With the Empress Dowager of China · Chapter
III: The Palace of the Emperor’s Father (Prince Ch’un, the Seventh Prince) explained
Katherine Carl describes her new residence, the Palace of the Emperor’s Father, which was restored for her by the Empress Dowager.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Observation and Interpretation
Carl observes the palace grounds, Chinese customs, and the poem, interpreting them for Western readers.
Cultural Identity and Tradition
The chapter highlights Chinese traditions such as poetry, tombstone inscriptions, and rank-based transportation.
Loyalty and Patronage
The Empress Dowager's patronage of Carl and the Prince's loyalty to the Empress are evident.
Characters to notice
- Empress Dowager Tze-Hsi
Set aside the palace for Carl's use and had it restored.
- Katherine A. Carl
Narrator and resident of the palace; explores the grounds and observes Chinese customs.
- Prince Ch'un
The Seventh Prince, father of the Emperor, whose palace this was; known for his poem and love of animals.
- Emperor Kwang-Hsu
Son of Prince Ch'un, lived in these pavilions after being chosen as heir.
- Emperor Hsien-Feng
Brother of Prince Ch'un and husband of the Empress Dowager.
- Late Emperor Tung-Chih
Died childless; his successor was chosen from nephews, leading to the selection of Prince Ch'un's son.
Key passages
“The Palace, like all others in China, consisted of a network of verandahed pavilions built around spacious courts.”
The palace, typical of Chinese architecture, was a complex of open-sided buildings surrounding large courtyards.
Describes the layout of the palace.
“The Chinese write with a brush well charged with liquid India ink, and their writing accommodates itself to almost any surface.”
Chinese calligraphy uses a brush and ink, and can be written on any surface.
Explains the method of writing the poem.
“One can tell the rank of the Chinese from the outsides of their chairs or carts.”
A person's social status is indicated by the color and style of their transportation.
Highlights the visual markers of rank in Chinese society.