Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress, With the Annual Message of the President, December 1, 1873
No. 64.
Mr. Low to Mr. Fish.
Peking, March 20, 1873. (Received May 23.)
Sir: As the Chinese ministers appear to think that the ceremonies observed by the Russian embassadors in former times when allowed an audience by the Emperor were entirely proper, and that were foreign ministers now to observe the same, there would be nothing inconsistent in them with their own personal dignity or that of the governments they [Page 163] represent, it may interest you to read an account of the reception of Count Ismailof, the embassador of Peter the Great to the court of Peking, (inclosure No. 1.) This is the best description of the ceremonies of the Chinese court on such occasions that I have seen; and, as the narrator was one of the interpreters on the occasion, there is no reason to doubt its accuracy, or to suppose the writer was guilty of exaggeration.
It would not, I think, be an inaccurate statement to say that the disposition of the Chinese government is the same to-day in regard to such things as it was in 1720; and if the ceremonial to be observed when the Emperor grants personal audience to foreign ministers be now modified so that it will substantially correspond to that of western nations, the change will be brought about more by a fear of the ultimate consequences of refusal than from a spontaneous desire to conform to international custom.
I have, &c.,
“father ripa’s residence at the court of peking.”
* * * On the 29th of November, 1720, Count Ismailof, who was sent on an embassy to His Celestial Majesty by the Czar, Peter the Great, made his public entry into Peking, with a retinue of ninety persons, and the sound of trumpets, drums, and other military instruments. He was on horseback, and had a man of gigantic height on one side of him and a dwarf on the other, both on foot. His retinue partly preceded and partly followed him, some on horseback, and others on foot; all with drawn swords and in splendid array.
Count Ismailof had a fine person and a noble expression of countenance; he spoke German, French, and Italian, and had some slight knowledge of Latin.
To conduct these negotiations with the embassador, the Emperor appointed a commission, consisting of a mandarin and two courtiers, all personages of great authority, and deputed five Europeans and a Chinese to serve as interpreters. Being one of the number, I had the honor of waiting on Count Ismailof together with the others. After an exchange of compliments, the embassador said he had a letter from the Czar, which he was instructed to deliver into His Celestial Majesty’s own hands; and, on being questioned as to its contents, he produced a copy and gave it to the commissioners. Louis Fan, the Chinese interpreter, was desired to read it; but the letter was written in Latin, and the poor man knew so little of this language that he had been obliged to petition the Pope for a dispensation from reading mass every day. He muttered and mumbled till he wore out the patience of the bystanders; and, when at length he was pressed to tell the meaning, he was obliged to confess that he could not make it out. The letter was then handed to us, and we immediately read the contents. It imported that the Czar, being desirous to strengthen the good understanding in which he had hitherto lived with the Emperor, had sent Count Ismailof as his embassador, requesting His Majesty to listen to all the details that he would have to submit to him, and not send him back to Moscow before the business on which he had been dispatched was completely arranged.
The commissioners were incessant in their inquiries respecting the business alluded to in the letter; but the wary Ismailof constantly replied that he was forbidden to speak on the subject until the letter had been received by the Emperor, and his diplomatic capacity acknowledged. As, however, the commissioners insisted upon having the first information, the embassador, being at length overcome by their troublesome importunity, stated that the whole business consisted in the establishment of a treaty between the Russians and the Chinese, in order to avert any future misunderstanding.
Whilst we were engaged in conversation with the embassador, the dinner sent him by His Majesty arrived and, when he was requested to return thanks, by making the accustomed prostrations, he refused, alleging that he represented his sovereign, who was on equal terms with the Emperor; but that he would make an obeisance according to the custom of his country. The commissioners, who could not obtain any further concessions, were obliged to be satisfied.
[Page 164]The Emperor, having been immediately informed of this, was as much satisfied with the contents of the letter and the business on which the embassador had been sent, as he was displeased to hear of the reluctance which he had shown to perform the indispensable prostrations. But he dissembled; and, in order to obtain his object without coming to a rupture, he resorted to the stratagem of inviting Count Ismailof to a private audience, saying that he would receive the Czar’s letter upon a subsequent occasion.
