CONTINUATION OF THE ST. LOUIS PORTRAIT--SPRING
DAYS AT THE SEA PALACE
There began now to be some discussion as to what would be the most
propitious date for finishing the portrait. I had thought I might
finish when I could, but this was not to be the case. The almanacs
were consulted, and it was decided that the nineteenth day of April
would be an auspicious time to finish and before four o’clock! The
Empress Dowager informed me of the “happy augury” of this date and
asked me if I thought it possible to finish then. Not only had the
date for beginning the portrait been carefully chosen, but there was
much deliberation as to the proper time for finishing! Her Majesty
seemed very anxious until she received my reply as to whether it would
be possible to finish at this happy date, for I could not say at
first, as I had never thought of finishing at any particular moment!
When I finally told her I could finish it before four o’clock, April
19th, she was delighted. She said “How good” and asked me to please
“not disappoint her.” As the portrait neared completion she came
very often to the studio and watched over the painting-in of all the
accessories, which she seemed to consider quite as important as the
likeness itself. As she was tired after the Audiences, she gave me two
or three sittings at this time before she went to the Audience Hall,
and I painted from half-past six to eight A.M. for two or three days.
The jewels in the head-dress, all official, were the subject of much
deliberation. After a jewel was painted in, she would decide she didn’t
like it and that something else would be better. She seemed to think
it was as easy to take it from the picture as to remove it from her
person. All these requests for changes were so graciously made, I never
complained. She would sometimes say, “I am giving you a great deal of
trouble, and you are very kind.” I didn’t mind the trouble, only these
changes took away the freshness of the painting and did not add to the
artistic effect of the picture.
Her Majesty ordered a magnificent frame for the portrait. She,
herself, made the design. The Double Dragon at the top struggled for
the “flaming pearl” with the character “Sho” on it. The sides were
elaborately carved in designs representing the symbol of “ten thousand”
years with the characters for longevity. The frame was to be set in
a superbly carved stand, as the Chinese do their mirrors. The whole,
of rare camphor-wood, was made by Her Majesty’s own artisans at the
Palace--the most expert workmen in China.
The days were lengthening now, the trees beginning to bud and the
flowers in the courts to bloom. The icy fetters that had locked the
lake were broken; the boats again glided over its bosom. In the
mornings we no longer had to take the winter “chairs” and be carried
the long distance from the gates to the Throne-room. The comfortable
boats once more lay moored at the foot of the landing-steps, just
within the gates, and we enjoyed again those ideal trips across the
lake.
The Empress Dowager began to take long promenades now and was much
out-of-doors. Sometimes in the mornings, on our arrival, she would
already be in the gardens. One day we met her on the banks of the
lake and made our morning salutations there. Another day, she and the
Emperor were inspecting the new buildings which were being erected to
replace those burned during the occupation of Peking by the Allies,
when Count von Waldersee had his headquarters in the Sea Palace.
Splendid buildings were being erected on the site of those burned. The
Emperor and Empress Dowager, each with his own suite, carefully visited
every part of these new constructions and seemed much interested in
their progress. Of course, the workmen were banished during the visit
of Their Majesties. One of these new halls was to be used for the
entertainment of foreigners, when they are invited to the Palace, and
many concessions had been made to foreign ideas in its construction.
Let us hope it may not lose its Chinese character! I am sure the
foreigners will regret this innovation and would prefer the typical
Chinese interior, even though it be less suited to the exigencies of a
modern reception.
Sometimes we would see the Empress Dowager in her Japanese
“jinricksha.” This was a beautiful, gold-lacquered affair in dragon
form, the two dragons’ heads in front. It had splendid gold-lacquered
shafts and wheels--the latter with rubber tires. It was pulled by one
eunuch and pushed by another, and Her Majesty seemed greatly to enjoy
this novelty for a while, but she said she preferred to walk or to be
carried in her open chair, as a usual thing.
Two other modern and novel methods of locomotion had been installed in
the grounds of the Sea Palace. There was a small railway, which ran
from the outer gates to the dwelling Palaces, which had its engine and
complete running outfit. This had been constructed by some progressive
Mandarins, who wished to get the Empress Dowager’s support for some
railway scheme, but though she often spoke of how much she had enjoyed
her one trip on a real railway, her spirit was too utilitarian to care
for toy pleasures. She couldn’t stand the puffing of the engine, the
tiny cars, and all this trouble for so short and useless a jaunt.
