PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS. 81 



of cocoons, (or of the silk worms,) and followed by the 

 Empress and the ladies of the palace, she went and gather- 

 ed some mulberry leaves. 



THE YEAR 58, ANNO DOMINI. 



Under the reign of Ming-ti, of the dynasty of Han, the 

 Empress and her attendants raised silk worms. 



THE YEAR 220, ANNO DOMINI. 



Under the dynasty of Wei, the wife of the Emperor Wen- 

 ti, raised silk worms, in a place situated to the north of the 

 city, so as to conform to the ritual of the dynasty of Tcheou. 

 [Work composed in the tenth century before Christ.] 



BETWEEN THE YEARS 265 AND 275 ANNO DOMINI. 



Under the reign of Wou-ti, of the dynasty of Tsin, in 

 the years of Thai-khang, the Emperor built a house called 

 Tsan-kong, for the silk worms. The Empress went her- 

 self, to gather mulberry leaves, in order to conform to the 

 ancient customs of the dynasty of Han, and those of Wei. 



BETWEEN THE YEARS 454 AND 457, ANNO DOMINI. 



Under the dynasty of Song, the Emperor Hiao-wou-ti 

 had a house constructed for the silk worms. 



The Empress gathered, herself, the leaves of the mulber- 

 ry trees, conformably to the usa'ge of the dynasty of Tsin. 

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