Page:Peking the Beautiful.pdf/86

 A Royal Garden Party at Yi Ho Yuan N THE days when dragon flags waved over Forbidden City walls, the beautiful Summer Palace was reserved almost exclusively for the Empress Tzŭ Hsi and her brilliant court. Dery few foreigners were privileged to tread its devious paths, or feast their eyes upon the glories within its tile capped walls. Yet occasionally some specially favored ones were invited by Her Majesty to become quests at a garden party at the Imperial Summer Home. "These garden parties," writes Miss Katherine Carl in her interesting book, with the Empress Dowager, "occupied two days. When the ladies arrived, all walked over to the gate of the palace, and, after entering, went to a pavilion on the right of the Audience Hall where they arranged themselves in the order in which they were to be presented. The verandah and large marble platform were shaded with tentlike silken awnings and covered, for the day, with red carpets. A double line of princesses led by the Princess Imperial descended the steps of the Audience Hall, and met the ladies on the marble platform. The princesses then turned and preceded them into the Audience Hall. Here they separated and stood in a picturesque group on either side of the throne dais. In the dim obscurity sat the Empress Douager on the Dynastic Throne, with the Emperor at her left In front of Her Majesty stood the official table with its cover of Imperial yellow, reaching the ground ... and gay with pyramids of fruits and flowers. The ladies made three reverences on entering and, after the formal presentations were over, the Empress Dowager descended from the dais. One of her yellow satin chairs was brought, and she sat down at the right side of the Audience Hall. The ladies were then collectively presented by Her Majesty to the young Empress and the Princess Imperial, and tea was ordered while the quests stood around the Empress Dowager's chair and she said a few words to each ir formally. When tea was finished the ladies, conducted by the eunuchs and accompanied by the princesses, went through the court of the theater, past the palace of the young Empress, across Her Majesty's court to the throne room where luncheon was served. After luncheon, at which the Imperial princesses acted as hostesses, the visiting ladies went to the marble terrace overlooking the lake where they were met by the young Empress and the secondary wife of the Emperor. ... The Empress Dowager's barge did not lead the Palace fleet that day. There were three big houseboats, each of which ponderous affairs had a large cabin with a yellow-covered seat for Her Majesty. We were rowed across the lake, first to the island where the palace and small temple adjacent were visited, and afterwards to the Marble Boat. On the lower deck, where was the best view of the lake, light refreshments, sweets, and fruits were served. When the tour of the lake was finished, the ladies made their adieux to their majesties and left the palace grounds for the Foreign Office, where they took their own chairs and carriages for Peking." [See paqe 90.)