Chau Ju-Kua - University of Oregon Libraries

1 5:6 BOBXEQ. 1,39
To bury their dead they have coffins und cerements, and they carry them
to the hills on bamboo biers where they are left unheeded. "When they commence
ploughing in the second moon, they-offer sacrifices to their spirits (jjfli), but
"when seven years have elapsed, they discontinue these sacrifices.
The seventh day of the twelfth; moon Js their New Year's day. The 5
country is for the greater part hot. When the inhabitants give a feast, they
make merry by beating drums, blowing flutes^ striking gongs, and by singing
. and dancing. They make use of bamboo or pei-to leaves plaited together in
lieu of dishes and cups, and throw them away when the meal is finish-ed.
This country is close to the country of Ti-mon (/g f^). There is a lo
medicinal tree, the root of which is boiled into aa ointment; the latter is taken
iaternally and also rubbed all over the body, by this means sword wounds
never prove fatal®.
The country produces the following articles: camphor of four varieties,
mei-hua-nau (^ 1(^ JJ^), su-nau (^ |^), Jdn-kiau-nau (^ j^^|J J^^), 15
and mi-nau (^ ^^), yellow wax, laka-wood-and tortoise-shell; and the
foreign traders barter for these trade-gold and trade-silver, imitation silk
brocades, brocades of Kien-yang |||r), (^ variegated silk lustrings, varie-
gated silk floss (^), glass beads, glass bottles, tin, leaden sinkers for nets,
ivory armlets, rouge, lacquered bowls and plates, and green porcelain '. 20
Three days after a foreign ship has arrived, at these shores, the king
and his family, at the head of the court grandees, (Note: the.king's attendants
are styled Ta-j6n, -^ ^), go on board to enquire concerning the hardships of
the journey. The ship's people cover the gang-plank with silk brocade, receive
them reverently, treat them to all kinds of wine, and distribute among 25
them, according to rank, presents of gold and silver vessels, mats with cloth
borders and umbrellas ^ When the ship's people have moored and gone on
shore, it is customary, before they touch upon the question of bartering, for
the traders to oifer to the king daily gifts of Chinese food and liquors: it is
for this reason that when vessels go to P'o-ni {^ '^), they must take with 30
them one or two good cooks. On the full moon and new moon days they must
also attend at the king's levee®, and all this for about a month or so, after
which they request the king and the grandees of his suite to fix with them
the prices of their goods; this being done, drums are beaten, in order to
announce to all the people near and far that permission to trade with them 35
has been granted. Clandestine trading previous to the prices being fixed is
punishable. It is customary to treat the traders with great regard; for, if any
of them commits a capital ofiense, he is let off with a fine and is not killed. .
.