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TRE PRINCIPAL FESTIVALS OBSERVED BY THE
CHINESE.
Jan. 1st 1850-4-XIth moon, 10th day. Festival of Kwányin. She has three driring the year, 'aff of which are observed by the people.
Jan. 20th.-X11th moon, 8th day. Ancient festival of the prince and his officers going on the annual hunt. Also of the Julai Budha.
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Feb. 4th.-XIIth moc, 23d day Leih chun term, or festival of spring. This day, the period of the sun reaching the 15th degree in Aquarius, is one of the chief days of the Chinese calendar, and is celebrated with great pomp as well by the government as by the people. In every capital city, there are made, at this period; two clay images, a man and a buffaló. The day pre- vious to, the festival, the chifa or chief city magistrate, goes out to ying chun, meet spring} on which occasion childén are carried about on men's shoulders, each vying with his neighbor in the gorgeousness and fancifulness of the children's dresses. The following day, being the day of the festival, the pre-i. fect again appears as priest of Spring, in which capacity he is, for the day, the first man in the province. Hence the chief officers do not move from home on this day. After he has struck the buffalo with a whip two or three times, in token of commencing the labors of agriculture. the populace then, stone the image, till they break it, in pieces, The festivities continue ten days in some, parts of the country, but the, degree of ceremony attending this festival differs greatly among the Chinese, i ymunol an oft ei wo
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Feb. 5th.XIIth moon; 24th day The god of the furnace ascends tot heaves to report upon the conduct of the family to the Gemný August Shangtí; hence people pay their adorations to that deity, and sié triu, ‘thank the 'furnace. This pópular superstition, though not peculiar to any class, seems most closely allied to the Tau sect.
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Feb. 11th. —XIIth moon, 30th day. All the gods descend to the earth. Feb. 12th.-Ist moon, 1st day. Yuen tán, the first morning, or new year's day. The period of new year is almost the only time of universal holiday, in China, Other times and seasons are regarded only, by a few, or by particular, classes, but the new year is accompanied with a general cessation: from bus- iness. The officer, the merchant and the laborer, all equally desist from work, and zealously engage in visiting and feasting, occasionally making offerings at the temples of those deities whose peculiar aid they wish to implore. Govern ment offices are nominally closed for about ten days before, and twenty days after new year; during which period none but very important business is transacted. On the last evening of the old year, all tradesmen's bills and small debts are paid.' This is perhaps the reason why it is called chú seih, the evening of dismissal.'
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Feb. 13th.-Ist moon, 2d day. Ché Tá-yuen shwái; a deified warrior.
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