Book of Etiquette and Ceremonial

The divining (with the stalks) is carried on in the doorway of the ancestral temple. The father of the boy, as Master of Ceremonies, in his dark cap, dress clothes, black silk girdle, and white knee-pads, takes his place on the east side of the doorway, with his face to the west. The assistants, dressed like the Master of Ceremonies, take their places on the west side, facing east, and graded from the north. The divining stalks, the mat, and the recording materials, are all laid out in the western gatehouse. Then the mat is spread in the doorway, to the west of the mid-post, and outside the threshold. Taking up the stalks, the diviner draws off the upper case, and holding it, along with the stalks, still in the lower case, he goes forward to take his instructions from the Master of Ceremonies. The steward, standing on the Master of Ceremonies' right, and a little behind him, assists by voicing the instructions. The diviner assents, and, turning to the right, goes to his mat and sits down, facing west, his recorder being on his left. When he has finished manipulating the stalks, the diagram resulting is written on a board, and shown to the Master of Ceremonies. He takes it, and, after looking at it, returns it. Then those taking part in the divination examine the diagram in turn, and when they have finished, the diviner reports that the result is favourable. If the result is unfavourable, they proceed to divine for a day farther off, observing the same rules as above. Then the stalks and the mat are removed. And the Director of Ceremonial announces that the business is at an end. The Master of Ceremonies in person apprises his friends who are to be guests at the ceremony, who, after formally asking to be excused, finally consent. The Master of Ceremonies bows twice, and the guest bows in return; whereupon he withdraws, the guest bowing him farewell. Three days before the date fixed for the ceremony they divine concerning the man selected to be the principal guest, with usages similar to those employed in divining concerning the day. Then the Master of Ceremonies goes in person forthwith to bid the principal guest. He, dressed like the Master of Ceremonies, comes out to the left of his own door, and, turning west, bows twice. The Master of Ceremonies, facing east, returns the bows. The Master of Ceremonies then bids the guest, who accepts. The Master of Ceremonies bows twice, and the guest returns his bows. Thereafter the Master of Ceremonies retires, the guest bowing farewell to him as he goes. The bidding of the other assistants at the capping is conducted in a similar fashion. On the eve of the day the time is fixed outside the door of the temple. The Master of Ceremonies stands to the east of the door, with his brothers and cousins to the south of him, and slightly retired, facing west, and graded from the north. The assistants, all dressed as at the bidding, stand on the west side of the door, facing east, and graded from the north. The usher asks the Master of Ceremonies to name a time; and when he has done so, the steward announces it, saying: "Tomorrow, at full light, the ceremony will commence." The usher announces this to the relatives and the assistants. The Director of Ceremonial declares that the business is at an end. Then the usher announces the time at the houses of the guests. Rising early in the morning, they set out the used-water jar abreast the eastern wall, and as far south of it as the depth of the hall, the water being placed to the east of the jar. They then set out the clothes for the graduand under the west wall of the east chamber, collars eastwards, and graded from the north. There is the russet-coloured cap suit: the crimson skirt, the black silk coat, and the red leather knee-caps. The white deer-skin cap suit: the white surcingle, the black silk girdle, and the white knee-caps. For the suit of dark square-clothes, the dark skirt, yellow skirt, or skirt of mixed colours, black and yellow will do, with the black silk girdle and the russet knee-caps. There are also the dark cloth cap, with its band split at the back, and laced, the blue silk pin-string being fixed on to it; the black silk coif-cloth, whose breadth is the breadth of a web of cloth, and its length six feet; the hatpin worn with the skin cap, and the hatpin worn with the russet cap. The dark hat-strings are also there with their crimson edge, and all are put together in a square splint trunk. The comb is placed in a round box. Two mats are spread to the south of the clothes. The single wine-holder is a jar of must, placed to the north of the clothes, with next it the cup-basket, in which are placed the ladle, goblet, and spoon. After this come the relishes: the dried meat, and pickled hash, graded from the south. The attendants take the russet, skin, and dark cloth caps, each in its own box, and wait to the south of the western cupboard, with their faces southward, graded from the east; and when the principal guest is ascending the steps, they face the east. The Master of Ceremonies, in dark square clothes and russet knee-caps, stands at the foot of the eastern steps, in line with the eastern inner wall, and facing west. The relatives, in suits all black, stand behind him to the east of the water-jar, facing westward, and graded from the north. The usher, in black square-clothes, stands with his back to the east gate-house. The graduand, in coloured clothes, and with his hair tied together, stands in the chamber with his face southward. The guest, dressed like the Master of Ceremonies, and followed by his attendants in black square-clothes, stands outside the outer gate. The usher, to whom his arrival has been intimated, announces his coming to the Master of Ceremonies. He goes to meet him, issuing by the left of the door. Turning his face west, he bows twice, the guest bowing in return. The Master of Ceremonies then salutes the attendants, exchanges a salutation with the guest, and finally precedes him in. At each turn in their progress he again salutes. When they arrive at the door of the temple he salutes again, inviting him to enter, and in the advance up the court he salutes three times. When they arrive at the steps they mutually yield precedence three times. Then the Master of Ceremonies ascends, and stands at the end of the eastern inner wall, facing west; and the guest, standing at the end of the west inner wall, faces east. The attendants wash their hands at the west side of the used-water jar, and then go up, and stand within the chamber, facing west, and graded from the south. The assistant to the Master of Ceremonies spreads a mat near the end of the east inner wall, a little to the north, and facing west. The graduand issues from the chamber, and stands with his face to the south. The assistant lays out the coif-cloth, hatpin, and comb on the southern end of the mat. The principal guest salutes the graduand, who goes forward to the mat and sits down; after which the assistant combs his hair, and puts on him the coif-cloth. The guest goes down the western steps to wash his hands, while the Master of Ceremonies goes down those on the east, the guest declining the honour, and the Master of Ceremonies making a suitable reply. ...