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CHAPTER 2
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PROBLEM 2.1
SOLUTION
(a) Parallelogram law:
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(b) Triangle rule:
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PROBLEM 2.2
SOLUTION
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We measure: α = 51.3°
β = 59.0°
(a) Parallelogram law:
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.3
Two structural members B and C are bolted to bracket A. Knowing that both
members are in tension and that P = 10 kN and Q = 15 kN, determine
graphically the magnitude and direction of the resultant force exerted on the
bracket using (a) the parallelogram law, (b) the triangle rule.
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SOLUTION
(a) Parallelogram law:
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.4
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SOLUTION
(a) Parallelogram law:
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.5
A stake is being pulled out of the ground by means of two ropes as shown.
Knowing that α = 30°, determine by trigonometry (a) the magnitude of the
force P so that the resultant force exerted on the stake is vertical, (b) the
corresponding magnitude of the resultant.
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
120 N P
(a) = P = 101.4 N
sin 30° sin 25°
(b) 30° + β + 25° = 180°
β = 180° − 25° − 30°
= 125°
120 N R
= R = 196.6 N
sin 30° sin125°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.6
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
1600 N P
(a) = P = 3660 N
sin 25° sin 75°
(b) 25° + β + 75° = 180°
β = 180° − 25° − 75°
= 80°
1600 N R
= R = 3730 N
sin 25° sin 80°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.7
A trolley that moves along a horizontal beam is acted upon by two forces
as shown. Determine by trigonometry the magnitude and direction of the
force P so that the resultant is a vertical force of 2500 N.
SOLUTION
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Using the law of cosines: P 2 = (1600 N)2 + (2500 N)2 − 2(1600 N)(2500 N) cos 75°
P = 2596 N
sin α sin 75°
Using the law of sines: =
1600 N 2596 N
α = 36.5°
P is directed 90° − 36.5° or 53.5° below the horizontal. P = 2600 N 53.5°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
distribution to teachers and educators permitted by McGraw-Hill for their individual course preparation. If you are a student using this Manual,
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PROBLEM 2.8
A telephone cable is clamped at A to the pole AB. Knowing that the tension
in the left-hand portion of the cable is T1 = 800 lb, determine by
trigonometry (a) the required tension T2 in the right-hand portion if the
resultant R of the forces exerted by the cable at A is to be vertical, (b) the
corresponding magnitude of R.
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
(a) 75° + 40° + α = 180°
α = 180° − 75° − 40°
= 65°
800 lb T2
= T2 = 853 lb
sin 65° sin 75°
800 lb R
(b) = R = 567 lb
sin 65° sin 40°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
distribution to teachers and educators permitted by McGraw-Hill for their individual course preparation. If you are a student using this Manual,
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PROBLEM 2.9
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
(a) 75° + 40° + β = 180°
β = 180° − 75° − 40°
= 65°
1000 lb T1
= T1 = 938 lb
sin 75° sin 65°
1000 lb R
(b) = R = 665 lb
sin 75° sin 40°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
distribution to teachers and educators permitted by McGraw-Hill for their individual course preparation. If you are a student using this Manual,
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PROBLEM 2.10
Two forces are applied as shown to a hook support. Knowing that the
magnitude of P is 35 N, determine by trigonometry (a) the required angle
α if the resultant R of the two forces applied to the support is to be
horizontal, (b) the corresponding magnitude of R.
SOLUTION
Using the triangle rule and law of sines:
sin α sin 25°
(a) =
50 N 35 N
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sin α = 0.60374
α = 37.138° α = 37.1°
(b) α + β + 25° = 180°
β = 180° − 25° − 37.138°
= 117.862°
R 35 N
= R = 73.2 N
sin117.862° sin 25°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.11
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
(a) β + 50° + 60° = 180°
β = 180° − 50° − 60°
= 70°
425 lb P
= P = 392 lb
sin 70° sin 60°
425 lb R
(b) = R = 346 lb
sin 70° sin 50°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.12
SOLUTION
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Using the triangle rule and the law of sines:
(a) (α + 30°) + 60° + β = 180°
β = 180° − (α + 30°) − 60°
β = 90° − α
sin (90° − α ) sin 60°
=
425 lb 500 lb
90° − α = 47.402° α = 42.6°
R 500 lb
(b) = R = 551 lb
sin (42.598° + 30°) sin 60°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.13
SOLUTION
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The smallest force P will be perpendicular to R.
