LOOT OF THE IMPEKIAL SUMMEE PALACE AT PEKIN. G19 



The throne fuce.s the screen and is raised upon ten steps; it is a 

 mountain of cushions and silk mattresses, in a niche nearly 25 feet 

 wide, Itself cut out of an immense lattice-work wainscoting, like an 

 openwork alcove in the wood of the choir of one of our old cathedrals 



The hall is well lighted throughout, for the windows arc close 

 together, and furnished with ventilators, shades, and blinds, permitting 

 the passage of refreshing air no matter what the position of the; sun. 

 On piers between the windows, frames of sculptured woodwork sur- 

 round pictured panels. 



There is scarcely any furniture; behind the screen is a little altar fac- 

 ing the throne, on the right of the imperial seat a table and an armchair 

 of teak wood. On the table are a golden tray, some writing brushes, 

 a saucer of vermilion, and some paper on which is traced characters 

 in vermilion — it is the interrupted correspondence of His Majesty. 

 On the small altar rest two incense burners of jade, some porcelain 

 saucers, on which, in the absence of the Emperor, are placed fruits, 

 tea, and tiow^ers, offerings addressed to his spirit that in Chinese belief 

 is always present in these places. 



On either side of the throne, in the corners of the hall, arc. two 

 doors, each leading to a kind of small saloon or orator}^; that on the 

 right communicating with the private apartments of the sovereign; it 

 is called the Tien — heaven. 



The walls, the ceilings, the dressing tables, the chairs, the foot- 

 stools are all in gold, studded with gems. Rows of small gods in 

 massy gold are carved with such wonderful skill that their artistic 

 value is far beyond their intrinsic worth. 



There, on supports of jade, are two pagodas of enameled gold, as 

 large as corn bins, with seven superposed roofs, and from each pear- 

 shaped pearls hang like so man}^ bells. In among the gods are Euro- 

 pean clocks of every description. Two of them are of the beautiful 

 Louis XVI style and are models of good taste, beauty, and fine Avork- 

 manship; alongside are more incense burners, torches, candlesticks, 

 golden boxes, snutiboxes embellished with precious stones, and enam- 

 eled miniaturcvs, a jeweler's fevered dream. 



In the other oratory to the left, which resembles the interior of a 

 monstrance, are gathered all the articles for the daily use of the '\Son 

 of Heaven," when occupying the throne room; his tea ser^-ice, his 

 cups; his pipes— the bowl of gold or silver— the long tubes enriched 

 with coral, jade, rubies, sapphires, and little tufts of many colored 

 silk; his ceremonial chaplets of rows of pearls as large as nuts, which 

 are spread across his august breast, though their whiteness is not 

 quite perfect. Here are his speaking trumpets of silver gilt, used 

 at times to swell his voice to thunder tones for the benefit of his pros- 

 trate subjects. On wall cabinets are a great many little silver blades, 

 with rounded ends, nearly half an inch thick, two inches wide and 



