Xvi. Odoric speaks of four
great yearly festivals, but there are obvious errors in what he says on
this subject. Hammer says the great Mongol Feasts were three, viz. New
Year's Day, the Kaan's Birthday, and the Feast of the Herds.
Something like the changes of costume here spoken of is mentioned by
Rubruquis at a great festival of four days' duration at the court of
Mangku Kaan: "Each day of the four they appeared in different raiment,
suits of which were given them for each day of a different colour, but
everything on the same day of one colour, from the boots to the turban."
So also Carpini says regarding the assemblies of the Mongol nobles at the
inauguration of Kuyuk Kaan: "The first day they were all clad in white
pourpre (? albis purpuris, see Bk. I. ch. vi. note 4), the second day in
ruby pourpre, the third day in blue pourpre, the fourth day in the finest
baudekins." (Cathay, 141; Rubr. 368; Pl. Car. 755.)
[Mr. Rockhill (Rubruck, p. 247, note) makes the following remarks:
"Odoric, however, says that the colours differed according to the rank.
The custom of presenting khilats is still observed in Central Asia and
Persia. I cannot learn from any other authority that the Mongols ever wore
turbans. Odoric says the Mongols of the imperial feasts wore 'coronets'
(in capite coronati)." - H. C.]
NOTE 4. - ["The accounts given by Marco Polo regarding the feasts of the
Khan and the festival dresses at his Court, agree perfectly with the
statements on the same subject of contemporary Chinese writers. Banquets
were called in the common Mongol language chama, and festival dresses
chisun. General festivals used to be held at the New Year and at the
Birthday of the Khan. In the Mongol-Chinese Code, the ceremonies
performed 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 wish each other happiness and good luck for the
coming year. On that day, I can assure you, among the customary presents
there shall be offered to the Kaan from various quarters more than 100,000
white horses, beautiful animals, and richly caparisoned. [And you must
know 'tis their custom in offering presents to the Great Kaan (at least
when the province making the present is able to do so), to present nine
times nine articles. For instance, if a province sends horses, it sends
nine times nine or 81 horses; of gold, nine times nine pieces of gold, and
so with stuffs or whatever else the present may consist of.][NOTE 2]
On that day also, the whole of the Kaan's elephants, amounting fully to
5000 in number, are exhibited, all covered with rich and gay housings of
inlaid cloth representing beasts and birds, whilst each of them carries on
his back two splendid coffers; all of these being filled with the
Emperor's plate and other costly furniture required for the Court on the
occasion of the White Feast.[NOTE 3] And these are followed by a vast
number of camels which are likewise covered with rich housings and laden
with things needful for the Feast. All these are paraded before the
Emperor, and it makes the finest sight in the world.
