With the Empress Dowager of China · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for With the Empress Dowager of China by Katharine A. Carl.
Chapter 1
Dedication
Katherine A. Carl dedicates her account of her experiences at the Chinese Court to Sir Robert Hart, acknowledging his helpful encouragement and his long and faithful service to the country.
Chapter 2
Introductory
In April 1903, Katherine Carl receives a letter from Mrs. Conger proposing that she paint the Empress Dowager's portrait for the St. Louis Exposition. After official delays, Carl is presented to the Empress Dowager in August and begins her work at the Summer Palace. Despite the kindness she receives, Carl faces public misrepresentations of her experiences and decides to publish a truthful account, acknowledging the risk of offending Chinese sensibilities.
Chapter 3
With the Empress Dowager of China
This chapter provides a detailed account of the author's experiences and observations while living in the Forbidden City and serving as a portrait artist to the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi. It describes the daily life, customs, and rituals of the Chinese court, offering insights into the Empress Dowager's personality, her relationship with the young Emperor Kwang-Hsu, and the political dynamics of the time. The narrative covers various events, including the Emperor's birthday festivities, the Empress Dowager's anxieties, and the author's interactions with other members of the court, all while reflecting on the cultural and historical significance of her unique position.
Chapter 4
I: My Presentation and First Day at the Chinese Court
On August 5th, Katherine Carl, accompanied by Mrs. Conger and her interpreter, travels from the American Legation in Peking to the Summer Palace for her first audience with the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi. Upon arrival, she is escorted through the palace grounds and into the Throne-room, where she meets the Empress Dowager and Emperor Kwang-Hsu. The Empress Dowager, contrary to her fearsome reputation, greets Carl warmly and personally. Carl begins the portrait under challenging lighting conditions, but the Empress is pleased with the initial sketch and invites Carl to stay at the palace for further sittings. The day concludes with a luncheon and a theatrical performance.
Chapter 5
II: Personal Appearance of Her Majesty—A Chinese Repast—Boating
The chapter describes the second portrait sitting of the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi, during which Katherine A. Carl critically observes her appearance and notes her youthful looks. The Empress Dowager shows interest in the portrait's progress and arranges for Carl to have meals with the Ladies Yu-Keng and a young Manchu girl. The chapter also details a lavish Chinese meal and a boating excursion on the lake, where the Empress Dowager orders lotus flowers to be given to the ladies.
Chapter 6
III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince)
Katherine Carl describes her new residence, the Palace of the Emperor’s Father, which was restored for her by the Empress Dowager. She explores the grounds, discovers a poem inscribed by Prince Ch’un, and reflects on the Prince’s character and the Chinese customs of rank and transportation.
Chapter 7
IV: Her Majesty’s Throne-Room—Some Personal Characteristics
This chapter describes the Empress Dowager's Throne-Room in detail, including its architecture, decorations, and the many clocks it contains. The author, Katherine Carl, continues work on the Empress Dowager's portrait, during which the Empress Dowager makes a decision about her nail-protectors and suggests adding a lotus flower to the portrait. After the sitting, they take a boat ride on the lake, visit orchards and flower gardens, and the Empress Dowager shows favor to Carl by picking flowers for her. The chapter also highlights the Empress Dowager's love of flowers and nature, which contrasts with her fearsome reputation, and describes various palace customs regarding flowers and fruits.
Chapter 8
V: The Young Empress and Ladies of the Court
This chapter introduces the young Empress, the secondary wife, and the various ladies of the court, detailing their relationships, appearances, and roles. It also explains the system of maids and tiring-women, the customs regarding widows and adoption, and the strict proprieties observed in the palace.
Chapter 9
VI: Continuation of the Portrait—Her Majesty’s Dogs
The chapter details the ongoing portrait sittings with the Empress Dowager, which are more social than productive. Carl observes the Empress's personality and the court's customs, particularly the walks and the Empress's beloved dogs. Carl's growing friendship with a puppy leads to a gift from the Empress, and she reflects on the challenges of balancing her work with the court's leisurely pace.
Chapter 10
VII: Festivities at Court
Preparations for the Emperor's birthday celebration begin, with the Empress Dowager inviting the author to stay for the festivities. The chapter describes the elaborate decorations, theatrical performances, and the unique customs of the Manchu court, including the Empress Dowager's personal involvement in every detail.