The embassador immediately perceived the snare, and returned thanks to His Majesty for the honor he was willing to grant him as a private individual; but he added that, as he was in the service of his sovereign, he must first beg to present his letter.
The Emperor then ordered us to inform the embassador that, as he declined being presented to him before delivering the Czar’s letter, His Majesty would neither receive the letter, nor the gifts sent by the Czar; and that he might therefore return to Russia. To this Ismailof replied that before executing the commission he had received from his sovereign he could not receive any personal distinction; and when he was asked whether in presenting the letter he would perform the prostrations, he answered that he would not, but that he would make the obeisance which European embassadors made before the princes to whom they were sent.
Upon this the Emperor commanded one of his principal eunuchs, a page, the master of ceremonies, and the five European interpreters, to inform the embassador that, out of regard to the Czar, he had been induced to do him the honor which he had refused; that, according to the immutable ceremonial of China, it was incumbent upon embassadors to make the prostrations, and to place the letter upon a table, whence it was taken by a great officer of state and presented to His Majesty; that although such was the custom, he would waive it on that particular occasion, and receive him in the great hall; that besides this manner of presenting anything written to His Majesty, there was also the official channePof his government, and that he could choose which of the two ways suited best. To the suggestion of the official channel, the embassador replied with a smile; and with respect to the other, he answered that he was commanded by his master to deliver the letter into His Majesty’s own hands, and that he could not take it upon himself to depart from his instructions.
The eunuch then told him that if neither of these ways satisfied him, he might endeavor to meet the Emperor, as he was coming to Peking, and kneeling down before His Majesty, present him the letter on the public road. Count Ismailof also rejected this advice as indecorous toward his own sovereign, and persisted in saying that he would deliver the letter into the Emperor’s own hands, in the place where he was accustomed to receive the embassadors of other powers. At this presumption, highly offensive to Chinese pride, the eunuch smiled, and the page said the embassador must be mad; whereupon, without saying one word more, we all rose and broke up the conference.
The interpreters were again summoned to the palace, and a decree, written by the Emperor himself, was given to them for translation, with the injunction that they should represent it as the work of His Majesty’s ministers, and should request the embassador to reply, categorically, to every particular. * * * * *
The subject of this imperial edict, which was supposed to be addressed by the foreign office to the embassador, was as follows:
“The Emperor had hitherto received and treated with great honor all envoys of foreign powers; and as during many years he had been on a good understanding with the Czar, as soon as he was informed of the approach of his embassador to Peking, he had sent some mandarins to meet him, furnishing him with horses, and whatever else was necessary in the journey. On the embassador’s arrival in Peking, one of His Majesty’s eunuchs was sent to him with dishes from the imperial table and a message that after a few days he would be received at court. His Majesty thought that all these favors might have induced him to give up his unreasonable pretensions of delivering the letter with his own hands, as he was no more than a representative of his master. This circumstance had awakened much suspicion upon his conduct. If he expected to receive the same honors as those that would be paid to the Czar, if personally present in Peking, the marks of respect hitherto shown him were certainly insufficient, and other forms and ceremonies must be put in practice. He was not, however, the Czar, but merely his envoy, and even for that His Majesty did not consider his credentials as entirely satisfactory. Although he had boasted of being not only an embassador, but also a prime minister, he might be a merchant, who, the better to succeed in his traffic, had disguised himself as an embassador. But granting that he had really been dispatched by the Czar, and that he was in fact his embassador, yet he ought not on this account to be so presumptuous, nor insist upon presenting his letter with his own hands, as one familiar friend would to another, without observing any of those ceremonies which in China are indispensable, as must have been known, not only to him, but to the Czar also. In this manner, it was impossible that he should ever attain the object of his embassy.”
Such was the purport of this imperial manifesto, which concluded by directing that, [Page 165] as the conduct of the embassador was so suspicious, the foreign office should make strict inquiries into the matter, and exact from him detailed explanations on every point.
