Bulletin of Catholic University of Peking

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF PEKING 49

Manchus then took possession of the throne.

Yii Wang Fu, the place where this meeting is being held, according to popular tradition, witnessed stirring scenes at the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty. “The Assassination of the Tiger’ is a play which is constantly staged throughout China, and is based on an incident said to have occurred within the walls of this palace. A ladyin-waiting to the princess whom Ch’ung Chen killed the day before he committed suicide, was the principal actress. She well knew that Li Tzuch’eng’s soldiers would endeavor to seize all the members of the imperial family still surviving, and determined to wreak vengeance on the arch-fiend. She therefore donned the robes of the unfortunate eldest daughter of the Ming Emperor, and the underlings were instructed to treat her as they would their mistress.

She expected Li Tzu-ch’eng to enter Yii Wang Fu. When the horde arrived, she assumed a rOle of profound dejection, sorrow and submission. She appeared to be overwhelmed with the loss of her imperial dignity and seemed the epitome of feminine helplessness and despair. When the man whom she supposed to be the usurper came near, she seized a dagger concealed in her clothing and drove it into his heart.

Her victim turned out to be the younger brother of Li Tzu-ch’eng, Li Hu, the Tiger Li, hence the title of the Play: The Assassination of the Tiger.” Great was her disappointment at the miscarriage of her design, and she straightway committed suicide to escape those whom she dreaded more than death. History actually records that a lady-in-waiting assassinated one

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of the officers of the usurper, but his name was Lo, and he was not the younger brother of Li, so we see that play-writers in the East, asin the West, often refuse tobe strictly confined to to the truth when setting forth thrilling scenes.

Another popular tradition intimately connected with this palace is the following: In the Family Temple of Yii Wang Fu, I am told, Wu San-kuei planted three peonies of the hardy variety, and these are said to be still living. Ifso, they have been disseminating their fragrance and beauty for upwards of 290 years. This Temple court is now incorporated in the premises of the Police Station at the corner of San T’iao and Morrison Streets.

Li Tzu-ch’eng’s stay in Peking was not extended, but he and his men had learned where the treasure was stored, and had it smelted into ingots of a thousand catties’ weight. This he did to prevent pilfering.

And now for the origin of the “‘ Lost _ Li Tzu-ch’eng’s retreating army took with them as many af these ingots of silver as possible. Some were taken into Shansi by way of Huailu, as carts could be used on that road. Others were carried into the mountains to the west of Peking, but it is reasonable to believe that few of the ingots thus removed long remained in the possession of the retreating bands, because the pursuing forces could easily get information as to the paths traveled by the retreating forces, and the sheer weight of the Joot so impeded progress that they could easily be overtaken and annihilated. Three hundred of the defeated men succeeded in escaping Wu San-kuei’s men by crossing into the region beyond the Hsiao