Directory_and_Chronicle_1870 — Page 44

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CHINESE FESTIVALS, FASTS, AND OBSERVANCES.

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return, and the days grow longer. Officers go in state to worship the Emperor's tablet, and the people adore their lares.-First moon, eleventh day.

SHAI-TANG, OR Feast of LanTERNS.—Shai-tang, or Feast of Lanterns, so called by Europeans. At night all classes illuminate the temples, shops, &c., with fanciful lanterns, and assemble at convivial parties, called lantern feasts. Offering of lanterns are made at the temples of the Gods. This festival is observed at Canton by merely hanging a lantern before the shop or house. First moon, fifteenth day.

YUH-HWANG.-Shangti's birthday; this deity is the highest of the Tau sect, and more than any other answers, in the Chinese mythology, to the Jupiter of the Greeks. First moon, fifteenth day.

CHANG-CHUN.-Chang-chun, a celebrated physician, born; deified by the Tauists. His shrine is placed in doctors' shops.-First moon, nineteenth day.

SHEN-TSAI-TUNGTSZ.-Two images of children are placed at the back of dwellings for protecting them, and increasing the prosperity of the inmates; they are called Shentsai tungtsz'.-First moon, twentieth day.

TU-TI. The household gods born. There are called Tu-ti, and also Fu-shin, gods of happiness; they include all classes of household deities. At this period plays are performed at the public offices, and in the streets; while rockets and other fire- works are let off.-Second moon, second day.

WAKCHANG-TI-KIUN.-Wanchang-ti-kiun, god of learning, born. His image is placed in the temples of Confucius, and the offices of literary magistrates; scholars worship him.-Second moon, third day.

TUNG-WA-TI-KIUN.-Tung-wa born; a god of the Tau sect.-Second moon, sixth day. HUNGSHING.-Hungshing, god of the south sea, born. This is a southern deity, whose worship is chiefly confined to Canton, where it is celebrated with much pomp and display. Same day, the birthday of Yoh Fi, a faithful minister of the Sung dynasty.-Second moon, thirteenth day.

LAUKIUN.-Laukiun born. Laukiun, called also Lautsz', an ancient sage, and the founder of the Tau sect, was partly contemporary with Confucius. The latter in bis youth took lessons from Lautaz' on the subject of sacrificial rites. The principal deities of the Tau sect are Sau-tsing, three pure ones,-Shangti, a supreme ruler, subordinate to those three, and an infinity of inferior gods and deified men.-Second moon, fifteenth day.

KWANYIN.-Kwanyin's birthday; she is often called the goddess of mercy, and is the great goddess of the Budhists. There are supposed to be more temples erected to this idol in the city of Canton than to any other.-Second moon, nineteenth day.

HIUEN-TIEN SHIN-FU.-Hiuen-tien shin-fu, birthday to the father of the Shangti of the Sombre Heavens; a god of the Tau sect.-Second moon, twenty-fifth day.

AGRICULTURAL CEREMONY.-On a fortunate day in the third moon, the grand agricultural ceremony is performed at Peking by the Emperor and his ministers, and in all the provinces by the head officers of the government. The ceremony consists in holding a plough, highly ornamented, which is kept for the purpose, while the bullock which drags it is led over a given space. The rule is that the Emperor plough three furrows; the princes, five; and the high ministers, nine. These furrows are, however, so very short, that the later monarchs of the present dynasty have altered the ancient rule laid down by the predecessors of Confucius, ploughing four furrows, and return- ing again over the ground. The ceremony finished, the Emperor and his ministers repair to the terrace for inspecting the agricultural labours, and remain till the whole field has been ploughed by husbandmen. The Emperor often appoints a proxy.

HIUEN-TIEN SHANGTI.-Hiuen-tien Shangti, the Supreme Ruler of the Sombre Heavens; the festival of the second deity in the pantheon of Rationalists. He is also usually called Pethi, god of the North Pole, and his festival is very generally observed. Third moon, third day.

TSING-MING. THing-ming term.--Festival of the tombs. At this period of the year the Chinese everywhere repair to the tombs with offerings of food, which after the spirits of the deceased have fed on the spiritual portion, they themselves partake of. The weather at this time being usually fine, the weeds and dirt are cleared away from the

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