Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 699

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of the Chinese, is seldoin carved into an image, but a piece of paper is pasted on the back of a niche near the door; the shrine is called toü páu táng, i. e. Hall of Collected Values.

Aug. 31st.-VIIth moon, 24th day. Tú ching hwang shing, festival of the municipal deity, worshiped by officers and people; he night be termed the Palladium Deity, as he has a temple in every city in China.

Sep. 5th.-VIIth moon, 30th day. worshiped for remission of sins.

Ti-tsang wáng shing, a deified Budhist,

This

Sep. 6th.-VIIIth moon, 1st day. Autumn festival commences. festival continues from the 1st to the 16th of the moon; during which period families visit and feast with each other, and friends interchange presents of moon cakes. These are round white cakes, with figures of men and women painted on them; they derive their name from a legend of an emperor of the Táng dynasty, who being led one night to the palace of the moon, saw there a large assemblage of female divinities, dancing and playing on instruments of music; on his return he instituted plays in commemoration of it.

Sep. 7th.--VIIIth moon, 2d day. Shé-tuh tá-wáng, great Prince of the Agricultural Gods.

Sept. 8th. VIIIth moon, 3d day. Sz'-ming tsáu kiun, the lord who orders the prince of the furnace; worshiped to preserve the health of the household.

Sep. 10th.-VIIIth moon, 5th day. Lui-shing Tá-tí, god of Thunder. Sept. 20th.-VIIIth moon, 15th day. Chung-tsiú, mid-autumn. This being the middle day of autumn, is the chief day of the autumn festival ; oblations are made to the moon on this day. On the following day, young people amuse themselves by 'pursuing the moon; it is also called ho yueh, congra- tulate the moon. On the evening of this day, every householder and boatman raises a lantern upon the tip of a high pole from the highest part of his house or vessel, on which is inscribed king ho chung laiu, joyfully congratulate the middle of autumn. From the greater display of lanterns made, the festival is usually called at Canton by foreigners, the Feast of Lanterns.

Oct. 5th.-IXth moon, 1st day. Nán tau sing-kiun, Starry god of the South pole, descends; this god belongs to the sect of Rationalists.

Oct. 5th to 13th.-Xth moon, 1st to 9th day. The nine gods of the Great Bear descend; worshiped by the Rationalists, and generally also by the peo- ple, tradesmen, and others, for peace. This period is usually chosen for wor- shiping wandering spirits, as well as these gods; the rites are called Tá tsiáu. Oct. 13th.-IXth moon, 9th day. Tau-mú yuen kiun, Mother of the Dipper; a goddess adored to obtain happiness. This day is also observed as a time to visit the graves, and for children to fly kites; it is called from this, táng káu, ascending on high.

October. It is in this month, on a fortunate day of the 9th moon, that the empress, either personally, or by proxy, accompanied by a train of princesses and honorable ladies, repairs to the altar sacred to the discoverer of silkworms. After sacrificing, the empress with golden, and the princesses with silver mplements, collect mulberry leaves to feed the imperial silkworms. They