100 -" 



displaying the characters f^p g , "By Imperial Decree", or g| ^ , 

 "By decree of the Holy One", is supported by a couple of dragons, 

 "the symbols of the blessed reign of the Son of Heaven" '. 

 • The az ure dragon, symbo]_of J'.hp, ea.stern j] [uarter in ancien t 

 ^^hina^-roas- to^m seen on the 1eftside_o f the eoffln s^of ^randees in 

 the^ Han dy nastyPwhiT e on tKe~right side a wh ite tiger repre sented^ 

 the West^We learn tins lrom~~a passa ge _nf the Brrn ks^^^Mjift 

 ^TSriy Han dynasty ^, quoted by De Gtroot', who also refers to 

 / the Books of the Later Han Dynasty *, whijnJT__a tate that the 

 imperial coffins "used to be decoiuted _and, . paintedlJBdtb_a_sun, 

 "armoonT" a -Mrd j-a-tOTtolieT^ dragon and a tiger". This was also 

 the case in T'ang dynasty X At_the2^es ent d^ thejasel^O r^;:^ 

 mental dragons is not l imited to thetune rals of^Em p^^Q^a-OL-^ 

 grandees , but al so conimon _people^re jIl6 wed3o e n joy thei r 

 nSIes ^ngpow ei;. "OnTEe^ front curtain " (of the catafalque) are' a 

 couple of dragons rising out of the waves, surrounded by clouds 

 and with a sun between them; the back displays a tiger or 

 unicorn, the top exhibits dragons, sundry ornamental flowers, 

 and figures representing clouds. Thanks to these clouds and to 

 the dragons which produce the same in their quality of watergods, 

 the greatest blessings which the Universe can bestow, viz. ferti-" 

 lizing rains causing crops to grow and so giving food, raiment 

 and wealth, surround^ the dead" '. Tte grave-clothes for women ___ 

 in Amoy, called JldragQn:pettdcoat" ^, " dragon-mantle ".?,—,aind__ 



" clquds-maniilla^'!i?i_jire adorned with embroidered dragons amidst 

 clouds ^ bats, phenixes, stags, tortoises and cranes . emblems^oT 

 ^TerHli7i.ng -_rains7~ord~"S^ r jnyj ppfiiTiiaTy~pi^+g^.w.<^--kappTOegfajv^ 

 The Li hi^- says that at the great sacrifice to the Duke of 

 Chao in the last month of summer "the ruler (of Lu), in his 

 drag on- figured robe and cap with pendants, stood at the eastern 



1 Rel. Syst., Vol. Ill, p. 1201. 



3 Vol. I, pp. 315 sq., cf. Vol. II, p. 699. 



2 Ch. 93. 



4 Ch. 16, p. 2. 



5 T.S., Sect. )|ffi ^, Ch. 56.; De Groot, 1.1., Vol. I, p. 317. 



6 According to the Li ki (Ch. 58, p. 39, quoted by De Groot, Vol. I, p. 182) in 

 ancient times on the side curtains of the catafalque of a Ruler dragons were depicted. 

 Cf. De Groot, 1. 1., p. 183, Fig. 18. 



7 De Gboot, Vol. I, p. 181. 



8 i^^ij^,b6ng-kun. 9 ^ f^ , ftdngr-d. 



10 ^ M, hS-]3oe. 



H De Groot, Vol I, p. 53, Fig. Ill, IV and V. 



12 CouvREUR, Li ki, Vol. I, p. 733, Chap. XII, Ming T'^ang wei, M ^ '^ , 

 a 44 . S' 4f$- -S -A* m ttfc: 1 i7or.n c™^«,„j t>„^u.. "ir.^t vvuni „ qo 



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