(a) P = (425 lb) cos 30° P = 368 lb
(b) R = (425 lb)sin 30° R = 213 lb
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.14
For the hook support of Prob. 2.10, determine by trigonometry (a) the
magnitude and direction of the smallest force P for which the resultant R of
the two forces applied to the support is horizontal, (b) the corresponding
magnitude of R.
SOLUTION
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The smallest force P will be perpendicular to R.
(a) P = (50 N)sin 25° P = 21.1 N
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.15
SOLUTION
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8
tan α =
10
α = 38.66°
6
tan β =
10
β = 30.96°
Using the triangle rule: α + β + ψ = 180°
38.66° + 30.96° + ψ = 180°
ψ = 110.38°
Using the law of cosines: R 2 = (120 lb)2 + (40 lb) 2 − 2(120 lb)(40 lb) cos110.38°
R = 139.08 lb
sin γ sin110.38°
Using the law of sines: =
40 lb 139.08 lb
γ = 15.64°
φ = (90° − α ) + γ
φ = (90° − 38.66°) + 15.64°
φ = 66.98° R = 139.1 lb 67.0°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.16
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SOLUTION
Using the force triangle and the laws of cosines and sines:
We have: γ = 180° − (50° + 25°)
= 105°
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PROBLEM 2.17
For the stake of Prob. 2.5, knowing that the tension in one rope is 120 N,
determine by trigonometry the magnitude and direction of the force P so
that the resultant is a vertical force of 160 N.
PROBLEM 2.5 A stake is being pulled out of the ground by means of two
ropes as shown. Knowing that α = 30°, determine by trigonometry (a) the
magnitude of the force P so that the resultant force exerted on the stake is
vertical, (b) the corresponding magnitude of the resultant.
SOLUTION
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Using the laws of cosines and sines:
P 2 = (120 N) 2 + (160 N)2 − 2(120 N)(160 N) cos 25°
P = 72.096 N
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.18
For the hook support of Prob. 2.10, knowing that P = 75 N and α = 50°,
determine by trigonometry the magnitude and direction of the resultant of
the two forces applied to the support.
SOLUTION
Using the force triangle and the laws of cosines and sines:
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We have β = 180° − (50° + 25°)
= 105°
R = 100.330 N
sin γ sin105°
and =
75 N 100.330 N
sin γ = 0.72206
γ = 46.225°
Hence: γ − 25° = 46.225° − 25° = 21.225° R = 100.3 N 21.2°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.19
Two forces P and Q are applied to the lid of a storage bin as shown.
Knowing that P = 48 N and Q = 60 N, determine by trigonometry the
magnitude and direction of the resultant of the two forces.
SOLUTION
Using the force triangle and the laws of cosines and sines:
We have γ = 180° − (20° + 10°)
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= 150°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.20
Two forces P and Q are applied to the lid of a storage bin as shown.
Knowing that P = 60 N and Q = 48 N, determine by trigonometry the
magnitude and direction of the resultant of the two forces.
SOLUTION
Using the force triangle and the laws of cosines and sines:
We have γ = 180° − (20° + 10°)
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= 150°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.21
SOLUTION
80-N Force: Fx = + (80 N) cos 40° Fx = 61.3 N
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Fy = + (80 N) sin 40° Fy = 51.4 N
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.22
SOLUTION
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Fy = −(40 lb)sin 60° Fy = −34.6 lb
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PROBLEM 2.23
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SOLUTION
Compute the following distances:
OA = (600) 2 + (800) 2
= 1000 mm
OB = (560)2 + (900) 2
= 1060 mm
OC = (480) 2 + (900)2
= 1020 mm
800
800-N Force: Fx = + (800 N) Fx = +640 N
1000
600
Fy = +(800 N) Fy = +480 N
1000
560
424-N Force: Fx = −(424 N) Fx = −224 N
1060
900
Fy = −(424 N) Fy = −360 N
1060
480
408-N Force: Fx = + (408 N) Fx = +192.0 N
1020
900
Fy = −(408 N) Fy = −360 N
1020
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher, or used beyond the limited
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PROBLEM 2.24
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SOLUTION
Compute the following distances:
45 in.
Fy = +102 lb Fy = +90.0 lb
51.0 in.
28 in.
106-lb Force: Fx = +106 lb Fx = +56.0 lb
53.0 in.
45 in.
Fy = +106 lb Fy = +90.0 lb
53.0 in.
40 in.
200-lb Force: Fx = −200 lb Fx = −160.0 lb
50.0 in.
30 in.
Fy = −200 lb Fy = −120.0 lb
50.0 in.
