THE YELLOW CORD
' OF CHINA
AND ITS MEANING
Imperial Death Warrant
Of tlie Celestial Empire
Reported to Have Been
Sent to Yvian Shin K. ai.
Wkat Must
Those Who
UHLICATJON of news ills
patches from Poking that
the Regent, Prince Ch'un lias
sent nn Imperial messenger
bearing the yollow cord to
Yuan Shlh K'ni will excite
world-wide Interest for sev
eral reasons, writes Thomas F. Mil
lard In llio Philadelphia Ledger. Thorc
is tiniiRiml solicitude Tor tills omlncnt
Chinese statesman; International con
siderations of Importance are believed
to bo Involved with his fate, and the
rumor Illustrates the survival of one
of those curious ciiBtoins' which West
erners habitually associate with the
so-called mysterious east.
As Its alleged use In this connec
tion intimates, the yollow cord takes
placo with tlio yellow Jacket, the pea
cock feather, tho ruby button, and
other ancient symbols of the Colestlal
empirp to which extraordinary signifi
cance Is attached, and which are pop
ularly supposed to bo confined to
China. The. west hears from tlmo to
tlmo of how higher Chlnoso olllclals
have been endowed with or doprlved
of such honors, and its estimation of
the Importance of those events de
pends upon whether a practical or
comic opera view of Chinese politics
Is taken. To many westerners these
political symbols assumo a romantic
and mysterious aspect, to others they
savor of tho preposterous. Uoth of
theso estimations are incorrect: for
when scrutinized they are, like most
oriental customs, found to bo almost
exactly parallel, in their practical ef
fects, to contemporaneous Western
customs.
Matter of Etiquette.
The yellow cord Is a symbol at
tached to superior dignity. It has,
like many old-tlmo ceremonials of
court etlquctto in Europe, become
much modified in modem times. Its
legendary functions confine Its opera:
Hon to members of tho Imperial fami
ly and to ofllcials of vlcc-rogal grado,
and Its exerclso always bus been n
prerogative of tho throno; thus to re
celvo a yellow cord was, In a sonso, a
sort of melancholy distinction, and
was presumed to open a way for hon
orable exit from this life to persons
who had unforgivably offended tho
emperor, and, whose elevated rank or
considerations spf state placed them
above ordinary legal processes.
Tho old method was attended by
considerable ceremony. The symbolic
death warrant was conveyed by a spe
cial messenger of high rank, who wns
accompanied by an Imposing escort,
and who upon nrrhing at his destina
tion was received by tho unfortunate
official with ambassadorial honors,
Chinese Emperor's
much as heralds In Europe In tho
middle ages. Tho function frequently
wns accompanied by a bnnquot nt
which tho recipient of tho fatal cord'
was host, and when It wns considered
a violation of otlquotto for any ono
present to refor to or appear to under
stand tho tragic nnturo of the mis
sion. Theso preliminaries over, tho mcs
Hcnger would dellvor tho cord; It
would be received without nny display
of emotion, (Indeed, it was considered
good form to feign pleasuro), and tho
messenger would depart. During the
Interval from ,tho receipt or tho sym
bol until tho dny when It must ho
acted upon the reclplont would be per
v milled apparent liberty, although nc
'ually kept undor strict surveillance,
and this porlod usually would bo do
voted to putting his affairs In order
P
i
Be Done b
y
Receive
It,
and In giving a series of farewell en
tertainments to his relatives and
friends. Although a time limit was
sot jvjthln which tho offender wbh o.x
pected to depart- this life, It was not
considered good form to defor until
tho last day; neither was It propor to
display undue haste.
Honorable End to Life.
Theoretically, the yellow cord was
supposed to provide a way for tho of'
endor to take his own life by strang
ulation; but usually a different moans,
like ono of tho subtlo and deadly
poisons long known to orientals, was
actually used. After death tho body
of tho man thus "honored" would bo
burled with full ofllclnl honors. If one
failed to dlo within tho specified tlmo
he was stripped of all honors and his
Immediate family degraded, and he
then would die by the hand of tho exe
cutioner. This was tho function of the yellow
cord in ancient times, as I have hoard
It described by Chlneso frTcnds of
mine; but not for very many years
has It actually been employed. In
fact the function Is now obsolete, and
while Its theoretical symbolism sur
vives, It is doubtful if it over again
will be carried out, or that Chlneso
seriously expect It to be.
