20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

652 TATIANA paninto another jug. This is done nine times and is followed by music andsinging performed by eunuchs. After that, the shamans bow to the statue ofBuddha and images of Fusa and Guan-mafa-enduri.Then the shamans walk into the chapel where another sacrifice isalready prepared for the spirits of the ancestors. It consists of linden treeleaves bread on silver plates and sweet wine in two blue glazed porcelainbowls. A coniferous tree pole is put on a high table and twenty-seven roundpaper coins are hung on it. It is sacrificial money from the imperial house,which is added by paper coins from the other clan families. Two shamansmake wine sacrifice nine times, and this ceremony is followed by musicand singing performed by eunuchs.Then one shaman remains in the chapel, while the other returns backto the shrine, takes the shamanic sword, puts it on earth, kneels on it andbows three times. This he does three times, bowing all together nine times.After that, he recites invocation to the spirits. At the same time, the sameinvocation is recited by the other shaman, who remained in the chapel.The whole ceremony is finished by kneeling and bowing to the images,then the case with the throne of Buddha is closed, the scrolls with the imagesof Fusa and Guan-mafa-enduri are folded, everything is put on sacrificialcarriages and brought back to the imperial palace.Sacrificial wine and bread is equally distributed among those whoparticipated in the ceremony.The “Imperial Code of Shamanic sacrifices” also gives the text of theinvocation in the shamanic sacrificial hall:“Sons of the Heaven! Fucihi and Fusa! Governors and tutors!Commanders of warriors! Guan-i beise!”On this festival day of the birth of Buddha we gathered from varioushouses [of our Aisin Gioro clan] to make the sacrifice to the ancestor'sspirits and weceku for humble persons born in ... year. In order to make ourwine sacrifice sufficient, you, the spirits, crowd around our heads, gatheron our sides and shoulders, protect us in front, support us from behind andunite us with happiness, joy and prosperity.Make our hair white, make our teeth yellow and give us as many yearsof life as possible, longevity and deep roots for our clan. Spirits of theancestors, protect us. Weceku, support us and give us long life”.From this detailed description of the Ceremony of washing the Buddhastatue, we can see that it is clearly divided into two parts: one is washingthe statue of Buddha in honey water, the other is a shamanic sacrifice and