Chapter 11
VIII: His Majesty the Emperor Kwang-Hsu
This chapter provides a detailed portrait of Emperor Kwang-Hsu, describing his physical appearance, personality, daily routines, and his complex relationship with the Empress Dowager. It explores his early reign, his failed reform efforts, and his patient, enigmatic character as he awaits his opportunity to guide China toward progress.
Chapter 12
IX: The Emperor’s Birthday
On the Emperor's birthday, Katherine Carl and the court gather early at the Summer Palace. The Emperor receives private congratulations from the Princesses and Ladies, followed by official ceremonies where Princes present jade ruyie emblems. The Empress Dowager, dressed with deliberate simplicity, ensures the Emperor and Empress are the central figures. A theatrical performance includes a laudatory poem and historic dramas. The day concludes with the Emperor and Empress worshiping before ancestral tablets.
Chapter 13
Peking—The Sea Palace
The Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi prepares to move the court to the Sea Palace in Peking, allowing Katherine Carl to stay at the American Legation. Carl visits the Sea Palace, explores its temples and grounds, and observes the Empress Dowager's reverence for the portrait as a sacred object.
Chapter 14
XI: Some Characteristics of Her Majesty—Second Visit to the Sea Palace
The narrator describes her second visit to the Sea Palace, detailing the Hall of the Mongolian Princes and the Dragon Wall. She reflects on the Empress Dowager's multifaceted personality, her impartiality, and the reverence she commands. The chapter also covers a rainy promenade where the Empress Dowager inspects gourds, showing her love for nature and her determination.
Chapter 15
XII: Return to the Summer Palace
After the Emperor's birthday festivities, the Court returns to the Summer Palace. The author, Katherine Carl, hopes to work more regularly on the Empress Dowager's portrait but finds that Her Majesty still treats her as a guest. Carl describes the intimacy of the sittings, the creation of a new easel and yellow boxes for the portrait, and the daily walks and tea ceremonies with the Empress Dowager, who shows her kindness and appreciation of nature.
Chapter 16
XIII: The Steam-Launch—Semiannual Sacrifices to Confucius
The chapter describes the Empress Dowager's transition from using the Imperial barge to steam-launches for lake excursions, highlighting her adaptability and intelligence. It then details the semiannual Confucian sacrifice ceremony held in the palace chapel, where the Emperor and Empress Dowager participate in traditional rites, and Katherine Carl observes respectfully, later examining the altar artifacts.
Chapter 17
XIV: The Palace Eunuchs
This chapter provides a detailed account of the eunuchs who manage the internal affairs of the Chinese Imperial Palace. Katherine Carl describes their hierarchy, roles, and the power dynamics among them, particularly focusing on the Chief Eunuchs of the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. She notes the intelligence and varied skills of the eunuchs, their manners, and the system of patronage and punishment. Carl also recounts an incident where a eunuch assigned to her service was promoted by the Emperor after catching his attention, illustrating the role of chance and imperial favor in their careers.
Chapter 18
XV: The Literary Tastes and Accomplishments of the Empress Dowager
This chapter explores the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi's literary abilities, her appreciation for Chinese classics and poetry, her love of theater, her strict standards for spoken Chinese, and her artistic talents in calligraphy. It also touches on her personal habits, such as her preference for palace-made soaps and perfumes, and her remarkable influence over animals, illustrating her multifaceted personality and cultural refinement.
Chapter 19
XVI: The Great Audience Hall—Some Official Customs
This chapter describes the Great Audience Hall at the Summer Palace, where the Emperor and Empress Dowager hold their official audiences. It details the physical layout, the customs and protocols observed during these audiences, including the use of cushions for kneeling, the role of eunuchs, and the significance of the kowtow. The chapter also recounts an anecdote about the young Emperor Kwang-Hsu's impatience during audiences and reflects on the sacredness of the imperial persons.
Chapter 20
XVII: The Summer Palace and Its Grounds
This chapter describes the Summer Palace, the Empress Dowager's favorite residence, detailing its natural beauty, architectural features, gardens, and the blend of nature and art. It also touches on the ruins of the old Summer Palace, the Temple of the Ten Thousand Buddhas, and the restricted view of the outside world for the imperial women.
