CHAPTER VI THE DISTRICT SYMPOSIUM (Part I.)

I. Discussing the List of Guests 1

The great officer in charge of the district, who acts as host, goes to the retired officials of the district and discusses with them as to who in the district are suitable to be guests of the first and second degree at the symposium.

2. Apprising the Guests.

(a) The host goes in person to apprise the principal guest of the coming ceremony. This man bows to him in consideration of his condescension, and the host responds with a bow. Thereafter he invites him, and he formally declines, but finally accepts. Then the host bows twice, the guest bowing in return ; after which the host retires, the guest acknowledging his condescension with a bow.

(b) With the guest of the second degree the same ceremonial is observed.

3. The Setting Out of the Mats and Vessels.

(a) Thereafter they lay a mat for the principal guest between the door and window of the room, for the host at the top of the eastern steps, and for the guest of the second degree at the top of the western steps.

(b) The mats for the body of guests are not laid touching one another.

(c) The wine-holder, a pair of vases, is set between the chamber and the door of the room on a stand, the dark wine being to the west, and the cup-basket to the south of the stand, all squarely east, two ladles being set on the vases.

(d) The used-water jar is placed to the south-east of the eastern steps on the north and south line, the depth of the hall distant from the steps, and on the east and west line abreast of the eastern wall, with the water to its east and the cup-basket to the west, all set squarely south.

4. The Bidding of the Guests.

(a) When the meat is cooked and ready,

(b) The host goes in person to bid the principal guest to the feast. He bows in acknowledgment of the host's condescension, and the host replies with a bow ; after which he turns to go, and the guest again bows, acknowledging his condescension. With the second guest the ceremonial is the same.

5. Meeting the Guests and lowing as they arrive.

(a) When the arrival of the guests is announced by the usher to the host, the host meets the guests in person outside the main gate. He bows twice to the guest of the first order, who bows in return. He bows once to the guest of the second order, and he also replies with a bow. Then he salutes the body of guests, inviting them to enter.

(b) The host with a salute precedes them in.

(c) The principal guest, with a wave of the hand to the second guest, enters to the left of the door, and the second guest in similar fashion invites the others. All the guests then enter together by the left of the door, and range themselves facing east and graded from the north.

(d) Then the host salutes the principal guest thrice in their progress up the court, and on arrival at the steps, after three yieldings of precedence, the host ascends by the eastern steps. The guest then goes up the western steps, and the host, at the top of the east steps, and advanced as far as the rafter under the eaves, faces north and bows twice. The guest, at the top of the western steps, and advanced as far as is the host, faces north and bows in return.

6. The Host offers Wine to the Principal Guest,

(a) The host, sitting down in front of the vases, takes a cup from the cup-basket, and goes down the eastern steps to wash it.

(h) The principal guest also goes down, and the host, sitting, lays down the cup in front of the east steps and declines the honour of his company, the guest replying suitably.

(c) Then the host, sitting down, takes the cup, and, rising, goes to the used-water jar, and, facing south, sits, lays down the cup at the foot of the cup-basket, and washes his hands and the cup.

(d) Then the guest advances, and, standing with his face north-east, declines the honour of having the cup washed for him.

(e) The host sits down, and, laying the cup by the basket, stands up and replies. Thereafter the guest returns to his place abreast the end of the west inner wall, and facing east.

(f) Then the host sits down and takes the cup, the attendant who poured out the water standing, with his face north-west. When the washing is complete, the host ascends the east steps with one bow and one yielding of precedence, and the guest bows to acknowledge his goodness in washing the cup. Then the host, sitting, lays down the cup and bows thereafter.

(g) When the host descends to wash his hands the guest goes down also, the host declining the honour of his company. The guest, after replying, returns to his place abreast the end of the inner wall on the west. The hand-washing finished, they ascend with one bow and one yielding of precedence, the guest taking up his stand at the head of the west steps in an attitude of expectancy.

(h) Then the host, sitting down, takes the cup and fills it, and, going to the front of the guest's mat and facing north-west, offers it to the guest.

