The son of heaven is the ruler of the Celestial Empire. Design works celestial dragon Explanation of the word celestial

China: pages of the past Sidikhmenov Vasily Yakovlevich

Son of Heaven - Ruler of the Celestial Empire

Writing about the life and deeds of the rulers of China is a complicated matter: their daily life was fenced off by a blank wall from prying eyes, and history did not leave reliable data about this. Such information was not made public.

Thousand-year traditions, supported by merciless reprisals against their violators, were strictly observed: no one from outside dared to observe the life of the emperor and call his name aloud; and during the departure of the imperial cortege outside the palaces, the commoner, under the threat of severe punishment, was forbidden even to look at the face of the lord of the Celestial Empire. That is why the descriptions of the life of the rulers of the Middle State in various sources are not always accurate, and this should be borne in mind.

As already mentioned, Heaven, according to the teachings of Confucius, "ruled" the earth not directly, but through the emperor, who, for his supposedly divine origin, was given the title of the Son of Heaven. He was called "the world monarch and lord of the universe, to whom all must obey."

The ruler of the Celestial Empire was idolized and exalted unusually high. He was called in different ways: Tian-tzu (Son of Heaven); Bogdykhan (which in Mongolian means "Wise Ruler"); Dan-jin fo-ye (“Buddha of our days”), Zhu-tzu (“Lord”), Wansui-e (“10,000-year-old ruler”), Sheng-zhu (“August ruler”), Sheng-huang ( "Holy Emperor"), Yuan-hou ("First Sovereign"), Zhi-tsun ("Highly Honored"). Most often he was called Huang-di ("Great Emperor").

The Son of Heaven called himself Gua-jen ("The only person") or Gua-jun ("The only sovereign"). There was even a special personal pronoun, which was used only in relation to the emperor - zhen (we). A citizen of the Middle State, when addressing his master, did not have the right to use the personal pronoun “I” - he had to say the word “slave” (nutsai): “The slave is listening ...”, “The slave did not know ...”, “In the immature opinion of the slave ...” and etc.

The inner circle greeted the ruler of China with an exclamation: “Ten thousand years of life!”, And his first wife - “A thousand years of life!” Although the subjects of the Middle State wished the ruler "limitless longevity" or "ten thousand years of life", they understood that he, too, was mortal. People used to say about it like this: "Even an emperor cannot buy a thousand years of life."

The emperor was often compared with a vessel, and the people with water: as water takes the form of a vessel containing it, as if the people, without hesitation, submit to the ruler of the Middle State and the whole world.

The Chinese nation was traditionally viewed as one big family, whose father and mother (at the same time!) was the emperor. In feudal China, the saying was widely used: "The sovereign is the father and mother of the people." All members of this "family" were ordered to show filial love and respect for the emperor.

According to the teachings of Confucius, the emperor stood at the top of society, the basis of which was the family. Between the family and the state, between the head of the family and the sovereign, Confucius drew a parallel. The ruler was considered the father of a large family, that is, the state, and all subjects were obliged to obey him. Sovereigns, taught the Confucians, must demand from their subjects what a father would demand from his children; subjects should treat the sovereign as a respectful child to a parent.

The opinion of the emperor was considered indisputable, and no one dared to doubt his correctness: if he calls black white and white black, this should not cause any doubts. It is not surprising that the saying has become widespread among the people: “When pointing at a deer, say that it is a horse” (zhi lu wei ma). The etymology of this saying is of particular interest. After the death of the founder of the first centralized Chinese state of Qin (3rd century BC), Emperor Qin Shi Huang, his throne passed to his son Hu Hai. In fact, the country was ruled by the first minister Zhao Gao, who intended to seize the throne. Fearing that the dignitaries would not obey him, he decided to test their loyalty. For this, Zhao Gao presented the emperor with a deer, saying that it was a horse. The emperor answered him: "You are mistaken in calling a deer a horse." When the dignitaries were questioned, some of them remained silent, others said that they had a horse in front of them, and still others that they saw a deer.

Later, Zhao Gao destroyed all those dignitaries who called the deer a deer. Since then, the expression "Pointing to a deer, claim that it is a horse" has become synonymous with open lies, backed by power and violence, and therefore not subject to refutation.

To the vast majority of people who inhabited the Middle State, the emperor seemed to be a mysterious, supernatural being. The subjects almost did not manage to see him. The emperor traveled outside the palace on rare occasions - for sacrifices or visiting the graves of his ancestors. But even on these days, the people left in advance from those streets along which the imperial motorcade was to proceed.

