THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
AN OPEN LETTER FROM KANG.
- YU-WAI:
strong reactionist and much trusted by the Em press Dowager. This man and Kang Yi were two of the most energetio in seeking for the Reformers during the coup d'état, and person. ally conducted the search for them, having extended their investigations even to Tientsin.
N. C. Daily News,
JUNG LU AND THE PEKING GARRISON.
News has reached us from reliable sources at Peking that the Grand Secretary and Gen eralissimo Jung Lu bas, with the consent of the Empress Dowager, ordered 10,000 men into Pe. king, drawn from the two army corps of Yuan Shih-kai and Nieh Sze-cheng, who are supposed to command the best-drilled troops in the Pei- yang. These 10,000 men are to form Jung Lu's personal guards and special instructions were sent to Yuan and Nieh to pick out the best men under them who must be prepared to obey orders arising from any emergency. With the recent disposition of the troops in Chihli and Newchwang, and the present movement of such a large body of men into Peking, where there are already 50,000 men composing the Peking Field Force, Imperial guards, Banner Corps, and Chinese Green Banner regiments, the gen- eral opinion of the Chinese in the North and also in the Yangtze Valley is that they denote antiforeign aims, which have raised high the expectations of the reactionists and enemies of reform. Another opinion of Chinese who are
RESPECTED SENIORS,
[October 29, 1898.
to avenge our Sovereign. With my humble compliments.
BASA KANG YU-WEI,
:: THE: SECRET DECREES.
oret edicts to me. The first one, dated the 1st day Appended are the copies of his Majesty's so of the 8th moon (16th September), was handed to the Grand Council Secretary Yang Jui [executed 28th September] for transmission to me and runs as follows:---
Heaven on the fatal 5th day of the 8th moon The overpowering calamity which fell from (20th September) bringing such unexpected and fearful changes over the Empire by the usurpa- tion of the Imperial power by the antitype of those vile and licentious ancient Empresses Lü
"We know that the Empire is in very tron- and Wu, followed by the deposition and im- prisoument of our true Sovereign, causing there- blous times. Unless we adopt Western methods by Heaven and Earth to change places and it is impossible to save our Empire; unless we obliterating the lights of the Sun and Moon remove the old-fashioned Conservative Ministers from his Majesty's loyal subjects have, I know, and put in their stead young and intelligent filled with universal indignation the hearts of men possessed of a knowledge of Western affairs, the people.
it is impossible to carry out the reforms we had intended. But the Empress-Dowager does not Our youthful Emperor's intelligence and on- thusiasm made him bend his energies to inan-agree with me; we have repeatedly advised Her gurate new measures of reform for the country. We are now afraid that we will not be able to Majesty, but she becomes more and more enraged, to be put into practice in due time one after the other, and all who owed his Majesty loyalty and protect our Throne. You are hereby.com- manded to consult with Yang Jui, Lin Kuang. allegiance learning this raised our hands to our heads with pleasure and danced for joy. The to, Tan Tze-tung, Lin Hsid and all who hold False One for Usurper attempted to introduce similar principles and see what assistance you can give to save us. We are very anxious and order to tempt our Sovereign to destruction; distressed and are anxiously waiting for your but his Majesty spurned them with scorn and these evils were unable to defile the Palace atmosphere. Then one or two traitors of the conservative element, finding their objects pre- vented, threw themselves prostrate around the Usurper and besought her to resume the reins of power. (Note: Owing to the cashiering of
avarice and licentiousness into the Palace in
assistance."
The second edict received by me was on the following day (2nd day 8th moon, 17th Septem (also executed 28th September) and ran ber) and was delivered to me through Lin Hsið
follows:-
"We have commanded you to superintend
friends of reform is that the bringing in of Huai Ta-pu, President of the Board of Rites, the establishment of the Official Organ. It
these 10,000 men is meant to show the masses that a counter-check is intended to the entrance
strongly against our wish. We have great sorrow in our heart, which cannot be des cribed with pen and ink. You must proceed at
of the Legation guards, and that the Empress Dowager and Jung Lu are prepared to assist the Peking rowdies and riff-raff if any serious trouble arises between them and the Legation | thereby overshadowing that the Emperor would your loyalty and faithfulness.
guards.-N. C. Daily News.
once abroad and devise means to save us without a moment's delay. We are deeply affected with Please take
and his colleagues, Huai and Jung Lu were at the bottom of the whole plot.) The False One then contrary to all rights of Heaven and Earth seized the reins of power and issued a forged edict calling for physicians for his Majesty, be poisoned. To-day, therefore, we know not great care of yourself in health and body. We whether his Majesty be alive or dead. This in- earnestly trust that before long you will
able to assist us again in reorganising our deed is that which makes the gods and men in-
проп s proper diguant and feel that Heaven and Earth will Empire, and to put everything up
basis. This is our earnest desire. never pardon nor allow such to triumph long.
The above was sent to several native papers here, but it seems that the Sinwenpao was the only Chinese newspaper that ventured to publish Kang Yu-wei's letter and accompanying edicts of the Emperor, which is certainly a credit to that journal.-N. C. Daily News.
