282
Journal of Occurrences.
MAY,
Forms observed upon receiving the news of the death of the Empress al Canton; printed and circulated on three separute sheets »-
1. Upon the receipt of the news of the death of Hor Majesty the Empress Dowager, a grave matter, the fringe (and buttons) are taken off the caps, and white clothes are put on.
When the Imperial notification of the same comes down the river the officers, civil, and mili• tary, will all be in waiting in the pavilion of Jih-kin, at the T'ion-tez' má-t'au.* Two Li saog! (marshals or chaplains) hand out the si teng† charged with the notification, who will land with it raised high in his bands, and lay it on the dragon litter.
The assembled offcers hereupon fall on their knees, and looking upwards raise a cry of lamen- tation until the notification shall bave been carried past them, when they rise and follow the officers appointed to lead the procession to the principal entrance of the Examination Hall where they file in before the litter and take their places, the civilians on the east, the military mon on the west side, in the proper order of their respective precedence then again they fall on their knees, and lift up their heads, waiting until it shall have been laid in the Hall, into which they then follow it. The Li sang cry aloud, “ Marshal the ranks:" and this done, the officers perform the ceremony of bowing down thrice, and knocking the head nine times.
The Li-sang next cry out, “Salute the notification, and bear it to its place." The officer deputed approaches the litter, salutes the notification, and bears it to the table on which the inconee sticks are burning.
The Li-seng cry aloud, “Let all raise the cry of lamentation!" When their wailing is ended, the Li sang cry,
**Present the Notification ¡" upon which the proper officer comes to the front of the table, and lifting the notification high in both hands, presents it to their excellencies the Governor general and Governor, who receive it on their knees and hand it to the provincial trea- surer, who in like manner receives it kneeling and hands it to the secretary, who takes it to the Taz'-wei Hall, where it is copied and sent to the press for publication.
The Li-sang then cry, “Let the officers put on their mouraing,” and as soon as they have chang- ed their attire, they take their places on the east and wo-t. **Form in ranks;” and when this in done they fall down and bow the body thrice and knock the head nine times. As soon as they rise, the Li sang say, “Raise the cry of lamentation,” and when their wailing is euded, they break off again to the east and west, and remain seated on the ground for a short time.
The Li-sang then cry,“Let the several ranks (1. e. the right and Inft) retire ;" and they all withdraw to a public hall (devoted to such purposes), where they pass the night, abstaining from meat and all carnal indulgence.
In the first watch of the following morning they repair in order to the Examination Hall, into which the Li-sang usher them before daylight to perform the same ceremonios as on the previous day. After these they retire as before, and in the last period of time preceding the evening watch return to the Hall, and go through the same forms a second time. These processions and lameutations last three days, after which each officer returns to his official residence, certain of them being deputed to burn incense, and keep a solamu vigil before the yellow table in the Hall. All wear white until the twenty-seventh day from the cominencement of their mourning, when they again repair in order to the Hall before daybreak, are again introduced by the Li- sang, and fall down thrice and knock nine times. When their wailing is ended, they put off their white apparel and remove the incense table, and each officer returns to his office.
From the moment that the news reaches the provincial city, ail official signatures, datne, &c., are written in blue ink, and the impression of the seals is blue No drums are beatsu, there are no sittings in the courts, and a blue valance is hung from the chair and table of the officer (in lieu of the ordinary red one) until the expiry of the term of twenty-seven days.
Beside the above ceremonies a dispatch has been received from the Hoard of Rites ordaining that one hundred days of state mourning must elapse before any one may shave his head.
2. The following are the regulations for the banquet to be served to the dead, and the rules of lamentation during the three days:-
The officers, civil and military, stand in two ranks, the first east, and the others west, facing inwards.
The Li-sang cry, 'Form in ranks ;' and as soon as the ranks are formed 'Draw the dragon curtain, Berve tea [to Her Majesty}.' Two attendants carry the tea-table up the middle aisle, and
* Tien-taz' má-t'au, the landing-place of His Majesty, in honor of whom the alcove or pavilion here mentioned is said to be called Jik-kin, the Sun, or the Day is at band.
† Li-sang,➡After the triennial examination in the larger districts there used to be twelve graduates, and in the lesser sight, chosen to act as Yuh-sang: four under-graduates were also selected in the larger and two in the smaller districts, to act as chaplains on grand ceremonial occasions. They seem now to be paid by goverument, who hire them as the occasion demands. The ancient method of appointing them is said to have fallen into desuetude.
↑ Ti-t'ang; there is at Paking an office subordinate to the Board of War, known,as the Tì táng ya-mun, composed of sixteen military officers of the rank of captains, who are charged with the transmission of intelligence to the outer provinces, to the ten profectures of Chibli, and to the head of the Canal Department ; that of the Rivers being included in Shantung. The Govern- ments-general of Yonnán and Kweichau, and of Shensi and Kaneuh, have hut one represen- tative at the capital. In that of the Two Kiáng. Kiangsu and Nganhwui have bot one, Kjang- si another. These employés appear to be all natives of the provincos or governments. for whose postal communications of an official nature they are severally responsible. In the provinces there are twenty officers of corresponding rank and title, but differently distributed. În Canton, for instance, there is a chief and an assistant, by whom the report would be brought to the notion of the supreme authorities.