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.25
SOLUTION
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(a) 750 N = P sin 20°
P = 2192.9 N P = 2190 N
(b) PABC = P cos 20°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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PROBLEM 2.26
Cable AC exerts on beam AB a force P directed along line AC. Knowing that
P must have a 350-lb vertical component, determine (a) the magnitude of the
force P, (b) its horizontal component.
SOLUTION
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Py
(a) P=
cos 55°
350 lb
=
cos 55°
= 610.21 lb P = 610 lb
(b) Px = P sin 55°
PROPRIETARY MATERIAL. © 2013 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this Manual may be displayed,
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great Viceroy dared not openly refer, that nine-tenths of the funds
which should have gone to the upkeep and provisioning of the Navy
and the maintenance of the Coast Defences, had been diverted by
the Chief Eunuch to the Palace (and much of them to his own
pocket), so that the ships’ crews were disaffected, and their
ordnance defective, in the hour of need. Readers of Pepys will
remember a very similar state of affairs obtaining in the British Navy,
happily without affecting the moral of its officers and men, at a
similarly critical period of British history.
Li Lien-ying’s hatred of the Emperor Kuang-Hsü was beyond doubt
a most important factor in the coup d’état, and in the subsequent
estrangement and hostility between Tzŭ Hsi and the nominal ruler of
the Empire; there are not lacking those who say that it had much to
do with the Emperor’s death, which certainly created no surprise in
the capital. The eunuch hated and feared the Emperor’s reforming
zeal, as well as the Cantonese advisers who in 1898 came swarming
to Peking as the apostles of a new dispensation, and it was therefore
only natural that he should become the foremost adviser and
partisan of the reactionaries and their emissary in urging the
Empress to resume control of affairs. It is quite safe to assert that
had his great influence with Tzŭ Hsi been exercised against, instead
of for, the Boxers, had he abstained from encouraging her
superstitious belief in their magic arts, the anti-foreign movement
would never have gone further than the borders of Shantung, and
the Chinese people would have been spared the heavy burden of
the indemnities. How interesting a study of Asiatic politics and Court
life presents itself in the spectacle of this cobbler’s apprentice and
his influence on the destinies of so great a race! Seeing him as he
was on the day of his mistress’s burial, how bitter must have been
the innermost thoughts of the man, left alone on the brink of the
grave with the ill-gotten wealth that his country has paid for so
heavily!
At the height of the Boxer crisis when the power wielded by Li
Lien-ying was enormous, it was the custom of Prince Tuan, when
explaining his views to the Empress Dowager and the Grand
Council, to emphasise the fact that no step had been taken except
with the advice and approval of the Chief Eunuch. “Such and such a
Decree,” he would say, “is issued with the chief Chamberlain Li’s
approval.” His object in so doing was to head off opposition, for he
well knew that few would dare to oppose any measures that the
Chief Eunuch approved. When Her Majesty granted rewards to the
Boxers and offered head-money to the troops for the killing of
Europeans, it was at Li’s urgent request that she consented to defray
these unusual charges from her Privy Purse.
When the relieving forces drew near to Peking and it became
clear, even to the most obstinate, that the Boxer bolt was shot, the
Chief Eunuch passed through a period of deep depression and
mortification, not only because of the failure of his prophecies, but
because it was clear to all at Court that his Imperial mistress,
seeking, as was her wont, a scapegoat, was disposed to vent her
wrath upon him. Herself deeply stirred by fear and wrath, it was only
natural that she should turn on him, who had been foremost in
advising her to follow the path of destruction. On the day when the
relief of the Legations took place, Duke Lan rushed headlong into the
Palace, loudly announcing that the foreign devils were already within
the city walls. Tzŭ Hsi turned on him and asked how he could
reconcile such a statement with his previous boasts. “I presume that
the devils have flown here,” said she, “for you were telling me only
two days ago of our glorious victories near Tientsin; and yet all the
time you knew well, as I knew, that the Viceroy and the Li Ping-heng
were both dead.” Li Lien-ying, who was standing close by, hearing
this, went out and informed the trembling crowd of eunuchs, adding,
“The Old Buddha is in an unspeakable rage. There is nothing for it;
we must make our escape and retire into Shensi. There we will await
the arrival of our reinforcements which will easily drive all these
devils back into the sea.” But the hardships and dangers of the flight
told even more severely on the chief eunuch than on the Old Buddha
herself, and it was not until the Court’s safe establishment at Hsi-an
that he recovered his self-possession.
