Branch Nest Four Descriptions of Old Beijing Notes

Author: Xia Renhu / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-12-01
Features: The people of the capital are accustomed to official etiquette and often show politeness in their interactions, often achieving a balance, but the flaw lies in its artificiality. The customs are vigorous, unyielding, brave in pursuing justice, and value reputation and shame, but the flaw lies in their ruthlessness. By nature, they are mostly simple and honest. It is common to see the elders of old families receiving their younger disciples with arrogance in speech but sincerity in tone, stern in appearance but affectionate in heart, and they do not lose sight of the norms of the people until the later generations gradually decline. Women, not only the Manchu and Han families, but also the upper classes, often greet guests in this manner. When disciples visit their teachers, they naturally see the teacher's wife, and when relatives arrive, they see the family members. When I first came to the north, I visited a distant relative, and the women of the household had all gathered, such as aunts, uncles, grandmothers, and sisters, whom I had never known before. However, a chorus of greetings filled the air, extending from myself to the family members in the south. In reality, my family members had never even dreamed of this relative. They also did not know who was in my family, but they imagined and inquired about everyone, saying that it was not so they could not be considered close. I once saw a comedy where strangers met and one suddenly called out, "Zhao." The other replied, "I am not Zhao." "Then Qian," the other said, "I don't have Qian." "If so, then Uncle San." "I don't have any brothers." There was also a first meeting where the people were extremely close, asking about their elders' well-being, from family members to chickens and dogs, and then they asked, "What is your surname?" Perhaps this is where the custom originated? In social circles, there is also a lot of hypocrisy. I once met someone at a banquet who claimed to be a lifelong friend. He tried his best to be polite and insisted on having a drink the next day. Then he said, "I have a duty in the inner court tomorrow, what about the day after?" As I was apologizing, he had already called for a pen and paper to discuss the location and dishes, bustling around. When the banquet was almost over, he suddenly clapped his knee and said, "I have a family memorial tomorrow, what should I do?" Another guest tried to explain, "We have plenty of time to meet, why rush?" I disliked the disturbance and also apologized, "This month, I have worldly chores, I will visit when I have time." But I never met him again. My friend said, "His invitation to drink was for face. You should have politely declined, but you didn't, so he had to find a way to back down." In noble families, literature is valued over emotions. The new wife would inquire about the health and serve food, but only by standing. Concubines were the same. When asked to sit, they were given low tables, and younger brothers would kneel in front, while older brothers would slightly raise their hands. The etiquette between husband and wife was also very high. I once heard that when the Pǔ Zhònglù celebrated his wife's birthday, he wore a full set of ceremonial robes and had servants carry gifts in front. When he reached the wife, they shouted, "Lao Jiang comes to celebrate the birthday, Lady comes out to welcome." They exchanged greetings and thanks, sat solemnly, offered tea, and chatted before leaving. On the's birthday, the wife's etiquette was the same. This was also the case during festivals. They kept distant from servants but were close to relatives, and celebrated holidays without sincerity—this was a common problem among old families. They enjoyed associating with officials and liked to imitate official manners—this was a common problem among commoners. As for their bravery and justice, their urgency for others was as if it were their own—this was perhaps the legacy of the ancient Yan and Zhao regions? They loved to travel, and women especially. In the first month, they would visit the famous Six Ministries Lanterns, the Changdian, the Fire God Temple, and the Baiyun Temple, arriving there at the designated times. In early spring, they would go to the suburbs to "view the green." In June, there were gatherings at the Nan Ding near the Nanxun Gate and the Zhong Ding near the Yongding Gate, with banners, spears, yangge dances, and flower drum performances. The performers were mostly young people, and the spectators came from far away, sweating side by side. Generally, there were gatherings every season and monthly events. At these gatherings, stalls were set up, and scholars and women gathered, it could be called a love of roaming, or a scene of peace and prosperity. Laziness was also inevitable. The Shuntianfu Zhi mentioned that in some households, windows faced the street, and the kang (bed) was placed under the window. Merchants would pass by at the right times, and the women of the household would bring in food through the window. Women in these