Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 27.djvu/222

 applied to the relationships themselves, and are used somewhat as we apply the terms "1st degree," "2nd degree," and so on; and plans, similar to our genealogical tables, are laid down, showing the specific habit suitable for each kinsman. The principal one of these tables, that for a married or unmarried man, comprises cousins twice removed, that is, derived by lineal descent from a common great-great-grandfather, that ancestor himself, and all relatives included within the two lines of descent from him to them; below the individual, it comprehends his own descendants (in the male line) as far as great-great-grand-children, his brother's as far as great-grandchildren, his cousin's as far as grandchildren, and the children of his cousin once removed. In this table nêi-khin relationships will alone be found; mourning is worn for very few of the wâi-yin, and these, though actually, that is, in our eyes, ties of consanguinity, and deserving far more consideration than many for which a deeper habit is prescribed, are classed among the very lowest degrees of mourning.

Six tables are given in the Ritual to which the five habits are common; they prescribe the mourning to be worn by &emsp;1st, A man for his kinsmen and kinswomen; &emsp;2nd, A wife for her husband's kinsfolk; &emsp;3rd, A married female for her own kinsfolk; &emsp;4th, A man for his mother's kinsfolk; &emsp;5th, A man for his wife's kinsfolk; &emsp;6th, A concubine for her master's kinsfolk. A seventh table is given, exhibiting the mourning to be worn for step-fathers and fathers by adoption, and for step-and foster-mothers, &c.; but I have not thought it necessary to encumber my paper by wandering into so remote a portion of the field.

To render these details more easily comprehensible, I shall class the relationships in each table under their appropriate degrees of mourning, and leave the reader to examine the tables at his leisure. It need only be borne