Illustrations of Japan (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1822 edition. Excerpt: ...are put branches of the tree called Fanna-siba, and other beautiful flowers, and care is taken to keep lanterns lighted up for two days and three nights. On the morning of the 14th, the jug of water is taken away, and small cups full of tea are placed in its stead; these are filled twice or thrice a day for each tablet; before which also are set two plates, covered with boiled rice and other kinds of food, the one for breakfast and the other for dinner. In the interval between these two meals, various sorts of dainties, as laksak, cakes, stewed mansi, sugar-loaves, #-c, are, placed before the tablet. Towards evening they begin to light lanterns before each si-sek, or stone erected over the graves in the burial grounds; they are suspended from long bamboos laid across two sticks, and burn till ten in the morning. This practice was introduced under Go-forikawa-no-in, the eighty-fifth Dairi, on the 14th of the seventh month of the second year Kouan-ki, or A.D. 1230. In front of the sepulchral stone is placed a small square stone dish with pure water, and on each side a goblet of stone or bamboo, round or square, with a small green branch of the tree Fanna-siba. In two shorter pieces of bamboo are burned small pastils; and stewed mansi, sweetmeats, and other delicacies, are set at the same time on the grave. In the night of the 15th, the offering is made in the houses before the tablets as on the preceding day; and lanterns are in like manner lighted near the tombs. On the 16th, at three in the morning, all the different articles of food that have been mentioned are packed up in small straw boats, and carried to the market by the country people of the neighbouring villages: the sails of these vessels are of coloured paper, silk, or canvass....