A murmur swept through the worshippers in the hall, leaving them even more eager to see Gu Kaizhi dot the eyes of his portrait of Vimalakirti Bodhisattva.
Zhang Mo, courtesy name Zhang Andao, spoke first. "The Wu Commandery Zhang Clan donates one hundred thousand cash."
Lady Lu, Zhang Wenwan, said with a smile, "The Wu Commandery Lu Clan donates one hundred thousand cash."
Wang Xianzhi and Xi Daomao were also in the hall, accompanying his mother Xi Xuan. Wang Xianzhi declared in a ringing voice, "The Langya Wang Clan donates one hundred thousand cash."
Wang Yun, Director of Personnel and a devout Buddhist, said, "The Taiyuan Wang Clan donates one hundred thousand cash."
Wearing a ridged ceremonial cap and an unlined white silk jacket, Xie Daoyun signaled to her younger male cousin Xie Lang with her eyes. Xie Lang called out, "The Chen Commandery Xie Clan donates one hundred thousand cash."
Cai Xin, Attendant Gentleman to the Prince of Langya, said, "The Chenliu Cai Clan donates fifty thousand cash."
Zhou Jiong said, "The Runan Zhou Clan donates fifty thousand cash."
The subtlety was that even donations of money and goods were ranked. The Zhang and Lu clans of Wu Commandery were the foremost aristocratic houses among the people of Wu, while the Langya Wang Clan, Taiyuan Wang Clan, and Chen Commandery Xie Clan were the foremost among the great clans that had crossed south. When these families donated one hundred thousand cash, no other family dared overstep its rank. Families such as the Chenliu Cai Clan, Runan Zhou Clan, and Chen Commandery Yuan Clan could donate only fifty thousand cash. Had Chen Caozhi wished to donate, he could have offered only twenty thousand. Throughout the Eastern Jin, ritual propriety had fallen into neglect, yet the hierarchy remained rigid-
Zhu Fatai's