#shared lanterns

Pitch-pot 投壶 [tóuhú] this is an ancient game played at feats. A specially made pot was set up, and guests and hosts took turns throwing arrows at it. The one who hit the most targets won, and the loser got to drink.

Jiju 马球 [măqiú] polo. In ancient China was called 击鞠 [jījū]. As for its origin, one theory is that polo was brought from Persia to Tubo during the Tang dynasty and then became popular in the Central Plains. Another theory holds that polo was created by the ancient chinese: ancient literature contains a poem that mentions this sport. From this, it can be suggested that polo already existed during the Eastern Han dynasty.

Tea testing 饮茶 [yĭnchá] a type of tea culture that involves going to a tea house to drink tea and eat dim sum (it's listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Guangdong Province). Dim sum is divided into sweet and savory food, most of which are served hot, steamed in bamboo streamers.

Drinking wine 品酒 [pĭn//jiŭ] the history of wine and wine making in China is very rich and dates back to the Neolithic era. Wine culture continued to develop actively, and wine drinking became popular among the nobility. During the Zhou dynasty, "wine etiquette" began to be promoted, limiting the primary use of wine to sacrificial rites. Dynasties replace each other, wine production technologies developed, as did culture. Wine culture became closely intertwined with the culture of scientists and writers. «酒催诗兴» wine inspires poetry: a proverb that captures the essence of the culture during the Tang dynasty, where wine inspired poets and was reflected in their poems.

Flower viewing 赏花 [shănghuā] flower admiration has been part of culture since ancient times. There were even special "flower calendars" that described which flowers should be admired in different months. A leisurely stroll during which a noble lady could decorate her intricate hairstyle with fresh flower, feasts where people drank wine and composed poetry, festivals - all these are different forms of flower viewing.

Pai gow 牌九 [páijiŭ] this is a traditional chinese domino game that appeared in the second year of emperor Huizong's regin in the Song dynasty.

Shuanglu 双陆 [shuānglù] backgammon is another popular chinese board game. Backgammon was popular since the Tang dynasty, but gradually lost popularity by the Qing dynasty.

Chupu 樗蒲 [chūpú] a board game also known as "五木" (five trees), popular from the late Han dynasty to the Wei and Jin dynasties. There are two main theories about the origin of this game: the first is that chupu was created by Laozi when he entered the Hu region. The second is that chupu was brought from the Western regions.

Silk ball ceremony 抛绣球 [pāoxiùqiú] throwing the embroidered ball. It's a traditional chinese folk entertainment that originated from the weapon "飞砣". The Song dynasty book "岭外答" recorded that it transformed into a way of expressing love between men and women. This is an old custom of choosing a husband, in which a girl throws an embroidered ball of colorful silk into the crowd. If the person, who catches the silk ball, is unmarried and doesn't return it, it will be considered as a acceptance of the marriage. (Usually, the girl would aim at her chosen man, throwing the ball so that he would catch it). This day usually falls on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month or on the fifteenth day of the eight lunar month. This custom existed even in the Tang dynasty.

Climbing 登高 [dēnggāo] this word, in one variant, refers to seasonal customs, such as climbing to high places during the Double Ninth Festival. 重阳节 a chinese festival celebrating the harvest, praying for longevity, and showing respect and care for the elderly. Climbing mountains to admire autumn and expressing gratitude to elders are two main themes of Double Ninth Festival activities. (The poet Du Fu also wrote a poem with the same title 登高).

Elixir of immortality 仙丹 [xiāndān] elixir of life. Achieving immortality can be called one of the central themes of Taoism. And the idea of immortality naturally interested emperors. Doctors, alchemists and taoists sought ways to create a miracle pill of immortality. What was this medicine? Dark spherical pill of homogeneous mass. The mixture was no less interesting: mercury, sulfur, lead (plumbum), gold and other materials. Naturally, no one will live long after using such a remedy.

Lanterns 灯 [dēng] the traditional of releasing lanterns into the sky (or on water), is associated with the Lantern Festival 元宵节 [yuánxiāojié] the final event of the Spring Festival (15th of the 1st lunar month). There are many theories and legends about the origin of this festival. In some versions, lanterns were lit in honor of the worship of a deity from taoism or buddhism. This festival is also called "Chinese valentine's day". In ancient times, curfews and strict etiquette didn't allow men and women to meet freely. However, during the Lantern Festival, there was no need to worry about such strict rules, and young women and men were free to spend time together: admire lanterns, solve riddles, play games, or eat festive food.

Taels 两 [luăng] a unit of weight for silver, 市两 equivalent to 50 grams. Old liang equivalent to 31.25 grams.

