Page 109 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

SYMBOLS, EMBLEMS, AND CHARMS. 77

strikes his cymbals together, etc. The grand object of this
is to invite certain goddesses to be present, which is supposed
to be done when their homes and of residence have
places
been in the accustomed manner. The celebrated
repeated
female divinities, who are honoured as midwives, or ' mothers,'
and who are believed to be particularly concerned in the rear-
ing of children, or who lived in the surrounding country, are
invited to be present.
"At the in the afternoon, these god-
proper time, usually
desses are invited to of a feast. Besides or ten
partake eight
kinds of food, there are also a wash-bowl of hot
provided
water and a towel, a fan and cosmetics, and artificial flowers
for the use of the female divinities in their
especial making
toilet before of the feast. The
partaking priests ring a bell,
beat a drum, and their their
clap cymbals, reciting liturgies
for an indefinite time, which constitutes an invitation for those
goddesses to partake of the collation.
"
Some time the afternoon a table is in the
during placed
front part of the room, 'before the heavens,' as its relative
position is called, and on it is put a common rice measure
having various articles in it, and seven little piles of rice are
arranged on the table in the position of the seven stars which
make up the Dipper of the constellation of the Great Bear.
On each of these piles of rice is placed a kind of lamp. In-
cense, candles, and lamps are all lighted up, and three priests
— one in front of the table and the other two at its
ends— standing * '
perform the ceremony of worshipping the measure in
the usual manner.
" The i door ' is finally passed through in the middle of the
afternoon, or near sundown. This door is made out of bamboo,
covered with red and white and is some seven feet
paper, high
by two and a half or three feet wide, costing perhaps twelve
or fifteen cents. One of the — who wears a
priests fancy
coloured skirt, and has on his head a curiously shaped head-
—
dress takes in one hand a small bell, or a sword having small
bells fastened to the handle, and in the other a horn, and
commences formulas or incantations in front of the
reciting
door, which is often at this time standing near the centre of
the room. The thus dressed, personates 'mother' in
priest,
the act of for the of savin O'
performing magic spells purpose