Certain information conveyed by an official of the Household in
exile to a fellow provincial at Peking, throws considerable light on the
manner in which the Court lived during those troublous days, and the
part played in affairs of State by the chief eunuch and Tzŭ Hsi’s
other favourites of the Household. We take the following
disconnected notes from this correspondence.
When Ts’en Ch’un-hsüan (Governor of Shensi) came to meet the
Court on the Shansi frontier, the Old Buddha, raising the curtain of
her sedan-chair, looked out and said to him, “Have you any idea of
what we have suffered in Peking?” “I do not know all,” he replied.
Pointing angrily at Li, she said, “It was all his doing; he has brought
ruin upon me.” The chief eunuch hung his head, and for once had
nothing to say. Later on, when the fearless Ts’en saw the eunuchs
under Li’s orders mercilessly harassing the countryside in their
search for plunder, he promptly reported matters to the Empress and
obtained her somewhat reluctant permission to execute three of the
offenders on the spot. He was sorely tempted to include the chief
eunuch in the number of his victims, but realising how greatly Her
Majesty depended upon her favourite attendant, he feared to run the
risk of inconveniencing and offending her. Nevertheless, Li had a
narrow escape. Later on, when Li had recovered his equanimity, and
the Court had settled down to its usual routine, the eunuch revenged
himself on the Governor, with the help of Jung Lu, by having him
transferred to the Governorship of Shansi. He did this, not only
because the post in Shansi was considered a dangerous one, owing
to the fear of pursuit by the Allies, but because Ts’en had gradually
made himself most useful to Her Majesty by superintending the
expenditure of her Household. The Governor was justly famous
throughout the Empire for his incorruptible honesty, so that, when
placed in charge of the Palace accounts, these speedily showed a
very considerable reduction in expenditure. The first result of this
régime was to put a stop to all the “squeeze” of the eunuchs, and to
place their salaries upon a definite and moderate basis. Ts’en rapidly
attained an intimate and confidential position with Her Majesty, to the
great and increasing wrath of the chief eunuch, who left no stone
unturned to injure him, and eventually succeeded, with the help of
Jung Lu, in inducing Her Majesty to dispense with his personal
services. For over a month, however, the Old Buddha spent hours
daily discussing public and private affairs with this fearless and
upright official, and it would have been well for her had she retained
him and others of his quality about her to counteract the corrupt
tendencies of her Manchu clansmen and the eunuchs. After Ts’en’s
transfer to Shansi, the chief eunuch did not scruple to suppress and
destroy many of the memorials which as Governor he addressed to
the Old Buddha, and which Li did not desire his mistress to see.
Gradually he re-established himself as completely as before in the
confidence and favour of his mistress, and before the Court’s return
to Peking he had become if anything more familiarly arrogant than at
any previous stage in his career. At audiences given to the highest
officials he would even go so far as to refuse to transmit Her
Majesty’s orders, bluntly informing her that he was tired and that
there had been enough public business for that day!
The vast quantities of tribute levied by the Court from the Southern
Provinces at this time were handled in the first instance by Li Lien-
ying, whose apartments were stacked with heaps of dragon robes,
tribute silk and other valuables. Of all the tribute paid in bullion, the
Empress Dowager’s share was one-half, while the eunuchs divided
one-fifth, and the balance was handed over to Jung Lu for military
purposes and his own emolument. So profitable was the eunuchs’
business at Hsi-an and Kai-feng, that Li Lien-ying did his utmost to
dissuade the Old Buddha from returning to Peking, endeavouring to
frighten her by alarming prognostications of the vengeance of the
foreign Powers. Li’s motives were not entirely mercenary, however,
for there is no doubt that for a long time he fully expected to find his
own name on the “black list” of the Legations, and that it fully
deserved to figure there. He directed the second eunuch, named
Ts’ui, to communicate to him daily the latest news from Peking, and it
was only when reassured by reports from Prince Ch’ing, that his
courage returned, and his opposition to the Court’s return ceased.
The conciliatory attitude, which he eventually adopted towards the
Empress Dowager’s reform policy, was largely induced by the good
advice which he received from Jung Lu, who strongly urged him to
control his reactionary opinions and violent temper.
The amount of tribute paid in silver to the Court at Hsi-an was over
five million taels, the quota from each Province being kept separate.