households not only did not manage the household chores but often stayed on the kang all day. Today, when passing through the winding alleys of the city, this custom still exists. The street vendors selling cooked food are still the same. Pan Wuyuan of Wu County spent most of his life on inscriptions and calligraphy. I once saw a collection of famous people's letters in Wang Liansheng's home. Wang obtained a bronze vessel, Pan borrowed it but did not return it, and the teacher and disciple argued fiercely, which became a famous story among scholars. Bo You was the grandson of the initial general Changle and the great-grandson of the Furen Wenzhong. His sister became the Zhenfei. When the general was stationed in Guangzhou, he greatly promoted culture. At that time, Wen Daoyi's father served as the prefect of Guangzhou, and Daoyi and Bo You formed a close bond in literature. Wen was promoted to Scholar of the Imperial Academy, and Bo You played a significant role. It was said that Daoyi often taught Zhenfei, but this is not accurate. The Zhi brothers were both talented and liked to associate with famous scholars. They lived in the imperial family and were friends with the literary scholars of the time who discussed literary trends. When Zhenfei was confined to the palace, Bo You was exiled, and the famous scholars scattered, leading to a change in the court. The Qing scholars who had a good reputation and liked to discuss military strategy were Wu Qingqing in the south and Zhang Youqiao in the north. Youqiao discussed military affairs as if he were turning his palm into threads. Qingqing claimed to be an expert in spear techniques, with a skill of hitting the target every time. This was tested and proven. Some who practiced with him said that he placed a telescope on his spear. Both of them advocated using military power to enhance national prestige. Qingqing was humiliated at the Yuguan in the north, and Youqiao was defeated in Fujian in the south. Some argued that they used their skills in the wrong places. After Wu and Zhang discussed military affairs and were frustrated, the Qing scholars then used their expertise to attract others and waste their days. Their skills were divided into five categories: the Three Confucian Classics and the Three Rites, inscriptions and stone tablets, textual research and bibliographies, classical studies and geography, and poetry, calligraphy, and seal carving. Later, when Wen Daoyi and others emerged, they again took an interest in military affairs. At that time, the gatherings of famous scholars and literary gatherings were often held in poetic and rhythmic forms, and Bo You and his brother Zhonglu were both skilled in this. At that time, Zhenfei was favored by the emperor, and I once saw a couplet by Zhonglu titled "Composing Poems on Li Yannian's Cypress," which read: "Tragically, the siblings enjoy new favor, but can they endure the cold of age?" I admired its elegance but privately wondered if it was inauspicious. Soon after, the Empress was demoted, and Bo You and his brothers were exiled. Among the Qing scholars, Li Yueman was the most erudite and proud. He wrote the couplet for his door: "Ten thousand volumes of books in the Bao'an Temple Street, a thousand years of waiting for a position as a Ministry Censor." Inside the door, there were dozens of bamboos, shading the windows. He was often sick and took medicine. When visitors passed by his home, they only heard the sounds of recitation and groaning intermingling. People jokingly compared him to Lin Daiyu. Pan Wenqing Bo Ying respected him and often asked him to write for him. He was often given gifts during festivals, feeling pity for his poverty and fearing his curses. In the capital, they called horse feed "nourishing." Pan, during festivals, would tell his servants, "Quickly send Lao Li to be nourished, otherwise he will be restless." Although it was a joke, it also showed the kindness of the great elders toward talent. In the early years of the Guangxu reign, the Manchu officials who were highly regarded were Ronglu, Duanfang, and Natao, all of whom had power in the ministries and were known as the "red people" of the time. There was a couplet that went: "The six ministries and the three departments have big ambitions but small minds—Natao is the old fourth; the nine cities and five brothels have two reds and two greens, the charming crowd." All of this referred to their fame. The three halls in the palace—Taihe, Zhonghe, and Baohé—followed the Ming dynasty's old system. Taihe was the main hall, and in modern times, only the Guangxu emperor attended the coronation, wedding, and the Xuantong emperor's enthronement. On the steps below the platform, there were crystal-grade stones, and officials stood in order according to their ranks, so no one dared to look up. Zhonghe was used only for grand sacrifices, plowing the sacred fields, displaying agricultural tools, and the emperor's visit. I participated in the plowing ceremony during the Guangxu era and went to handle the affairs. Baohé was used for the imperial examinations, re-examinations, palace examinations, grand examinations, and the appointment of