94
རྟ་
The Emperor Tamukwang
FEB.
imperial father, will respectfully announce, that he receives the decree-kneel thrice, and bow nine times.
"This finished, the emperor will then go out by the eastern door, into the side palace. The president of the Board of Rites shall issue orders to the governor of the palace, officers of the imperial guard, and the chief ministers of the interior, to go and solicit his majesty to put on his imperial robes, and proceed to the palace of his mother, the empress-dowager, to pay his respects. The enpress-dowager will put on her court robes, and ascend her throne; before which his majesty shall kneel thrice, and bow nine times. After the perform- ance of this ceremony, the governors of the palace shall let down the curtain before the door of the emperor's private apartments, and the officers of the interior imperial guards shall have in readiness the golden chariot, directly in the middle, in front of the door of the imperial residence The president of the Board of Rites shall then bring forward the officer of the Astronomical Board whose business is to observe times, to the gate of his majesty's residence, to announce the arrival of the chosen and felicitous moment. His majesty will then go out by the left door of his apartments, and mount the golden chariot. The president of the Board of Rites, together with ten of the great officers of the same Board, shall take their stations in front of the imperial chariot, to lead on the procession. Two officers of the personal guard shall walk behind. Ten chief officers of the leopard- tail legion of guards, holding spears (perhaps muskets), and ten bear- ing swords, shall form the wings of the personal guard. The proces- sion shall then move in order, to the palace of Protection and Peace, where his majesty will descend from the chariot. Here the president of the Board of Rites shall solicit his majesty to sit down in the roy- al middle palace.
"Then the president of the Hung-loo office shall lead forward the great officers of the interior, the officers of the imperial guard, of the Council Camber, of the National Institute, of the Chin-sze office, of the Ke-keu office, of the Board of Rites, and of the Censorate, arranging them, in front and rear, according to their rank. He shall then call upon them to kneel thrice, and bow nine times.
This ceremony over, the president of the Board of Rites step- ping forward, shall kneel down, and beseech his majesty, saying, Ascend the imperial throne.'-The emperor shall then rise from his seat, and the procession moving on, in the same order as above described, to the imperial palace of Peace, his majesty shall ascend the seat of gems, and sit down on the imperial throne, with his face to the south. At the Woo gate the bells shall then be rung, and the drums beaten; but no other instruments of music shall be sounded. The chief officer of the imperial guards shall say aloud, 'strike the whip' (a brazen rod called by this name). The whip shall accord- ingly be struck below the throne. The master of the ceremonies shall command the attendant ministers to arrange themselves in ranks. The president of the Hung-loo office shall bring up the kings and dukes on the elevation, at the foot of the throne; and the master
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.