28th January.
Next year being the thirtieth year of he Emperor's age, I, the Empress: Dowager [zo-hsi-tuan-yn, etc., hereby command the various Boards and Minor Courts to report to me as to the corrmonies necessary to be observed on such an occasion.
Note:—The thirtieth (half a cycle) and sixtieth (whole cycle) year of & man's age are considered the most important per of his life and these two birthday anni saries are therefore always celebrated grand scale above all other birthdays, except his ninetieth.—Translator.
29th January.
(1) The next year being the thirtieth year of our birth, we hereby command that all ceremonies connected therewith including our ascension of the Throne to receive formal obvisunces of allegiance be forthwith stopped.
Note.—It should be here remembered that the above and all following decrees put in the Emperor Kuang Hsii's mouth ure really not hix but the Empress Dowager's.—Translator.
(2) In celebration of the thirtieth yes of our age it is the custom to institute "Grace Examinations" in addition to the usual annual, biennial, and triennial exa mations for literary and military degree that the following or Keng-tze cycle your shall be dedicated to the said grace examinations and that. the regular examinations in 1901 and 1902 be also observed as usual.
(8) On the anniversary of our thirtieth birthday the Princes, Nobles, and Ministers of our Court shall put on full dress Court robes for the space of seven days three days before and three days after the anniversary itself.—Translator.)
(4) It is our command that Viceroys, Governors, Tartar General, Provincial Commanders - in - Chief, and Brizadier-Generals throughout the Empire are hereby forbidden to ask for permission to come to. Peking to congratulate us on the thirtieth anniversary of our birth, next
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.