Page 88 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

CHINESE PORCELAIN.
56
"
often given at marriages and to friends for good hick (see
Nos. 208, 230, 231, 308).
The joo-e head seems originally to have been taken from
the but for Buddhistical be made to
fungus, purposes may
represent the lotus.
No. 53. Emperor's seal, which, it will be noticed, is of different
to those
shape usually employed (see Nos. 198, 199), being flat
and of larger surface with a dragon on top by which to hold it.
As the emperor's seal it is sacred with power over evil influences.
No. 54. A temple censer. These are oblong in shape,
while the scroll stands as a rule are square.
No. 55. Stand for scrolls.
No. 56. Rice measure (see also No. 332).
Worshipping the Measure. — Doolittle, p. 98 : " Ou the
fourteenth or fifteenth day of the eighth month, there is very
frequently performed a ceremony called sometimes 'worship-
ping the measure.' Although almost universally celebrated
in families weak and children the
having sickly every year,
Chinese seem to have very often exceedingly indistinct ideas
in regard to this custom. The expressions, 'southern measure'
and ' northern measure,' occur frequently in their efforts to
describe it. These two terms are explained as referring to two
stars, or collections of stars, one in the northern heavens and
the other in the southern heavens. When worshipped, they
are most usually represented by their names being written on
paper when any emblem is needed. Pictures or images of
them when made represent two grave old men. The 'north
'
measure is supposed to be the god of longevity, and to
regulate or fix the time of one's death, having the control of
the book in which such dates are recorded. The ' south
?
measure is regarded as the god of official emolument, or the
god which regulates one's salaries and income during life. In
other words, the one is the which rules over death, and
divinity
the other the which rules over are often
divinity life. They
on the of children, and of adults when
worshipped birthdays
sick. When about the middle of the
worshipped eighth month,
it is done for the benefit of children of the sick
usually family,
or well, the object being to secure to them longevity and plenty
"
of money." P. 99 : In worshipping the measure, the Chinese,
instead of dried venison, use a few small balls of a kind of