680 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



upon them and surrounded by a considerable party of Chinese, among 

 whom we noticed several females standing, evidently in attendance 

 upon some lady, as in China the servants are almost invariably of the 

 other sex. Knowing the scruples of the Chinese against admitting 

 foreigners into the presence of the female members of their families, 

 we turned back, and were on the point of leaving that part of the 

 temple, no little disappointed at being unable to see the whole of the 

 building, when two members of the group, one of whom was a son of 

 Howqua, came forward and requested us to continue our examination, 

 if we wished. We did so. The shrine at which the ceremony was 

 going on had been decked with flowers, while on the long, counter- 

 like altar in front of the figure of the goddess, between the jars of. 

 porcelain and bronze half filled with sandal-wood ashes in which sticks 

 of incense were burning, and upon two square pedestals in front of 

 the altar, were piled up pyramids of fruits and sweetmeats. On either 

 side of these pedestals were two of smaller size, on each of which was 

 placed a book apparently of religious service, and by its side a small 

 wand and a hollow, red, kidney- shaped gourd, which when struck 

 gave a hollow and not unmusical sound, each blow upon it marking 

 the repetition of a prayer. These, as it were, formed the lecterns of 

 the officiating priests ; and between them, facing the central vase on 

 the high altar, were placed a cushion and a mat on which the fair 

 devotee might kneel and perform the kotou, or ceremony of kneeling 

 and touching the ground with the head at certain periods during the 

 service. At either side of the central door of the shrine stood a large 

 bronze vase heaped with silvered paper formed into boxes about the 

 size and shape of steel-pen boxes, and emblematical of bars of Sycee 

 silver, which is burned at the conclusion of the ceremony as an offering 

 to the queen of heaven. 



On passing out of the shrine, still accompanied by the two Chi- 

 nese who had joined us, we passed near the banqueting party, when 

 the lady rose, supported by two of her servants, and, crossing her 

 hands, saluted us in the Chinese fashion. Of her beauty I can say 

 nothing ; neither my companion nor myself could remember anything 

 save a face painted d la Chinoise, and hair tied up in the usual tea-pot 

 form, dressed with magnificent pearls, jade ornaments, and natural 

 flowers. The golden lilies, as the inhabitants of the Flowery Kingdom 

 call the crippled feet of the higher classes of their women, and the 

 splendidly embroidered robes, attracted our attention far more than 

 the eyes and features, which doubtless ought to have been our only 

 consideration. 



It is after this festival, not always, of course, celebrated with the 

 magnificence we have described, that the relatives of the child present 

 it either with plate, or bangles of silver or gold, on which are in- 

 scribed the characters signifying long life, honor, and felicity. It is 

 also at this period that it receives its " milk-name," or the pet name by 