(t) The guest bows at the top of the western steps, and the host recedes a little. Then the guest comes forward to receive the cup, and takes it back with him to his place at the western steps, while the host at the head of the east steps bows, asking him to drink, and the guest withdraws a little.

(j) Then the attendants bring forward the dried flesh and hash.

(k) And when the guest has gone on to the mat and faced west, they set out the stand with the dismembered joints.2

(l) The host takes his stand to the east of the eastern steps in an attitude of expectancy, and the guest, seating himself, takes the cup in his left hand, and with his right makes an offering of the dried flesh and hash, afterwards placing the cup to the west of the relishes. Then he gets up, and taking the lung in

his right hand, with his left hand, palm inwards, grasps the base of it, and, sitting down, he does not hold it through all its length, but with his right cuts off the end to use as an offering. Then, lifting his left hand, he puts the lung to his mouth and tastes it, thereafter rising and laying it on the stand.

(m) Then he sits again, and, wiping his hands, makes a libation of the wine, rising thereafter, going to the west end of the mat, sitting, and sipping the wine.

(n) The guest then leaves his mat, and, sitting, lays down his cup. Bowing, he praises the good quality of the wine, and, taking the cup, stands up, the host at the top of the eastern steps returning his bow. The guest goes to the head of the western steps, faces north, and, sitting down, finishes the cup ; then gets up, lays down the cup, and bows. Then, taking the cup, he stands up, the host returning his bow from the head of the eastern steps.

7. The Principal Guest pledges the Host.

(a) When the principal guest goes down to wash the empty cup.

(b) The host goes down also, and the guest, sitting, lays down the cup, rises, and excuses himself the honour, the host replying suitably.

(c) Then the guest sits, takes the cup, and rising, goes to the south of the used-water jar, where he stands with his face to the north. The host, standing at the east of the eastern steps with his face to the south, deprecates the washing, and the guest, sitting down, lays the cup at the side of the cup-basket, and, rising, responds. The host returns to his place at the east of the eastern steps, and stands facing west.

(d) Then the guest, standing with his face to the north-east, washes his hands, and, sitting down, takes the cup. After the washing is finished they invite one

another, with a salute, to ascend, mutually yielding precedence, and finally going up as before. The host bows in acknowledgment of the washing, and the guest replies with a bow. When he gets up and goes down again to wash his hands, the procedure is as when the host does it.

(e) The guest fills the cup, and standing in front of the host's mat at the head of the eastern steps, and facing south-east, toasts the host. The host at the head of the steps bows, and the guest retires a little, whereupon the host goes forward and receives the cup, returning with it to his place. The guest at the head of the western steps invites him with a bow to drink it, and the dried flesh and hash are served. Then the host gets on to his mat from the north side, and the stands of dismembered joints are set, after which the offering is made, as in the case of the guest, with no praising of the quality of the wine.

(f) The host goes from the front of his mat to the head of the eastern steps, and, with his face to the north sits down and finishes the cup. Then he gets up, sits again, lays down the cup, and bows. Taking the cup, he stands up, and the guest returns his bow from the head of the western steps.

(g) Then, sitting down, the host lays the cup at the end of the eastern inner wall, and at the head of the eastern steps bows in acknowledgment of the honour done to his wine, the guest returning his bow from the head of the western steps.

8. The Host pledges^ the Guest.

(a) The host sits down in front of the wine-holders, and, taking a goblet from the cup-basket, descends the steps and proceeds to wash it. The guest also descends, the host declining the honour ; but the guest

does not decline the honour of having the goblet washed for him. He stands exactly in line with the west inner wall, and faces east.

(b) When the washing is finished, they ascend with the usual salutes and yieldings of precedence, and the guest takes his stand at the head of the western steps in an attitude of expectancy. Then the host fills a goblet and pledges the guest. Then, sitting down at the top of the east steps with his face to the north, he lays down the goblet and bows. Then, taking the goblet, he rises, and the guest at the top of the western steps returns the bow. Then the host, sitting down, pours a libation, after which he empties the goblet and rises. Sitting down again, he lays down the goblet and bows, then takes the goblet and rises, the guest at the head of the western steps bowing in reply.

