1837.] 



Chinese Feast to Disembodied Spirits. 



259 



banquet. He is represented by a black hideous image placed on a 

 white pedestal covered with a Chinese inscription in black 

 letters. The face, like that of Mokanna, was veiled. The covering 

 was subsequently removed, as will be mentioned, from a visage 

 frightful beyond description, black, covered with whitish blotches ; a 

 mouth of fearful dimensions, out of which was thrust a large red tongue. 

 The head was large and covered with red shaggy hair. His ap- 

 parel consisted of a black and gold vest, partially concealed by the folds 

 of a red mantle thrown over his shoulders. A lion's head, painted 

 green and white, adorns the idol's stomach. The legs are black and 

 appear in all their naked deformity. The right hand grasps a banner 

 on which appeared an inscription in Chinese. 



At eight o'clock in the evening, the idol was brought forth with music 

 and lights, and placed aloft on the platform last mentioned. The 

 priests advanced to meet it, removed the cover from its face and* bowed 

 down before it. This done they seated themselves at the table on the 

 platform within the enclosure. On the table were placed four large red 

 wax lights, a ritual, two small bronze bells, a vessel of water, two 

 sceptre-like wands, two sticks slightly curved at the end, a small red 

 slab, a cup containing rice, several small vessels, one of ashes, a sword, 

 a red blossom of the Siantan, and vases of burning incense. A little after 

 eight, five lay-officials made their appearance ; the Lochu and four 

 Tao-kis, who are the annually elected trustees of the temple fund. 

 They were clad in their purple robes of ceremony, their tailed heads 

 covered by conical caps, from the apex of which flowed a profusion of 

 a substance resembling horse hair, stained crimson. They proceeded 

 to the middle shrine, and afterwards to one of the side ones, where they 

 performed adoration and offered incense. Shortly after this the three 

 priests went through the same ceremony. The chief priest was a be- 

 nevolent looking old man,' clothed in a long brown robe and wearing 

 a hat, not very dissimilar from that at present in use among the dig- 

 nitaries of the christian church. They then adjourned to the table where 

 the feast was prepared, and finally resumed their seats on the platform. 

 The ceremonies commenced by the officiating priest producing five 

 gilt portraits of the goddess Hootchko, to which five adorations were 



* The Chinese forms of adoration consist in what they term the pai, Tcwei, and how, 

 bowing, kneeling and placing the forehead on the ground. They were in this instance 

 performed consecutively ; the priest bows his head towards the image, sinks on his 

 knees ; and from this last position, inclines his body forward, supporting its weight on the 

 palms of the hands, until his forehead touches the carpet of prayer, 



