Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-07

ing The different sights and .o,,,~
the pavilions. inside the temple rss
ceremonies are going on. The , tan
itself, entirely new, is finely deem
with both permanent and temnaaJ
concentrations. Among the fpofa
frescoes and wood-carvings and a.
in bas-relief; among the s]econds1d
ners, flower-baskets and n;aao %
Buddhist priests are praying to fREsan
in the central hall, While in tb nuqd
hall, where the shrine of the ch;ef "a
is situated, flocks Of worshipers a ae
and fro making offerings of food. Gl.sI
ing candles and burning incense. NJ r.
is no scene in China more an;mad
Everybody who has any religion in n
comes to worship and ask some a.
of the god, and each person ]a aav
more or less money with the keena.s
the temple. In my native city festi,
similar to this occur two or three tiss
in the week in different parts Of ~ +.
town. Of course the schools are /.
open on such festal days, otherwise
tie study could be accomplishs
Schoolbovs go to the shows in
evening and girls too. sometimes
by themselves to enjoy the sights,
But there are holidays which mar
called national, since they are observ
all over the country.
First and most important are the "
Year holidays, which are celebrated wi
as much eclat as unceasing firinu
pyrotechnics. calls of ceremony
universal goodwill and joy will cont
butte. Debts are paid up at the end
the year, and for the first week or III
little or no business is transacted. EyeI
one gives himself up to jollity. Cb
dren on such days are surfeitcd vii
swcetmeats, and holes are made in IN
holiday clothes by burning fire-cracke1
Largesses are bestowed upon both ch]
dren and servants, while beggars ,
also remembered, so that this season
really the most joyous of the year-tI
time when charity is most charitab
and benevolence assumes a more
nevolent aspect.
Next in order of time comes the Fc,
of Lanterns. The main feature of II
fete, as the name implies, is a processj1
with lanterns Of all shapes and kind
Soon after nightfall men and boys get
line, each carrying upon a bamboo bold
great paper bird, or %quadruped, or is
inside of which candles are lit. Veryfs
tastic shapes sometimes are seen, an
neurological books are ransacked
procure strange creatures.
Imagine three or four hundred of t}e
lanterns passing before you, all brilIiaI
with rich colors. Sandal-wood is bun
in censers carried in small movaH
pavilions, while bands of music ming
their racket with the applause Of
spectators and the wcll-worn Jokes }
the men in the procession.
Last of all an immense dragon abod
forty feet in length is borne along SUD
ported on bamboo poles by q dozen !
twenty men.
There is another procession similar
this in the fourth month, only it take
place in the daytime instead of at night
and the large number and variety /
lanterns are wanting.
In the fifth month arc held I'd
dragon-boat races. These boats al
narrow and long, capable of holdin
about one hundred mon sitting one bd
hind the other. Each n carries !
paddle, and the boat is 80 made thss |
can go just as we'll backwards as I'D
wards. The direction aevolves upol
the men in the ends of the boat. II
fhe center the idol from whose ward 81
district the boat halls sits enthroned
with an immense umbrella Of red sin
to- keep the sun from tanning his coml
plexion. A band of music accom-
panies each beat. By its warlii@
clangor it encourages the racers, whid
its drum beats tho time for the strokd
Banners are given after the race, Al
spo:s of victory, to be placed in th@
temple of the patron deity. The scen(
on the rivers on such an occasion
very animated and the CHEEKS OF th(
spectators from the different district}
attest their interest
In the eighth month comes the Festil
val of the Moon. answering to. the harI
vest f%esivalin Western countries. What
are called ''moon-cakes" are sold a,
this season. Ii the year has been pro
ductivc there will be a great deal of rel
loicingg. Presents age interchanged Al
this time as also at other festival sea-
sons. AS the moon becomes graduallA
full there appears in it to the Chinese
eye a naan who is climbing a. tree. Th4
full moon is greeted with much ccrs
mony, and the night on which th1
lumlnary appears at its brightest !
passed in feastingg and rejoicing.