Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-16

children are brought in 60 adore thei /
parents. an servants to do odeiauCe O. !
tu.ir msstors. Presents ARC made hotl
10 children aud TO servants. all money
given at this season 's.tng strung on 5
red c1,d FOR good ..... while the pres
ent8 are wrapped Ia rcd paper for th'
mme cause. Visiting Is common, and
all unmarried mon are presented nc cnci
nous. with watermelon secl8 donc No i1
red paper A married man must witt
his wIies relatives, provided they liy,
within half days journey though b,
Mood not give them presents. a. 90
courts and tri1unll- ore clos.l on Co.'S,
day, H. is commonly known I'm Chinp O.,
the Feast Of the Closing NJ Seats. all
during the New Years festivities. which
last among tine poor Cor inscr anil among
the rich Cor imrty days. professions
with mock dragons, kit, flying and pa
per lion fighting are common modes OF
diversion.
The New Year DAY obsprvanccs Of The
Japlncsein mauyrspertstes omblc th0at
prlciiccl by ihe Chinese. The gft arc
generally alloglrical. AMI flyoritc New
Year present Is q rice cake surmouutct
by cuwish. an orange and an artificial
cabbage. The Significance Of these az
ticles among the japanese was fornarl,
very grcat-tho crawfsh EyinboliLu.
the returning year, since its claws, whrt
broken, grew forth anew, aud tho Who'll
animal was believed To he capable Of rc
nowiny itself FROM single atom; III,
orange siguiiying prosperity aud th,
cabbage wealth. Among the Persian
the f1vorite New Years gift was for.
merly an egg, painted, gildcd, OF
otherwise ornamental 10 tho taste OF
the donor. The egg. to them, was the
symbol % Immortality. and also of the
year, since out Of ils apparent dentt
came real life. Tho beginning Of Oh,
year In Persia, as well "a In scyeD
other countries in Asia, was also ccle.
bratcd by agricultural ceremonies, 10
China the blowing or opening OF tho fur
row being done 10y no lc.s % pcrsonlgs
than the emperor himself, who thus lent
his royal aid and countenauco to agri'
culture.
IN Siam the last three days Of every
year are times OF terror, for during that
period nh the evil spiritsoi tho kingdom
arc supposed 10 walk abroad, while guou
angels are under cloud aud dare not
show themselves. since during this taa
son tho earth Is wholly given mp TO the
dominion Of demons. AL the. buinc,,
Of the year must bo closed mp before tine
beginning Of the third day from tho end
and during this dread time, when every
city and aabitgtiou Is LolHgueroi by
myriads OF cyil spirits, no silmc,o dave
Scutur, forth Arouul the hugs pal.
ace sprcuty.scyUn PRIESTS weave u net
W1ri, Of 1000 halsoithrll, each thread
hu ing seven iuau, and nn iura-,Iu'
cHnnonldIng Is Kept mp IN the capita.
for the purpose Of driving away the
demons. or, at least, OF rendering thUm
cautious In their attacks ON the rpya'
peace. But the caunonading Is rot de
pended on, for M front Of every dwcll
ing is placed platter containing por
lion Of PIGS head nuI u itr1 nee, iu
order thHt tho demons mny bp fod and
sn appensad. These gloomy Gpprchrl
sioas give way ON the first day of the
new year 20 wild re!1icIngl, for then ia.
danger 81 past Tor another ycnt.
According % the best available intor
nation, the pgUl,uls1 celebrated III. in
coming OF the va4r with tho most Inn
posing festivities in their ritual 1aoy
were fun and fro w0rshipers, and {
now yoar 10 Thorn was tho season Of th
return of their deity 90 bic dominion owe.
the luX Al thp Now NYIH'a festival Cha
sacred m.stlctoa WINS gathered with Pc
culiarly imposing ceremonies For days,
u not weclg before, Hrch bad been
made for the mystic plant, which must
oe found on tne sacred onf, and itis now
suspected that the priests understood the
modern and wei approved methods Of
proWslting This plant, TO as always 60
secure it' presence In tho desired itUa
lion. after lt had hecu found, and the
iirt day of tH1 new year hal como, the
Arch Druid, ia o white robe, his brow
cucirrlgl with q green h'lot. u7ccudol
tho tree, aud with agollcu IuifasgvOr.l
the my auGpiaul fr1m it4CJuurctiou with
the oak. The Inisiletoo fell and was
canght In white cloth held by flm
priests. Two white hoiier1, which had
never borne yoke, wore then sacrificed
on stone altar erected before the oak,
nnd procession was formed around the
tree.
,i.,,, ,., 'v'''u J'''O,y''' Ti'" ~
- o, 49,, ,,.., 'Ie S1''u'i'lS' ne W.
80 "'N wa. "'+ "''H ul'uS"t from