Its' Symbolism Described by Mrs, Ayscough in a Fascinating Lecture Ladies' afternoon at the Union Glub on Monday groved by a la attendance the interest which greets lectures by Mrs, Florence Ayscough who had chosen for her talk on this occasion "Symbolism in the For-hidden City" with coloured slides to lustrate her descriptions. Mrs, B, Tucker introduced the speaker, after the social hour of tea, her audience the essential spirit of Chinese symbolism in the former imperial residence in Poking, Mrs. Ayscough described the Forbidden City as "an apothoos lof harmony and _co-ordination She took what may be called a tour of inspection by means of beautifully tinted slides with her hearers who entered the Gateway of the Sun at its Zenith, noting the symbols of sun-dial and square measure and their meanings on the way, then came to the Courtyard of Supreme Harmony where it has been pointed out 15,000 soldiers had been station revolutionary times without appearing even partially to fill the place and where, from the point of
important, we five sacred of the student what is mere the bridges huge bronze vessi luminating the mellow red walls of the city's buildings during the night, The speaker pointed elt that in the old days Peking was in " constant turmoil of goings end comings throughout the night in preparation fr the Emperor's audience of official and dignitaries ay was the custom at dawn, The Dragon and his Sons The symbolism of dragon and the dragon's interesting sons was do-scribed by the speaker at this point. Then slides were shown of the Hall of Supreme Harmony wherein w the Emperor's dais, the paintings and tablets delineating the conduct pected of the Son of Heaven, A, Smaller ball' known "as Heart: of Harmony Hall where agricultural implements were kept and still a smaller known as Protection of Harmony Hall where the Emperor received tributary princes and enveys led the way to the Palnco of the Cloudless Heaven, the residence of the Emperor and the quarters in which the young Emperor was confined, Describing the whole For-hidden City Mrs. Ayscough called it 1 sermon in bronze and marble and colouring which preached co-opera tion and harmony. Designs on steps and flagstones, balustrades and interior carven screens brought out the particular beauty which [impressed all v tors to this spot.
Behind this palace and to the north was the Hall of Effusion and Amalgamation wherein was the rear water clock and still further was the Pavilion of a Thousand Autumns denoting Longevity. Then the audience saw the pleasure all of the Emperor and the Nourish the Heart Hall wherein the imperial bedroom was to be found, The Palace of Earthly Peace was the residence of the Empress and somewhat further to the north came the Spirit of Bravery Gate by which one eft the Forbidden City.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.