officials, as well as banquets for foreign dignitaries. Sitting in the main hall was called sitting for an audience. The five-day regular audience was called sitting at the gate. The ceremony of sitting at the gate was originally held at Taihe Gate but was later moved to the Qianqing Gate. It was suspended during the Xianfeng reign and was not held during the Tongzhi and Guangxu eras. There were two wooden boxes placed on both sides of the Qianqing Gate, and they were never opened until the end. During the late Qing dynasty, the emperor did not sit for an audience but only had audiences and summonals. Official departments submitted memorial memorials at midnight, with one clerk carrying them to the Donghua Gate. After a short wait, the gate opened, and the clerk entered with the memorial official, arriving at the meeting hall of the nine ministers. The memorial boxes were handed to the memorial official to record in a ledger. When the Qianqing Gate opened, the memorial official carried it to the memorial office inside and presented it to the eunuch for review. It was usually at 3:00 a.m. Only the memorial official had a lamp placed on the stone railing. When the lamp was moved to the steps, the matter was nearing its end. Soon, the memorial official carried the memorial out, shouting "to receive," and everyone stood like geese waiting. The memorial official would call a department to "agree," say "understood," or "there is another decree," and pass it orally with hands, without a single error. This was because they read the traces on the memorial to distinguish between "understood" (a horizontal line) and "agree" (a vertical line). During the Guangxu era, it was moved to Xiyuan Gate, and the officials waited in the eaves of the guardhouse outside. On Tiananmen, there used to be a golden phoenix, and all imperial decrees were tied to its beak and dropped down, as if the "red phoenix carried the decree." Officials who received the decree would kneel under the Golden Water Bridge and listen to the decree. The decree official would read in Manchu at the gate, and the sound was like a cow bellowing in a pot. The Shouhuang Hall was used to display the portraits of the ancestors. A large plate of flat fruits was always placed in front of each portrait, and it was never removed. The emperor would offer sacrifices on the first and fifteenth of each month, on all seasonal festivals, and on the anniversaries of the ancestors. Therefore, the emperor often went to the Shouhuang Hall in the morning before visiting the Empress. After visiting the hall, he would go to the Empress to inquire about her well-being. The system of audience was that foreign officials and newly appointed personnel were led by the Ministry of Personnel, while officials in the capital were led by their respective ministries. They first prepared green head tickets, called "dinner tickets," listing their names. They were then submitted to the memorial office. The Ministry of Personnel would arrange the order, with six or eight officials, led by two ministry officials, one day leading and one day accompanying. During the Guangxu era, when the audience was held, the emperor sat in front, and the empress sat behind, like offering a Buddha. The audience members would report their names simply, just saying their names and the province they came from, and their age. Foreign officials and supervisors and officials in the capital who had completed their term of office would have an audience afterward, which was called "being called up." The system of summons was in a side hall or a warm room. The palace guards and attendants would withdraw behind a curtain, and the officials would kneel inside. They would first remove their hats, and those who had been awarded flower feathers would hold them upright to show respect. The system of the South Study was established in the Kangxi era by Zhang Wending of Tongcheng. At that time, they wanted to find literary officials to discuss Confucian classics and history, and to provide advice to the emperor so that he could spend his time with them after the court session. Among the candidates, they chose Zhang and granted him a residence west of the Shiyuan Terrace, with high-ranking officials providing food and drink. In addition to discussing classics and philosophy, they also discussed current political issues, showing great respect for Confucian officials. This tradition continued through the generations, with the number of people gradually increasing, and the favor and etiquette decreasing, as they were mainly used for writing on behalf of the emperor, writing spring couplets, and inscribing calligraphy and paintings—mere literary attendants. The Imperial Study was originally set up in the Aoge School, where the emperor's teachers were. They were also selected from literary officials, and their favor and etiquette were similar to those of the South Study, participating in all the privileges, such as eating meat and watching plays. The emperor's teachers were the most respected, and they were usually chosen from among the Grand Secretaries, such as Li Gaoyang, Sun Shouzhou, and Weng Changshu. Below the emperor, they