Excerpt

Excerpt from Two Years in the Forbidden City, by Princess Der Ling

Lunch was served at the back of her own Palace building (Yang Yuen
Hsuen--the place where the clouds gather to rest). This room was
specially furnished as a banqueting room where refreshments could be
served. All the Court ladies went to the lunch, except Her Majesty, the
Young Empress and the Secondary wife. It had taken me two hours to fix
the table for the luncheon. Her Majesty ordered that a white foreign
tablecloth should be used, as it looked cleaner. The eunuch gardeners
had decorated the table with fresh flowers, and Her Majesty gave
instructions as to how the seats were to be placed. She said: "Mrs.
Evans is the guest of honor. Although Mrs. Conger is the wife of the
American Minister, she is more of a resident, so Mrs. Evans must have
the principal seat." She also told me to arrange to seat everybody
according to their respective ranks. The Imperial Princess and Princess
Shun (Her Majesty's niece, sister of the Young Empress) were hostesses,
and were to sit opposite each other. We placed golden menu holders and
little gold plates for almonds and watermelon seeds; the rest all silver
ware, including chopsticks. Her Majesty ordered that foreign knives and
forks should be provided also. The food was served in Manchu style, and
was composed of twenty-four courses, besides sweetmeats--candies and
fruits. Her Majesty instructed us that only the best champagne was to be
served. She said: "I know that foreign ladies love to drink."

I think I was the only one who was really happy to meet these ladies,
more so than the rest of the Court ladies, the reason being that Her
Majesty lectured them too severely, telling them how to behave, so that
they had grown to hate the very mention of a foreign audience. While we
were eating, a eunuch came in and told me that Her Majesty was waiting
at her private Palace, and that I should bring these ladies there after
the lunch was over. So when we had finished we entered her own Palace
and found her waiting there for us. She got up and told me to ask Mrs.
Evans whether she had had anything to eat--that the food was not very
good. (This is a custom with the Chinese when entertaining, always to
underrate the food.) She said that she would like to show Mrs. Evans
her private apartments, so that she could form some idea of the way we
lived, so she took Mrs. Evans to one of her bedrooms. She invited Mrs.
Evans and Mrs. Conger to sit down, and the eunuchs brought in tea, as
usual. Her Majesty asked Mrs. Evans to stay a little while in Peking,
and to visit the different temples. She said: "Our country, although
very old, has not such fine buildings as there are in America. I
suppose you will find everything very strange. I am rather too old now,
otherwise I would like to travel around the world. I have read much
about different countries, but of course there is nothing like visiting
the different places and seeing them yourself. However, one cannot tell.
I may be able to go after all, by and bye, but I am afraid to leave
my own country. By the time I returned I should not know the place any
more, I'm afraid. Here everything seems to depend on me. Our Emperor is
quite young."

She then turned and ordered us to take these ladies to visit the
different buildings of the Palace, also the famous temple of the King
of Dragons. This is on a little island in the center of the lake of
the Summer Palace. Mrs. Conger said that she had something to ask Her
Majesty, and told the Missionary lady to proceed. While Mrs. Conger was
speaking to this lady Her Majesty became rather impatient as she wanted
to know what they were talking about, so she asked me. It was very hard
for me to listen to both of the ladies and to Her Majesty at the same
time. The only words I heard were: "The portrait," so I guessed the
rest. Before I had a chance to tell Her Majesty this Missionary lady
said: "Mrs. Conger has come with the special object of asking permission
to have Her Majesty's portrait painted by an American lady artist, Miss
Carl, as she is desirous of sending it to the St. Louis Exhibition, in
order that the American people may form some idea of what a beautiful
lady the Empress Dowager of China is." Miss Carl is the sister of Mr. F.
Carl who was for so many years Commissioner of Customs in Chefoo.

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Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Two Years in the Forbidden City by Princess Der Ling

Context of the Source

Two Years in the Forbidden City (1911) is a memoir by Princess Der Ling, a Han Chinese noblewoman who served as a lady-in-waiting to Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908), the de facto ruler of China during the late Qing Dynasty. The book provides a rare firsthand account of life inside the Forbidden City, offering insights into the court etiquette, power dynamics, cultural exchanges, and the personality of Cixi—a figure often vilified in Western accounts but portrayed more sympathetically by Der Ling.

This excerpt describes a diplomatic luncheon hosted for American women—Mrs. Evans (likely the wife of a high-ranking official) and Mrs. Conger (wife of Edwin H. Conger, the U.S. Minister to China). The scene highlights cultural diplomacy, court protocol, and Cixi’s curiosity about the West, as well as her anxiety about China’s global perception in an era of imperial decline.

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Themes in the Excerpt

1. Cultural Exchange and Diplomacy

   • The luncheon is a microcosm of Sino-Western relations in the early 20th century. Cixi, though conservative, shows openness to foreign customs (using Western tablecloths, knives, and forks) while maintaining traditional Manchu dining etiquette (24 courses, golden utensils).
   • Her hospitality is performative—she follows Chinese custom by downplaying the food’s quality ("the food was not very good") while ensuring luxury (champagne, fine silverware).
   • The request for a portrait by Miss Carl (an American artist) reflects Cixi’s desire to control her image abroad, especially after the Boxer Rebellion (1899–1901), which had tarnished China’s reputation.