The author of the book Journey to China (1853), E. Kovalevsky, described the departure of the Manchu Emperor Daoguang as follows: everything is swept away from them: first of all, the people, then dirt and all kinds of rubbish; booths and shops with all sorts of rubbish are cleaned, dogs and pigs are driven away. All lanes are covered. The road is strewn with yellow sand. Formerly the emperor had always ridden; now sometimes shown on a stretcher. He sits motionless, evenly, does not move his eyes, does not turn his head all the way, and that is why the curious sometimes decide to look through the gap of the gate or window at the Son of Heaven in full confidence that they will not be noticed. We were among those curious. Crowds of soldiers, servants and all kinds of officials, up to a thousand people in all, accompanied him, and this enlivened the street, on which grave silence reigned after the usual din and noise prevailing in the streets of Beijing. The reverence expressed to the emperor corresponded to his unlimited power. His every word was listened to with reverence, and the slightest order was carried out without delay. No one, not even the emperor's brother, could speak to him except on his knees. Only the nobles who made up his daily retinue were allowed to stand before the Son of Heaven, but they also had to bow one knee when they spoke to him. Honors were given even to inanimate objects used by the emperor: his throne, chair, dress, etc. The highest dignitaries of the empire prostrated themselves in front of the empty throne of the emperor or in front of his yellow silk screen, which was decorated with images of a dragon (a symbol of power) and a turtle ( symbol of longevity).

In the provinces of the Middle State, officials burned incense upon receiving an imperial decree and beat their foreheads on the floor, facing Beijing. The name of the emperor was considered sacred to such an extent that the written characters used to designate it could no longer serve to write other words. “Let everyone obey with fear and trembling” - such is the phrase that usually ended imperial decrees.

Although the Son of Heaven had an unlimited right to dispose of his subjects, he could not govern the country himself, for this an extensive system of power was created.

The supreme body, which decided the most important state affairs, was the Supreme Imperial Council. It included members of the imperial family and senior dignitaries. The following executive bodies were subordinate to the Council: the Imperial Secretariat, the Order for Foreign Affairs, the Bureaucratic Order, the Tax Order, the Order of Ceremonies, the Military Order, the Criminal Order, the Order of Public Works, the Collegium of Censors. In the Russian translation, instead of the word “order”, the words “chamber” or “ministry” were sometimes used, the head of the Military Order corresponded to the Minister of War, the head of the Order of Ceremonies corresponded to the head of the Chamber of Ceremonies.

When addressing the emperor, the subjects performed a complex ceremony, the name of which in Russian translation sounds something like this: “kneel three times and bow to the ground nine times”, i.e., with each kneeling, touch the forehead of the earth three times.

During the hours of the imperial audience, in front of the throne towering above the hall, five pillows were placed on the floor especially for members of the Supreme Imperial Council. Closest to the throne was a pillow for the head of the Supreme Imperial Council.

Lower-ranking officials knelt on the stone floor without any padding. True, they often wrapped their knees in a thick layer of cotton, which was not visible under a long dressing gown. Sometimes eunuchs were bribed: the latter imperceptibly placed pillows under the knees of those who made prostrations.

The audience proceeded roughly in this order. The official arrived at the reception hall, accompanied by a eunuch: the latter opened the huge doors of the throne room, knelt at the threshold, announced the name and position of the newcomer, and left, closing the door behind him. After that, the official crossed the threshold of the reception hall and knelt before the throne.

The emperor was considered the unlimited ruler of his subjects and their property. They talked about it like this: “There is no land that does not belong to the emperor; whoever eats the fruits of this land is a subject of the emperor.”

The right of the ruler to dispose of the land and his subjects is sung in the ancient Chinese literary monument "The Book of Songs" ("Shi-jing").

The sky stretches wide in the distance,

But there is not an inch of non-royal land under the sky.

On all the coast that the seas wash around, -

Everywhere on this earth only servants of the king.

One of the foreign observers at the beginning of the 20th century. He witnessed how the right of the emperor to the whole land of China was actually exercised. He told:

“The workers dug a hole for a telegraph pole next to the grave, where a well-known and respected representative of the academic community was buried. This grave was located on land donated to the family of the deceased by the emperor himself, who deeply honored his merits. The son of the deceased, who also had distinctions, was horrified when he saw how the workers indifferently dig the earth next to the grave of his father. It began to seem to him that the evil and irritated invisible spirits were ready to send death to his entire family and take away all the honors and riches bestowed on her. He climbed into a dug hole and declared that he would rather die than allow a telegraph pole to be placed in it. He declared that he did not oppose the emperor's right to land, but wished to retain his special rights to this site, since the latter was bestowed by the emperor himself.

At a moment when it seemed that work would have to be suspended, a Chinese official approached, accompanying foreign engineers and having a special order to settle any misunderstandings with the local population. He approached the owner of a piece of land, who sat down in a hole, and addressed him with these words: “I am surprised that such an educated and intelligent person as you can act like a child. You must know that every inch of land in the empire belongs to the emperor and all the honors you enjoy also come from him. This telegraph line,” he continued, pointing to a long chain of poles stretching across the plain and disappearing beyond the horizon, “is also being built by his special order. Do you dare to disobey this order? You must know that the emperor can command that you, your wife, your children be seized and cut into a thousand pieces. And no one will doubt his right to do so.”

