EASTERN FESTIVALS, FASTS, AND OBSERVANCES
1886. Yut-yau Year.
Jany. XI. Moon.
FOR THE YEAR 1886.
CHINESE.
3 29 Festival of the Angel of Sunlight.
XII. Moon.
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1
9
5
12
8
18
14
24
27
First day of the twelfth moon.
The Emperor Tung Chi died, 1875.
Great Buddhistic Festival.
The Great Cold.
20 Festival of Lu Pán, the patron saint of carpenters and masons. He is said to have been a contemporary of Confucius. Among the many stories related of his ingenuity, it is said, that on account of his father having been put to death by the men of Wu, he carved the effigy of one of the genii with one of its hands stretched towards Wu, when, in consequence, drought pre- vailed for three years. On being supplicated and presented with gifts from Wu, he cut off the hand, and rain immediately fell. On this day carpenters refuse to work.
23 Worship of the god of the Hearth at night fall.
28 24 The god of the hearth reports to heaven.
Feby.
3
30 Fête of the Bodhisattva, Padma Vyuha. All the Buddhas descend to
search out the merits and demerits of mankind.
Ping-sút Year.
I. Moon.
1 China New Year's day. First day of the first moon.
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5
2
Festival Chè Kung, a minor Chinese deity.
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3
The Emperor Kienlung died, 1796.
10
7
13
16
17
18
19
The Emperor Shunche died, 1662.
10 Fête day of the Spirits of the Ground.
13
Fête day of Wen and Hü, deified warriors worshipped at Fatshán, the well known manufacturing centre near Canton.
14 Death of the Emperor Taokwang, 1850.
15 Feast of Lanterns, Fête of Shang yuen, ruler of heaven.
16 Fête of Shen and Ts'ai, the two guardians of the door. Auspicious day
for praying for wealth and offspring.
March. II. Moon.
6
7
8
18
20
1
First day of the second moon. Fête day of the Supreme Judge in the Courts of Hades.
2 Mencius born B. C. 371. Spring worship of the gods of the land and grain. 3 Fête of the god of literature, worshipped by students.
13 Fête day of Hung-shing, god of the Canton river, powerful to preserve
people from drowning, and for sending rain in times of drought.
15 Birthday of Lao Tsze, founder of Tauism, B. C. 604. The fête of Yoh Fei, A.D. 1103-1141. A canonized statesman of the Sung dynasty. He was a celebrated commander in the civil wars of the Sung Kao Tsung, and was an inflexible opponent of the Tartars of the Kin dynasty. As he would never consent to make peace with these "barbarians;" he was