Dore, Henry - Research Into Chinese Superstitions Vol 1

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CHINESE

SUPERSTITIONS

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By Henry Dor6,

S.J.

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TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH

WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY

By M. Kennelly,

S.J.

First Part SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES Profusely illustrated

Vol.

I

is 12.1

T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS Shanghai

1914

i£s*f

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I

iiiisiijyiic INTO

CHINESE

SUPERSTITIONS

By Henry Dore, /H

S.J.

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY

By M. Kennelly,

S.J.

First Part SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES Profusely illustrated

Vol.

I

T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS Shanghai

1914

111

D£/3 v.

I

BRA'is;

t^Siry

OF T£:

31.1832

PREFACE. The present work,

"Researches into Chinese Supersti-

entitled

tions",, belongs to

the well

or Miscellanies on

China,

Shanghai Mission. The

known

"Varietes Sinoloijiques",

series

published

by the Jesuit Fathers of the

volume was issued from the T'usewei

first

Three others followed successively in 1912

Press in the year 1911.

and 1913, and were so appreciated that the French Academy of "Inscriptions and Literature" granted them a special award. A fifth is

now

and

in the press.

The whole

collection is to be completed in 1915,

comprise about eight volumes. The subject treated

will

is

of the

highest importance, not only from the religious standpoint, but also

because of the familv

life

many

interesting sidelights

casts on the social

it

and

As the original is in French, and limited number of readers, it has been

of the Chinese people.

hence accessible only to a requested to translate

into English.

it

Such a vast undertaking and

supposes would have appalled many.

the scholarly attainments

it

The translator himself

felt

rather diffident,

genial Director of the

"Varietes Sinolog iques" , various Missionary

but encouraged by the '

and several scholars

bodies,

to

set

ically

in

the East and

work, and the volume now

home, he energet-

at

offered to the public is the

fruit of his labours.

The Author

of the

work

is

the Rev.

Labour-

Henry Bore, S.J.

ing as a Missionary for over twenty years

the two

in

provinces

of

Kiangsu and Nganhwei, he ever pursued the study of religions in China, and the countless superstitions which swayed the social and familv

life

of the

people.

For this purpose,

he visited

cities

and

hamlets, temples and monasteries, questioning the people about their Gods and Goddesses, their local divinities and deified Worthies,

thus collecting valuable materials for his future great work. he

tells

us therein, he has witnessed with his

from the

lips of the people with

Real China exists

done

its

little

in the

work, and raised

fellow countrymen.

whom

own

he came

Open Ports. the Chinaman to

T

e} es,

or

What heard

into daily contact.

Civilisation

has there

a higher level

than his

Whosoever, therefore, would study him

in real

— life,

must needs

see

him

II

—

in the remote regions, the quaint old towns,

and the secluded villages of some distant province. This

what the

is

Missionary has done, and hence his descriptions ring genuine, impressions in a manner which

echo his

and

and charm the

interest

To his personal observations, he has added a long and serious study of all books relating to his subject. The learned general reader.

list of

Chinese works placed at the head of this volume amply bears

From

out this assertion.

given throughout the

these, quotations

To the foreign authors indicated in added a few others, which

work.

the French edition, the

translator has

he thinks will be helpful to English readers.

made

ticularly

ular

of Dooliltle,

Gods and Goddesses"

who

has

Mention may be parof

written interestingly

Southern China, also of Samuel

in

Hackmann, Macgowan, Legge and

Sir Monier Williams, extensive

and copious extracts are

work on the "Religious System

of China".

"PopBenl.

Groot's

a S W IE $ * ^ m he fit

Bjf

*^$

MfSM £ f£ Sffl

MiE s#

in

sir

fi

#®

BE

ft ft am

X

xi

—

Shui-king-tsih. 9§

& M § ft

Fung-meng-cheng chi-nang. K'i-men-ta-ts'iien.

Ling-ts'ien-shu.

%&%. m m ft b $s mi$

T'iao-ts'ien-king.

Lang-ya-tai-tsui-picn.

Yen-wang-king. Luh-lun-king.

jfi

#i *&

h

Ku Mei

t*

chi-Aven-luh.

Meng-tze. Tuh-shu-ki-shu-lioh.

5

1M IE

M*

Yuh-hsiah-ki-t' ung-shu

.

Shi-wen-lei-tsii.

Chu-tze yii-luh.

It*

#

If

£ ft

Wang-wei

ts'ing-yen-ts'ung-luh.

Tsin-shu.

Pf

#

Sui-shu.

n Ji -£ ii ^

ixj

Ki-k'ang-tseh-wu-kih-hsiung-lun.

Wang-fu

mmm®&

ts'ien-fu-lun

.

Ch'en-liu-fung-suh-chwan. T'ung-tien (Chao-hwun-tsang-i).

M

$* fk

M

Lia n g pa n-ts -

it

'

i

u -y ii - n ga n

.

Ts'ih-siu-lei-kao.

mm n M

4i >h

Leng-kiah-king.

p

Yung-chwang

pp

siao-p'in.

Yoh-ki.

Shi-ming. £p

H&

Jeh-chi-luh-chu.

Kung-sun-shuh-chwan. Fan-shu.

&

IE (i£ SS

£ ii as # ? as

#

$)

#^ as n &

II

Shi-ki (Han Hsiao Wu-ti).

Wang-vih

ch'u-tz'o-chang-kiu.

Chu-tze ch'u-tz'e-tsih-chu. Lu-shi.

San-kwoh-chi. ,>

«

Tsih-shwoh ts'iien-chen. by Peter

Hwang,

S. J.

—

xn

—

FOREIGN WORKS.

Rudiments du Parler

L.

Chiriois.

S.

Wieger,

Textes Historiques.

Folk-Lore Chinois Moderne.

Id.

Synchronismes Chinois. The Folk-Lore of China.

M. Chang,

Chinese Folk-Lore.

J.

S. J.

N. B. Denny*.

M

r

Gowa n.

Vegetarian Sects.

G. Miles.

China and Religion.

E. H. Parker.

Studies in Chinese Religion.

Id.

Edkins.

Chinese Buddhism.

J.

Buddhism

S. Beal.

\

Catena

of

in

China.

Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese.

Id.

Four Lectures on Buddhist Literature in China. I

land-Book

Buddhism:

of

Chinese Buddhism.

Its Historical

Id.

E.

and Popular Aspects,

J.

Eitel.

in

Three Lectures.

Id.

Buddhism.

Buddhism

Monier Williams. H. Hackmann.

as a Religion.

Calendar of the Gods Social

in

China.

Timothy

Life of the Chinese.

Chinese Repository (Canton.

XX

Li Ki or

Book

Vol.)

of Rites.

Edifiantes

et

J.

Doolittle.

J.

de Groot.

J. Legge.

The Shi King or Book of Poetry. Memoires concernant les Chinois (XVI Lettres

Richard,

Vol.)

The Chinese Recorder (Shanghai). The Religious System of China (VI.

The

./.

Id.

Curieuses

Id. Vol.

(Vol.

Jesuit Missionaries in

IX-X1II

Peking. on China).

Missionaries

in

Jesuit

China.

Lettres de Jersey (1880*1914).

Shanghai Jesuit Mission.

duMuse^Guimet (Vol.

XI-XII. 1886). he Groot et-Chavannes.

Annates

Revue de I'Extreme-Orient

IL Cordier).

Bulletin de la Societe Beige d'Etudes Coloniales.

Chinese Reader's Manual.

\y. F.

Mayers

—

XIII

—

Notes on Chinese Literature (New Edition).

,4.

Syllabic Dictionary of the Chinese

Williams.

Language.

Chinese-English Dictionary

II.

Chinese Biographical Dictionary.

De Natura Deorum

(On the Nature of the Gods.

La

II).

Cicero.

Ovid. Fustel de Coulangei-

Cite Antique. of the

A. Giles. Id'.

Book

Metamorphoses.

The Religions

Wylie.

Ancient World.

Classical Dictionary.

G. Rawlinson. J.

Lempriere.

Smaller Classical Dictionary of Biography and

Mythology.

W. Smith.

CONTENTS. FIRST PART — VOLUME

I.

— ^S|.*'|^H

CHAPTER Birth

I.

and Childhood. Page

Article

Gods

specially

worshipped

stitions

practices

tablet of

Goddess

certain sex ces.

—

of

Little

The

arrows. — The lets

to

off

— The

— New-born

a

mark on

of

animals or

coins.

of slave-girls given to

attached to feet of children.

the forehead.

—

corpses

Ill-treating

— The

of little

8

—

12.

Superstitious customs concerning children.

III.

the silver padlock.

Wearing

string of

shaven

oil.

cash. — The

— The

— The

eight

habit of a

silver collar.

diagrams. — The

pending a

demons

families". — Burning — fishing-net Employing a

children.

sieve

that ravish children.

— Dry

Amulets

(nominal) adoption.

extremity of the queue.

—The

for the child's cot

— Ear-rings. — crown

of

hair

— The — shoes. Sus-

Buddhist priest or bonze.

dress of "the hundred

wood

7.

— The peach-wood — Peach-wood amuravishes children. demons from approaching children. — Amulet — Wearing necklace copper —

children

A

—

seven-star lamp.

— Names of Killing — Bell-charms male children.

Article

as-

to

influen-

2

cock.

vermilion

evil

God

of dog's hair. a

— Exposing

devil thai

preventing

made

house. — Consulting — Magic mirror ward

images or statues representing children.

tubbing.

first

laborious childbirth

of

— Super-

fortune-tellers

in

After Birth.

II.

in order to obtain children.

cases

in

child.

child offered to a Article

1

Before Birth

I.

.

to

old to

ward

— Red

scare off

away the

diseases from

cloth attached to the

peach-stone padlock.

— Auspicious 13—25.

— Crossing the

Article IV.

XV

— 26

—

29

— 31.

Page.

bamm CHAPTER

27.

II,

Betrothal and Marriage* Article

I.

Article

II.

Betrothal

Marriage.

Fixing

its

date.

(flowers, fruit)

Article

— Month. — Day. — Sending- auspicious presents 32 — 33.

34

Departure of the Bride

III.

— 35.

The Bride enters the house of the Bridegroom.

Article IV.

Arrival. — The

marriage ceremony before the tablet of Heaven and Earth, and the ancestral tablet. Ordeal of seeing the bride.

—

Visiting the ancestral hall.

accomplished

this latter

— Burial

rite of bride

who has 36

ceremony

CHAPTER

—

not 39.

III.

Death and Burial. Article

Before Heath.

I.

—

Outfit Fetching the temple-god into the dying person's house. of the dead (Case of a man, a woman). Garters Girdle.

—

Buttons. — Not

to

removed. — Also

curtains Article

allowed

expire

on

the

—

family

the pillow

Consulting the Imperial calendar. son. —-Paper

deity

of the

— Faying

out the dead per-

— Informing — Bringing death person. — the deceased. -Victuals provi-

streamers suspended

the local tutelary

over door-way. of

a

back from the temple the soul of ded for the journey. old

—-Paper sedan-chair

shoes of the

for the soul.

deceased. — Attaching

1°.

III.

Placing the corpse

—-Burning

wisps of cotton-

wool round the neck of the corpse Article

— Bed41 — 44.

bed.

After Death.

II.

some

—

45

—

In the coffin.

Putting the corpse in the coffin.

Choosing

a lucky day.

46.

—

— Big nail used the

mouth

the corpse. — The in the

— (doth corpse. some

placed over the

hairs of the deceased.

Objects placed beside

2".

coffin.

nether world.

the soul of the departed.

— Putting

the coffin.

for closing

of

hungry dugs

—

XVI

—Rice

— Mirror

the

appeasing the

for

placed at feet of the

mouth. — Nails

— Closing down

entwined with

the lid of the coffin.

Paper tablet containing

coffin.

— Rice

in

a copper coin

placed at the rear of the deceas-

wicks. — Escorting the — soul over the bridge bring mockCondoling anguish. — the dead. Funeral repasts given money — Children who leap over the —-Eating an and 47 — get courage egg ed

head.

person's

--Lamp

with seven

of

visitors

to relatives

for benefit of

friends.

coffin.

52.

to

Article IV

Burial.

Selecting a lucky site. funeral

covered with straw Article V.

— Carrying out the — Order of the — the grave-side. Coffins exposed and 53 — 57. coffin.

—-At procession.

Alter the Burial.

Fixed times for mourning services. -- Hounding

tumulus.

— The

Preparations his

made

him.

to receive

a

lamp

honour

for the ghost.

of the

— Anxiety

ghosts

the

entertained about to

the "world of

for the benefit 'of the dead.-

dead. — Gathering

the

festival

hungry and wandering

— Floating — guide wandering ghosts. Celebrating the the seventh month). — Various other 58 — 62. departed souls to the dead.

little

to

festival (fifteenth of

ceremonies Article VI.

off

— "Ts'ing-ming", or annual

— Sending winter-garments ghosts. lamps on streams

house

paper

-Burning straw -tresses

Hfering a

in

or

—

—-Forwarding destiny.

shades". I

mound

departed spirit returns in search of daylight.

to

help

Superstitious papers burnt

.at

funerals.

— Burning superstitious paper honour the Hades. — A god-undertaker supplies kings — The god the "hungry the departed conveyance H3 — 66. ghosts" 67 — 68. Purchasing the right of way

Propitiating the funeral-god. of

,i

Article VII.

ten

lor

in

a

of

soul.

of

— XVII — CHAPTER

IV.

Petition-talismans (written charms) for the benefit of the Dead. Article

Ordinary cases of dead persons.

1.

the Chinese send petitions to their gods and burn written

Why

— Purifying- and rescuing charm granted

in their honour.

charms

—

Written charm burnt by Lao-kiin for the benefit of the dead. and forwarded to Amitabha. Another petition in similar style.

—

—

Written

charm burnt

obtain

to

delivered to the departed soul. to soul

on the way

of the

mony

a

happy

Passport granting

to the infernal regions.

"Lemuria"

(for

— the Buddhist paradise. —

the benefit of wandering souls).

to receive the soul.

clothing for the benefit of the dead. to the nether

Article

world

Petition-talismans

II.

"Moody pond". Women who die hist

life

the

of

for

this

witches at Hai

(written

— Burning mock-

— Forwarding a patent 69 — 83.

safe

charms) rescuing from the

in childbirth plunged into this pond.

can

priests

burnt

passage the cere-

seat of the soul (before the burial takes

deceased. place).

free

— Opening

Written charm opening the portals of Informing the ruler of Hades of the exemplary

— Temporary — Wrapper designed

— Permit

rebirth.

deliver

them therefrom.

— Howling purpose.

— Budd-

— Precious

ceremony

Chow

formula

performed by 87. 84

—

Petition-talismans (written charms) for special cases.

Article III.

—

For a person assFor a person who has committed suicide. For assinated. For a person under a spell from evil spirits. For the victim of a felonious the victim of an unjust lawsuit.

—

—

—

murder. — For the

who has

benefit of a

died in prison.

— For a person — For calumny. 88 — 96.

drowned person.

— For the victims

person poisoned by doctors' prescriptions

CHAPTER

of

a

V.

Divers Superstitions for the benefit of the Dead. Article

I.

The Ancestral Tablet

97

— 108.

— XVIII — Pag II.

"Kotowing"

to the

Dead

III.

Sacrifices offered to the

IV.

Mock-money

V. VI. VII. VIII.

IX.

X. XI.

...109

Dead

Buddhist Bells

Sending Paper-houses

to the

Dead

Placing Streamers on Graves

...

The Metempsychosis Murderous Ghosts Evocation of the Dead

Ceremonies for rescuing departed Souls

—

—

—

XIX

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS IHagrams ami "Charaels". Page

a

Kwan-yin presenting

1.

child

to

mothers

for

praying

offspring

(Frontispiece)

White-robed Kwan-

2.

Paper print (charm) representing the

3.

Kw'ei-sing, the God of Literature, protects from on high

yin burnt in her honour to obtain posterity

new-born

the

On

child.

a

car

is

seen

1

academic

the

head-dress worn by scholars 4.

Chang Kwo-lao

5.

The

Celestial

offers a

2

descendant

to a

newly married couple Borne on a

chariot, she presents a child to a

happy household The Ki-lin or Unicorn bestowing a child Written charm for hastening delivery. The charm

6. 7.

3

Fairy that bestows children.

...

4 5

is

burnt, and the ashes mingled with wine are given to

woman

the 7

L" S .

Another

Bowman

8.

efficacious

Chang

6

charm

for

7

hastening delivery

shooting peach-wood arrows

heavenly 9.

in labour

to

scare

away

the 8

dog

the Immortal,

who

protects

10

children

10.

Padlock assuring a long and happy

11.

Child wearing the silver collar

14

12.

Boy wearing an ear-ring

15

13.

a string of cash

17

14.

Wearing Charm representing

15.

Child with crown of hair shaven

16.

Habit of Buddhist

17.

Variegated dress

18.

The God

19.

18

the eight diagrams

monk worn

known

19

off

20

by children

"hundred families"

21

of Longevity issuing from a peach charm. Luck} May you have five male children, healthy, and rich, attaining to the highest honours

22

as that of the

7

Wen Wang.

19 Lls Allusion to the numerous children of .

you have many children, and ma}

7

one of them

24

May be

a

tripos

25

Brass mirror

34

first

20.

13

life

— XX — Page

Conducting- the

21.

bride

36

Earth

37

Ribald jesting

38

Tablet of Heaven

Nao

Sin-fang.

and

23.

Han-k'eu-ts'ien. Coin pressed in the

mouth

24.

Tao t'eu-fan. Rice placed behind the head

25.

Hearse accompanied b} the funeral God

26.

Ming-fu shih-wang. Charm

of a

corpse

63

Lung

64

The God

Pu-sah.

ch'eh

the

of

chariot

Dragon

Undertaker in the nether world

(hearse"),

Ku-hwun Pu-sah. The God

28.

for propitiating the ten kings

Hades

of

65

protector of wandering ghosts

30.

Purchasing the right way bestowed charm by Purifying

3

Written charm

.

Laotze

despatched to Ti-ts'ang

31 bis Passport to the nether world. of Ti-ts'ang

Wang,

70

Wang,

ruler of

Hades 71

burnt in

Hades

32.

Written charm begging a happy rebirth

33.

Permit exempting from

tolls

ruler of

Written charm

.

honour

73 74

on the way to the Infernal 75

regions 34.

Lu-yin

35.

K'ai-tan for wandering souls on the

36.

The

37.

Certificate of

38.

Temporary

.'!'.).

Wrapper containing

tan-tze.

ke}'

Passport

the

to

delivered

to

the

way

to

departed

soul

Hades

good conduct sent

78

to the ruler of

Hades

79

seat of the departed soul

80

the soul

81

41. 42.

Fac-simile

13.

"bloody pond" Written charm for the

of

the

precious charm

delivering

from

82 83 the

84 benefit

of

a

woman

dying

in

childbirth 44. 45.

46.

m.

Charm Charm Charm Charm

86

delivering from Hades a person hanged delivering from Hades a person assassinated for the benefit of a soul under a spell delivering from

lawsuit

76 77

Ruddhist paradise

Mock-clothing burnt for the benefit of the dead Fire-proof safe burnt and forwarded to the dead

40.