Such a short but intelligible exhortation had such an effect on the learned man that he quickly got out of the pit and, bowing as a sign of respect to the authorities, silently retired home. The workers continued their work unimpeded.”

The person of the emperor was considered sacred. He was the only person in China who did not give an account to anyone of his actions. Although the country was directly ruled by ministers, governors and governors, the will of the emperor was law for them too - any decision of them could be suspended by his power.

If the emperor was afraid of the "wrath" of heaven, then the earth was a real fiefdom for him. There were no signs of praise and reverence that would not be given to the Son of Heaven. In person and in absentia, he received evidence from his subjects of the lowest respect for him.

The veneration of the Son of Heaven by the subjects was the most important element of the spiritual foundation of the state. This sometimes reached the point of absurdity. An ancient Chinese saying said: "When the sovereign is offended, officials die." This meant: if the state suffers disasters and unrest, service people are to blame for them. Through bad government, they have not been able to prevent people's misfortunes and, perhaps, even brought them on themselves - therefore they are unworthy of life. Loyal officials often did not bear shame and committed suicide (especially if the emperor was forced to leave the capital due to the invasion of foreigners).

On August 14, 1900, the allied forces of foreign powers occupied the capital of China - Beijing. Empress Dowager Cixi was forced to flee. The misfortune and disgrace that befell the Manchu court plunged the dignitaries loyal to the throne into terrible confusion. On the eve of the storming of Beijing by the allied forces, some senior civil and military officials poisoned all their relatives and servants - so that none of their loved ones would remain alive - and then committed suicide.

The emperor's right to the life of his subjects and their property was supported by military force. The mainstay of Manchu domination was the "eight banners" - this was the name of the troops specially designed to protect the dynasty. Initially, the banner troops were united in four corps, which had not only military, but also administrative functions. The corps consisted of five regiments, a regiment - of five companies. Each corps was assigned a banner of a certain color: yellow, white, red, blue. Then four more corps were added to these four corps, which received banners of the same colors, but with a border.

The "Eight Banners" were divided into two groups: the "Upper Three Banners" and the "Lower Five Banners". The "highest three banners", which included a yellow banner, yellow with a border and white, constituted the personal guard of the emperor and were directly subordinate to him. The "Lower Five Banners" were under the command of military commanders appointed by the emperor.

The soldiers of the banner troops were forbidden to engage in agriculture, trade, and handicrafts. Their main duty was in military service. If they owned the land, then this land was cultivated by captives or hired workers.

By national composition, the banner troops consisted of Manchus, Mongols and Chinese. The entire Manchu population was considered a military class. The Manchus enjoyed special privileges in the troops. For the same offense, the Manchu officer was less punished than the Chinese. The Manchu government provided significant benefits to banner troops, thus encouraging service in the army.

If at one pole of the Celestial Empire there was the Son of Heaven, who had unlimited power, then at the other there was a disenfranchised, downtrodden, superstitious mass of peasants who lived in poverty and need. The constant lack of land and hunger drove the peasants to despair. In the provinces of Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi, there were cases when landless peasants, driven to the extreme, went to execution instead of landlords who committed serious crimes, if only after their death the family received a piece of land or a certain amount of money necessary to acquire a small plot of land.

The dynasties that reigned in China received symbolic names. Thus, the Chinese dynasty that ruled from 1368–1644 was called Ming. Hieroglyph min meaning "clear", "brilliant", "reasonable". The Manchu dynasty was called Qing. Hieroglyph qing means "pure", "light", "flawless". She was also called Da Qing ("great and flawless"). Not only the dynasty as a whole, but also the reign of each emperor was designated by a special motto - hieroglyphs symbolizing “happiness”, “well-being”, “prosperity”, “peace”, “prosperity”.

During the Manchu Qing Dynasty, the following emperors reigned in China:

With the accession of the next emperor to the throne, it was forbidden to pronounce and write his former personal name - it was replaced by the motto of the board. For example, from 1851 to 1861, an emperor named Yi Zhu ruled the country. However, he could only be called "Emperor Xianfeng" in accordance with the reign's motto; in 1875–1908 the reign's motto was Guangxu. At that time, an emperor named Zai Tian was on the throne. However, it was called only by the motto of the board - Guangxu.

Unlike ordinary mortals, the emperor had three names: personal (it was forbidden to pronounce and write), dynastic and temple. The latter was given to him after death, under which he became known in Chinese history (for example, Taizu - "great patriarch", Shenzong - "sacred ancestor", etc.).

The succession to the throne in feudal China followed the male line: the reigning monarch chose his successor among his own sons. However, the name of the heir was not always announced in advance, and it did not have to be the emperor's eldest son. So, for example, Shunzhi was the ninth son of his father, Kangxi - the third, Yongzheng - the fourth, Jiaqing - the fifteenth, Daoguang - the second son. The rule not to appoint an heir in advance had a certain meaning - it helped to avoid palace intrigues around the issue of succession until the very last moment.

The first emperor of the Manchu dynasty, Shunzhi, sensing the approach of death, ordered four of his highest dignitaries to approach his box and said to them something like this: “I have an eight-year-old son, and although he is not the eldest in my family, his amazing mental abilities inspire in I hope that he will be my worthy heir. I recommend it to you with confidence, because I know your loyal feelings. The dying emperor appointed these four officials as regents, who were to be in charge of the affairs of the state until his son came of age. However, at the age of fourteen, at the insistence of his mother, the heir refused the services of regents and began to rule the empire under the motto of Kangxi.

The emperor could transfer the throne to his son even during his lifetime, if he felt physical weakness. So, on February 9, 1796, Emperor Qianlong, after 60 years of reign, abdicated in favor of his fifteenth son, whose reign motto was called Jiaqing. The abdication of the emperor and the accession to the throne of the new ruler were arranged with solemn ceremonies. The main point in them was the transfer by the father to the son of the seal - a symbol of imperial power.

A woman formally did not have the right to take the throne, but could be regent under the emperor. Empress Regent Cixi actually reigned in China for 48 years - from 1861 to 1908.

The accession to the throne of the emperor was marked by an “all-merciful manifesto”, in which the new Son of Heaven commanded that sacrifices be made in the cemeteries where the monarchs, his predecessors, rested, and in the homeland of Confucius. The provincial authorities were instructed to repair the temples built in honor of the spirits of mountains and rivers. Persons who distinguished themselves by special filial piety were awarded, as well as widowers who did not marry after the death of their wife, and widows who remained faithful to the memory of their husbands. The new emperor swore to honor his predecessor and worship his spirit.

The first Manchu emperor, who reigned under the Shunzhi motto, having ascended the throne in November 1644 (after the capture of Beijing by the Manchu army), published a manifesto as follows:

“I, the Son of Heaven of the reigning Da Qing Dynasty and its subject, respectfully dare to address the Almighty Heaven and Sovereign Earth. And although the world is vast, the supreme deity of Shandi impartially surveys everything and everyone. My reigning grandfather, having received the most merciful decree of heaven, founded a kingdom in the East, which became strong and durable. My reigning father, having inherited the kingdom, expanded its borders. And I, a servant of heaven, insignificant in my abilities, became the heir of the possession left by them. When the Ming dynasty ended its existence, traitors and rapists, inciting the crowd, dragged the people into distress. China was left without a ruler. It fell on me to respectfully accept responsibility and become a worthy successor to the work of my ancestors ...

I, having received the approval of the sky and in accordance with his will, declare to the sky that I ascended the throne of the Empire, chose the name Da Qing for it, and called the motto of my reign Shunzhi. I respectfully ask heaven and earth to protect the Empire and help it, so that disasters and turmoil would soon pass and universal peace would reign on earth. In the name of this, I humbly beg you to accept the sacrifices.

The dragon (lun) was the symbol of the emperor's power. The state emblem of the Manchu rulers depicted a dragon with four paws and five claws on each.

People believed in the omnipotence of the dragon, and the rulers of China used this superstition. In an effort to instill awe and superstitious fear in their subjects, they began to attribute to themselves the qualities of this mythical monster. They said about the emperor like this: his face is the face of a dragon, his eyes are the eyes of a dragon, his hands are the hands of a dragon, his robe is a dragon's robe, his children are the offspring of a dragon, his throne is the seat of a dragon. On clothes, utensils, furniture used by the emperor, one could see the image of a dragon everywhere. Why did the dragon serve as a symbol of imperial dignity? Because an analogy was drawn between the dragon, rising from earth to heaven, and the sovereign, the Son of heaven, standing above all people.

The state seal was considered an indispensable attribute of the legislative and executive power of the emperor and his officials. On a round or square imperial seal, sayings of this kind were carved in ancient handwriting: “Eternal life, prosperity and peace”, “Ascension is a gift from heaven, accompanied by longevity and eternal prosperity”. The seal of the emperor was made of jade, the seals of his sons were made of gold, the seals of high officials were made of silver. The "signature" color of imperial power was not always the same: during the Song dynasty (960–1127) it was brown, during the Ming dynasty it was green, during the Qing it was yellow.

No one except the emperor and members of his family had the right to wear yellow clothes. Almost all the objects that the emperor used and that surrounded him were also yellow, including the tiles on the walls and roofs of the imperial palaces.

