entirely into his own hands, for that I must be excused from presenting anything in an imperfect or damaged state, as being unworthy of his Britannic Majesty to give and of his Chinese Majesty to receive." This view of the matter "startled" the Legate and together with the Viceroy's opinion induced him to recede from the position he had taken up. But Macartney "could not help feeling great disquiet and apprehension from this untoward disposition so early manifested by the Legate." Later the Legate and his brother officials essayed to give the Ambassador lessons in court etiquette and more particularly in the ceremony known as the kotow. This was done "with a degree of art address and insinuation that Macartney could not help admiring." They said, "they supposed the ceremonies in both countries must be nearly alike, that in China the form was to kneel down on both knees and make nine protestations or inclinations of the head to the ground, and that it never had been and never could be dispensed with." Macartney replied that the English form was somewhat different and that though he was most anxious to do everything that might be agreeable to the Emperor his first duty was to do what was agreeable to his own king. This ended the discussion for the period, but a few days afterwards the subject was revived. The Mandarins pressed Macartney most earnestly to comply with it, and said it was a mere trifle. "They kneeled down on the floors and practised it of their own accord to show me the manner of it, and begged me to try it whether I could not perform it." Macartney remained obdurate, but he subsequently relented to the extent of agreeing to conform to their etiquette provided a person of equal rank with his were appointed to perform the same ceremony before his sovereign's picture as he should perform before the Emperor himself.
(Corner's "History of China and India.")
(From Sir George Staunton's "Lord Macartney's Embassy.")
After a short stay at Peking en route, the Ambassador entered Gehol in great state on September 8th. Here the old controversy about the etiquette of the reception was renewed. Finally, it was decided that the English ceremony should be used, but that Macartney should not kiss the Emperor's hand, this being deemed repugnant to Chinese custom. The reception by the Emperor took place on September 14th. Macartney gives an interesting description of it in his diary. "We alighted at the park gates," he wrote, "from whence we walked to the imperial encampment and were conducted to a large handsome tent prepared for us on one side of the Emperor's. After waiting there about an hour his approach was announced with drums and music on which we quitted our tent and came forward upon the green carpet. He was seated in an open palanquin, carried by sixteen bearers, attended by a number of officers bearing flags, standards and umbrellas, and as he passed we paid him our compliment by kneeling on one knee whilst all the Chinese made their usual prostrations. As soon as he had ascended his throne I came to the entrance of the tent, and holding in both my hands a gold box enriched with diamonds in which was enclosed the King's letter, I walked deliberately up and ascending the side steps of the throne delivered it into the Emperor's own hands, who having received it, passed it to the minister by whom it was placed on the cushion. He then gave me as the first present to his Majesty the Ju-eu-jou or Giou-giou, as the symbol of peace and prosperity and expressed his hopes that my sovereign and he should always live in good correspondence and amity. … The Emperor then presented me with a Jeu-eu-jou of a greenish coloured stone of the same emblematic character; at the same time he very graciously received from me a pair of beautiful enamelled watches set with diamonds." Other presentations were made and the members of the Embassy then sat down to a most sumptuous banquet. "The Emperor sent us several dishes from his own table, together with some liquors which the Chinese call wine, not, however, expressed from the grape, but distilled or extracted from rice, herbs, and honey. In about half-an-hour he sent for Sir George Staunton and me to come to him, and gave to each of us with his own hands a cup of warm wine, which we immediately drank in his presence, and found it very pleasant and comfortable, the morning being cold and raw. Amongst other things he asked me the age of my king and being informed of it, said he hoped he might live as many years as himself, which are eighty-three. His manner is dignified, but affable and condescending, and his reception of us has been very gracious and satisfactory. He is a very fine old gentleman, still healthy and vigorous, not having the appearance of a man of more than sixty. The order and regularity in serving and removing the dinner was wonderfully exact, and every function of the ceremony performed with such silence and solemnity as in some measure to resemble the celebration of a
