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Show = ed General Defcription o Wodncnnasa -- ""-_\ to the threfhold, and there again bows and lifts up hi hands, to which the Guefi SR e -- -"#Tg-.-;;'___.,"ii make a {utable return 5 and thus they part without any other kind of C or Ceremony. - It may beas they are ridin away, he will fudden] Y Come againt the door, and perform the laft Complement in ufing the word Cin, putting up hands on high, and then down again 5 in all whic a& on th fa re ur is ag by the Guefts, who notwithftanding thefe fo malities of courtefie, make no ft not hale by the way Laft of all, He fends his Man to fee how they ge ho and to falute them in his name ; and this is likewife don by the Guefls, who fori their Servantsto return him thanks Thusfar we have treated after wha manner the Chinefes Salute, Vifit, an fend Prefents to each other. Now we will {peak of thei more Solemn Entertain ments, where n they are much concerned, for they difpatc moft of their bufinef and Tranfaltions at Feaftings and Topeings (no only {uch as live 2 well ordere and more private life, but the very Priefts themf{elves and count the greatnefs o Friendfhip by th value of the Entertainment of their Friends an th f in ee may rather and more truely be ftiled drinkin meals, according to the antien cuftom of th Greeky, then eating meals ; for though they fip bu lit l a time yet they fip often, and that for feveral hours together They neither ufe Spoons, Forks, nor Knives at their Meat bu ro n fti k o about halfafoot long, like our Drum flicks, wherewit they are very dexterou to take up Meat and to put into their Mouths, without once touching it wit the Fingers Thefe fticks are made of Ebbony, or other hard Wood an ti pd the end with Gold or Silver. But here you are to tak notice, that all fores o flefh are brought to the Table hathe, cut in {mall picces. The drink their liquors which are generally made of Beans, Zia, or Water, boiling hot i the heat of Sum mer, Wine only excepted, which is drunk naturally : and they fin by experience that {uch hot liquors are very good and comfortable for the Stomack be n ver great Cordials and firengthners of the inward parts 5 and to thef means they attribute their long Lives and Healths, being very brisk and lively a {eventy o cighty years of Age. - And indeed by this means I conceive the Chinefes ar pre{erved from the Stone in the Bladder, wherewith a very great part o the peopl of Europe are very much aflicled, and which divers Learned Men have belicve t proceed from no other caufe, then their continual drinking of cool drink When any perfonis invited to a great Entertainment, the Inviter fend to hi Gueft, two or three days before, a Book, wherein is contained, befide the Inviter own name, the ufual form of Salutation in few words ; then is declared; that he i preparinga Feaft of Green Herbs, and has rinfed his Bowls to entertain the a {ucha time and hour, which commonly is in the night; and therefore doth intrea him to do him the favour to give him a meeting On the outfide of the fam Schedule, isfixed a piece of Red Paper, upon which iswritten the chiefeft name or Attributes of the Guefts (for as before {aid, every Chinefe has {everal denominations) with their Titles,and Dignitiés ; and in the fime manner is every individua perfon invited. In the morning of the Feaft-day, the Guefts are againall fent to with afurther entreaty, not to fail to meet him at the time appointed Laftly, Af hour before, he fends the third time (whichas they fay) is only done out of civility, to conduét the Guefts to his houfe Whereinto being received, and having performed the ufual Complementso Salutation, theyare requefted to fit down in the firf} Hall, where they are enter tained with the Bean liquor, or Ciz that performed, they are condud&ed into t.h principal room of Entertainment, which is richly adorned and furnifhed not wit Carpets, as among thofe of the Eafi,(for they are not in ufe here)but with Pic ure Flowers, Difhes, and the like houfhold-ftuff. Each Gueftis feate apart at?fom quar |