The last Manchu emperor, Pu Yi, writes in his memoirs about this tradition: “Every time I remember my childhood, a solid yellow fog pops up before my eyes: the glazed tiles on the roof are yellow, the palanquin is yellow, the pads on the chairs are yellow, the lining on clothes and a hat, a sash, porcelain dishes, wadded covers for pots, wrappers for them, curtains, glasses - all yellow. This so-called "brilliant yellow" color, which exists under the rights of personal property, instilled in my soul a sense of my own exclusivity from childhood; I considered myself extraordinary and different from other people.

The emperor was surrounded by numerous civil and military officials. Their clothing, jewelry and insignia were determined by strict rules of service hierarchy and etiquette. The usual attire for all those who "stood over the people" was a long-sleeved silk robe. The emperor's robe differed from all others not only in color (yellow), but also in the emblem. Four golden dragons were embroidered on it: two on the shoulders, one each on the chest and on the back. The paws of the dragons on the emperor's robe had five claws, on the robes of officials - four claws. The emperor wore beads of pearls and a small round cap adorned with three golden dragons placed one above the other. Each dragon had three pearls of the same size and one larger one.

At the imperial court there was an institution of censors. They were called ermu guan (“officials with eyes and ears”) or yam guan (“officials of the word”): they observed the performance of all government agencies and officials of their duties, the activities of civil servants and their behavior in private life.

The censors had the right to condemn the behavior of members of the imperial house and even the emperor himself. For a moral impact on the ruler, they widely used the Confucian doctrine of the punishing role of Heaven.

However, this did not mean that the emperor was responsible to the censors: their criticism was reduced to a moral assessment. If the censor decided to give advice to the son of heaven or speak to him with some wish, he acted at his own peril, risking being expelled or even executed. It is no coincidence that the following saying has become widespread among censors: "Being near the emperor is like sleeping with a tiger."

Eunuchs, who were called upon to oversee the imperial harem, enjoyed great influence at the court of the rulers of the Middle State. Acting as overseers, eunuchs were used simultaneously as spies and pimps. Some of them became confidants of the rulers and high dignitaries of the state and influenced the political life of the country. The dragon emperor made them with his "fangs and teeth".

The institution of eunuchs existed in China during the Han Dynasty. From that time until the Manchurian dynasty, the role of eunuchs not only did not decrease, but even increased. In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, on behalf of the emperor, the country was actually ruled by the eunuch Wei Zhong-hsien. After the establishment of the power of the Manchus in China, the influence of the eunuchs first waned. However, under Empress Dowager Cixi, the institution of eunuchs again began to play an important role. For many years, Cixi's right hand was the chief eunuch Li Lianying, who made a huge fortune through bribes, trade in positions, contracts, and the supply of materials for palace work. At the beginning of the XX century. in the imperial palace, there were up to three thousand eunuchs.

Eunuchs were divided into two categories. Those belonging to the first category served the emperor, the empress, the mother of the emperor and the imperial concubines; belonging to the second category - all the rest. The last Manchu emperor, Pu Yi, recalled his close eunuch Yuan Jinshou: “When winter came, he changed his fur coats every day. He never wore the same sable jacket twice. Only one sea otter fur coat, which he once put on for the New Year, was enough to feed a petty official all his life. Almost all court eunuch managers and some department heads had at their disposal their own kitchen and junior eunuchs who served them. Some of them had their own "staff" of maids and maids. The life of the eunuchs of the lower ranks was bitter. They were always malnourished, suffered beatings and punishments, and in old age they had no one and nothing to rely on. They had to live only on extremely limited “handouts”, and if they were expelled for some offense, then begging and starvation awaited them. The duties of eunuchs were very varied. In addition to being present at the awakening of the emperor and his meal, constantly accompanying the Son of Heaven, their duties included: distributing the highest decrees, escorting officials to an audience with the emperor and accepting petitions, acquainting various departments of the Department of the Court with documents and papers; receive money and grain from treasurers outside the yard, provide fire protection. Eunuchs were instructed to monitor the storage of books in libraries, antiques, paintings, clothes, weapons (guns and bows), ancient bronze vessels, household utensils, yellow ribbons for distinguished ranks; store fresh and dry fruits; eunuchs accompanied the imperial doctors and provided materials for the builders of the palace. They lit fragrant candles in front of the spirits of the ancestral emperors, checked the arrival and departure of officials of all departments, kept the imperial jewels, cleaned the palace chambers, gardens, parks, cut the emperor's hair, prepared medicines, played in the palace theater, read prayers, etc.

“Describing my childhood,” wrote Emperor Pu Yi, “it is impossible not to mention the eunuchs. They were present when I ate, dressed and slept, accompanied me to games and classes, told me stories, received rewards and punishments from me. If others were forbidden to be with me, then the eunuchs were obliged to do so. They were my main childhood companions, my slaves and my first teachers."

