The consecration of this temple was described in the North China Mail as follows:
“The dedication of the Tsze t’ang, or Memorial Hall, recently erected by Feng, Taotai of Shanghai, at Sung Kiang in commemoration of the late General Ward, of the “Ever Victorious Army,” was performed on Saturday, with religious rites, in accordance with Chinese custom in such cases. The Taotai had, through the United States Consul-General, expressed his intention of conducting the ceremony himself, and requested that a limited number of invitations should be given to persons interested, to accompany him. The Customs’ cruiser ‘Kwashing,’ Captain Anderson, was prepared to convey His Excellency and his guests, and seven a. m. was the hour fixed to commence the trip up the river Hwangpoo. Precisely at that time there were assembled at the Custom House jetty Consul General Myers, Dr. Yates, Dr. Macgowan, Dr. Kreyer; Mr. P. G. von Mollendorff of the German Consulate, the Hon. H. N. Shore, of H. M. S. Lapwing, Captain Ditmar, of the German corvette Louise, Mr. C. Deighton-Braysher and a few others, but the start was not made until about 8.10 in consequence of the non-arrival of the Taotai before that hour. By the time breakfast was over, the vessel had sped considerably beyond the well-known Seven-mile Reach; and presently Ming-hong was sighted, nearly opposite to which is the creek leading to Nai-jow, the scene of the fight in which the French Admiral Protet, to whose memory a statue stands in the compound of the French Municipal Hall, received his death wound. The reaches of the river beyond this place were new to all on board except Mr. Deighton-Braysher, who kindly undertook to pilot the vessel from Ming-hong to the mouth of the Sung Kiang Creek; and he also lightened the tedium of the voyage by pointing out and describing the scenes of greatest interest in connection with the Tai-ping rebellion, this part of the country having been overrun by the rebels. Feck-shung was next reached, opposite to which is the creek up which H. B. M.’s gunboat Stirling was navigated to attack the stronghold known as Yeh-sieh, which she quickly demolished.
“There not being sufficient depth of water in the Sung Kiang creek to float the Kwashing, she was anchored off its mouth, and some Chinese houseboats and a couple of steam launches, provided by the Taotai’s directions, were brought alongside. The passengers being trans-shipped to the houseboats, were soon spinning up the creek, towed by one of the steam launches, the distance to the city of Sung Kiang, from the river, being about four miles. The creek becomes very narrow as the city is neared, and is spanned not far from the walls by one of those light-looking, picturesque stone bridges for the construction of which the Chinese are famous. Here, on both banks, the people had assembled in large numbers, and it soon became evident that the sight of so many foreigners together was a novelty to them, and the Taotai’s bodyguard were useful in clearing a way along the bank to where some dozen or so of sedans with bearers were in waiting for the guests. The Taotai and others having taken their seats, the procession moved off amid the banging of crackers and bombs, and the animated gesticulations of the people, numbers of whom kept up with it to the scene of the day’s ceremony. The way led along a narrow road through the suburbs, skirting the wall of the city, until the gate was reached through which the city was entered. A wide expanse of unoccupied ground had first to be crossed, which before the rebellion was covered with houses. Here and there ruins of houses are still to be seen, but the greater part of the waste is scattered over with grass-grown mounds and heaps of refuse, presenting a dreary aspect. The way next led along the bank of a small creek and past the yamen of some military mandarin, a large and peculiar building, or rather series of buildings, having all the appearance of huge cages, each being enclosed with very lofty rail fencing, and differing in several respects from the architecture of any official residence in the vicinity of Shanghai. Several unpretentious-looking pilaus were also passed enroute, and in the distance, to the right, a lofty pagoda was visible. The Memorial Hall was at length reached, surrounded by a low wall of considerable extent, and entered by a gateway in the usual joss-house style.
“Turning sharply to the right after leaving the gateway, the main building is at once seen to be very similar in construction to the open hall facing the entrance to the Mixed Court in the Maloo. Immediately opposite the open front stands the shrine containing the memorial tablet of the deceased General; blue in colour with the inscription in gold. Facing this are two small square tower-like structures, on which are other inscriptions testifying to the merits of the deceased and stating that the Memorial Hall was erected by Feng Taotai, by Imperial command. Passing round the back of the shrine, a large square space is reached, in the centre of which is the grave-mound beneath which are the deceased’s remains and also the stone that used to mark the site of the grave. The surrounding space is thickly planted with young trees and shrubs.
