PURPLE FORBIDDEN CITY 67 



the Imperial pathway bears the five clawed dragon himself 

 rising from high waves which, in the words of the poet 

 Li T'ai-po, are "connected like a mountain range." 



Within the Hall which has a double roof supported bj 

 colossal pillars painted in rich colours, stands the Imperial 

 Dais; the horizontal board above the steps bears the inscrip- 

 tion Chien Chi Sui Yu 7 M & & m By the Establishment of 

 High Ideals he (the Emperor) will adopt the best law for 

 tranquility (in the Empire). Five stairw r ays lead to the 

 gilded throne before which stand incense burners and tall 

 perforated metal columns, these allow sweet scented fumes 

 to pervade the apartment. Van Braam in his description of 

 an Audience says : 



"On the sides of the platform were several vases filled with 

 natural flowers, to the sweet emanations of which two other 

 vases of metal added the perfume of burning sandal wood and 

 other Asiatic substances." 



This custom of scenting the air is often referred to< in 

 poetry as M t& #P H? If "Their bodies soaked in the Imperial 

 essences the Officials return" and as in the following poem 

 by Wang Wei 1 , which may be paraphrased as follows : 



Written by Wang Wei, after a poem by Chia the Secretary, on 

 Attending an Audience at Daybreak in the "Great Brilliance Palace." 

 1. — When the Sun's light is just appearing the "Chicken-man," his 



badge of Office a red head-cloth — proclaims aloud the hour. 

 2. — At this exact moment the Keeper of the Robes sends in the 



garment of eider-duck skin, its feathers — kingfisher green — 



lying in cloud -like curves. 



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The "Chicken Men" whose badge of office was a red head-cloth 

 were in charge of the water clock, and their business was to announce- 

 the time of day. Beside the water clock were kept bamboo tallies one 

 for each of the twelve divisions of the twenty-four hours, and each 

 marked with the correct Tzu or hour name taken from the "Twelve 

 Branches." When the arrow of the water clock showed the hour the 

 Chicken Man seized the correct tally and struck a stone which stood 

 in front of the Palace Hall. At the division of Yin 3-5 a.m. or 

 Mao 5-7 a.m. during which the sun rose according to the season of the 

 year he uttered long cries in a loud voice so that the inmates of the. 

 Palace might know that clay was at hand. 



