Page:Peking the Beautiful.pdf/148

 The Throne Room of an Empress

O 6EXT perhaps to the famous Yi Ho Yuan, the South Sea Palaces and garders are famed for their artistic beauty. Having been a frequent visitor to and an ardent lover of the enchanting Summer Palace gardens, it was not at all difficult for us to surmise the name of the author of all this concentrated loveliness—for who, other than Tzů Hsi, "an artist to the very finger tips and a lover of beauty in all its forms," could so successfully bring together, and combine with such consummate skill all the resources of nature and art which are here gathered around the shores of the Nan Hai "Every nook and corner of the Sea Palaces," writes Miss Bredon, "is so closely associated with the Empress Dowager Tzú Hsi, that we seem to forget, when wandering through them, the earlier owners. It is her individuality which dominates. This was the place she loved, and loving, made her own. Throughout the buildings and the gardens, like inextricable bright threads, the romantic traditions of her pleasures and her passions lend meaning and unity to all we look upon." From the beautiful shores of Ocean Terrace we wend our way northward, passing the famous rock gardens on our way. In order to reach the most important buildings beyond, we must cross the interesting zigzag "Bridge of Ten Thousand Years." From here we follow a gorgeously decorated gallery, such as we find at the Summer Palace, past the Empress Dowager's private theater (built over the water to soften the voices of the actors) to the waiting room of the President Passing this pavilion, with its fine black and white marble floor and beautifully carved ceiling, we press on toward the Presidential mansion, built in foreign style, where live the chief executive and his family, Fron here we follow along a winding roadway by the lakeside until we come to a large spirit screen, or "wall of respect," which stands in front of Tzŭ Hsi's private pavilions. The gateway, as usual, is guarded by two grotesque cloisonné lions. The beautiful hal beyond was built by the Empress Dowager for her own use. The spacious court in front of the throne room must have been charming in those other days; but quan Hsi-kai, in an effort to provide a reception room for foreigners, ruined this lovely spot by roofing over the courtyard. This throne room now forms "a kind of dais to the new building-a stage divided and subdivided by carvings of rich brown sandalwood which, in addition to their lacy loveliness, spread a warm and delicious perfume. The frames of the round openings in these partitions are sometimes six inches thick, yet they are carved completely through with extraordinary richness and variety of design- different on both sides." The plate shows the gorgeously decorated interior of this Imperial throne room. Here " in this regal setting the old Buddha, as Tză Hsi is to this day affectionately called in her capital, went to join her ancestors."