THE EMPRESS OF JAPAN

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 11

THE EMPRESS OF JAPAN

Tho "World” contains an interesting sketch of Harou-Ko, Empress of Japan. The writer, after remarking that in very far back days there was an Empress of Japan who was held in quite special love and reverence by her people, and that thero aro latter-day Japs who maintain that this Empress is now living in. (heir midst, and has assumed tho form of Harou-Ko, their Mikado’s Consort, says:— f . - "Eor a lady who lived so many centuries ago, Haron-Ko is in appearance ' quite startingly modern: for her dresses —they aro all made in Paris or London.— are always le dernier cri and she wears them as one born in the rue do Gron&lle. Although not strikingly beautiful, at least according to Western taste, her Majesty has-a singularly fascinating faco —it is so kindly, intelligent, and expressive. It is a strange face, too, one i full of subtle contradictions, and with.lines that tell diverse tales. - . Tn spito of her Parisian toilettes and hor English manners. the Empress is a thorough Oriental, with all tha Oriental's reverence for tradition and hatred of change. Bat she is passionately devoted to Japan; there is no sacrifice she would not make for hor 1 own people. Her great desire in life, indeed, is to bo completely at one with them in their hopes, tfears, and aspir- : aliens. i

"Harou-Ko was bom in 1850. She was a daughter of Prince Tadaka, a member of one of the great noble families from : which tho Mikados are expected to choose their consorts; and she was educated with a special view to tho pos- ~ ability of her becoming Empress. Her , ; early davs were spent at Kioto,'.the seat of the old Japanese Court, where she lived as completely cut off from tho world as if she had been in a convent. There she stayed until she was nearly nineteen, when J she woo brought forth and married to the Mikado, who was some, two years younger than she was. ■;/ Youthful and inexperienced as they Were, tho Imperial couple scorn to .have demeaned themselves with great dignity, and they soon became exceedingly popular. It was a time of groat political excitement in Japan, tho morrow of a revolution; the old state of things had just been swept asido completely, and considerable doubt prevailed as to what tho : result would be., especially with so young a Sovereign at the head of affairs. It was a piece,of supreme good fortune for Japan, therefore, that hor Mikado hod not only able Ministers to help him to ;; rule, but a wise and prudent wife to share his burdens with him. . s “In spite of tho Mikado’s eevotion to her, Harou-Ko has always been. in a difficult position; for. although sbo is his . chief wife, and therefore Fimpress, she ' is not his only wife, and -what is still worse, perhaps, she is nor the mother of : his hoir. She lias no children, and this in itself has always been a source of -riel. to her. Luckily both for herself and her husband, however, she is no Sarah; and as soon as she realised that thero was no chance of her bearing him. a son, she adopted as her own the son Yi of one of her rivals, and devoted herself heart and soul to fitting him for his future station, lavishing kindness on his i mother the while.' ‘ : i . : ; ■//!.: “The Empress is a charming Hostess, u and one of the entertainments she gives 1 every year—the Chea-iy-blossom Garden Party—is surely one pf the most charming of entertainments. A** soon os the cherry-trees are in. blossom, invitations are issued for a Court garden party, and on tho appointed day all the great personages in Tokio statesmen and diplomatists, with their wives and: daughters, and everyone else of distinction, assemble in one of tho imperial parks, near the entrance, where they await the arrival of tho Em'peror s.nd Empress. At the approach of tha Imperial carriage they-range themselves cm each side of the Grande Alleo: then, they fall into rank behind their Majesties, and walk in procession around tho park to admire the trees. When they arrive/ at the .tents whore refreshments are served, the Emperor and Empress hold a sort of informal Court. They bid their guests welcome, and converse with those among them to whom they wish to show speci id honour. Tho Empress, is always exquisitely dressed on these occasions, and plays her part as hostess with infinite kindliness and tact. At the present time there are neither garden parties nor any other entertainments in Tokio, for Harou-Ko’s whole time is devoted to trying to relievo the sufferings of her wounded soldiers. She is the president of the Bed Gross Society, which she helped to . organise immediately before the war with China, and she works for it indcfatigahly the whole day long. So long as the war lasts neither she nor any member of her Court > will spend any money at all on luxuries or amusement; all that they would otherwise have spent in this way is to go to .provide comforts for the Army. Her Maj“stv is in complete sympathy with her people in the war. and she will bo broken-hearted should any disaster befall them.' She and tho Craritsa Marie the presidenfhf the Tl.us»ia,n Red Crnsc Society are not alt©, gether strangers to each other, for some years ago. when the present Cxar narrewlv escaped hemg murdered in Japan, she at once without ea-dog * word to envone nr asViog anyone's adadee sent O ff ’a'reost tnuehipcjy syr-oatha'ic tr 1170 letter to Ilia meeher. to tell her how very sorry she was.”