Chapter 21
XVIII: The Festival of the Harvest Moon—Work on the Portrait
The chapter describes the Festival of the Harvest Moon at the Chinese court, including the legend and theatrical performance, and the ongoing work on the Empress Dowager's portrait. The author expresses frustration with the rigid conventions of Chinese portraiture, which limited her artistic freedom, but finds solace in the Empress Dowager's fascinating personality.
Chapter 22
XIX: A Garden Party at the Summer Palace
The Empress Dowager hosts a garden party for the foreign Legations, with separate days for gentlemen and ladies. Katherine A. Carl, as a foreigner, is asked by Her Majesty to receive the ladies with Mrs. Conger. The ladies are formally presented in the Throne-room, then enjoy tea, a luncheon with mixed foreign and Chinese dishes, and a boat tour of the lake, including the Marble Boat. Despite the Empress Dowager's cordiality, the foreign ladies display a lack of harmony and breaches of etiquette, which the observant Chinese court notices. The Empress Dowager comments on foreign dress and the Chinese preference for black hair, noting that blond hair is associated with demons.
Chapter 23
XX: I Begin a Second Portrait of Her Majesty—The Palace Painters
The Empress Dowager decides that the first portrait is advanced enough for her sixteen characters and seals to be added. While this is being deliberated, Katherine begins a second, more informal portrait of the Empress Dowager in ordinary dress, with her dogs Shadza and Hailo. Katherine also discovers the palace's corps of painters, who work on lanterns, scenery, and flowers, and observes their methods. The chapter also includes a visit to the Great Audience Hall where the Empress Dowager watches the Yu-Keng ladies and Katherine dance, finding the custom of dancing oneself strange.
Chapter 24
XXI: A European Circus at the Palace
The Empress Dowager arranges for a European circus to perform at the Summer Palace. The Empress Dowager and the Emperor, along with the court, travel by boat to the circus grounds. The performance is a novel experience for the Imperial party, with the Empress Dowager showing interest in the animals and the Emperor in the horses. The chapter also provides a glimpse of the Imperial Princes and officials, including a notably handsome young prince.
Chapter 25
Palace Customs
This chapter details the daily routines and customs of the Empress Dowager's court, including her sleeping habits, morning audiences, personal hygiene, dining etiquette, and the strict observance of propriety, especially regarding children's behavior.
Chapter 26
Her Majesty's Anxiety—Her Birthday
The Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi is visibly anxious due to national crises, including the Russian failure to evacuate Manchuria and a rebellion in Kwang Hsi. Despite her desire for a simple birthday celebration, tradition and the Emperor's insistence lead to elaborate festivities. She refuses an additional honorific title to save funds, and the chapter details the preparations and ceremonies for her sixty-ninth birthday, which she endures as a duty amidst her worries.
Chapter 27
XXIV: The Winter Palace
The Empress Dowager and the Court move to the Winter Palace for the winter. Katherine Carl describes the arrival ceremony, the architecture and interiors of the Winter Palace, and her disappointment with the studio provided for painting the Empress Dowager's portrait.
Chapter 28
XXV: Peking—Beginning the Portrait for St. Louis
In this chapter, Katherine Carl describes her journey from the United States Legation to the Empress Dowager's Palace, detailing the sights and sounds of Peking. She then begins the portrait for St. Louis, facing challenges with lighting and the positioning of the Empress Dowager's hands. After overcoming these obstacles, she sets up a new studio and starts a small study for a larger ceremonial portrait, while the Empress Dowager grows increasingly anxious about rumors of war.
Chapter 29
XXVI: Some Social Customs—Manchu and Chinese
This chapter explores the social customs and family structures of the Manchu and Chinese peoples, focusing on the elevated status of unmarried Manchu women, the presentation of brides at court, the roles of secondary wives, and the distinct cultural practices that differentiate the Manchus from the Chinese.
Chapter 30
XXVII: Present-Giving in China
This chapter explores the pervasive custom of present-giving in China, particularly within the Imperial Palace. Katherine A. Carl describes how the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi, despite the abolition of presents at formal audiences with foreign ladies, continued to give gifts privately and on festivals. Carl details the Empress Dowager's thoughtful and personalized presents to her, including tailored wadded silk dresses, fur-lined garments, and a sable hat with a Princess Button, reflecting the Empress Dowager's generosity and consideration.
