306
Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte.
JUNE,
(purest virtue). At this time the king had a royal consort, named Paou yuě kwang (the gem moon-light). This monarch had no sons, and upon a day he thought thus to himself: 'I am now well stricken in years, and am still destitute of a royal heir, and when my body shall have fallen and is no more, who then will there be to assume the care of the altars, the shrines, and the temples?' Having finished his musings he forthwith issued orders, summoning a large company of Taou priests to repair to his palace in order to perform religious rites. They hung up their bauners and screens, and arranged out in due order the offerings and utensils of worship. Throughout each day they unceasingly recited the sacred books, and offered up prayers to all the true sages. And when they had continued their worship for half a year their hearts were as deeply attentive as at the beginning.
2
Upon a night the flowery empress, Paou yuě kwang, dreamed that she saw the great and eminent Laoukeun, together with a great number of superior deities, among whom were Poso, Yuhtseë, and Tsingtsing. They rode in cinque colored carriages, bearing vast resplendent banners, and shaded by bright variegated umbrellas. Here was the great founder Laoukeun sitting in a dragon carriage, and holding in his arms a young infant, whose body was entirely covered over with pores, and out of which came forth unbounded splendors illumin ating all the halls of the palace, and producing a hundred precious colors. Banners and umbrellas preceded Laou- keun in the way, while he came floating in the air. Then was the heart of the (dreaming) empress elated with joy and gladness, and receiving Laoukeun with the ceremonies of congratulation and rever- ence, she kneeled down before him, and to him addressed her words as follows: 'At present our mouarch has no male descendants, and I wishfully beseech you for this child, that he may become the sove- reign of our hearths and our altars. Prostrating I look up to your mercy and kindness, and earnestly implore thee to commisserate, to give ear and grant my request!' Taoukeun3 at once answered saying, it is my special desire to present the boy to you; whereupon the em- press, with much thankfulness received him. When she had thus received the child, her spirit returned from pursuit of the dream (i. e. she awoke), and she then found herself a year advanced in preg-
nancy.
In the forty-third year of the cycle, first month, ninth day, and at twelve o'clock, the birth took place in a near apartment of the palace. At the time of the birth, a resplendent light poured forth from the pores of the child's body, which filled the whole country with brilliant