Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 1.djvu/181

 cups of mulled wine upon the current, each composing a stanza as the little messenger reached him, or drinking its contents by way of penalty for lack of poetic inspiration. There were also the flower festivals—that for the plum-blossoms, that for the iris, and that for the lotus, all of which were instituted in this same Nara epoch—when the composition of couplets was quite as important as the viewing of the flowers. There was further the grand New Year's banquet in the "hall of tranquillity" at the Court, when all officials from the sixth grade downwards sang a stanza of loyal gratitude, accompanying themselves on the koto. Specially remarkable was the utagaki, which in this epoch assumed the dimensions of a grand spectacular display. Hundreds of youths and maidens, wearing blue silk robes with long red girdles, assembled at the palace gate and danced in the presence of the Emperor, the men and women in separate rows; and thereafter continued the performance through the city, singing in union some simple stanza, such as

It was an era of refined, effeminate amusements. Wrestling had now become the pursuit of professionals. Aristocrats engaged in no rougher