble to pose at present, as +it is rather dark, and I can be painting the throne; you can look +through this magazine, if you like, to pass the time away." So I +opened up the parcel, which proved to contain nothing more than an +ordinary American monthly magazine. After glancing through the +book, I made an excuse to hurry away and inform Her Majesty. +However, she had already gone out for her usual trip on the lake, +so I took my chair and followed. When I reached the lake, Her +Majesty, who had seen me, sent a small boat and I was rowed out to +the launch. Before I could get a chance to speak, Her Majesty said +with a smile: "I know all about it, it was a book and Miss Carl +handed it to you to read." I was very much disappointed that I had +had my journey for nothing. I knew that the eunuchs would report +it to Her Majesty at the first opportunity, but I hardly expected +they would have done so already. Her Majesty was now quite +satisfied, and simply asked whether Miss Carl suspected that she +had enquired about the matter. + +As I was about to return to Miss Carl, Her Majesty called me and +said: "There is one thing I want to tell you and that is whenever +any foreign ladies are visiting the Palace, always keep close to +the Emperor so that in the event of their speaking to him you can +interpret." I answered that so far whenever any foreigners were +present I was present also and did not think that anybody had held +any conversation with the Emperor whatsoever. She explained that +her reason for mentioning this was that she wanted me to be just +as courteous to the Emperor as I was to herself, and I was to +place myself entirely at his disposal whenever visitors were +present. Of course I knew very well that this was not the true +reason at all but that she wanted to take every precaution to +preclude the possibility of foreigners influencing the Emperor in +matters of reform, etc. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN + +THE MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL + + ON the fifteenth day of the eighth moon came the celebration of +the Mid-Autumn Festival, sometimes called the Moon Festival. + +This name is derived from the belief which the Chinese hold that +the moon is not permanently round when full, but that on this +particular day it is a perfect circle. The ceremony which is gone +through is conducted entirely by the Court ladies and consists of +worshiping the moon as soon as it appears in the sky. In other +respects the celebrations are exactly the same as in the Dragon +Boat Festival, presents were exchanged between Her Majesty and the +Court officials. The festival concluded with a theatrical +performance which describes a scene in the moon. The belief is +that a beautiful maiden lives in the moon, her only companion +being a white rabbit, called a Jade Rabbit. According to the play +this rabbit escapes from the moon to the Earth and becomes a young +and beautiful girl. A golden rooster which lives in the sun, +becoming aware of the rabbit's descent to the earth, himself +descends from the sun and changes into a handsome prince. Of +course they very naturally meet and immediately fall in love. Now, +on the earth lived another rabbit--a red one, who, on finding out +what was going on, changed himself into a prince also and set +about making love to the beautiful maiden with the object of +cutting out the rooster. However, he was seriously handicapped +inasmuch as he was unable to change the color of his face, which +remained red, therefore his love making met with no success and +the rooster prince had it all his own way. At this point, the +beautiful maiden in the moon, on discovering her loss, sent the +soldiers of Heaven to re-capture her rabbit, with the result that +she was taken back to the moon and the rooster being left alone, +had no alternative but to reluctantly return to his home in the +sun. + +During this performance the head eunuch brought a young man into +the courtyard, who kowtowed to Her Majesty. This was such an +unusual occurrence that everybody noticed it. I could see that he +was a stranger and did not belong to the Court and I wondered who +he could be. At the other end of the veranda I saw two or three of +the Court ladies whispering together and smiling. They finally +came over to me and asked if I knew who he was. I told them that +he was a stranger to me and they ought to know better than I did +as they had been at the Court much longer. Anyhow I gave it as my +opinion that he was decidedly ugly. That same evening Her Majesty +asked me whether I had noticed this young man, and told me that he +was the son of a very high Manchu official; that his father was +dead and that he had succeeded to the title and to a large amount +of money. I was surprised that Her Majesty should give such a +lengthy explanation about this young man, but I told her that I +did not think him very handsome. Her Majesty was talking in a very +serious manner but I did not think anything of the occurrence at +the time but a few days later while I was posing for the portrait +I heard Her Majesty whispering to my mother at the other end of +the room. I saw that Her Majesty was holding a photograph in her +hands which she showed to my mother, at the same time asking +whether my mother considered him good looking. My mother answered +"not very." On Her Majesty replying that beauty was not everything +I began to suspect that there was something going on which +directly concerned me. I began to think of some excuse in order to +get out of what I could plainly see was a proposed marriage +between myself and this gentleman. I knew that if Her Majesty had +made up her mind that I was to marry him I could not help myself, +but, at the same time, I made up my own mind that rather than +marry anyone whom I did not like, especially one I had never seen +before, I would leave the Court altogether. When Her Majesty +retired for her usual afternoon rest she told me she wanted to see +me for a moment. After beating about the bush for some time, she +asked me whether I would like to stay with her always or whether I +would like to go away again to some foreign country. I at once +answered that I was quite satisfied to stay with her as long as +she cared to have me but that when she was tired of me she could +then send me away. Her Majesty informed me that it had been her +intention to marry me to this young gentleman and asked my +opinion. I told her that I did not want to get married at all, +especially seeing that my father was sick at this time, and +leaving home to go to live apart from my family would break his +heart and perhaps be the cause of his premature death. Her Majesty +said that was no excuse as I should not have to go out of China +but would be able to see my father and family any time I wished. I +told Her Majesty that I would much rather stay with her altogether +and that I did not want to marry anybody. Her Majesty then said: +"I won't listen to any excuse. I have already explained everything +to your mother, but much to my surprise she said it would be +better to mention it to you first, on account of your having been +brought up differently from the rest of the Court ladies. Had it +not been for this fact I would simply have arranged everything +with your mother and the matter would have been settled so far as +you were concerned." I could not say anything in answer to this, +so commenced to cry. I told Her Majesty that I was not like the +rest of the Court ladies who pretended they did not want to marry, +when all the time they were simply looking forward to getting +married, if only for the change from the monotony of Court life. I +promised that I would stay with her forever, and that I had no +desire to go away from China again. I explained that I should not +have gone away at all had it not been that my father was +transferred to Paris. Her Majesty said: "Oh, well, I am very glad +that you did go away as you are more useful to me than you would +have been had you stayed in China all your life." After a lot more +discussion Her Majesty said: "Well, I will leave you to think the +matter over. If you don't like the young man I have chosen there +are plenty of others," which remark did not help me very much as I +could see that she meant to marry me off anyway. However, I had +managed to get out of it this time, and thought I would be able to +arrange matters satisfactorily should the question come up again. +Nothing further was said about the matter until nearly a month +later when I heard that a marriage had been arranged between this +gentleman and the daughter of one of the princes. So everything +ended very satisfactorily from my point of view. + +The twenty-sixth day of the eighth moon was the occasion of +another celebration. At the time the Manchu Dynasty began, Emperor +Shung Chih, who had fought very hard to gain the throne, found +himself on the twenty-sixth day of the eighth moon, absolutely out +of provisions of every kind and it was necessary for him and his +army to live on the leaves of trees, which was the only form of +food obtainable at the time. Thus the anniversary of this day, +even up to the present time, is always celebrated by the Manchu +people, who deny themselves all luxuries, especially at the Court. +We did not eat any meat on that day, but only rice wrapped in +lettuce leaves. Chopsticks were also discarded and the food was +conveyed to the mouth by the hands alone. Even the Empress Dowager +was no exception to this rule. This is done in order to remind the +present generation of the privation suffered by their ancestors +who established the Manchu Dynasty. + +Towards the close of the eighth moon Her Majesty's gourd plants, +which had been planted early in the spring, were ripening, and +each day she would take us all to see what progress they were +making. She would pick out those which she considered to be the +most perfect in form, i. e., those with the smallest waist and tie +ribbons around them so as not to lose sight of them. She pointed +to one of these plants one day, and said to me: "This reminds me +of yourself when dressed in foreign clothes. Surely you feel more +comfortable in the clothes you are now wearing." When these gourds +were quite ripe they were cut down and Her Majesty would scrape +the outer skin with a bamboo knife, afterwards wiping the fruit +with a wet cloth. They were then allowed to dry and after a few +days they would assume a brownish color, when they were ready for +hanging as ornaments in the Summer Palace. In one room alone there +were over 10,000 of these gourds, of different shapes. It was the +duty of the Court ladies to periodically wipe these gourds with a +cloth, in order to give them a shiny appearance, and also to +scrape any new ones which were pulled and prepare them for the +Palace. None of us cared very much about this work excepting Her +Majesty. One day whilst attending to these gourds I happened to +knock the top off one of the old ones which was Her Majesty's +particular favorite. I dared not go and tell Her Majesty what had +happened and one of the Court ladies suggested throwing the thing +away altogether and saying nothing about it as Her Majesty would +not be likely to find it out, having so many of them. However, I +finally decided to go and tell Her Majesty about it, and take +punishment if necessary. For a wonder Her Majesty did not make +much bother about it. She said: "Well it was quite an old one in +any case and the top was ready to drop off at any time; it so +happens that you were the one to wipe it, and of course it came +off. It can't be helped." I told Her Majesty that I was very much +ashamed at being so careless, especially as I knew it was one of +her favorites, and there the matter ended. All the rest of the +Court ladies were in the waiting room and were anxious to know how +I would get out of it, and when I told them they said that had it +been any of them there would have been a fine row. They laughed, +and said it must be nice to be a favorite which made me feel very +uncomfortable. I told the Young Empress exactly what had happened, +and she said I was quite right to tell Her Majesty the truth and +told me to be very careful as there was much jealousy going on. + +At the beginning of the ninth moon the chrysanthemums commence to +bud and it was the duty of the ladies of the Court to go and trim +them each day by cutting away all the buds except one on each +stalk. This trimming gives the flower a better chance of +developing, a much larger blossom being the result. Even Her +Majesty would help with this work. She was very particular about +these plants, and would not allow any of us to meddle with them if +our hands were not perfectly cool, as to touch them with hot hands +would cause the leaves to shrivel up. These flowers are generally +in full bloom about the end of the ninth moon or beginning of the +tenth moon. Her Majesty had a wonderful gift of being able to tell +what kind of flower would bloom from each separate plant, even +before the buds appeared. She would say: "This is going to be a +red flower," and we would place a bamboo stick in the flower pot, +with the name written on it. Then another, Her Majesty would +declare to be a white one and we would place a similar bamboo +stick in the flower pot, with the description, and so on. Her +Majesty said: "This is your first year at the Palace and no doubt +you are surprised at what you have just seen and heard me say, but +I have never yet made a mistake. For you will see when the flowers +commence to bloom." It was a fact as everything turned out exactly +as she had predicted. None of us ever knew how she was able to +distinguish one from the other, but she was always right. I did +once ask her to explain how she was able to tell but she answered +that it was a secret. + +All this time the portrait was proceeding very slowly and one day +Her Majesty asked me how long I thought it would be before it was +finished and what the custom in Europe was as regards remuneration +for such a portrait. I replied that it was customary to pay very +handsomely, but she would not hear of such a suggestion, saying +that in China it was not the custom and that it would be regarded +as an insult to offer money for such a service. She suggested +decorating Miss Carl as a reward for her services, which she +considered would be appreciated far more than a money present. +There was nothing for me to say at this time but I determined to +mention the matter again when a favorable opportunity occurred. + +During the ninth moon a Russian circus visited Peking and of +course everybody talked of little else. Her Majesty, hearing so +much talk about this circus asked what it was like, and after we +had explained to her, she became very interested and said that she +would like to see it. My mother thought it would be a good idea to +have the circus brought up to the Summer Palace, where they could +perform, so she asked Her Majesty whether this might be done. Her +Majesty was delighted with the idea, and arrangements were +accordingly made for the performance. While everything was being +fixed, the people belonging to the circus, and the animals, were +quartered near our own house and we had to feed them at our own +expense. However, we wanted to show Her Majesty what a circus was +like so the expense did not matter. It took them two days to erect +the tent and make all necessary preparations, and during this time +Her Majesty received reports as to what was being done, and the +progress they were making. + +The day before the performance, we noticed that Her Majesty, on +coming from her audience, looked very angry, and on our enquiring +what was the matter she informed my mother and myself that some +censors had raised objections against having this circus in the +Palace grounds, as there had never been anything of this kind +allowed before and they had begged Her Majesty to give up the +idea. Her Majesty was very angry, and said: "You see how much +power I have here; I cannot even have a circus without somebody +raising objections. I think we had better pay them something and +let them go away." Of course we agreed to anything she thought +best. After considering for a time Her Majesty jumped up and said: +"They have the tent up already; they will talk just the same +whether we have the circus or not; I will have it anyway." So the +performance duly took place and Her Majesty and all the Court were +delighted. One item consisted of a young girl walking and dancing +on a large globe. This especially pleased Her Majesty and she +insisted on the performance being repeated several times. Another +item of interest was the trapeze act. Of course nobody present +with the exception of my mother, sister and myself had ever seen a +circus performance before, and Her Majesty was very much afraid +that the man would fall from the trapeze and kill himself. Another +thing which interested Her Majesty was the bare-back riding, which +she thought simply wonderful. The only objection to the whole show +which she raised was when it was suggested to bring in the lions +and tigers, etc. She said it was not safe to bring wild beasts +into the Palace and that she would rather not see this part of the +performance. The proprietor of the circus, however, brought in a +small baby elephant which performed several clever tricks. This +delighted Her Majesty more than anything else and when the +proprietor saw how pleased she was he offered the elephant as a +present, which she accepted. However, after the performance was +over we tried to make him go through his tricks again but he would +not budge an inch, so we had to give it up as a bad job and send +him away to be placed along with the other elephants belonging to +the Palace. + +Altogether there were three performances given by the circus, and +before the final performance, the circus Manager told me that he +would very much like to show the lions and tigers: there was no +chance of any accident and it really would be worth seeing. So +after a lot of discussion Her Majesty finally consented to allow +them to be brought in but on the distinct understanding that they +should not be let out of their cages. + +When they were brought in the ring all the eunuchs gathered around +Her Majesty, and after remaining in the ring for a few minutes Her +Majesty ordered them to be taken away again. She said: "I am not +afraid for myself, but they might get loose and hurt some of the +people." This item finished the whole of the performance and the +circus departed richer by some Taels 10,000 which Her Majesty had +ordered to be given to them. + +For the next couple of days we discussed the merits of the circus +but