When the translation was completed, the eunuch asked us whether the embassador and the gentlemen of his suite understood the Latin language, and as we replied that they did but very little, he then desired me to make it in Italian. Fearing that Count Ismailof might suspect that I had some share in the invectives contained in the decree, and excite the Czar’s hatred against the Propaganda, in whose service I was, I replied that the embassador was better acquainted with the French than with the Italian. Upon this the eunuch immediately ordered that the translation should be executed in the French language, and the task was accordingly confided to Father Parrenin. It was fortunate for me that he relieved me from this duty, as Count Ismailof actually conceived suspicions of the other interpreters, but never of myself. Had this been otherwise it would have grieved me much, for afterward he was recommended to me by the bishop of Peking, in the name of the Propaganda.
The French translation of the imperial decree, together with the original copy in Tartar characters, was conveyed by the mandarins to the embassador, without the aid of the interpreter. I was, however, informed that he did not appear in the least surprised at the blame thus bestowed on him, and that he again expressed his determination not to make the required prostrations, and to present the letter with his own hands.
The mandarins returned to the embassador with an answer also written by the Emperor himself, but with more condescension, in the name of the government. Count Ismailof again declared in the same manner that he would not make the prostrations, and demanded permission to place the Czar’s letter himself in the hands of the Emperor.
His Majesty, perceiving that the embassador firmly persisted in his resolution, no longer corresponded with him in the name of the government, but sent several mandarins, accompanied by interpreters, of whom I was one, immediately from himself. We stated that the Emperor considered the family of the Czar as his own, and that the Czar’s honor was equally dear to His Majesty, with many other similar expressions, which were made to bear upon the pending question. We added that whenever he should send an embassador to the Czar he promised that his representative should stand uncovered before him, although in China none but condemned criminals exposed their heads bare, and should perform all the other ceremonies customary at Moscow. No sooner had we arrived at these words than the chief mandarin instantly took off his cap before the embassador, and the latter, being thus satisfied, promised to perform the prostrations according to Chinese custom, and also to place the letter upon the table in sight of the Emperor sitting on his throne, so that one of the courtiers might afterward convey it to His Majesty. The mandarin further stated that the embassador had the imperial permission to repair to the gate of the palace in the same state as he had entered Peking, namely, withdrawn swords, music, and other distinctions. After this Count Ismailof endeavored to justify his conduct, and produced the original instructions confided to him by the Czar, in which, among other things, he was commanded not to perform the prostrations, and to insist on delivering the letter himself into the hands of the Emperor.
It was finally arranged that the ceremony should take place on the 9th of the same month.
On the appointed day, Count Ismailof went to the palace to present the letter to the Emperor, with the usual ceremonies and prostrations, as had been agreed; and the presentation took place in the manner which I am about to describe.
After the embassador and the ninety men of his suite had been kept waiting a good while in the open vestibule of the great audience-hall, the Emperor entered it, followed by the principal officers of state, and mounted his magnificent throne by some steps on the left, whilst every one else ascended on the right. His Majesty took his place in a chair gorgeously decorated, having on his right three of his sons seated upon cushions, and, a little further off, the halberdiers, pages, eunuchs, chief courtiers, and ourselves, all standing; we interpreters wearing the dress and insignia of great mandarins. At the foot of the throne, on the floor of the great hall, sat, upon cushions, in distinct rows, the first mandarins of the empire, the koong yeh, or lords of the imperial family, and many other mandarins of inferior rank. Before the throne, near the entrance of the great hall, stood a table prepared with sweetmeats for His Majesty. In the open vestibule, which was a few steps lower than the great hall, there was another table, beyond which Count Ismailof was standing. According to Chinese etiquette, the embassador should have placed the letter upon this table, kneeling down in the vestibule, but the Emperor ordered that the table should be brought into the audience-hall, and that the embassador should also advance, which was a mark of honor.
Count Ismailof then entered, and immediately prostrated himself before the table, holding up the Czar’s letter with both hands. The Emperor, who had at first behaved graciously to Ismailof, now thought proper to mortify him by making him remain [Page 166] some time in this particular posture. The proud Russian was indignant at this treatment, and gave unequivocal signs of resentment by certain motions of his mouth and by turning his head aside, which, under such circumstances, was very unseemly. Hereupon, His Majesty prudently requested that the embassador himself should take the letter up to him, and, when Count Ismailof did so, kneeling at his feet, he received it at his own hands, thus giving him another mark of regard, and granting what he had previously refused.
