VAST CHINESE PALACE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18589, 27 December 1934, Page 11

VAST CHINESE PALACE

POVERTY-STRICKEN • OWNERS

SOLD PIECEMEAL

PEIPING; China; Oct. 3.

The immense and costly palace of Prince Ting, one of the eight great Menchu warriors who helped in the establishment of the Mpnchu Dynasty, is being torn down and sold piecemeal by his poverty-stricken descendants.

This palace, .which covers approximately 20 acres, including the numerous lavge courtyards, was presented to Pl]ince Ting by his Emperor after one of the prince s invasions'that carried his mounted mien far into South China, and is stated to have been built at a cost of fil, 200,000. To-day, his descendants hope to realise about £54,000 from this palace after, it l\a« tyen demolished—a

sum which is not even equivalent Jjhfhe “cumshaw” or tip which' the original prince gave to the builders..'

The work •of demolition is of such a delicate nature that it Is expected that the 100 workmen will, take at least 10 months tq completethe jobt.. .'.ZZZZZ •Shell occurrences, although hot of !p»ch magnitude, -have been of such, frequency during latter years that little, or no yimment is raised. Since the. I'e'vdluSoiih'in 1911 all of the ; Manchu families EypiEan Peiping have been deprived qf... tpjr lands and incomes and have been-gradu-ally selling off their priceless curios And a'-t objects to maintain ‘‘faqtf’yajfcto buy focW. The demolition of tjjjeir jld ■and often intricately-carved houses, which are sold piecemeal, is usually a sign that a family has reached the last of' its-re-sources. '“'A