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.