The chief eunuch was assisted in the supervision of the tribute
accounts by another favourite of the Old Buddha, a eunuch named
Sun, whose covetousness and bullying methods of “squeeze” were
almost equal to those of his chief. On one occasion the deputy in
charge of the tribute from Hupei was paying in bullion to the Imperial
Household, and Sun was tallying the amounts with a steelyard. He
said there was a shortage. “That cannot be so,” said the deputy, “for
every shoe of Hupei silver weighs fifty taels exactly, so that there can
be no mistake.” The eunuch looked at him insolently, and said, “How
many times have you brought tribute, and what do you know about
the customs of the Court?” The frightened deputy persisted that all
was in order. Sun then said angrily: “I suppose, then, you mean that
the Old Buddha’s scales are false?” He was just proceeding to
assault the unfortunate deputy, when the Old Buddha herself,
overhearing the argument (the court-yards of her residence being
very small) came out and directed the eunuch to bring the silver into
her own apartments, where she would weigh it herself. “I believe
there has been a great deal of leakage lately,” she said; “it is the
business of my eunuchs to see that I am not cheated.” The deputy
took his departure, looking extremely crestfallen, but on his way out
he was met by Chi Lu, the Controller of the Household, who said to
him, “We all know you have been having a bad time of it, but you
must not mind. These eunuchs have been making very little money
of late, for the Old Buddha has been keeping a very sharp watch on
them; you must therefore excuse them. And they have lost a great
deal in Peking.”
Tribute of twenty-four kinds was received from Canton, but the
eunuchs on their own initiative, and in order to compel largesse,
rejected nine different kinds of articles, so that the official in charge
was greatly alarmed, fearing that the Old Buddha would accuse him
of having stolen the things which the eunuchs refused to receive.
This was one of their commonest methods of levying tribute on their
own account; another was to make large purchases in the name of
the Empress, and refuse to pay for them. Much hardship was
inflicted on the people of Hsi-an, and indeed of the entire province,
from their depredations, especially because at the time Shensi was
already suffering from the beginnings of famine, caused by the
prolonged drought. It is recorded in the accounts of the Governor
Ts’en, that flour cost 96 cash a pound, eggs 34 cash apiece, and
pork 400 cash a pound, while fish was almost unobtainable; these
prices being about six times as high as those ruling in southern
China.
Many of the eunuchs appeared to take pleasure in humiliating the
Emperor, and subjecting him to petty annoyances, which often
roused him to petulant outbursts of temper. In one letter from the
Court at Hsi-an it was reported that His Majesty appeared to be a
little wrong in the head, for he would spend his time playing foolish
games, such as hide-and-seek, with the younger eunuchs, until
interrupted by the Empress Dowager, when he would immediately
get into a corner and assume a sullen demeanour. At other times,
when irritated, he would give way to violent fits of rage and throw the
household crockery at the heads of his attendants. These reports
must be received with caution, as they were frequently spread
abroad by the chief eunuch and members of the reactionary party in
order to damage His Majesty in the eyes of the outside world.
As above stated, after the return of the Court from its journeying in
the wilderness (1902) Li’s influence with the Empress Dowager was,
if anything, greater than before, all the internal affairs of the Palace
being under his supreme control. Following Her Majesty’s example,
however, he professed his complete conversion to the necessity of
reform, and even gave his approval, after certain amendments had
been made by the Grand Council and by himself, to her programme
for the granting of a Constitution. Jesting with Her Majesty in his
usual familiar manner, he was heard on more than one occasion to
predict her conversion to Christianity. “We are only sham devils now,
Old Buddha,” he said.
Nevertheless, and in spite of advancing years and infirmity, he has
clung, and still clings, tenaciously to the perquisites and privileges of
his stewardship, fiercely defending the eunuch system and his own
post by all the means (and they are many) in his power. When, in
1901, T’ao Mo, late Viceroy of Canton, sent in his famous Memorial
urging that, in view of the greatly reduced number of the Imperial
concubines, the eunuchs should be replaced by female attendants,
Li successfully intrigued to prevent this document reaching Her
Majesty until he had taken effective steps to prevent her being
advised in favour of the suggestion. T’ao Mo’s Memorial was as
follows:—
It is worthy of note that the author of the Memorial was the same
upright and fearless Censor, Wu K’o-tu, whose name became a
household word upon his committing suicide at the grave of T’ung-
Chih, as an act of protest against the illegality of the succession
ordained by Tzŭ Hsi. If such were (and are) the views held by
China’s bravest and best, can we wonder at the absurdities that
have led the ignorant masses to sudden uprisings and deeds of
violence against the foreigners? Wu K’o-tu’s trenchant scorn of the
sordid commercialism that marks the foreigners’ Treaties, is typical
of the attitude of the orthodox Chinese scholar.
VIII
MAJORITY AND DEATH OF THE EMPEROR
T’UNG-CHIH