1: Too-Hiouen, quoted in the Tung-tëen, b. cxciii. p. 8.
2: Taou-e ché-lëŏ, quoted in the Hae-kwŏ-too ché, or "Foreign Geography," b. xviii p. 15.
3: DIODORUS SICULUS, lib. ii. ch. liii. See ante, [Vol. I. P. v. ch. 1. p. 153.]
The Chinese in the seventh century found the Singhalese dressed in a costume which appears to be nearly identical with that of the present day.[1] Both males and females had their hair long and flowing, but the heads of children were closely shaven, a practice which still partially prevails. The jackets of the girls were occasionally ornamented with gems.[2] "The men," says the Tung-tëen, "have the upper part of the body naked, but cover their limbs with a cloth, called Kan-man, made of Koo-pei, 'Cotton,' a word in which we may recognise the term 'Comboy,' used to designate the cotton cloth universally worn at the present day by the Singhalese of both sexes in the maritime provinces.[3] For their vests, the kings and nobles made use of a substance which is described as 'cloud cloth,'[4] probably from its being very transparent, and gathered (as is still the costume of the chiefs of Kandy) into very large folds. It was fastened with golden cord. Men of rank were decorated with earrings. The dead were burned, not buried." And the following passage from the Sŭh-wan-hëen tung-kaou, or the "Supplement to Antiquarian Researches," is strikingly descriptive of what may be constantly witnessed in Ceylon;—"the females who live near the family of the dead assemble in the house, beat their breasts with both hands, howl and weep, which constitutes their appropriate rite."[5]
1: Leang-shoo, b. liv. p. 10; Nan-shè, b. lxxviii. pp. 13, 14.
2: Nan-shè, A.D. 650, b. lxxviii. p. 13; Leang-shoo, A.D. 670; b. liv. p. 11. Such is still the dress of the Singhalese females.
A MOODLIAR AND HIS WIFE.
3: Tung-tëen, b. clxxxviii. p. 17; Nan-shè, b. lxxviii. p. 13; Sin-tang-shoo, b. cxcviii p. 25. See [p. iv. ch. iv, vol. i. p. 450.]
4: The Chinese term is "yun-hae-poo."—Leang-shoo, b. liv. p. 10.