Chapter 31
XXVIII: Some Winter Days at the Palace
During the winter months at the Palace, Katherine A. Carl works diligently on the official portrait for the St. Louis Exposition, with the Empress Dowager posing frequently despite her growing anxiety over the Russo-Japanese War. The chapter describes the cold weather, the adjustments made for comfort, the daily routines, and the mourning ceremonies observed. It also recounts the young Empress's birthday celebration, where Carl is honored to be the first to congratulate her, and the Empress Dowager's emotional response to Carl's gesture of wearing mourning colors on the anniversary of her son's death.
Chapter 32
XXIX: Religious Rites in China
This chapter explores the religious landscape of China, focusing on the three great religions: Buddhism, Taoism, and the worship of Nature. It describes the Emperor's role as the High Priest of the Nature cult, his sacrifices at the Temple of Heaven, and the philosophical underpinnings of Confucianism that guide the Chinese people. The chapter also details the simple yet profound ceremonies like the awakening of Spring and the Harvest Moon, emphasizing the Chinese connection to Nature and their resilience as a race.
Chapter 33
Her Majesty the Empress Dowager
This chapter provides a detailed account of the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi's origins, rise to power, and her role in key historical events. It refutes claims of her low birth, detailing her noble Manchu lineage and education. The narrative covers her entry into the palace, her ascent through the ranks of wives, and her eventual appointment as Co-Regent alongside the Empress of the Eastern Palace. It highlights her political acumen during the Taiping rebellion and her subsequent regencies for her son, Emperor Tung-Chih, and her nephew, Emperor Kwang-Hsu. The chapter also recounts the events of the Boxer Rebellion, including the siege of the Legations, the Empress Dowager's flight from Peking, and the hardships endured by the Imperial Court during their journey to Singan Fu.
Chapter 34
XXXI: The Empress Dowager’s Charities, Sense of Justice, Extravagance, and Personal Characteristics
This chapter details the Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi's charitable acts, her sense of justice as demonstrated in the Wang case, her extravagance and the palace's financial excesses, and her personal characteristics including tact, social grace, and a complex personality that blends kindness with occasional cruelty.
Chapter 35
XXXII: The Chinese New Year—Official Audience
The chapter describes the celebration of the Chinese New Year at the Imperial Palace, including decorations, gift-giving, and the Empress Dowager's anxiety over the Russo-Japanese War. The portrait work continues with adjustments to the hands. The Court moves to the Sea Palace, necessitating a new studio. An official audience for the diplomatic corps and legation ladies takes place. The chapter also covers the lantern festival and fireworks displays.
Chapter 36
XXXIII: Continuation of the St. Louis Portrait—Spring Days at the Sea Palace
The Empress Dowager consults almanacs to set an auspicious date for finishing the portrait, choosing April 19th before four o'clock. She closely supervises the painting of accessories and jewels, often requesting changes. Spring arrives at the Sea Palace, with the Empress taking promenades, inspecting new buildings, and enjoying a Japanese jinricksha. Kite-flying begins, and the author witnesses the Emperor plowing the first furrow in a private ceremony.
Chapter 37
XXXIV: Finishing and Sending Off the Portrait
The chapter describes the completion of the Empress Dowager's portrait, its viewing by foreign ladies and Chinese officials, and its ceremonial journey to the St. Louis Exposition and eventual presentation to the United States.
Chapter 38
XXXV: Return to the Summer Palace
The Court returns to the Summer Palace in late April, where the author resumes work in a new studio. The Empress Dowager hosts a Garden Party for legation ladies, during which she decides to display one of the portraits. The portrait is shown in poor lighting, causing the author distress, but the Empress Dowager remains pleased. The author reflects on her time at the Palace and her affection for the Empress Dowager and the young Empress.
Chapter 39
List of Illustrations
This chapter is a list of illustrations accompanying the book, depicting scenes and figures from the imperial court of China, including the Empress Dowager, court ladies, princesses, palaces, and temples.
Chapter 40
Endnotes
The endnotes provide supplementary explanations and clarifications, including a poetic tribute to the Empress Dowager, notes on Chinese customs and language, and a reflection on the Boxer uprising.
