e prepared a list of names of the people she desired to attend the
ceremony of Tzu Sui. This ceremony was held on the last day of each year
and was something like the midnight services usually held in Europe on
the last night of each old year--just a farewell ceremony to bid the old
year adieu. The guests were invited about a fortnight ahead, so as to
give them plenty of time to get ready. Her Majesty also ordered new
winter clothing for the Court ladies. The only difference between these
new garments and those we were then wearing was that they were trimmed
with the fur of the silver fox instead of the gray squirrel.

The next thing was to prepare cakes, which were to be placed before the
Buddhas and ancestors, during the New Year. It was necessary that Her
Majesty should make the first one herself. So when Her Majesty decided
that it was time to prepare these cakes the whole Court went into a
room specially prepared for the purpose and the eunuchs brought in the
ingredients-ground rice, sugar and yeast. These were mixed together into
a sort of dough and then steamed instead of baked, which caused it to
rise just like ordinary bread, it being believed that the higher the
cake rises, the better pleased are the gods and the more fortunate
the maker. The first cake turned out fine and we all congratulated Her
Majesty, who was evidently much pleased herself at the result. Then
she ordered each of the Court ladies to make one, which we did, with
disastrous results, not one turning out as it should. This being my
first year, there was some excuse for my failure, but I was surprised
that none of the older Court ladies fared any better, and on inquiring
from one of them the reason, she replied: "Why, I did it purposely, of
course, so as to flatter Her Majesty's vanity. Certainly I could make
them just as well as she, if not better, but it would not be good
policy." After we had all finished making our cakes, the eunuchs were
ordered to make the rest, and needless to say they were perfect in every
way.

The next thing was to prepare small plates of dates and fresh fruits
of every kind. These were decorated with evergreens, etc., and placed
before the images of Buddha. Then we prepared glass dishes of candy,
which were to be offered to the God of the Kitchen. On the twenty-third
day of the last moon the God of the Kitchen left this earth to go on a
visit to the King of Heaven, to whom he reported all that we had been
doing duri