Having thus secured the respect of posterity, Tzŭ Hsi
proceeded to make the "amende honorable," (with due
regard to the Imperial "face,") for so many of her sins as
she was prepared to admit. In another Decree, in the
name of the Emperor, which gives a Munchausen account
of the Throne's part and lot in the crisis of 1900, and a
pathetic description of her own and the Emperor's sufferings
during the flight, she makes solemn confession of error and
promise of reform. As an example of the manner in which
history is made in China, the Edict is of permanent interest
and value.

"A PENITENTIAL DECREE

"26th day, 12th moon of Kuanghsu's 26th year
(Feb. 13th, 1901).

Last summer the Boxers sowed the seeds of rebellion,
which led to our being involved in a war with friendly
Powers. Thereafter, our Capital being thrown into a state
of great disorder, we escorted the Empress Dowager, our
mother, on a progress of inspection throughout the Western
Provinces. To Prince Ch'ing and to the Grand Secretary
Li Hung-chang we entrusted full powers, and bade them
negotiate with the foreign Ministers for the cessation of
hostilities and a Treaty of peace. These Plenipotentiaries
having lately telegraphed to us the twelve principal clauses
of the proposed protocol, we have consented thereto, but at
the same time have instructed them carefully to scrutinise
their various provisions in the light of China's ability to
fulfil them.

"It having been accorded to us to retrieve our disastrous
mistakes, we are in duty bound to promulgate this Peni-
tential Decree, and to let every one of our subjects know how
vast and harassing were the perplexities with which the
Throne has been beset.

"There are ignorant persons who believe that the recent
crisis was partly caused by our government's support of the
Boxers; they must have overlooked our reiterated Decrees
of the 5th and 6th moons, that the Boxers should be exter-

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