Memorandum of the etiquette to be observed at the audience, June 26, 1873
Memorandum of the etiquette to be observed at the audience.
The foreign ministers will bring with them M. Bismarck as their interpreter in common; M. de Geofroy will bring M. Deveria as his interpreter in particular.
The ministers will alight from their chairs or horses at the Fu Hua gate, and they will then be conducted by ministers of the yamên, who will accompany them, in the first instance, to the Shih Ying Kung, where for a short time they will rest. If His Majesty be pleased to furnish refreshments it is here they will be partaken of.
The escort (foreign) will remain in a tent outside the Fu Hua gate, where there will be persons to attend to them. The retinue (Chinese) will also remain in the same vicinity. Neither escort nor retinue will enter the Fu Hua gate.
As soon as His Majesty, coming from the eastern side of the building, reaches the inner hall of the Tze-Kuang-Ko, the ministers of the yamên will accompany the foreign ministers and the interpreters to a marquee to the west of the Tze-Kuang-Ko, where they will wait a short time, until His Majesty shall have entered the main hall. The ministers of the yamên will accompany the foreign ministers and the interpreter, M. Bismarck, up the western flight of steps into the Tze Kuang-Ko by the western space.
The speech (or speeches) of the foreign ministers ended, they will each spread his letter of credence upon the yellow table. His Majesty will make some special sign of affability (probably a bow) and will say (literal answer) that the letters of credence have now been received; he will also make gracious remarks and put kindly questions. His Majesty’s remarks will be interpreted with solemn reverence by Prince Kung.
Foreign ministers, when they enter the hall, when they are speaking or stating their names, as also when questions are addressed them, and when they reply, will, in token of extraordinary respect, make the usual reverences as proposed.
The forms will he settled by rehearsal before the audience.
When the ceremony is ended, the other four ministers and the interpreter. M. Bismarck, will retire by the western flight of steps. The ministers of the yamên will accompany them to the Shih Ying Kung, where they will wait a short time, M. Devéria being meanwhile brought by the ministers of the yamên into the Tze-Kuang-Ko.
M. de Geofroy will then speak, and spread upon the yellow table the answer to the letter of the Chinese government.
His Majesty will, as before, acknowledge the receipt of this letter.
The audience being ended, M. de Geofroy and M. Devéria, the interpreter, will retire, the ministers of the yamên accompanying them to the Shih Ying Kung; thence, the whole party being re-assembled, they will conduct the foreign ministers and the interpreters out of the Fu Hua gate.
The arrangements set forth in this paper are made because the Emperor having to receive letters of credence, a decree has been received from His Majesty according an audience.