(c) Then the host descends again to wash the goblet, and the guest descends also and declines the honour, just as in the ceremony of offering the wine ; but when they re-ascend the guest does not bow in acknowledgment of the cup-washing, but takes his stand at the top of the western steps.

(d) Then the host fills the goblet, and stands before the guest's mat, with his face to the north. The guest, at the head of the western steps, bows, and the host draws back a little, after which he bows, and when that is finished goes forward, sits down, and lays the goblet to the west of the relishes.

(e) The guest declines the honour implied in the laying down of the cup, but, seating himself, takes up the goblet and goes back to his place. The host, at the head of the eastern steps, bows, inviting him to partake. The guest then sits down with his face to the north, and, laying the goblet to the east of the relishes, 4 goes back to his place.

9. The Host offers Wine to the Second Guest,

(a) When the host, with a salute, descends, the principal guest descends also, and stands on the west side of the west steps in line with the inner wall, and facing east.

(b) Then the host takes the second guest up to the hall, with the usual salutes and yieldings of precedence, as in the case of the principal guest. The host seats himself, and, taking the cup from the end of the eastern inner wall, goes down to wash it. The second guest also goes down, the host excusing himself this honour, and the guest declining the honour of the washing, all as in the case of the principal guest. After ascending, the second guest does not bow in acknowledgment of the washing.

(d) The host then fills a cup, and in front of the guest's mat, and, facing south-west, offers it to the guest. The guest at the top of the western steps bows, with his face to the north, and the host draws back a little, the guest advancing and receiving the cup, with his face to the north, and returning thereafter to his place. Then the host, going to the right of the guest and turning his face to the north, bows, inviting him to drink, the guest drawing back a little, and the host taking his stand to the east of the western steps.

(e) Then the dried flesh and hash are served, and the second guest goes on to his mat from the north side, after which the stand of dismembered joints is set out, and the offerings made as in the case of the guest ; but the lungs are not tasted nor is the wine sipped, nor its quality praised. Thereafter the guest leaves the mat by the south side, faces north, sits down, and finishes

the cup. After this he rises, and, sitting down, lays down the cup in the ordinary way, and bows. Then he takes the cup and stands up, the host standing to the right of the guest and responding with a bow.

10. The Second Guest toasts the Host.

(a) When the second guest goes down the steps co wash the cup, the host returns to the east of the eastern steps, and the going down and the declining of the honour are as before. When the washing of the cup is ended, the host washes his hands, and the guest, with a salute and one yielding of precedence, ascends, and presents the cup to the host between the two pillars.

(h) The guest takes his stand at the top of the western steps, and the host fills his cup and drinks the toast at the top of the western steps, then sits down to the right of the guest, lays down the cup, bows, takes the cup, and rises, the guest returning his bow. The host then sits down and offers of the wine, after which he drinks off the cup and bows. Then he takes the cup and rises. The guest returns his bow, and the host, sitting down, and laying the cup to the south of the western pillar, at the right of the guest, bows in acknowledgment of the honour done to his wine, the guest returning his bow.^

(c) Then the host returns to the eastern steps, and with a salute goes down, the guest going down also, and taking his stand to the south of the host.

11. The Host offers Wine to the Body of Guests,

(a) The host descends to the court, and, standing to the east of the doorway, with his face to the southwest, bows thrice to the body of guests, and they all respond with one bow.

(b) The host makes a salute and ascends ; then sitting and taking the cup from the foot of the west pillar, goes down and washes it, ascends and fills it, and at the top of the western steps offers it to the body of guests. The seniors who ascend and bow are three in number. The host bows and invites them to drink, and they sit to make a libation and stand to drink, and, without bowing, finish it off, thereafter handing the cup to the host, and returning to their places.

(c) When wine is offered to the other guests, they do not bow when receiving the cup, but sit to pour the libation, and stand to drink.

(d) Relishes are served to each in his place when wine is offered to him.

