34
CHINESE FESTIVALS, FASTS, AND OBSERVANCES.
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 ploughs 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 returning 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 bus andmen. 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.
day.
CHANG-YANG WU-TAU.-Chang-yang Wu-tau born.-Third moon, thirteenth
HIUN-TAN YUEN-SHWAI.-Hiun-tan Yuen-shwai born; worshipped in bouseholds. I-ling Tai-ti born: a celebrated physician, worshipped by sick persons.—Third moon, fifteenth day.
HAU-TU NIANG-NIANG.-Hau-tu Niang-niang, the goddess of earth.-Third moon, eighteenth day.
TIEN-HAU. Tien-hau, or the Queen of Heaven, born. This female deity was a native 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.-Third moon, twenty-third day.
TSZ'SUN NIANG-NIANG.-The goddess of children, worshipped by those who wish children. Third moon, twenty-sixth day.
SAN-KIAI SHING-YE.-San-kiai Shing-yè, or Holy Lords of the three Borders; worshipped in the yards of the courts of houses to propitiate the powers of nature. Same day is the festival of the present Budha, Chihkia Jū-lái.-Fourth moon, eighth day.
LUI-SHEN-YANG-SIEN.-Lui-shen-yang-sien, one of the eight genii, also called Luitunk-pin.-Fourth moon, fourteenth day.
CHUNG-LI-TSU-sz'.-Chung-li-tsú-sz, one of the eight genii.-Fourth moon,
fifteenth day.
KIN-WAH-FUJIN.-Kin-wah-fujin, the Juno Lucina of the Cantonese; women worship her when with child, and also for aid in childbirth. She is supposed to have originated 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 of the suburb of Honam.-Fourth moon, seventeenth day.
WA TO-8IEN-SZ.-Wa To-sien-sz, a physician, spoken of in the San Kwok Chi; worshipped by the sick.-Fourth moon, eighteenth day.
YEN-KWANG SHING-MU.-Yen-kwán Shing-mú, Holy Mother of Bright Eyes, a goddess worshipped by the blind, and those with diseased eyes.-Fourth moon, twentieth day.
YOH-WANG.-Yoh Wáng, king of Medicine, the Esculapius of Chinese mytho- logy. Fourth moon, twenty-eighth day.
NAN-KIH TA-TI.-Nan-kih Táti, the Great Ruler of the South Pole; a god of Rationalists.-Fifth moon, first day.
TWANG-Wu-Festival of dragon boats, called in Chinese Twáng-woo or Twáng- yáng, and also Tienchung. On this day many people race backwards and forwards in long narrow-boats, which, being painted and ornamented so as to re-emble dragons, are called lunchuen, dragon boats. From the narrowness of the boats, and the number
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