When little Miss Chao had reached the age of fourteen or fifteen
she was taken by her parents to an office in the northern part of
the imperial city of Peking where her name, age, personal
appearance, and estimated degree of intelligence and potential
ability were registered, as is done in the case of all the
daughters of the Manchu people. The reason for this singular
proceeding is that when the time comes for the selection of a
wife or a concubine for the Emperor, or the choosing of serving
girls for the palace, those in charge of these matters will know
where they can be obtained.

This custom is not considered an unalloyed blessing by the Manchu
people, and many of them would gladly avoid registering their
daughters if only they dared. But the rule is compulsory, and
every one belonging to the eight Banners or companies into which
the Manchus are divided must have their daughters registered.
Their aversion to this custom is well illustrated in the
following incident:

In one of the girls' schools in Peking there was a beautiful
child, the daughter of a Manchu woman whose husband was dead. One
day this widow came to the principal of the school and said: "A
summons has come from the court for the girls of our clan to
appear before the officials that a certain number may be chosen
and sent into the palace as serving girls." "When is she to
appear?" inquired the teacher. "On the sixteenth," answered the
mother. "I suppose you are anxious that she should be one of the
fortunate ones," said the teacher, "though I should be sorry to
lose her from the school." "On the contrary," said the mother, "I
should be distressed if she were chosen, and have come to consult