who are now without bonds.  People high and low will be uniformly treated with sincerity, and will not depend on obedience of law alone as the means of co-operation.  Administration and orders will be based on conscientious realization and no one will be allowed to treat the form of State as material for experiment.  At this time of exhaustion when its vitality is being wasted to the last drop and the existence of the country is hanging in the balance, we, as if treading on thin ice over deep waters, dare not in the slightest degree indulge in license on the principle that the Sovereign is entitled to enjoyment.  It is our wish therefore that all officials, be they high or low, should purify their hearts and cleanse themselves of all forms of old corruption; constantly keeping in mind the real interests of the people.  Every bit of vitality of the people they shall be able to preserve shall go to strengthen the life of the country for whatever it is worth.  Only by doing so can the danger be averted and Heaven moved by our sincerity.

    THE NINE ARTICLES

    Herewith we promulgate the following principal things, which we must
    either introduce as reforms or abolish as undesirable in
    restoration.

1.  We shall obey the edict of Emperor Teh Tsung Chin (Kuang Hsu), namely, that the sovereign power shall be controlled by the Court (state) but the detailed administration shall be subject to public opinion.  The country shall be called The Empire of Ta Ching; and the methods of other constitutional monarchies shall be carefully copied.

    2.  The allowance for the Imperial House shall be the same as before,
    namely, $4,000,000 per year.  The sum shall be paid annually and not
    a single cent is to be added.

    3.  We shall strictly obey the instructions of our forefathers to the
    extent that no member of the imperial family shall be allowed to
    interfere with administrative affairs.

4.  The line of demarcation between Man (Manchu) and Han (Chinese) shall be positively obliterated.  All Manchurian and Mongolian posts which have already been abolished shall not be restored.  As to intermarriage and change of customs the officials concerned are hereby commanded to submit their views on the points concerning them respectively.

5.  All treaties and loan agreements, money for which has already been paid, formally concluded and signed with any eastern and western countries before this 13th day of the 5th Moon of the 9th year of Hsuan Tung, shall continue to be valid.

6.  The stamp duty which was introduced by the Republic is hereby abolished so that the people may be relieved of their burdens.  As to other petty taxes and contributions the Viceroys and Governors of the provinces are hereby commanded to make investigations and report on the same for their abolition.

    7.  The criminal code of the Republic is unsuited to this country.  It
    is hereby abolished.  For the time being the provisional criminal
    code as adopted in the first year of Hsuan Tung shall be observed.