1841.
The Emperor Tuonkwang.
93
their obeisance,) exactly in the middle. The imperial guards, both officers and men, shall then enter, and set forth, in order, the impe- rial traveling equipage, in front of the palace of Peace. They shall next make ready his majesty's foot-chariot, (i. e. one usually drawn by men) without the palace gate. The five (ancient) imperial car- riages shall then be set forth without the Woo gate. The docile elephants shall be placed to the south of the five carriages. Let them draw up the imperial horse-guards, on the right and left of the middle path of the vestibule, fronting each other, east and west. Let the imperial canopy and cloud-capt basin (in which the imperial pro- clamation, announcing the emperor's ascension, is placed) be set within the vestibule. After this, the members of the Board of Music shall arrange the ancient musical instruments, used by Shup, to the east and west, on the palace causeway; and the musical instru- ments, used on state occasions, they shall set in order within the palace. These shall be thus placed, but not (for the present) used. Next, the musical instruments, used at the arrival and departure of his majesty, together with the dragon-dome, and the incense- dome, (i. e. a kind of portable shed, or portico) shall be set forth without the Woo gate. The officers of the Board of Public Works shall place the golden phoenix at the gate of Celestial Repose, direct- ly in the middle; and set the stage, from which the proclamation is to be made, in the first chamber, on the eastern side of the gate. The second officer of the Board of Rites, having ready the petition, (re- questing the emperor to ascend the throne) shall take it, reverently, in both his hands, and place it on the petition-table, already set on the southern side of the eastern pillar. One of the officers of the Coun- cil Chamber, taking the proclamation, to be subsequently issued, in both his hands, shall place it on the edict-table, standing to the north of the eastern pillar. One of the secretaries of the Council Chamber shall, in the same manner, take the pencil and ink-stone, and put them on the table, on the western side of the palace.
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"The prime minister shall then lead forth the members of the Coun- cil Chamber to the gate of Celestial Purity (i. e. his majesty's private apartments), and beg for the imperial seal. One of the members shall receive it with profound reverence, and the prime minister shall follow him from the gate of Celestial Purity to the palace of Peace, where it shall be laid on the seal-table, which is in the middle of the hall, on the south of the imperial throne; after which they shall re- tire. Then the officers of the Hung-loo office, shall bring up the kings and nobles of the imperial kindred, from the highest down to those of the eighth rank, on the elevation at the foot of the throne. Then the great officers of state, civil and military, all in their court dresses, shall range themselves in order acccording to their rank, within the vestibule.
لم
"At the appointed hour, the president of the Board of Rites shall go and intreat his majesty to put on his mournings, and come forth by the gate of the eastern palace, and enter at the left door of the middle palace, where his majesty, before the altar of his deceased