66 67

of

29.

47

50

of a corpse

r

21.

1

The

bridegroom's house.

the

and the saddle

slipper

22.

to

Hades the victim

of

88 ...

89 90

an unjust 91

— XXI — Pag

Charm

48.

from

delivering

Hades a person who has been 92

murdered

drowned persons

50.

Charm Charm

for the benefit of persons

51.

Charm

for the benefit of persons calumniated

52.

Charm

for the

49.

for the

of

benefit

of a

benefit

who have

93 died in prison ...

95

person poisoned by doctors'

96

prescriptions

Ancestral tablet (front and back parts)

53.

94

107 109

a grave

before

54.

"Kotowing"

55.

Offerings placed before the Ancestral tablet

Ill

56.

Various kinds of mock-money

117

57.

Buddhist

58.

128

59.

Paper-house burnt for the benefit of the dead Paper streamers placed on graves

60.

The Wheel

133

61-1.

Metamorphosed

into insects,

61-2.

Metamorphosed

into various kinds of shell-fish

61-3.

Metamorphosed

bell

and beads

of the

124

130

Metempsychosis

worms,

various

into

fish,

products

and other animals 134

of the

135 vegetable

136

kingdom 61-4.

62

bis .

Metamorphosed into various household and instruments Hsiung-shah. Ghost

— Tz'e-shah.

of

Ghost

deceased

of deceased

articles,

utensils

137 form.

in

masculine

in

female form

...

144

T'ai-tsu and the Ghost

62.

Sung

63.

Evocation of the Dead

147

Buddhist service for releasing souls out of

64.

Tso-chai.

65.

Written charm suspended

Charm suspended Charm suspended Charm suspended Charm suspended

143

in the

Hades 151

midst of the hall

...

152

facing the North

>>

facing the East

>»

facing the South

>>

facing the

West

>>

Fig.

1

La "Koang-yng" aux

Kwan-yin

enfants.

presenting a child to mothers praying for offspring.

Fig. 2

-t-tL

'/'cJie-ma"

*ii*A*&

de "Koang-yng" aux habits blancs, brule" en son honneur pour obtenir des enfants.

Paper print (charm) representing the White-robed Kwan-yin, burnt in her honour to obtain posterity.

tsHr'^^

Temple of Heav

CHAPTER BIRTH

I.

AND

CHILDHOOD

£

%J

II Tan

Yin

Sheng

ARTICLE

P# Shi

I.

BEFORE BIRTH To have desire of

all

a

numerous

posterity, is the great,

Chinese. Hence

to obtain children

!

The

many

if

not the greatest

are the divinities invoked in order a few

following' are

of these

Gods

selected

from among hundreds. (*ods specially

A),

First of

Pus ah

M

all

we

worshipped

in

order to obtain children.

famous Goddess Kwan-yin or Kwan-yin whose worship is ever on the increase. A

find the

*£ 4* ;,

picture representing her

is

found

in

all

where, one can see a small shoe or several of foot of her statue.

This

is

and almost everythem deposited at the

temples,

an offering made by some woman, 1

who

has begged the Goddess to grant her a trust,

the shoe

connected

with the

at

deposited

expected child

new

pair

has

been

this

offering.

the

born,

added into the

is

Elsewhere, one of

Goddess,

shoe

is

A

bargain.

a

of

pair

shoes

borrowed, and when the

restored, and

is

pledge of her

a

Various are the customs

placed there.

the

of

feet

is

As

child.

sacred

as an

ex-voto,

a

banquet frequently

accompanies the above act, to return thanks for the favour received. In such cases a bonze recites a prayer in thanksgiving.

T'ien-sien Sung-tze ^i is

children), ol

:

~f

Taoist origin, seems to be none

God who dwells and

(1),

is

|Jj

adjoining provinces.

Celestial Fairy

other than

the

in

worshipped <

Shantung

\\]

daughter

She

j|f,

either in

temples,

The following are

her.

represent

found attending on her

the

1$

M-

Sung-sheng Niang-niang gf t& The Goddess granting children.

i$.

f||

££.

^^

Tze-sun Niang-niang tF

^^

Goddess

last

whose duty

The day to

o|

is

She

the sixth

See T

or

names

They may be which

in

of

pictures

those

commonly

^. fl|

i$.

worshipped in several of the

particularly is

attended on by a host of female genii,

Chinese '-Fatal Sister"

month; meats placed on

falls

on the

the family

ban Nianj! nianp Pao kiien

^

'

[\\

Q& £g

t!f

5g p

.

g.

fifteenth

bed are offered

her.

ii

the

protect children.

festival of this

honour

(1)

to

is

i$ t£ all

posterity (sons and grandsons).

Chu-sheng Niang-niang The Goddess of fecundity. This

the

called

birth.

^

Southern provinces.

(Jj

and

of

:

Ts'ui-sheng Niang-niang The Goddess accelerating

The Goddess bestowing

^

is

Goddesses serve her as assist-

>ther inferior

ants and seem charged with carrying out her orders. generally seen beside her,

granting

This Goddess,

T'ai-shan Niayig-niang

Goddess,

specially

lne

Sacred Mountain of the East.

in the

^

the T'ai-shan

(

houses of pagans.

several

in

exposed

M

j\\i

->;

Fig. 3

Sur un char on voit le bonnet des academiciens. Rising du haut des cieux protege le nouveau-nd. child. God the Literature, from on high the new-born protects of Kw'ei-sing, scholars. worn by On a car is seen the academic head-dress

Fig.

4

Tchang Kouo-lao, le pourvoyeur d'enfants. Chang Kwo-lao offers a descendant to a newly married

couple.

— — 3

Pictures represent her

on a unicorn,

riding

borne on the clouds of heaven

or a phoenix,

she holds a child

;

or

and

her arms,

in

her attendant ladies throng round to render her every service. to

According

belief,

popular

Yen

Goddess receives from

at

least

HI]

3E,

Wang

many

in

God

the

Hades, the

of

souls purified by expiations in the Buddhist hell,

and by the

of transmigrations deserved

in

existence.

It

is

who

she

through their faults

series

some previous

what bodies these

decides into

this

places,

souls

are

to be reborn on earth.

Elsewhere, prayers are preferably addressed

Heaven, T'ien-heu Sheng-mu

of

Queen

Ji fe

fang

-^

~gf

^,

deities,

Holy Mother,

whose statue

-fij:,

as

Peh-

"Hundred Children".

or temples of the

other female

Among

H

temples known

occupies the most honourable place in the l:e

to the

of

guardians

tutelary

children,

mention may also be made of the Goddess that guides childhood, the Goddess presiding over suckling, the Holy Mother, who grants Pao-sheng Sheng-mu

fecundity:

Female

particularly disposed

them

for

the obtaining

repute

great

province of

Families of j^, the

^[-

of

$fr,

etc...

^

Thus Ngan-kung

children.

district

-0J:

hear the prayers addressed

graciously

Ngan-hwei -^

order to obtain

sing

the

in

M

invoked; a lew gods are likewise

deities are not alone to

d^

f!£

city

of

and

he

hsien

Fan-chang is

constantly

fj|

to

Q,

has

J|

$£,

worshipped

in

male children. official

God

standing and

of Literature,

literati

frequently invoke Kwei-

and beg him grant them talented

For offspring, who may win academic laurels at the examinations. the in is the same purpose, a picture of Kwan-kimg ||j ^, exposed

chamber

nuptial

of the

descendant wearing the

At other times, we ||

^,

young couple,

official

find Lit

bearing in their arms a

that the

new home

is

indeed a well

Tung-pin

known

literati

fact that

g

male child.

will be blessed

ing amongst them learned

them

offering

a

youthful

academic head-dress. -j|?j

% and

This

is-

Kwan-kung

an assurance

with numerous progeny,

and remarkable

Lu Tung-pin

g

reckon-

state officials.

-j|p]

JfC,

is

It

one of the

__ Immortals honoured by the

combines

his

in

person

4

—

literati,

the

title

of

and that Kwan-kung |ffj £> God of War and patron of ,

Literature.

Chang Kwo-lao

;Jj|

^

^,

sitting

on a

descendant to the newly married couple, and

him

is

often found in the nuptial

donkey, a picture

It

is

a child sitting flight

on

it,

of the world.

representing

to secure

or a phcenix holding a child, ;

also the well

"Hundred Children", on which

who

a

the

above

thus that one generally finds, either a unicorn with

towards some home

children,

also

chamber.

Pagans employ many luck-bearing pictures purpose.

offers

share

are

known

represented

among themselves

all

and wending

pictures

called

one hundred

its

the

male

the honours and dignities

Fig. 5

T'ien

sien song tse.

The

Assise sur son char,

Celestial

Fairy

elle

porte un enfant a un heureux manage. Borne on a chariot,

that bestows children.

she presents a child to a happy household.

Fig. 6

ou

la licorne apportant un enfant. The Ki-lin or Unicorn bestowing a child.

Ivi-ling song-tse,

— — 5

B).

Sonic other superstitious practices.

1".

Exposing the

tablet (of a certain

^

l

Ts ui~sheng Niang-niang

i$ $g.

the house.

in

Goddess)

Goddess hastening

the

birth, is held in great veneration.

When

childbirth

is

too

incense

laborious,

temple, vows are made, or even her tablet pomp and exposed in the house of the woman of the latter are laid

upon

this tablet, to

burnt

is

in labour

her

in

with

fetched

is

great

the clothes

;

urge the protection of the

Goddess.

K'o-ku Niang-niang

Chow

^p

deified,

^

jH"|,

^

jfc

in the province of

t&-

formerly

Ngan-hwei 4£

$fc.

midwife

at

ffu-0

and subsequently

on account of the services she rendered during her earthly

career, is

worshipped by

all

the

women

of the

who

place,

organize

an annual procession in her honour. Shrines are erected to venerate her,

and her tablet occupies

a

prominent position This tablet

dedicated to the other local deities.

house, so that she 2°.

extend her protection

may

is

the temples

in

taken from house to

to all cases of childbirth.

Talismans.

Should childbirth be too delayed, recourse

who

Buddist monks, but required

to

is

had

Taoist or

to

write out paper talismans and charms.

paste

on the woman's

these

is

secure the

to

body

It

desired effect.

Many

of these

charms enjoy great repute.

are thoroughly convinced, that light of day, even

and

were

it

when

The common people

applied, the child

necessary that the mother's

will see the

womb

be rent

split open.

Sometimes these charms are burnt, and the ashes, with some beverage,

are

administered

to

the

patient

in

mingled order

to

hasten the delivery.

Annexed herewith charms, reputed

(figures 7

infallible for

and

7 bifa )

are models of

hastening the delivery of

two paper

women

with

child.

Manner

of

using these charms.

steeped in wine, are given to the

— They are burnt, and the ashes

woman

in labour.

—6— Fortune-tellers.

3°.

Women

with child frequently consult fortune-tellers, to ascer-

which they are going

tain the sex oi the child,

The magic mirror.

4°.

Many women,

while

which

influences,

is

as

intended affect

might

on

keep

child-bearing,

This

small brass mirror. evil

bring forth.

to

a

child

the

their

charm

they

persons a

ward

to

bear

off

all

their

in

womb. Thus

protected, they

without

may,

house where people wear mourning

incurring

enter a

danger,

deceased person, and their

for a

child will not thereby be exposed to die. 5°.

Drawing

The

hour

lh

and

horoscope.

common

wonderfully, according to

new-born babe.

details

All

which

in

day

child

a

belief,

relating

to

the future

destiny

down, and the fortune-teller bases his conjectures thereon the horoscope of the child.

On

ing operations. is

l

the child

born, a glance

is

the body coi responding

hence the future destiny

some temples

of

one on the forehead,

:

abdomen and

is

so forth.

quickly cast on

with the hour- mark of his the child

are found

and people may wish Consider carefully

:

a

to

little

when one

of

places a string of cash

attached

and

draw

to

is

augured

the

part

birth,

and

(1).

Little statues representing childreyi.

6°.

In

the

each of the members, represented in a diagram,

written one of the twelve horary characters

When

of

Fancy figures are also used for simplify-

another on the right arm, a third on the

oi

affect

carefully noted

are

these,

born

be

may

the

to

devotees

"In birth, fa'i'

know why

the

i.

are

flu

representing children,

they have been placed there.

women who examine

around

its

henceforth

Folklore of China.

forehead shows, that never sorrow knows." tlir

statues

them has found

the temple, imposes a

See Dt nn\

A

little

a

these statues most

suitable

little

figure, she

neck; one of the Buddhist

name on

the

convinced Ch

IT. p. S.

little

that

monks

figure selected,

thev

will

obtain

Fig. 7

3f ft

Amulette pour hater la d^livrance. On brule la feuille, puis on donne les cendres a boire dans du vin. Written charm for hastening delivery. The charm is burnt, and the ashes mingled with wine are given to the woman in labour.

Autre talisman tres

Another

efficace

efficacious

charm

pour activer

la

dt'livrance.

for hastening delivery.

children,

who

means

frequently employed by those

is

name

will bear the

applied to the

little

statue.

who have no male

This

offspring

in the family.

New-born child

7°

other

In

families,

offered to a God.

the

following

offered to a particular divinity,

born child will be offered

don

will

to

him

monkish garb,

the

and

a

as a

in

means

is

A vow

adopted.

promise made,

is

that the new-

Buddhist monk, and that he of the

acknowledgment

grateful

favour received.

both cases, the child

In

temple,

either

bargain

is

A

in

child-bearing

silk- worms are

being

of

them

ransomed, by offering an alms in

The

kind.

should carefully avoid entering a place

reared,

female or dark

and this

for

principle

Yin (%,

adversely, but the principal reason

smothered in their cocoons, and hence child in the mother's

practical

to the

of the

side

!

woman

where

the

or

money

never neglected

is

womb

will

it

is

two reasons. is

bound

Woman to

affect

that the silk-worms

is

to

are

be feared that the

meet with a similar

fate.

—8— ARTICLE

II.

AFTER BIRTH. The

1°

On and

first

tubbing. Si-tsao

the third day after a child

carefnllv

When

washed.

-j£

$|.

born,

is

the

is

it

is

operation

in a tub,

placed a

over,

fortune-

Considering the circumstances of the day

and

hour of birth, he forecasts what obstacle or ill-starred barrier,

may

teller is

summoned.

beset the

pathway

new-born

of the

child.

a

In

he casts his

word,

horoscope.

The secen-slar lamp. Ts'ih-sing teng -£

2°. If

he

must meet on

way the

his

barrier

^

diseases, Ts'ih-chao

of

he

Jfr

j^.

the

seven

destined

early

die fung-kwan ||[ |||, i|Fj In this untoward circumstance, seven lights, within seven days. called the seven-star lamp, Ts'ih-sing teng Jjr j§. must be is

to

^

prepared without delay, and are to be kept burning beside the child

during seven days and nights. 3°. If

The peach-wood arrows. Tao-tsien the wiles of

some

are very often prepared,

evil

^

^.

genius are feared, peach-wood arrows

and shot by an archer

simply placed over the cradle of the child.

in all

directions, or

Peach-wood, as we shall

see further on, is a powerful antidote against attacks by evil spirits.

Fig. 8

rcher tirant des fleches en bois de pecher, pour mettre en fuite le chien celeste. Bowman shooting peach-wood arrows to scare away the heavenly dog.

The

i°.

devil that ravishes children. T'eu-sheng kweijfft

Frequently the fatal

T'eu-sheng kwei

&

ifa

of the

visit

that

£$&.

ravishes children

the object of the greatest

is

%.,

devil

anxiety on

when

the part of parents. This matter shall be treated subsequently,

While writing

with the superstitions concerning children.

dealing"

these lines,

me

let

allowed to adduce as an

be

of the

illustration

above superstition, a quite dramatic incident, which occurred

town

^,

of

11

wo Chow

appeared at

^fl

The

j>\].

first in

spirit

to ravish

in the

T'eu-sheng hwei

the shape of a yellow dog,

and threatened

of a neighbour,

evil

a child,

jfo

£

apparently that

who happened

to

be then ailing.

The dog

immediately driven away

is

then a dozen

;

watchmen

summoned, and armed with knives, they keep watch day and The child thus escapes for the first time. A few days night. are

a

afterwards,

must

be

now

cursed

cat

in

peeps

the

at

door.

A

second battle

This time, the mother herself takes an active

fought.

part in the struggle.

Stripping

off

the child's clothes, she lays

him

stark naked on the bed, in order to keep at a respectful distance the

assumed by T'eu-sheng hwei f|j ^r j^. This her hand the full apparel of the child, ascends

villainous female form

done, she takes in to

the

house-top,

assembled 1wl

QiL

to

and there,

in

presence

contemplate the scene, sets

M,i casting in her face

that, should she

still

all

sorts

preserve a remnant

intrude on the gaze of her child, while he

the

neighbours

T'eu-sheng-hwei

pagan abominations,

so

o§-

shame, she durst not

is

garbed as

Adam

in the

\n line, she pours out such a volley of curses,

terrestrial paradise.

that the child

all

curse

to

of

of

escapes death,

and she

is

congratulated by

all

her

friends.

Peach-wooil amulets. Tao-fu

5°.

Iffc

^".

happens that parents are so credulous as to believe in the quaint stories of bygone times, which pretend that in order It still

to give solidity to pillars

stones.

day.

of

a

the

bridge,

foundations of a large building, the

demons

Soothsayers employ

Assuming

employ

children

as

or to

the

propping

this tricky practice even at the present

a disconsolate appearance, they

inform the parents 2

—

—

10

that their child has been chosen to impart solidity to such or such a

bridge

in

experienced.

Great

construction.

of

process

is

anxiety

naturally

and hung round thus preventing the demons from approaching

Peach-wood amulets are then made,

the neck of the child,

him.

Amulet made

6°. first

/cares the house.

During the

of dog's hair

Keu-mao-fu

month

first

after

birth,

the

of

his

of

up

which he may be taken

who have now nothing great misfortune for

a

hair

mixed with some

is

to

then to be resorted to in order

new-born

a

if

Many

old. to

(1)

to

dug up

is

his

child's

The mother herself should

ward

off

It

superstitions

prevent impending

after

clothes,

neighbours,

would be

child entered

a

their

would have

evil.

threshing-ground in

In the Northern parts of China, even the front of the house,

head

The

from his presence.

family,

house before being a month

its

house.

Henceforth, he can visit

out. to fear

it

or

child

neither the

sewn on

into a ball and

until

child

the

protect

^§ $£. (dog-hair charm).

^pj

mother may cross the threshold must be first shaved; then a lock dog's hair, rolled

to

some a

first of all visit

terrible misfortune.

member

of her

own

family before entering the house of a stranger. 7°.

lung U*

Wearing

in

made

of copper

coins (cash).

Ts'ien-

||!.

Moreover,

it

and place

string,

necklace

a

customary to hang a few coppers on a red on the neck of the god Ch'eng-hwang jjfc |$j|,

is

this

his temple.

Ch'eng-hwang j$

|g|

holds the rank of celestial

is

the god of walled cities

worn some time by the god, and used as a charm to ward 8°.

In

Killing a cock.

some

it

places,

alter a child's birth.