According to established customs, the emperor, in addition to the "main wife", had two more "secondary". The “main wife” occupied the middle part of the palace, and she was called that: “the empress of the Middle Palace”. The eastern apartments were considered more honorable than the western ones, so the second wife lived in the eastern part of the palace and was called the "Empress of the Eastern Palace", and the third occupied the western apartments, she was called the "Empress of the Western Palace".

In addition to the legitimate three wives, the emperor had many concubines, who were divided into several ranks. Imperial concubine of the first rank was called huang gui-fei, second rank - guifei, third - faye, fourth - bean, fifth - guiren.

The composition of the imperial harem was periodically updated. During the Qing Dynasty, every three years, a kind of bride-to-be took place in the palace, to which high-ranking officials were required to bring their daughters aged 12 to 16 years. From their number, the imperial harem was replenished. The chosen ones were there until about the age of twenty, after which, if they turned out to be childless, they were "mercifully dismissed."

The concubines lived in special rooms, they were strictly supervised by eunuchs. For violation of the established rules, the girls were expelled from the imperial palace. So, in 1895, the following message was published in the Peking Government Bulletin:

“It was pleasing to me, the emperor, to inform the most merciful empress-regent of my next order. Our yard strictly observes the original family traditions. The court harem is forbidden to interfere in state affairs. The concubines of the second rank Qifen and Zheshan deviated from the rules of modesty. They indulged in luxury and constantly pestered the emperor with requests and desires. This shouldn't go on. If you do not warn them, then you can fear that the emperor will be besieged from all sides with requests and intrigues, which will only serve as a ladder for all sorts of deceptions. Therefore, the concubines Qifen and Zheshan should be demoted, which is brought to public attention. From now on, peace and tranquility will reign in the palace. Let it be so".

The concubine did not always share the emperor's bed: she could generally remain in the position of a servant of the members of the imperial family, but in this case she was obliged to keep her virginity. That is why many fathers of wealthy Manchu families were reluctant to give their daughters to the imperial harem: outside the imperial palaces they could marry and be happy mothers, and in the harem of emperors they were threatened with the fate of old maids. When an emperor died, his wives were not allowed to remarry or return to their parents.

The concubines, not worthy of the attention of the emperor, lived in secluded places in the position of nuns. It is curious that in 1924, when the former Manchu emperor Pu Yi was expelled from Beijing, three old women who were once considered imperial concubines were discovered in a forgotten corner of the palace.

All those around the emperor sought to portray him as a man who, day and night, is only busy with what he thinks about the well-being of his subjects. Needless to say, in fact, the Son of Heaven was not interested in the life of the people, he knew about it only from the reports of officials.

And although the Confucians urged the rulers to lead a modest lifestyle, their calls did not reach the goal: the emperors and their entourage lived in fabulous luxury and were distinguished by extreme extravagance. About a hundred main dishes were served at the imperial table every day. Only the morning breakfast menu included more than twenty changes: fried chicken with mushrooms, duck in sauce, chicken tenderloin, steamed beef, boiled offal, meat fillet with steamed cabbage, stewed lamb, lamb with spinach and steamed soy cheese, steamed meat with cabbage, lamb fillet with radish, duck tenderloin (stewed with trepang in sauce), fried mushrooms, meat fillet (stewed with bamboo shoots), lamb stroganoff, thinly rolled dough pies, fried meat with Chinese cabbage, salted soybeans, smoked meat slices, fried vegetables in sweet and sour sauce, cabbage slices fried in pepper sauce, aromatic dried, meat broth.

Pu Yi, according to relatives, reproduced the picture of the imperial dinner in this way:

“Several dozen neatly dressed eunuchs were carrying seven tables of various sizes, dozens of red lacquered boxes with golden dragons painted on them. The procession was rapidly heading towards the Yangxindian Chamber. The eunuchs who came passed the brought food to the young eunuchs in white armlets, who arranged the food in the East Hall. Usually two tables were laid with the main dishes; the third table with a Chinese samovar was set up in winter. In addition, there were three tables with muffins, rice and cereals. Salted vegetables were served on a separate table. The dishes were made of yellow porcelain, painted with dragons and inscriptions: "Ten thousand years of longevity." In winter, silver dishes were used, which were placed in porcelain cups with hot water. On each saucer or in each cup lay a silver plate, with the help of which it was checked whether the food was poisoned. For the same purpose, before serving any dish, it was first tasted by a eunuch. This was called "tasting the food". Then these dishes were placed on the tables, and the younger eunuch, before I sat down at the table, announced: “Remove the lids!” Four or five younger eunuchs immediately removed the silver lids that covered the dishes, put them in large boxes and carried them away. It was my turn to “take the food.”

