xv.] LADIES' COURT DRESSES. 369 worms which are not reared in houses, but feed, in their natural state, upon the leaves of oak trees. The skins of sheep and goats are the only furs which the sumptuary laws permit such persons to line their dresses with in winter. No ordinary citizen is allowed to wear a dress on which are embroidered in gold or silk thread, figures of dragons with five claws attached to the extremity of each leg. An offender would have to bear the cangue or wooden collar for a month, after which he would receive a flogging of one hundred blows. The people must not wear dresses embroidered with gold thread. They are permitted, however, to embroider their dresses with silk thread. A lady when attending court, wears a hat precisely similar in shape and texture to that worn by her husband on such occasions. To the back of the hat, however, are attached two long silk ribbons, which hang down over her shoulders. A simpler hat is occasionally worn. The outer and inner tunics are of the same length. From the back of the neck-band of the outer tunic, two ribbons hang gracefully down. In front of her hat, a duchess wears three gold ornaments. Around her neck is a purple satin scarf which hangs down in front. The front portion of the scarf has, in the centre of it, a fringe of gold thread. Above this is the figure of a phoenix, and below it that of a dragon, embroidered in gold thread. Immediately above the fringe is fixed a large pearl. Three ear-rings are placed in the lobe of each ear, and from each ring hangs a valuable pearl. The outer tunic worn by a duchess, is of purple satin, and has a deep border of gold. On the front of the tunic, figures of two dragons are embroidered in gold thread, and on the back a figure of one dragon only. From the back of the neck-band are suspended two long silk ribbons, on each of which are sewn several precious stones or pearls. The inner tunic is of blue silk, and has a deep border of gold adorned with precious stones. On the front of the inner tunic a figure of a dragon is embroidered in gold thread. On each side of the tunic figures of four, on each cuff a figure of one, and on each sleeve figures of two dragons are embroidered. From the back of the neck-band of the inner tunic, two long ribbons are suspended, each of which is covered with pearls. The skirt worn by a duchess is of red satin. Upon it are VOL. I. BR embroidered in gold thread several figures of walking dragons. The ordinary dress of a duchess consists of an inner tunic of blue silk, on which are embroidered in gold, figures of nine dragons; and an outer tunic, with figures of eight dragons. These representations are in the form of circles. The dress of a marchioness is very similar to that of a duchess, but is not so resplendent with bullion and pearls. The wife of a civil officer of the first rank wears a hat like that worn by noblewomen. Her outer and inner tunics are in form, texture, and colour, the same as those worn by a duchess. The device, however, which is embroidered in gold on her dress, is that of a red-headed egret. Like all other ladies of rank, she wears the device of the class to which her husband belongs. Wives of military officers, however, wear figures of birds, not of beasts, on their outer tunics. Their inner tunics are embroidered with dragons, the number of which is determined by the husband's rank. Thus the wife of a military officer of the first rank has eight or nine dragons embroidered on her inner tunic, and the wife of an officer of the seventh, eighth, or ninth rank has only five. Wives of gentlemen who are without rank, may wear vestments of silk, but they are not allowed to wear tunics, or head-dresses, or pearls like those of the wives of men of rank. Each lady is limited to one gold hair-pin, and to one pair of gold ear-rings. If they feel disposed they may wear silver hair-pins, and earrings, and rings of the same material in great profusion.1 We turn to the various emblems or insignia which officials and gentlemen of rank are allowed to use when passing in procession through the streets of a city. In the procession which accompanies an officer of the first rank residing at Pekin, the insignia are as follows:-one large red umbrella; two large 1 Hair-pins were used at a very early period in China. The date given is B.C. 1122, when the Chow dynasty was reigning. In the first instance they were made of bamboo. In the reign of Siang-Wang, however, the eighteenth emperor of the Chan dynasty, in the year B.C. 651, hair-pins made of ivory were introduced to the notice of ladies of fashion; and in the reign of King-Wang, the twentyfifth emperor of the same dynasty, hair-pins made of tortoiseshell were regarded as the most becoming of all. In the reign of Chi Hwangte, that is, about the middle of the third century B. C., hair-pins, made either of silver or gold, were held in great requisition. As the head of each gold or silver hair-pin was wrought so as to resemble a phoenix, these were called phoenix pins. xv.] OFFICIAL PROCESSIONS. 