Li 市里 [shìlĭ] a traditional unit of length, equivalent to 0.5 kilometer.

Part 2. Event's story. 东家手录

• Chapter 1: puzzling rings.

Jiulianhuan 九连环 [jiŭliánhuán] traditional chinese puzzle rings. A brainteaser toy consisting of nine rings interlocked on a looped handle, the objective being to remove the rings from the handle. Its history spans approximately 2,000 years. The ancient nine-link ring was made from various materials, such as jade, silver, and ivory.

• Chapter 2: candlelit delicacies.

Eight treasure congee with lotus seeds 八宝莲子粥 [bāobăoliánzĭzhōu] it's a traditional porridge, usually made from lotus seeds and glutinous rice, with the addition of candied fruits: walnut, honey dates, sunflower seeds, raisin, plum, etc. (there are also different recipe options with different dried fruits).

• Chapter 3: tower view.

Fireworks 烟火 [yānhuo] the ancestor of fireworks was gunpowder, which was created by accident while alchemists working on the elixir of immortality. From the tradition of warding off evil spirits and praying for blessings, fireworks have become an integral part of the Spring and the Lantern Festivals.

Wind chimes 风铎 [fēngduó] wind chimes, hung under the eaves of temples and pagodas, served various functions: scaring away birds, ward off evil spirits, and protecting the building. Wind chimes are usually made of metal such as gold, copper, iron and other materials. In early times, the bell clapper was mainly made of copper strip, but later materials such as jade and agate began to be used.

• Chapter 4: auspicious red.

Manicure 美甲 [měijiă] during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, women mixed rubber, egg white, gelatin, and beeswax, and then added metal powder to make nail polish. During the Tang dynasty not only women but also a men painted their nails. Members of the royal family could paint their nails black and red, while ordinary nobles could only use lighter colors. Another traditional method involved crushing balsam petals, adding alum, and applying the resulting mixture to the nails. Usually, freshly painted nails were bandaged with a leaf and left for several days until the pigment was absorbed into the nail plate.

Part 3. Event's story. 闲情锁记

• Prologue. A meeting of minds.

Flower pastries 鲜花饼 [xiānhuābĭng] a traditional chinese snack made from flour, roses, chrysanthemums, magnolias, sesame seeds, peanuts, walnuts, jujube paste.

• Chapter 2. The poem continues in our every day.

Luanniao 鸾鸟 [luánniăo] a mythical bird, like phoenix, from ancient chinese legends. In the book "Classic of Mountains and Seas", the luan is described as a bird similar to a pheasant, only with five-colored feathers. The bird's voice is clear and ringing, like the sound of copper bells. Seeing it, is an suspicious sign.

• Chapter 5. Real heart for real heart.

"...A golden-bronze mirror inlaid with white jade, carved with soaring luanniao..." «...鎏金钱铜镜,嵌白玉,雕飞鸾...». Bronze mirrors were actively produced during the Shang and Zhou dynasties. By the Han period, their production had undergone a qualitative leap, becoming more refined and featuring a wide variety of patterns on the back. Another peak of progress occured during the Tang dynasty. White jade can carry a message of purity, unwavering love, and is also a indicator of status. The luan pattern symbolizes perfect harmony between husband and wife. The luan bird symbolizes stability, peace, loyality and steadfastness. In various works, the name of this bird is an alternative to the phoenix. Sometimes the luan is called a young phoenix. One text says that phoenix give birth to luan, and luan give birth to ordinary birds.

Part 4. Sylus' outfit

>>Analysis for another outfits from mortality's tenderness event<<

Cherished Embrace 怀珍 [huáizhēn] during the Sui and Tang dynasties, the yellow clothes became the exclusive clothing of the emperor. The emperor even ordered officials and commoners to refrain from wearing yellow clothing. However, this color officially became a symbol of imperial power after the Chenqiao Rebellion, and this monopoly lasted until the Qing dynasty.

Jade ring. One of the functions of a jade ring is to hook the bowstring and protect the finger when shooting a bow. However, such rings were also a decorations, that showed status. These exquisite rings were decorated with carvings of various images, including poems.

Jade pendant.

禁步 [jìnbù] were not only a status symbol, but could also be part of a bride's dowry, containing the auspicious meaning of "follow etiquette step by step". There was also a functional use for these pendants: they weighed down the skirt so that the light fabrics did not flutter too much in the wind.

玉佩 [yùpèi] jade pendants were also used to express feelings. Such a gift could have a romantic connotation. The designs on the pendants had many auspicious meanings: good fortune, longevity, blessing, protection from evil spirits, and much more.

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it♥️ Please feel free to let me know if you see a typo or mistake in the text.