The lords of the Celestial Empire did not constrain themselves in clothes either. Pu Yi recalled: “I always put on something new. According to the records, in one month they sewed eleven dressing gowns with fur, six dress coats, two fur vests, and thirty pairs of warm jackets and trousers. I changed only ordinary dressing gowns twenty-eight a year, starting with a dressing gown lined with black and white fur, and ending with a sable jacket.

Following the traditions of the ancient Chinese rulers, the Manchu emperors composed various moral instructions. Thus, the Emperor Shuanzhi in 1652 promulgated the "six rules of moral behavior", which, in a purely Confucian spirit, ordered everyone to fulfill filial duties, honor and respect elders and superiors, etc.

Traditions ordered the Son of Heaven to write poetry. The Qianlong Emperor, who came to the throne in 1736, was a particularly passionate lover of literature. He was fond of poetry, wrote many poems and plays, however, quite banal. It goes without saying that none of his subjects could tell the truth about the artistic value of his writings.

The emperor's birthday was considered an important national holiday. On this day, princes of imperial blood, dignitaries, senior civil and military ranks, as well as foreign ambassadors were invited to the spacious ceremonial hall of the palace. To the sounds of ancient musical instruments, the choir of eunuchs sang a solemn hymn. At this time, according to a special signal repeated nine times, all those present fell on their faces and made nine prostrations before the emperor. This expressed the feeling of reverence for the Son of heaven.

In the main cities of all provinces there were temples of longevity, specially designed for ceremonies in honor of the emperor's birthday. The walls and furnishings were yellow. In such temples, the civil and military ranks of the province gathered and bowed to the ground, as if the emperor himself was in front of them.

The death of the ruler of the Middle Kingdom was portrayed as a national disaster. Moreover, he never "died", but only "turned into a heavenly guest." According to ancient custom, when declaring national mourning, the emperor's subjects could even kill themselves along with their sons, thereby expressing boundless loyalty to the sovereign.

On November 14, 1908, at the age of 37, Emperor Guangxu died, and a day later, on November 15, 1908, at the age of 73, Empress Dowager Cixi retired to the "world of shadows".

The funeral ceremonies for the deceased Emperor and the deceased Empress Dowager are entrusted to the Chamber of Ceremonies.

Members of the imperial family will wear mourning robes. The two-year-old emperor will wear a mourning robe and walk with uncombed hair.

Women living in the imperial court and women of imperial blood will wear mourning dresses and loose hair.

A red flag will be hung in the imperial bedchamber and a tent made of fabric with an embroidered dragon will be installed.

All officials must cut the red ribbons from their hats. For 27 months, none of the members of the imperial family has the right to marry. Officials must not marry for 12 months. There should be no feasts and musical performances. Family members should not wear jewelry.

All officials, Confucian scholars and monks must gather in the capital's Shunyan-fu temple and mourn for three days.

All commoners of the capital must follow the following instructions: cut off red buttons from clothes; women should not wear jewelry for 27 days; 100 days not to arrange weddings; do not invite guests, do not play musical instruments and do not shave your head.

For 27 days in the temples it is not allowed to pray to the ancestors. In each temple, the bells should be struck 1,000 times so that the death knell can be heard everywhere.

Wives and concubines during mourning are not allowed to become pregnant. Children conceived during the days of mourning shall be declared illegitimate.

The whole life of the rulers of the Middle State took place in palaces. The imperial court, numbering several thousand officials, eunuchs, guards, concubines and slaves, was a small state within a state - with its own hierarchy, laws, court and finances.

After the conquest of China by the Manchus in 1644, Beijing became the capital of the Manchu state, which had several ensembles of urban buildings separated from each other by high brick walls. It was divided into the Inner City (the abode of the Manchu emperors and their servants) and the Outer City, which was inhabited mainly by the Chinese.

In the center of the Inner City was the Imperial City, and within its boundaries - the Forbidden City, which consisted of five large parts: the actual palaces (Gugong), the Temple of the Ancestors (Taimiao), the Temple of the Harvest (Shejitan), Mount Jingshan and the Western Park with lakes.

The palace ensemble in Beijing was the residence of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for 450 years. After the overthrow of the Manchu rule in 1911, it received its current name Gugun (Ancient Palaces).

Ancient Chinese buildings were distinguished by a number of specific architectural features: squat massive walls and huge multi-tiered roofs with pronounced curved cornices. Roofs and gates, covered with colored glazed tiles with bas-reliefs and inscriptions, gave the building a festive and grand appearance. In this style, the Gugun palace ensemble was built, resembling a whole city. Its total area is 720 thousand square meters, and the area of ​​buildings is 150 thousand square meters. On its territory there are 9,000 buildings surrounded by a brick wall up to 10 meters high and a bypass canal Tongzihe about 60 meters wide. Throne chambers, palaces, palace halls, pavilions, pavilions and various office premises are located here.

