24.) The most celebrated, however, and
that which may have inspired Mangu with the desire to have something like
it at his court, was the famous Throne of Solomon ([Greek: Solomonteos
Thronos]) of the Emperor of Constantinople, Theophilus (A.D. 829-842)....
Abulfeda states that in A.D. 917 the envoys of Constantine Porphyrogenitus
to the Caliph el Moktader saw in the palace of Bagdad a tree with eighteen
branches, some of gold, some of silver, and on them were gold and silver
birds, and the leaves of the tree were of gold and silver. By means of
machinery, the leaves were made to rustle and the birds to sing. Mirkhond
speaks also of a tree of gold and precious stones in the city of
Sultanieh, in the interior of which were conduits through which flowed
drinks of different kinds. Clavijo describes a somewhat similar tree at
the court of Timur."
Dr. Bretschneider (Peking, 28, 29) mentions a clepsydra with a lantern.
By means of machinery put in motion by water, at fixed times a little man
comes forward exhibiting a tablet, which announces the hours. He speaks
also of a musical instrument which is connected, by means of a tube, with
two peacocks sitting on a cross-bar, and when it plays, the mechanism
causes the peacocks to dance. - H. C.]
Odoric describes the great jar of liquor in the middle of the palace hall,
but in his time it was made of a great mass of jade (p. 130).
NOTE 4. - This etiquette is specially noticed also by Odoric, as well as by
Makrizi, by Rubruquis, and by Plano Carpini. According to the latter the
breach of it was liable to be punished with death. The prohibition to
tread on the threshold is also specially mentioned in a Mahomedan account
of an embassy to the court of Barka Khan. And in regard to the tents,
Rubruquis says he was warned not to touch the ropes, for these were
regarded as representing the threshold. A Russo-Mongol author of our day
says that the memory of this etiquette or superstition is still preserved
by a Mongol proverb: "Step not on the threshold; it is a sin!" But among
some of the Mongols more than this survives, as is evident from a passage
in Mr. Michie's narrative: "There is a right and a wrong way of
approaching yourt also. Outside the door there are generally ropes lying
on the ground, held down by stakes, for the purpose of tying up the
animals when they want to keep them together. There is a way of getting
over or round these ropes that I never learned, but on one occasion the
ignorant breach of the rule on our part excluded us from the hospitality
of the family." The feeling or superstition was in full force in Persia in
the 17th century, at least in regard to the threshold of the king's
palace. It was held a sin to tread upon it in entering. (Cathay, 132;
Rubr. 255, 268, 319; Plan. Carp. 625, 741; Makrizi, I. 214; Mel.
Asiat. Ac. St. Petersb. II. 660; The Siberian Overland Route, p. 97;
P. Della Valle, II. 171.)
[Mr. Rockhill writes (Rubruck, p. 104): "The same custom existed among
the Fijians, I believe. I may note that it also prevailed in ancient
China. It is said of Confucius 'when he was standing he did not occupy the
middle of the gate-way; when he passed in or out, he did not tread on the
threshold.' (Lun-yue, Bk. X. ch. iv. 2.) In China, the bride's feet must
not touch the threshold of the bridegroom's house, (Cf. Denny's Folk-lore
in China, p. 18.)
"The author of the Ch'ue keng lu mentions also the athletes with clubs
standing at the door, at the time of the khan's presence in the hall. He
adds, that next to the Khan, two other life-guards used to stand, who held
in their hands 'natural' axes of jade (axes found fortuitously in the
ground, probably primitive weapons)." (Palladius, p. 43.) - H. C.]
NOTE 5. - Some of these etiquettes were probably rather Chinese than
Mongol, for the regulations of the court of Kublai apparently combined the
two. In the visit of Shah Rukh's ambassadors to the court of the Emperor
Ch'eng Tsu of the Ming Dynasty in 1421, we are told that by the side of
the throne, at an imperial banquet, "there stood two eunuchs, each having
a band of thick paper over his mouth, and extending to the tips of his
ears.... Every time that a dish, or a cup of darassun (rice-wine) was
brought to the emperor, all the music sounded." (N. et Ext. XIV. 408,
409.) In one of the Persepolitan sculptures, there stands behind the King
an eunuch bearing a fan, and with his mouth covered; at least so says
Heeren. (Asia, I. 178.)
NOTE 6. - "Jongleours et entregetours de maintes plusieurs manieres de
granz experimenz" (P.); "de Giuculer et de Tregiteor" (G. T.). Ital.
Tragettatore, a juggler; Romance, Trasjitar, Tragitar, to juggle. Thus
Chaucer: -
"There saw I playing Jogelours,
Magiciens, and Tragetours,
And Phetonisses, Charmeresses,
Old Witches, Sorceresses," etc.
- House of Fame, III. 169.
And again: -
"For oft at festes have I wel herd say,
That Tregetoures, within an halle large,
Have made come in a water and a barge,
And in the halle rowen up and doun.
Somtime hath semed come a grim leoun;
* * * * *
Somtime a Castel al of lime and ston,
And whan hem liketh, voideth it anon."
- The Franklin's Tale, II. 454.
Performances of this kind at Chinese festivities have already been spoken
of in note 9 to ch. lxi. of Book I. Shah Rukh's people, Odoric, Ysbrandt
Ides, etc., describe them also.
