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1841.
The Emperor Tavukwang
95
of the ceremonies shall lead forward the civil and military officers, and range them in due order within the vestibule.
He shall say-
' advance;' they shall accordingly advance. He shall say kneel ;' then the kings, and all the ranks downward, shall kneel. When he says-bow your heads to the ground,'-and, ' rise,'-then the kings, and downward, shall kneel thrice, bow the head to the ground nine times, and rise accordingly. When he says--' retire,' the kings, and downward, shall all retire, and stand in their former places.
"Then the prime minister, entering by the left door of the palace, shall go to the table, and taking the proclamation in both his hands, shall place it on the middle table; after which he shall retire for a moment, and stand with his face to the west. The president of the Council Chamber, advancing to the middle table, with his face to the north, shall seal the proclamation, and retire. The president of the Board of Rites shall then approach near; and the prime minister, taking the proclamation in both hands, shall walk out with it by the imperial door of the palace of Peace, and deliver it to the presi- dent of the Board of Rites, who shall kneel and receive it. After rising, he shall carry it to the table, in the middle of the elevation, below the throne, and lay it thereon, with profound reverence-shall kneel once, and bow to the ground three times. Next, he shall kneel and take up the proclamation in both hands-shall rise, and descend by the middle steps. The president of the Board of Rites, kneeling, shall take up with both hands the cloud-capt basin, into which he shall receive the proclamation, and then rise. The officers of the imperial guard shall spread out the yellow canopy (or umbrella) over the said basin, and go out with it by the middle door of the palace of Peace. The civil and military officers shall follow out by the gate of Resplendent Virtue, and the gate of Virgin Felicity. The chief officer of the guard shall then say strike the brazen whip;' it shall accordingly be struck thrice, below the steps.
"His majesty shall then rise, step to the back of the palace, mount his chariot, and go forth by the left door, to the outside of the door of his private apartments, where he shall descend from the chariot ; aud, entering the side palace, by the left door, shall change his robes, and return to the mat (where the funeral obsequies are perform. ed). The prime minister shall lead forward the presidents, who shall reverently take the imperial seal, and deliver it at the door of the im- perial residence, to one of the great officers of the interior.
"At this time the proclamation-bearer, taking the document in both his hands, shall proceed to the outside of the Woo gate, and place it in the dragon-dome-shall kneel once, and bow to the ground thrice. Then the officers of the guard, and sword bearers, shall carry for- ward the domes, in the following order the incense-dome in front, and the dragon-dome behind. The officers of the Board of Music shall lead on the procession, immediately behind the imperial insignia, but shall not play (the national mourning forbidding this). One of the judges of the Board of Rites shall then ascend to the tower on the wall, opposite the gate of Celestial Repose, and they shall set
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