Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-07-31

winnie retinue, and large variety 81 other
such surprising scenes whilst The ears Oi
the spectators are entertained with the
best music the country affords, and with
the joyful acclamatiOns OF The people, all
of which are answered by The i,rumpets,
bells, and other instruments. OF every tenn
pie and monastery.
"Mr. Isbrandz Ides, who was present
a. one OF these feasts, says that the NOISE
at Peking. which continued The same tiii
the next day at noon, was as great as II
an army Of 100000 men had been all that
time in close and fierce engagement
And Father LIE Comet. who was likewise
an eyewitness OF this grand sclemnity, al
the time he was there, sayS that the num-
Der OF Iantborns, commonly lighted at these
Examinations. through the whole empire,
was computed 10 be about 100000, UeO.
During tie festival the shops are closely
shut up all business is suspended The
streets crowded with professions OF
numberless idols, carried about in great
pomp, the monks and priests attending
them, with their censors, songs and
musical instruments the very women, OF
all ranks, who at other times are not sui
fe.et to appear in public, are then permit.
ted to ride through the streets OF Peking !:
those OF Loumou rank upon asses, adorned
with ribbands and other trinkets and
those oil quality IN their two. wheeled
chsise, covered Oh every side. but the
front, and either singing, ur gently touch
ing some musical instrument, or even smo-
king pipe, and attended with maid SER
want, riding behind them, and playing al
so on some musical instrument. Some OF
The lanthorns are so vastly rich and beau.
tiful, that the price OF them amounts TO
1900 or 1900 crowns, and even beyond
and not house but hath some sort OF them,
the best they can afford, burning, both be-
fore and within it, In a word, the Chr
nese are so ambitious OF making the most
magnificent figure on this festival, that they
viii relrench from their common expenses
the year round, that they may do some.
thing extraordinary at this time, and, a.
batting the masquersding, will allow them
selves in all the eytravagancies OF We
netiaD carnival. But what the cause OF all
this joy. or The origin OF this grand testI"
val, is, they either do not care 10 tell US,
or'probabiy know nothing o! it themselves.
*"These ianthorns are adorned with beautl.
ful carving, gliding and jspannins, and have
about six or eight panes OF thin blue silk, made
transparent by fine varnish, and painted with
figures of trees, men, horses, birds, &c. SO skill
fully disposed, as to receive, as it were, life,
from the great number OF lamps, or candles
burning within them. Others made OF blue
transparent horn, thro' which are seen sundry
kind, of creatures, painted to the life, and seem.
ing to move through the motion OF the flame
within and representing variety or scenes, to
entertain the spectators. The common sorts
OF them are about four or five feet high. and
have their tops adorned with curious stream
ers, waving in the wind /; but those OF the no.
blest sort are about twenty feet in diameter, and
illuminated with lamps and wax candles, the
sides of which represent to the eye various IT,
CURES of men and women in different charac-
tiers, or exhibiting some theatrical representa-
TOPS, with gestures suitable to their parts -
These are moved by wires, by people under
meath, like our puppets, or. according to one
of their own authors, are acted by living per.
sons. They have likewise bonfires. and other
fire works, in all the parts of the cities, towns
and villages and the whole nation seems to
run mad with JOY for they know not what"