ich I will explain later--also called the Dragon Boat
Festival. All the Viceroys, Governors and high officials, besides
the Imperial Family, Court ladies and eunuchs, all offer Her Majesty
beautiful presents. I never saw such a lot of things as came into the
Palace during this festival. Each person who sent in presents must
accompany them with a sheet of yellow paper, and at the right lower
corner the sender's name must be written and also the word Kuai Jin,
meaning to present their gifts kneeling, also to write what the presents
were. The eunuchs took big yellow trays to bring them in. During these
five days everyone was busy, especially the eunuchs. I could not count
just how many people sent presents to Her Majesty. The presents were of
every kind, such as things for the household; silks and jewelry of all
kinds and description. A large part of the presents were foreign goods
of the ordinary kind. I also saw lovely carved thrones and embroideries.
Her Majesty ordered them to be put away, and the foreign things to be
kept in her Palace, for those were new to her.

The third day of the fifth moon was the day for just the people of the
Palace to make presents. It was a most beautiful sight to see. We were
busy all night making preparations, and had to go and help the Young
Empress. The next morning we placed our presents in the big courtyard
in these big yellow trays. The Young Empress had her trays in the first
row. The presents from the Young Empress to the Empress Dowager were
made by her own hands. There were ten pairs of shoes, silk embroidered
handkerchiefs, little bags for betel nuts, and bags for tobacco, all
exquisitely done. The Secondary wife of the Emperor Kwang Hsu presented
about the same to Her Majesty. The Court ladies' presents were all
different, as we could ask permission to go out shopping before the
Feast. We could not go out together, for one or two of us must be there
at all times, and it was very exciting to tell each other what we had
bought. We ourselves did not ask permission to go out of the Palace,
for we had our presents ready long before. Everyone seemed to be talking
about presents, whether Her Majesty would like them or not. My mother,
my sister and myself had written to Paris to get some lovely French
brocades, one set of furniture, French Empire style. We had learned Her
Majesty's taste already during our short stay there, so including those
presents we also gave her fans, perfumes, soa