红楼梦Chapter13_小升初阅读_小升初-查字典英语网

红楼梦Chapter13

Chia Chen wept so bitterly that he was like a man of tears. Of the whole family， whether young or old， distant relatives or close friends， he was just explaining to Chia Tai-ju and the rest， who did not know that this girl was a hundred times better than even our son? but now that her spirit has retired， its evident that this elder branch of the family will be cut off and that there will be no survivor.

While he gave vent to these words， he again burst into tears， and the whole company of relatives set to work at once to pacify him. She has already departed this life， they argued， and tears are also of no avail， besides the pressing thing now is to consult as to what kind of arrangements are to be made.

Chia Chen clapped his hands. What arrangements are to be made! he exclaimed; nothing is to be done， but what is within my means.

As they conversed， they perceived Chin Yeh and Chin Chung， as well as several relations of Mrs. Yu， arrive， together with Mrs. Yus sisters; and Chia Chen forthwith bade Chia Chung， Chia Shen， Chia Lin and Chia Se， the four of them， to go and entertain the guests; while he， at the same time， issued directions to go and ask the Astrologer of the Imperial Observatory to come and choose the days for the ceremonies.

(This Astrologer) decided that the coffin should remain in the house for seven times seven days， that is forty-nine days; that after the third day， the mourning rites should be begun and the formal cards should be distributed; that all that was to be done during these forty-nine days was to invite one hundred and eight Buddhist bonzes to perform， in the main Hall， the High Confession Mass， in order to ford the souls of departed relatives across the abyss of suffering， and afterwards to transmute the spirit (of Mrs. Ch that， in addition， an altar should be erected in the Tower of Heavenly Fragrance， where nine times nine virtuous Taoist priests should， for nineteen days， offer up prayers for absolution from punishment， and purification from retribution. That after these services， the tablet should be moved into the Garden of Concentrated Fragrance， and that in the presence of the tablet， fifteen additional eminent bonzes and fifteen renowned Taoist Priests should confront the altar and perform meritorious deeds every seven days.