Foe

"Bulletin de

is

it

is

placed

Sha-ki

^

customary

and moats, and

the necklace

has

been

on the neck of the child.

untoward

off all

This sacrifice

la

When

madarin.

evils.

|§. to kill a

is

cock on the third

day

offered to the ancestors of the

th Societe Beige a'etndes coloniales." Sep. Oct. 15 year.

Fig. 9

re- TTJ>2 'C(L

O

'/

!s

~o;

Chang

the

Tchang-sien song-tse. Immortal, who protects children.

— whose

family,

maintained

is

the

in

the

of

person

thank the (Goddess Sung-tze Niang-niang y£ ^fthe giver of children. Those who are too poor, may purchase

child. ijfl^

descent

lineal

—

11

It is

Jjl,

also to

some meat, and

J\

-%r

take mourning, all

is

a

of

cock.

fortune-teller

which he

means

but one

is is

An

exposed.

of

old

age,

rescue him, from

to

man, willing

old

chosen, and thanks to this device, the child

of animal* or of slave-girls given

Ch'uh-ming j§ fa, Ya-t'eu

to

will

y

as "little pussy",

Siao-mao

j]\

at other times, they receive the

The following

male children.

|jjf

^\\\

"little

name

;

name

of an animal,

dog", Siao-heu

of a slave-girl,

;J-»

Ya-teu

y

^pj

jpf

:

.

reason of such appellations.

the

is

lo

.

often happens that children are given the

It

the

If

danger of death.

Names

9°.

there

||,,

the mortal danger to

escape

instead

it

new-born child must pass the barrier

finds that the

Lao-jen-hwan

offer

People imagine cunning and trickery, they may succeed in deceiving the wily elves, who seek to injure male children, but care To put them on a false track, the little to molest girls or animals.

that by using a

name him

an animal or of a

of

whom

little

girl is

given to the new-born male child,

one wishes to protect from their vexatious pursuits. names, they are led to believe that he

called by these

a little animal, or at of cutting short his

most

a

and

girl,

will thus

^^

Little hell-charms. Ling-lze

Many

consider that the custom of attaching

when

of these bells

Red

begins

to

.

has

walk,

to frighten the

and thus scare them

is

little

had

a

bells

to

the

superstitious

malevolent spirits by means

off.

the colour betokening joy, and

days and other children

abandon the idea

The vermilion mark.

11°.

nose,

it

The purpose was

origin.

indeed

life.

10°.

feet of a child,

Hearing is

may

festal

It

or

on

the two

is

is

be seen bearing a vermilion

on the forehead,

happiness.

occurrences.

a

employed on marriage Hence lucky omen.

mark on cheeks,

the tip

and

this

of

the

augurs

— 12°.

When mutilating"

12

—

Ill-treating the corpses of little children. all

a

the children die in a family, the

body

is

frequently resorted

to.

custom It

is

of horribly

cut

up with

knives, and sometimes even cruelly lacerated with the teeth, in order to

prevent

it

from returning-, and

subsequently born.

It is

also

molesting those

customary

in

some

on the neck of the corpse a magic charm-bag,

and other ingredients, in order craft

it

might use in case

it

to

who may

places

made

to

be

hang

of dog's hair

counteract any charms or witch-

returned to

life

once more.

Fig. 10

Le cadenas, gage d'une vie longue et heureuse. Padlock assuring a long and happy life.

—

13

^

ARTICLE

III.

SUPERSTITIOUS CUSTOMS CO\(F,R\l\G CHILDREN. Wearing

/.

Many silver

children

This

chain.

existence, affectionate

and

the padlock. Tai-suo J^

wear a padlock attached intended

is

prevent their

parents.

These

padlocks

hist

or

Taoist

priests,

own hands round "hundred family

the

necks

will,

the present

and nobody has life.

respect those

those

who

children.

it

Life

in his

found

in all

their silver-

them on with There

%

f|\

are

also

their

the

those pur-

or

and death depend alone on

power

to

enchain

a

person to

Experience proves every day, that death does not

who wear

fail to

^,

p||

of

a

Sometimes the Buddtie

padlocks," Peh-kia-suo Hf

chased bv general subscription.

God's

may

from

by death be

and shape.

Tao-shi

neck with

the

enchain them in somewise to

to

being ravished

smiths" shops, and vary in si/e

to

ff|.

padlocks as

use them.

preservatives, any

more than

— The

is

made

collar is a ring

resumed

off or

the silver collar. Tai-k'ilen

Wearing

//.

at will,

the.

same manner

seldom ever

Such

die but rarely.

is in

education of a child. Others, and ~J*

'(?[

1

is

It

life,

Would rear

general the

prevent a barrel

disjoin

It

it.

easily

the neck, almost

heaven, some seem

and bring up as those and

idea

entertained

up

about the

of a little dog.

jffc>

body

pretend that this silver ring

of the

child,

much

and hinders the

in the

same way

as

from falling to pieces.

this ring

is

called

Keu-lr

ixen ^p]

[||J,

or

a dog-collar.

person often meets friends of a family, offering one of these silver

rings, as a to

be taken

have heard the opinion expressed in the Hsia-ho

so to say, in the

Commonly

A

to

merely the bringing

soul from being separated from the body,

hoops

to

and the head can

worn round

is

[f|j.

sick, enjoy excellent appetite

country, North Kiang-su fX in

enough

large

piece,

as a dog's collar.

whelps that are

hems

single

child were as easy to

my

to sav, that little

;i£

being necessary to

it

This ring

pass through the opening. in

of silver,

without of a

generally composed

—

14

mark

of congratulation,

whenever a male child

is

born

them. Parents, fearing to be unable to bring up a child, lend

form sake

to a

neighbour.

This

latter,

through a figure

of

him

for

speech,

becomes his foster father, the child being called his dry son, Knneul-lzo |E "?< and he presents him a collar as an adopted son.

^

At times,

one meets children wearing a

through the nose, as

is

wont

to be

done with

silver

cattle.

ring

passed

Fig. 11

Jeune enfant portant le collier. Child wearing the silver collar

Fig.

12

Le pendant d'oreille. Boy wearing an ear-ring.

—

—

15

Wearing ear-rings. Tai-eul-ch'ui-lze

///..

y$

Boys wear an ear-ring attached to one of childhood, and often even in more advanced age.

summers and more may be found with made either of silver of gold. The

idea, generally

J\.

their

^f-.

jj||

ears

Youths

during

of

twenty which is appendage,

this

connected with this practice,

is

the follow-

attach

one on the

ing. little

Only

my

ear of

wear ear-rings.

girls

ren, shall be deceived

Some

Should

I

injure male child-

ever seek to

Seeing an ear-ring, they will girl, and thus will not molest

by this device.

take the individual wearing

him.

who

boy, the evil spirits,

it

for a

astrologers also say

it

is

intended to deceive the female

constellations, that preside over the destiny of the to

death

family, and put

male offspring.

all its

Persons give to this ear-ring the form of the weight of a clock, as

this

this

world

The

my

who If it

evil spirits

beloved child, the weight attaching

and riveting him child

their idea something heavy and would thus be unable to snatch from

represents according to

hard to raise.

to

existence.

it

Generally,

him

is

to the

ground

the uncle

of the

the ear-ring on him.

fixes

be necessary to take

never dare lay their hand on

it off,

the child's

This

it.

fact,

I

own

parents would

have witnessed several

times.

In order to deceive the evil

caused the death of a child, the

spirits,

name

who

are

thought

of a girl is given

to

have

to the next

male child born.

To

this

practice

girl" Ya-l'eu

y

JM>

must which

be is

generally

In the district of Suh-tsien

Chow

2|$

frequently

4>|>|,

Lik-shwan j£ buckled,

and

little

Ilni

Chow

linked,

the term

"slave

^ $fc

j§, and the departments ')]]

(North

Kiangsui,

one

of P'i

finds

or pet name, Lih-k'eu j£ }n These expressions denote that they have been

boys called by f-^.

ascribed

so frequently applied to male children.

solidly

trouble to secure them.

their

pinned

together,

,

after

enduring

great

— 16 — It is

especially in the

two following cases that these names are

parents have been long childless, or when the eldest given In almost all such cases, new-born children of a family have died. :

when

male children receive an ear-ring, as

if

they were girls.

Fig. 13

L'enfilee de sapeques.

Child wearing a string of cash suspended from the neck.

— 17 — IV.

Wearing

This practice, all

it

a string of cash.

may

be

said,

is

Tai-ts'ien

universal.

§^ |^.

In

children have one or several copper-coins (cash),

some

places,

hung on

a red

string and worn round the neck.

Ancient coins of the T'ang

Among

red.

those of the late

J^;,

or

Manchu

dating from the reign of K'ang-hsi j^ also

much

Sung

5jc

dynasty are prefer-

or T'sing -^ dynasty, JSB,

or Kia-k'ing

fjL

cash

J|, are

prized.

This string of cash (comprising sometimes eight or ten coins' for the child a

kind of talisman portending happiness, a prosperous

and well-being. It supplies the absence an easier and less expensive practice.

future, riches

and

is

is

*v\ -v «/^v*i^/V

wvw\/w\

of the padlock,

— V.

Wearing

18

—

the eight diagrams.

Other children wear

in a like

manner, attached

hanging' from the neck, a rather large or mother-of-pearl. of

Fuh-hsi ££

.||,

On one

side

commonly

Tai-p&h-kwa

are

called

plate

made

inscribed

"Puh-kwa

^ A ^ to

a

•

cord

of copper,

and

silver

the eight diagrams

A

i[ \ while the

obverse of this large breast-plate or medal, bears the Shih-eul-shuh t~

ZL

Mi

ol

twelve animals representing

Sometimes these

plates have the shape of

the

cycle

a real

of

medal.

sixty

years.

They bear

inscriptions resembling preservative talismans, and are accompanied

by

pompons sentences assuring nntold prosperity

in the future.

Fig. 14

L'amulette des huit trigrammes.

Charm

representing the eight diagrayns.

Fig.

15

Enfant portant la couronne de cheveux. Child with crown of hair shaven off.

— VI.

the

Wearing

This practice consists leaving

must

but

a

sixteen, otherwise he will

following

explains

this

be

has

and

On

no account

attained

the age of

to

According

"Tao.-shV jg

priests

head,

an untimely death.

to

exposed

ffi.

of the

forehead.

child

a

apprehension.

by the Taoist

stories told

summit

over the

till

Liu-ku |g

hair.

in shaving' the

shaved

be

crown of

of hair

ringlet

crown

this

—

19

{^,

the

before

The

fanciful a

child

reaches the age of manhood, he must pass through certain barriers

roadway of youth, and unless he bears this mark, the road of life is barred against him and he meets

along the

occurring distinctive

with death

.

Fortune-tellers, after having ters,

year and month, at

which during the course

reach a particular barrier,

When

the last one.

may

examined the eight horary charac-

which determine the exact time of a child's birth, calculate the

all

be shaved, as there

Note. the head

—

is

It

seems

may

some places

be

tn

should avoid by

this

he

will

of shaving

practice

it.

all

In such a case,

weans,

not

I

only

should likewise banish any

soever in these pretended passages

commit

life,

independently of any superstitious

hare given rise

that christian j>arents

his

no further danger to be feared.

fashion,

sult the fortune teller, hut

of

what age he will attain passed, the crown of hair

at

the barriers are is

that in

the general

notion, which

then finally

consi\],

Jjjjfc),

and on

of

ceremony evaporating vinegar, The vinegar, being brought rushes up in a column from the

practised.

red-hot iron,

and this indicates the rapid increase

vase,

the

^ff

[Jj

off

some

of fortune

which awaits

couple. bride,

a saddle.

on coming out from the sedan, must lay her foot on

Saddle, in Chinese,

]$£,

which

-^,

meaning peace

is

pronounced Ngan

is

expressed by the character

j|£,

exactly similar in sound to

Ngan Ngan

or tranquillity.

For the above operation, the bride has sometimes to borrow one of the shoes of the

(1)

in

bridegroom.

Doolittle, Social Life of the Chinese, Vol.

Southern China.

I.

p. 83, finds

this

custom

Here, the sieve "is put on the top of the sedan, over

its

also existing

door".

Fig. 21

Introduction de

la

Conducting the bride

maison du mari. Le Soulier et la selle. the bridegroom's house. The slipper and the saddle.

fiancee dans la to

—

37

—

Frequently also, beneath the saddle, a beast of

placed the pack-saddle J

ffi

^,

ol

a kind of wallet,

corresponding in sound with another Shao-lai

this expression

}f|"

fP\

with offspring and have plenty children.

to be blessed

meaning

is

burden, called in Chinese Shao-tai

Previous to the arrival of the new couple for the celebration of the marriage ceremony,

tt

is

in

employed

a

is

transactions,

success

North Kiang-su a

balance or

peck,

measuring

commer-

the balance, employed in cial

in places of

the symbol of abundance;

is

grain,

customary

(peck), upon which are laid The bushel small copper coins (cash).

and a string of

which

is

it

prepare a bushel

to j$ti

business;

in

copper cash, which

monetary basis

of

pledge

finally,

the

constitute the

of

China,

vividly

represent fortune, so eagerly sought after

by

both

a

This custom implies

all.

wish

of

happiness

and

riches for the newly married pair,

and

is

kind

a

also

of

JflS^r

talisman

tending to produce the desired good effects.

To neglect

it

in the cere-

mony, would, doubtless, injure the future of the

young

The bride

couple.

conducted

is

to the

upon which stands Heaven and Earth (1);

table or altar,

the tablet of

candles burn and incense

is

lighted

in the censer. Tablet of Heaven and Earth.

(1)

of all

The

true Lord inscription on this tablet reads as follows: Spiritual seat of the

Heaven and Earth,

(ruling over) the three

regions, the ten points of direction,

and

living creatures (souls).

The three regions

of existence are, according

to the

Taoists, heaven, earth,

waters; according to the Buddhists, the regions of earthly longings, of ness (this latter place

The ten ones, to

is

the ante

chamber

and the

form and formless-

to Nirvana).

directions are the four cardinal points, together with the four intermediate

which are added ''above and below" (Note

of English translator),

— 38 — The bridegroom takes

bow profoundly

jj|

Jj. after

and the marriage ceremony

The new couple where both

then both

the same ceremony is and also before the God of the

which they mutually salute each other,

is

accomplished

1

.

next conducted to the

are

the

on the bed.

sit

bride,

before the tablet;

kneel)

repeated before the ancestral tablet, kitchen. Tsao-kun

the

place beside

his

meanwhile

bride

nuptial chamber, holding;

her eyes

downcast.

Now commences of Nao-sin-fariQ

ness conveyed

pffj]

by

an abominable ceremony known by the name

0f Jf this

,

man may

youth.

is

word.

may come in to see the most impertinent remarks old

that

bride, 2

to say ribaldry, in all the

coarse-

During three days and nights, all and pour out in her presence the It

.

admitted that a grey-headed

is

use on this occasion the language of the most dissolute

Such

are

the

horrors of pagranism.

from which

would

it

seem that even the very notion of modesty has been banished.

(1)

See Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese, Vol I. p. 85, the same ceremony as Here both drink some wine from the same goblet, a cock

practised in South China.

made

of sugar

is

eaten,

and the wedding dinner

Doolittle remarks that this -• to

is

is

a very tryi

be seen, nor absent herself from

tl

_

partaken

of.

deal for the bride, as she

s

f

the public.

Ibid. p. 90.

may

not

CO CO

— In several places, to visit the ancestral

—

customary

it is

hall

39

or

newly married couple,

for the

there worship before the tablets of the ancestors.

ceremony performed In

province.

her

of

all

at T'ai-p'in,

cases, the bride

and

father-in-law

This

deceased.

is

fa

-fa

must

^ offer

mother-in-law,

family,

and

have seen

this

of the

Tz'e-t'ang fU j£

I

in

j£f,

Nganhwei

^M

meats before the

tablet

if

to

a strict duty for a married

they

happen

woman.

be

(1).

Should the bride die before accomplishing this ceremony, Con-

down

fucius lays

the principle that the coffin should not be taken to

the hall of the eldest ancestor,

nor the tablet placed beside that of

Her husband must not walk

her venerable mother-in-law.

funeral procession) leaning on a stick, for her in a secluded

weep

The corpse of a

C

its

daughter-in-law

I

Li-ki

*mmm r2i

H

b

|E or Look

bb

See Li-ki

the

nor wear straw-sandals,

nor

chamber.

of the deceased

and interred amidst

in

must

members,

be taken

back to her family,

as she has not fulfilled her duties

,2).

of Rites,

Cb. V. Tseng tze-wen H"

=f-

$\

-

)]

|ffj

(ft)

J£

ffi]

^ Vi m mmt.m m. jj§

|E or JJook

of ltites, Ch. V. Tseng-tze-weii "f^ -jr f^i

orded the proper words of Confucius

<

stablishing these obs< rvances.

wherein are

rec-

— 40

CHAPTER

III.

AND

DEATH

Peh

BURIAL,

Shi

ARTICLE

I.

BEFORE DEATH. As soon

as

the

should

apparent,

the

dying

person

be

a

child,

Frequently also the soul of persons of

practised.

called back.

I

have seen

it

the

many have the

the

practised in regard to a

above

rite

has

been

or

Pu-sah

This ceremony

the Pu-sah |£

^

or god.

is

3£

m,

called

is

of

always

young married

of a family.

unsuccessfully accomplished,

recourse to a supreme and last

temple-god

person.

ceremony

more advanced years

man, aged twenty-four years, and already the head

When

become

approaching death

of

the soul" (See chapter on this subject)

"summoning back is

symptoms

first

T'ai

device,

namely

the

abode

Pu-sah

ffi

into

of

5£

to

the

^j|.

bring

dying

fetching

—

—

42

one of the local temples, and there look for Cf It is placed on a kind Pu-sah" ^£ ||?. the statue of some famous People proceed

to

of portable altar-chair attached to

their shoulders, while

warn that the god

their might, to

honour.

cure

the

so that he

the

is

on all

bear

pay

him due

dying man's

door of the

the

and begged

or

indicate

sick

may

present

beating

it

gongs with

received with full honours,

person,

The god

in the case.

remedy

men

four

passing by and

is

procession reaches

the

house, the god ly

;

needless to say that fire-crackers are plentifully sent

It is

When

off.

two poles

two others precede,

least

at

to

One

two Taoist

or

an efficacious

next taken to an apothecary's shop,

is

there select a remedy suited to the

ailment.

to gracious-

attend on each side of the Pu-sah |£

requirements of Tao-shi

priests,

jf|

J^,

as he rests on the shoulders

$|?,

The apothecary turns round, and points out with one of the drawers containing his drugs. Should the Pu-

of the bearers.

the finger

sah

^

j||

remain

still,

it

sign that the remedy

is a

should he advance or withdraw a

him

to proceed

little,

or rather

backwards or forwards, precisely

at the

is

which must be obtained

Needless

at

cost.

The

In case of serious

In the case of

A). its

and when the

illness, is

comprises the following articles a

man

prepared

in

all

^

3|S.

These

that

the

vend at a high

latter

;

moment draws

haste.

