THE EMPEROR OF CHINA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13355, 8 December 1906, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE EMPEROR OF CHINA.

A LITTLE KNOWN ROYAL

PERSONAGE.

.His Imperial Majesty Ktjaxo Hsu (Illustrious Succession), whose real name— which none of his subjects _is permitted to pronounceis Tsai Tien, was born on the 28th day of the sixth moon, in the year 1872 of the Christian era. He .mounted the Dragon Throne when only three years of age (four, according to the Chinese way of reckoning), but his coronation did not take place until February 7, 1897, thus ' bringing to an end, at least nominally, the long extended regency. The coronation did not, however, to any appreciable extent, do away with the influence of the all-powerful Empress Dowager, who still exercised undisputed authority in the conduct of State affairs, even as she does at the present time. A few months before this event she had selected as consort for His Majesty a daughter of Duke Chao, a Manchu nobleman. At the same time a daughter each of the GovernorGeneral of the Hu Kuang (Hupch and Hunan), the Governor of Kiangsi and a member of the Board of Revenue, all belonging to the Manchu aristocracy, were selected as concubines for His Majesty.

The Emperor considers himself, and is so considered by ills subjects,; as their heavenappointed ruler. He is the "Son of Heaven" and-"Holy Son of Heaven. - ' The first Emperor of the present dynasty thus announced his .elevation in 1644 "I, the Son' of Heaven, of Ta-ts'ing ( (Great .Pure)' dynasty, humbly as a subject dare to announce to Imperial Heaven and to Sovereign Earth, my Imperial grandfather received the gracious decree of heaven and founded a Kingdom in the East. I, receiving heaven's favour,'and in accordance with their wishes, announce to heaven that- 1 have ascended the throne of the Empire." The Emperor Tao Kuang, on ascending the throne in 1820, announced the fact in somewhat similar terms, and .in a State paper, issued by that Emperor 12 years later the same extravagant claim is made] This idea of the "divine right of kings" is, moreover, a very ancient one, reference being made to it in the Shu King, " book of records," and it is regarded as a right and legitimate one by the people, from the highest to.the lowest. Commissioner Liu, famous for his efforts to stop the opium trade, in his correspondence with Queen Victoria, afforded striking evidence of the prevalence of t'his feeling. The throne is "the heaven conferred seat," the revenues are "heaven appointed emoluments," and " the heaven appointed punishment'' is meted out to aspirants to the throne. ' The Emperor, too, occupies the unique position of being the high priest, who once a year performs the sacrificial rites before the open altar to heaven on behalf of his multitudinous subjects. The scene at the time of the sacrifice, in the early morning of December 21, is one of impressive grandeur and magnificence. The Emperor ot these many millions, acting as the great high priest of the nil!' n, offers a great sacrifice to heaven and his ancestors. The great retinue of high officers are attending him while performing these sacrifices, and a vast multitude of attendants are gathered around in an attitude of profound reverence and adoration. As the pale light is shed abroad upon this vast crowd from the suspended lanterns, and the lurid glare from the sacrificial furnace ascends in the distance, and the fragrance of the incense and the peals of music till the air under the open vault of heaven in the early morning, the scene has all the elements of an imposing, ceremony. The Emperor is responsible to no one but to heaven, who appoints him, whose vicegerent he is. His one great duty is to reverence heaven. The classical works of the Chinese have much to say concerning the multifarious duties of this exalted personage, but the space at our disposal will only permit us to indicate a few of the more ' prominent. He should perfect his own j Royal character and conduct; he should always think of his princely duties, and cultivate a large and friendly heart; 'he is urged to exert himself, in order that he might achieve proper.merit ; above all, he should attend to the sacrifices. The sacri- ; fices to heaven and earth, at the winter and : summer solstices, as well as on special oci casions, and to the Imperial ancestors, were the sacrifices the performance of which devolved especially upon the Emperor as the Pontifex Maximum of the nation. Another important duty mentioned as devolving upon the Emperor was the appointing of officers to assist him in the administration of the government, it was also incumbent upon him to do so in accordance with the statutes of the Empire; but, above all, it is over and oyer again enjoined upon him that it was his duty to watch over and care for his people: to give special encouragement to agriculture, and to look after the watercourses and streams, to see that they did not overflow their banks. Besides the above-named duties many others of less importance are enumerated. On the whole, it may bo safely concluded that, if the Emperor is faithful in the performance of his duties and in fulfilling the obligations that devolve upon him, the position he occupies is no sinecure. In the long line of Chinese Emperors there have been those whose memory, although long ages have elapsed since they lived and flourished, is still green, of whom the people speak with pride, and for the like of whom, in the present disturbed and unsettled state of their country, they yearn. And the best wish that we can express for the Emperor, who has now entered upon the 32nd year of his reign, is that he may prove worthy to follow in the footsteps of these illustrious predecessors, and that he may be able, taking advantage of the great change that has come over the mind and spirit of his subjects, to do much more than even the most enlightened of these old-time Emperors were able to accomplish, to advance the prosperity and happiness •of his people.— China JTftral/ •,,■."■■.■■■■■■.!'- . ''■. «..,'■ ".' •...■:.,