And when they are all seated,
each in his proper place, then a great prelate rises and says with a loud
voice: "Bow and adore!" And as soon as he has said this, the company bow
down until their foreheads touch the earth in adoration towards the
Emperor as if he were a god. And this adoration they repeat four times,
and then go to a highly decorated altar, on which is a vermilion tablet
with the name of the Grand Kaan inscribed thereon, and a beautiful censer
of gold. So they incense the tablet and the altar with great reverence,
and then return each man to his seat.[NOTE 4]
When all have performed this, then the presents are offered, of which I
have spoken as being so rich and costly. And after all have been offered
and been seen by the Emperor, the tables are set, and all take their
places at them with perfect order as I have already told you. And after
dinner the jugglers come in and amuse the Court as you have heard before;
and when that is over, every man goes to his quarters.
NOTE 1. - The first month of the year is still called by the Mongols
Chaghan or Chaghan Sara, "the White" or the "White Month"; and the
wearing of white clothing on this festive occasion must have been purely a
Mongol custom. For when Shah Rukh's ambassadors were present at the New
Year's Feast at the Court of the succeeding Chinese Dynasty (2nd
February, 1421) they were warned that no one must wear white, as that
among the Chinese was the colour of mourning. (Koeppen, I. 574, II. 309;
Cathay, p. ccvii.)
NOTE 2. - On the mystic importance attached to the number 9 on all such
occasions among the Mongols, see Hammer's Golden Horde, p. 208;
Hayton, ch. iii. in Ramusio II.; Not. et Ext. XIV. Pt. I. 32; and
Strahlenberg (II. 210 of Amsterd. ed. 1757). Vambery, speaking of the
Kalin or marriage price among the Uzbegs, says: "The question is always
how many times nine sheep, cows, camels, or horses, or how many times
nine ducats (as is the custom in a town), the father is to receive for
giving up his daughter." (Sketches of Cent. Asia, p. 103.) Sheikh
Ibrahim of Darband, making offerings to Timur, presented nines of
everything else, but of slaves eight only. "Where is the ninth?"
enquired the court official. "Who but I myself?" said the Sheikh, and so
won the heart of Timur. (A. Arabsiadis ... Timuri Hist. p. 357.)
NOTE 3. - The elephant stud of the Son of Heaven had dwindled till in 1862
Dr. Rennie found but one animal; now none remain. [Dr. S. W. Williams
writes (Middle Kingdom, I. pp.