afterwards, Her Majesty, when referring to the subject, +expressed great disappointment with the whole thing. She said she +had expected something entirely different and far more wonderful. +This was another characteristic of Her Majesty; nothing pleased +her for more than five minutes at a time. She said to me: "I don't +see anything at all wonderful in foreign accomplishments. Take for +instance this portrait which this lady is painting. I don't think +it is going to be at all a good picture, it seems so rough. (Her +Majesty did not understand oil painting). Then again why should +she always want to have the things before her while painting them. +An ordinary Chinese artist could paint my dress, shoes, etc., +after seeing the things once. She cannot be very much of an artist +in my opinion, though you need not tell her that I said so." +Continuing, Her Majesty said: "By the way, what do you talk about +when you are posing for this portrait of mine; although I don't +understand what she is saying, still I can see she has a lot to +say. Be sure not to tell her anything connected with the Court +life and do not teach her any Chinese. I hear that she often asks +what different things are called in Chinese, but don't tell her. +The less she knows the better for us. I can see that she has seen +nothing of our ordinary Court life, as yet. I wonder what she +would say if she were to see one of the eunuchs being punished, or +anything like that. She would think that we were savages, I +suppose. I noticed the other day, when I was angry, that you took +this lady artist away. This was very wise of you; it is better +that she should not see me in a temper, she might talk about it +afterwards. I wish this portrait was finished. The cool weather is +coming on and we have to open up the boxes and get our winter +clothes ready. You girls need winter clothes I know as you have +none but foreign dresses. Then, again, my birthday is next month +and there will be the usual celebrations. After that we return to +the Sea Palace, and what can we do with this artist? I suppose she +will have to go back and stay at the American Legation and come to +the Sea Palace each day until the work is finished. This will be a +lot of trouble as it is not ten minutes' drive as at present, but +nearer an hour's drive. And even if this can be satisfactorily +arranged, what about the Winter Palace in the Forbidden City? Try +and get to know how long she expects to be before it is finished." +This gave me an opportunity to tell Her Majesty that Miss Carl was +just as anxious to get the work finished as she was to have it +finished, but explained that Miss Carl had very little time to +paint as Her Majesty could spare very little time to give personal +sittings, and again, when Her Majesty went to lie down each +afternoon, Miss Carl had to stop painting as she was working in +the next room to Her Majesty's bedroom. Her Majesty replied: +"Well, if she expects me to sit for her all day long I will give +up the whole thing at once," and then added: "I think you yourself +are getting tired of sitting, and want me to take it up again, but +I have already had quite enough of it." Of course, I told her that +instead of being tired of it, I enjoyed sitting on Her Throne, +which I regarded as a great honor. I explained to Her Majesty that +Miss Carl did not like me to pose in her place, as she could not +get along so quickly as if she were to sit herself; but she simply +said that I was acting under her commands, and that should be +sufficient for me. + +For the next ten days we were kept very busy selecting materials +for winter clothing and also official robes for my sister and +myself to be worn during the forthcoming birthday celebrations. +These dresses were full winter Court dresses, of red satin +embroidered with golden dragons and blue clouds, and were trimmed +with gold braid and lined with grey squirrel. The cuffs and +collars (which were turned down) were of sable. While Her Majesty +was giving one of the eunuchs instructions as to how these were to +be made, the Young Empress beckoned to me, and I went out. She +said: "You go and kowtow to Her Majesty as it is a great favor for +her to give you a dress trimmed with sable. This is usually only +worn by a Princess." So when I returned to the room I availed +myself of the first opportunity to kowtow and thank Her Majesty +for the great favor she had granted me. She answered: "You deserve +it, and I see no reason why you should not be treated as a +Princess anyway; many of the Princesses are not of the Imperial +family. Any title may be bestowed for special services rendered to +the country and you have been of more help to me than any other +Court lady I have ever had, and I can see that you are faithful in +the discharge of your duties. You may think I do not notice these +things, but I do. You are certainly entitled to be ranked as a +Princess, and in fact I never treat you different from the +Princesses, but rather better in many ways." Turning to a eunuch +she said: "Bring my fur cap here." This cap was made of sable, +trimmed with pearls and jade and Her Majesty explained that our +caps would be something after the same style except that the +crown, instead of being yellow as in the case of Her Majesty's +cap, would be red. I was naturally delighted. In addition to the +cap and full Court dress Her Majesty had two ordinary dresses made +for everyday wear, one lined with sheepskin and the other lined +with grey squirrel. Then she gave us four other dresses of finer +material, lined with black and white fox skin, and all trimmed +with gold braid and embroidered ribbons. In addition there were +two other dresses, one of a pale pink color, embroidered with one +hundred butterflies and the other of a reddish color embroidered +with green bamboo leaves. Several short jackets, also lined with +fur, were also included in Her Majesty's present, and several +sleeveless jackets went to complete the lot. + +On coming out of the room, one of the Court ladies remarked that I +was very lucky to receive so many clothes from Her Majesty and +said that she had never received so many during the whole time she +had been at the Palace--nearly ten years. I could see she was +jealous. The young Empress, overhearing this conversation, joined +us and told her that when I arrived at the Palace I had nothing +but foreign clothes and how was I to manage if Her Majesty did not +get me the proper dresses. This incident was the beginning of +another unpleasant time for me with the ladies of the Court. At +first I took no notice until one day one of the girls attached to +the Palace joined in the unkind remarks. She said that before my +arrival she had been Her Majesty's particular favorite, but I gave +her to understand that she had no right to discuss me in any way +whatsoever. The Young Empress, who was present, spoke to them +about their treatment of me and said that some fine day I would be +telling Her Majesty about it. This seemed to have a good effect +for they never troubled me much afterwards with their talk. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN + +THE SUMMER PALACE + + JUST about the end of the ninth moon Her Majesty began to tire of +doing nothing day after day, and said: "What is the use of waiting +until the first of the month to have the theatrical performance? +Let us have a performance to-morrow." So she gave instructions for +the eunuchs to prepare for the play, which should be staged +without the assistance of any outside actors. I might here mention +that certain of the eunuchs were specially trained as actors and +used to study their parts every day. Indeed, they were far +cleverer than the professionals from outside. + +Her Majesty gave the head eunuch the list of the plays she wished +to be performed, which were for the most part dramatised fairy +tales, and we had a performance the next day. + +After Her Majesty had gone to rest in the afternoon, during the +theatrical performance I met the Emperor returning to his own +Palace. I was surprised to see only one eunuch in attendance. This +was the Emperor's own private eunuch and he trusted him +implicitly. He asked me where I was going and I told him I was +going to my room to rest a while. He remarked that he had not seen +me for quite a long time, which made me laugh as I saw him every +morning at the audience. He said: "I don't get as much chance of +chatting with you as formerly since this portrait painting began. +I am afraid I am not making much progress with my English as I +have nobody to help me now that your time is occupied with this +lady artist. You appear to enjoy her company very much. All the +same I suppose it is very monotonous. Has she found out yet that +you are there simply to keep an eye upon her?" I told him that I +was very careful not to betray myself in any way and that I did +not think she suspected she was being watched. + +The Emperor then said: "I understand there is a rumor to the +effect that when this lady has finished Her Majesty's portrait she +is going to paint mine. I should very much like to know who says +so." I told him this was the first I had heard about it so could +not say. I asked him whether he would like to have his portrait +painted but he only answered: "That is rather a difficult question +for me to answer. You know best whether I ought to have it painted +or not. + +"I see Her Majesty having so many photographs taken and even the +eunuchs are in the picture." I understood at once what he meant, +so I asked him if he wished me to take him with my little kodak. +He looked surprised and asked: "Can you take pictures, too? If it +is not too risky for us, we might try it some day when we have an +opportunity. Don't forget, but I think we must be very careful." + +He then changed the conversation by saying: "Well, now that we +have time to talk I want to ask you a question and I expect you to +answer me truly. What is the general opinion amongst the +foreigners regarding myself? Do they consider me a man of +character and do they think me clever? I am very anxious to know." +Before I could say anything in answer to this question he +continued: "I know very well that they regard me as nothing more +than a boy, and as being of no consequence at all. Tell me, is not +this so?" I replied that many foreigners had asked me about +him--as to what kind of man he was, but that they had never +expressed any opinion of their own regarding him excepting that +they understood he was in the best of health. "If any wrong +impression does exist regarding myself and my position at the +Court," continued the Emperor, "it is owing to the very +conservative customs of the Chinese Court. I am not expected to +either say or do anything on my own initiative, consequently +outsiders never hear much about me and I am regarded as being +nothing more than a figure-head. I know this is so. Whenever they +ask you about me in the future just explain to them exactly what +my position here is. I have plenty of ideas regarding the +development of this country but you know I am not able to carry +them out as I am not my own master. I don't think the Empress +Dowager herself has sufficient power to alter the state of things +existing in China at present, and even if she has, she is not +willing to. I am afraid it will be a long time before anything can +be done towards reform." + +The Emperor went on to say how nice it would be if he were allowed +to travel about from place to place the same as the European +monarchs, but of course such a thing was out of the question for +him. I told him that several Princesses had expressed a wish to +visit the St. Louis Exposition and said I thought it would be a +good thing if that could be arranged as they would see for +themselves the difference between their own country and customs +and foreign countries and customs. The Emperor expressed doubts as +to this permission being granted as such a thing had never been +heard of before. + +We talked for quite a long time, mostly about foreign customs, and +the Emperor remarked that he would very much like to visit Europe +and see for himself how things were carried on there. + +Just then one of my eunuchs came and said that Her Majesty was +awake, so I had to hurry off to her room. + +We now arrive at the tenth moon. + +The first day it snowed, and the head eunuch enquired of Her +Majesty whether it was her intention to celebrate her birthday at +the Summer Palace as usual. As previously explained the Summer +Palace was Her Majesty's favorite place of abode; so she replied +in the affirmative and arrangements were accordingly made for the +celebration to be held there as usual. The head eunuch then +brought Her Majesty a list giving the names and ranks of all the +Princesses and the names of the wives and daughters of the Manchu +officials, and she selected those whom she wished to be present at +the celebrations. On this occasion she selected forty-five ladies, +who were duly informed that she desired their presence at the +Palace. I was standing behind Her Majesty's chair all this time, +and she turned and said: "Usually I do not ask many people to my +birthday celebrations, but on this occasion I have made an +exception as I want you to see the way they dress and how ignorant +they are of Court etiquette." + +The celebrations commenced on the sixth day of the tenth moon. +Miss Carl, having returned to the American Legation in Peking for +the time being, my mother, my sister and myself went back to the +Palace again. Early on the morning of the sixth, the eunuchs +decorated the verandas with different colored silks and hung +lanterns all over the place and amongst the trees. At about seven +o'clock in the morning the visitors began to arrive and I quite +agreed with what Her Majesty had told me about them. The eunuchs +introduced them to all the Court ladies, but they seemed to have +very little to say, appearing very shy. They were then conducted +to the waiting room, but there were so many of them that we Court +ladies had to stand outside on the veranda. Some of them were very +expensively dressed, but their colors were, for the most part, +very old fashioned, and their manners very awkward. We watched +them for quite a while and then went off to report to Her Majesty. + +On such occasions as this Her Majesty was generally in pretty good +spirits. She commenced asking us a lot of questions. Amongst other +things she asked whether we had noticed an elderly lady among the +visitors, dressed as a bride. She explained that this lady was the +only Manchu lady present who was married to a Chinese official, +and had been invited because of her previous connection with the +Court. Her Majesty said she had never seen her herself, but +understood that she was a very clever woman. We had not noticed +such a person, and suggested that perhaps she had not yet arrived. + +Her Majesty dressed very quickly, and as soon as she was ready she +came into the hall, where the head eunuch brought in the visitors +and presented them to Her Majesty. We Court ladies were all +standing in a row behind the Throne. As they came in, some +kowtowed; others courtesied, while others did not do anything at +all, in fact nobody appeared to know what to do with herself. Her +Majesty spoke a few words of welcome and thanked them for the +presents they had sent her. + +I would like to say here that, contrary to the general idea which +exists, Her Majesty always expressed her thanks for any present or +service rendered, no matter how insignificant. + +Her Majesty could see plainly that everybody was embarrassed and +ordered the head eunuch to show them to their respective rooms, +and told them to make themselves at home and to go and take a +rest. They hesitated a moment, not knowing whether to go or not, +until Her Majesty said to us: "Take them and present them to the +Young Empress." + +When we arrived at the Palace of the Young Empress they were duly +presented and were not nearly so shy as before. The Young Empress +informed them that in case they desired to know anything or to be +put right on any point of Court etiquette, the Court ladies would +be pleased to give them all necessary information and she decided +that the best way would be for each Court lady to have charge of +so many of the visitors, as it would not be nice to have any +mistakes occur during the ceremony, on the tenth. So we each were +allotted so many guests and had to look after them and instruct +them how to act on the different occasions. + +During Her Majesty's afternoon rest I paid a visit to the guests I +was to take charge of. Among them was the bride referred to by Her +Majesty. So I went and made myself agreeable to her and found her +very interesting. She had evidently received a good education, +unlike the majority of Manchu ladies, as I found she could read +and write Chinese exceptionally well. I then explained to all of +them what they would have to do, and how to address Her Majesty, +should it be necessary to do so. I don't know whether I have +mentioned it previously, but whenever anybody spoke to Her +Majesty, they always addressed her as "Great Ancestor," and when +referring to themselves, instead of the pronoun "I," they would +say "Your slave." In all Manchu families a similar rule is +observed, the pronouns "You" and "I" being dispensed with and the +titles "Mother" and "Father" and the son's or daughter's first +name being substituted. + +Her Majesty was very particular about this rule being strictly +observed. + +For the next four days, until the day of the ceremony, these +visitors passed their time in learning the Court etiquette and +going to the theatre. + +Every morning, as usual, we waited on Her Majesty and reported +anything of interest which had occurred during the previous day. +Then we all preceded Her Majesty to the theatre, where we awaited +her arrival standing in the courtyard. On Her Majesty appearing, +we would all kneel down until she had passed into the building +opposite the stage, kneeling in rows --first the Emperor, behind +him the Young Princess, next the Secondary wife, then the +Princesses and Court ladies, and last of all the visitors. The +first two days everything went of all right, but on the third +morning the Emperor, from whom we received the signal, suddenly +turned and said: "Her Majesty is coming." Down we all went on our +knees, the Emperor alone remaining standing and laughing at us. Of +course there was no sign of Her Majesty and everybody joined in +the laugh. He was never so happy as when he could work off a joke +like this. + +On the evening of the ninth, none of the Court ladies went to bed, +as we all had to be up betimes on the morning of