(e) And in the case of the body of guests the relishes are served to each throughout their whole number.

(f) Then the host takes the empty cup down the steps and places it in the cup-basket.

(g) Then the host ascends with the usual salutes and yieldings of precedence. The principal guest motions with his hand to the second guest and goes up. The second guest acts in the same fashion to the body of guests and goes up, the others following in their order, all proceeding to their respective mats.

12. One Man raises the Goblet.

(a) One of the attendants washes the goblet and ascends the western steps, and raises it to the guests.

(b) Then he fills the goblet at the vases, and, sitting down at the top of the western steps, lays it down and bows. Taking up the goblet he rises, the guest at the end of his mat^ responding with a bow. The assistant sits, and, after making a libation, drinks off

the goblet of wine, rises, goes forward, and sitting, lays the goblet down and bows. Then he takes the goblet and rises, the guest bowing in return.

(c) He descends again, washes the goblet, ascends, fills it, and stands at the top of the western steps. The guest bows, and the host, going forward, lays the goblet to the west of the relishes. The guest excuses himself the honour, but, sitting down, takes the cup and rises. The raiser of the goblet then bows from the top of the western steps, inviting him to drink.

(d) Then the guest sits and puts the goblet back in its place, and the goblet-raiser goes down the steps, his work being done.

13. Music for the Guests.

(a) The mats for the musicians'^ are placed at the edge of the hall, and graded from the east.

(b) The musicians are four^ in number, with two lutes. The lutes are carried in front by the two guides, who lay them on their left shoulders, the head being behind. They crook their fingers into the sound-holes, and turn the strings towards themselves, while with the right hand they lead the musicians along.

(d) Then the musicians ascend by the western steps, and sit down with their faces to the north, their guides sitting facing east, handing the lutes to the players, and going down the steps again.

(e) The musicians then sing the " Call of the deer," the " Four steeds," and " How glorious are the flowers!" 9

(f) When the singers are finished, the host offers wine to the musicians, who take their lutes in the left '

hand, and one of them, bowing but not rising, receives the cup. Then the host, at the top of the eastern steps, bows, inviting them to drink.

(g) Then the dried flesh and hash are brought forward, someone being appointed to assist the musicians in making the offering.

(h) The head musician in his drinking empties his cup without bowing, and hands it back to the host.

(i) Then the rest of the musicians receive their cups without bowing, and drink after pouring a libation, the dried flesh and hash being laid at every place, and they partaking without offering of them.

(j) If there be a grand master of music, then the cup is washed for him. The guests of both orders go down the steps, the host declining the honour. The musicians, however, do not excuse themselves the honour of the washing.

(k) The organ players then enter the court below the hall to the south of the musical stones, and stand facing north.

(l) They play " The southern steps," the " White blossoms," and "The millet's in flower." 10

(w) The host offers them wine from the top of the western steps. One of their number bows and goes quite up the steps, but does not enter the hall, and receives the cup, the host bowing and inviting him to drink. He sits down in front of the steps, pours a libation, and stands up to drink, but, without bowing, finishes the cup, and, ascending the steps, hands the cup back to the host.

(n) The band of organ players do not bow on receiving the cup, but sit to pour a libation, and stand to drink. The dried flesh and hash are served to them all in their places, but they do not offer any when partaking.

(o) Then the two companies perform in turns. The singers render "The fish to the basket," and the organs " All in their kind." Then the singers give " There are barbels in the south," and the organs "All to their best." Then the singers give " The t'ai of the southern hills," and the organs respond with " None but is right."

(p) Then they unite in the pieces from the songs of Chow and the south called " Kuan-kuan go the ospreys," " The fibre plant spreads far and wide," and the " Mouse ear," and from the songs of Shao and the south, " The magpie's nest," " Gathering the southern wood," and " Gathering the duckweed." ^^

(q) Then the senior of the musicians, without rising, announces to the bandmaster that the music suitable for the occasion has been all performed. The bandmaster repeats this announcement to the guests, and then descends the steps.

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CHAPTER VI THE DISTRICT SYMPOSIUM (Part I.)