“At the Hall the Taotai, on alighting from his chair, was met and greeted by the magistrate of the district of Sung Kiang. A number of other officials of lesser grade were present; and numerous soldiers, in addition to the Taotai’s bodyguard thronged the compound. The greetings over, the Taotai led the way to the shrine, and both he and the other dignitaries then donned their official robes. Although it was broad daylight, twelve lighted lamps were suspended from the roof, eight in one row and one at each of the four corners of the shrine. Besides these, there were four large red wax candles burning, and incense sticks smouldering. The ceremony being one of sacrifice there were offered to the manes of the deceased the entire carcass of a goat, a large pig, a small roasted pig, a ham, seven pairs of ducks, pairs of fowls, etc., and about twenty dishes of fruits, confectionery, and vegetables, these being also in pairs.
“The Taotai and the two district magistrates being fully attired, they advanced to the front of the shrine, and in obedience to the direction of a sort of master of the ceremonies the Taotai commenced the oblation by offering several small cups of wine, which were deposited on a shelf in front of the tablet. Then, all three kneeling, the Taotai stretched forth his hand towards the tablet, and offered the food, the mandarins subsequently bowing their heads nine times to the ground. A little music was also played, and the ceremony, which scarcely occupied twenty minutes, was concluded by loud discharges of fireworks and the crash of gongs. It cannot be said to have been impressive, though its novelty and picturesqueness were beyond dispute; but it was interesting from the fact of its being intended to honour the memory of a foreigner, and including precisely the same observance awarded in the case of high Chinese officials.
“At the conclusion of the ceremony, the whole of the food offerings were packed away in boxes, slung on poles, and taken back to the ship, thence to be re-conveyed to the Taotai’s yamen.
“There was no speaking either at the grave or in the Temple, except by Dr. Macgowan, who as a private citizen said a few words to the Taotai in Chinese, apropos of the occasion, and, after three photographic negatives of the scene in and around the Temple had been taken, haste was made for the return trip in order to reach home before dark.
“On the return passage down the creek, the Taotai read from a paper he held in his hand, the following statement, which was translated as he proceeded by Dr. Kreyer: ‘I remember reading the rescript in the Peking Gazette of how the late Emperor regretted General Ward’s death. At that time I was only a Chuyen (recipient of a second-class literary degree), and did not know I should ever be Taotai of Shanghai and live to take part in the dedication of a temple to Ward’s memory. When Ward came to China it was thought in this district that the whole country had been lost to the rebels—that, in fact, it could not be recovered. But owing to the exertions of Ward, the rebels were defeated and the country saved. The cities and places that were captured were Kading, Tai-Tsan, Sung Kiang, Ming-liu-ping, Tien-mashan, Kau Shan, Sian T’ang, Chow-pu, Che-ling, Wang Keasze, Lung-chau—all these being retaken by Ward before Li Hung Chang came on the scene. After Li came into these districts Ward retook Kinshan-wei, Liu Ho, Tsing-pu, and Tsz Kzi. The greatest credit was therefore due to General Ward, as nearly all those places were re-captured by him long before Li Hung Chang came here. The name of General Ward was such a terror that whenever the rebels heard that he was coming they ran away without fighting. General Ward’s idea was to go straight on to Soo-chow, and retake that city; but before going there he marched to Ning Po, and at Tsz Ki, a little town about fifteen miles distant from Ning Po, he was shot by the enemy. His Chinese clothes were changed for foreign ones at Ning Po, where he died, his body being brought to Sung Kiang for burial. The Imperial intention is to build two large temples to his memory—one at Sung Kiang and the other at Tsz Ki, where he received his death wound, and in each of which his statue will be placed. All this is intended to be in accordance with Li Hung Chang’s petition to the Throne, and with the Imperial rescript, issued in the first year of Tsung-chi, 8th moon, 18th day.’ In conclusion, the Taotai said, in answer to a question by Mr. Consul-General Myers, that the sole credit of Shanghai not having been taken by the rebels was due to General Ward. It was also explained that the present small temple at Sung Kiang was only a temporary structure, and would be replaced as soon as possible by a large and permanent one.”
“The two inscriptions on columns at the right and left of the entrance to the shrine have been thus rendered into English: