1937-08-14 — Page 13

SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 1937

HONGKONG TELEGRAPH

WEEK-END SECTION

This Week T. PAUL GREGORY describes

Į

The Ritual Of The Seventh Moon Festival

ROMANTIC FABLE

OF THE

SPINNING DAMSEL

AND

THE HERD BOY

O all the many festivals

Krace

fate is made the subject of many

to have

them. Once

a

Picturesque Paper Emblems

To Celebrate The Seventh Moon Festival

about the religious ceremony

to

an interesting legend. One of which

the

these popular tules states that Chinese lunar year, perhaps Taai-kivos or the eklest of these there, is

WAS snid none more in- sisters teresting and

been married 10 R mortal more truly

named Tung Wing; and to have picturesque than that ob- given birth to a son called Tung served on the evening of Chung. This child, when placed seventh day of the seventh under the care of the father, be-' mioon. This event which came celebrated as bears the distinctive ap- Empire," and died full of years perched upon the broad back of bers of their sex.

que or "Chief Scholar of the ing over the verdant hillsides, trust and pious fervour by mem- adornment in sets of seven known as "ts'at-tse-yi or “clothes pellation of Ts'at-tsek, or and honour.

a patiently ambling water-ox, The hour for the worship of for the Seven Sisters" as well as "Seventh Evening," occur There are, moreover, two and blowing agrestic airs upon the "Seven Sisters" is usually at paper hats for the "Herd- red this year on August 12, other stars which are worshipped his bamboo fiute. In short, the 11 o'clock in the evening, for boy" are burned as a special

on the same evening, viz. Lyra in maiden's father became so irate then the stars and is

in Lyra and offering. regarded as Vega and Altair in Aquila. The at the "love-nest" idyll of his Aquila are nearest together, pre-eminently a fele of the Chinese, however, refer to the daughter and her spouse, that and are said by popular imagi-

A Ritualistic Orison fair sex: it is therefore former as Chik-mui or the he determined to separate them. nation to meet, thus fulfilling There is, of course, a special deemed by them as the most. Spinning Damsel" and the lat- He, therefore, transformed them the conditions stipulated in the series of prayers addressed to fitting

fer as Nan-long or the "Herd- into stars and placed the Milky age-old legend of the "Spinning these heavenly deities and like season for the boy." Actually, these two Way, or as the Chinese term it Damsel" and her lover.

the kindred supplications observance of strange, stellar bodies are popularly re- the Ngan-hoh or "Silvery River"

Those Westerners who have Kwoon-yam or the "Goddess of ritualistic ceremonies of garded the apotheosis of between

118 semi-religious origin which tender romance, and the festival he allowed them to meet for the been at all curious or inquisitive Mercy" are poignantly personal -the outpourings of an honest of the Seventh Evening" com- space of a single night, and that that is carried out with so much and contrite heart. One of the have been hallowed by the memorates their story. is on the seventh evening of the scrupulous attention and con- mother.invoking the blessings of more usual prayers, that of a usage of long centuries.

According to the well-known seventh moon. fable, the "Spinning Damsel”

templative absorption on the

the "Seven Sisters" and the and the "Herd-boy" were like

part of Chinese women on this "Spinning Damsel" upon her- Momentous Import the ever-popular "Seven Sis-

occasion, have remarked at the ters" once mortal. Indeed, the The festival of the "Seventh number and variety of the ad- self and children is reproduced enough of astronomical origin, girl was the most indefatigable Evening" is regarded as an event juncts to the usual array of here in its entirety as it is an in- teresting example of a ritualistic weaver of the Empire, and her of momentous import, and is candles and incense. In addi- prison to the stellar divinities: and may be mentioned

as shuttle was never still, scarcely the culmination of days of nssi- tion to these prosaic comcomi- quaint example of the survival stopping to allow her to partake duous preparation on the part of tants of Chinese ritual, there are into the present of the stellar of food and drink. Her father, the womenfolk. Even in Hang- extended as special offerings to worship which assumed such who in the popular version of kong, one may have noted that the stellar deities such, things as dramatic proportions in the re- the tale, is called the "Ruler of in the more purely Chinese see- pork, chicken, wine, bananas, ligious devotions of primitive Heaven" finally became anxious tions of the city, incense shops apples,

watermelon, sweet, people. The stars which are the about the welfare of his beloved and makers of paper-covered loose-skinned oranges, lungans, object of scrupulous attention daughter, and like a modern images were doing a thriving kot or yam bean roots, Chinese and pious fervour on the part of parent, no doubt, feared that she trade, for every old-fashioned olives, varieties of ground-nuts, womenfolk on the seventh of the might eventually suffer from a Chinese maiden considers it in- saucers of melon seeds and betel- seventh moon, are none other "nervous

breakdown." He cumbent upon herself to worship nuts, bouquels of fragrant than that group of seven in the therefore considered that mar- on this occasion. Indeed, it is magnolias and other flowers, constellation of Taurus which ringe perhaps would be the best the universal belief that prayers and small basins of rice-sprouts is known as the Pleiades. This and most fitting prophylactic, addressed to the "Seven Sisters" etc. Morcover, such unconven- assemblage of heavenly bodies is and that the cares of a home and the "Spinning Damsel" will tional things as shredded largely familiar to every Child would enable her to keep her be especially efficacious, Tor as Chinese tobacco for the use of of Cathay who refers to them as industry within more reasonable these stellar deities were the "Herd-boy" and rouge and Ts'at-tac or the "Seven Sisters," bounds, so he arranged that the once mortal women, they with cosmetics

for the "Seven and as in the Greek version of the "Cow-herd" should be her hus- understanding and sympa Sisters" and the "Spinning popular legend, are said once to band. But he did not antici- thetic cars, will condescend to Damsel" are likewise provided. have been mortals who

were pate the power of mutual love, hearken to the manifold petitions Sometimes, too, paper replicas of translated Elijah-like to the sky for so enamoured did the young that are uttered with such blind clothing, and objects of feminine through command of the Ruler couple become that she neglected of Heaven.

Indeed, like many of the gala events of the ancient Mediter- ranean world, the festival of the "Seventh Evening" is oddly

Strange Legend

her work entirely and the "herd- boy" lost all interest in the bucolic simplicity and poetic To Chinese maidens, the charm of his erstwhile vocation. "Seven Sisters" have a peculiar No longer did he take delight in fascination and their strange the happy hours spent wander-

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"Fan-heung yat-paui ts'ing. Fan-heung yi-pati ts'Ing Fan-heung saam-pani tsing Ts'ing to moon-Pin Shan-fal it-

wai chung-shan Tin-kei ts'at-tse

newig

ts'al-wai

sin-

Kam-mat s'al-yuet ch'oh-Is'at-yat Ngu-long chik-nui **-shi sun-nai

Kam-heung ngan-chule Shuc-ts of yuen-po

Nin-nin yau kam-mal, aul-sui yu

kam-chiu

Foo-po too-yau

Shi ko wan ko

Shi tung wan tung Wang-ts'ol shun-lei Ching-ta'ol shun-lei Tak-sam ying shau Sam-seung 2-shing Maun-sz shing-yi

Kwal-yan tuk lik, luk-ma foo (a'z Ho-shan ho gant

Kit-tak maan-yan yuen lo-yan seung-fung Ok-yan yuen-pei

L. W. LOWER "ENJOYS"

A HOLIDAY

The next holiday I get I'm going to spend down an abandoned mine-shaft and then plug up the hole until my time has expired. I get two hundred and eighty miles away from the office, thinking I'm safe. What happens?

"You are urgently needed at the office" And when I get back-is the place on fire? Are the hailiffs in? Am I needed for a blood transfusion? No. None of these things.

"We want you to do a story about being on holidays. Meant

to ask you before you went, but it just slipped my mind."

I ASK YOU! And if this wasn't a respectable paper wouldn't ask you, I'd TELL you.

Lahm Jans the right iden as to what to do if they let me off the chain next time. Mind you, it's orlist drew it not my idea. The while I was still for, far away, get- ling into my charts and sandshoes and old fishing hat.

I don't know what the four um- brellas are for unless they symbolise the fact that it rained for the first four days of my alleged boilday, and

Ingsoned on the Bfth I was

hauled back to slavery.

If you MUST know about holiday, I'll tell you,

-BY

L. W. LOWER

Australia's Foremost

Humorist

I

When I got over to her she said in a ferocious whisper: "What do you

mean by making a show of yourself

**

ilke that? You just go straight upstairs and wash your hands making a laughnig-stock of yourself playing in at filby gutter! 111 be in the lounge when you come back. And do your hair!"

Well, that, of course, Was the anish of that.

The next day it was still raining, I was necused of being "stuck in that

lthy bar all the afternoon playing stupid dominoes."

"Well, whint um I going to DO?" I whinged.

"Well-er-why

2,you

don't down and write something?"

sit

"Oh, yeah! I can make a sugges- tion, too. Just go out in the kitchen and do all the washing-up. It' amuse you!"

Saylug which, I flounced off.

of blue metal that had been washed the est place to hire a bont and then

and

this off the road.

The Best day I sat on the balcony of the hotel with Mrs. Lower and watched the raln falling. After dinner 1 found # cupy of the

"Leather Workers' Gazette"

some

traveller had left in the reading- room, so I read that. Then I went to bed.

The next day was pretty much the same except for what is called an "incident" In diplomatic circles.

Exciting Race

THE matches of any two opponents

flushed past me, going neck and neck, but both of them stopped right

on the edge of the drain just on my match got going again.

"Go it, you beauty!" I yelled, rac- Ing alongside. And would you be lleve me, my match leapt the Inst hurdle and dived straight into the drain, netting me the bob-in!

land cominenced to walk back in the starting-barrier up at the other corner of the street when a voice said, "Lennie." Just like that.

suggested that we should have a race with matches down the gutter; the one whose match finished up going down the drain first to be the winner. I was running along be- She was standing in the door- alde my match which was well in way. "Yes, dear," I replied. front, when it foundered on a piece i "I want to speak to you!”

The fifth day was oriously fine. I got all my fishing lines rigged up and ordered the bait and found out the best

telephone bell rang, Trunk call from Sydney for you, Mr. Lower!"

Like a fool, I pleked up the re- ceiver.

It was the voice of dugm. "Who was it?" sald my wife, back-to "I've got to KO offee!" I sald, chokingly.

"Blow the office!" replied my wife.

"Your blow and back, and a couple of more blows!"

►

"Shh!" "Do I have to go, too?" "No, you stay here!"

the

I never thought until I'd got on the train that she had all the money! I arrived in town with two shillings and three-pence.

Holiday? Don't make mo laugh.

Hanng-kong trap-hol Hanng-tung thap pai Hang-tak cheuk fun! Kel-tak chicuk wal Ilaang tso, hoang ye Ping-on thal-kat

**** - fa-tsal t'eng-kong 'cng-wa Yam-ch'a shuang-huet, shik-fuan

shaang-yuk

Frul ko fuai tua?"

Translated Version

This prayer may be rendered into English as follows:

"I, the humble petitioner) offer

up incense and invite thee

rince, twice and thrice

O, ye Gods and Buddhas, please come and i ap the heavenly spaces

ye Seven Sisters, ye Seven Divine Maidens

0,

To-day

seventh moon

is the seventh

TEST ANSWERS

Weck-End Problems

PROBLEM 1. PROFESSOR SQUIRREL'S

"NUT"

The numbers are!

2101

+

252 1 મૈં

3

10

D

3782 6303

1470

چای

PROBLEM 11,

C

of the

Q

VAL

L

AM B

E

A

O, the Cow-herd and Spinning

Damsel

1, a "faithful woman" of the sur-

name ** (Invite thee)

(I offer up to thee) the golden incense and the silver candles And the imitation paper money

-symbol of universal wealth Every year has to-day and this

morning

Grant (ye Seven Sisters) thy

protection

May

both Time and Fate be propitious

Mily

May both Time and Fate be current good fortune come to nic May all the desires of my heart be

fulfilled

Ma

all things be accomplished May the "Noble Gentleman" and "Green Horse" charms be efficacious

May

enjoy good health

May my relationship with every

une be harmonious

And

May

I meet with only those who are good May I flee from those who are evil though I walk upon the river

and step upon the sen Though I walk in the East and

step in the West And in my walkings about meet

with fortune And in

my standing still, I enentanter honour Though I walk early and walk

late

Yet may I have peace and good

luck May

.... 2013 child, listen my speech and obey my instruction

And may the tea that he drinks produce blood, and the rice that he eats become flesh

And mayst he speedily grow up

into adulthood."

1 Is the custom of the sup- plicant to add her surname followed by the wards sun-wi "a faithful woman."

**** At this phase of the prayer the other inserts the name of her child.

ti These are the names of two paper charms, highly esteemed by the credulous masses, for alleged supernatural virtues. They are burned by the supplicant

as an offering to the gods,

"THEY BOTH PLAY FOR THE SCHOOL NOW, Ita MoUDI OF THEM NURS."

"You have every right, to be, Mrs. Evans. I enn scc a wonderful improvement since you Look my advice about 'California Syrup of Figs.

"I could tell from what you anid that there must be toxin in their syn- tems. When children are cross and peevish and lose interest in their food und games, you can be practically sure it's an accumulation of poison- ous matter upsetting their insides. I've seen it so often! Just clenuse the system in a safe, naturid way, ebil- dren go ahead like wildfire.

thern Cesare always to give California Syrup of Figs. It's a natural fenity laxative which safely cleanses and purifies the bloodstream and creates a fine healthy appetite.

of

"Keep on with the weekly done 'California Syrup of Figs. Mrs. Evans. It's a line laxative for young and old. As a matter of fact I use it myself and advise you to adopt it for the whole family."

Be sure to get the genuine "Call- fornia Syrup of Figs."

“California: Syrup of Figs"

*NATURE'S OWN' LAXATIVE

The SNAPSHOT GUILD

PATTERN PICTURES

An exposure of 1/100 second at 1.8.0 on chrome type of nim caught this water pattern,

NATURE has a mysterious way off or artists have made prize pictures creating patterns, designa, Ške jof pattorun. It's a way to obtain new osm to abhor plainness as much pleasure from the world about you, as abo abhora a vacuum,

It requires, first, skill in nooing pat- Consider that every cell that is teras. They are so common that only tho substance of matter is fashioned the exceptionally obvious onos, Iko is soms kind of pattern. The snow. those in sea sand, bro likely to ba flake has a pattern. Liquids crystal noticed by a person not looking for lizo in patterns. Tho wind arranges them. These we call curious, but snow drifts in patterns na it doos uozo up through a skyscraper In the course of construction or go Band on dunes and deserts. The tide down to the waterfront and study go out and toner the non bottom the patterns that the masts and rig rippled with designa, Calm water zing of alipa make against the sky. disturbed makes rhythmic designs Watch for shadow designs made by. on its surfaco. Shadows mako pal-ordinary objects, such as a picket torna. Leafy boughs against the sky, fonce or a cartwhool. These are the noss on the rocks, liger skins, wings kinds that only the purposeful ab. of birds what is there unadorned sorver is likely to notice. For him, with some kind of pattern? Natura la patterns that may be caught with a full of them, evidencos of a sooning camera are overywhero. Plump a purpose to maintain rhythm, beautyj stone into a pool or splil a box of and order in the univoreo, Man imi-j matches on the tablo and you havo tates them, consciously or uncon- ona made to order for you, sciously, in the structuras he bullds, do pattern Bunting with your cam- tha maiorials he fabricates and thefora, Taking sucht pictures chailongos order in which he places things. jyour photographie skill and you will Have you over thought of pat-Dad that both your album and your torne, nature's and man's, as aud-ming will be enriched thereby. joots for a camera hobby? Some cam-, *

John van Galldor,