The San Francisco call., 1908-08-02
CELEBRATE FEAST
OF SEVEN ANGELS
Chinese Girls Will Observe the
Patron Day of the Sew
entf Month
Beautiful Legend Is Pictured at
Altar Where Worship
Is Paid

Chinese maidenhood. wherever II
rocks gracefully on its dainty. emhroi-
oered slippers. celebrates today the
feast OF Chut Jare, or Moo Sin. as the
Chinese call il, or, roughly. the feast Of
the seven angels and the maids. Today
is the seventh Gay of the seventh month
OF the Chinese calendar, and 1t is the
patron day for Chinese girls. The cele-
oration OF the feast began last evening z
with the appearance OF gayly colfured
Chinese girls before the gorgeous tab
Ieaux OF the allegory OF the feast. One
hundred and nifty maidens from the
todoiing age 10 the eve OF matrimony
aparaled in their most delicate gar
ments, attended by their mothers and
duennas. assembled at 7es jackson
street. where one of the costly altars is
placed, and an equal number gathered
IN the building at the corner OF Dupont
and Sacramento streets The Chinese
men folk VIII leave their homes today
10 their wives and daughters and the
women OF Chinatown will VISIT among
themselves and extend hospitalities az
ter the manners OF the Chinese during
the new year Festivities
ONE DAY FOR WOMEN
1t is the one day in the year which
IS sex apart for the Chinese women.
who usually are relegated to q dociIe
position IN the background or the fam
iiy.
There IS beautiful myth OF the feast
that Is celebrated today. The story
goes back INTO the dim recesses OF
time when celestial persons held com
munfon with mortals: it has a SINH
lsrity 10 the Greek myth of Endymton
and Selene- As the tale goes. there
were seven sisters. angels or goddesses.
as the word may be translated, who
were predestined TO maidenhood. The
seventh and youngest OF the heavenly
coteTfe fell In love with a mortal. va
riously described as is Endyrnion. as a
peasant and as a prince Whatever his
station. he was q lordly youth. indus
trious and virtuous. and the love OF
the goddess for the mortal eliminated
IN marriage
While the six celibate sisters de-
plored the marriage Of their kin, still
their hearts were warm for her and
they were kind On the seventh day
OF the seventh month OF each year they
come on earth. bringing their sister
heavenly fruits and rich apparel, and
they take their sister back to celes-
ttal realms for visit with them OF
short duration The bride leaves her
babe In the care OF the youthful hus-
band
MUST PRAY AT ALTAR
There is brilliant presentrnent OF
the story given at s06 Jackson street
On table, gorgeous with the vivid
red of the Chinese ceremouials. the
moment is shown when the married
sister is crossing the eternal bridge 10
return 10 her higher habitate. The
bridge is IN the rear CT the altar, an
exquisite bit OF Chinese handtwork.
Six OF the sisters stand on the arch
and the seventh IS on the lower ap-
proach- Under lowering tree stands
the youthful husband. A calf Is by
his side 10 indicate his Industry and
that ne is q farmer. He is dressed in
peasant costume On the altar before
the bridge is a splendid array OF dainty
Chinese ornaments. symbols OF do
mestici1y. Eight tapers burn in the
row on the edge OF the altar. one for
each OF the sisters and one for the
groom Overhead. bursting from q
she'll. is the babe.
All good little Chinese girls Will be
brought before this altar and will pray
that they may be worthy wives.
A constellation OF seven stars is said
first TO appear each year at this time
and that governs the date Of the feast.