7
Decrees dated November 18, 1908.
Decree of the Empress Dowager (widow of the late Emperor Kuang Hsü) commands the Prince Regent to wear mourning for 100 days.
Decree of the Emperor, commands the Princes and Ministers appointed to uperintend the Imperial funeral arrangements to wear mourning, in accordance with rule, for 100 days.
The same command is extended to Prince Ch'ing, Prince Chuang, the Khorch'in Prince (Mongol), the Prince of K'e-ch'in, the Naiman Prince (Mongol), the Princes Tsai Jun, Tsai Hsun, Tsai Tao, Yu Lang, K'alach'in (Mongol), Khorch'in (Mongol, third Order), P'u Lun, Yu Su, the Tumed Prince (Mongol), the Duke P'u Chieh, the Duke of Kh'orchin (Mongol), Prince Tsai Chen (son of Prince Ching), Duke P'u-T'ung, the Generals of the Imperial Body Guard, Fen Ch'e and Se-leng-o, the Lieutenant- Generals Shan-Yu and Liang Tai, a number of husbands of Imperial Princesses, the Grand Councillor and Grand Secretary, Chang Chib Tung, the Grand Secretary Sun Chia Nai, the President of the Army Board (Tieh Liang), the President of the Board of Communications (Ch'ien Pi), the President of the Board of Dependencies (Shou Ch'i), and four officials of the Imperial College of Inscriptions.
All other Princes and Ministers are to wear mourning for twenty-seven days, and to burn it on expiry of that period.
Decree received by the Grand Secretariat, November 19, 1908.
Eulogizes the late August Empress Dowager, the devoted Consort of the Emperor Hsien-Feng, who, at the death of that Emperor, when the Empire was distracted with war and rebellion, and at a time when Treaties had first [sic] been signed with foreign Powers and general unrest prevailed, was called upon by the officials of the Empire to join with the first Empress Consort to act as Regent for the Emperor Tung-chih. For this purpose she had received from the Emperor Hsien Feng, while at Jehol, a special seal engraved with the five characters "Yu Shang Tung Tao Tang " ("Colleagues by Imperial Grant"), which was to be affixed to Decrees of the Court.
On returning to Peking, she was able to re-establish tranquillity by sweeping aside the great rebels [allusion to the conspiracy of Prince Yi and Prince Cheng to place Su Shun, the latter's son, upon the throne in place of Tung Chih.--TRANSLATOR], and to In so doing she was supported by high dignitaries of the recover the supreme power. Imperial House [se., Prince Kung.-TRANSLATOR], and used all her endeavours to govern in the interests of the people, under the advice of her Ministers.
She compiled the work on Government entitled "Chih-Ping-chih-Pao-chien” (“The Mirror of Peaceful Governance"). She called into her service great scholars,, brought to a speedy end the Tai Ping rebellion, the rising of the Nien Fei, the With the land Mohammedan rebellion, and the insurrection of aboriginal tribes. beyond the four seas she transformed the beacon lights of war into lamps of the peace, and brought the people from peril to felicity.
When His Majesty the late Emperor came to the throne she was again graciously pleased to nurture him tenderly, and again to superintend the Government through troublous times, without count of the labour which was thereby involved, and, as time went on, and relations with all the world became more close each day, brought forward new questions. Both in foreign and internal affairs no subject was neglected by her. Without thought of self, no leisure remained unto her in the pursuit of progress along paths of reform.
She founded the Tang Wen Kuan [College of Languages, under the Imperial Maritime Customs.--TRANSLATOR] for the training or interpreters. She established the navy and arsenals. She appointed Ministers to reside in various countries to strengthen friendly relations. She sent students abroad, caused railways to be constructed and mines to be opened. She issued a Commercial Code, introduced a uniform currency, and encouraged the development of shipping, posts and telegraphs, the unification of weights and measures, the digging of wells (in Peking) as a means of dealing with fires.
She abolished the malpractices of ages, changed the system of public examinations, opened schools and colleges, abolished torture, prohibited the use of punish- bestowed honours on the memory of
ments during trials, revised the laws,
Confucins.
She further instituted the training of the army on modern lines in order to set the Empire on strong foundations and to quell disorder; and, as in ancient times it was right and proper to utilize the ability of others, she introduced into the art of government principles culled from Western and Eastern lands. As the Sovereign has ever sought to blend the hearts of the people into one, she broke down the barriers between Manchus and Chinese.
She pressed forward the revision of the Kuang-Hsü-Hui-Tien (Collected Insti- tutes of the Dynasty), caused maps to be made for military use, extended protection to Chinese settlers in other lands, made charitable donations to friendly countries on occasions of national calamity, preventing members of her own family from grasping power, refused honours for herself, and in every manner surpassed even the Empresses Ming-Te of the Han Dynasty and Hsuan Jen of the Sung Dynasty.
Moreover, she was endowed by Heaven with exceptional accomplishments, in needlework, writing, and painting, in all of which she excelled. In her Palace grounds
also she made the Yu-Yi-Chuang, a model farm, where she watched the processes of agriculture; and the Ch'i-Hua-Kuan, where she studied the rearing of silkworms.
When she heard of floods or famine, she longed for the clemency of the elements. Frugal in her daily life, she raised her prayers to Heaven in the watches of the night for the benefit of her people.
Recently she promulgated the term of years within which a Constitution is to be established, to the great joy of the whole Empire, and thereby carried on the tradition established by Yao and Shun of acting in sympathy with the people, and swept away the form of government by force which first grew up in the Ch'in and Han Dynasties.
Decree ends with a command to the Grand Secretariat and the various Boards to consult together as to the posthumous title to be bestowed on Her late Majesty.
Decrees issued on November 19 and 20, 1908.
November 19, 1908.
The Mongolian Princes and Nobles of all ranks whose turn for duty in the capital occurs this year will all be permitted to pay their respects to the remains of Their late Majesties. Payment of tribute will be remitted for the present year. Princes and Nobles not on the roster for duty in the capital this year are not required to come to Peking.
V
November 20, 1908.
In view of the fact that Her late Majesty the August Empress Dowager guided the destinies of the Empire during the long period of more than forty years, it is fitting that the mourning rites in her honour should be on a scale of exceptional magnificence. The Board of Rites are instructed to revise the programme already submitted and present a further Memorial.
November 20, 1908.
P'u-t'o Ku, which was definitely selected as the site of the tomb of Her late Majesty the August Empress Dowager, shall hereafter be known as "The P'u-t'o Ku Eastern Ting Mausoleum," and all public Departments are directed to use this name in future.
November 20, 1908.
On the 15th November a Decree was issued by Her late Majesty the August Empress Dowager ordering that the administration of all affairs of State should rest with the Prince Regent, that is to say, that the Prince Regent, acting on our behalf, should direct all the affairs and exercise full control over the publie service of the Empire. The commands of Her late Majesty are binding on all, from the highest to the lowest, but should be treated with special reverence by the Princes and other members of our Imperial House, whose duty it is to set an example to the rest of the Should any Princes, Nobles, or officers show any reluctance in rendering obedience, fail in their duty, or otherwise endanger the tranquillity of the Empire, they will be punished without fail in accordance with the law of the land, lest, by a display of
[2049 q---2]
nation.
D
10