However, It has nominally been
brought Into requisition in quite re
cent times. It was reported to have
been sent to LI Hung Chang-after tho
disastrous debacle of the Chinese
army In the last war with Japan, when
tho vonerablo statesman was also tem
porarily stripped of all his high hon
ors. Hut whother tho cord was sent
to LI or not, he merely retired to his
natlvo province, where he was sup
posed to purify himself by commun
ing at the tombs of his nnccstors;
and In a shoi't time the difficulties of
tho Peking government compelled It
to recall him, and to Intrust to his ex
perienced hand tho negotiation of tho
treaty of poaco between Japan and
China, which was signed at Shimon
osokl. Li's Return to Power.
After his success, by Inducing tho
Intervention of Franco and Russia, In
preserving the territorial Integiity of
tho empire, LI was restdred to full
honors, whlchHio retained until his
death. The last previous instance
which I can recall of tho presumed use
of the yellow cord was In 190J, follow
ing tho "Hoxer" uprising, when, upon
tho Insistence of foreign powers that
some high Chlneso olllclals be pun
ished for alleged complicity in attacks
upon the foreign legations at Peking,
Prlnco Tuan and others woro supposed
to have received It; but all of them
Funeral Proceculon.
so far as I know are still living .In re
tlremont and disgrace although tfioro
Is no reason to suppose that their sit
nation .except for loss of "fnco," 1:
very uncomfortable.
As Illustrating this somewhat pe
culiar idea of tho Chlnoso, I recall tho
daily scone In a Chinese police court,
whore misdemeanants are tried nnd
punished, usually by so many strokes
of a bamboo stick administered Imme
diately after passing of sentenco, in
the prosenco of the magistrate. Guilty
mlHcreants, anticipating conviction,
generously wnd (heir clothing with
cotton, ho that tho strokes of tho cud
gel will Inflict no sorlous brulsos; nnd,
furlhormoro, soinotlmes, by bribing
the bailiff, will Induce him to lay on
the blows very lightly, although with
apparent vigor. Thoxo little evasions
are perfectly well understood, yet the
person who Is being punished will
mako a great outcry when In reality
ho hardly feels the blows. Yet ho daro
not omit the groan, which is tho out
ward testimony of his sufforlng under
punishment. Should tho culprit fall to
bellow loudly It Is considered n roflec
Hon upon tho court, and the magis
trate may order tho number of blows
to bo- doubled, and to be laid on In
earnest. So If any Chlneso ofllclnl
should bo suro that every one In China
will make a protense of taking the
matter qulto seriously, when, In fact,
It is nothing more than a severe Im
perial reprimand.
Yuan a True Patriot,
Yunn Is Inimical to tho Manchu fac
tion, as Is any Chinese who displays
extraordinary ability; he also Is dis
liked by the rcmnnnt of the anti-pro-gresslvo
cabal which boob In reform
the end of Its influence; and, further
more, he Is hated by an extreme fac
tion of reformers which considers lilm
too conservative None of theso In
fluences alone could have accomplished
Yuan's dismissal, but all of them to
gether, added to the supposed desire
of the regent to retaliate for what ho
considers the humiliation of his broth
er, the formor emperor, and aided by
some casual International complica
tions, made It possible.
Tho sensation which Yuan's dismis
sal caused is still fresn in mind; as
arc the pessimistic forebodings which
It excited. Some thought that It would
precipitate tho long-expected Internal
Imperial Messenger Bearing the Yellow Cord.
cataclysm, and that Yuan would place
himself at the head of the modem
army, which ho created, and sol.o Pe
king. It Is possible, had ho been so
disposed, that Yuan might havo ac
complished such a coup d'etnt. Hut his
conduct under tlio circumstances Is a
complete refutation of adverse concep
tions of his ambitions and character.
He chose the patriotic course, and
proved bis devotion to his country by
quietly accepting his dismissal and re
tiring to his nntlve province, whero he
has since lived.
For the last fow years he has direct
ed the foreign policy of tho nation,
and none knows better than ho tho de
signs focused upon China and tho In
llucnces which seek her dismember
ment. There Is slight reason to doubt
that the first sign of Internal disorder
would havo been the signal for occu
pation of the country, nnd possibly tho
cnpltal, by forolgn troops, tho excuso
being that It was necessary to protect
foreign Interests nnd Inhabitants. In
fact It Is well known that two nations
which now aro aggressing upon
China's territory had forces of occupa
tion mobilized ready promptly to solzo
any excuse which offered.
America to Be Considered.
