Page:History of India Vol 9.djvu/168

 134 A CHINESE ACCOUNT BY HIUAN TSANG it. The schools differ as to the colour of this garment, whether yellow or red. The Kshatriyas and the Brahmans are plain and simple in their dress, and they live in a homely and frugal way. The king of the country and the chief ministers affect clothing of a good and fashionable style. They adorn their heads with garlands and jew- elled caps; they ornament themselves with bracelets and necklaces. Rich merchants and great traders have merely bracelets. Most of the people go barefooted; very few wear sandals. They stain their teeth red or black; they wear their hair cut even and pierce their ears; they have handsome noses and large eyes. Such is their appearance. The Hindus are cleanly of their own accord and not by force. They generally wash themselves before each meal, and they never use that which has been left over (from a former meal), nor do they use their dishes a second time. Pottery or wooden vessels, when used, must be thrown away; vessels of gold, silver, copper, or iron must be rubbed and polished after each meal. After eating they cleanse their teeth with a willow stick, and wash their hands and mouth. Until these ablutions are finished, they do not touch one another. Every time they perform the functions of nature, they wash and rub their bodies with per- fumes made from sandalwood or turmeric. When the king goes to his bath, they strike the drums and sing hymns to the sound of musical instruments. Before