371 fans, in the centre of which are recorded in letters of gold the name and titles of the officer, and on each of which are painted four representations of the sun; four banners; four spears, and two yellow rods of office. In the procession of an officer of the second rank there are only three representations of the sun on each of the fans, and two spears are carried instead of four. Two of the banners which are carried have the figure of a dragon on the one side, and that of a tiger on the other; and the other two banners have the characters Tsing and Poo, which mean "clear the way," inscribed on each of their sides. An officer of the third rank has only two representations of the sun painted on the fans of his procession; and for the fourth rank, the fans are merely bespangled with gold. One fan only is allowed to officers of any of the remaining ranks. The processions are also regulated according to rank in some other respects. These processions only take place in Pekin, when an officer is leaving the imperial capital en route to a station which has been assigned him in one of the provinces. Officers of the various ranks, who reside at Pekin, are usually accompanied when riding through the streets by a certain number of equerries. An officer of the first rank is accompanied by ten equerries, two of whom precede him, while eight follow. An officer of the second rank is preceded by two, and followed by six equerries; an officer of the third rank is preceded by two and followed by four equerries; while an officer of the fourth rank is simply preceded by one. An officer of the fifth, sixth, or seventh rank is followed by one. A red tassel attached to the martingale of a horse indicates that its rider is an officer of one of the first four ranks. Tartar officers who are of the blood royal, the four high ministers of state who constitute the cabinet council, the presidents of each of the six boards, and officers also of the second rank, if aged and infirm, may when passing through the streets of Pekin, ride in state sedan-chairs. With these exceptions all other officers, and their immediate, retainers, ride on horseback, except when leaving Pekin, en route to a provincial station An officer of the first, second, or third rank then rides in a sedan chair borne by four bearers. So soon, however, as the chair has passed beyond the gates of the city, eight bearers are appointed. To the sedan chair of an officer of an inferior rank, two sedan-chair bearers are appointed on such occasions, and outside the gates of the city the number is increased to four. The sedan chair of the higher official is furnished with dark-coloured curtains, and the top of it is surmounted by a silver globe or ball. That in which an officer of lower rank rides is surmounted by a globe or ball of block tin. Passing from the imperial capital to the provinces, let me note the nature and style of the insignia of office. To begin with the procession which accompanies a governor-general of a province, or provinces. When passing in his state sedan-chair through the streets of a city, there are borne in his train two large silk umbrellas; two banners, on each of which are representations of winged tigers; two rods of office, on the top of each of which, as an emblem of authority over the troops, is the figure of a clenched fist; two swords, each of which is supposed to resemble in shape the feather of a wild goose; two swords, the hilt of each of which is adorned with the head of an animal in brass; two yellow rods of office; two white rods of office, each of which is made of the branch of a tree called by the Chinese, Toong; two wooden boards painted red, on which are written in gold the characters Wooee and Pee, which are intended to warn persons who are riding in sedan-chairs, or who are bearing heavy burdens through the narrow streets, to turn aside and avoid meeting his excellency's cavalcade; two wooden boards painted red, on which in gold are the characters Shuk and Tsing, or Be respectful and silent; four spears, in addition to the two banners, and eight other banners on which are painted figures of dragons. The procession of a provincial governor is distinguished from that of a governor-general by the absence of the rods indicating military authority, by fans substituted for the banners with winged tigers, and by only two swords and two spears being carried. Similar points of difference indicate the lower rank of treasurers and judges of provinces, and of toutais and prefects. The sedan-chair of a governor-general or a provincial governor, or a Tartar general, or a commissioner of revenue, is borne by eight men. Provincial treasurers, provincial judges, literary chancellors, salt commissioners, toutais, and |