Curiously enough, It Is probable Hint
the attitude of tho Washington admin
istration townrd certain mattors then
under consideration contributed to
Yuan's downfall. A special ombassy,
headed by Tung Shao-yl, had been
sent to Washington, ostoiiBlbly to
thnnk the United States for renounc
ing tho unpaid part of its share of tho
"Hoxor" Indemnity, but really to pro
sent China's side of tho'Mnnchurlnn
question, and to endeavor to enlist
America's support in resisting Russian
nnd Japanese encrnchments upon
China's sovereignty. Tho Peking gov
ernment was very uneasy about
Japan's policy (and still is) and was
seeking a closer understanding with
Hie United States, and Yuan had led
the Peking government to bnllovo that
such an entente could be arranged and
that It would assuro tho Integrity of
tho empire. Yuan, therefore, was por
sonally responsible for. tho special
embassy, and the pro-American thesis
of Chinese diplomacy as n moans to
tide over a critical period In Ho history.
At this juncture Japaneso diplomacy
becamo actlvo and tho Washington
government was Bomchow Induced to
accept Japan's theory of tho situation.
Tho Bonding of only half tho floct to
Chlnn, which wns n distinct slap, and
the rcfusnl of tho Washington admin
istration to glvo any definite assur
ances to Tang Shao-yl followed. Tang
Shao-yl, I understand, tried to got tho
Washington government publicly to in
terchange notes with China somewhat
after tho manner of tho Root-Tnknhlra
communique, but this proposal waa
declined, whllo tho stato department
ostentatiously concluded a 8b-callcu
nmblguous agreement with Japan In
volving the fato of China, whllo refus
ing openly to glvo similar assurances
directly to China herself.
Efforts to Save Yuan.
When England and the United
States nwoko to tho fact that Yuanl
had been "thrown" thoy began a be
lated scramblo to savo him. Tho
American nnd Hrltlsh ministers at
Poking, after falling to secure united'
action of the entire diplomatic corps,
nnd after communicating with their
governments, took Joint action and
mndo representations to the regent by
inquiring If Yuan's dismissal might bo
construod to mean that China Intends
to altor her foreign policy. This inter
vention was well meant, but coming
at tho tlmo it wna rather unfortunate,
and had tho effect of provontlng any
immediate amelioration of Yuan's dlS'
grace by creating a situation which
would make It appear that any cloni'
ency was duo to foreign pressure. The
Ineptitude of England and tho United
States in this matter must have
caused many quiet smiles In diplomat
ic circles In tho far oast, and especial
ly tho neat way In which Japan again
scored at the expense of her ally; not
tho first tlmo, by any means, since tho
promulgation of tho new alliance.
And so, despite the efforts of Eng
land ami tlio united Statos to save
him, Yuan wont Into retirement; nnd
speculation about the political sltua'
Hon In China since then hns chiefly
concerned Itself with the question of
how long tho Poking government can
continue to mnnago without his ad
vice. That ho eventually will be ro-
called Is an Impression which hns
been steadily growing during the last
three months; consequently tho rumor
that he has received the yollow cord
must be received with Incredulity.
That such a sentenco will bo carried
out Is Inconceivable. If there should
ho tho slightest chanco that tho Poking
government, nt tho Instigation of
Yuan's enemies, should prevail upon
the regent to adopt severe measures
toward the retired statesman, the
humanitarian sentiment of civilization
would rise In his defense
Concerning tho reported dispatch of
tho yollow cord to Yuan, I may quoto
an expression of his own mndo to mo
whon U saw him, and when ho dis
cussed tho sltuntlon of China and her
relation to tho world with unusual
frankness and acumen.
"in nor eirort nt reform," he said,
"China must break through and dlsil-
pato many old traditions and customs
which now hnmper modern progress,
but If the west really Is sympathetic
to our ambitions In attempting to
appreciate conditions hero it will find
It ncressary to abandon some of ItB
superstitions nbopt China."
Of westorn superstitions about
Chlnn I can think of no better ox
nmplo than tho Htato of mind which
takes very seriously tho report that
tho yollow cord has been Hont to
Yuan, and that this presages his early
death.
The Psychosis
By LOUISE AYRES GARNETT '.
(Copyright, by J.
Mrs. Hlander, accompanied by a
pretty young woman, entered tho wll-low-ware
room of a department storo.
An usher, learning her wishes, sum
moned with a benign forefinger a lit-
tlo man who announced ntolltllty in
ovcry lino of his well-nourished body.
"Mr. Hoodor, this lndy would Hko to
look at Hampers. Understand, Mr.
Hooder, hampers, and do your best In
tho matter."
"What stylo would you Hko,
ma'am?" Inquired Mr. Hooder, solici
tously.
"Suroly," exclaimed Mrs. Wander,
"you cannot expect mo to doscrlbo It
to you? I havo but a nebulous pic
ture In my mind, and rely on visuali
zation. You will havo to show mo
your completo assortment, as I wish
to mako use of an Important function,
the power of selection. You see,
Clarissa, I endeavor to psychologlzo
oach situation, thus developing nas
cent qualities or stimulating matured
ones. In other words" Indicating
Mr. Hooder with a serious look "I
try lo find tho wings of overy occa
sion."
