Page 167

the Empire of C HINA.                         t67 
we faid before eery Chinefie has f4cveral Denominations) with their Titles
and 
Dignities; and in the famemanner is ever individual Perfon invited. In the
Morning of the Fealfbday the Gucfts are again all fent*to, ith a further
En- 
treaty, not to fail to meet him at the time appointed. Laftly, an hour before
the Entertainment he fends the third timie, which (as rhcy fay) is onlydone
out of civility, to condu~ the Guefis to his Houfe : whereinto being receiv;'d
and having perform'd the ufual Complements of Saluationthey are requefted
to fit down in the firft Hall, where they axe Entertain'd with the Bean-Liquor,
or Cia; that perform'd, they are condu~ted into the printial. Room of En-
tertainment, which is richly adrn'd and furnifh'd, not "ith Carpets,
as 
among thofe of the EafI, (for they are not in ufe here) but With Piatures,
Flowers, Difhes, and the like Houfhold.luff E-,E ac  uf Q  is fcate4 apart
a four.fquare Table, well furnifh'd with Difhes upon Chairs, laid over with
Gold in a mofl rich manner, in fveral Shapes and Figures. Before they fi
down, the Mafter of the Houfe takes a Bowl in his Hand of Gold or Silver,
fill'd with Wine, and Salutes'therewith thofe that, ar eto fi uppermofltin
the 
ufual manner of bowing and holding up his Hands; which done, he goes out
into the Court-yard, where firft bowing, he offers up the Bowl, with his
Face 
turn'd to the South, and pours out the Wine as a Libation upon the Ground,.
then bowing the feond time, he returns into the Diningstoom, takes another
Bowl, and Salutes him that is to fit at the upper end, bowing to him bt.
one 
only, and then leading him by the Hand, places him at the Table xhiich 
flands in the middle of the Room ; then invites the repf to fit down after
the 
fame manner: When all the Company is feared, the chief Gue receives a 
Bowl full of Wine from the Servan of the Hourk, and driniks to the rtel ofthe
Guefis, and tothe Mailer of the Feaif; whereupon they all bow in manner 
as aforefaid. And here obferve, That the Table of the, Inviter flands in
the 
loweft part of the Hall; but with his Face he looks upon the chiqfeft Table,
Where he fits that is accounted the prime Gueft of the Feaft. 
And in regard the Chinefes do not touch the Meat with their Fingers, they
neither wafibtheir Hands either before or after Dinner. During the 1epaft,
the Mafter of the Houfe often calls for a Bowl of Wine, and drinkhig thereof,
invites his Guefts to pledge him, who likewife call for Wine to do him reafon
at the fame time. They make feveral fmall D'riughts before they empty their
Cups, after the manner of Drinking in Hofllnd; and this is duly obferv'd,
as 
well when they drink Water as Wine ; for whatever theL iquor be, they do
but fip it offby degrees, never Pottions) as we fay Pottic-deepI 
Whili the firf*Glafs is palfinguabout, Meat is trough th theTable; ;then
the Matter of the Feaf performingde ufual eremoniesof bowing and put- 
ting his Sticks into the Di, they all begin to fa to, and take two or thee
bits of a Difh, being the moft they eat of one  allt  e  ompany hold their
Sticks in their Hands till the chief G f thasg i laid dow- his, ad, whent
hat 
is done, the Servants fill nto vey ones owl f(  Wi  e; then they all 
drink, havingfirft bw'd to one another. The greatcft part o therime they
fquander away rather in drinking t     eating; and fo longas the Meal lafs,
which is generally procraedto a xeAt engJ, they ufe no other 4tan mexrr 
Dhfcousfes, or elfehave Plays or Mfik toehilsrueand trvive thir Spirits 
At thefe Feafrs the Tables are generally furnifh'd with fuh Meo as are 
eaten in Europe; and though they anotCoo  k t'hm with Epropen Curiofity,
yethey knowhow to'drefs them to ple$- the Palae nhei4 arc the Dif   i, 
cramm'd