After the presentation of the letter the embassador, attended by the master of the ceremonies, returned to his former place in the open vestibule. Shortly after he moved to the center opposite the chair in which the Emperor was; behind him stood his principal attendants, and further back a number of soldiers and servants.
When all present were thus marshalled in due order, at particular signals given by the master-in chief of the ceremonies, they all went down on their knees, and, after the lapse of a few minutes bent their heads thrice to the ground. After this, all arose upon their feet, then again kneeled down and prostrated themselves three times. In this manner they kneeled thrice, and performed nine prostrations.
The embassador was then conducted again to the Emperor’s feet, and was asked by His Majesty, through us, the interpreters, who were standing, what request he had to make. Count Ismailof answered in the French language, that the Czar had sent him to inquire after the health of His Majesty, and to confirm, the friendly relations that existed between them; and that he himself also took the liberty of inquiring after the state of His Majesty’s health. To these inquiries the Emperor replied in a very courteous manner; and then added that it being feast day, it would not be proper to discuss business, for which an audience would be granted at another opportunity. He then commanded Count Ismailof and his attendants to be seated. The embassador was then permitted to sit down upon a low cushion at the end of the row in which were the koong yeh, as motioned above, and four of his principal attendants were placed behind him at the extremity of the next row. All his other followers were directed to remain in the vestibule. * * * * * * *
After this he called him to the throne, and with his own hands gave him some wine in a gold cup, an act of condescension which he also bestowed upon his four principal attendants above mentioned. He then commanded his great officers of state to summon the remaining persons composing the embassador’s suit to the door of the great hall, in parties of five, and to serve them with drink. In the mean time a table of sweetmeats was conveyed to the embassador, and then another, upon which were dishes from the Emperor’s own table. As all the company were seated Tartar-fashion, that is with the legs crossed, and upon very low cushions, the tables were scarcely a foot high. All those who were seated on the floor of the great hall, as well as ourselves, were each furnished with a litle table, and thus we ate and drank, His Majesty continuing on the throne. * * * * On the following morning the Emperor sent a dinner to the embassador and the whole suite. * * *
Upon a certain day, appointed for the purpose, the embassador presented the gifts sent by his sovereign, consisting of two watches, studded with diamonds; a clock in a case of crystal, containing a portrait of the Czar, which was not at all relished by the Chinese, who did not like to see the portrait of the Czar thus publicly exhibited; a beautiful casket, likewise adorned with crystal; eight large mirrors, some cases of mathematical instruments, a large hemisphere, a level, a microscope, some telescopes, a hundred sable-skins, the same number of ermine and of fox, and some articles turned by the Czar himself. His Majesty accepted all these presents, which, as I said elsewhere, was a mark of especial honor, and gave the embassador, and each of his four principal attendants, an enameled snuff-box, made in his imperial manufactory.
When the Emperor had accepted these presents, the embassador and two gentlemen of his suite were again received by His Majesty in his private apartments, where, after performing the usual prostrations, they were again invited to a repast, of which we interpreters were also allowed to partake. Upon this the conversation turned exclusively on the peace which it was expedient to preserve between the two monarchies, during which the Emperor repeatedly commanded the Russians to listen in silence, and to write in their language what he was going to say, so that they might report it to their master. He likewise ordered the Tartars to record it in their language, and us Europeans in ours, and to furnish the embassador with an accurate translation, that he might carry to his sovereign the important piece of advice he wished to send him. His Majesty then began to speak, and, after a bombastic preamble, said that the peace and welfare of the two nations depended upon the Czar’s health; and that, having heard how he delighted in marine excursions, he was desirous to warn him against the inconstancy of the sea, lest he should thus expose himself to destruction. At the conclusion of this solemn illustration of the old saying, “Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus,” Count Ismailof had great difficulty in refraining from laughter, as he afterwards told me.
* * * * * * *
The day after we returned to the palace with Count Ismailof and his secretary, when [Page 167] His Majesty gave each a superb dress of sables, a vase of flue metal, and two glasses of wine.
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On the 13th of March, 1721 Count Ismailof departed with his train from Peking on his way back to Moscow, taking with him many valuable presents sent by the Emperor to the Czar.
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