Mr. Hooder was astonished.
"Do 1 understand you, ma'am tp
say that you'd Just like to look at "
"Hampers, hampers," Interrupted
Mrs. Hlandcr, firmly. "I fear their
purchase Is entered Into too Impul
sively. You hnvo boforo you tho op
portunity of ennobling thin neglected
field, for you may inform yourself not
only as to their physical certainties,
but their higher significance na well,
thereby acquiring tho right to tnko
each customer by U10 hand and load
her gently but compclllngly."
Mr. Hooder flushed modestly and
thrust his hands deop Into his pockets.
"If only you could toll mo," ho said,
feelingly, "If you'd Hko a largo ono
or a small ono or a mcjum-slzcd ono
or"
Mrs. Hlandcr fixed him with nn out
raged eyo.
"Slzo?" oho Inquired. "You ask mo
what slzo? That, sir, Ib a minor Issue.
It may be aa largo as a bod of tho
"Intuit, Sir, Intuit."
Nopoleonic era, and, so Its lines be
speak art, I will recolvo It, allowing
Its unfilled Interior to tostlfy to my
spiritual consistency. Or, If you
show mo nothing that will satisfy the
domandB of beauty save small onos,
I will purchase several, placing them
hero nnd there, like Grecian urns
And If, perchance, you havo ono of
preclsoly tho propor cJrcumfcronco
nnd height, with Heauty shaping Its
outlines, then would I sny it was Art's
roward for a disciple's udhoronco to
Its laws."
Mrs. Blander was lost In thought
Mr. Hoodor seemed to be experiencing
vertigo. Then he pulled himself to
gothor,
"Now, that's not a bad Idea, ma'am
about having sovornl of 'em. You
could havo ono for handkorchlofs, ono
for towols, nnothor for sheets, and '
another for "
Mrs. Hlandcr raised a tremulous
hand.
"Sparc mo this Ignoblo differentia
tion. Tlioro Is no need to dwell upon
their functions, for wo nil know that
as mora utilitarian objects thoy are
degrading."
Poor Mr. Hoodor coughed guiltily
becauBo of his Identification with tho
hampor dopirtmont. Ho was clutched
by n feeling of helpless crlmlnnllty.
"Furthermore," continued Mrs.
Hlander, "according to higher Inter
pretation, you mlauso tho word 'Idea.'
Hut, to revert to my proposed pur
chuso, I have resolved to eliminate
from tho transaction all the sordid, as
anything for use In tho homo, that
shrlno of tho heart, must have a spir
itual meaning."
Mrs. Hlander glanced triumphantly
from Clnrlssa to Mr. Hooder, and
though alio rightly read tho faco of
ono to mean awo, she mistook tho
stniRglo of tho other to Indlcnto an
nwakeulng soul. With a thrill of Joy
sho scnted herself and cordially 1110
Honed to her auditors to do tho Name,
Clarissa, of course, obeyed, but Mr,
Hoodor dug his heels firmly In tho
floor and fnced her standing.
Mr. Hooder wns Inclined to sulk,
hut, habit bolng strong upon him,
innrflhalled ono symbol nftor another
beforo his soulful customer, who 10
JccteU them solemnly, almost sorrow
of a Hamper
11. Llpplncott Co.)
fully, aa though mourning tho exist
once of sb much of tho unbcnutlful.
Finally ho rolled Into placo a hamper
so hugo Hint It looked capablo of ac
commodating tho horse of Troy.
Tho Instant Mrs. Hlandcr saw It '.sho
exclaimed, gracefully: "That' 1b" am
exponent of a moat charming typo I;
Pray rest from your labors, while, ii
meditate upon It. See, Clarissa,, how:
noblo nro Its proportions, how chaste
ItB design, -how Doric Its atmosphere!'
Do you know what it suggcstH to me,
dcnr?"
Clarissa couldn't guess, so Mrs.
Hlander cried, Joyously: "Tho Pnr
thonon, Clarissa. U really does, lt'a
strango how theso suggestions como
to me, transcendent Humiliations that'
open wldo tho windows of my being,'
and register ineffaceable impressions.
That'B Just tho way I Tolt when I saw
this splendid hamper. 'Parthenon I',
something seemed to whisper; nnd
Parthenon It will always mean to inc..
So austere, yet so satlsfylngly bcnutl-i
full How does It appeal to you?"
