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. It augured
ill both for the Emperor and the empire, and so the boy Emperor
began his reign in the midst of evil forebodings.
During the nine years that Kuang Hsu had nominal control of
affairs a series of dire calamities befell the empire. Famines as
the result of drought, floods from the overflow of "China's
Sorrow," war with Japan, filching of territory by the European
countries, while editorials appeared daily in the English papers
of the port cities to the effect that China was to be divided up
among the powers. Then too Kuang Hsu was childless and there was
no hope of his giving an heir to the throne.
Times and seasons have their meanings for the Chinese. Anything
inauspicious happening on New Year's day is indicative of
calamity. Mr. Chen, a friend of mine, had become a Christian
contrary to his mother's wishes. When his first child was born it
was a girl, born on New Year's day. His mother shook her head,
looked distressed, and said that nothing but calamity would come
to his home. His second child was a boy, but the old woman shook
her head again and sighed saying that it would take more than one
boy to avert the calamity of ones first baby being a girl born on
New Year's day, and it was not until he had five boys in
succession that she was finally convinced.
There was an eclipse of the sun on New Year's day of 1898 which
foreboded calamity to the Emperor. During the summer of this year
he began his great reform, and in September the Empress Dowager
took control of the affairs of state and Kuang Hsu was put in
prison, never again to occupy the throne
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