The Forbidden City is an architectural ensemble of palaces, grandiose in size and beautiful in layout, embodying the traditional forms of Chinese architecture, in which beauty was combined with the severity of forms.

The palaces, connected to each other by courtyards, passages and gates, were divided into two parts: the official chambers (two thirds of the entire territory) and the residence of the emperor and his family.

The main entrance to the imperial residence was the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) - a majestic gate tower with a two-cornice roof covered with glazed tiles. The tower rises above a massive dark red wall, which has one large and four small passages leading directly to the Imperial City. The corners of the eaves of the tower, decorated with miniature sculptures of animals, have a somewhat curved shape: evil spirits "moved" only in a straight line, and curved architectural lines prevented their penetration into the palaces. In front of the Tiananmen gate, two huge stone lions rest.

Every year, on the day of the winter solstice, the emperor went to offer sacrifices to the Temple of Heaven, and on the day of the summer solstice - to the Temple of the Earth. The ceremonial departure was made through the Tiananmen gate. If the emperor went on a campaign, then sacrifices were made and prayers were arranged in front of the Tiananmen gate.

During the days of solemn ceremonies near Tiananmen, imperial decrees were promulgated. It happened like this. In front of the gate tower, a special "platform for the announcement of decrees" was equipped. At the beginning of the ceremony, all senior civil and military officials lined up facing north near the bridges over the Golden Water Canal and knelt down. The minister of ceremonies issued a decree on a cloud-shaped wooden tray and placed it on a palanquin decorated with dragon images. The palanquin was brought to the tower, and the decree was raised up, where a special official read it aloud aloud. Then the text of the decree was put into the beak of a gilded wooden phoenix (mythical bird). A wooden bird was lowered from the tower to the square. The official took the phoenix and put it on a palanquin, which was taken to the Ministry of Ceremonies - there they made copies of the decree to send them throughout the country. This ceremony was called "the proclamation of the imperial decree with the help of the phoenix."

Two monumental columns rise in front of the Tiananmen gate - huabiao, carved from white stone; the bases of the columns are octagonal in shape. On the columns there is a skillful carving depicting flying dragons and clouds, and in the upper part there is a circle with a mythical animal sitting on it. Huabiao columns first appeared in China about two millennia ago. Initially, these were wooden poles with a transverse board at the top. Usually they were placed in front of post stations and bridges as direction indicators. Later, huabiao began to be made of stone, and they turned into one of the elements of the architectural ensemble of palaces.

From the Tiananmen Gate, straight north to the Forbidden City, the wide Imperial Road (Yuylu) paved with stone slabs stretched. When the emperor left his chambers, a guard of honor with magnificent regalia lined up along the entire road.

The imperial road led to the main entrance of the Forbidden City - the Noon Gate of Umyn, an elevated structure was built above them - the Tower of Five Phoenixes (Ufenlou). When the emperor was heading to the Temple of Heaven or the Temple of Earth, the drum was beaten on the Ufenlou Tower, and when he entered the Temple of the Ancestors, the bell was beaten. here in the 17th century. in a solemn atmosphere, the Manchu rulers received dignitaries.

The gates of Umyn - a symbol of the sun and the highest imperial power - were famous for their magnificent decoration and beauty. They are crowned by a majestic tower under a two-tiered roof. From here, in a southerly direction, two walls, eastern and western, depart, forming the letter "P", with galleries that, as it were, support the tower on the right and left.

Behind the gates of Umyn, a view of a large square bordered by palace buildings opens up. In the center of the square, the Neijinshui canal, bordered by a semicircle, flows through which five beautiful bridges with a low stone balustrade are thrown. Along the banks of the canal, lined with white marble, winding railings, reminiscent of a precious jade belt, stretch.

The most grandiose building in the Forbidden City is the Throne Chamber of Supreme Harmony. Its height reaches 35 meters, and its area is 2300 square meters. Divided into eleven bays supported by red columns, this chamber stretches from east to west for 63 meters. The ceiling beams of the building are richly decorated with beautiful multi-colored paintings, and the double roof is lined with yellow tiles that dazzlingly shine in the sun.

In front of the Throne Chamber of Highest Harmony, a turtle (a symbol of longevity) and a long crane (a symbol of wisdom) are frozen in bronze, and large copper tripods (a symbol of the throne) are placed nearby. A vast courtyard, a high marble terrace and a huge building rising above it create a majestic picture.

The Throne Chamber of Higher Harmony consists of one huge hall, where the emperors performed solemn ceremonies, signed decrees, approved the highest academic titles, celebrated the Chinese New Year, the harvest festival, the dragon festival, etc., celebrated the birthdays of the august persons; from here they blessed the commanders for conquest campaigns.

The emperor sat in the back of the hall on a high throne with a dragon emblem. The throne was surrounded by symbolic figures of cranes and elephants, expensive vessels and tall incense burners.