This outfit

— Boots

and a ceremonial head-dress,

a long

must not

made

of paper);

hard-soled foot-wear

gown and an

overcoat or

Wai-

be furnished with brass buttons,

would be over weight}', and the deceased could not take to the nether world. Such are the requirements in regard

them over to outer

last

red tassels (these two articles are generally

being unsuited for the dead

as they

to

and that

:

the sole of the boots must be soft and flexible,

t'ao

add

to

outfit of the dead.

near, the outfit for the dead

minus

moment when

the good one,

any apothecary speculates much on popular credulity price an ordinary remedy.

;

his bearers help

if

the apothecary points out a remedy, this

no avail

of

is

garments.

— 43 — The under- wear, trousers and waistcoat, must in the

summer

In the case of

B). veil,

be padded, even

season.

—A

woman.

a

long gown, over-mantle and

together with the under-wear above mentioned.

garments must

new as much as possible they skins of animals, and any consequently Qannel clothes must be likewise strictly discarded, lest the deceased All these

must not

be

;

be fur-lined or have

might be reborn into the body

among

Generally,

wear

made

is

an animal.

of

the lower class

of

the whole under-

people,

white cotton-cloth.

of

one.

The other garments are coloured, according to the taste of each Red and yellow are, however, two colours reserved for scholars

and

officials.

Silk

and satin may be generally used.

The two fastenings,

the lower extremity of the

properly

are

^,

Jjjfl

at the

trousers

^

Tai-tze

speaking,

Kioh-tai-lze

called

^

and the girdle

ankle,

carefully

which bind

-=p,

omitted, a simple

string being used instead to bind the waist.

The reason is

of this is the following:

similarly pronounced

in

the girdle,

Chinese as T'ai-tze \%

^

Tai-tze ,

to

^

bear

^-,

away

or carry off children.

Hence, as fancy to carry is

it is

away

feared above

all,

that the deceased might take a

him

his children with

to

the other world,

he

denied the use of a girdle.

This custom the words.

is

For the

in the button-holes,

K'eu-tze ^p

^,

bed,

Northern parts of tion or

K'ang

be seen,

may

same reason,

^

K'eu-tze |p

as

,

upon mere punning on

avoided putting the buttons

it is

this

expression sounds like

"to kidnap children".

The dying man the family

based, as

jfc,

also

must

nowise be allowed

in

to

expire

on

would be subsequently haunted. In the China, where the family bed is an adobe construc-

as

this

it is

said that

have to transport dry clay-bricks

if

a

person dies thereon,

in the

nether world.

he will

—

44

—

Great care is therefore taken to prepare another hed, employing sometimes a simple door placed on two trestles, and on which the Howsoever weak he may be, he must be transdying man is laid. ported on this rough couch, even were

him

therefore die, but

rules

will

be

in

to

it

cause his death.

accordance

Let

with the laid-down

!

Those who

assist a

the bed-curtains,

and

it

if

these,

it

is

thought,

to

take

away

all

resemble a fishing-net,

the dying person departs from this world surrounded by such

meshes, he

A

as

dying person are careful

still

will be

more

changed into a

cruel

fish in

custom consists

in

the other world.

removing the pillow from

under the dying person's head, in order that the feet may not be Should he happen to gaze on his feet when dying, great perceived. misfortunes would less,

befall his children.

hastens death in

manv

cases.

This absurd custom, doubt-

—

—

45

ARTICLE

II.

AFTER DEATH. As soon as the dying person has given up

the

M

ill it

JPh to observe whether the day

happens

to be

unlucky, a sieve

lucky or

is

or a mirror

care

ghost,

immediately taken to consult the Imperial almanac,

is r

Hwa.ng-lih-t eu case

in

unlucky;

suspended over the

is

door-way.

The

sieve allows but

good influences

to pass

through

while

it,

the mirror has the power of changing evil into real happiness.

This preliminary operation over, dead person.

First

he

is

it

is

proceeded to lay out the

washed, then the black strings binding A removed, and blue ones put on.

the extremity of his queue are

person takes cotton-wool or

He

a

afterwards dressed out

is

previously described

(p.

towel in

his

and wipes his

face

therewith.

mortuarv robes, which we have

42).

Paper hangings are suspended over the door-way, to announce is dead in the family. These hangings vary in form

that a person

according to places;

and

deemed

it is

some

in

localities,

sufficient to affix a few

they

are

written

with,

dispensed

characters

on the

outer walls of the house.

the to

a

These preparations being carried out, as soon as night sets in, of the family light up lanterns, and weeping, proceed

members

inform the local tutelary deity T'u-ti Lao-yeh

member of the family has departed from to show kindness towards him, stating

him

was weak and

career he of

one

goes

M>

^-,

that

They beg his

mortal

along the pathway

home.

The second day,

But where

was deemed

is it to

be found?

a copper coin (cash) it

all

return,

and bearing

local deity T'u-ti

Lao-yeh j^

this time for the purpose of bringing back the soul of the

deceased, which

where

world.

this

that during

infirm, and toiled hard

lanterns, proceed to the temple of the

Ml $t

^

i|j}

After a display of fire-crackers and the offering of incense,

life.

each

j^

is

to be hospitably received in the temple.

In order to discover

its

whereabouts,

rubbed against the wall of the temple, and

adheres (whether through mere chance,

or

because

it

has

— 46 — encountered a spider's web), there dwells the soul

which

is

a

in a

the house

departed soul

and start on

reached, victuals to be used on the way, are

is

kind of paper wallet, and placed on a paper sedan-chair or

waggon, according

set

departed,

forthwith brought back.

When put

the

of

fire,

is

for

to

This being accomplished, the

the locality. to

requested

take

its

on the paper waggon,

seat

the long journey of eternity.

and the soul wings

its

The waggon

then

is

flight to the nether world.

fre-

quently on such occasions, some of his old shoes are burnt,

having been taken are despatched to

to cut the soles in

him

two

;

through this device they

for use in the other world.

Oftentimes also, a small table covered over with ashes near the sedan or waggon, soul,

and help

it

to enter

in

order to act as a

lift

A

;i

two wisps

away the misfortune too numerous brood

is

placed

the departed

spirit has not

Each left

footprint on the ashes.

rather quaint custom consists

of the deceased

for

more conveniently the sedan-chair.

one hastens to examine whether the departing

some mark resembling

care

in

attaching round

of cotton-wool, in order that he

of the of girls.

family,

and preserve

it

the

neck

may

bear

from having a

Fig. 23

Han-k'eou-tsHen. Han-k'eu-ts'ien.

Sapeque serree dans Coin pressed

in

the

la

bouche du defunt.

mouth of a

corpse.

— 47 — ARTICLE

III.

PLACING THE CORPSE The corpse must be put otherwise

might

into

contaminate

the

the

THE COFFIN.

IN

on

coffin

a

Some

neighbourhood.

as

day,

lucky

await a day or even two before putting the body into the

it

families

coffin.

In this latter case, a large kitchen-knife is placed on the corpse, as

it lies

can

in the

used

be

unable

to

This sharp cutting instrument

bier.

as

a

defensive

and

away,

get

weapon.

so

his

cannot

soul

heavy, and

is

The deceased

is

rendered return

further

to

molest the living.

For

clearness

we

sake,

shall

mention

superstitions connected with the coffin

the

briefly

ordinary

which we

after

itself,

shall

describe the divers objects placed in the mortuary room.

Placing the corpse in the coffin-the coffin

-1°.

the

In

with a big

This

HI;,

all

^

;

£]",

order to obtain

in

exists little in

every

region,

Tze-sun-ting -^

essential

however,

^^

Yang-tze

nail, called

deemed

is

The custom 4£

Lower

itself.

North Kiang-su yX

coffin

is

closed

'the posterity nail".

numerous in

j|fc-

put a small copper coin 'cash) in

offspring.

Ngan-hwei mouth ol

the

the corpse.

Sometimes the mouth

wooden wedge

;

contracted during the last ation

is

maintained open by means of a small

is

opened by loosening the jaws convulsions of death. This solemn oper-

at other times,

it

is

A

carried out quite methodically.

pair

of cords or threads

are placed crossing each other on the open coffin, one extending from

head to

exactly over the

mouth

At the point suspended, drops

down

of the corpse,

of intersection of the

bearing at its

or coin pressed in the

hangs

it

as

it

They must meet

face.

lies in

the coffin.

two threads,

a

third

extremity a small copper coin (cash),

mouth

into the

time and then withdrawn.

The

drawn over the

other being

foot, the

of the corpse.

This

is

It

is

left

there

called Han-k'eu-ls'ien

p£

one

is

which

some

p

H>.

mouth.

young, treasures this coin, and on his neck as an amulet'. Should he be unwilling to use eldest son,

if

he be

still

— 48 — it,

some other family,

as a present to

is offered

it

to be

worn by the

eldest of the boys.

who wear

remark here that many pagan children,

not be useless to

may

It

hung on

coins (cash)

neck

the

to

among them one which has been pressed Han-k'eu-ts'ien Peh-lao-yeli £j

previous to

a little rice is

this

world,

this

sec

is

number

how the

coffin,

At

prepared.

sixty, sixty parcels

are

bottom

the

of

in

paper "P'i-chi" fe

Sometimes

a

layer

of

cotton-wool

head

of

the

blance

to

At the

^

|§

7^,

(l)

man

in

little

placed

lived.

All

he dies

It

at

these materials

$j£.

coffin

is

is

added

placed

serve

to

a

as

a

cushion, called

or buffalo-horn pillow, from its resem-

is

composed

of

two

upper covering

made

is

of red cloth,

turned upwards; the lower covering corners are turned downwards.

The head

juxtaposited.

upper crescent.

little

rice

is

1

1

parts

juxtaposited,

of

is

put

in

the is

the corpse

and dry lime.

quilt

of blue cloth,

is

and must

The

two corners (horns) being

Thev resemble

a

and the inferior

pair

of

crescents

placed in the middle of the

mortuary robes, and coveras wide as the coffin. For the last

dressed out in

wadded

ed over with a red

full

the dead man's hands, in

order that

he

apease therewith the hungry dogs of the village, which he must

cross on his

(1)

which

are

it

not contain either straw or chaff, but only ashes

may

of

the horned shape of the water-caltrop.

This pillow

time, a

meal

These must be equal

be placed in the coffin.

wrapped up

Ling-kioh-chen

corpse,

farewell

the last resting-place

which the deceased has

of years

must

mattress.

of the

the

is

bundles containing dry lime, ashes and earth. to the

corpse

mouth of

.

now

Let us

the

mouth

the

in

placed

wooden wedge;

the

removing

given here below

from

of a

J^ (See demon-scaring charms and amulets).

qj£

Frequently

have

string,

mouth

and another issued

§i,

P#-

by a red

in the

§|j Lin^'. is

eaten.

way

to

the nether world.

The water-caltrop (Trapct bicomis), an aquatic vegetable, the

fruit of

— 49 — This

called the viand for apeasing the dogs,

is

Ta-heu-shih JT

£ Others, endowed

with

more

add

foresight,

chopsticks, to be used as cudgels, in case the

A

too determined attack to bite him.

position at his feet, deliver

order

in

that

own

his

him from any subsequent

could hardly die again

mirror

death.

thereto

of

pair

hungry dogs made is

in

placed

a

an upright

would

reflected

image Dead twice lor

all,

he

!

folks lay the corpse on a bed of gold or

Wealthy

a

This affords them

happiness

their posterity (See

on

and assures the future

unalloyed,

this ancient

silver ingots.

V. Article

Cli.

custom,

of

\).

Most well-to-do people have their dead equipped with jewels, a which provokes the cupidity of robbers, and it is highly

custom

probable that the next step will be the violation of these rich tombs.

Chinese law

When

visits this

crime with the death-penalty.

the corpse has been

laid

fully

out

in

grave clothes

its

and placed on the bier, a very clean towel is dipped in hot water, and used in wiping for the last time the face of the deceased, after which, the strip of cloth for

washing the mouth,

called

is

Tsing-k'eu-pu on.

nailed

the coffin, beneath the cover, and

-]f£

P

rffl

or cloth

.

This extends entirely over

intended to prevent any dust

is

from entering, or falling on the face of the corpse.

Nothing further now remains but been taken to draw three hairs

from

these are entwined on three big nails of the coffin. '

ting

|^.

3=]",

They that

is

ting

f$- §]",

Care has

the

deceased:

the

"Wan-ting"

entwined

nails.

is a

entwine

real

a

queue

of

intended for closing the

are called

Here again there to

to close the collin.

Sjf.

£]"

or also

"Cltwan-

pun on the two expressions

nail,

and

Wan-ting

Bj£

"J*-

lid

:

Wan-

posterity,

descendants. Similarly, there

Chwan-ting

ijj^

ting

to

f|f.

"J",

is a

^T, to

play

on the pronunciation of the words

wind (something) round

propagate posterity.

In fine,

it

a nail, is

and C/w'an-

an omen portend-

ing numerous descendants. 7

— When

the

used for closing the

coffin,

of

down

to nail

— down

drive

to

carpenter approaches

the mortal remains

going

50

the son of the

the

nails

big

deceased, kneeling beside

him: "fear

his sire, shouts to

not. they are

the coffin!"

In several places,

it

son

the

is

who

himself

drives

the

in

first nail.

when

Likewise,

k'eu-pu

P

ffi

/fjj

as stated above, the strip of cloth called Tsingnailed on, the son has

is

,

withdraw his hands,

When two

these preparations are over,

all

his

lather to

the

coflin

is

nails.

on

placed

mortuary chamber, awaiting the

the middle of the

trestles, in

warn

to

being wounded by the

in order to avoid

burial.

2°.

placed

Oi>jP(ix

At the head

of the

Hip coffin.

hsi1

—

each side of the tabid

two

are

large

in

candlesticks,

which two candles burn constantly. <

F).

the

>n

front

Chinese lamp, fed with

G\

the

of

near

table,

the

a

is

corner,

Several add to the above a pair of chopsticks, a wine-cup, a

jar of wine, a

the soles of

wash-hand-basin

which are cut

Under the

in

purposes, and a pair of shoes.

for toilet

two and wrapped up

between the two

coffin,

benches,

in

cotton-cloth.

is

placed

a

not unfrequcntly equipped with seven wicks, Ts'ih-sing-teng

To the rear image

for

some time

lamp

is

of the

lamp

to

Mi

placed a mirror, wherein

come no other death

the third or

Buddhist priests

reflected

will occur in the family.

The

illustrates all this ceremonial. :

to

fifth

day

alter

help

the

soul

£$

man. (2)

also

that

this

ceremony,

him the happiness

Once more. O-mi-t'o-fuh

and Tz'e-kwang-fuh *& jt

|JpT

jfo

performed for his

of being reborn into

(3),

~jffi

|?£

$,

the

Jii-lai-fuh

we humbly beg you

to save his soul.

(lj

among (2)

the historical light). The celestial prototype corresponding to Also the sovereign lord of the Western heavens, and hence highly popular

Amitabha (boundless

Guatama.

the Chinese.

A

Hackmann. Buddhism

as a Religion, p. 159.

translation of the "Sancrit Tata-gata" or

the

"Thus come Buddha".

One

whose comfng and going accords witb thai of his predecessor. The highesl appellation given to every Buddha. Giles. Chinese-English "Dictionary. Jii-lai jl\\ 5^(3)

The mercifully enlightening Buddha.

— 72 — "When

the lotus-flower opens, the fruit

(man being reborn partakes already

when

the

flower

work

achieve

the

becomes

a perfect

for the benefit of

we burn

it.

fall's.,

fruit

is

Nirvana, and

of

Buddha

1

.

We

of the

in is

already in formation

nature of Buddha)

quite formed"' (thus

thanks

to

such a

respectfully offer to

such a soul, and in order that

Done

This petition

the

is

it

you

;

but

does death state,

man

this petition

may

reach you,

such a year..., month..., and dav...

drawn up on yellow paper, and

reserved to Buddhist priests.

is

exclusively

bis Fig. 31

/1WP ^mm. mmm^

gH>5-|gg|\ 4&

C

ir

&

ffitt-

»«

4 ^mfo^tA*

Brule en Thonneur de Ti-ts'ang Wang. the nether world. Written charm burnt in honour of

Passe-port pour l'autre

Passport

to

vie.

Ti-ts'ang

Wang,

ruler of Hades.

—

Second petition couched

73

—

in similar style.

10

oo

Petition-talisman begging

Taoist priests, Tao-shi the deceased

may

jjf

J^.

a

happy

rebirth.

burn this petition

be reborn into the body of a

the body of a genial

animal.

addressed to Lao-kiln j£ jg

.

It

is

printed

man,

in

order

that

or at least into

on yellow paper,

and

M

4

f, *\

H'*£

0) en

03

C CC

> c _c '-t->

CC

a,

c u CC u c — S-.

c

c 5~

o U o

ipfri

a cu

_C"

P-

&>

«•$*

#P^;

M d 4#^s#^F^^"%-"

v->

So

•¥$$ff4jNit D C

"© ©>



#T

the

|£ the

W

4-

Being involved I). 92.

living

soul,

not

medium, who

^

carry the

to

entitled ••Annals of the

A.

of the

The personator is but the bearer the work entitled Yi'i chow ta-i-i 'jjf

said: "the personator

in order

(1)

therefore,

Third opinion.

c).

it

is,

seat

of

3

is

#•

ceremony as the agent or

this

which

the soul

is

The personator

obvious.

was sometimes dressed up in the clothes of order to make the illusion more apparent

|f|,

it

of the

g

Jr,

|=|

1$

if?.

He wrote

£§ 11. which he

left,

the

treatise

unfinished.

he was casi into prison and died there

p. ICG.

White Tiger, Peh-hu t'ung

£

fit

H.

Textes philosophises, pp. 57 and 77: also pp. 137 and 156. All these thai the personator was but the image of the son! or the living likeness of the

dead person.

— is

Jt

—

out.

is

to

appointed

The

it.

carry

carry the ancestral

to

hence

tablet,

%

there

up

in a

The work

Tsih shwuli Is'iien

entitled,

p m n & *

In

±.

hj

three

the

in

fine,

condemn

the custom

of

#

vx

to be

of

place

manifest".

therefore

mwriters

the

opinions,

the

chooses

the resting

is

sums

ifL,

son

filial

m **, * m h

preceding

employing

or

personator,

either

restrict

see

only

his

him

in

of the dead person's soul.

in the

ingly that the personator

must

having erected.

The fourth opinion confutes the whole trend of thought works of the ancient literati, and maintains unhesitat-

d).

found

of

vet

|^ g£

|j|

function to that of carrying the tablet, or at most

an image

not

is

"the

His intention

the soul of the dead person.

il

personator

need

no

rln'ii

few words the sense of this text:

a personator to carry the tablet, but not

5fe

the

of

tablel

then

this duty,

fulfil

is

tablel

* £ *±ftt

P,

$k

to

function

such a one immediately after death, as the ft

and take the

this function,

fulfil

Should they be too young and unable

a person is

who

the grandsons

101

not only a pure image of the

is

be considered as the

and agent of the soul

seat

but

soul,

dead

the

of

person.

The two most famous champions I-chw'an fM

ffi

)W

Ming-Lao fg

^

^f,

The dead,

former

employed

1

i

^-

the

alter

5£

W)

A. w;ls

Born

1190-1200.

theu in

official

in

employ.

Fo

@

Ch'eng-i

when

ancients,

because

Ch'eng

and

the

to

sacrificing

soul

the

Wholly absorbed

iu

his great successor,

kien, fg Wi

He

or

gf{

(2).

the

vital

philosophical researches,

His criticisms on the classics

tint late to official position.

