TWO CITIES: LONDON AND PEKING

Two cities in the modern world claim pre-eminence as the capitals of the two most populous empires in existence — Britain and China. Both claim further attention as the respective centres of two of the leading types of human civilisation, as well as of the great political interests that have in them their foci. London, the metropolis of the English-speaking world in the extreme West, with Peking, the metropolis and Mecca of the Indo-Chinese nations in the Far East : one at either extremity of the great Eurasian continent, a counterpoise, as it were, to each other, they stand forth like sentinels at the two ends of the ancient world. These two beacons of light and learning, situated on the margin of the once impenetrable bounds of the watery setting in the midst of which terra firma stood forth, now both face that New World of the existence of which their respective founders were naturally ignorant, but which bids fair in the not far distant future to reshift the centre of gravity to a new continent. In the meantime a comparison of the points of analogy and of antithesis which these two great metropoles offer to the unprejudiced observer, visiting them as they now exist at this latter end of the Nineteenth Century, offers much matter for reflection, from which I purpose to select a few of the more salient points.

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All British interests centre in London, for as long as the wide Empire which acknowledges the sway of the King of England holds together, so long will the titledeeds of its vast possessions continue to be held in the British Metropolis. The bonds that unite its scattered parts may be drawn yet tighter, as the patriotic friends of " National Unity " so ardently desire, or they might conceivably be so far slackened as to admit of absolute Colonial independence ; but short of annexation to another Power, its varied offshoots and dependencies will still continue to regard London as the common focus of their civilisation, as much as it must for ever indisputably rank as the fountain source of their common history. So the numerous heterogeneous provinces of China proper and the outlying regions over which the Emperor of China still holds sway, as well as those which no longer pay their tribute, although still compelled to acknowledge their primary obligation to China for the elements of their written languages, their arts, their ethics, and their civilisation generally — all still look up to Peking as their common alma mater, while their learned men regard a pilgrimage thither as the crowning step in their educational career. The decrees of the Chinese Emperor, if no longer regarded as actually divine even by his own immediate subjects, are still respected as the oracular dicta of an infallible pope.

The Emperor of China, as God's Viceregent on earth, has alone the right to offer sacrifice to Heaven directly. His subjects can only approach Heaven through him as intermediary, and a peacock's feather or silk riding jacket bestowed by him, or, still better, a tablet with his autograph, is the highest honour this world can offer.

The members of the vast bureaucracy that rules the lives and fortunes of 400,000,000 of people must, one and all, proceed to Peking to do homage on promotion, while the surrounding semi-independent nations like Corea, Anam, Siam, Nepaul, and Burm?ih have all been accustomed to send their representatives at regular intervals to lay tribute at the feet of the " Son of Heaven." Even Britain, her once upstart and proud antagonist, has, by her latest treaty with poor despised Peking, now become enrolled in the register of tributebearing worshippers at the Dragon Throne, for has she not agreed that the annexation of Burmah to her Indian Empire shall not interfere with the old custom of decennial tribute ? I see no harm in thus flattering the harmless pride of so venerable an Empire — now, alas ! in its dotage.

76 GLEANINGS FROM CHINA

Peking, although its existence as the capital of the small State of " Yen " dates from the fifth century B.C., was not raised to the rank of metropohs of the Chinese Empire until after the conquest of the " Liao " or Kitan Tartars, which was effected by the " Kin " Tartars or "Golden Horde," who, in a.d. 1151, made Peking their seat of government under the title of Cheng-tu or " Central Stronghold." The word " King," meaning Capital, was then first applied to the old city of the Yen, its alternative name under the Kin Tartars being " Yen-king," or capital city of Yen. By the Mongol conquest, a.d. 1215, it was again degraded into a provincial city, Genghis-Khan holding his Court of nomad warriors at Kara-koram. But in A.D. 1264 Peking was once more restored to Imperial rank by his grandson Kublai-khan, Marco Polo's great patron, under whom it was known as Ta-Tu, or great stronghold, in Chinese, and as " Khanbaligh," or City of the Khan, in Mongolian, euphonised by old Marco into the world-renowned " Cambaluc " : —

" In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure dome decree ; Where Alph, the sacred river, ran Through caverns measureless to man,

Down to a sunless sea.

" So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round : And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills.

Where blossomed many an incense-burning tree ; And here were forests, ancient as the hills,

Enfolding sunny spots of greenery."

The name " Pe-King," literally " Northern Capital," was unknown until a.d. 1409, when the third Emperor of the Ming dynasty, known generally as Yung-Lo, transferred his seat of government hither from " Nan-

TWO CITIES: LONDON AND PEKING ^j

King," the " Southern Capital," with the, as subsequent events proved, fruitless object of being in a better position to defend his dynasty from its northern foes. So much for the history of this venerable capital. It goes to show that London has nothing to yield on the score of antiquity to its Eastern rival.

London appears to have had its origin in prehistoric times in a fort, built at the first practicable crossing of the Thames open to an invader from the adjoining continent making his way northwards, and from that small beginning to have grown rather than to have been made the emporium of learning, arts, and commerce, in which its early fortress origin would have become entirely obliterated but for the happy survival of the Tower of London.

Peking also was originally a fortress, and a fortress — of mediaeval type be it well understood — it still remains. Built as a watch-tower over against the unruly tribes of the North, the quarter whence all Chinese invasions have come, its Tartar conquerors expanded it into their Court and camp, and this stamp of its origin pervades the whole of the vast enclosure to the present day. Bearing a striking resemblance to the symmetrical encampment which the old Roman discipline required to be erected at every halt of their armies, this city has its earthen rampart, brickfaced and with crenulated top, set four-square about it ; a wide approach from the southern tower-capped gateway leading to the commander-in-chief's quarters — now the Imperial palace — with the pavilions of his staff to the right and to the left — now the palaces of the princes of the blood — with the bulk of the army arranged round about in their orderly rows of lents set out along wide alley- ways giving ample room for rapid manoeuvring.