THE CHINESE IN JAPAN. According to the native papers his Majesty the Mikado of Japan has recently issued a decree that in view of the close friendship be- This Usurper when she came into power in tween Japan and China, all Chinese in Japan former years poisoned the Eastern Empress; are to be treated on the same footing as other Consort of Hsien Fêng. She murdered with nationalities, with the right of residence in the poisoned wine the Empress of Tang Chih, and interior. This step will sweep away any sore-by her acts made the late Emperor Hsien Fêng ness still left in the minds of the higher and die of spleen and indignation And now she has middle classes of China against Japan, arising dared to depose and imprison our true Sovereign. from the late war between the two Empires. Her crime is great and extreme in its wickedness. N. C. Daily News.
There has never been a worse deed. Although the writer, your humble servant, and Lin, Yang, Tan, and Liu [four of the six martyrs] all received his Majesty's commands in his last extremity, we alas! have not the power and strength of Hsu Chin-yi who restored Em- peror Taung-Chung to the Throne after de- posing the Empress Wu Tsêh-tion of the Tang dynasty] but can only emulate the example of Ehen Pao-su in weeping. [This was a minister of Ts'u, (Hapan), who over 2,000 years ago went weeping to beseech the powerful King of Chin, (Shensi), to avenge the deposition of his Master the King of Tsu and by his importunity succeeded in doing so.
THE SZECHUAN BEIGANDS.
A Chungking telegram of the 22nd October to the N. C. Daily News reads as follows:-
The rebels under Yu Man-tze are still most active and have assembled in great numbers in the districts of Pishan and Yungchuan. They have destroyed over 150 li of telegraph poles and are exceedingly threatening in their more- ments. The high authorities at Chengtu seem uncertain whether to bribe the rebels to keep quiet or try at once to crush the rebellion.
THE YELLOW RIVER.
A Peking telegram of the 20th October to the N. G. Daily News gives the following Im- perial decree
I, the Empress-Dowager Tze-hai-tuan-yu, etc., etc., desire to express my anxiety and pity for the sufferings of our poor subjects who have been thrown into great distress by the recent floods of the Yellow River, in spite of the repeated attempts at strengthening the embankments annually. I cannot stand by and merely look upon all these disasters which or r whelm our subjects without trying to do some. thing to prevent a recurrence of these fearful inundations caused by the breaches in the em- bankments, and I therefore command that the high authorities in the provinces seek for some persons expert in the important subject of river conservation whose hands are clean and who have shown ability in their duties, for recom mendation to the Throne and appointment for the work in hand. As this will concern the protection and welfare of the people I trust that all our officials will recognise the gravity of the situation and assist me in procuring the right persons for such a work of importance. Let this be published far and wide to all con- cerned.
I, therefore, now send you copies of his Majesty's two secret edicts to me and crave your assistance in publishing them to the whole world either in the Chinese or Foreign newspapers. This will, I earnestly trust, bring strong arms to our sovereign's rescue. His Majesty has always accepted the flat of his ancestors in recognising the mother who bore him as his own mother, and not an Imperial concubine as his mother. The False One in relation to the Emperor Tung Chih was the latter's mother, but as regards his Majesty Kuang Hsu, our sovereign, she is but a former Emperor's concubine-relict (Hsien Feng's]. According to the tenets of the Spring and Autumn Records (written by Confucius) Queen Wên Chiang, although the mother of King Chuang of Ln, yet her.licentious conduct did not save her from being imprisoned by her own son, much more in the present case then should punishment be administered to one who was but merely a Palace concubine. What right had this woman to depose our bright and sagacious Emperor? If this could be clearly set forth in the Chinese and Foreign newspapers and be published to the world I verily believe that from Peking to Yunnan and the sixteen ancient divisions of China some hero must surely arise
INTERVIEW WITH A PROGRESSIVE
CHINAMAN.
REMARKABLE MOVEMENT IN YOKOHAMA,
A good many people in Yokohama, seeing the lanterns and Dragon flags so plentifully dis played in Chinatown, have been asking "What is it all about?" A Chinese holiday in October is quite an innovation; Confucius' "birthday has come and gone for many years without much public notice being taken of the fact; and foreig ners are naturally a little puzzled by this sudden impulse on the part of the Chinese to celebrate the advent into the world of the great philo sopher. With a view to elucidating the point a representative of this journal made his way yesterday into Chinatown, and threaded the mazes of that queer-smelling and mysterious quarter until he reached the Tai Tang School, where he reckoned on finding some educated and good-natured Chinese who could explain the whole thing to him. In this aim he was successful. While he was endeavouring, in the very vilest Japanese, to explain his mission to portly Celestial to whom he first addressed him- self, another Chinese gentleman came forward, and politely asked if he could be of service. Our representative briefly explained in English what he wanted.
"Well, you see," answered the Chinese, “ we are celebrating the birthday of Confucius, According to our ancient history he was born 2,449 years ago."
"But this is the first time, I believe, that you have had any celebration of the sort in Yoko- hama ?"
"Yes, and it is the first general celebration in China for a very long time. It has a politi cal significance, and is associated with the new Reform Party, of whom I am one.”-
You mean the party of Kang Yu-wei ?'' --- Yes, I know Kang Yu-wei personally. The Reform Party is much more influential in China than Europeans are apt to think. And
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.