I).

-^

new school are Ch'eng

being separated from the body, seek

Chinese philosophy and were adopted by Chinese Reader's Manual, p 34. (2)

^

personator,

This writer lived A. D. 1033-1107.

he acceded

as

"the

writes:

of this

also

and chu-hsi

force of the dead person

(1)

known

where

o]

cl

Chu-hsi ^c

a

new

>;£.

his father (a native of

i

ru.

in

Mayer's.

Ngan-hwei

devoted his early years to the study of Buddhism Confucianism and the ancient classics, of which he

and Taoism, hut abandoned then, for became the great expounder and commentator, his opinions being followed even to the critics have igorously impugned present day. Within the last one hundred and fifty years, \

'

the doctrines of his school.

Mayers. Chinese Readi

i

.Manual,

p.

2-j,

— 102 — an agent of the

and to

same

come and

modern

ancient times dead.

Ifn

ptf(

1$c

Now, men being

•

all

a

of one farmh-

when

personator the

the

life

is

requested

an agent."

"In

no less clearness.

with

Since the descendants continue

the personator shares, therefore, in

in

all

eminent scholar and

the

Uf|;,

writes

school,

employed

all

them as

seat in one of

its

(Yu&n-hwui 7c

J3r

$f.

the

of

-^

5J<

stock, the soul of the departed person

establish

Chu-hsi

$

father and the children being

same kind, the

of the

head

same nature,

of the

life

sacrificing of

their

the

to

ancestors,

the departed person,

of

and the ancestor's soul descends undoubtedly upon his descendants, $1 3*E llf, and reposes therein to enjoy the sacrifice offered."

1 -

As

#

m%±

%•

p

& nm

the exact time

to

when

at

this

?

«,

it

m

|fj]

*

nk

(0-

custom commenced and ended,

the testimony of the two works: the "General Repertory"

we have but

T'ung-tien jg ]fe, and "Daily Jottings" Jeh old luh Q 4|| $| (2), which inform us vaguely that it began to fall into disuse towards the close of the ('how "J|

to

dynasties

at the

Han

jjj|

%.

Besides,

is

It

practised.

time of Confucius

be seen by the quotations

of Rites, Li-hi

^ and

dynasty, and that under the Ts'in

was no longer

it

remark that

may

f§\

it

noteworthy, however,

nourished

vigorously,

which we base given from the

Pan-hu

Jjf

[i|

Han

,

who

lived

as

Book

under the

custom prevailed in his days, 1^. and he describes the purpose thereof as a rite of which he was an eye-witness.- -The text quoted above seems to suppose this. dynasty, seems

to say that the

II.

1°.

What

is

the tablet of the

After the burial and

muh-chu

;fc

The Tablet.

3i (literally

dead?

the sacrifice to the dead, a wooden tablet, " wooden host"), was erected.

See liecords of the Sayings of Chu-tze, Chu tze yii lull ifc ^F" jm sit, collected and (1) published b\ bis disciples in one hundred and forty books, A. D. 1270. "Vvlir. Notes ou (

'hinese Liters (2)

A

t

Lire.

\>.

collection

85.

of

notes on a variety of subjects, being the result of thirty years

jottings during the daily readings of the author,

Kit

Yeri-wu

books, and was published about the year 1673. Wylie. ibid.

H^ff^.

p. 163.

It

comprises 32

— In making-

wood

the

it,

hence also the name given

At the end of the %£ was

of

to

first

103 the of

it

wore on

of the deceased

the

being over, the mulberry-wood tablet was

made

one

chestnut

of

An

$j

^

Jg,

The

occasion.

called

Lien-t&i

sacrifice

and replaced

by

chestnut-wood

the

a place of honour.

in

Imperial tablet was one foot two inches long, while that of

dukes could be but

;

was elected

it

as

sang-chu

lien-hvran

buried,

and hence

wood,

^.

tablet, lih-chli |j|

ed

known

sacrifice

offered, so called from the white silk cap.

which the son

tablet,

mulberry-wood

a

year,

was employed,

mulberry-tree

one foot

of

in

length.

On

the mulberry-wood tablet, no carving or painting was allow-

on

the

back of the chestnut-wood tablet the posthumous or

temple name of the deceased was written.

According tablet

some

to

writers, officials

was made

that of officials

:

^

framework, shuh-poh j^

tressed straw, hieh-mao $§

:

and

had no wooden

literati

scholars

dynasty

7V

wooden

made

tablet

of

tablet,

is

in

ancient

admitted

limes

by

the

officials

following

:

HsiX-shen f^

M

a

a

^.

The assertion which maintains that and

mounted on

had but

the literati

had no wooden

literati

of silk cloth

it

i.i-I

Nan-liang

jy|

(1)

and Cheng-yuan

(A.

J).

25-221).

ing

\ji

fj|,

~\$

$fc

who

lived

tu,

i||$

both

of

the

Han

under the Southern Liang dynasty.

(2).

Kia Kung-yen

J!(

^

/H, of the T'ang

dynasty

(A.

under the Sung

'^

)|f

J).

620-

907).

Sze

Ma-wen

ji\

J^

jjj^,

who

lived

dynasty

(A. D. 960-1280).

(1)

ary

Celebrated as a scholar under Hsien-ti

Shw.oh-wen (2)

This

§5£

^t, the

first

lexicon

if

jfafc

^,

A.

L>.

short-lived dynasty reigned A. D. 502-550.

divided between rival houses.

190-221.

Author

of the diction-

the Chinese language.

North and South were then

—

104

—

The contrary proposition, endeavouring times officials and literati had a wooden folloAving scholars

prove that in ancient

to

Sii-miao f£ fg

of the Tsin

(1),

|f dynasty

prince of Ts ing-ho

']'fl,

Wei dynasty, Peh-wei

time of the Northern

This of the

opinion seems more

latter

Book

from

of Rites, Li hi

have

right to

wooden

memory; they were in the

^

and Sung

j|f

a

,

Wei

the period of the

those of T'ang

fE

fig

This could be of one

spirit's tablet.

inches and a half wide, and

engraved thereon

live

indicate

to

(-)•

§

Tsi-fnh £5 j£

(3).

and Tsin H- dynasties, down to had no officials and literati

the

to

also

hall,

the

at

the

^

muk-cliu

tablet,

H

lived

accordance with the teaching

chapter XX.

|)|3

,

only entitled

family ancestral

in

-|t

265-290).

who

"juT.

v^j

[>.

(A.

c

Yunn-yih 7C

bv the

held

is

tablet,

:

tz'e-p'ai

known

as

and an inch

foot

it

jjj^

their

to

or

jjj^,

Ifiji]

shen-p'ai

tablet

the

)$i,

length, four

in

Eight characters were

lines thick.

that

erected

2fe,

was the

seat

the

of

of

soul

such an ancestor, with his posthumous or temple name, or of such an illustrious dame.

For

a

For

a

% i£ £j ± Jg & A M 5% Z. $? M the Sung ^ dynasty (A.

man $l woman :

jj&

ftfl

:

At the time

of

founders of the modern school

Yu&n-hwui chu

t|v

^

7l

flff,

:

the

fixed

I).

Cheng

/-c/nv'ar/ fj:

shape

of

960-1280), J||,

fffi

wooden

the

and fhv

tablet,

Henceforth,

a little over

an

officials

inch

An

half an inch.

and

literati

had their wooden tablet.

thick.

in

The two upper corners project about a line is drawn to separate

inch further down,

]^j

humorist

Official and contemporary with Ts'ai-yung 1|| H,, famous and Bpicnrian, whose genius illumined the turbulent epoch of the dynasty. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 197.

Han

$§'

The Northern Wei

|J|,

or

Toha Tartars, held sway

from A. D. 3S6-536. (3)

inch

Third century A.]'.

close of the (2

It

width, and

the upper part from the lower, leaving empty one third of an

(1)

muh-

i-

could be one loot two inches in height, three inches

scholar,

the

See Tn-li t'ung-k'ao fg g§

S#

in

Shansi

|ll

[5]

and Honan

;3]"

10 .)

on the

and about an inch on the back

top,

or written

inscribed

such a generation, of such a dignity,

The back

custom

present-day

the tablet,

of

part

In

part.

the centre

is

tablet of the soul of such a one, belonging to

:

parallel

the

to

central

and death, the name

exact date of the birth

front

and

inscription,

the

on the

both

write

to

is

and rank.

title

of the

district

city,

and the ward or parish of the deceased also the name of the hill (burial place), and the direction in which the coffin of the defunct ;

has been placed. tion

the front tablet

and of such a

district

1;

or in case of a

woman, bearing such

of such a

is

written the following inscrip-

soul of such a person, official of such a name,

of the

"tablet

:

On

woman

a title".

"tablet of the

:

— The two

at the present

(1).

commoners and peasants,

also,

all

the reasons which originally determined the setting

For what purpose was

2°.

to the

of the

memory

of the tablet.

f

deceased,

affording thereby a fixed object for

piety.

At the time

of the

"the tablet

wrote:

lit

the tablet erected

up

the image of the soul and a tangible symbol erected

It is

a).

filial

rules

without exception, Let us examine erect a tablet in honour of their ancestors.

Nowadays

may

day

tablets are then

Such are the

placed together and inserted into the piedestal.

which hold

soul

Han is

may

zfc

#

fix

f£

having rendered

of the soul;

image

the last sad duties to his sire, the

he

the scholar Hsu-shen

dynasty,

|J|

the

son has no object whereon

filial

his affection, hence he offers sacrifice and erects a tablet.

ft ft

Pan-ku

4,

#

3#£

[g,

&M

•? 8E IP,

ft ft,

another scholar,

who

ffc

J3l

lived

JM

M±±

(2).

same

under the

has no dynasty, wrote similarly: "the soul, properly speaking, the filial son fixes his affection on the tablet, and dwelling place ;

employs

M

t,

1

1)

it

to

draw the attention

# ¥ % £M

±, fC

% S. M !&

See the Wu-li t'ung-k'ao

fi|

of succeeding generations",

*%

£§

#, and

pT *P

(3).

Tu-li t'ung-k'ao

(2)

See the Wu-king

(3)

See Annals of the White Tiger, Peh-hu t'ung

i-i

ft ;$

'$.

W.

M#

tlfi

J^ Ji-

14 c

—

106

—

Ch'eng Peh-yu J$ fg B^f, who lived "as the heart of the dynasty, sa} s

filial

j|f-

:

worthy of his

affection after the burial

of his

son found no object

&m

%,

&

^

it ft

Kao

quoting" the words of the scholar

the soul,

Fang

What

%

if

m

m

m

&<

According

departed

soul,

a

affording

descendants, but

it

#a

for

;fr,

5

fixed

to

4te

iji$

any

seat of ~}j

^L>

(2).

the

to

object

"In

to

to call the

the living".

it 2.

was never intended

it

cannot be attached

purpose in

original

therefore, to have a tangible

erecting the tablet was,

;£

follows:

as

writes

,

ancient writers,

these

to

#.

ft hl

~jf

people have agreed

in reality a seat erected

is

^

j^

f|?

$£, of the Y"ua?i 7c dynasty,

|fif«

truth, the soul has no fixed abode, so

material resting-place.

]||

(i)'.

scholar, Ch'en

The famous

he bethought

father,

himself of erecting a (commemorative) tablet.

s

time of the T'ang

the

in

r

the

make

symbol

filial

of the of

piety

the

thereof the abode or

seat of the soul of the dead person.

The soul

b).

We

of the deceased abides really in the tablet.

now come

more modern phase

to a

which has

of thought,

been gradually evolved.

Under the T'ang as follows

:

Jff-

"the tablet

*±mn&

ft

^

already quoted,

dynasty,

soul has no seat wherein

According

was

to

Chu-hsi

(1)

See the Wu-li t'ung-k'ao

(2)

See the Li-ki tsih-shwoh

(3)

A. D. 574-648.

(1)

to

^

:

without erecting them a

dwell.

to establish a seat,

(3)

wrote

^|

Inj

#&

yfc

±,

|lj

J||,

a

"Should

a

ffi

tablet, their

ft

Tfi

#;.

J|F, the ancient rite concerning the wherein one desired the ancestral soul

£ fg J§ ;%. jjif

f£ %k ISof Confucius

A descendant

scholar and public functionary.

Ch'eng I-chw'an f|

holds the following language

sacrifice be offered to ancestors

tablet

Q II jH

the seat wherein dwells the departed soul.

(4).

Under the Sung writer

dynasty, K'ung gin-tali

is

in the 32 lul degree,

Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual.

See Discussions on the Book of Rites, Li-ki shu $$

fE, Ufa.

and

a distinguished

Fig. 53

& it

4#4

ii» ^2

Figure de

la

tablette des ancetres.

A'ncesfraZ tablet (front

and back

parts).

to reside.

-£ 2L

#

Some modern

±,

—

107

-

Jg,

f£ 1L

— #C

$^4

4$

From

these

erroneous comments

therefore, fancied that one will

bowing and praying before fortune will befall people,

Popular credulity

results

it.

enjoy happiness by repeatedly

Likewise,

is in

nowise puzzled by any amount of anom-

The

tablet

how then can

when

therein,

the

name

how

Moreover,

be

it

is

not erected until the burial has

on the

and hastens

of the deceased person is affixed thereon?

why

explain

tablet,

to take

a

up

why the soul, which now comes and abides

explained,

the soul, which

on a piece of cloth borne before the

inscribed

considered that mis-

it is

this duty is either neglected or discarded.

dispensed with a seat before the burial,

thought

seeing

coffin,

suddenly abandons

new

is

its first

its

to

be

name

resting-place,

seat on the tablet?

In fine, the tablet cannot be erected but once, hence in case

it

broken or lost in any way, where will the poor soul henceforth

reside

?

Description of the ancestral

3°.

This tablet of

the

if

alies or contradictions.

taken place,

is

(I).

belief that the soul of the defunct resides really in the tablet.

popular

fixed

$j-

writers have given various absurd explanations of

the ancient classics.

It is,

£

3§

fft

is

of

composed

tablet.

two upright

pieces,

each,

however,

unequal length.

The

first,

which

is

the longer and thicker,

on a carved block or piedestal. portion

is

shape

(see

It

in

varies

annexed

generally inserted

placed to the rear.

The top

and almost always painted red and

sometimes carved,

varnished.

It is

is

assuming at times a semi-circular and at others resembling a truncated

form,

figure),

pyramid.

The second

piece,

which

is

the shorter,

is

placed to

the

front.

prescribed inscription, which, on ordinary occasions, Lest the characters, however, might meets the eye of the visitor. It

bears the

(1)

See

Chu

hsi's Miscellanies.

Chu-tze

yii-lei

^ ^ ff

—

108

be effaced in the course of time, the birth, death

and date

— same formula, with

of burial, is also inscribed

details

of

on the longer piece

placed at the back.

This second inscription

is invisible,

being-

hidden from view by

the front piece.

The two

pieces of the tablet are placed together,

are thus placed, one tinct pieces.

impinging on

When

both

would hardly suspect that there are two

dis-

each other, their surfaces having been planed smooth.

n

—

—

109

ARTICLE

II.

"KOTOWING" TO THE DEAD.

^

K'eu-pai wang-jen Pp

The kind

obeisance

of

"kotowing", K'o-t'eu £*

A

full

description of

chapter T'an-kung |J

The

is

it

mentioned

Jjjf,

or

found

\.

here

common] v

is

called

knocking the head on the ground.

Book

in the

Rites, Li-hi

of

jjjf

fg,

^. words

following- are the very

"guests

ally", says he,

rjj

who come

of Confucius himself: "gener-

condole

to

are

first

bv

saluted

kneeling towards them, and knocking the head on the ground to manifest one's grief. However, the process of knocking the head on the ground, before bowing to the guests, is a more expressive

manner

of

showing for

grief,

mourning

* ii

mmm%n

4,

and

I

prefer the latter way, in cases

three years".

lasts

JfL

#m

&,

T

,

4, -a

when

# M Jn # |I H ^, * m ± *, ^ % £

This ritual bowing before the corpse, or when performed during the period of mourning, is technically termed K'i-sang ^f ^g, and

them forward on

consists in kneeling, opening the hands and placing

the ground, knocking the head on the ground, and maintaining that

posture even for some time, K'i-liu |§

The custom

of

bowing

to

(remaining bowed down).

•[§

the dead,

kneeling towards them,

and knocking the head on the ground, goes back to the remotest it as he deems fitting. (Man being(1), and each one practises

times

dead, his soul

is

separated from the body, which

henceforth

is

but

a lifeless corpse. Nevertheless, those mortal remains, though deprived

animated them, are an essential part of the human Special ceremonies have always being, and as such deserve respect. been employed in honouring them, and this is quite in accordance of the spirit that

with reason.

(1)

a, n

The manner,

in

See Ritual of Mourning, Sang-li

# b as.

which the Chinese people consider

& jg,

ffc

Jf

fit

UP,

Kff

ft

ffi

M ^ W, ff

fl£

t

—

110

—

nowadays such honours, is quite different from the above standpoint, hence the Catholic Church has prohibited them).

The common people treat at present a corpse intelligent being, and call the tomb the sepulchre

^

kiu fl

Over

(1).

it

are affixed inscriptions

tion of the soul, Ling-yiu fH ^f

the throne of the soul,

,

Ling-tso

W a

name

if

Hf

were an

it

begging- the

the table placed beside

the seat or resting-place of the soul,

bears in Chinese the

as

of the soul,

it

while the tablet

j^S,

Ling-wei

of Ling-p'ai

f£

or

is is

called

stvled

This tablet

fi-

f||

)$.,

Lingprotec-

also

Pang-t'ieh

anc* consists of a strip of white cloth, one foot in length and

fMl'

upon which

over three inches wide,

little

such or such a person.

and

coffin,

It

is

placed on

is

written:

"tablet

of

a small table beside the

afterwards burnt at the burial service together with

is

some mock-money. During

lifetime,

is

kneeling

How

not

practised

indiscriminately

happen that when a person is dead, be he a young man or an inferior, superiors and elders, forgetting their dignity, kneel down and bow before his corpse,

towards everybody.

then does

it

Should you

fearing even to be too sparing of their prostrations?

ask them

why

they so act, they will

you they hope the deceased

tell

tune.

them happiness, or they fear his maleficent influence; they consider him as the dispenser of happiness or misforIt is for this reason that they kneel and bow repeatedly

before

him.

will procure

in fine,

Let

us

now suppose

that

two

or

three

intelligent

persons, though kneeling before the corpse of the deceased, have intention of begging

him

to

grant happiness

but wish merely to observe an outward it is

nevertheless

three

men

silly

of

of

obvious, that the

common

sense, will

be

or

avert

rite of civility

wise quite

no

misfortune,

towards him,

conduct of these two or inefficient

to

dispel

the

hopes entertained by thousands, nay by hundreds of thousands

men, hence the Catholic Church has been compelled

to

prohibit

such honours.

(1)

Ling

fg.

The disembodied

henceforth protecting descendants.

spirit,

manifesting

itself in

an efficacious manner, and

Fig. 55

1

S**«±

-'-^^gpsSgfe '

:

'

'^?