were all respectfully called "teachers," and their names were not mentioned. Upon their death, they were given posthumous titles of Wen Zheng. In addition, two or four were selected from the literary circle to serve as reading and teaching. The emperor would read in a certain hall, and they would be called "walking in the hall." During the Xuantong era, Western languages were also included, and Zhuang Kedun was hired as a professor, with a system similar to that of the "walking in the hall," but with higher pay. In the middle of spring, the emperor would worship at the Xiannong Altar and perform the plowing ceremony. The three kings would represent the three dukes, and one hundred and nine officials would represent the nine ministers. The emperor would plow four times, and the dukes and ministers would plow nine times. The emperor originally plowed three times, but during the Xianfeng era, it was increased to four to show the importance of agriculture. The emperor would write a poem and hang it in the dressing hall, which became a custom. After the emperor finished plowing, he would observe the plowing platform and watch the dukes and ministers plow. He wore a robe over his clothes, made of yellow satin, similar to an outer robe but slightly altered. There were sacrificial ceremonies where they fasted in advance, either for two or one day, depending on the importance of the ceremony. The palace set up boards outside the palace gates, and the offices of provincial officials placed them outside the ceremonial gates. From the emperor and empress down to the concubines, palace attendants, and officials in the inner court, each received a small ivory board with the word "fasting" inscribed, which they hung around their chests, calling it a "fasting board." In spring and autumn, during solar and lunar eclipses, and when recording disasters and anomalies, there was no common ruler, and the feudal lords acted freely. Confucius used the gods to set up teachings. This custom was followed through the generations as a regular ritual. The Ministry of Rites sent officials to all provinces to oversee the rescue. In reality, with the advancement of science, the Imperial Astronomical Observatory had calculated the time accurately, with no errors in seconds, so what was there to talk about in terms of disasters and anomalies? However, those in charge dared not abandon it. The officials sent were usually junior and idle personnel. They would gather at the Taichang Temple at the designated time and kneel in the court. In the court, there were gongs, drums, monks, and Taoists, setting up altars and chanting scriptures. The sounds of gongs, drums, and Buddhist instruments were all mixed together. There were also censors who supervised and scolded anyone who leaned or laughed, calling it disrespect. This custom was abolished in the late Guangxu era. The dress code changed with the seasons, all transmitted by the palace and circulated through the residences. When officials were summoned for an audience, they were not allowed to wear sheepskin robes in winter, as it was considered too close to mourning attire. They were not allowed to wear shiny gauze in summer, as it was considered too revealing. On birthdays or festivals, they wore dragon robes, called "flower robes." On fasting days or anniversaries, they wore green outer robes, called "ordinary robes." During national mourning, they wore sheepskin robes inside out. On other days, they wore black robes, except when they were placed in mourning, when they stopped. When Emperor Dezong was seriously ill, he summoned the officials to the palace. The Censor Zhang Yinglin thought the emperor had already passed away and quickly put on a sheepskin robe inside out to enter. He was scolded out by a prince and the incident was passed around as a joke. Flower feathers were the same as the ancient diadems of the fox and weasel. Initially, only the close attendants and guards had them. During the Kangxi era, an prince wanted one and asked the emperor, who specially made a five-eyed flower feather for him. After that, even though Fu Wenxiang had great achievements, he only received a four-eyed flower feather. Male members of the imperial family who could shoot arrows at the age of twelve were given a flower feather to wear on their hats, but without a top, called an "empty flower feather." I gave them for military merit. In the past, flower feathers were rarely given to Han officials. Since the introduction of the donation system, everyone could get one. At its peak, it only cost two hundred taels. Therefore, almost all officials in the provinces had flower feathers. Officials below the sixth rank could only wear blue feathers. Those used for flower feathers had no eyes. From the eighth rank of and above, they wore gemstone tops, which were a deep purple, without a column, so they did not have eyes, and two holes were drilled to attach them to the hat. However, the top of the third rank could also be called a blue gemstone top and did not need a column. There were also red silk tied tops, which were originally only for the imperial family, but occasionally given to one or two officials.