FESTIVALS. 



the manner in which, as before described, he is hur- 

 ried over the fields by the searchers fur mcilicinal 

 roots, is a counter-part of, if not the ceremony, of 

 searching for Proserpine, as lias been noticed in a 

 preceding chapter. 



The fifteenth day of the Tza Yee Woa t or 12th 

 month, is solemnized by the worship of id I the pe. 

 nates, and the offerings which have been made are 

 afterwards distributed gratuitously amongst servants 

 and dependants. 



On this day, it is incumbent on labourers to state 

 positively whether they intend to remain or not \Mlfi 

 their masters throughout the approaching year. 



On the 29tli or 30m, the festival of Koocc-ncn, or 

 of the Just day of old year, is held with ceremonies 

 buuiilar to those aire*. *; doeribed. The penates are 

 again propitiated, and tlu^ manes of deceased ances- 

 tors venerated and honored. 



Ill an old dilapidated temple at Battu Lanehaug, 

 which wiib formed by partly closing up the entrance 

 to a cave formed by overhanging granite rocks, were, 

 sometime ago, to be seeu three painted wooden 

 images. The centre one represented T,ho tee Pa- 

 kotuft who was a famous sage of old. He is now in- 

 voked by Chinese grain cultivators, and by those who 

 are obliged to reside temporarily in forests and wild 

 places. lie wears a Hat bonnet and is dressed in the 

 Chinese costume. 



On his left sits P,hang KJioan, the recording spi- 

 rit, w ith bis tablet and pen ; and on the righr Seeuw 

 Kioee, the punisher. 



It * 1 