Rich and poor, all offer meats to deceased parents. This custom It is a strict duty to goes back to the remotest antiquity. prepare wine, meats, fruit and vegetables, which are placed on a table, the dead are invited to come and partake thereof.

and

This ceremony is practised when the corpse is placed in the coffin, also on the burial day, and on the two anniversaries of the

and death

birth

deceased

of. the

The tenth anniversary as the fiftieth is

;

(1).

of the death of the deceased is celebrated

on the sixtieth anniversary, a congratulatory address

read, and presents are

offered in the

same manner as among the

living.

The work f£, says:

entitled:

Fungshen-kid

litsih

shwoh

^§§

"Since presents and congratulations are not manifest after death one's

^f 5^

offered

fiH ;KI

during

lifetime,

why

sacrifice

on the anniversary day of the demise of the deceased?"

filial

piety,

by offering (2).

The "Prayer-formularies for birthdays and death anniversaries", Sheng-ki chuh-wen give the congratulatory formula ,gt fft "|J

fruits

:

before the tablet of the ancestor of the Jp)

^

The work known as Sung-t'ao-kuh ts'ing-i-luh ^, contains the following the wooden (artificial)

to

artificial

offer

them

fruits,

as

indicate

food to

be

eaten by the dead.

Only the .

living,

who have

material

a

eating; after death, the soul is separated

soon corrupted and crumbles to dust. spirit

body,

are

capable of

from the body, which

is

Henceforth, the disembodied

endures neither hunger nor thirst

;

how then can

it

need any

food? Even the ignorant understand these principles. Unfortunately,

Buddhist doctrine has invaded the people's mind, pretending that souls in the nether world still need drink and food, that their

(1)

ft

See Sheng-ki chuh-wen

s a, m /? %

m,

£&

^ m m '&, #

jjjfc

©e

The Posterior Chow, Heu-chou (2) which succeeded the downfall of T'ang the greatest confusion and turmoil.

&. « $= fl, % f- £, jg Hg £ j* # & ^ w r- a ^ m. £, & m m m, -% ^ ® s, m

^ )§*.

Jj§, is

It

the last of the five ephemeral dynasties

ruled Central China, A. D. 051-960, amidst

—

113

—

descendants should furnish them

therewith, and oiler them meals which they become "hungry ghosts" 1).

at stated periods, failing

These nonsensical ideas are so ingrafted in the popular mind that it is difficult to extirpate them. Meats and wine are offered, because

it

is

fancied the dead eat and drink

understand better the attitude

to

to these sacrifices offered to

way

of objection,

depicts better the

the dead,

and see how

mind

beats about the bush,

when an

solving

it.

than the manner

of a person,

order

In

2).

reality

us put the question

let

avoided

is

it

in

Chinese mind, with reference

of the

Nothing which be

in

urged against his system.

is

objection

by

Objection,— Chinese books contain the following: "After three days fasting, the ears become deaf and the eyes are overcast". Now happens, that in the course of a year, sacrifices are offered at most only six or seven times to the dead, whence it results that they it

remain one or two months without eating or drinking, the meats previously offered being all consumed. Did they really stand in need wouldn't they have died of hunger

of food,

As

to the

manner

of

making these

many

offerings,

tented with placing the meats on a table, and over, every bit of

the

ancestors

sacrifice

meat and every drop

have tasted nothing,

wine

of

so

a day

ago?

people are con-

when the still

sacrifice

is

remains there

then of what avail

is

;

the

?

Every intelligent person ought

manifest his

to

filial

in

piety

conformity with reason, and in a manner advantageous to his parents.

But

isn't

it

and partake

(1)

highly unreasonable to invite a spiritual

Buddhism has borrowed from China

souls of the cremated

place before

come

its

ancestor worship, though opposed to the tablets are erected to the

In large monasteries, ancestral

members

of the kind. all

to

of material food?

leading doctrine of Buddha.

monuments

soul

of

the community, in exactly the same manner as the usual

Once every

year, a festive

rite,

accompanied by an

Hackmann.

the ancestral tablets in the monastery.

offering, taki

Buddhism

as

-

a

Religion, p. 229. ('-')

#.

See Ming-tu-mub

t'ing-yii

ki-t'an

£ i m m % m ra &• % ± £ *

ft

& « m t.

BJ]

$|5

1*> pf§

ab

$£

g£.

^ ± $; %_ %. H # %

m vi & \:>

— What

would

a

who

person say of a son,

when they were

for his parents,

—

114

prepared a banquet

thousand miles away from

several

him, and knowing they could not return?

Such

acts are in nowise inspired

common

total lack of practical

Reply. a passage Iff

^7,

the

— The

above logical conclusion seems to

When

meats.

victims offered

to

customary he

man

a

little

carriages,

therefore,

enjoys

We

here to

needless

is

it

it.

to

such

Here

therefore

it is

in

is

good;

what

is

never

is

says:

been

(2).

It

never

Rites, Li-hi

"From

neglected,

Therefore this custom which

nowise blameworthy" it

it

he

since

;

have

offerings

order not to abandon the dead. people reprove,

him anything, the Book of

offer

|E, concludes quite otherwise.

(1).

obvious conclusion drawn:

the

see

are, however, deceived

remotest antiquity,

the flesh of the

but nobody has ever

seen the dead person partake of these offerings" expect

and

flesh

which follow the hearse.

After the burial service meats are offered him,

One would

T'an-kung

him dry

beside

in

implied

has given up

borne to the grave,

is

placed on

is

out

set

be

chapter

f£,

jjjf}

"When

find the following:

is

it

ghost,

but denote a

piety,

sense.

from the Book of Kites, Li-hi

where we

pickled

filial

by

jjjf|

the in

some

has ever existed,

the custom in China, therefore

we

practise

This clinches the question.

it.

\'id( j o

It is

meliora proboque, deteriora sequor

!

(3).

even customary in some places to prepare an opium-pipe

and

a

the

table together

little

recipient

filled

with

the

with

the

offerings,

drug. in

Both

are

placed

order that the

on

deceased

may

enjoy his pipe after dinner, as he was wont to do while living.

This

is a

(1)

s

rather

Li-kiftfjB.

modern innovation.

Ch. T'an-kung. Section

II. Pt. II.

n°

8.

k m m z. u, n It at m ft £, m m m & £, * m % % m £. # •&< h ut w *, * z m vt in, n $ k % & -a, m ^ z. m m ft m #, # * a £ (2)

*&

(3)

I

see the better way.

morp. VII.

IS.

and

I

approve, and yet

I

follow

what

is

worse.

Ovid. Meta-

—

1

1

—

5

we consider attentively the innermosf thoughts of pagan Chinese, we ever discover lurking at the bottom ol their heart If

a

more pressing motive, more or

avowed.

less

They cherish

the hope

that their parents will protect them, shower blessings on them, and it is often for this purpose that offerings are made to them.

kind

People of this

"hungry ghosts",

more

believe

or

less

the

in

the dead to secure happiness and avoid misfortune, for the

read in

existence

and

in

qo1

merely purpose of manifesting filial piety. As proof thereof, we the "Glosses to the Chow Ritual", Chow-li chu-shu J£]

(t\ that

jjj«

the ministers sacrificed in their private shrines, after the sacrifice, offered the flesh of the victims to the ffl,

of

a doctrine invented by Buddhists, but sacrifice

all

^

and

prince,

to

procure him happiness, as they fancied. Every person offering sacrifice draws down happiness on himself: should lie offer of the part

makes him

victim to the prince, he

a

present of happiness.

Elsewhere we find: "the victims offered with the prince and grandees, and those receive the blessings of the spirits,

in sacrifice

who

Kwei-shen

We

find likewise the

"Record

of

J^,

same doctrine exposed

popular customs",

who

by those

offer

them:

names given

"present

while the distributing of them

San-fuh fr fg"

of

is

it

tffy;

in

T'ung-wsuh-pien

this belief are founded the various

these

receive

reason that both raw and sodden meats are offered"

are shared

is

meats this

for

(2).

work

the



%$(ft

$|j

entitled

"On

(3):

to these meat-oblations

happiness",

Fuh-li fg

fj|,

called "distribution of happiness",

(4).

At the present day, those who make these

sacrifices

and

offer-

ings, have the intention of either presenting food to the dead, or of

securing happiness, both of which are contrary to sound reason.

(1)

See Chow-li chu-shu

^

J5]

§§c

m.

& &, a m

H £ £ *I **,

tfc

z & fg.

it

a g (2)

(3) (4)

^ f£ r*j j&*

gr£.

i,

Chow-li

See Chow-li ch'un-kwan-ta-tsung-peb

#

t'ien

jjf)

fig

^A

^

'g"

±^

See T'ung-suh-pien ffi II? ft ®, M. J* Those who receive these offerings, after a sacrifice,

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language

jjjgj.

fg ^ If H. ^ m ± a ^ *g, ^

kwan shen-fu

m z. & m, & m #,

/l

))*

ffi.

B B eat

Jnl

®C IS. W., ft life, and drink their happiness

— 116 — Hence, in the seventh year of the reign of K'ien-lung

Ifc

\%f?.

Pope Benedict XIV issued a Bull (1), forbidding the offering of such The Church proscribes these ceremonies, sacrifices to the dead. because the

We

rite is

have

midst

in the

opposed

seen

of

sound reason.

to

how

above,

scholars themselves,

paganism, condemn these customs

brought up

as tainted with

Buddhist errors. It

is

historically

proved

that

the

remotest times of the Chinese nation.

custom

History, as

^

informs us that the Emperor

Shun

the defunct emperor Yao

with the feudal

a=§,

on condition that he would

Manes

This

(1) 1

is

the

(2)

(3)

a

invested

matter of

fact,

Chu ^, son

demesne

of

cc

T;ni"

of -ft,

annually a ritual sacrifice to the

first official

This document

One

record wherein

we

find

that sacrifices

to the dead.

August following.

China B.

the

of his (Shun's) father (4).

were offered

II"

offer

(2),

in

originated

is

dated 11 th July, 1742.

It

was

not,

however, published

till

the

It finally settled all

disputed points. of the three great Emperors of the legendary period.

Paid to have ruled

C. 2255-2205.

See Tze-chi t'ung-kien kang-mub jf *S

& §i IS B.

Sfg^&^fl-J^fcjjiE.

Fig. 56

Le papier-monnaie.

Divers genres.

Various kinds of mock-money.

—

—

117

ARTICLE

IV.

MOCK-MONEY. Chi-ts'ien

At the time (B.C. 206

(B.C.

iff

Western

Former

or

robbers

140-86),

During the reign f|t

M

of the Eastern

or

bark

making, hence

it

is

at

of

this

his

^

Hwo-ti %]

time that people

A.

rf?

I).

bethought himself

(2\

jj|

and other materials

trees

ancestor,

Han dynasty, Heu-

Later

(A. D. 25-221), while the Emperor

employing the

of

silver deposited therein (1).

39-106) ruled the country, Ts'ai-lun of

tomb

the

violated

Wen-ti -£ ^f, and appropriated the

han

Ts'ien-han nt $|

//an,

folks placed pieces of copper

25), wealthy money with the dead. During the reign of the Emperor Wu-ti

in the coffins jfc

of the

— A. D.

to

began

for

paper-

use

for

it

writing purposes.

This document

Han

Later

jj|,

dynasties of

cement

is

found in the work entitled "Chronicles of the

referring

Wei |^ and

of the

to

Ts'ai-lun

Tsin

§,

^

that

Three Kingdoms, San-kwoh

cunning knaves cut up paper and offered Spirits,

jfa"

Kwei-shen

Jfi

jji^,

it

During the two

(3).

say from the commen-

is to

_5£

|gtj

(A.I).

instead of

22 1-'i20),

money

to

but this custom was not yet general

the (4).

T'ang Yuan-tsung j^- 7C tj£> given to various superstitions, and a votary of all kinds of gods, established as High Master of Ceremo-

Wang-yiX ^E J&i the twenty-sixth year

nies

period

(1)

K'ai-yuan

ffi

7C

(A. D.

See Chronicles of the Former

Han

739).

jijif

§ji.

This

of

his

in

the

with

the

reign,

minister,

Ts'ieu-han-ehu Chaug-t'aiig-chwan

0ij

m # m % \%(2)

silk

The reputed iuventor of paper-making in China. He was the first who substituted Chief eunuch and chamberlain of the for the bamboo tablet and stylus.

and ink

Imperial household: he was ennobled as Marquis of the Dragon Pavilion, Lnng nl

¥

{Jt-

Giles.

Chinese Biographical Dictionary,

fc'ing-hen

p. 751.

Heu-han-shu Ts'ai-lun-chwan % ^ # ^ ft %. % M W %t % |g f# &f $f Si & m m, m ft m m

T'ang JH dynasty.

He used

people followed his example.

the

in

it

it

money goes

lived

in

Imperial

In his days,

combated the innovation, so that

the

back, as

time

sacrifices,

of the

and the

however, learned persons

did not extend immediately, but

became general, and could not be extirpated without diffiThere were not wanting, however, men of common sense,

at last

it

culty.

who unmasked following

(1)

who

its

inanity.

Among

them,

we may mention the

:

See Chronicles on the Books of the T'ang

m IS- T'ung-kien

J|f

dynasty. T'ang-shu

Wang-yub chwan

§• 5&*7C^tt»)S,#,SSJ»^Jilf, Kang-muh & % - + * *z, m nmni® g $, m w ^±M,^^^mmm,ni^m m, a b$ *n m #, & n z., wl * m n & T) f& m $ t$, * k ^ it m, m. m m

£

;

ifi

T.

g£

{ft

ffl

fig

rfn

,

(21 Bnvying real money with the dead was common during the Han Jf|" dynasty, and subsequent times. The use of paper money began during the dynasties of Wei f|| and Tsin (third and fourth century). It had at first a hard struggle against orthodoxy, which absolutely refused to approve a thing unknown to the holy ancients. In the seventh

in

^

century,

it

took the shape

it

possesses to-day.

The Confucian school

nourished during the Sung -£ dynasty (tenth century), sanctioned 111'-

dead.

De

Groot.

The Religious System

of China.

its

Vol. II. p. 71

of philosophy,

which

use in the worship of I.

— During the reign

Sung

5jc

^,

l'pj

of

119

Chen-tsung

dynasty, there lived an

$\, in the province of

Skansi

^^

official

H si-yuan

surname being

his

— 998-1023

(A. D.

Wang

called

the

oi

,

Sze-tsung 3f

ft ^c, a native of

Fen-chow :fy

g".

|i|

Fulfilling the functions of Prefect of the second order, he forbade

unorthodox

all

the

of

false

gods

was promoted to the rank of death-bed, and seeing his family burning

order to

in

had the temples

Later on,

Being on his

viceroy.

pieces of silk

and

sacrifices,

razed to the ground.

he

out with

he cried

procure happiness,

a

strong voice and ordered them to cease, saying: "if the Spirits are intelligent, how can they accept bribes"? (1

During the reign of the

Sung

£

of

a. 1). L101-11 26 Hwei-tsung ffi dynasty, the two ministers Kao-fung ffi

^

||

cf),

presented a

that the burning of paper-money as

is

^^

:

from Hades

my

1

1)

ft,

to

it

If

the (2).

Emperor Kao-tsung officials

binning

insulting them"

silly

really

obtain

saying: "perforat-

and

delusion.

^

l^j

was being

burned mock-money before his

heir-apparent,

subsequently

one must

is

a

Buddhist practice

Hsiao-lsung

^

savs

:

"Nowadays,

they

a

burial

takes

and other

paper, silks

have been burnt,

the soul

(3).

whenever

bring mock-money, coloured

When

deliver

to

Holy Sire needs no such things"

needless articles.

%

the

the

"mock-money ;

petition,

to

1163-1190), showed his disapproval and rebuked them

Chu-hsi 4c place,

all

whereupon

(A. D.

as follows

intelligence,

it is

order

in

prohibited,

resemble money,

it

the coffin of the

borne to the grave,

be

an absurd practice and a

endowed with

While

remains,

make

to

procure happiness, Spirits are

and

\\\'f

Liao Yung-ckung

ing paper, so

also

.

nothing

^

See Last Memorials of the Sun- Emperors, Sheng-tsung tob-i 1? t£

remains

*§•

ft

m $b & g m w.

~v:

luh $ 81 M H Hg & See Li Tsi-wung tze & ^ ^C g ft }]],

varies

according to

selections.

Capital of Chekiang

'$f

££ province,

regulated by the following quartet, which has

a popular tune

;

become

Cloche et chapelet bouddhiques.

Buddhist

bell

and beads.

—

125

—

At the beginning, strike thirty-six strokes At the end, still thirty-six again

;

;

Hurry on with the

You have

36 2°.

thirty-six in the middle:

hundred and eight, then

in all but one

At Shao-hsing $g Lively

toll

M,

another quartet has the following

eighteen strokes

;

Repeat this series three times, And one hundred and eight you

3°.

vince,

we

At T'ai-clww £*

another city in Chekiang

find the following ditty

At the beginning,

Add

three

Repeat

The

toll

strike seven strokes

Why differs

more thereto

-f 8 -f 18

different

;

-f. 3)

X3=

1

— Although

places,

it

08.

the

It is

bells,

king of the demons,

2i,

damp

to

of ringing

everywhere, that the souls tormen-

thought that the undnlatorv vibra-

tions, caused by the ringing of the

T'oh-wang

blunt the sharp-edged blades

manner

fancied

is

the sound of the bell procures relief and solace ted in the Buddhist hell.

;

one hundred and eight.

these bells are tolled.

according to

;

;

this series thrice

(7

fr pro-

;

eighteen in the middle

total will be

ffi

:

Let eight others follow these

Slowly

will reach.

X 3= 108.

-f 18) '}\\,

:

;

Slowly the eighteen following

(18

stop.

+ 36 4-36 = 108.

jVf;

to

provoke

render him

of the torturing

madness the unconscious,

tread-mill,

and

also

the ardour of the devouring flames of Hades.

At the death dynasty,

every

of

the

first

Empress Ma

Buddhist monastery

J§,

tolled thirty

for the relief of her soul, because according to the

the departed on hearing the ringing of a

bell

of

the

Ming

0^

thousand strokes

Buddhist doctrine,

revive.

It is

for

this

— 126 — reason that the tolling must be performed slowly

(1).

Chinese writers refute these Buddhist notions about

We

read in

the Lii-shi

Emperor Hwang-ti order to

in

bells,

^f

jif

fix

According

which are

two writers, such

bell is

"Shi-ming" fp a

who

I

:

ffi.

the precise

is

to

rescue

Buddhist names'

1

;

the

could cast one

in the infernal

1/1

says

purpose for

sadness or alarm...), but there was

them

hollow instrument

sounds, but

heard

^

the

either give forth musical notes, or they

They

to give signals (of joy,

never any idea of employing entitled

f§}

(Memorial of Music),

§£

|(j§

that

(2),

to cast twelve

(4).

used as a signal" $\

to these

bells are used.

rung

(3),

as Yoh-ki

bells is

^

g ^ ^

ordered Ling-lun \§

the musical notes

The work known "the tolling of

ch'un-is'iu

bells.

larger

large

,

it

dead.

the

The work

has the following: "the the

is,

enough

deeper are

make

to

its

its

tollings

regions? Even should that happen, such a sound

is but a mere empty noise, incapable of awing the ruler of Hades, and powerless also to break the sharp-edged tread-mill which tortures the damned. Wealthy families, desirous of rescuing from hell the

See Liang-pan ts'iu-yu-hoh

(!

