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Show PEKING: A CITY WITHIN A CITY Until recently Peking, capital of China, with Its 700.000 people, was one of the least known of the great cities of the world. It took tho Boxer rebellion and the siege of the legations In 1000 to open tho long-closed doors. Recently It lias been In the headlines because of revolutionary disturbances. Peking Is n "city within n city." Tho Chinese city, built In 154.1, Is the commercial com-mercial center. The Tutnr city dates from 12(17 and Includes the famous "Forbidden City," of which tho Dragon Throne of the Son of Heaven, Kmperor of tho Middle Kingdom, Is the center. The throne Is of rare wood exquisitely carved. Just back of It is a screen of golden lacquer so dainty In design nnd execution that it gives the appearance of golden lace. Around this throne room are arranged the palaces, shut In by purple walls. The Chlen-men street bisects the Chinese city from the South Onte, where the railway enters, to the principal prin-cipal gate In the wnll separating the Chinese from the Tntnr city. Along this mnln thnroushfnre there pnsses a continuous throng. There, too. may be seen the sprlngless passenger cort, with Its blue arched roof ami yellow wheels, corrugated metnl tires, anil Its nwnlng sheltering driver and mule, or the Mongolian camel, the ship of the Asian deert; and, Interesting nbove all, tho scarlet bridal chair with Its piece of bacon nnd parcel of sugar bung on the bnck ns nn offering to the demons who might molest tho bride while on her Journey, Olllclnls hurry hack and forth In the gorgeous choirs, their coolies mnklng great din ns they seek right or wny. Noisy vendors of amulets, and medicines of ground tiger hones to strengthen faint hearts, and extracts of rat meat to make tbe hslr grow, ndd to tho din. On tho east sldo of this roadway Is an enclosure of about ono square mile which contnlni tho Altar of Heaven, surrounded by shrines nnd temples, the most Important of which Is the circular, cir-cular, three-roofed marble Temple of Heaven with pillars of Oregon pine nnd roof of deep blue porcelain tiles. Near tho ornate Temple of Heaven Is the Tnple of Confucius, "tho most holy ancestral teacher." The Washington monument of I Peking is tho famous thirteen-storied Huddhlst pagoda from tho summit of which n fine view of the city may bo had. Peking claims the oldest dally news-pnper news-pnper In tho world, tho Peking Gazette, Ga-zette, compared with whose ago the London Times, with Its hundred years. Is In Its Infancy. For six dollars n year n Pcklngeso can rend all that his government desires him to know as to Its actions, or he can rent his Oazette for the day and return It. In former yeura newspapers were found on the walls In the form of posters. They wore printed from a large block of wood upon which the Intricate characters char-acters had been cut by hnnd. In tho heart of the Tatar city Is another an-other enclosure the "Forbidden City." In which stands the Imperial palace, distinctive In China because It Is faced with yellow porcelain. Surrounding the palace aro tho gardens, reception halls, pavilions and ofllces formerly used by the emperor in conducting the affairs of the empire. "Proipcct Hill" would be Interesting Interest-ing to those who went to tho "movies" to keep warm during the recent coal shortnges. Tho hill Is a huge mound of coal which wns to provide fuel In time of siege, and It is now covered with a grove of beautiful trees. Tho Pekingese are consumers only. Tho trade of the city is small, although It Is open to foreign commerce. The famous Orand canal which connected It with the rich provinces of South China greatly facilitates tho transportation transpor-tation of rice nnd other products. |