There was also in the Sea Palace, as well as at the Summer Palace, a
number of automobiles, which had been presented to Their Majesties
by Chinese nobles and officials who had been abroad, as examples of
the curiosities of European civilization. One of these was gorgeously
fitted up in the Imperial yellow and gold lacquer, with the Double
Dragon. The body was inclosed in glass and there was a throne-like
seat within for the Empress Dowager. The question of how the chauffeur
should run the machine standing, as he would be obliged to do if Her
Majesty were inside, had not then been solved. She was, however,
willing to throw tradition to the winds in this instance, and was most
anxious to try one of these motor-cars. Her entourage was, however,
bitterly opposed to it, even for a short distance in the grounds. They
were afraid of an accident. She never tried one while I was there, but
I am confident that her venturesome spirit will not rest content until
she has had a ride in one of these modern carriages.
In April, kite-flying time begins in China. High Officials and
dignified literati indulge in the pastime as well as children and young
people. The popular pastimes of the people, as well as their serious
occupations, being always honored in the Palace, kites were, of course,
sent off by the Empress Dowager and the Ladies. The first day the kites
were to be flown Her Majesty sent for me to come into the garden, where
the kite-flying was to take place. The kites were of paper, wonderfully
fashioned, representing birds, fish, bats, and even personages. The
strings were wound on curiously shaped reels and the cleverness with
which Her Majesty let out the string and manipulated the kites was
wonderful. After she had let one go, she graciously handed me her own
reel and told me she would teach me to fly a kite. I was hard at work
at my painting when I was called out into the garden and I wished to
return to it as soon as possible; and as I knew I would not be very
clever at kite-flying, I begged her to allow me to watch her instead.
The young Empress and Princesses were also very proficient in flying
them, and Her Majesty flew hers as she did everything else, with
unusual grace.
One of these beautiful spring mornings as we were softly gliding
across the lake, propelled by the graceful Palace boatmen, I lay back
on my cushions reveling in the scene of quiet loveliness before me
and drinking in the ineffable perfume of the spring, when my glance,
roaming lazily around in perfect content, caught sight of a group of
gentlemen on the bank of the lake beyond. The rays of the morning sun,
glinting upon the gold of their embroidered costumes and touching, with
iridescent rays, the peacock’s feathers upon their hats, revealed their
rank and official standing.
As it was a most unusual thing to see gentlemen in the Palace
Inclosure, I was at once all attention, knowing there must be some
important event on hand, especially as, on looking closer, I saw one
small figure in their midst more plainly dressed than the others,
whom I at once recognized as His Majesty the Emperor. As we slowly
approached I saw the Emperor go over to a plow to which was hitched
an ox, and which stood at a little distance off in the field. Fortune
favored me! I was to see the Emperor plow the first furrow of the year!
For it was only on the morrow that the official public ceremony was to
take place at the Temple of Agriculture, near the great triple altar of
Heaven. I was to see the private plowing, done in the Palace grounds
and viewed only by the Princes of the Imperial Family and the highest
Manchu nobles.
When all was ready the Emperor took the handles of the plow and guided
it down a furrow marked off the ground, and when the furrow was
upturned, the seed was dropped in. The ox for this ceremony, which I
had heard was white, was (at the Palace function) of a soft doe color.
He seemed to have been trained for the purpose and performed his part
with a dignity in harmony with the attitude of all the assistants and
in keeping with the solemnity of the occasion.
I was rejoiced to have an opportunity of seeing this interesting
ceremony and to learn that even this great rite, which I had thought,
like the sacrifice to the Invisible Deity on the triple altar, was only
performed in the grounds of the Temple to Heaven; and to learn that
every custom dear to the people, or incorporated in the National life,
is observed in the Palace by the Emperor and Empress--that His Majesty
really plants the first furrow of the year and gathers the first
sheaves of ripened wheat, and that the Ladies of the Palace really spin
the first silk and pull the first fruits.
The slow movement of the Palace boats was never so appreciated by me
as on this morning, for I was thus enabled to see well this curious
National ceremony, which I would never have seen but for the accident
of the hour of my crossing the lake and the time it took to do so; for,
as at all ceremonies where men are present, there were, of course,
no members of Her Majesty’s entourage, and none of the Ladies or
Princesses had ever seen this ceremony!