Entry
Yong-le: Year 17, Month 7, Day 4
26 Jul 1419
Lu Wen-zheng, a vice judicial secretary in Jiao-zhi, advised: "The Jiao-zhi people are accustomed to yi ways. When they suffer the death of a parent, they just wear black clothing. Even native officials, government students and clerks do not observe mourning rites when they suffer the death of a parent. It is requested that the mourning rites set down by the Court be made known among the people, so that they will know of and observe them. Also, native officials, tribute students and clerks, on suffering the death of a parent, should be given mourning leave from their posts and duties. In this way, they will gradually change their yi ways." After reading the memorial, the Emperor instructed the Ministry of Rites, saying: "Three years of mourning has, in ancient and modern times, always been the regulation. Where under Heaven are there people who do not have parents! All is approved as proposed."
Tai-zong: juan 214.1b
Zhong-yang Yan-jiu yuan Ming Shi-lu, volume 14, page 2146
Preferred form of citation for this entry:
Geoff Wade, translator, Southeast Asia in the Ming Shi-lu: an open access resource, Singapore: Asia Research Institute and the Singapore E-Press, National University of Singapore, http://epress.nus.edu.sg/msl/reign/yong-le/year-17-month-7-day-4, accessed January 22, 2019