B2
CHINESE FESTIVALS, FASTS. AND OBSERVANCES.
usually called Peh-tí, god of the North Pole, and his festival is very generally observed.- April 8th.-IIId moon, 3d day.
day.
CHUNG-YANG WU TAN.--Chang-yang Wú tan born.--April 19th.-IIId moon, 14th
HIUN-TAN YUEN-SHWAI-Hiun-tan Yuen-shwai born; worshiped in households. I-ling Tai-ti born; a celebrated physician worshiped by sick persons.-April 20th.-IIIrd moon 15th day.
HAU-TI NIANGNIANG.-Hau-ti Niangniang, the goddess of earth.-April 23rd.-- IIIrd moon, 18th day.
Tsz'-SUN NIANG-NIANG.-Tsz'-sun Niang-niang, the goddess of children, worshiped by those who wish children.--April 25th.-IIId moon, 20th day.
TIEN HAU.-Tien hau, or the Queen of Heaven, bora. This female deity was a na- tive of Fuhkien; and has become the goddess of sailors, who are mostly of that province. She corresponds in many respects to the Amphitrite of the Greeks, though some of her names and attributes seem to have been derived from the Virgin Mary. Her temples are numerous, and her worship is costly.-April 28th.-IIId moon, 23rd day.
SAN KIAI SHING-YE.-San kiai Shing-yé, or Holy Lords of the three Borders; wor- shiped in the yards of the courts of houses to propitiate the powers of nature.--Same day is the festival of the present Budha, Shikkia Jü-lái.-May 13th.-IVth moon, 8th day.
LUI-SHUN-YANG-SIEN.--Lui-shun-yang-sien, one of the cight genii, also called Lui- tung pin.-May 19th.-IVth moon, 14th day.
CHUNG-LI TSU-Sz.-Chung-lí tsú-sz', one of the eight genii.-May 20th.-IVth moon, 15th day.
KIN-HWA FU-JIN.-Kin-hwa fú-jin, the Juno Lucina of the Cantonese; women worship her when with child, and also for aid in childbirth. She is supposed to have ori- ginated in Canton, and a famous temple to her is built within the Old City. Another temple to this goddess is situated opposite the Foreign Factories in the suburb of Honam.
May 22nd.--ÏVth moon, 17th day.
WA TO SIEN-Sz'.-Wa To siensz', a physician, spoken of in the San Kwoh Chí; worshiped by the sick.-May 23rd.-IVth moon, 18th day.
YEN-KWANG SHING-MU.-Yen-kwáng Shing-mú, Holy Mother of Bright Eyes; & goddess worshiped by the blind, and those with diseased eyes.-May 25th.-IVth moon, 20th day.
YOH WANG.-Yoh Wáng, king of Medicine; the Esculapius of Chinese mytholo- gy.-June 2nd.-IVth moon, 28th day.
NAN-KIH TA-TI.-Nán kih Tá-tí, the Great Ruler of the South Pole; a god of the Rationalists.-June 4th.-Vth moon 1st day.
TWANG-WU--Festival of dragon boats, called in Chinese Twáng-wú or Twáng-yáng, and also Tien-chung. On this day, many people race backwards and forwards in long nar- row boats which being various by painted and ornamented so as to resemble dragons are called lung chuen, dragon boats. From the narrowness of the boats, and the number of persons on board, there being sometimes from sixty to eighty paddles, it not unfrequently happens that several of the boats break in two; so that the festivities seldom conclude with- out the loss of several lives. The magistrates endeavor to repress the ardor of the people by issuing their prohibitions, but the people are led on by the excitement. The races are attended by thousands, and rowers are inspirited by the sound of drums and pipes; these noises are supposed to terrify evil spirits and ward off disease; consequently, the sports are attended with double zest when sickness prevails. Tradesmen's accounts are cleared off at this period.-June 8th.-Vth moon, 5th day.
SAI-I-FUH.-Sai-i-fuh, festival of airing Clothes. It is a fancy that clothes aired on this day are not liable to be injured by insects.-July 9th.-VIth moon, 6th day.
LU-PAN.-Lú-pan, the god of Carpenters and Masons, on which day these craftsmen take a holiday. Tsing-shin Lung-wang, god of Wells and Dragon-king, worshiped by sailors and others, to avert calamity and storms.-July 16th.-VIth moon, 13th day.
WANG-LING-KWAN SHING.-Wàang-ling-kwan shing; a deified statesman worshiped for averting punishment.-July 9th.-VIth moon, 16th day.
KWANYIN.-Assumption of Kwanyin; she ascends to heaven.-July 22nd.-VIth moon, 19th day.
GOD OF FIRE.-God of Fire born. This deity is frequently propitiated by exhibition of plays. In China there are no regular theaters; sheds are erected in the streets, and a
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