Under the Manchu dynasty the marriage of the Emperor took place when he came of age, which was in his eighteenth year according to the Chinese way of reckoning or in his teenth according to ours. No Chinese girls were eligible for the Imperial harem Those selected for this post came from the families of Manchu or Mongol officials above the fifth rank and they had to be daughters of the legal wife and free from all physical defects. The only exemptions permitted were those who were already betrothed, The procedure of selecting the Imperial consorts and concubines was called "Fixing on the Empress." About a year before the date fixed for the Emperor's marriage the Princes of the Blood and the officials of the Emperor's household asked for a private audience, when they requested him to allow them {o take the necessary steps for his marriage. Permission having been granted, a special decree was issued as follow His Imperial Majesty having come of age and completed his studies it is incumbent on him, in accordance with the House laws of the dynasty, to select a virtuous lady as his Imperial coi The Manchu and Mongol commanders of the Eight Banners are herewith ordered to examine the recor of all eligible maidens in their commands and to send in a report on them, Immediately after the issue of this decree the commanders of the Eight Banners began to get busy, looking through their registers and checking over the claims of the numerous candidates. In the capital itself notices wei sent round to the families concerned to pr pare their candidate; while in the provinces Manchu officials were granted special leave in order to accompany their daughters to Peking. By the time all the reports had come in, the number of eligible maidens amounted to two or 300. A general list was then drawn up and submitted to the Emperor Thereupon another edict was issued fixing the actual day for selection three months ahead, so as to give time for those living in the more distant provinces to get to Peking, and also to enable the ladies to prepare themselves in the necessary etiquette About half a month before the selection day the President of the Board of Interior ordered all candidates to appear before him. weighing the candidate: Each one was subjected to a minute scrutiny: as to her looks, deportment and speech. Those whose movements were lacking in grace were warned to improve themselves, while those found to be undersized were dispensed irom further attendance, The Board then drew up a report of its own and sent it to the Court.
On the appointed day the fathers or nearest male relatives escorted the girls to the Pal After their names had been checked, the girls were divided into groups of five each and escorted by eunuchs to a special apartment belonging to the Court ladies. Here they had to wait until the Emperors mother had finished giving audience. The fathers and relatives who had to remain behind were waited on by the palace eunuchs, whose palms they had to grease very freely, or otherwise things were made very uncomfortable for them.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.