e head and plaiting the back
hair into a queue, but they were to be allowed burial in the costume of
the Mings; (4) Chinese women were not to adopt the Manchu dress, nor to
cease to compress their feet, in accordance with ancient custom.

Wu San-kuei was loaded with honours, among others with a triple-eyed
peacock's feather, a decoration introduced, together with the "button"
at the top of the hat, by the Manchus, and classed as single-, double-,
and triple-eyed, according to merit. A few years later, his son married
the sister of the Emperor; and a few years later still, he was appointed
one of three feudatory princes, his rule extending over the huge
provinces of Yuennan and Ss{u}ch`uan. There we shall meet him again.

The new Emperor, the ninth son of Abkhai, best known by his year-title
as Shun Chih (favourable sway), was a child of seven when he was placed
upon the throne in 1644, under the regency of an uncle; and by the time
he was twelve years old, the uncle had died, leaving him to his own
resources. Before his early death, the regent had already done some
excellent work on behalf of his nephew. He had curtailed the privileges
of the eunuchs to such an extent that for a hundred and fifty years
to come,--so long, in fact, as the empire was in the hands of wise
rulers,--their malign influence was inappreciable in court circles and
politics generally. He left Chinese officials in control of the civil
administration, keeping closely to the lines of the system which had
obtained under the previous dynasty; he did not hastily press for the
universal adoption of Manchu costume; and he even caused sacrificial
ceremonies to be performed at the mausolea of the Ming Emperors. One
new rule of considerable importance seems to have been introduced by
the Manchus, namely, that no official should be allowed to hold office
within the boundaries of his own province. Ostensibly a check on
corrupt practices, it is probable that this rule had a more far-reaching
political purport. The members of the Han-lin College presented an
address praying him (1) to prepare a list of all worthy men; (2) to
search out such of these as might be in hiding; (3) to exterminate
all rebels; (4) to proclaim an amnesty; (5) to establish peace; (6) to
disband the army, and (7) to punish corrupt officials.

The advice conveyed in the second clause of the above was speedily
acted upon, and a number of capable men were secured for the
government service.