in the provinces on the Khan's Birthday are described. One month
before that day the civil and military officers repaired to a temple,
where a service was performed to the Khan's health. On the morning of the
Birthday a sumptuously adorned table was placed in the open air, and the
representatives of all classes and all confessions were obliged to
approach the table, to prostrate themselves and exclaim three times:
_Wan-sui_ (i.e. 'Ten thousand years' life to the Khan). After that the
banquet took place. In the same code (in the article on the _Ye li ke un_
[Christians, _Erke-un_]) it is stated, that in the year 1304,--owing to a
dispute, which had arisen in the province of Kiang-nan between the
_ho-shang_ (Buddhist priests) and the Christian missionaries, as to
precedence in the above-mentioned ceremony,--a special edict was published,
in which it was decided that in the rite of supplication, Christians should
follow the Buddhist and Taouist priests." (_Palladius_, pp. 44-45.)--H. C.]

[1] There are thirteen months to the Chinese year in seven out of every
nineteen.

["This interval of 10 years comprises 235 lunar months, generally 125
_long_ months of 30 days 110 _short_ months of 29 days, (but sometimes
124 _long_ and 111 _short_ months), and 7 _intercalary_ months. The
year of twelve months is called a common year, that of thirteen
months, an _intercalary_ year." (_P. Hoang, Chinese Calendar_, p. 12.
--H. C.)]

CHAPTER XV.

OF THE GREAT FESTIVAL WHICH THE KAAN HOLDS ON NEW YEAR'S DAY.

The beginning of their New Year is the month of February, and on that
occasion the Great Kaan and all his subjects made such a Feast as I now
shall describe.

It is the custom that on this occasion the Kaan and all his subjects
should be clothed entirely in white; so, that day, everybody is in white,
men and women, great and small. And this is done in order that they may
thrive all through the year, for they deem that white clothing is
lucky.[NOTE 1] On that day also all the people of all the provinces and
governments and kingdoms and countries that own allegiance to the Kaan
bring him great presents of gold and silver, and pearls and gems, and rich
textures of divers kinds. And this they do that the Emperor throughout the
year may have abundance of treasure and enjoyment without care. And the
people also make presents to each other of white things, and embrace and
kiss and make merry, and wi