2. Power and Protocol in the Qing Court

   • Hierarchy is meticulously observed:
     • Mrs. Evans, as the "guest of honor," gets the principal seat, while Mrs. Conger (though the ambassador’s wife) is treated as a "resident."
     • The Imperial Princess and Princess Shun act as hostesses, seated opposite each other, reinforcing rank and symmetry.
     • Cixi’s absence from the meal underscores her divine-like status—she does not dine with foreigners but orchestrates the event from afar.
   • The eunuchs’ role (as messengers, decorators, and servants) highlights the rigid social structure of the Forbidden City.

3. Cixi’s Complex Personality

   • Curiosity vs. Fear of the West:
     • She admires foreign customs (champagne, knives and forks) and expresses a desire to travel, yet fears that China would change too much in her absence.
     • Her comment—"Our Emperor is quite young"—hints at her political dominance (she ruled as regent for the child emperor Puyi) and her anxiety about China’s future.
   • Self-Awareness of China’s Decline:
     • She acknowledges that China’s buildings are "not as fine as America’s", reflecting humility (or strategic modesty) in front of foreigners.
     • Her willingness to have her portrait painted suggests she wants to shape Western perceptions of China as cultured and sophisticated, countering stereotypes of backwardness.

4. The Role of Women in Diplomacy

   • The scene is female-dominated—Cixi, Der Ling, the American women, and court ladies navigate cross-cultural interactions without male intermediaries.
   • Mrs. Conger’s request for the portrait is a diplomatic maneuver, using soft power (art and flattery) to improve U.S.-China relations.
   • Der Ling, as a bicultural intermediary (educated in the West but serving in the Qing court), translates not just language but customs, bridging two worlds.

5. Performance and Image-Management

   • The entire luncheon is a carefully staged performance:
     • The table settings (gold, silver, flowers) are symbols of wealth and tradition.
     • Cixi’s private audience with Mrs. Evans is calculated—she shows her personal chambers to create an image of intimacy and trust.
     • The portrait request is not just vanity but a propaganda tool—Cixi wants Americans to see her as beautiful and dignified, not the "Dragon Lady" of Western caricatures.

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Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices

1. First-Person Narrative (Der Ling’s Perspective)

   • The subjective viewpoint gives the reader insider access to the Forbidden City’s inner workings.
   • Der Ling’s tone is observant but diplomatic—she notes Cixi’s strictness ("lectured them too severely") but also her charm ("I think I was the only one who was really happy").

2. Detailed Descriptions (Imagery & Sensory Language)

   • The luncheon setup is described with luxurious detail:
     • "golden menu holders and little gold plates for almonds and watermelon seeds"
     • "foreign knives and forks" alongside silver chopsticks—symbolizing fusion and tension between East and West.
   • The food (24 courses, sweetmeats, champagne) emphasizes excess and imperial grandeur.

3. Dialogue as Character Revelation

   • Cixi’s speech patterns reveal her authority, curiosity, and insecurity:
     • "I know that foreign ladies love to drink." → Stereotyping but also an attempt to please.
     • "I am rather too old now, otherwise I would like to travel around the world." → Regret and longing for global recognition.
     • "Here everything seems to depend on me." → Burden of power and fear of irrelevance.

4. Irony & Cultural Contrasts

   • The Chinese custom of underrating food ("the food was not very good") contrasts with the actual extravagance of the meal.
   • Cixi’s desire for a portrait (to be seen as beautiful) vs. her fear of leaving China (lest it change beyond recognition) creates tragic irony—she is both progressive and trapped.

5. Symbolism

   • The Yang Yuen Hsuen ("the place where the clouds gather to rest")—the name of the banquet hall—suggests transience and impermanence, mirroring the declining Qing Dynasty.
   • The King of Dragons temple (a later destination) may symbolize Cixi’s own mythic status—both revered and feared.

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Significance of the Excerpt

1. Historical Insight into Cixi’s Rule

   • The passage humanizes Cixi, often portrayed in Western histories as a tyrant or puppet master. Here, she appears diplomatic, cultured, and even vulnerable.
   • Her engagement with Westerners reflects the Qing court’s last attempts at modernization before the 1911 Revolution.

2. Colonial Encounters & Orientalism

   • The scene subverts Orientalist tropes—instead of passive "exotic" subjects, the Chinese women (especially Cixi and Der Ling) actively engage with and manipulate Western perceptions.
   • The portrait request is a reverse colonial gaze—Cixi controls how she is represented, rather than being defined by Western artists or media.

3. Gender and Power

   • The all-female diplomatic interaction challenges the male-dominated narratives of 19th-century diplomacy.
   • Cixi’s authority is absolute—she directs seating, menu, and even the guests’ itinerary, showing how women wielded power in the Qing court.

4. Legacy of the Memoir

   • Der Ling’s account was controversial—some accused her of glorifying Cixi, while others saw it as a corrective to Western biases.
   • The excerpt foreshadows the end of the Qing—Cixi’s fear of change and her reliance on tradition contrast with the inevitable modernization that would topple the dynasty within a few years.

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Conclusion: A Moment of Cultural Negotiation

This excerpt captures a fleeting moment of harmony between East and West, mediated by ritual, diplomacy, and female agency. Cixi, though aging and anxious, orchestrates a perfect performance—blending Chinese tradition with Western concessions—to present herself as both a gracious host and a formidable ruler. The luncheon is not just a meal but a microcosm of China’s struggle in the early 20th century: proud of its past, fearful of the future, and desperate to be understood on its own terms.

Der Ling’s narrative preserves this delicate balance, offering a nuanced portrait of a woman (Cixi) and a civilization (Qing China) on the brink of transformation.