the tenth. The +visitors were told to proceed by chair to Her Majesty's special +Audience Hall on the top of the hill, where they were to await our +arrival. They arrived at the Audience Hall at three o'clock in the +morning, and we followed soon afterwards, arriving there about +daybreak. By and bye Her Majesty arrived and the ceremony +commenced. This ceremony in no way differed from the one +previously described in connection with the Emperor's birthday, so +there is no need to give particulars, except one thing. Very early +on the morning of the tenth, we had to bring another present to +her and each of us brought a hundred birds of various kinds. Each +year, on her birthday, Her Majesty did a very peculiar thing. She +would buy 10,000 birds with her own money, from her private purse +and set them free. It was a very pretty sight to see those huge +cages hung in the courtyard of the Audience Hall. Her Majesty +would select the most lucky hour and order the eunuchs to carry +the cages and to follow her. The hour selected was four o'clock in +the afternoon. Her Majesty took the whole Court with her to the +top of the hill, where there was a Temple. First she burnt sandal +wood and offered up prayers to the Gods, then the eunuchs, each +with a cage of birds, knelt in front of Her Majesty and she opened +each cage one after another and watched the birds fly away, and +prayed to the Gods that these birds should not be caught again. +Her Majesty did this very seriously and we asked each other in +whispers which bird we thought was the prettiest and would like to +keep it for ourselves. Among this lot there were a few parrots. +Some were pink; others were red and green; all were chained on +stands, and when the eunuchs broke the chains, the parrots would +not move. Her Majesty said: "How funny; each year a few parrots +will not go away at all and I have kept them until they died. Look +at them now. They won't go away." By this time the head eunuch +arrived. Her Majesty told him what had happened and he immediately +knelt down and said: "Your Majesty's great luck. These parrots +understand Your Majesty's kindness and would rather stay here and +serve Your Majesty." This ceremony is called "Fang Sheng." It is +considered a very meritorious action and will not fail of reward +in Heaven. + +One of the Court ladies asked me what I thought of the parrots +that would not fly away, and I told her that it was really very +strange. She said: "It is very simple and not strange at all. +These eunuchs, ordered by the head one, have bought these parrots +long ago and trained them. During Her Majesty's afternoon rest, +these parrots were brought to the top of the very same hill every +day to accustom them to the place. The object of this is just to +please and otherwise fool Her Majesty, to make her feel happy and +believe that she is so merciful that even such dumb things would +rather stay with her." Continuing, she said: "The huge joke is +this: while Her Majesty is letting the birds free, there are a few +eunuchs waiting at the rear of the hill to capture them and sell +them again, and so, no matter how Her Majesty prays for their +freedom, they will be caught at once." + +The celebrations were continued until the thirteenth day. Nobody +did any work and all was gaiety and enjoyment, the theatre being +open every day. Towards the close of the thirteenth day the +visitors were informed that the celebrations were at an end and +they made arrangements to leave early the next morning. They all +bade Her Majesty good-bye that evening and departed early the +following day. + +For the next few days we were all busy preparing for removing to +the Sea Palace. Her Majesty consulted her book and finally +selected the 22d as being the most favorable day for this removal. +So at six o'clock on the morning of the 22d the whole Court left +the Summer Palace. It was snowing very heavily and the journey was +only accomplished with great difficulty. Of course we were all in +chairs, as usual, and the eunuchs who were not employed as +chair-bearers rode horseback. Many of the horses fell on the +slippery stones and one of Her Majesty's chair-bearers also +slipped and brought Her Majesty to the ground. All of a sudden I +thought something dreadful had happened, horses galloping and +eunuchs howling: "Stop! Stop!!" I heard someone saying: "See if +she is still alive." The whole procession stopped and blocked the +way. This happened on the stone road just before entering the +Western Gate. Finally we saw that Her Majesty's chair was resting +on the ground, so we all alighted and went forward to see what had +happened. A great many people were talking excitedly all at the +same time, and for a moment I was rather frightened (for just +about that time we heard a rumor that some of the revolutionists +were going to take the life of the whole Court, and, although we +heard that, we did not dare tell Her Majesty), so I immediately +went to her chair and found her sitting there composedly giving +orders to the chief eunuch not to punish this chair-bearer, for he +was not to blame, the stones being wet and very slippery. Li Lien +Ying said that would never do, for this chair-bearer must have +been careless, and how dare he carry the Old Buddha in this +careless way. After saying this, he turned his head to the beaters +(these beaters, carrying bamboo sticks, went everywhere with the +Court, for such occasions as this) and said: "Give him eighty +blows on his back." This poor victim, who was kneeling on the +muddy ground, heard the order. The beaters took him about a +hundred yards away from us, pushed him down and started to do +their duty. It did not take very long to give the eighty blows +and, much to my surprise, this man got up, after receiving the +punishment, as if nothing had happened to him. He looked just as +calm as could be. While we were waiting a eunuch handed me a cup +of tea, which I presented to Her Majesty, and asked her if she was +hurt. She smiled and said it was nothing, ordering us to proceed +on our journey. I must explain about this tea; the eunuchs had it +prepared all the time and always carried a little stove along with +hot water. Although this went every time when the Court moved, it +was seldom used. + +As usual, all the Court ladies take a short cut to the Palace, so +as to be ready to receive Her Majesty, when she arrived. After +waiting in the courtyard for quite a long time, during which we +were nearly frozen, Her Majesty arrived, and we all knelt until +she had passed, and then followed her into the Palace. Her Majesty +also complained of the cold and ordered that fires should be +brought into the hall. These fires were built in brass portable +stoves lined with clay, and were lighted outside and brought into +the hall after the smoke had passed off somewhat. There were four +stoves in all. All the windows and doors were closed, there being +no ventilation of any description, and very soon I began to feel +sick. However, I went on with my work getting Her Majesty's things +in order until I must have fainted, for the next thing I +remembered was waking up in a strange bed and inquiring where I +was, but on hearing Her Majesty giving orders in the next room, I +knew it was all right. One of the Court ladies brought me a cup of +turnip juice which Her Majesty said I was to drink. I drank it and +felt much better. I was informed that Her Majesty had gone to +rest, and so I went off to sleep again myself. When I awoke, Her +Majesty was standing by my bedside. I tried to get up, but found +that I was too weak, so Her Majesty told me to lie still and keep +quiet and I would soon be all right again. She said that I had +better have a room close to her bedroom, and gave instructions for +the eunuchs to remove me there as soon as it was prepared. Every +few minutes Her Majesty would send to inquire how I was +progressing and whether I wanted anything to eat. It was the +custom to stand up whenever receiving a message from Her Majesty, +but it was out of the question for me to do so, although I tried, +with the result that I made myself worse than ever. + +Towards evening the head eunuch came to see me and brought several +plates of sweetmeats. He was very nice, and told me that I was +very fortunate, as Her Majesty very rarely bothered herself about +any of the Court ladies and that evidently she had taken a fancy +to me. He sat talking for some little time, and told me to eat +some of the sweetmeats. Of course I was not able to eat anything +at all, let alone sweetmeats, so I told him to leave them and I +would eat them later. Before leaving he said that in case I wanted +anything I was to let him know. This visit was a great surprise to +me, as usually he took very little notice of any of us, but I was +told afterwards that the reason he was so nice was because Her +Majesty showed such an interest in me. + +The next morning I was able to get up and resume my duties. I went +in to see Her Majesty and kowtowed to her, thanking her for her +kindness during my indisposition. Her Majesty said that the head +eunuch had told her the previous evening that I was much better +and that she was glad I was up and about again. She said it was +nothing serious, simply that I was unaccustomed to the fumes from +the fires, which had gone to my head. + +As the snow had stopped falling, Her Majesty decided that the next +day we would go and choose a place for Miss Carl to continue the +painting. I suggested that perhaps it would be better if we waited +until Miss Carl arrived herself, so that she could choose a +suitable place for her work, but Her Majesty said that would not +do at all, because if it were left to Miss Carl, doubtless she +would choose some impossible place. Of course there were many +parts of the Palace which were kept quite private and Miss Carl +would not be allowed to go there. So the next day Her Majesty and +myself set out to find a place. After visiting many different +rooms, all of which were too dark, we finally fixed on a room on +the lake side of the Palace. Her Majesty said: "This is very +convenient, as you can go to and fro either by chair or by water. +I found that it took about three-quarters of an hour by chair to +get to the Palace Gate, and rather less than that by boat. I was +expecting to return to stay at the Palace with Her Majesty, but it +was finally decided that this would not do, as it would not be +policy to allow Miss Carl, who was staying at the American +Legation, to go in and out of the Palace Gate alone, so Her +Majesty said it would be better for me to stay at my father's +place in the city and bring Miss Carl to the Palace each morning, +returning with her in the evening. This was anything but pleasant, +but I had no other alternative than to obey Her Majesty's +instructions. + +When Miss Carl arrived at the Palace the next day and saw the room +which had been selected for her to work in, she was not at all +pleased. In the first place she said it was too dark, so Her +Majesty ordered the paper windows to be replaced by glass. This +made the room too bright, and Miss Carl asked for some curtains so +as to focus the light on the picture. When I informed Her Majesty +of this request, she said: "Well, this is the first time I have +ever changed anything in the Palace except to suit myself. First I +alter the windows, and she is not satisfied, but must have +curtains. I think we had better take the roof off, then perhaps +she may be suited." However, we fixed up the curtains to Miss +Carl's satisfaction. + +When Her Majesty examined the portrait to see how it was +progressing, she said to me: "After all the trouble we have had +over this picture, I am afraid it is not going to be anything very +wonderful. I notice that the pearls in my cape are painted in +different colors; some look white, some pink, while others are +green. You tell her about it." I tried to explain to Her Majesty +that Miss Carl had simply painted the pearls as she saw them, +according to the different shades of light, but Her Majesty could +not understand that at all and asked if I could see anything green +about them, or pink either. I again explained that this was simply +the tints caused by the light falling on the pearls, but she +replied that she could not see any shade except white. However, +after a while she did not seem to trouble any further about the +matter. + +Situated in a room near Her Majesty's bedroom in the Sea Palace +was a Pagoda, about ten feet in height, made of carved sandalwood. +This contained various images of Buddha, which Her Majesty used to +worship every morning. The ceremony consisted of Her Majesty +burning incense before the Pagoda, while a Court lady was told off +each day to kowtow before the images. Her Majesty told me that +this Pagoda had been in the Palace for more than a hundred years. +Among the different images was one representing the Goddess of +Mercy. This image was only about five inches in height and was +made of pure gold. The inside was hollow and contained all the +principal anatomical parts of the human body, made out of jade and +pearls. This Goddess of Mercy was supposed to possess wonderful +powers and Her Majesty often worshiped before it when in any +trouble, and maintained that on many occasions her prayers had +been answered. She said: "Of course, when I pray to the image, I +pray earnestly, not the same as you girls, who simply kowtow +because it is your duty and then get away as quickly as possible." +Her Majesty went on to say that she was quite aware that many of +the people in China were discarding the religion of their +ancestors in favor of Christianity, and that she was very much +grieved that this was so. + +Her Majesty was a firm believer in the old Chinese superstitions +connected with the Sea Palace, and during one of our conversations +she told me I was not to be surprised at anything I saw. She said +it was quite a common occurrence for a person walking beside you +to suddenly disappear altogether, and explained that they were +simply foxes who took human shape to suit their purpose. They had +probably lived in the Sea Palace for thousands of years and +possessed this power of changing their form at will. She said that +no doubt the eunuchs would tell me they were spirits or ghosts, +but that was not true: they were sacred foxes and would harm +nobody. As if to confirm this superstition, one evening, a few +days later, my fire having gone out, I sent my eunuch to see if +any of the other Court ladies were awake, and if so, to try to get +me some hot water. He went out taking his lantern along with him, +but he returned almost immediately with a face as white as chalk. +On inquiring what was the matter, he replied: "I have seen a +ghost: a woman, who came up to me, blew the light out and +disappeared." I told him that perhaps it was one of the servant +girls, but he said "No"; he knew all the women attached to the +Palace and he had never seen this one before. He stuck to it that +it was a ghost. I told him that Her Majesty had said there were no +ghosts, but that it might be a fox which had taken human shape. He +replied: "It was not a fox. Her Majesty calls them foxes, because +she is afraid to call them ghosts." He went on to tell me that +many years previously the head eunuch, Li Lien Ying, while walking +in the courtyard back of Her Majesty's Palace, saw a young servant +girl sitting on the edge of the well. He went over to ask her what +she was doing there, but on getting closer he found that there +were several other girls there also, and on seeing him approach, +they all deliberately jumped down the well. He immediately raised +the alarm, and on one of the attendants coming forward with a +lantern, he explained what had occurred. The attendant showed him +that it was impossible for anybody to jump into the well, as it +was covered with a large stone. My eunuch said that a long time +before this several girls did actually commit suicide by jumping +down this well, and that what Li Lien Ying had seen were the +ghosts of these girls, and nothing more. It is believed by the +Chinese that when a person commits suicide their spirit remains in +the neighborhood until such time as they can entice somebody else +to commit suicide, when they are free to go to another world, and +not before. I told him that I did not believe such things and that +I would very much like to see for myself. He replied: "You will +only want to see it once; that will be sufficient." + +Things went along in the usual way until the first day of the +eleventh moon, when Her Majesty issued orders to the Court that as +the eleventh moon contained so many anniversaries of the deaths of +previous rulers of China, the usual theatrical performance would +be eliminated and the Court dress would in addition be modified to +suit the occasion. On the ninth day the Emperor was to go and +worship at the Temple of Heaven. So, as was customary on all these +occasions, he confined himself to his own private apartments for +three days before the ninth, during which time he held no +communication whatsoever with anybody excepting his private +eunuchs. Not even the Young Empress, his wife, was allowed to see +him during these three days. + +This ceremony did not differ very materially from the other +sacrifices, except that pigs were killed and placed on the +numerous altars of the Temple, where they remained for a time, +after which they were distributed among the different officials. +The eating of the flesh of these pigs, which had been blessed, was +believed to bring good luck and prosperity, and the officials who +were presented with them considered themselves greatly favored by +Her Majesty. Another difference was that the Emperor could not +appoint a substitute to officiate for him; but must attend in +person, no matter what the circumstances might be. The reason for +this was, that according to the ancient law, the Emperor signs the +death warrant of every person sentenced to death, record of which +is kept in the Board of Punishments. At the end of the year the +name of each person executed is written on a piece of yellow paper +and sent to the Emperor. When the time for worshiping at the +Temple arrives, he takes this yellow paper and burns it in order +that the ashes may go up to Heaven and his ancestors know that he +has been fearless and faithful, and has done his duty according to +the law. + +As this ceremony of worshiping at the Temple of Heaven was to take +place in the Forbidden City, in spite of Her Majesty's dislike to +the place, she commanded that the whole of the Court be +transferred there, her reason for this being that she did not wish +to be away from the Emperor's side even for an hour. So we all +moved to the Palace in the Forbidden City. After the ceremony was +over, the Court was to return to the Sea Palace, but as the +thirteenth day was the anniversary of the death of the Emperor +Kang Hsi, it was decided that we should remain in the Forbidden +City, where the ceremony was to be held. The Emperor Kang Hsi +ruled over the Chinese Empire for sixty-one years, the longest +reign of any Chinese Ruler up to the present time, and Her Majesty +told us that he was the most wonderful Emperor China had ever had +and that we must respect his memory accordingly. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN + +THE AUDIENCE HALL + + ON the fourteenth day of the eleventh moon, after the morning +audience, Her Majesty informed us that there was a likelihood of +war breaking out between Russia and Japan and that she was very +much troubled, as although it actually had nothing whatever to do +with China, she was afraid they would fight on Chinese territory +and that in the long run China would suffer in some way or other. +Of course we did not bother ourselves about it much at the moment, +but the next morning the head eunuch reported to Her Majesty that +fifty eunuchs were missing. As there was no apparent reason for +this, everybody was much excited. There was no rule against any of +the eunuchs going into the city after their duties were ended, +providing they returned before the Palace Gate was closed, but +when on the following morning it was reported that another hundred +eunuchs had also disappeared, Her Majesty at once said: "I know +now what the trouble is; they must have heard what I said about +this war coming on and are afraid there may be a repetition of the +Boxer trouble, and so they have cleared out." It was the custom +whenever a eunuch was missing to send out search parties and have +him brought back and punished, but in the present instance Her +Majesty gave instructions that nothing was to be done about +recapturing them. One morning, however, one of Her Majesty's +personal attendants was missing, which made her furious. She said +that she had been very kind to this particular eunuch in many +ways, and this was all the thanks she got; he ran away at the +first sign of trouble. I myself had noticed how good she had been +to this eunuch, but I was not really sorry that he had left, as he +used to take advantage of every opportunity of getting some of the +Court ladies into trouble. + +These disappearances continued from day to day until Her Majesty +decided that it would be safer for us to remain in the Forbidden +City until the following spring at any rate. + +On inquiring from my eunuch the cause of these disappearances, he +said that it was just as Her Majesty suspected; they were afraid +of getting mixed up in another such affair as the Boxer trouble, +and added that he was not a bit surprised at Her Majesty's +favorite eunuch going along with the rest. He further told me that +even Li Lien Ying himself was not to be absolutely relied upon, as +at the time of Her Majesty's leaving Peking for Shi An during the +Boxer movement, he had feigned sickness, and followed a little +later, so that in the event of anything happening, he would be +able to return and make his escape. While talking about Li Lien +Ying, my eunuch told me in confidence that he was responsible for +the death of many innocent people, mostly eunuchs. He had +unlimited power at the Court, and it was very easy for him to get +anybody put away who offended him or to whom, for some reason or +another, he took a dislike. Furthermore, the eunuch informed me +that, although not generally known, Li Lien Ying was addicted to +opium-smoking, which habit he indulged in very freely. Even Her +Majesty was unaware of this, as opium-smoking was strictly +forbidden in the Palace. + +Each morning there was fresh news regarding the trouble between +Russia and Japan, and of course everybody gradually became very +much excited at the Palace. One day Her Majesty summoned the whole +of the Court to a special audience and there informed us that +there was no need for us to get excited at all; that if any +trouble did occur, it was none of our business and we should not +be interfered with, as the spirits of our ancestors were watching +over us, and she did not want to hear any more talk and gossip on +the subject. However, she summoned all of the Court ladies to her +apartment and there commanded us to pray to the spirits of our +ancestors to protect us, which plainly showed that she was just as +much worried as we were ourselves. In spite of what she had said +with reference to gossiping about this trouble, Her Majesty often +spoke about it herself, and during one of our conversations she +said she wished she could get information each day as to what was +actually occurring, so I suggested that it would be very easy to +get all the latest news by taking the foreign papers and also +Reuter's specials. Her Majesty jumped at the suggestion and told +me to have these sent each day to my father's house in his name, +and have them brought to the Palace, where I could translate them +for her. I told her that my father received all these papers as +they were published, so I arranged that they should be brought +along as directed by Her Majesty. Each morning during the audience +I translated into Chinese all the war news, but the telegrams +began to arrive so rapidly that it soon became quite impossible +for me to write them all out in Chinese, so I told Her Majesty +that I would read and translate them into Chinese as they arrived. +This was much quicker and interested Her Majesty so much that she +insisted on my not only translating the war news, but everything +else of interest in the papers. Especially was she interested in +all news appertaining to the movements, etc., of the crowned heads +of Europe, and was very plainly astonished when she learned that +their every movement was known. She said: "Here, at any rate, it +is more private, for nobody outside the Palace ever knows what is +going on inside, not even my own people. It would be a good thing +if they did know a little more, then perhaps all these rumors +about the Palace would stop." + +Of course, during our stay in the Forbidden City, Miss Carl +attended each morning to work on the portrait. We had given her a +nice room, which seemed to suit her very well, and Her Majesty had +instructed me to let her have every convenience possible to assist +her, as she was getting tired of the business and would like to +see it finished quickly. Her Majesty hardly ever went near the +place herself, but when she did go, she would be most affable and, +really, one would think that it was the greatest pleasure of her +life to go and inspect the portrait. + +Things went very slowly during this eleventh moon on account of +the Court being in mourning, so one day Her Majesty suggested that +she should show us round the Forbidden City. First we proceeded to +the Audience Hall. This differs somewhat from the Audience Hall of +the Summer Palace. To enter, one must mount some twenty odd steps +of white marble, with rails on either side of the steps made of +the same material. At the top of the steps a large veranda, +supported by huge pillars of wood, painted red, surrounded the +building. The windows along this verandah were of marvellously +carved trellis-work, designed to represent the character "Shou" +arranged in different positions. Then we entered the hall itself. +The floor is of brick, and Her Majesty told us that all these +bricks were of solid gold and had been there for centuries. They +were of a peculiar black color, doubtless painted over, and were +so slippery that it was most difficult to keep on one's feet. The +furnishing was similar to that in the Audience Halls in the Summer +Palace and in the Sea Palace, with the exception that the throne +was made of dark brown wood inlaid with jade of different colors. + +The Hall was only used for audience on very rare occasions, such +as the birthday of the Empress Dowager and New Year's Day, and no +foreigner has ever entered this building. All the usual audiences +were held in a smaller building in the Forbidden City. + +After spending some little time in the Audience Hall, we next +visited the Emperor's quarters. These were much smaller than those +occupied by Her Majesty, but were very elaborately furnished. +There were thirty-two rooms, many of which were never used, but +all were furnished in the same expensive style. In the rear of +this building was the Palace of the Young Empress, which was +smaller still, having about twenty-four rooms in all, and in the +same building three rooms were set apart for the use of the +Secondary wife of the Emperor. Although close together, the +Palaces of the Emperor and his wife were not connected by any +entrance, but both buildings were surrounded by verandas +connecting with Her Majesty's apartments, which were quite a +distance away. There were several other buildings, which were used +as waiting rooms for visitors. In addition to the above, there +were several buildings which were not used at all; these were +sealed and nobody seemed to know what they contained, or whether +they contained anything at all. Even Her Majesty said she had +never been inside these buildings, as they had been sealed for +many years. Even the entrance to the enclosure containing these +buildings was always closed, and this was the only occasion that +any of us ever even passed through. They were quite different in +appearance from any other buildings in the Palace, being very +dirty and evidently of great age. We were commanded not to talk +about the place at all. + +The apartments of the Court ladies were connected with those of +Her Majesty, but the rooms were so small one could hardly turn +round in them; also they were very cold in winter. The servants' +quarters were at the end of our apartments, but there was no +entrance and they could only be reached by passing along our +veranda, while the only entrance we ourselves had to our rooms was +by passing along Her Majesty's veranda. This was Her Majesty's own +idea, in order that she could keep an eye on all of us and could +see when we either went out or came in. + +Her Majesty now conducted us to her own Palace, and pausing a +little said: "I will now show you something which will be quite +new to you." We entered a room adjoining her bedroom, which was +connected by a narrow passage some fifteen feet in length. On +either side the walls were painted and decorated very beautifully. +Her Majesty spoke to one of the eunuch attendants, who stooped +down and removed from the ground at each end of this passage two +wooden plugs which were fitted into holes in the basement. I then +began to realize that what I had hitherto regarded as solid walls +were in reality sliding panels of wood. These panels when opened +revealed a kind of grotto. There were no windows, but in the roof +was a skylight. At one end of this room or grotto was a large +rock, on the top of which was a seat with a yellow cushion, and +beside the cushion an incense burner. Everything had the +appearance of being very old. The room contained no furniture of +any description. One end of this room led into another passage +similar to the one already described, having sliding panels, which +led into another grotto, and so on; in fact the whole of the +palace walls were intersected by these secret passages, each +concealing an inner room. Her Majesty told us that during the Ming +dynasty these rooms had been used for various purposes, +principally by the Emperor when he wished to be alone. One of +these secret rooms was used by Her Majesty as a treasure room +where she kept her valuables. During the time of the Boxer +trouble, she hid all her valuables here before she fled. When she +returned and opened this secret room she found everything intact, +not one of the vandals who ransacked the Palace even suspecting +there was such a place. + +We returned to our veranda, and on looking around for the rooms we +had just vacated, could see nothing excepting black stone walls, +so well were they hidden. One of the principal reasons for Her +Majesty's dislike to the Forbidden City was the mysteries which it +contained, many of which she did not know of herself. She said: "I +don't even talk about these places at all, as people might think +that they were used for all kinds of purposes." + +While at the Palace in the Forbidden City I met the three +Secondary wives of the previous Emperor Tung Chi, son of the +Empress Dowager, who, since the death of the Emperor, had resided +in the Forbidden City and spent their time in doing needlework, +etc., for Her Majesty. When I got to know them I found that they +were highly educated, one of them, Yu Fai, being exceptionally +clever. She could write poetry and play many musical instruments, +and was considered to be the best educated lady in the Empire of +China. Her knowledge of western countries and their customs +surprised me very much; she seemed to know a little bit of +everything. I asked how it was that I had never seen them before, +and was informed that they never visited Her Majesty unless +commanded by her to do so, but that when Her Majesty stayed in the +Forbidden City, of course they had to call and pay their respects +each day. One day I received an invitation to visit them in their +Palace. This was separated from all the other buildings in the +city. It was rather a small building, and very simply furnished, +with just a few eunuchs and servant girls to wait upon them. They +said they preferred this simple life, as they never received any +visitors and had nobody to please but themselves. Yu Fai's room +was literally packed with literature of all descriptions. She +showed me several poems which she had written, but they were of a +melancholy character, plainly showing the trend of her thoughts. +She was in favor of establishing schools for the education of +young girls, as only very few could even read or write their own +language, and she suggested that I should speak to Her Majesty +about it at the first opportunity. In spite of her desire to see +western reforms introduced into China, however, she was not in +favor of employing missionary teachers, as these people always +taught their religion at the expense of other subjects, which she +feared would set the Chinese against the movement. + +Toward the end of the eleventh moon Her Majesty granted an +audience to the Viceroy of Chihli, Yuan Shih Kai, and as this +particular day was a holiday and Miss Carl was absent, I was able +to attend. Her Majesty asked him for his opinion of the trouble +between Russia and Japan. He said that although these two +countries might make war against each other, China would not be +implicated in any way, but that after the war was over, there was +sure to be trouble over Manchuria. Her Majesty said she was quite +aware of that, as they were fighting on Chinese territory, and +that the best thing for China to do would be to keep absolutely +neutral in the matter, as she had quite enough of war during the +China-Japan war. She said it would be best to issue orders to all +the officials to see that the Chinese did not interfere in any +way, so as not to give any excuse for being brought into the +trouble. + +She then asked his opinion as to what would be the result in the +event of war--who would win. He said that it was very hard to say, +but that he thought Japan would win. Her Majesty thought that if +Japan were victorious, she would not have so much trouble over the +matter, although she expressed doubts as to the outcome, saying +that Russia was a large country and had many soldiers, and that +the result was far from certain. + +Her Majesty then spoke about the condition of things in China. She +said that in case China were forced into war with another nation, +we should be nowhere. We had nothing ready, no navy and no trained +army, in fact nothing to enable us to protect ourselves. Yuan Shih +Kai, however, assured her there was no need to anticipate any +trouble at present so far as China was concerned. Her Majesty +replied that in any event it was time China began to wake up and +endeavor to straighten things out in some way or other, but she +did not know where to begin; that it was her ambition to see China +holding a prominent position among the nations of the world and +that she was constantly receiving memorials suggesting this reform +and that reform, but that we never seemed to get any further. + +After this audience was over, Her Majesty held an audience with +the Grand Council. She told them what had been said during her +interview with Yuan Shih Kai, and of course they all agreed that +something should be done. Several suggestions were discussed with +regard to national defense, etc., but a certain Prince said that +although he was in perfect sympathy with reform generally, he was +very much against the adoption of foreign clothing, foreign modes +of living, and the doing away with the queue. Her Majesty quite +agreed with these remarks and said that it would not be wise to +change any Chinese custom for one which was less civilized. As +usual, nothing definite was decided upon when the audience was +over. + +For the next few days nothing was talked of but the war, and many +Chinese generals were received in audience by Her Majesty. These +audiences were sometimes very amusing, as these soldiers were +quite unaccustomed to the rules of the Court and did not know the +mode of procedure when in the presence of Her Majesty. Many +foolish suggestions were made by these generals. During one of the +conversations Her Majesty remarked on the inefficiency of the navy +and referred to the fact that we had no trained naval officers. +One of the generals replied that we had more men in China than in +any other country, and as for ships, why we had dozens of river +boats and China merchant boats, which could be used in case of +war. Her Majesty ordered him to retire, saying that it was +perfectly true that we had plenty of men in China, but that the +majority of them were like himself, of very little use to the +country. After he had retired, everybody commenced to laugh, but +Her Majesty stopped us, saying that she did not feel at all like +laughing, she was too angry to think that such men held positions +as officers in the army and navy. One of the Court ladies asked me +why Her Majesty was so angry with the man for mentioning the river +boats, and was very much surprised when I informed her that the +whole of them would be worse than useless against a single war +vessel. + +Just about the end of the eleventh moon Chang Chih Tung, Viceroy +of Wuchang, arrived, and was received in audience. Her Majesty +said to him: "Now, you are one of the oldest officials in the +country, and I want you to give me your unbiased opinion as to +what effect this war is going to have on China. Do not be afraid +to give your firm opinion, as I want to be prepared for anything +which is likely to happen." He answered that no matter what the +result of the war might be, China would in all probability have to +make certain concessions to the Powers with regard to Manchuria +for trade purposes, but that we should not otherwise be interfered +with. Her Majesty repeated what had been discussed at the previous +audiences on this subject and also regarding reform in China. +Chang Chih Tung replied that we had plenty of time for reform, and +that if we were in too great a hurry, we should not accomplish +anything at all. He suggested that the matter be discussed at +length before deciding upon anything definite. In his opinion it +would be foolish to go to extremes in the matter of reform. He +said that ten or fifteen years ago he would have been very much +against any reform whatsoever, but that he now saw the need for it +to a certain extent, as circumstances had changed very much. He +said that we should adhere strictly to our own mode of living and +not abandon the traditions of our ancestors. In other words, he +simply advised the adoption of western civilization where it was +an improvement on our own, and nothing more. Her Majesty was +delighted with the interview, for Chang Chih Tung's opinions +coincided exactly with her own. + +During the whole of these audiences the Emperor, although present +each time, never opened his lips to say a word, but sat listening +all the time. As a rule, Her Majesty would ask his opinion, just +as a matter of form, but he invariably replied that he was quite +in accord with what Her Majesty had said or decided upon. + +Of the many religious ceremonies in connection with the Buddhist +religion the "La-pachow" was the most important. This was held on +the 8th day of the twelfth moon each year. According to the common +belief, on this eighth day of the twelfth moon, many centuries +ago, a certain Buddhist priest Ju Lai set out to beg for food, and +after receiving a good supply of rice and beans from the people, +he returned and divided it with his brother priests, giving each +an equal share, and he became celebrated for his great charity. +This day was therefore set apart as an anniversary to commemorate +the event. The idea was that by practising self-denial on this +day, one would gain favor in the sight of this Buddha Ju Lai, +therefore the only food eaten was rice, grain and beans, all mixed +together in a sort of porridge, but without any salt or other +flavoring. It was not at all pleasant to eat, being absolutely +tasteless. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN + +THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALS + + WE now reached the time set apart for cleaning the Palace in +preparation for the New Year festivals. Everything had to be taken +down and thoroughly overhauled, and all the images, pictures, +furniture and everything else were subjected to a thorough +scrubbing. Her Majesty again consulted her book in order to choose +a lucky day on which to commence these operations, finally +choosing the twelfth day as being most favorable. As we had all +received our orders previously, we commenced early on the morning +of the twelfth. Several of the Court ladies were told off to take +down and clean the images of Buddha and prepare new curtains for +them. The rest of the cleaning was done by the eunuchs. I asked +Her Majesty whether I was to clean her jewelry, but she answered +that as nobody but herself ever wore it, it didn't need cleaning. + +After everything had been cleaned to Her Majesty's satisfaction, +she prepared a list of names of the people she desired to attend +the ceremony of Tzu Sui. This ceremony was held on the last day of +each year and was something like the midnight services usually +held in Europe on the last night of each old year--just a farewell +ceremony to bid the old year adieu. The guests were invited about +a fortnight ahead, so as to give them plenty of time to get ready. +Her Majesty also ordered new winter clothing for the Court ladies. +The only difference between these new garments and those we were +then. wearing was that they were trimmed with the fur of the +silver fox instead of the gray squirrel. + +The next thing was to prepare cakes, which were to be placed +before the Buddhas and ancestors, during the New Year. It was +necessary that Her Majesty should make the first one herself. So +when Her Majesty decided that it was time to prepare these cakes +the whole Court went into a room specially prepared for the +purpose and the eunuchs brought in the ingredients-ground rice, +sugar and yeast. These were mixed together into a sort of dough +and then steamed instead of baked, which caused it to rise just +like ordinary bread, it being believed that the higher the cake +rises, the better pleased are the gods and the more fortunate the +maker. The first cake turned out fine and we all congratulated Her +Majesty, who was evidently much pleased herself at the result. +Then she ordered each of the Court ladies to make one, which we +did, with disastrous results, not one turning out as it should. +This being my first year, there was some excuse for my failure, +but I was surprised that none of the older Court ladies fared any +better, and on inquiring from one of them the reason, she replied: +"Why, I did it purposely, of course, so as to flatter Her +Majesty's vanity. Certainly I could make them just as well as she, +if not better, but it would not be good policy." After we had all +finished making our cakes, the eunuchs were ordered to make the +rest, and needless to say they were perfect in every way. + +The next thing was to prepare small plates of dates and fresh +fruits of every kind. These were decorated with evergreens, etc., +and placed before the images of Buddha. Then we prepared glass +dishes of candy, which were to be offered to the God of the +Kitchen. On the twenty-third day of the last moon the God of the +Kitchen left this earth to go on a visit to the King of Heaven, to +whom he reported all that we had been doing during the past year, +returning to earth again on the last day of the year. The idea of +offering him these sweets was in order that they should stick to +his mouth and prevent him from telling too much. When these +candies were prepared, we all adjourned to the kitchen and placed +the offering on a table specially placed for the purpose. Turning +to the head cook, she said: "You had better look out now; the God +of the Kitchen will tell how much you have stolen during the past +year, and you will be punished." + +The following day another ceremony had to be gone through, that of +writing out the New Year Greetings for the guests and Court, so in +the morning we all went with Her Majesty to the Audience Hall, +where the eunuchs had prepared large sheets of yellow, red and +pale green paper. Her Majesty took up a large brush and commenced +to write. On some of these sheets she wrote the character "Shou" +(Long Life) and on others "Fu" (Prosperity). By and bye, when she +began to feel tired, she would get either one of the Court ladies +or one of the official writers to finish them for her. When +finished, they were distributed to the guests and different +officials, the ones Her Majesty had written herself being reserved +for her special favorites. These were given out a few days before +the New Year. + +Her Majesty received New Year presents from all the Viceroys and +principal officials. She would examine each present as it was +received, and if it found favor in her eyes, she would use it, but +if not, she would have it locked away in one of the storerooms and +probably never see it again. These presents consisted of small +pieces of furniture, curios, jewelry, silks, in fact +everything--even clothing. The present sent by Viceroy Yuan Shih +Kai was a yellow satin robe, embroidered with different colored +precious stones and pearls designed to represent the peony flower; +the leaves were of green jade. It was really a magnificent thing, +and must have cost a fortune. The only drawback was its weight; it +was too heavy to wear comfortably. Her Majesty appeared delighted +with this gown, and wore it the first day, after which it was +discarded altogether, although I often suggested that she should +wear it, as it was the most magnificent gown I ever saw. Once when +Her Majesty was granting an audience to the Diplomatic Corps, I +suggested that she should wear this dress, but she refused, giving +no reason, so nobody outside the Court has ever seen this +wonderful garment. + +Another costly present was received from the Viceroy of Canton, +and consisted of four bags of pearls, each bag containing several +thousands. They were all perfect in shape and color, and would +have brought fabulous prices in Europe or America. However, Her +Majesty had so many jewels, especially pearls, that she hardly +paid any attention to them beyond remarking that they were very +nice. + +The Young Empress and the Court ladies were also expected to give +presents to Her Majesty each New Year. These were for the most +part articles that we had made ourselves, such as shoes, +handkerchiefs, collars, bags, etc. My mother, my sister and myself +made presents of mirrors, perfumes, soaps and similar toilet +accessories which we had brought with us from Paris. These Her +Majesty appreciated very much; she was very vain. The eunuchs and +servant girls gave fancy cakes and other food stuffs. + +The presents were so numerous that they filled several rooms, but +we were not allowed to remove them until Her Majesty gave orders +to do so. + +The Court ladies also exchanged presents among themselves, which +often led to confusion and amusement. On this occasion I had +received some ten or a dozen different presents, and when it came +my turn to give something, I decided to use up some of the +presents I had received from my companions. To my surprise, the +next day I received from one of the Court ladies an embroidered +handkerchief which I immediately recognized as the identical +handkerchief I had myself sent her as my New Year's present. On +mentioning the fact, this lady turned and said: "Well, that is +rather funny; I was just wondering what had made you return the +shoes I sent you." Of course everybody laughed very heartily, and +still further merriment was caused when, on comparing all the +presents, it was found that quite half of us had received back our +own presents. In order to settle the matter, we threw them all +into a heap and divided them as evenly as possible, everybody +being satisfied with the result. + +About a week before New Year's day all audiences ceased and the +seals were put away until after the holidays. During this time no +business was transacted by Her Majesty. Everything was much more +comfortable and we could see that Her Majesty also appreciated the +change from bustle to quietness. We had nothing whatever to do but +to take things easy until the last day of the year. + +Early on the morning of the thirtieth Her Majesty went to worship +before the Buddhas and Ancestral Tablets. After this ceremony was +finished, the guests began to arrive, until by midday, all the +guests, numbering about fifty, were present. The principal guests +were: The Imperial Princess (Empress Dowager's adopted daughter), +Princess Chung (wife of Emperor Kwang Hsu's brother), Princesses +Shun and Tao (wives of the Emperor's younger brothers), Princess +hung (wife of the nephew of the Imperial Princess), and Prince +Ching's family. All these ladies were frequent visitors to the +Court. Next day many other Princesses, not of the Imperial family, +but whose titles were honorary titles bestowed by previous rulers, +came. Next, the daughters of the high Manchu officials and many +other people whom I had never seen before. By midday all the +guests had arrived, and, after being presented to Her Majesty, +were taken to their different apartments and told to rest a while. +At two o'clock in the afternoon everybody assembled in the +Audience Hall, lined up according to their different ranks and, +led by the Young Empress, kowtowed to Her Majesty. This was the +ceremony Tzu Sui already referred to, and was simply a last +goodbye to Her Majesty before the New Year set in. When it was all +over, Her Majesty gave each of us a small purse made of red satin +embroidered with gold, containing a sum of money. This is to +enable each one to commence the New Year with a kind of reserve +fund for a rainy day, when they would have this money to fall back +upon. It is an old Manchu custom and is still kept up. + +The evening was spent in music and enjoyment, and was carried on +right through the night, none of us going to bed. At Her Majesty's +suggestion we commenced gambling with dice, Her Majesty providing +each of us with money, sometimes as much as $200. She told us to +be serious about it, and to try and win, but of course we took +good care not to win from Her Majesty. When Her Majesty began to +tire, she stopped the game and said: "Now, all this money I have +won I am going to throw on the floor, and you girls can scramble +for it." We knew that she wanted to see some fun, so we fought for +it as hard as we could. + +At midnight the eunuchs brought into the room a large brass +brazier containing live charcoal. Her Majesty pulled a leaf from a +large evergreen tree, which had been placed there for the purpose, +and threw it into the fire. We each followed her example, adding +large pieces of resin, which perfumed the whole atmosphere. This +ceremony was supposed to bring good luck during the coming year. + +The next item was making cakes or pies for New Year's day. On the +first of the New Year, nobody is allowed to eat rice, these cakes +taking its place. They were made of flour paste, with minced meat +inside. While some of us were preparing these cakes, others were +peeling lotus seeds for Her Majesty's breakfast. + +It was now well on into the morning hours and Her Majesty said +that she was tired and would go and rest a while. She was not +going to sleep, however, so we could carry on our noise as much as +we liked. This we did for some time, and on visiting Her Majesty's +bedroom, we found that she was fast asleep. We then all repaired +to our various rooms and commenced to make ourselves tidy for the +day. As soon as Her Majesty was awake, we all proceeded to her +bedroom, taking with us plates of apples (representing "Peace"), +olives ("Long Life"), lotus seeds (Blessing). She suitably +acknowledged these gifts and wished us all good luck in return. +She inquired whether we had been to bed and, on learning that we +had been up all night, she said that was right. She herself had +not meant to sleep, only to rest a little, but somehow she had not +been able to keep awake, and gave as a reason that she was an old +woman. We waited on her until she had finished her toilet and then +wished her a Happy New Year. We then proceeded to pay our respects +to the Emperor and to the Young Empress. There was nothing further +to be done in the way of ceremonies, and we therefore all +accompanied Her Majesty to the theatre. The performance took place +on a stage erected in the courtyard, and Her Majesty closed in one +part of her veranda for the use of the guests and Court ladies. +During the performance I began to feel very drowsy, and eventually +fell fast asleep leaning against one of the pillars. I awoke +rather suddenly to find that something had been dropped into my +mouth, but on investigation I found it was nothing worse than a +piece of candy, which I immediately proceeded to eat. On +approaching Her Majesty, she asked me how I had enjoyed the candy, +and told me not to sleep, but to have a good time like the rest. I +never saw Her Majesty in better humor. She played with us just +like a young girl, and one could hardly recognize in her the +severe Empress Dowager we knew her to be. + +The guests also all seemed to be enjoying themselves very much. In +the evening, after the theatrical performance was over, Her +Majesty ordered the eunuchs to bring in their instruments and give +us some music. She herself sang several songs, and we all sang at +intervals. Then Her Majesty ordered the eunuchs to sing. Some were +trained singers, and sang very nicely, but others could not sing +at all and caused quite a lot of amusement by their efforts to +please Her Majesty. The Emperor appeared to be the only one +present who was not having a good time; he never smiled once. On +meeting him outside, I asked him why he looked so sad, but he only +answered: "A Happy New Year" in English, smiled once, and walked +away. + +Her Majesty rose very early next morning and proceeded to the +Audience Hall to worship the God of Wealth. We all accompanied her +and took part in the ceremony. During the next few days we did +nothing but gamble and scramble for Her Majesty's winnings. This +was all very nice in its way, until one day one of the Court +ladies began to cry, and accused me of stepping on her toes in the +scramble. This made Her Majesty angry and she ordered the offender +to go to her room and stay there for three days, saying that she +did not deserve to be enjoying herself if she could not stand a +little thing like that. + +The tenth of the first moon was the birthday of the Young Empress, +and we asked Her Majesty whether we would be allowed to give +presents. She gave us permission to give whatever presents we +might wish to. However, we submitted all our presents to Her +Majesty for her approval, before giving them to the Young Empress, +and we had to be very discreet and not choose anything which Her +Majesty might think was too good. It was very difficult to tell +what to send, as Her Majesty might take a fancy to any of the +presents herself, even though they might not be of much value +intrinsically. In such a case Her Majesty would tell us that she +would keep it, and to give the Young Empress something else. + +The celebration was very similar to that of the Emperor's +birthday, but not on such an elaborate scale. We presented the Ru +Yee to the Young Empress and kowtowed to her. She was supposed to +receive these tokens of respect sitting on her throne, but out of +deference to Her Majesty (we were Her Majesty's Court ladies) she +stood up. She always was very polite to us under all +circumstances. + +On this day, as on the Emperor's birthday, the Emperor, Young +Empress and Secondary wife dined together. These were the only two +occasions when they did so, always dining separately at other +times. Her Majesty sent two of her Court ladies to wait upon the +Empress, I myself being one of them. I was very pleased, as I +wanted to see for myself how they conducted themselves when +together. I went into the Young Empress' room and informed her +that Her Majesty had ordered us to wait upon them, to which she +simply answered: "Very well." So we went to the dining room and +set the table, placing the chairs into position. The meal was much +different from what I expected. Instead of being stiff and serious +like Her Majesty when dining they were quite free and easy, and we +were allowed to join in the conversation and partake of some of +the food and wine. A very pretty ceremony was gone through at the +commencement of the meal. The Emperor and Young Empress seated +themselves, and the Secondary wife filled their cups with wine and +presented it to them in turn as a sign of respect, the Emperor +first. When the meal was over we returned to Her Majesty's +apartment and told her that everything had passed off nicely. We +knew very well that we had been sent simply to act as spies, but +we had nothing interesting to tell Her Majesty. She asked if the +Emperor had been very serious and we answered "Yes." + +The New Year celebrations terminated with the Festival of Lanterns +on the fifteenth day of the first moon. These lanterns were of +different shapes, representing animals, flowers, fruits, etc., +etc. They were made of white gauze, painted in different colors. +One lantern representing a dragon about fifteen feet long was +fastened to ten poles, and ten eunuchs were required to hold it in +position. In front of this dragon a eunuch was holding a lantern +representing a large pearl, which the dragon was supposed to +devour. This ceremony was gone through to the accompaniment of +music. + +After the lanterns came a firework display. These fireworks +represented different scenes in the history of China, grape vines, +wisteria blossoms, and many other flowers. It was a very imposing +sight. Portable wooden houses had been placed near the fireworks +from which Her Majesty and the rest of the Court could see them +without being out in the cold air. This display lasted for several +hours without a stop, and thousands of firecrackers were set off +during the time. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy the noise very much. +Altogether it was a good finish to the celebrations and we all +enjoyed it very much. + +The next morning all the guests departed from the Palace and we +re-commenced our everyday life. + +As usual after the guests had departed Her Majesty began to +criticise their mode of dressing, their ignorance of Court +etiquette, etc., but added that she was rather glad, as she didn't +want them to know anything about Court life. + +As Spring soon arrived it was time for the farmers to commence +sowing seed for the rice crop, and of course there was another +ceremony. The Emperor visited the Temple of Agriculture where he +prayed for a good harvest. Then he proceeded to a small plot of +ground situated in the temple and after turning the earth over +with a hand plow he sowed the first seeds of the season. This was +to show the farmers that their labors were not despised and that +even the Emperor was not ashamed to engage in this work. Anybody +could attend this ceremony, it being quite a public affair, and +many farmers were present. + +About this same time the Young Empress went to see the silkworms +and watch for the eggs to be hatched. As soon as they were out, +the Young Empress gathered mulberry leaves for the worms to feed +upon and watched them until they were big enough to commence +spinning. Each day a fresh supply of leaves were gathered and they +were fed four or five times daily. Several of the Court ladies +were told off to feed the worms during the night and see that they +did not escape. These silkworms grow very rapidly and we could see +the difference each day. Of course when they became full grown +they required more food and we were kept busy constantly feeding +them. The Young Empress was able to tell by holding them up to the +light when they were ready to spin. If they were transparent then +they were ready, and were placed on paper and left there. When +spinning the silkworm does not eat, therefore all we had to do was +to watch that they did not get away. After spinning for four or +five days their supply of silk becomes exhausted and they shrivel +up and apparently die. These apparently dead worms were collected +by the Young Empress and placed in a box where they were kept +until they developed into moths. They were then placed on thick +paper and left there to lay their eggs. + +If left to themselves, the silkworms when ready for spinning will +spin the silk around their bodies until they are completely +covered up, gradually forming a cocoon. In order to determine when +they have finished spinning it was customary to take the cocoon +and rattle it near the ear. If the worm was exhausted you could +plainly hear the body rattle inside the cocoon. The cocoon is then +placed in boiling water until it becomes soft. This, of course, +kills the worm. In order to separate the silk a needle is used to +pick up the end of the thread which is then wound on to a spool +and is ready for weaving. A few of the cocoons were kept until the +worms had turned into moths, which soon ate their way out of the +cocoons when they were placed on sheets of paper and left to lay +their eggs, which are taken away and kept in a cool place until +the following Spring, when the eggs are hatched and become worms. + +When the silk had all been separated we took it to Her Majesty for +inspection and approval. On this particular occasion Her Majesty +ordered one of the eunuchs to bring in some silk which she herself +had woven when a young girl in the Palace, and on comparing it +with the new silk it was found to be just as good in every way +although many years had passed since it was made. + +All this was done with the same object as the Emperor sowing the +seeds, viz.:--to set the people a good example and to encourage +them in their work. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN + +THE SEA PALACE + + THIS year we had a very hot spring and Her Majesty was desirous +of getting back again to the Sea Palace. However, as war had +already been declared between Russia and Japan it was thought best +to remain in the Forbidden City until things were more settled. +Her Majesty was very much worried over this war and spent most of +her time in offering prayers to the different divinities for the +welfare of China and we, of course, were expected to join her. +Things were very monotonous about this time and nothing particular +occurred until the beginning of the second moon. By this time Her +Majesty was quite sick of staying in the Forbidden City and said +that no matter what happened she would remove the Court to the Sea +Palace, where Miss Carl could get along and finish the portrait +which had been hanging on for nearly a year. So on the sixth day +of the second moon we moved back to the Sea Palace. Everything +looked fresh and green and many of the trees had commenced to +blossom. Her Majesty took us around the lake and we were in such +good spirits that Her Majesty remarked that we acted more like a +lot of wild animals escaped from a menagerie than human beings. +She was much brighter now, but said that she would be happier +still to get to the Summer Palace. + +Miss Carl was summoned to the Palace, and Her Majesty visited her +and asked to see the portrait. She again asked me how long it +would be before it was finished, and I told her that unless she +gave a little more of her time to posing it might not be finished +for quite a long time. After a lot of consideration Her Majesty +finally agreed to give Miss Carl five minutes each day after the +morning audience, but that she desired it to be distinctly +understood that she did not intend to pose for anything but the +face. She accordingly sat for two mornings, but on the third +morning she made an excuse saying that she was not feeling well. I +told her that Miss Carl could not proceed further unless she sat +for the face, so, although she was very angry, she gave Miss Carl +a few more sittings until the face was finished. She absolutely +refused to sit again whether it was finished or not, saying that +she would have nothing more to do with the portrait. I myself sat +for the remainder of the portrait, viz.:--for Her Majesty's dress, +jewels, etc., and so by degrees the portrait was completed. + +When Her Majesty learned that the portrait was nearing completion +she was very much pleased, and I thought it a good opportunity to +again broach the subject of payment. Her Majesty asked me whether +I really thought it necessary to pay cash for the portrait and how +much. I told her that as painting was Miss Carl's profession, if +she had not been engaged on painting Her Majesty's portrait she +would most probably have been engaged on other similar work for +which she would have received compensation, and that therefore she +would naturally expect to be paid even more handsomely in this +instance. It was difficult to make Her Majesty understand this and +she asked if I was quite certain that Miss Carl would not be +offended by an offer of money, also Mrs. Conger who had presented +her. I explained that in America and Europe it was quite customary +for ladies to earn their own living either by painting, teaching +or in some other similar manner, and that it was no disgrace but +rather the opposite. Her Majesty seemed very much surprised to +learn this, and asked why Miss Carl's brother did not support her +himself. I told Her Majesty that Miss Carl did not desire him to +provide for her, besides which he was married and had a family to +support. Her Majesty gave it as her opinion that this was a funny +kind of civilization. In China when the parents were dead it was +the duty of the sons to provide for their unmarried sisters until +such time as they married. She also said that if Chinese ladies +were to work for their living it would only set people talking +about them. However, she promised to speak with Her Ministers +about paying Miss Carl, and I felt somewhat relieved as there +seemed to be a probability of something satisfactory being +arranged after all. + +The twelfth day of the second moon was the anniversary of another +interesting ceremony, viz.:--the birthday of the flowers and +trees. After the morning audience we all went into the Palace +grounds, where the eunuchs were waiting with huge rolls of red +silk. These we all commenced to cut into narrow strips about two +inches wide and three feet long. When we had cut sufficient Her +Majesty took a strip of red silk and another of yellow silk which +she tied round the stem of one of the peony trees (in China the +peony is considered to be the queen of flowers). Then all the +Court ladies, eunuchs and servant girls set to work to decorate +every single tree and plant in the grounds with red silk ribbons, +in the same manner as Her Majesty had done. This took up nearly +the entire morning and it made a very pretty picture, with the +bright costumes of the Court ladies, green trees and beautiful +flowers. + +We then went to a theatrical performance. This represented all the +tree fairies and flower fairies celebrating their birthday. The +Chinese believe that all the trees and flowers have their own +particular fairies, the tree fairies being men and the flower +fairies being women. The costumes were very pretty and were chosen +to blend with the green trees and flowers which were on the stage. +One of the costumes worn by a lotus fairy was made of pink silk, +worked so as to represent the petals of the flower, the skirt +being of green silk to represent the lotus leaves. Whenever this +fairy moved about the petals would move just as though wafted by +the breeze, like a natural flower. Several other costumes +representing different flowers were made in the same manner. The +scene was a woodland dell, surrounded with huge rocks perforated +with caves, out of which came innumerable small fairies bearing +decanters of wine. These small fairies represented the smaller +flowers, daisies, pomegranate blossoms, etc. The result can be +better imagined than described. All the fairies gathered together +and drank the wine, after which they commenced to sing, +accompanied by stringed instruments, played very softly. The final +scene was a very fitting ending to the performance. It represented +a small rainbow which gradually descended until it rested on the +rocks; then each fairy in turn would sit upon the rainbow which +rose again and conveyed them through the clouds into Heaven. This +completed the celebration and we all retired to our rooms. + +On the fourteenth day of the second moon (March 2, 1904), I +completed my first year at Court. I had quite forgotten this fact +until Her Majesty reminded me of it. She asked whether I was +comfortable and happy where I was or did I long to return to +Paris. I answered truly that although I had enjoyed myself while +in France still I preferred the life of the Court, it was so +interesting, besides which I was in my own native land and among +all my friends and relations, and naturally I preferred that to +living in a strange land. Her Majesty smiled and said she was +afraid that sooner or later I would tire of the life in the Palace +and fly away again across the ocean. She said that the only way to +make sure of me was to marry me off. She again asked me what was +my objection to getting married; was I afraid of having a +mother-in-law, or what was it? If that was all, I need not worry, +for so long as she was alive there was nothing to be afraid of. +Her Majesty said that even if I were married it would not be +necessary for me to stay at home all the time, but that I would be +able to spend my time in the Palace as usual. Continuing, she +said: "Last year when this marriage question came up I was willing +to make allowances as you had been brought up somewhat differently +from the rest of my Court ladies, but do not run away with the +idea that I have forgotten all about it. I am still on the lookout +for a suitable husband for you." I simply answered as before--that +I had absolutely no desire to marry, but that I wanted to stay +where I was and live at the Court so long as Her Majesty was +willing to have me there. She made some remark about my being +stubborn and said that I should probably change my mind before +long. + +During the latter part of the second moon Miss Carl worked very +hard to get the portrait finished and Her Majesty again consulted +her book in order to select a lucky day on which to put the final +touches to the picture. The 19th of April, 1904, was chosen by Her +Majesty as the best time, and Miss Carl was duly notified. Miss +Carl most emphatically stated that it was quite impossible to +finish the portrait properly by the time named, and I told Her +Majesty what Miss Carl said, explaining that there were many small +finishing touches to be added and I suggested it would be better +to give Miss Carl a few days longer if possible. However, Her +Majesty said that it must be finished by four o'clock on the 19th +day of April, and therefore there was nothing further to be said. + +About a week before the time fixed for completion Her Majesty paid +a visit to the studio to finally inspect the picture. She seemed +very much pleased with it, but still objected to her face being +painted dark on one side and light on the other. As I have said +before, I had explained that this was the shading, but Her Majesty +insisted on my telling Miss Carl to make both sides of her face +alike. This led to a pretty hot discussion between Miss Carl and +myself but she finally saw that it was no use going against Her +Majesty's wishes in the matter, so consented to make some slight +alteration. Happening to catch sight of some foreign characters at +the foot of the painting Her Majesty inquired what they were and +on being informed that they were simply the artist's name, said: +"Well, I know foreigners do some funny things, but I think this +about the funniest I ever heard of. Fancy putting her own name on +my picture. This will naturally convey the impression that it is a +portrait of Miss Carl, and not a portrait of myself at all." I +again had to explain the reason for this, saying that it was +always customary for foreign artists to write their names at the +foot of any picture they painted, whether portrait or otherwise. +So Her Majesty said she supposed it was all right, and would have +to remain, but she looked anything but satisfied with it. + +By working practically all night and all day, Miss Carl managed to +get the portrait finished by the time stipulated, and Her Majesty +arranged that Mrs. Conger and the other ladies of the Diplomatic +Corps should come to the Palace and see the portrait. This was +quite a private audience and Her Majesty received them in one of +the small Audience Halls. After the usual greetings Her Majesty +ordered us to conduct the ladies to the studio, which we did, Her +Majesty bidding them good-bye and remaining in her own apartments. +The Young Empress in accordance with instructions from Her +Majesty, accompanied us to the studio, and acted as hostess. +Everybody expressed great admiration for the portrait and it was +voted a marvellous likeness. After inspecting the picture we all +adjourned for refreshments. The Young Empress sat at the head of +the table and asked me to sit next to her. Shortly after everybody +was seated a eunuch came and asked the Young Empress to inform +these ladies that the Emperor was slightly indisposed and was +unable to be present. I interpreted this, and everybody appeared +satisfied. As a matter of fact the Emperor was quite well, but we +had forgotten all about him. And so the guests departed without +seeing him on this occasion. + +On reporting everything to Her Majesty as usual, she asked what +they thought of the portrait, and we told her that they had +admired it very much. Her Majesty said: "Of course they did, it +was painted by a foreign artist." She didn't appear to be very +much interested and was quite cross about something, which caused +me great disappointment after all the trouble Miss Carl had taken +to finish the portrait. Her Majesty then remarked that Miss Carl +had taken a long time to get the portrait finished, and asked why +nobody had reminded her to inform the Emperor about the audience, +being particularly angry with the head eunuch on this occasion. +Her Majesty said that as soon as she remembered, she immediately +sent a eunuch to make excuses, as the ladies might very well think +that something had happened to the Emperor and it might cause +talk. I told her that I explained to them that the Emperor was not +well and they evidently thought nothing further of his absence. + +By the next day the carpenters in the Palace had finished the +frame for the portrait and when it had been properly fitted Her +Majesty ordered my brother to take a photograph of it. This +photograph turned out so well that Her Majesty said it was better +than the portrait itself. + +The picture being now quite finished, Miss Carl prepared to take +her leave, which she did a few days later, having received a +handsome present in cash from Her Majesty in addition to a +decoration and many other presents as remuneration for her +services. For quite a long time after Miss Carl had left the +Palace I felt very lonely, as during her stay I had found her a +genial companion and we had many things in common to talk about. +Her Majesty noticed that I was rather quiet, and asked me the +cause. She said: "I suppose you are beginning to miss your friend, +the lady artist." I did not care to admit that this was so, for +fear she might think me ungrateful to herself, besides which I +knew she did not like the idea of my being too friendly with +foreigners. So I explained to Her Majesty that I always did regret +losing old friends but that I would get used to the change very +soon. Her Majesty was very nice about it and said she wished that +she was a little more sentimental over such small things, but that +when I got to her age I should be able to take things more +philosophically. + +After Miss Carl had left the Court, Her Majesty asked me one day: +"Did she ever ask you much about the Boxer movement of 1900?" I +told her that I knew very little of the Boxer movement myself, as +I was in Paris at the time and I could not say very much. I +assured her that the lady artist never mentioned the subject to +me. Her Majesty said: "I hate to mention about that affair and I +would not like to have foreigners ask my people questions on that +subject. Do you know, I have often thought that I am the most +clever woman that ever lived and others cannot compare with me. +Although I have heard much about Queen Victoria and read a part of +her life which someone has translated into Chinese, still I don't +think her life was half so interesting and eventful as mine. My +life is not finished yet and no one knows what is going to happen +in the future. I may surprise the foreigners some day with +something extraordinary and do something quite contrary to +anything I have yet done. England is one of great powers of the +world, but this has not been brought about by Queen Victoria's +absolute rule. She had the able men of parliament back of her at +all times and of course they discussed everything until the best +result was obtained, then she would sign the necessary documents +and really had nothing to say about the policy of the country. Now +look at me. I have 400,000,000 people, all dependent on my +judgment. Although I have the Grand Council to consult with, they +only look after the different appointments, but anything of an +important nature I must decide myself. What does the Emperor know? +I have been very successful so far, but I never dreamt that the +Boxer movement would end with such serious results for China. That +is the only mistake I have made in my life. I should have issued +an Edict at once to stop the Boxers practising their belief, but +both Prince Tuan and Duke Lan told me that they firmly believed +the Boxers were sent by Heaven to enable China to get rid of all +the undesirable and hated foreigners. Of course they meant mostly +missionaries, and you know how I hate them and how very religious +I always am, so I thought I would not say anything then but would +wait and see what would happen. I felt sure they were going too +far as one day Prince Tuan brought the Boxer leader to the Summer +Palace and summoned all the eunuchs into the courtyard of the +Audience Hall and examined each eunuch on the head to see if there +was a cross. He said, `This cross is not visible to you, but I can +identify a Christian by finding a cross on the head.' Prince Tuan +then came to my private Palace and told me that the Boxer leader +was at the Palace Gate and had found two eunuchs who were +Christians and asked me what was to be done. I immediately became +very angry and told him that he had no right to bring any Boxers +to the Palace without my permission; but he said this leader was +so powerful that he was able to kill all the foreigners and was +not afraid of the foreign guns, as all the gods were protecting +him. Prince Tuan told me that he had witnessed this himself. A +Boxer shot another with a revolver and the bullet hit him, but did +not harm him in the least. Then Prince Tuan suggested that I hand +these two eunuchs supposed to be Christians to the Boxer leader, +which I did. I heard afterwards that these two eunuchs were +beheaded right in the country somewhere near here. This chief +Boxer came to the Palace the next day, accompanied by Prince Tuan +and Duke Lan, to make all the eunuchs burn incense sticks to prove +that they were not Christians. After that Prince Tuan also +suggested that we had better let the chief Boxer come every day +and teach the eunuchs their belief; that nearly all of Peking was +studying with the Boxers. The next day I was very much surprised +to see all my eunuchs dressed as Boxers. They wore red jackets, +red turbans and yellow trousers. I was sorry to see all my +attendants discard their official robes and wear a funny costume +like that. Duke Lan presented me with a suit of Boxer clothes. At +that time Yung Lu, who was the head of the Grand Council, was ill +and asked leave of absence for a month. While he was sick, I used +to send one of the eunuchs to see him every day, and that day the +eunuch returned and informed me that Yung Lu was quite well and +would come to the Palace the next day, although he still had +fifteen days more leave. I was puzzled to know why he should give +up the balance of his leave. However, I was very anxious to see +him, as I wished to consult him about this chief Boxer. Yung Lu +looked grieved when he learned what had taken place at the Palace, +and said that these Boxers were nothing but revolutionaries and +agitators. They were trying to get the people to help them to kill +the foreigners, but he was very much afraid the result would be +against the Government. I told him that probably he was right, and +asked him what should be done. He told me that he would talk to +Prince Tuan, but the next day Prince Tuan told me that he had had +a fight with Yung Lu about the Boxer question, and said that all +of Peking had become Boxers, and if we tried to turn them, they +would do all they could to kill everyone in Peking, including the +Court; that they (the Boxer party) had the day selected to kill +all the foreign representatives; that Tung Fou Hsiang, a very +conservative General and one of the Boxers, had promised to bring +his troops out to help the Boxers to fire on the Legations. When I +heard this I was very much worried and anticipated serious +trouble, so I sent for Yung Lu at once and kept Prince Tuan with +me. Yung Lu came, looking very much worried, and he was more so +after I had told him what the Boxers were going to do. He +immediately suggested that I should issue an Edict, saying that +these Boxers were a secret society and that no one should believe +their teaching, and to instruct the Generals of the nine gates to +drive all the Boxers out of the city at once. When Prince Tuan +heard this he was very angry and told Yung Lu that if such an +Edict was issued, the Boxers would come to the Court and kill +everybody. When Prince Tuan told me this, I thought I had better +leave everything to him. After he left the Palace, Yung Lu said +that Prince Tuan was absolutely crazy and that he was sure these +Boxers would be the cause of a great deal of trouble. Yung Lu also +said that Prince Tuan must be insane to be helping the Boxers to +destroy the Legations; that these Boxers were a very common lot, +without education, and they imagined the few foreigners in China +were the only ones on the earth and if they were killed it would +be the end of them. They forgot how very strong these foreign +countries are, and that if the foreigners in China were all +killed, thousands would come to avenge their death. Yung Lu +assured me that one foreign soldier could kill one hundred Boxers +without the slightest trouble, and begged me to give him +instructions to order General Nieh, who was afterwards killed by +the Boxers, to bring his troops to protect the Legations. Of +course I gave him this instruction at once, and also told him that +he must see Prince Tuan at once and Duke Lan to tell them that +this was a very serious affair and that they had better not +interfere with Yung Lu's plans. Matters became worse day by day +and Yung Lu was the only one against the Boxers, but what could +one man accomplish against so many? One day Prince Tuan and Duke +Lan came and asked me to issue an Edict ordering the Boxers to +kill all the Legation people first and then all remaining +foreigners. I was very angry and refused to issue this Edict. +After we had talked a very long time, Prince Tuan said that this +must be done without delay, for the Boxers were getting ready to +fire on the Legations and would do so the very next day. I was +furious and ordered several of the eunuchs to drive him out, and +he said as he was going out: `If you refuse to issue that Edict, I +will do it for you whether you are willing or not,' and he did. +After that you know what happened. He issued these Edicts unknown +to me and was responsible for a great many deaths. He found that +he could not carry his plans through and heard that the foreign +troops were not very far from Peking. He was so frightened that he +made us all leave Peking." As she finished saying this, she +started to cry, and I told her that I felt very sorry for her. She +said: "You need not feel sorry for me for what I have gone +through; but you must feel sorry that my fair name is ruined. That +is the only mistake I have made in my whole life and it was done +in a moment of weakness. Before I was just like a piece of pure +jade; everyone admired me for what I have done for my country, but +the jade has a flaw in it since this Boxer movement and it will +remain there to the end of my life. I have regretted many, many +times that I had such confidence in, and believed that wicked +Prince Tuan; he was responsible for everything." + +By the end of the third moon Her Majesty had had enough of the Sea +Palace and the Court moved into the Summer Palace. This time we +travelled by boat as it was very beautiful weather. On reaching +the water-gates of the Palace we found everything just lovely and +the peach blossoms were in full bloom. Her Majesty plainly showed +how glad she was to be back once more and for the time being +seemed to have forgotten everything else, even the war. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY + +CONCLUSION + + MY second year at the Palace was very much the same as the first. +We celebrated each anniversary and festival in the same way as +before: the usual audience was held each morning by Her Majesty, +after which the day was given up to enjoyment. Amongst other +things Her Majesty took great interest in her vegetable gardens, +and superintended the planting of the different seeds. When +vegetables were ready for pulling, from time to time, all the +Court ladies were supplied with a kind of small pruning fork and +gathered in the crop. Her Majesty seemed to enjoy seeing us work +in the fields, and when the fit seized her she would come along +and help. In order to encourage us in this work, Her Majesty would +give a small present to the one who showed the best results so we +naturally did our best in order to please her, as much as for the +reward. Another hobby of Her Majesty's was the rearing of +chickens, and a certain number of birds were allotted to each of +the Court ladies. We were supposed to look after these ourselves +and the eggs had to be taken to Her Majesty every morning. I could +not understand why it was that my chickens gave less eggs than any +of the others until one day my eunuch informed me that he had seen +one of the other eunuchs stealing the eggs from my hen house and +transferring them to another, in order to help his mistress to +head the list. + +Her Majesty was very particular not to encourage untidyness or +extravagance among the Court ladies. On one occasion she told me +to open a parcel which was lying in her room. I was about to cut +the string when Her Majesty stopped me and told me to untie it. +This I managed to do after a lot of trouble, and opened the +parcel. Her Majesty next made me fold the paper neatly and place +it in a drawer along with the string so that I would know where to +find it should it be wanted again. From time to time Her Majesty +would give each of us money for our own private use and whenever +we wanted to buy anything, say flowers, handkerchiefs, shoes, +ribbons, etc., these could be bought from the servant girls who +used to make them in the Palace and we would enter each item in a +small note book supplied by Her Majesty for the purpose. At the +end of each month Her Majesty examined our accounts and in case +she considered that we had been extravagant she would give us a +good scolding, while on the other hand, if we managed to show a +good balance she would compliment us on our good management. Thus +under Her Majesty's tuition we learned to be careful and tidy +against such time as we might be called upon to look after homes +of our own. + +About this time my father began to show signs of breaking down and +asked for permission to withdraw from public life. However, Her +Majesty would not hear of this and decided to give him another six +months vacation instead. It was his intention to go to Shanghai +and see the family physician, but Her Majesty did not approve of +this, maintaining that her own doctors were quite as good as any +foreign doctor. These doctors therefore attended him for some +time, prescribing all kinds of different concoctions daily. After +a while he seemed to pick up a little but was still unable to get +about on account of having chronic rheumatism. We therefore again +suggested that it would be better for him to see his own doctor in +Shanghai, who understood my father thoroughly, but Her Majesty +could not be made to see it in that light. She said that what we +wanted was a little patience, that the Chinese doctors might be +slow, but they were sure, and she was convinced they would +completely cure my father very soon. The fact of the matter was +she was afraid that if my father went to stay in Shanghai the rest +of the family would want to be there with him, which was not in +her programme at all. So we decided to remain in Peking unless my +father showed signs of getting worse. + +In due course the time arrived on which it had been arranged to +hold the Spring Garden Party for the Diplomatic Corps, and as +usual one day was set apart for the Ministers, Secretaries and +members of the various Legations, and the following day for their +wives, etc. This year very few guests attended the Garden Party +but among those who did come were several strangers. About half a +dozen ladies from the Japanese Legation came with Madame Uchida, +wife of the Japanese Minister. Her Majesty was always very pleased +to see this lady whom she very much admired on account of her +extreme politeness. After the usual presentation we conducted the +ladies to luncheon, showed them over the Palace grounds, after +which we wished them good-bye and they took their leave. We +reported everything to Her Majesty, and as usual were asked many +questions. Among the guests there was one lady (English so far as +I could make out) dressed in a heavy tweed travelling costume, +having enormous pockets, into which she thrust her hands as though +it were extremely cold. She wore a cap of the same material. Her +Majesty asked if I had noticed this lady with the clothes made out +of "rice bags," and wasn't it rather unusual to be presented at +Court in such a dress. Her Majesty wanted to know who she was and +where she came from. I replied that she certainly did not belong +to any of the Legations as I was acquainted with everybody there. +Her Majesty said that whoever she was she certainly was not +accustomed to moving in decent society as she (Her Majesty) was +quite certain that it was not the thing to appear at a European +Court in such a costume. "I can tell in a moment," Her Majesty +added, "whether any of these people are desirous of showing proper +respect to me, or whether they consider that I am not entitled to +it. These foreigners seem to have the idea that the Chinese are +ignorant and that therefore they need not be so particular as in +European Society. I think it would be best to let it be understood +for the future what dress should be worn at the different Court +Functions, and at the same time use a certain amount of discretion +in issuing invitations. In that way I can also keep the missionary +element out, as well as other undesirables. I like to meet any +distinguished foreigners who may be visiting in China, but I do +not want any common people at my Court." I suggested that the +Japanese custom could be followed, viz.: to issue proper +invitation cards, stipulating at the foot the dress to be worn on +each particular occasion. Her Majesty thought this would meet the +case and it was decided to introduce a similar rule in China. + +Whenever the weather permitted, Her Majesty would pass quite a lot +of her time in the open air watching the eunuchs at work in the +gardens. During the early Spring the lotus plants were +transplanted and she would take keen interest in this work. All +the old roots had to be cut away and the new bulbs planted in +fresh soil. Although the lotus grew in the shallowest part of the +lake (the West side) it was necessary for the eunuchs to wade into +the water sometimes up to their waists in order to weed out the +old plants and set the young ones. Her Majesty would sit for hours +on her favorite bridge (The Jade Girdle Bridge) and superintend +the eunuchs at their work, suggesting from time to time as to how +the bulbs were to be planted. This work generally took three or +four days, and the Court ladies in attendance would stand beside +Her Majesty and pass the time making fancy tassels for Her +Majesty's cushions, in