Ts'ih siu

lei

kao

Leng-kia king

M *& %k

-t

% M Wl-

$§

fj&B

ffi

Shi

i£.

wen

Yung chw'ang

$!.

% ^C

lei tsii

siao p'in

;jg

l]lf

/J>

n".

*^Ktitin8-w?A t,

* ik ft «, t£ & m £ m, & m ® m ^ m, kn fc + ^, 1'M = + ^¥ ,§, i«-IA» iz,ilH + $3 PI 8K e. fg + A. It + /l, H m ^ $ - W A, £ 1: E, M » & $ A, * + A & ft H, H ® 6£ ft * H @. = £ * ^ - W Ai # g «p g € n B a a v m m m m m &, nt * w jm, gg $«#?,£ * # «, ft * © m % «t#ftiHitt,igfflti ft g g #, f$ it '2 Id «, « # w -m m.

^fi5

'HI

ffl

,§.,

-fc.

Pnl

>

i5i

0/1

*fe

(2)

A miscellaneous

treatise in 2G books,

the early history of China, for which

Peh-wei

g

~%. ijt,

who

it is

embodying many historical facts regarding The work is ascribed to Lii

the only authority.

lived in the 3 rd century B. C. Wylie. Notes on

Chinese Literature.

p. 157. (3)

The Yellow Emperor, so called because he reigned under the influence of the One of the five legendary sovereigns who ruled at the dawn of Chinese

element earth.

history, B. C. 2697-2597. of

music and Fine Arts. (4)

See Hwo-wu-yin

denoting the 12 seasons.

He

is

looked upon as the founder of the Empire, and the inventor

Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual. ^[1

3l

W

Mayers says these musical

bells

were also used for

—

127

—

souls of their ancestors, offer presents to the Buddhist in

order that the

monks would

night, and perform They may toll them

this

little

result

whether they is

service

even

;

they mav

rescue a single toll

the

bells

monasteries,

unceasingly

day and

successive

for several

days.

they deafen the ears of the neighbours,

till

curse and swear at them will never thereby

toll

ring soul

the

till

ou1

of

bells

Hades.

i\

It

they

matters

wooden one,

a brass bell or strike on a

practically useless in both cases"

burst,

who

the

.

M *, '£ M. M £, §¥ %. g| ^ &, ^ * m m ^ & t. m< & m m & m m ¥, m b is &, ^ ti fi £ w m m, m m, m tg « m % .*, » #r &j ^ ¥, ^ s 2 *, $ @ is & m, # it « m m, & m Jn it, k & ^ *g, n: is ©: 0, $ m. m m & i^, m % t# m, rp ® a* $ *£ n & - 31, £ ® P *1 8, JE & ®: * a «• -^ k #, * ^ te is *s (-11

See.

Buddhist mimes. Shi-ming ff

m£

fl'J

fj?

t&

:

•

— 128 — ARTICLE

VI.

SENDING PAPER-HOUSES TO THE DEAD. Chi-fang-tze In the province

of Nga.n-h.wei

M

§fc

=?

4£ |^,

it

is

and precious

clothes

ments,

while living. to the

•/£

ffft

use

to

burnt, and thus conveyed

(1).

Paper-houses, similar to the above,

Kiang-su

the

the imple-

as

which he was wont

objects,

All these paper articles are

departed soul

at

customary

death of a person to offer him a paper-house, as well

are

The framework

province.

also

is

used throughout

made

of reed-splints,

covered over with paper of various hues. The parlour, inner passage-

ways and rooms,

resemble

as

as

closely

formerly occupied by the deceased.

possible the homestead

Tables,

poys, in fine all the requisites of a well

a

chairs,

tea-

divan,

furnished house are disposed

therein.

The paper-house in

burnt,

order to

then

is

have

it

taken

an open space, and there

to

conveyed

nether

the

to

world

for

the

benefit of the dead.

Reasoning with these folks is useless. After death, they are body crumbles to dust, and that the soul needs no

told that the

house

to dwell therein.

would

afford protection neither

after

it

Admitting even that from wind nor

it

did, a

You is

the

(1)

will

little

means

No

much

has been burnt, as the wind scatters the ashes on

and nobody gathers them up, to rebuild the house shades, and thus render it serviceable to the dead.

matters

paper-house

rain, and

ever

get

as to

how

of

the

same answer.

the

sides,

world of

custom

!

It

Burning communication between the living and the dead.

Yin hsueh kan ft

is

all

things stand in the nether world.

son, without being wanting in

mm&m&*

It

the

in

less

sui pih

& * ft

flj

vj.

8 |f Eg *. m.

filial

%k f&

A

piety, can fail

5E,

&

ft!

?K

to

send

B - M, # *- M

Fig. 58

Une maison

de papier.

Paper-house burnt for the benefit of the dead.

— to his

aged parents

should

the nether

in

neo-converts

129

to

—

world a full-furnished

Christianity

unjust requirements, they

are

refuse

to

comply condemned by

forthwith

home, and with

these

op

public

and cruelly persecuted.

in ion

The custom beginning

of

making these paper-houses existed already at the Yuan j£ dynasty. In A.I). 12X7. in the VII th

of the

year of the style Chi-yuan jg 7c, during the reign

Shi-tsu

|ti-

jji§.

(1),

the President of the

of

the

Emperor

Hoard of Punishments

offi-

informed the Emperor, that among the common people, money was needlessly wasted in making paper-houses and other superstitious objects, and he petitioned that such abuses should be suppressed. An cially

Imperial Edict was forthwith issued,

forbidding to

make any such

paper-houses, as well as paper-manikins and paper-horses

seems very probable that the custom

It

of

(2).

burning paper-houses

has been correlative with that of burning mock-money, paper-horses etc... This latter began under the T'a.ng

for the benefit of the dead,

^

dynasty, A. D. 739.

to

burn ingots

of

through the

also

clothes,

houses

People fancied, that since

paper-money

was

etc...

sufficient

for the benefit of the dead, they could

same process send them other things

necessary household

in

kind

These paper-houses are equipped with

articles

wardrobes,

:

stove, kitchen utensils, servants etc...

chairs, tables,

Nothing

not even the requisites for opium smoking. of

it

in

This

all

a cooking-

tine is is

:

wanting,

the last

stage

modern progress.

(1)

Better

known

to foreigners as

Kubhil Khan. After subduing China,

In-

1

sUblished

the Mongol dynasty, which ruled the country A. D. 12S (, -13C8 J

1

Yuan

tien

chang 76

A #•

li"

)M

M 7C "t ^, M ^ Mi * *

ffi,

&

ffi

$>

17

&M

—

130

—

ARTICLE

VII.

PLACING STREAMERS OX GRAVES.

&

Chi-fan-tze

jjg

?

was erected beside the grave, in from others by means of this special mark.

In ancient times, a small Hag

order to distinguish

it

At the present day, many persons place a bamboo on the houseBuddhists teach that the departed soul, wandering in space, top. It is for this reason uses this as a landmark to discover its tomb. that a

tall

bamboo

chosen, to the extremity of which

is

a streamer, Fan-tze

f^ ^-

uttering in the air

II

,

is

attached

(1).

The ancients

set up a flag beside the grave, in order to indicate and ownership distinguish it from others, while at the same time the name of the deceased was written on a board placed in its

front of the coffin.

Nowadays, people

who

assert that

the

believe in the teaching of the

soul

departed

find out its resting-place; a

wanders

high pole

name

of the deceased,

who, thanks

Buddhist

space,

priests,

and cannot

set up and a The streamer bears the

therefore,

is,

streamer attached to the extremity of

in

it.

to this device,

is

enabled to find

out his way.

Buddhists hold that the soul

Western Paradise partments

of

(2),

or

it

after

death,

either

must pass through

Hell, or return to

process of the metempsychosis.

the

goes

to

the

eighteen de-

the world of the living through the

Now,

here

we

find these

same people

See Ch'ao kin- ugan Chen luh man ch'ao M JR S ft H ¥k #. ~£ % M M U m n # £ m m '& m m- & vx m m £, & ® £ m ft ^ m & & m, m k & m m #, m n # £ *s, ^ ® * % n m m, m. n *s * m m< ^ a m m, % t. (1)

m,

itb

urn. A

latter-day substitution for Nirvana,

a pbilosopbical conception too abstruse for Tins so-called happy land is ruled by Amitabba and the Bodliissatvas, Kwan-vin and Ta Shih-cbi (the Indian Mahastbama), the "three Holy Ones" of

|2)

tbe popular imagination.

Buddhism.

Haekiuann. Chinese Buddhism,

p. 213.

\0

be

— teaching that the soul wanders

go to; that

it

—

131 in

space, withoul

even requires to see

name

its

cloth, in order to find out its dwelling-place.

contradictory

entitled "the Great

not

Is

a

all

to

of

strip this

on a corner of the mound". Confucius said to rest.

Is it

possible

means

this bird"? This

that

A

Learning" Ta-hsioh

the poet says: "the twittering yellow bird

where

on

sell

?

work

In the

knowing where

written

"when man should

a

that every being

ol

species

(a :

knows

rests,

it

be

not

its

^

oriole) it

(1

rests

knows to

equal

proper resting-

place.

This yellow bird, which

mound, where

space and cannot

man,

out

yellow bird.

little

said in eulogising the

feathered

to fly

its

Buddhism

as

wanders

^

Emperor Yao

3£

(3)

heaven"

of Odes, Shi-ta-ya ff

on high

is

is

less

intelligent

# ^ £

The

place

_fc.

=

Ja

£

than

"he has ascended bevond

:

A

5f|.

says:

(2).

"Wen Wang

and the three sovereigns are

the wise kings

;

in

distinguished Chinese grandee

a

Formerly,

teaches,

without seeing" this guiding

grave,

the fleecy clouds, and dwells in the happy land of rulers"

The Book

tribe,

the corner

to

chooses to alight. of

find

the

among

landmark

of a

then we must admit that man's soul

flag,

the

it

the soul

If really

so tiny

and has no need

Hits in the air, of the

is

% in

Ji-

where the good are rewarded, cannot

be the

same

as

that where the wicked are punished.

(1)

One

the 10 others (J,

(3)

duke

of

jfc,

£a

£ -f.

n-

&%

Jg).

He was

against the misrule of the

overthrowing B. C. 1122.

Literature, p. 7

3$|.

fft

in

n-&

The posthumous and canonised

Chow

chapters, one by Confucius, and

^ Wylie. Notes on Chinese % A %, & U W IX M, & S * 2, M M % tt,

his disciple Tseng-ts'an

See Chwang-tze

mm%m

It contains 11

of the four lesser Classics.

by

&

title

mma given

to

je,

ms

Si-Peb

a pattern of princely virtues,

M i&

.if:

2.

(tbe

ft

Western chieftain

and united the principal chiefti son, W'u Wang 3r succeeded

Shang jgj dynasty, which his Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual,

R

p. 177.

fj

A1 %£ m

,

in

.

— 132 — Tyrants

^

chi

iS

%

(1),

and Chow $-

cannot by any means

(3),

Wen Wang

Kieh

like

^£ ^E, and dwell in the

live

wicked men

(2),

blissful

Tao-

like

^

Yao

together with

abode of rulers.

and

Such

arguments whereby Chinese writers refute the above Our great Worthies dwell in a happy land, the Buddhist doctrine.

are the principal

whence tyrants are excluded.

realm of rulers, not wander

(1)

Therefore souls

Kieh-kwei

|j|

§|, the last ruler of the Hsia "H dynasty.

Voluptuous, cruel and

extravagant, he became an object of hatred to his people, and was compelled to ch'ao

^^

(in

do

in space as Buddhists assert.

the present province of Ngan-hwei), where he died B.C.

flee to

17'ifi.

Nan

Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual. (2)

Chow-sin

£j"

5^. the

his vices, were extravagance set

it

on

(3)

lust.

Defeated by

Shanj,'

Wu

$|j

dynasty.

Wang, he

and perished miserably in the flames. Mayers. Ibid. leader of thieves; a sort of Robin Hood in early Chinese history.

fire,

A

abandoned tyrant, who closed the and unbridled

Among

rled to a tower,

Fig. 60

La roue de la metempsycose. The wheel of the Metempsychosis.

—

—

133

ARTICLE i

VIII.

metempsychosis.

hi:

Lun-hwui The metempsychosis soul alter death

is a

;^|.

ijtjft

Buddhist doctrine, teaching

be reborn, either in

may

thai

human

another

man's

being

or

into the body of one of the brute kind.

At the death of a person, according the revolving wheel",

to

Buddhists, "the kin-

Ckwen-lun Wang |f

who

3: (1), ij$jover the tenth department of Hades, examines and weighs

and

deeds of

evil

men during

their mortal

them

to their merits or demerits, sends

order

in

(2),

that

enjoy a long" or short

The soul Yeh-ch'a it is

"man

transformed into a Tsih

the afternoon, and tion over, he

is

reborn

He appears

emerges from an egg.

may

crawl

he dwells in caverns or holes,

When, through

(1)

must be crossed (2)

his

^

to

According

Jfc

(3)

in

is

its

death,

^,

and the Kwei j^ murdered

j||,

face of this

womb

of

a mother, or and expires in

forenoon

some

clothed

wild

country, where

animal skins.

with

has repaired

His expia-

the

past,

he

is

and death, human existence, which

Eitel. Sanscrit-Chinese Dictionary.

the cosmogony of the

forming the centre of the universe.

After

Uie doctrine of transmigration, ami answers to the

islands, lie respectively South, East, North,

first

the

^< $£. the great sea of life

reach Nirvana. to

he

women,

hence the pagan

run on the ground.

and

endeavours,

The revolving wheel symbolises

Sanscrit "Scmsaru"

or

the

in in

reborn as a man, but

is

Kwei

a

The head and

^jf".

or

the demon-torturer

to

peach-rods.

becomes

after his death

ghost are changed, and he

the

with

it

slays

o-ood

rich or poor.

handed over

is

lu-

great continents

men

as

transformed into a murdered ghost or Tsih

saving: is

life,

who

(3),

there

and be either

of great sinners

^%

reborn

be

may

they

presides 1

and accordirjo

existence,

to the four

oi

Buddhisl Sutras, these lour continent

and West

of

M

(

Mem,

the sacred

mountain

India and China are comprised within the limits of

Mayers. Chinese Header's Manual, p. 310. In Sanscrit "YaJcsha,". These demons air messengers

continent.

dead, and especially

of the

Dragon King,

who guards

of

Yam a,

the seas around

M

1

the judge of the .Mem. They are

represented with red hair, green faces, bare legs, and carry a tripod on their shoulders,

Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language

i$E

%

—

134

—

granted the favour of a new existence, and

may

be reborn as a Chi-

nese citizen.

Those,

who during

their lifetime, have practised the four social

meekness and

virtues of equity, rectitude,

realm of perfect dise of the

feasting

bliss,

West, where there

and dancing

The realm

of

and

there,

all

that

According

(2).

Kih-loh

of

Kih-loh

ions of

para-

of all

thousand

pain or suffering is found is

who have

|^, situated

Jfy\

lies ten

|^§,

J$ji

banished therefrom

led

a

ten

thousand million

the entire circumference

Now,

perfect

of the

life

earth

go

is

mere mockery to and these folks deserve the away, learned persons. Such are some of the reflex-

Western Paradise

utmost contempt

gf],

harmful or unpleasant

but twenty-five thousand miles. place the

No

of China.

Buddhists, those

happy land miles to the West.

to this

|^f

sent to the

the Buddhist

perpetual happiness, and no end of

is

bliss.

West

is

to

are

justice,

(1).

perfect

million miles to the

^

Kih-loh-kwoh

It

is,

therefore,

so far

"Young China".

arguments set forth by Chinese writer* against the existence of the Western Paradise.

Summary

of

According

to

worms,

lh

this opinion,

birds, or brutes.

Now,

the whole world, evil-doers after a certain

on this earth,

number all

those

the

bad are transformed

if a

person but considers attentivelv

into

fish,

form no small portion of humanity, so no real men would be found

of generations,

who were formerly men, having been changed

into fish, insects, birds or brutes.

The population of the globe is ever increasing, and the presentday statistics show it is many thousand times greater than in the

(1)

See the Classic of YTen-wang, Yen wang-king

M±

£«.

il

A

- K,

l§ $m 3:

S[i

a &, # m % * m x s * a m, m & # ± » m, m £ ^ a. 8 # f* « "& % m m, # m & ar, n *. w % m & it* % m m %. & ji m m &, w $ % ^ ^ i& %, & % ^ it %, & #i m, # n a £, © m x % m. m z. m « s m ± k, m & ¥ ^ m &, in m m m m, ynnm^m a £, /l ® je t » #, ig a « & m m m nt Record ^ IS- # M M, ^F popular customs, T'ung-suh-pien w ft % mm % & m%> m a % mmm,=. m s.m m. jl

i

i

*um ti

it,

it

ts,

>t>

if.

(2)

of

jj§

@!

3&. "t"

tft

—w

e

|

I? 1 1 ~= CO

*«.

in

^

c C efl

-c: er

c efl

c

CO

> bC «"

£

o en

C

be

8

c

o

CO

-c

*****

CO be

=

/J/fy^

— 135 — early period of the world's history;

uobody can engage in marriage, wife would be his own mother, her

own

as

we, therefore, admit as Budd-

if

immense number

hists do, that this

of beings

may be may happen that

it

or

the

reborn,

may have

wife

then

husbands

the

for

husband

father, reborn into the world.

Officials

may

have no servants,

no longer beat the lest

teachers or friends,

Moreover,

if

common

these menials be his

who have

after

returned to a

patents,

new

existence.

men become

death,

people: a master ma}

own

superiors,

birds

insects,

fish,

or

brutes, no one

the

fields,

or

may henceforth employ water-buffaloes for ploughing may ride a horse to travel over the country. all

Lice, mosquitoes,

as they please,

annoy you your own

parents

or

kinds of insects,

may

and you dare not

who have

kinsfolk,

also bite, sting

kill

them,

lest

and

they be

returned to the present

world.

The metempsychosis destroys all intolerable, and is opposed to common Mencius, Meng-tze

same

^

-^p,

says

social

relations,

"the nature

:

renders

lite

sense. of the

beings are absolutely different from brutes".

If

is

dog

as that of the ox, but man's nature differs from both.

man may

the

Human

be reborn

as a brute, then his natxire differs in nowise from that of the beasts of the field.

All the extravagances of Buddhist

vain and

fruitless

efforts

to

avoid

monks and adherents, making

killing

sentient

beings,

result

Should any one attempt to draw all possible consequences therefrom, and put them into practice, he would doubtless be considered as a madman. Theoretically, these from this ridiculous doctrine.

