was unable to maintain strict discipline. Ignorant, furthermore, of international questions, he followed his ideas and acted in an imprudent manner. Although the attacks on the Legations were ordered by the above degraded Princes, it is nevertheless difficult to absolve him of all faults. We intended in the first instance to have punished him severely, but, considering the signal services he has rendered in Kan-su and the sympathy felt for him by Mussulmans and Chinese, as an act of extraordinary grace We order that he shall be immediately degraded.
Ying-nien, President of the Court of Censors, reduced in rank and displaced, opposed Tsai-Hün in publishing on his own authority proclamations contrary to the treaties. We may make due allowance for this circumstance, but as he was not able to overcome (this resistance) by force, it is, after all, difficult to absolve him. We order, as a mark of great benevolence, that he be degraded. We condemn him to death, and he shall wait in prison for his case to be passed on.
Chao Shu-chiao, President of the Board of Punishments, degraded and retained in office, had never shown till then any unfriendly feeling in relations with the Foreign Powers. Having made a report on the Boxers, he said nothing in their favor, but through his negligence faults were made. We order, as a special act of grace, that he be degraded. We condemn him to death, and he will await in prison judgment on his case.
We command that Ying-nien and Chao Shu-chiao be in the first place confined in the prison of the capital of Shensi.
Hsu Tung, Grand Secretary of State, and Li Ping-heng, former Governor-General of Sze-chuan, reduced in rank and displaced, died for their country, but everyone knows their faults. We order that they be degraded, and We deprive them of the posthumous honors which We had conferred on them.
After the promulgation of this decree all our friendly nations should recognize that the events caused by the Boxers are in truth only attributable to the principal authors of trouble and in no wise to the wishes of the Court.
Since We, the Emperor, not without reason do punish several of the principal authors of disorder, the mandarins and the people of the Empire will understand at once that the consequences of such affairs are of the most grave.
Respect this!
ANNEX NO. 5
IMPERIAL EDICT of the 13th February, 1901
[TRANSLATION]
"Ch'i-hsiu, president of the Board of Rites, and Hsü Cheng-yu, formerly senior Vice-President of the Board of Punishments, are in the first place to be degraded.
"We order Yi K'uang and Li Hung-Chang to obtain exact proof of their