fact doing anything so long as we did not +idle. + +It was during the Spring that Yuan Shih Kai paid another visit to +the Palace, and among other subjects discussed was the Russo-Japan +war. He told Her Majesty that it was developing into a very +serious affair and that he feared China would be the principal +sufferer in the long run. Her Majesty was very much upset by this +news, and mentioned that she had been advised by one of the +censors to make a present to the Japanese of a large quantity of +rice, but had decided to take no action whatever in the matter, +which resolve Yuan Shih Kai strongly supported. + +I was still working each day translating the various newspaper +reports and telegrams relating to the war and one morning, seeing +a paragraph to the effect that Kang Yu Wei (Leader of the Reform +Movement in China in 1898) had arrived at Singapore from Batavia, +I thought it might interest Her Majesty and so translated it along +with the rest. Her Majesty immediately became very much excited +which made me feel frightened as I did not know what could be the +matter. However, she explained to me that this man had caused all +kinds of trouble in China, that before meeting Kang Yu Wei the +Emperor had been a zealous adherent to the traditions of his +ancestors but since then had plainly shown his desire to introduce +reforms and even Christianity into the country. "On one occasion," +continued Her Majesty, "he caused the Emperor to issue +instructions for the Summer Palace to be surrounded by soldiers so +as to keep me prisoner until these reforms could be put into +effect, but through the faithfulness of Yung Lu, a member of the +Grand Council, and Yuan Shill Kai, Viceroy of Chihli, I was able +to frustrate the plot. I immediately proceeded to the Forbidden +City, where the Emperor was then staying and after discussing the +question with him he replied that he realized his mistake and +asked me to take over the reins of government and act in his +stead." + +(The result of this was, of course, the Edict of 1898 appointing +the Empress Dowager as Regent of China.) + +Her Majesty had immediately ordered the capture of Kang Yu Wei and +his followers, but he had managed to effect his escape and she had +heard nothing further about him until I translated this report in +the newspaper. She seemed relieved, however, to know where he was, +and seemed anxious to hear what he was doing. She suddenly became +very angry again and asked why it was that the foreign governments +offered protection to Chinese political agitators and criminals. +Why couldn't they leave China to deal with her own subjects and +mind their own business a little more? She gave me instructions to +keep a lookout for any further news of this gentleman and report +to her immediately, but I made up my mind that in any case, I +would not mention anything about him again and so the matter +gradually died away. + +During one of our visits to the Sea Palace Her Majesty drew +attention to a large piece of vacant ground and said that it had +formerly been the site of the Audience Hall which had been +destroyed by fire during the Boxer trouble. Her Majesty explained +that this had been purely an accident and was not deliberately +destroyed by the foreign troops. She said that it had long been an +eyesore to her as it was so ugly, and that she had now determined +to build another Audience Hall on the same site, as the present +Audience Hall was too small to accommodate the foreign guests when +they paid their respects at New Year. She therefore commanded the +Board of Works to prepare a model of the new building in +accordance with her own ideas, and submit it for her approval. Up +to that time all the buildings in the Palace Grounds were +typically Chinese but this new Audience Hall was to be more or +less on the foreign plan and up to date in every respect. This +model was accordingly prepared and submitted to Her Majesty. It +was only a small wooden model but was complete in every detail, +even to the pattern of the windows and the carving on the ceilings +and panels. However, I never knew anything to quite come up to Her +Majesty's ideas, and this was no exception. She criticised the +model from every standpoint, ordering this room to be enlarged and +that room to be made smaller: this window to be moved to another +place, etc., etc. So the model went back for reconstruction. When +it was again brought for Her Majesty's inspection everybody agreed +that it was an improvement on the first one, and even Her Majesty +expressed great satisfaction. The next thing was to find a name +for the new building and after serious and mature consideration it +was decided to name it Hai Yen Tang (Sea Coast Audience Hall). +Building operations were commenced immediately and Her Majesty +took great interest in the progress of the work. It had already +been decided that this Audience Hall was to be furnished +throughout in foreign style, with the exception of the throne, +which, of course, retained its Manchu appearance. Her Majesty +compared the different styles of furniture with the catalogues we +had brought with us from France and finally decided on the Louis +Fifteenth style, but everything was to be covered with Imperial +Yellow, with curtains and carpets to match. When everything had +been selected to Her Majesty's satisfaction, my mother asked +permission to defray the expense herself and make a present of +this furniture. This Her Majesty agreed to and the order was +accordingly placed with a well-known Paris firm from whom we had +purchased furniture when in France. By the time the building was +completed the furniture had arrived, and it was quickly installed. +Her Majesty went to inspect it and, of course, had to find fault +as usual. She didn't seem at all pleased with the result of the +experiment and said that after all a Chinese building would have +been the best as it would have had a more dignified appearance. +However, the thing was finished and it was no use finding fault +now, as it could not be changed. + +During the Summer months I had plenty of leisure time and devoted +about an hour each day to helping the Emperor with his English. He +was a most intelligent man with a wonderful memory and learned +very quickly. His pronunciation, however, was not good. In a very +short time he was able to read short stories out of an ordinary +school reader and could write from dictation fairly well. His +handwriting was exceptionally fine, while in copying old English +and ornamental characters, he was an expert. Her Majesty seemed +pleased that the Emperor had taken up this study, and said she +thought of taking it up herself as she was quite sure she would +learn it very quickly if she tried. After two lessons she lost +patience, and did not mention the matter again. + +Of course these lessons gave me plenty of opportunity to talk with +His Majesty, and on one occasion he ventured the remark that I +didn't seem to have made much progress with Her Majesty in the +matter of reform. I told him that many things had been +accomplished since my arrival at Court, and mentioned the new +Audience Hall as an instance. He didn't appear to think that +anything worth talking about, and advised me to give up the matter +altogether. He said when the proper time arrived--if it ever did +arrive--then I might be of use, but expressed grave doubts on the +subject. He also enquired about my father and I told him that +unless his health improved very soon it would be necessary for us +to leave the Court for a while at any rate. He replied that +although he should very much regret such a necessity, he really +believed that it would be for the best. He said he felt certain +that I should never be able to settle down permanently to Court +life after spending so many years abroad, and for his part would +put no obstacles in the way of my leaving the Court if I desired +to do so. + +Her Majesty had given me permission to visit my father twice every +month, and everything appeared to be going along nicely until one +day one of Her Majesty's servant girls told me that Her Majesty +was trying to arrange another marriage for me. At first I did not +take any notice of this, but shortly afterwards Her Majesty +informed me that everything was arranged and that I was to be +married to a certain Prince whom she had chosen. I could see that +Her Majesty was waiting for me to say something, so I told her +that I was very much worried at that time about my father and +begged her to allow the matter to stand over for the time being at +any rate. This made Her Majesty very angry, and she told me that +she considered me very ungrateful after all she had done for me. I +didn't reply, and as her Majesty did not say anything more at the +time, I tried to forget about it. However, on my next visit home, +I told my father all about it, and as before he was strongly +opposed to such a marriage. He suggested that on my return to the +Palace I should lay the whole matter before Li Lien Ying, the head +eunuch, and explain my position, for if anybody could influence +Her Majesty, he was the one. I, therefore, took the first +opportunity of speaking to him. At first he appeared very +reluctant to interfere in the matter, and said he thought I ought +to do as Her Majesty wished, but on my stating that I had no +desire to marry at all, but was quite willing to remain at Court +in my present position, he promised to do his best for me. I never +heard anything further about my marriage, either from Her Majesty +or Li Lien Ying, and therefore concluded that he had been able to +arrange the matter satisfactorily. + +The Summer passed without anything further important occurring. +During the eighth moon the bamboos were cut down and here again +the Court ladies were called upon to assist, our work being to +carve designs and characters on the cut trees, Her Majesty +assisting. These were afterwards made into chairs, tables and +other useful articles for Her Majesty's teahouse. During the long +Autumn evenings Her Majesty would teach us Chinese history and +poetry and every tenth day would put us through an examination in +order to find out how much we had learned, prizes being awarded +for proficiency. The younger eunuchs also took part in these +lessons and some of their answers to Her Majesty's questions were +very amusing. If Her Majesty were in a good humor she would laugh +with the rest of us, but sometimes she would order them to be +punished for their ignorance and stupidity. However, as they were +quite accustomed to being punished they did not seem to mind very +much and forgot all about it the next minute. + +As Her Majesty's seventieth birthday was approaching the Emperor +proposed to celebrate this event on an unusually grand scale, but +Her Majesty would not give her consent to this proposal on account +of the war trouble, for fear people might comment on it. The only +difference, therefore, between this birthday and former ones was +that Her Majesty gave presents to the Court, in addition to +receiving them. These included the bestowal of titles, promotions +and increases in salary. Among the titles conferred by Her +Majesty, my sister and myself received the title of Chun Chu Hsien +(Princess). These titles, however, were confined to members of the +Court, and were granted specially by the Empress Dowager. Similar +promotions to outside officials were always conferred by the +Emperor. It was proposed to hold the celebrations in the Forbidden +City as it was more suited for such an important event. However, +Her Majesty did not like this idea at all, and gave instructions +that the Court should not be moved until three days before the +10th of the tenth moon, the date of her birthday. This entailed a +lot of unnecessary work as it necessitated decorating both the +Summer Palace and the Forbidden City. Everything was hurry and +bustle. To add to this, it snowed very heavily during the few days +previous to the tenth. Her Majesty was in a very good mood. She +was very fond of being out in the snow and expressed a wish to +have some photographs taken of herself on the hillside. So my +brother was commanded to bring his camera, and took several very +good pictures of Her Majesty. + +On the seventh day the Court moved into the Forbidden City and the +celebrations commenced. The decorations were beautiful; the +Courtyards being covered with glass roofs to keep out the snow. +The theatres were in full swing each day. The actual ceremony, +which took place on the tenth, did not differ in any respect from +previous ones. Everything passed off smoothly, and the Court +removed again into the Sea Palace. + +While at the Sea Palace we received news that my father's +condition was becoming serious, and he again tendered his +resignation to Her Majesty. She sent her eunuchs to find out +exactly what the matter was, and on learning that he was really +very ill, accepted his resignation. Her Majesty agreed that it +might be better for him to go to Shanghai and see if the foreign +physicians could do him any good. She said she supposed it would +be necessary for my mother to accompany him to Shanghai, but did +not consider it serious enough to send my sister and myself along +also. I tried to explain that it was my duty to go along with him +as he might be taken worse and die before I could get down to see +him again, and I begged Her Majesty to allow me to go. She offered +all kinds of objections but eventually, seeing that I was bent on +going, she said: "Well, he is your father, and I suppose you want +to be with him, so you may go on the understanding that you return +to Court as soon as ever possible." We did not get away until the +middle of the eleventh moon, as Her Majesty insisted on making +clothes for us and other preparations for our journey. Of course +we could do nothing but await Her Majesty's pleasure. + +When everything was ready Her Majesty referred to her book to +choose a suitable day for our departure, and fixed on the +thirteenth as being the best. We therefore left the Palace for our +own house on the twelfth. We kowtowed and said good-bye to Her +Majesty, thanking her for her many kindnesses during our stay with +her. Everybody cried, even Her Majesty. We then went to say +good-bye to the Emperor and Young Empress. The Emperor simply +shook hands and wished us "Good Luck" in English. Everybody +appeared sorry to see us leave. After standing about for a long +time Her Majesty said it was no use wasting any more time and that +we had better start. At the gate the head eunuch bade us good-bye +and we entered our carriage and drove to my father's house, our +own eunuchs accompanying us to the door. We found everything +prepared for our journey, and early the next morning we took train +to Tientsin where we just managed to catch the last steamer of the +season leaving for Shanghai. As it was, the water was so shallow +that we ran aground on the Taku bar. + +On arrival in Shanghai my father immediately consulted his +physician who examined him and prescribed medicine. The trip +itself seemed to have done him a lot of good. I very soon began to +miss my life at Court, and, although I had many friends in +Shanghai and was invited to dinner parties and dances; still I did +not seem to be able to enjoy myself. Everything seemed different +to what I had been accustomed to in Peking and I simply longed for +the time when I should be able to return to Her Majesty. About two +weeks after our arrival, Her Majesty sent a special messenger down +to Shanghai to see how we were getting along. He brought us many +beautiful presents and also a lot of medicine for my father. We +were very glad to see him. He informed us that we were missed very +much at Court and advised us to return as soon as it was possible +for us to do so. As my father began to show signs of improvement +he suggested that there was no further need for me to stay in +Shanghai, and thought it better that I should return to Peking and +resume my duties at Court. I therefore returned early in the New +Year. The river was frozen and I had to travel by boat to +Chinwantao, from thence by rail to Peking. It was a most miserable +journey and I was very glad when it was over. Her Majesty had sent +my eunuchs to the station to meet me and I at once proceeded to +the Palace. On meeting Her Majesty we both cried again by way of +expressing our happiness. I informed her that my father was +progressing favorably and that I hoped to be able to remain with +her permanently. + +I resumed my previous duties, but this time I had neither my +sister for a companion nor my mother to chat with and everything +appeared changed. Her Majesty was just the same, however, and +treated me most kindly. Still, I was not comfortable, and heartily +wished myself back again in Shanghai. I stayed at the Court, going +through pretty much the same daily routine as before until the +second moon (March 1905), when I received a telegram summoning me +to Shanghai as my father had become worse, and was in a critical +condition and wished to see me. I showed Her Majesty the telegram +and waited for her decision. She commenced by telling me that my +father was a very old man, and therefore his chances of recovery +were not so great as if he were younger, finally winding up by +telling me that I could go to him at once. I again wished +everybody good-bye, fully expecting to return very soon; but this +was not to be. I found my father in a very dangerous condition, +and after a lingering illness, he died on the 18th of December, +1905. Of course we went into mourning for one hundred days which +in itself prevented my returning to the Court. + +While in Shanghai I made many new friends and acquaintances and +gradually began to realize that after all, the attractions of +Court life had not been able to eradicate the influences which had +been brought to bear upon me while in Europe. At heart I was a +foreigner, educated in a foreign country, and, having already met +my husband the matter was soon settled and I became an American +citizen. However, I often look back to the two years I spent at +the Court of Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager of China, the most +eventful and happiest days of my girlhood. + +Although I was not able to do much towards influencing Her Majesty +in the matter of reform, I still hope to live to see the day when +China shall wake up and take her proper place among the nations of +the world. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Two Years in the Forbidden City + + diff --git a/old/tyifc10.zip b/old/tyifc10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f4005c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/tyifc10.zip |