IMPERIAL TOMB, MOUKDEN
“Deer’s horns” palisades enclosed the wood at the base of the cliff, and we turned up a gully to the left of it. The road soon became very steep, and we left the carriage to climb up on foot. The view of the entrance gate among the trees as seen in the accompanying sketch, was peculiarly striking after the long drive over the dun-coloured plain, for as yet there was no sign of spring. Passing through the gateway we soon came to the lofty façade of the main enclosure, and a surly old guardian of the place came to challenge our entry. We produced the permit, which we had obtained through the Consul, and were kept a long time waiting before we were allowed to enter, but there was plenty to interest us in the scene. It was a sort of square, with the dwellings of the officials on either side, and at the lower end a small temple facing the plain below, down to which were long flights of steps, and then a steep paved incline the same width as the steps and with balustrades at the sides. Lofty pine-trees surrounded the place, and scattered amongst them at the bottom were stone animals and figures. At a short distance from the steps was the State entrance gateway, but that was closed. One could imagine how fine the effect would be to see a gorgeous royal procession enter the gateway from the plain, cross the short level space under the avenue of pine-trees, and mount the long ascent to the towering, golden-roofed temples behind which the imperial tomb stands. The colouring in the brilliant sunlight looked very rich as it gleamed among the dark pine-trees.
Before leaving, we asked the man who had showed us round if we could have some hot water for tea, but he said there was none, so we took our things outside, and sat down to sketch and lunch. At first I could not think what was the matter, for the paint seemed thoroughly intractable; then it suddenly dawned on me that no sooner was a wet wash laid on the paper than it froze. Yet this was the last week of March, and midday, with the sun shining full on us. Sketching generally seems to be done under difficulties, and this trip more so than ever. It will be understood how doubly welcome was the sight of our guide returning to say that he had got hot water for us, and he took away our teapot and filled it, for all Chinese understand the right making of tea. As we were drinking it shortly afterwards, a pitiable figure came creeping up the hill, evidently suffering acutely from asthma. When we offered him a cup of hot tea a look of intense gratitude shone in his eyes, and when he had drunk it, still speechless, he drew himself up and made a European military salute, then passed slowly on to the gateway.
As we returned to the city we agreed that no one should fail to visit the tombs who comes to Moukden. It is of course tiresome to have to get permits, and takes a little time, but there is nothing within the city that is half so picturesque as these two groups of tombs, to each of which a whole day should be devoted. Some inscriptions at the Foo Ling tomb, we were told, are quite unique, but the heavy snow when we were there prevented our doing justice to the fine details of architecture.
There is an unpromising-looking hotel at Moukden called the Astor House, but Americans who stayed there assured us it was quite comfortable, and every one passing through Moukden ought certainly to stop and see it, especially in view of its being so rapidly modernised. The old temples seem to be in a state of utter disrepair, and the most interesting one, the Fox Temple, will soon cease to exist. The worship of the fox is very common in Manchuria, and is especially incumbent upon officials, all Mandarins being supposed to do it, as the fox is the keeper of the seals of office. Doolittle, in his “Social Life of the Chinese,” says: “There is in connection with some of the principal civil yamens a small two-storied building devoted to the worship of his Majesty, Master Reynard. There is no image or picture of a fox to be worshipped, but simply an imaginary fox somewhere. Incense, candles, and wine are placed upon a table in the room of the second storey of this building, and before this table the Mandarin kneels down and bows his head in the customary manner, as an act of reverence to Reynard, the keeper of his seals of office. This sacrifice, it is affirmed, is never performed by deputy. The Chinese believe the official seal of the Mandarin, after he has arrived at his yamen, to be in the keeping of the fox. They assert with great earnestness, and apparent sincerity, that if the Mandarin did not worship the fox on his arrival at his residence, his seal of office would shortly disappear in some inexplicable way, or some singular and strange calamity would certainly befall him or his yamen.”
We visited the Temple of Hell, where all sorts of horrible penalties are vividly depicted in stucco, and these are more terrible as indicating what Chinese punishments have been, than in suggesting what may be expected in the future world. The temples seem to be little frequented by the people, and it is only on certain occasions that the people flock to them. The ancestral tablets in his own home have the main part of a Chinaman’s devotions.
On our second visit to Moukden we had rather a rickety droshky, and were amused to see the way the driver arranged the luggage. The Chinese never make any difficulty about the quantity, for fear by so doing of losing a fare. The man therefore entirely filled his footboard with luggage, and seated himself on it with a large bag of bedding on his lap. We had not gone far when a wheel rolled off into the gutter, and we waited some time for it to be put on again, the luggage meanwhile being deposited in the road. The job was not satisfactorily managed, for we had to go very, very slowly, and have the wheel continually hammered on. It began to rain, and in order to put up the hood most of the luggage had to be piled on the top of ourselves, and we found it, to say the least, both hot and heavy. At last our driver gave up in despair, and by means of signs made us understand that he would go and fetch another vehicle. When he returned with a cart the transfer was soon made, and our driver with great secrecy explained that he had bargained with the carter to take us to our destination for a certain sum. The difficulty then arose as to how we were to pay him, for we only possessed Japanese and Pekingese money, which he eyed with distrust, and declined to accept. We gave him, however, a rather liberal fare, and pointed to him to take it to a big shop, opposite which we were standing. There he was reassured as to its value, and came back smiling; he thrust his head into the cart with a final rejoinder to us only to pay the right fare to the carter, evidently feeling that we were liable to spend our money too lavishly.