RSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO 1822 02727 9462 TH THE EMPRESS DOWAGER OF CHINAH V KATHARINE A. CARL WITH THE EMPRESS DOWAGER OF CHINA PORTRAIT OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER This is the portrait which was exhibited at the St. Louis Exposition, is now owned by the United States Government, and is in the National Museum at Washington With the Empress Dowager of China By Katharine A. Carl - U Illustrated by the Author and with Photographs New York The Century Co. 1907 Copyright, 1905, by THE CENTURY Co. Published November, 1905, TO SIB ROBERT HART To whose helpful encouragement I owe so much, I affectionately dedicate this account of my experiences at the Court of the coun- try he has so long and faithfully served. KATHARINE A. CARL. New York, May, 1905. Contents PAGE CHAPTER I. MY PRESENTATION AND FIRST DAY AT THE CHINESE COURT 3 Drive Out to the Summer Palace Presentation Be- ginning the Portrait Luncheon The Palace Theater My Pavilion within the Precincts. CHAPTER II. PERSONAL APPEARANCE OP HER MAJESTY A CHINESE REPAST BOATING . 18 Second Sitting The Siesta Her Majesty's Barge A Promenade on the Lake. CHAPTER III. THE PALACE OF THE EMPEROR'S FATHER 27 A Chinese Palace Gardens The Chinese Poem- Tombstones of Pets The Highway from Peking to the Summer Palace Chinese Modes of Locomotion The Seventh Prince. CHAPTER IV. HER MAJESTY'S THRONE-ROOM . 34 Clocks Third Sitting A Promenade in the Gar- dens The Orchard The Empress Dowager's Love of Flowers Customs as to Fruits and Flowers. CHAPTER V. THE YOUNG EMPRESS AND LADIES OF THE COURT 42 The Young Empress The Secondary Wife The Princesses Children by Adoption Chinese Widows vii Contents PAGE The Princess Imperial The Relationships of the Princesses of the Blood The Maids and Tiring- women Women of the Eighth Banner The Chinese Woman at Court Slaves. CHAPTER VI. CONTINUATION OP THE PORTRAIT 50 Advantages and Disadvantages of Painting in the Throne-room The Empress Dowager's Voice Chinese Opinion as to Portraits of Royalty Walks with Her Majesty Her Dogs Their Pavilions Cats The Em- press Dowager's Gift of "Me-lah." CHAPTER VII. FESTIVITIES AT COURT .... 57 The Celebration of His Majesty's Birthday Invita- tion from the Empress Dowager to be Present Birth- day Plays The Imperial Actors Birthday Decora- tions of the Palace Courts and Buildings Presents First Gala Performance Luncheon in the Court of the Theater The Mat-sheds at the Palace Visitors Chi- nese Courtesy The Imperial Theater at Summer Pal- ace Actresses Customs of Manchu Women. CHAPTER VIII. His MAJESTY THE EMPEROR . 64 Beginning of his Reign The Name of an Emperor The Manchu Dynasty Personality of the Emperor- Appearance His Orientalism His Dreams of Prog- ress His Edicts Despatches The Emperor's Pal- ace and Attendants His Studies and Talents Early Rising His Meals Conventionalities Observed Dislike of Public Functions. CHAPTER IX. THE EMPEROR'S BIRTHDAY ... 73 Morning Salutations His Majesty's Throne-room The Imperial Pearl Buttons Denoting Rank of Offi- cials Manchu Buttons ' 'Lever" of the Empress Dow- agerCourt Costume Young Empress in Court Attire Going in State to Audience Hall Official Congratu- lation by High Officials and Princes The Young Em- press's Palace Presentation of Jade Emblem (Ruyie) Young Empress's Official Congratulation to the Emperor Simplicity of Attire of Empress Dowager Grand Theatrical Representation at Palace Thea- terImperial Congratulatory Poem Splendid Cos- viii Contents PAGE tumes Luncheon in the Court of the Theater Chil- dren at Court The Emperor's Presents to the Manchu Nobles and High Officials The Finale at the Theater Spectacular Procession Thanks of the Princes and Nobles Bowing to the "Great Ancestress" The Procession to the Hall of Ancestral Tablets. CHAPTER X. PEKING THE SEA PALACE ... 87 His Majesty's Sacrifice to his Ancestors The Empress Dowager's Favorite Summer-house The Sacred Pic- ture The United States Legation at Peking Mrs. Conger's Relations with Chinese Ladies The Sea Palace The Boats of the Lake Our Resting-place at the Sea Palace Promenade on the Lake The Eunuch Li-Wun-ti Memory Story-telling The Island Temple Gardens Two Temples Cathedral within the Precincts Theater. CHAPTER XL SOME CHARACTERISTICS OP HER MAJESTY SECOND VISIT TO THE SEA PALACE 100 The Empress Dowager's Magnetic Personality Inter- esting Study Her Chinese Appellations Hall of Mon- golian Princes Dragon Wall Fruits Sent to the Palace Repast at the Sea Palace Promenade in the Train of Her Majesty The Imperial Gourds A Prom- enade in the Rain Rest in Hall of Mongolian Princes Archery in China The Sunset Call. CHAPTER XII. RETURN TO THE SUMMER PALACE 111 The Empress Dowager as a Psychological Study See- ing Her Face to Face Work on Portrait Resumed Easels and Cases for Materials for Work on Sacred Picture Walks Refreshments for the Promenades- Imperial Tea The Empress Dowager's Tea and Tea- cupsHer Deftness with her Fingers Her Thought- fulness. CHAPTER XIII. THE STEAM-LAUNCH SEMI-AN- NUAL SACRIFICES TO CONFUCIUS .... 