Chinese writers display much in ordinary

life,

For the sake a

sense, as everybody sees, but

no one scarcely pays attention

Compendious view of

cise view,

common

brief

to

what they say.

the system of the Metempsychosis.

of clearness,

it

is

considered useful

summary, outlining

the

general

to

give a con-

features

of

the

— 136 — Chinese reborn

belief

the superior or rational

is

Hwun

stances

incarnated

Slieu

jfc,

soul,

Kwei fy

or

jjj$,

called

to

according

This soul

(1).

spirit

circumbe re-

may

sundry manners. of possession, entering into the

By way

1".

man and mouth

in

The

system of the metempsychosis.

the

in

abiding therein.

Such

to speak, etc...

body of a living see, and his

then uses his eyes to

It

man has thus two

a

distinct

souls,

own, and that which temporarily indwells in him, as in namely cases of diabolical possession. These two souls, according to orthodox his

Buddhists, cannot enter the one into the other.

According souls

may

manner

as

co-penetrate

two glasses

form but one 2°.

to the followers of

Hi/

^^

Chu-hsi's

and coalesce into one

soul,

water poured into a

bottle,

of

bottle of the

same

two

school, these

same

the

in

combine and

liquid.

A

returning and re-entering the same body.

departed

may sometimes return into the body which it has abandoned death (2), provided the corpse has remained uncorrupted (3). On

soul at

such

belief is founded the error,

a

nowadays

so

common,

of recalling

the soul. t

body

some reason

for

The universe

(11

is

the Shen

jji$

came

and returning thereto is

a

If

a

soul,

or other, finds along

compound

men and

tinuously infused into j|[,

of substitution.

By way

3°.

later on.

of

its

the

way

an infinite number of Kwei

jjfj,

uncorr-

still

and Shen

It is

The Kwei $|

after death.

manifested by

jj$,

animals. In ancient times, the Chinese knew but the

It

is

the material soul, emanating from

remains with the body

in the grave.

the

Groot.

*3*^

o "© 535

s

tc

>

— ©>

o v.

en

+j

'5

©

O u

a. to

yj

3

u

y} -

"-

c CO

XI

-Sf^

©

'

S —

w o CO

S 50

3

C e

s

CD

d 0>

a (D

r-

V>

a s c

Ft

c

t c

i

c c

—

—

137

upted corpse of a man, or the body of a brute,

and make

it

member

invaded a single

insurmountable obstacle of T'ieh Kwai-li

g$ #}

By way

above end, as

to the

^, whose

woman

the

to be reborn,

it

Frequently,

the light of day.

must

It

suicide, or

be

by

the

among and may

— The same of

is

hand

of

reborn

so far

foetus

Ku-hwun

least

to rebirth

him

U) (2)

to

die

a

constitute

commit

De

body (3).

through class

special

who wander

Jg£ j$|,

See Wieger. Folklore. N° 19. This process in generally known by the term

into a uterus".

of their

the

in

who

of those

in

Le-

new bodv saw

in space,

(4).

until

general,

taken vengeance on their murderer, they seek to put living person, or persuade

the latter

in

womb

the

in

be assimilated to the Indian Pretas to secure rebirth, at

of a

had but

be re-incarnated as beasts

an enemy,

The

womb

generally advanced.

theory applies

men may

"hungry ghosts"

Unable

which

foetus,

remarked that the souls the

by the legend

process.

died at the very instant that their

The souls

of a brute.

ordinary

enters into the

state that sons were thus

own mother, and

shown

is

enters into the

stage of pregnancy, and then childbirth

gends even

but

(I).

is

and animates the

(2),

an inferior soul.

has

corruption

soul entered the body of a beggar,

This

of rebirth.

excarnated soul, that seeks

pregnant

enter therein,

may

it

It

or part of the body, this would ool prove an

in process of corruption

though already 4°.

own body.

a substitute for its

suicide,

t'eu-t'ai

$£

have

they

death a

to

in order that

his

make

way

j}r,

"to

Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. IV. ch.

9. p.

cue's

143 (the re-

incarnation of souls through birth). (3)

ment

In the Buddhist system, souls of

for their demerits in life; while

reward for their virtuous

A

little after

death,

life

if

a |

men may

reversely,

and conduct.

De

night.

The highest ord«r

They

re-incarnated as

Groot. Ibid.

may

bi

asts, as a

pass into

punish-

men

of famishiui; ghosts.

comprise 36 classes.

Others

of the next

Some

live

as a

p. 153.

erson examine- carefully what pari of the body remains

the longest, one'may devine what the character of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese, p. 41. (i)

lie

souls of animals

birth

will

be.

warm

Beal.ACatena

on earth, ami are visible at

live in hell or in the

world underneath the

disacquired an evil '"Karma" by tlicii covetous, m-uavd Beal. Ibid. an are tormented as Pretas. hunger. unappeasable bj They position, are reborn

continent.

All persons

who have

p. 67.

IS

— soul

substitute, they

may

When

seek a new rebirth.

them who consent

of

—

take the place of their own.

may

some

138

It

to forgive their

they have thus found a

happens, however, that

enemies,

may

be re-incar-

nated earlier.

The souls

of persons

who have

died

by

hanging,

or

assassin-

ation, accuse unceasingly their murderers before the infernal judges,

until they obtain full justice.

When

they

are

re-incarnated

before

having taken vengeance on their enemies, they ever seek to commit suicide in their

new

The annexed 1

existence.

illustration, taken from the "treatise

'

Yuh-lih cli'ao-ch.w'a.n 3£

hist hell

jjj§

j$

fijj£,

on the Budd-

th divirepresents the 10

sion of Hades, where each one secures re-incarnation in a subsequent existence, there to be rich or poor, to be reborn as a

a fish, or

previous

an insect, according

life.

to

one's

merits

brute,

a

or demerits

bird,

in

a

—

—

139

ARTICLE

IX.

MURDEROUS GHOSTS. Pi-shah jg f*. It is

death

commonly

may

believed

ginated the custom of a special

ming

and

the

kill

that

the

soul after

Hence

survivors.

ori-

from this murderous -host, or perfor-

to

receive

when

it

returns,

it

so

that

it

not injure anybody.

may

The serious la

fleeing-

ceremony

the people,

among

return to the house,

M

im

§S|

Historic Annals: (1),

§eJ

of the ghost of Yiu

principality of

cross the diately

month

^f

Cheng

tion of the very

mind

member

a

,

ffj$

name of a

^

Yiu

person to

to

i|f

then

family

the

ruling

assassinated B.C. 542.

Men-

made everybody tremble. Did it say: "Yiu ^f is coming", imme-

Now,

flight.

time the

of the year, at the

the

of

who was

(2),

of

everybody took

somebody saw

Tze-chi-L'ung-kien kang-muh

mention as an important event the apparition

it

in

happened

code was

penal

the second that

modified,

He was arrayed

the ghost ol Yiu ^f in a dream.

in

him the following words: "this

military armour, and addressed to

th will kill Tai ^, and the followday of the cycle, year, on the 49 tl3 day of the cycle, it will be Twan's fx turn. ing vear on the 39 Evervthing happened as announced, and the people were so wild 1

with

fear, that

j^ jh> Yiu's

prevented

(1)

all

the minister Ch'an

^

son,

further

evil,

Published at the close

historiographer.

and the

of the

Revised later on.

a

Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature, (2)

An important

day the prefecture a half.

officially

/§r

Manes

to sacrifice to the

Williams. Dictionary

his

fear of the people

father.

This

was allayed"

(3).

Ming HI) dynasty bj Cli'eii Jen sih [$ -fc t$r, national new edition, comprising !»1 books, was issued in 17X

•

SSt

Jff

ffl

gfc

ffl

ffl

ffi

*i>

iii

$s

£

ffi

&.

-fnj

Fig. 62

bis

mm Hiong-cha.

La mauvaise

dtoile

masculine du mort. Tse-cha. La mauvaise

dtoile

feminine du

Hsiung-shah. Ghost of deceased in rnasculine form. Tz'e-shah. Ghost of deceased

in

mc

female form

— be as

many

feet

143

number

high, as the

death and his spectral apparition. days, he will be sixteen

feet

— days that intervene between

of

Thus,

he returns alter sixteen

if

high.

What is this phantom, this returning ghost, called Shah fffc, and which assumes a male and female form, Hsiung-shah "Jjfe fik and Tz'e shah jlfc| ^C? This spectral visitor or Shah ^t, is the murderous breath of the departed soul, Hwun-h'i

^

zji|

(1).

In apparitions, the feminine spectre has

and the body of the head of a

hen

a

the head

woman

of a

while the masculine phantom appears with

;

man and

the body of a cock

(2).

For this reason, during the ceremony, which takes place on the day of the ghost's expected return,

a

rough sketch

"the image of the returning ghost"; a hen

attached

leg of a small table, with the purpose of insinuating to

some

visitor,

that

precautions have been

all

household from his petty annoyances, and

taken

called

made,

is

also

is

the

to

the trouble-

the

to protect

hence he must behave

himself properly.

How

is it

known

that the returning ghost has the body of a hen?

Formerly, in the province of

grandson

of the prince of

Hupeh

Ch'u $£

$$

(3)',

dinary strength and courage, did not believe the appointed day,

il)

The Chinese

are

when

Shang-liang

in

haunted with

a continual fear of spectres,

a malicious ghost.

class.

may frequently become The word denotes "murderous,

killing",

It is a

metamorphosis

The

Shall

and attests amply

breath of the corpse, the "Mara"

^

J^,

extraor-

On

returning ghosts.

his brother recently deceased,

departed soul

of the

4fc,

man endowed with

a

was

to return

and believe that the

i& belong its

-

to this latter

dangerous character.

(evil influence) of

the Yin

$§£.

always escapes from the corpse at night, on the first, second, or third day after death, or even later. Expert soothsayers inform the family of the exacl date. De Gn>oi The Reli-

It

gious System of China. Vol. V. (2)

A hook

was caught

p. 777.

of the ninth century described

in a net in the plains of Shansi

feet high. Scarcely

was

it

|i|

taken out of the net,

them

glf.

as

when

bird-shaped.

was

It

it

of

One

a blue colour

of

these birds

and over

disappeared from sight. De

five

Groot«

Ibid. p. 770. (3)

A large

Feudal State

occupied Hukwang, and parts !ff.

Chow

j§ dynasty, existing from

in

the

of

Honan and Kiangsu.

Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

Its capita]

B.C.

It

74n:i:'o.

was King ehow-fu

•

Iff]

|

ii

— the

to

ghost shape)

(in

—

144

/

house,

Shang-liang

fpj"

^

down

sat

quaff wine

small table beside the coffin, and began to

at

a

the mid-

till

night-hour.

He then beheld house; the

numerous band

a

big as a crane, striking with

alighted on the

its

'fpj

^

meanwhile holding

me?"

and

its

advanced, and seized

sudden, a hen as

eyes aglow with anger,

with

it

his

left

"You

returning ghost,

hand,

Then, add-

his glass brimfull of wine.

ressing the monster, he said: fear

bill,

All of a

coffin.

Shang-liang his right

demons surrounding' the

of

shook with their presence.

air

why

don't you

Sightseers, standing near the door, hearing these words,

were so alarmed that their knees quaked, and head to foot. Shan-liang showed the fj^

they trembled L;host

'jpj'

out,

from

without

receiving the least harm, and lived afterwards to a ripe old age.

Another extraordinary ern

T'ai-tsu

\^

jjj§_,

founder of the North-

dynasty (A. I). 960), before he became emperor, one day into a house. The inmates, fearing a ghost was to return, had all lied. The prince found a cock in the

Sung

chanced

who

fact,

4fc

5|c

to enter

guest-hall, and had

compelled

to leave

When

it

placed over the

without enjoying

lire

to be

it.

the people of the house returned, they

pan the head

of

a

man.

It

ghosts had the head of a

was

man and

but he was

cooked,

thus

saw

ascertained

the body of a cock

in

the cooking-

that

returning

(1).

But why then, in the ceremony prepared for the receiving the ghost, is a hen always chosen, and never a cock?

of

Formerly, say the Taoist priests, Tao-shi ^ff J^, all returning ghosts assumed a masculine form, but from the time that SungT'ai-tsu

^

-fc

jjj§

had one stewed

in

the

cooking-pan,

there were

never since only feminine ones. Finally, are not people constantlv

(1)

ii

See Kien-hu-tsib $*

£ m, m m

#.

£,

% ^, & ^ jg $

*& m

m,

B#,

found who do not believe in

ffi

AA

£ % & % %. * a

m.

% KM &#* VI

ffi,

W

Fig. 62

Song T'ai-tsou

Sung

T'ai-tsu

et le

and

revenant.

the Ghost.

— these ghosts, and on the days stay quietly at

home and

145

—

when they

Who

them

in

them, then they do not return. Such

£

Pek-hoh

is

to

return,

never experience the least annoyance?

These ghosts exist when one believes believe in

announced

are

;£$&$£, which

one does not

answer given.

the

is

$|, the author of the

transmigrations", Luh-lun-hing

if

;

"Classic of the six lays

down

the rules

governing the return of these ghosts, indicating the day when will take place, and what persons will be killed by them?

it

We

know nothing about him, reply the Taoist priests, Tao-shi i; "* e S° wherever we are invited to perform certain ceremonies. Although we generally follow the same method as our predecessors,

M

still

we sometimes make

few modifications, so that the liturgy is our means of subsistence,

a

varies according to places. This business

and we have no time

to investigate these questions.

Such is the practical dialogue, which may be imagined as havtaken ing place between a Taoist priest, Tao-shi -£, and any one who wishes to understand thoroughly these vain practices. How

^

it

the ghost returns on such or such a day, and

why

explain to do so

on others?

Why

doesn't

it

stay a little longer?

is

unable

What makes

depart in such haste?

on the appointed days, some annoyances occur in homes,

If

they must be

attributed

the

to

Evil

whose

One,

interest

it

is

to

maintain these erroneous opinions; certainly it is not the soul of the deceased person, that returns to its former home, to molest the inmates thereof.

Chao Tung-shan j|j| jff vince, kept watch beside the to the grave,

and said

ever leave the coffin

escape from

flee to

that a father would

,

a scholar

of

Chekiang

coffin of his father before

of his father shut within an

his

his

See Ch'ui-kien-luh-wai-tsih

own

son, even

morning pfc glj

till

if

yX pro-

was borne

empty room, and

And

malevolent influence?

harm

ffi it

"what son would

in reference to this subject:

in the mourning" shed from (1)

\[\

is it

admissible

the latter slept

alone

night?'' (1).

# ^ ft. £ ti

$L %I £.

^

Sfc

&

M

mmm. 19

&#

— 146 — common

This sorry custom has taken a general hold on the

and only those who belong to the enlightened class can have courage enough to break off with a state of things so universally people,

admitted.

The work

S

j|

entitled

:

Yao-yih-kia kwei t'ung-suh-pien |^

II' speaks in a similar

fl?

manner.

Its

author, Ku-mei

E^ j||

$g,

says: "through hearing soothsayers talking about ghosts, the entire

population of Kiangsu jj for

me,

sat

believe in no such

I

has ended

by believing in them.

nonsense.

When my

(ifo

alone beside her mortal remains, to

up

her,

and

that

all

I

mother died,

my

never saw or heard anything whatsoever.

In several families

strewn on the

floor, or before

among

the

common

1

duties towards

Hence

these ghost stories are absolutely unfounded"

N. B.

1

conclude

(1).

people, ashes are

the door-way of the deceased person's

The following morning,

home.

fulfil

As

a

minute examination

made,

is

to

whether there are any footprints or other marks found thereon, Sometimes a ladder made of indicating that the soul has returned. see

reeds, is placed against the garden-wall, to enable the ghost to climb

over

it

easily.

In case the footprint of a bird has been noticed,

inferred that the soul has been

Should Pussy happen conclusion cat.

what

ill

From is

is

the

to

it

forthwith

is

re-incarnated in the' body of a bird.

run over the

sifted ashes,

immediately the

drawn that the deceased has been transformed marks

left

on the ashes, one

is enabled to

into a

conjecture

the destiny of the soul in the nether world.

M £3 BM& ± S W& $k &

£ CO

p-

CO (MO

»

>.

- X c

£ _

^CZ

-*r

U£?ii»^

°>

S *~

^^ «^Kfj

Ci (J

10 CO

p

be

i1 3

^•T

M4r^

•

2

•

u

4'

u

3 o

be

c 0)

3 In

a -=

f£\$+4*

^9 »

#fc#3i**H&^

4&*i£ firt*

so

8

:_

o

o

a K

-

\

— ti-yuh $£

|R,

-jfe

which

especially by Buddhist

are

hung up facing

is

the

When

±, and During the ceremony, these sheets

four

points

fifth

one

is

of

the

compass

suspended

the chanting of the liturgy

fire-crackers exploded, these five to

—

performed by Taoist, Tao-shi ^T

priests.

prescribed by the text; a hall.

15:5

benefit the expiatory

order

the

the middle

in

oJ

the

music played and charms arc burnt and thus forwarded is

over,

Hades, in order to deliver from the sufferings of

whose

in

hell, the soul

for

ceremony has been performed.

This ceremony of releasing ti-yuh $£ of

income

^,

jjjj

is

from the Buddhist purgatory, P'ofrequently practised, and is a profitable source

to the clergy (1).

Rescuing from the bloody pond. Hsueh-hu

3°.

This detestable Buddhist doctrine condemns a bloody pond,

women who

all

women who

die several years

to be

to

plunged into

and even married

die in childbirth,

subsequent

$J].

jjfl.

their

having

children.

They have no hope of being rescued therefrom, and must remain immersed in this filthy sink, amidst intolerable suffering, until they become

totally annihilated, that is

only remedy

Tao-shi

priests,

to deliver

A

available |f|

is

to

who by

-j^,

till

the

their

The

end of the world.

have recourse to

Buddhist and

Tin

list

magic formulas are empowered

them.

rough sketch

of

the

deceased

woman

sometimes made,

is

with the eight characters of her horoscope, Pah-tze /V '/-*, at the This pictm-e is pasted on the monastery bell (2), in order thai foot.

through

its tollings,

the soul of the deceased

cued from the pool of

mud and

At other times, the

priests

(1)

Buddhist or Taoist

ahode of suffering. (2)

II, a written

See above,

the souls in

called "life-boats",

The reader may

see above. text of the

priests, Tao-shi *|

±,

can alone deliver souls out

Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language, p. 125,

how

plunged.

charm and the Chinese

designed for crossing this bloody pond.

Chapter IV, Article

it is

burn paper-boats,

res-

be gradually

may

blood in which

life

of

this

©t

the tolling of Buddhist bells procures relief and solace to

hell.

20

— 154 — prayer, designed to rescue

all

women who

have brought forth child-

from the bloody pond into which they are plunged, as well as

ren,

the story of this horrible practice,

Muh-lien

g

invented by the

jg, or rather propagated in

Buddhist priest

China through his

efforts (1).

Pagan women have a terrible fear of this "bloody pond", and the mother of a family dies, no expense is spared (2), and Budd-

when hist

and Taoist

priests, Tao-shi

^

-^, are invited to chant prayers,

in order to rescue her soul without delay from the "bloody pond".

(1) ("2)

least

The precious formula of the "bloody pond", composed by Buddha. p. 81 -85. In Southern China the rich have this ceremony performed several times, or at

See

once on a grand

scale, before the conclusion

Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.

I.

p. 197.

of their public

mourning ceremonies.

155

—

•z&fe

Dore, Henri Researches into Chinese superstitions. v. 1

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