1850.
Journal of Occurrences.
243
ascend (to the space over which the curtain is hung] by the steps on the eastern side, while one with empty hands comes up the centre and ascouds by those ou the western side (to assist the others ;) whou the table is set down, they all retire by the same fight that they had ascended, and wait under the ledge of the canopy of the abrins, with their arms folded scross the breast, until the table is to be removed. Another attendant sow bringe in a wooden basin, and another a silver bowl or tes-cup, with which they follow the Governor-general and Governor up the eastern stair of the dais to the red shrine (which is open above), where they pour out tes ou their knees and hand it to their excellencies; they then retire where the others are standing, and wait with their hands joined across the breast for the tea cup. Their exsellencies advance and set the ten [before the tablet representing the late Empress on her throne]. When this in concluded, the Li-eang cry, “Resume your places;" the officers bow and prostrate themselves thrice and nine times; and when they rise, the Li-sang ery, “Take away Her Majesty's ten;" whereupon their excellencies approach the table and reverently raise the cup, which they bear by the eastern stops to the attendants, who retire with it raised reverently in the bands. The two attendants before mentioned then come by the east, and with the third who ascends by the west, reverently remove the table, after which they file off as before by the centre aisle,
Their excellencies having resumed their places, the Li-sang cry, "Serve the repast to Her Majesty ;” three attendants mount the dais by the east and west as before, and having laid the table, retire and wait in the same place and attitude as those who served the tea. Four others then bring a wooden tray up the central aisle, and one rice, and mount the dais by the east, and serve it to their excelloncies (who will have preceded them on their knees); one then brings water, another a spoon, and a third chopsticks, all of whom mount the eastern stair and present those things on their knees to the Commissioners of Finance. Justice, and the Salt gabelle, who hand them to the Governor general. The attendants then retire to the entrance, where they stand with their bands fulded across the breast; they next go to the burning chamber (where large fires of bamboo are lit as in the palace at Peking), to wait for the soup and rice bowls. When their excellencies have received the rice, the three Commissioners taks the water, spoons, and chopsticks, and carry them in their proper order raised up, and lay them on the table.
This done, the Li sang cry, “Resume your places and pour out wine to Her Majesty." Two attendants bring the libation table up the middle aisle and mouet the daia by the east, while one, empty-handed ascends by the west; when the table is placed, the two retire as they came, and wait under the canopy of the shrine; the one retires to the entrance. They next repair to the burning chamber, where they receive the triped (of tutenague); one attendant receives the sacrificial vase, and one the wine vemel out of which it is poured i all then move up by the east in the suite of their excellencies to the wine table, before which they fall on their knees and wait until the libation is poured. The Li-sang then exclaim, “Let all kneel down;" whereupon the whole of the officers fall on their knees, and at the first libation bow their heads to the ground, and perform the same ceremony at the second and third. They then_rise up again, and the bearers of the vase and wine vessel retire by the east with these The Li-sang then call aloud, “ Kneel down and raise the cry of lamentation ;” this over, “Strike the head against the ground. strike the head, strike the head." They then rise and the same cry is repeated by the Li-sang- and the same ceremony performed by the officers a second, and again a third time." The Li-sang then call out “Let Her Majesty's repast be taken away!"
Upon this their excellencies, with the three Commissioners, go up to the frost of the table and take the soup, the rice, and the tea down the centre aisle to the burning chamber. The Commis- siouer ni Grain comes to the table at which the libation has been poured out, takes the tripod and raising it reverently in his hands, carries it down the centre aisle to the burning chamber, whither the rest of the officers follow him. The Commissioner of Finance puts himself at the hoad of the nime attendents who have been standing with their arms folded across their breasts; they file off east and west, and severally remove the woodeu tray, the banquet table, the table (a Jower one) of the libation, and retire with them, the Treasurer then stepping to his place again. in the burning chamber, the Li-sang cry, “ Pour on the flame; "on this their exceliancies and the three Commissioners pour the soup and the rice upon the flames, and the Graiu Commissioner the wine. The Li sang then cry once more, “Let all fall down upon their knees, and strike the head ! strike the head ! strike the head;' and when the officers have risen again, “Let fail the dragon curtain.—after which all return to their place in the ranks.
3. A third paper directs that on the day of their mourning all officers shall repair before dawn to the Examination Hall, where the Li-sang will introduce them as before, and after they have knelt thrice and struck the ground with their heads nine times, at the word of command, will say, “Raise the cry of lamentation;"—and when the wail is ended, “Change your dresses of white,”—“ Remove the incense table,"—"Let every officer return to his residence,”—“Let no drums be beaten,”- -“Let no one hold his court" for one hundred days.
The common people have felt very little interest in these ceremonies, for they are not thought worthy by the magnates of the land to participate in them.
The last edict of Túukwáng is dated Feb. 25th, the day of his death, and it is not improbable that it was actually issued near or upon that day. It would be desirable to be able to add some biographical notices of the late monarch, but our information on this point is very meagre. In vol. X, pp. 88-98, will be found a variety of papers and notices connected with his