TITLES GIVEN TO THE EMPEROR.

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late Emperor Kea-king. He succeeded his father in 1820 in the thirty-ninth year of his age, so that, now, being more than three score years of age, is no wonder that he should have somewhat the look of an old man. He is tall and slender, and his complexion rather dark. Had he run into the excesses of his father and his younger brothers, no doubt his infirmities would have been greater than they are.

Taou Kwang in his royal robes has an imposing appearance. Though not so highly gifted as several European sovereigns, yet is he disposed to be generous, diligent in the performance of his kingly duties, and free from extravagance. Those who think favourably of him consider him to be an easy sort of a ruler, and much more disposed to keep things as they are, than to effect changes.

The Sultan, or Grand Signior, the sovereign of the Turks or Ottomans, has a tolerable list of sounding titles, for he is not only called Padi-shah, or Emperor, but also Padi-shah-islam (Emperor of Islamism, or the Mohammedan world), Imaum `ul Musliminn (Pontiff of Mussulmans), Sultan ul din (Protector of the faith), Alempenah (Refuge of the world), and Zil-ullah (Shadow of God). But this list could hardly be compared with that of the Emperor of China if we were to enumerate all the high titles which are given to him; however, among them he is called Reason's Glory, the Sacred Son of Heaven, Imperial Supreme, the sole

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COURAGE OF TAOU-KWANG.

Ruler of the Earth, Lord of Ten thousand Years, King of Ten Thousand Islands, the Flower of the Imperial race, the Sun of the Firmament of Honour, the resplendent Gem in the Crown and Throne of the Chinese Territories, and the Great Father of his people.

The reason why Taou-kwang was raised to the throne was this: when his father was in extreme danger, having his palace surrounded and stormed by a powerful band of robbers, he bravely defended him at the extreme hazard of his own life. For this his father, Kea-king, appointed him to be his successor.

This affair has been thus described by the Emperor Kea-king. "A banditti of upwards of seventy men, of the sect Teen-le, violated the prohibited gate, and entered within side. They wounded the guard, and rushed into the inner palace. Four rebels were seized and bound. Three others ascended the wall with a flag; my Imperial second son seized a musket, and shot two of them; my nephew killed a third. For this deliverance I am indebted to the energies of my second son. The princes and chief officers of the Lung-tsung gate let forth the troops, and, after two days and one night's utmost exertion, completely routed the rebels."

Though you may never have attended a British coronation, it is possible that you may have read an account of the ceremony performed on such an

ASCENDING TO THE SUMMIT.

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occasion. To a Chinese, the entrance into the cathedral, the recognition, the oblation, the anthem, the oath, and the anointing, the presentation of the spurs and sword, the investing with the royal robe, the ring and sceptre, the putting on the crown, the presentation of the Holy Bible, the benediction, the inthronization, the homage, the Communion, and the recess, would occasion as much surprise as you would manifest on witness

ing the ceremony of a Chinese emperor "ascend

ing to the summit," or seating himself on the throne.

In China the throne is called "the Dragon's seat," and what we term a coronation the Chinese call "ascending to the summit." Having by me a translation of the Chinese ceremonies observed on the ascension of Taou-kwang to the throne, which appeared in the Pekin Gazette at the time, I will here lay it before you; and, if you are half as curious in regard to all that belongs to the Chinese as I am, you will read it over with equal attention and interest. The document was issued by the Board of Ceremonies, that the forms attendant on "Ascending to the throne" might be properly observed. Thus runs the account :

"The members of the Board of Rites beg respectfully to state the usual ceremonies observed at the Ascension of the Emperors. On the day appointed for the ceremony, the commander of the foot-guards shall lead in the troops to take

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HIS MAJESTY'S FOOT CHARIOT.

their station at the several gates of the Imperial city.

"The members of the Board of Rites, and of the Hung-loo office, shall assemble in the Imperial Council-chamber, and set the seal-table (on which the Imperial seal is to be placed) in the Palace of Peace, to the south of the Imperial throne, and exactly in the middle.

"Let them set the report-table (on which the petition, requesting his Majesty to ascend the throne, is to be laid,) on the south side of the eastern pillar of the palace; the edict-table (on which is to be placed the Imperial proclamation, announcing the accession) on the north side of the eastern pillar.

"Let the writing-table (on which the pen and ink, used on the occasion, are to lie) be set on the right or left of the western pillar; and the yellow table (from which the proclamation is to be promulged) on the red steps (or elevation at the foot of the throne, where ministers advance to pay their obeisance) exactly in the middle.

"The Imperial guards, both officers and men, shall then enter, and set forth in order, the Imperial travelling equipage in front of the Palace of Peace. They shall next make ready his Majesty's foot-chariot (i. e. one usually drawn by men) without the palace-gate. The fine (ancient) Imperial carriages shall then be set forth without the Woo-gate. The docile elephants shall be

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS SET IN ORDER. 125

placed to the south of the five carriages. Let them draw up the Imperial horse-guards on the right and left of the middle path of the vestibule, fronting each other east and west.

"Let the Imperial canopy and cloud-capped basin (in which the Imperial proclamation, announcing the Emperor's ascension, is placed) be set within the vestibule. After this, the members of the Board of Music shall arrange the ancient musical instruments, used by Shun, to the east and west, on the palace causeway; and the musical instruments used on state occasions they shall set in order within the palace. These shall be thus placed, but not (for the present) used. Next, the musical instruments, used at the arrival and departure of his Majesty, together with the Dragon-dome and the Incense-dome (i. e. a kind of portable sheds or porticoes) shall be set forth without the Woo-gate.

"The officers of the Board of Public Works shall place the golden phoenix at the gate of Celestial Repose, directly in the middle; and set the stage, from which the proclamation is to be made, in the first chamber, on the east side of the gate.

"The second officer of the Board of Rites, having ready the petition (requesting the Emperor to ascend the throne), shall take it, reverently, in both his hands, and place it on the petition-table, already set on the south side of the