117 Chinese Tolerance in Religious Matters Halls of Con- fuciusThe Odes to Peace Burning the Offerings. ix Contents PAGE CHAPTER XIV. THE PALACE EUNUCHS . 123 Their Grades The Chief Eunuchs Li Lien Ying His Power with the Courtiers "L'Eminence Grise" of the Court The Shut-in Position of Chinese Im- perial Rulers Need of an Unofficial Messenger Per- sonal Appearance of Li Lien Ying Sui, Her Majesty's Second Eunuch Punishment of Eunuchs Pupils OpiumSmoking Pets Good Manners of the Eunuchs. CHAPTER XV. LITERARY TASTES AND ACCOM- PLISHMENTS OF THE EMPRESS DOWAGER . 130 The Empress of the Eastern Palace Co-Regency Her Majesty's Literary Tastes Her Love of Heroic Poems Her Memory The Chinese Joan of Arc The Em- press, Widow of Tung-Chih The Empress Dowager's Reader and her Favorite Authors Her Love of the Theater Her Humor A Great Stickler for Purity of Language Li-Hung-Chang's Chinese How the Em- press Dowager Speaks It Her Writing of the Great Characters The Chinese Written Character Paint- ing Embroidery Her Designs for Floral Decora- tions Cultivation of her Person The Empress Dowager an Epicure Her Soaps and Perfumes Her Personal Magnetism as a Power over Animals The Escaped Bird The Katydid. CHAPTER XVI. THE GREAT AUDIENCE HALL . 142 Hours of the Audiences The Audience Hall at Sum- mer Palace Its Interior Ancient and Modern Thrones and Dais Audiences of Heads of Depart- ments The Grand Council Official Despatches Telegrams The Cushions for Members of the Grand Council Special Audiences The Introducing Eunuch Amusing Subterfuge of Officials at Audience The Young Emperor and Tiresome Official Sacred Quality of the Imperial Person Mode of Address of Courtiers The Kow-tow. CHAPTER XVII. THE SUMMER PALACE . 149 The Empress Dowager's Favorite Palace The Marble Terrace The Hills of the Summer Palace The Tem- ple of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Memorial Arches The Marble Bridge The Canals Camel-back Contents Bridges Chinese Architecture Utilitarian Spirit of the Chinese Flowers and Fields in the Park of Sum- mer Palace Grand Peony Mountain The Sacred Buddha-Temple of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Ruins of Old Summer Palace Views from the Summer Palace Belvederes When Their Majesties Go Abroad. CHAPTER XVIII. FESTIVAL OF THE HARVEST MOON 156 The Chinese Love of Festivals The Fruit of Immor- talityThe Little Handmaiden and her White Rab- bitThe Play at the Palace Theater on the Mid- Autumn Festival Dinner in the Imperial Loge Procession to the Moonlit Terrace Floral Pai-lou to the Moon "Bowing" to the Moon The Poem to the Moon The Burnt-Offering Return to the Palace on the Moonlit Lake Continuation of the Portrait Some Disadvantages of Too Much Pleasure Hospitality of the Empress Dowager Chinese Con- ventions and Traditions Wonderful Opportunities for Picturesqueness in Painting the Empress Dowager Restrictions Imposed by Chinese Tradition First Exhibition of the "Sacred Picture "Description of First Portrait of the Empress Dowager How I Should Have Liked to Paint Her. CHAPTER XIX. A GARDEN PARTY 165 Reception to the Diplomatic Corps and Ladies of the Legation The Ceremony of Reception of the Ladies The Empress Dowager's Cordiality Taking Tea in the Audience Hall Luncheon in the Throne-room Promenade on the Lake Visit to the Palace and Tem- ple on the Island The Marble Boat Lack of Harmony among the Guests at Garden Party Chinese Com- ment on our Costumes and Appearance Dislike of Blonde Hair. CHAPTER XX. BEGINNING A SECOND POR- TRAIT OP THE EMPRESS DOWAGER . 171 Putting the Characters Representing Her Majesty's Titles and her Two Seals on the Portrait Beginning the Small Portrait Toilette d'IntimitS "Hailo"and "'Shadza " The Palace Painters Their Manner of Working New Variety of Chrysanthemum The xi Contents PAGE " Peafowl Feather "The Audience Hall Pianos Her Majesty's Ideas of Dancing. CHAPTER XXI. A EUROPEAN CIRCUS AT THE PALACE 178 The Posters Sites for the Eing The Turnip Field Their Majesties Go in State across the Lake The House-boats The Young Empress's State Boat The Imperial Loges at the Circus Invited Officials Bands of Music A Glimpse of the Manchu Princes and Some High Officials The Son of the Imperial Princess The Opera Glasses of Their Majesties What Interested Them Most. CHAPTER XXII. PALACE CUSTOMS . 185 Early Rising When the Empress Dowager Sleeps Her Bedroom Irregular Hours except for the Au- dienceDomestic Duties Her Favorite Game Her Luck Her Meals Conventions Observed at the Em- press Dowager's Table Her Dishes The Hour of the Siesta Her Promenades The Days of the Theater When Their Majesties Dine Together Rigorous Ob- servance of Fasts at the Table of the Empress Dowager Court Etiquette The Graceful Bow Rigid Observance of Court Customs Her Majesty's Re- proof of Too Indulgent Mother.