"Of course, dear," modestly ro-
sponded Clarissa, "I'm not clovor like'
you, nnd never havo occult lntlmn-
Hons, so, to tell tho truth, It merely,
seems to mo- tho biggest nnd baldest!
hnmper I over saw. You'll forglvo
me, Appolonla?" Hho concluded,
humbly.
"I'm disappointed In you," Mrs.
Hlander replied, palpably milled. "Ifa.
humiliating to know that my compan
ionship has done so little for you,
and tlmt thin hnmper Ib to you noth-,
Ing but a hampor. 1 hopo you" turn-,
Ing to Mr. Hoodor "can soo In It Bomo
thing beyond tho material."
Mr. Hoodor advanced to tho aldo ofi
tho wlckor elephant nnd peorod
within.
"I can't, ma'nm," ho confessed,
shamefacedly; "thoro ain't anything'
In It I can soo, not oven materials.
Ho continued gazing dejectedly Into
tho bowels of tho hamper.
If cBthotlclsni can snort; Hint low
word would best doscrlbo tho sound
of disgust with which Mrs. Hlander
favored Mr. Hooder.
"Arc men" but clodB?" bIio cried.
"Does Intuition play no part with you?
Intuit, sir, Intuit!"
Such was tho commanding prcsonco.'
of strong-minded Mrs. Hlander and tho
obedient norvlllty of wenk-mludcd Mr.
Hooder, that In tho twinkling of nn.
oyo, and bororo Mr. iioouor nunsoin
know what ho was doing, ho had
leaped over tho Bldo of tho hampor,
and was mookly gazing out nt his ros-
oluto customer.
Clarissa showed hcrsolf not nJto-'
gether dovold of humor and sniggered.
painfully; but Mrs. Hlander wnBBon-;
bIHvo and sllonccd hor by a gla'nco. I
"What do you mean," sho Inquired,
"behaving In this fashion? Como out
nt once and oxplaln your conduct."
Mr. Hoodor clambered out of the
Fnrthonon and nnswored, dollantly:
"You told mo to do 11."
"I did nothing of tlio kind," contra
dicted Mrs. Hlander .In hor most posl-
tlvo manner. ,
"I'll leavo It to tho young lady If
you didn't," ho rocklessly rotorted.
"You called out: 'Into It, sir, Into It,
and If Hint ain't plnln English I'd Hko
to know tho reason why."
Onco again Clarissa Jarred upon'
Mrs. Illaudor's nerves, and with ai
sweeping gesture tho lnttor waved,
away tho Jiampor.
"Ain't you going to tnko It, after
all?" asked disappointed Mr. Hoodor.l
loath to recommonco IiIh labors. . j
"Nover!" cried Mrs. Hlander. "Not
nftor It has boon desecrated by rldl-1
culo and Inhabited by Ignorance." !
Mr. Hoodor qunlled boforo her oyo
and ombarrassodly trundled away tlioj
classic pile. 1
It was not until nil of tho stock hadi
boon paraded beforo her that Mrs.1
Hlandcr decided upon a medium-sized'
hamper that bulged in tlio middle, had
outspreading handles nnd n mngontn.'
band near the top.
Tho magenta bordor Is a blow to
me," sno expiaincu 10 wr. nooucr,
UH lilt! ilJtJUl III W1IIU11 It ip IU 1'U
.1... I.. I, I l.n
placed Is In ethereal blue, and I fenr
a subtlo nntngonlsm botween tho
two."
"Tho prlco of this " began Mr.
Hooder, pencil In hand, glad to bo on
tho ground ho comprehended.
Hut not so. Mrs. Hlander raised a
Hiippllcatlng hand as she said: "Do
not nanio tho prlco, I beg of you. 1
mako It a point nover to sully nn ob
ject at tho tlmo of purchaso by Idon-,
tlfylng It with tho cost. If, whon It
Is delivered. I find It beyond what I
can afford, I simply return It. In this
wny I contribute my mito toward
spiritualizing trndo. Now lot us go;
Clarissa, and as wo go let us cast fre
quent glances at tho now Bynibol, for
I wish to carry awa'y a distinct pic
ture, nnconfused with environing ob
jects." So Mrs. Hlandcr glided from tho
room, part of tho time backward,
looking out of half-closed lids at tho
tl it 11.,. 1. It,.
1 l.VUll lll 1 1 1 V I J w nmii"-i linn
magenta border.
"She forgot lo glvo mo hor ad
dress," mullgnly chuckled Mr. Hoodor,
beginning to recover his spirits.
Fame.
"Pa, what Is fiimo?"
"Fame, my boy, Is nn Inducement
Hint employers nlways hold out to a
man whon thoy want him to work