56 THE SHUH COUNTRY 



rain on this spot, therefore the silk worm market was moved 

 there. The T'ai Sheo worshipped at this temple first, then 

 feasted at the Tsin-chong-si (W^.^), and again in the 

 evening at the Ta-ch'i-yuan (^C^^). The day before 

 Ts'ing-ming (Vw 18) was known as the Han-shih-tsieh (%£ft 135), 

 or cold food festival. On this festival the T'ai Sheo dined 

 at the I chong yuen (f£ *§» 1^) in the forenoon, and at the 

 T'ai-ts'i-si in the evening. During the Sung Dynasty the 

 orphan spirits were sacrificed to on this particular day at 

 some point near the city. 



The people who proceeded to sacrifice at the graves on 

 the following Ts'ing-ming (?ra59) day were so numerous 

 that they were likened to an army of ants on the move. 

 In the reign of T'ien-hsi (5^ it) (A.D. 1017), Chao-Kong-Chen 

 li&fi) opened the Western pavillion, and allowed the 

 people to visit it for recreation. So from that time onward 

 down through the Yuan Dynasty this pavillion was opened 

 annually at the cold food festival season. At these times 

 there were booths erected for the sale of wine, tea, food and 

 flowers. Music was to be heard on every hand. The T'ai 

 Sheo received visitors. The. festival lasted about ten days, 

 and was reckoned to be the most important in the course 

 of the whole year. In the Yuan Dynasty this festival lasted 

 for one month. This extension of time was wholly due to 

 the influence of the traders in wine, who made vast profits 

 out of this festival. 



Fourth Moon. 



19th day .—This date was observed as the birthday of 

 the Huan Hua Yu Sheng-fu-ren ($1 tfc f& M ^ A). On this 

 date the T'ai Sheo left the city by the narrow bridge gate, 

 and proceeded to the Fan An-si (& 5£ #) where the ancestral 

 hall of the above lady was situated. After sacrificing and 

 dining the T'ai Sheo went on board a boat and reviewed 

 the mounted archers shooting on the shore. His boat was 

 afterwards towed to the Peh-hua-t'an ("@"?£#) where he 

 viewed the beauties of the river scene. Here house and 

 cargo boats were plying up and down ; while ferry boats 

 were seen crossing and re-crossing the river. This was the 

 chief outing of the T'ai Sheo in the course of the whole year; 

 when wine was served by him in great quantities to the 

 visitors who resorted thither. 



Fifth Moon. 



5th.— On this date, the T'ai Sheo dined at the T'ai- 

 ts'i-si; where the doctors sold 'artimesia, and the sorcerers 



