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INTO
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CHINESE
SUPERSTITIONS
S.J.
CD
By Henry Dor6,
00
By M. Kennelly,
S.J.
First Part
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
Profusely illustrated
Vol.
is
12.1
T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS
Shanghai
1914
is*f
ypy
/y7y
/fttWsp^z^rZJLT
iiiisiijyiic
INTO
CHINESE
SUPERSTITIONS
S.J.
By Henry Dore, /H
By M. Kennelly,
S.J.
First Part
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
Profusely illustrated
Vol.
1914
111
D/3
v.
I
BRA'is;
t^Siry
OF T<>:
31.1832
PREFACE.
The present work,
tions",, belongs to
entitled
the well
known
published
"Varietes Sinoloijiques",
or Miscellanies on
China,
first
and 1913, and were so appreciated that the French Academy of "Inscriptions and Literature" granted them a special award. A fifth
is
now
in the press.
The whole
and
will
of the
highest importance, not only from the religious standpoint, but also
because of the
familv
life
many
interesting sidelights
it
and
into English.
it
felt
rather diffident,
at
home, he energet-
to
The Author
of the
work
is
the Rev.
Labourof
the two
provinces
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.
he visited
cities
and
hamlets, temples and monasteries, questioning the people about their Gods and Goddesses, their local divinities and deified Worthies,
What
heard
own
e} es,
or
from the
whom
he came
in the
done
its
Civilisation
a higher level
has there
than his
in real
fellow countrymen.
life,
II
is
must needs
see
him
what the
and
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
From
these, quotations
work.
translator has
made
of Dooliltle,
who
in
has
written interestingly
"PopBenl.
ular
Groot's
titles,
Several
puzzle
to
many
fabulous beings,
rich store
of
albums in the Sicawei Library has wonderfully helped in this Almost every article is illustrated. These pictures complete matter.
text,
the
and
exhibit
belief
of the
people.
The work
both
in
will, doubtless,
fulfil
useful
and
scientific
purpose
of the
and
it
at
home.
Author
publishing
life
recently arrived from home, and yet unacand religious conditions of the Chinese people.
They must, therefore, have some knowledge what the people think, believe and worship. Thus equipped,
nt
the country.
work
of
The work
ing"
TIT
number
of
scholars
field
interested
the
study of "Comparative
the Missionary
Religion".
In this
of laborious
research,
has
ever proved a
people, his
most useful
spent
helper.
life
among them,
him
to
appreciate thor-
and grasp the cryptic meaning and which underlie so many customs and practices. purpose A third and no less important service will be to exhibit to the
intelligent reading public the real aspect
life
and conditions
of religious
among
ary "what
China's real
religion?
What
and worship? What is their knowledge of the true God, of the soul and of man's destiny? Uo they believe in an after-life and what are The work here offered to the public is the conditions of this life"?
all
these questions.
soul, the generally accepted opinion is as follows:
first,
To begin by the
Man
or
The
Shen
f^l
Ilwun
the great
Yang j^
It is
it
or
breath
(vital force).
After death,
ascends,
ents, to the
ming %$
at
B).
According
to
modern Confucianists
it
it
vanishes entirely
death.
be
re-incarnated into
men
or
animals (See on the System Metempsychosis p. 135-138), while Taoists place it after death amidst the stars, ordinarily around
the Polar
regions.
of the
which operates in Kwei emanates from the earth or Yin f% principle (2), returning It remains with the body in the grave, and thereto after death. forms the ghost (see Note 1. p. 143) of the departed person (3).
(1)
The second, or material soul, is the Kwei $&, The living man under the name of P'eh fjj|.
of
According
its
to
Chinese philosophy,
of
Nature, from
which by
ced.
The
inferior of
$$.).
whole universe has been produthe dual Powers, quiescent matter (Giles and William's Chinese
Yang ||
principle, the
Dictionaries
(3)
of China. Vol.
IV,
p.
5,_
IV
The notion
is
of the true
God has_almost disappeared, or at least For the greater part of the people, their God
is
Yuh-hwang 3
Budd-
ha or Fuh f); Amitabha |$pJ $$ |?g $J (O-mih-t'o-fuh), the Ruler of the Western Paradise; Kwan-yin || "&, the Goddess of Mercy;
some
whom
ff?
5
title of
''Ven-
the
God
of.Jtliches, the
God
of
God
of Fire.
play-actors, wrestlers,
fencers,
of
musicians,
It
Gods
divinity,
for
largely
names
Gods
these
various needs,
//"
literati
acknowledge "Shang-
the
of Liter-
ature:
and Kw'ei-sing
5t
jk
The modernists
atheists
and materialists.
For them,
God
is,
is
he
his
nothing
else
be
mock-money, though
Buddhist
tombs
of their ancestors.
is,
fun-
damental features.
in'
Hence the popular adage: "the three religions Each person in fact selects one", Sun -hi no wei-yih J
^^
or
or adopts
what
ments.
The Powers
Heroes,
and
deified
especially the
world.
The whole
which
excites
compasspast,
as
as
it
daw
The work, according to the Author's plan, will be divided into three parts. The first treats of 'superstitious practices in general"
'
Whosoever has
that such
lived
among
practices
are
bound
life,
and
V
also
tablet,
burial
of the
dead,
and
and mock-money
to the
"Land
of Shades"
Illustrations accompany each article, Gods and Goddesses, Genii and Immortals, the depicting vividly worship of the dead, amulets, charms and even ghosts. These artistic pictures are all due to the T'usewei Press, and the intellifor the use of the departed soul.
gent co-operation of
here
'.
Foucret,
S..T., to
whom
wish
to
express
my
sincere thanks.
of the
work
and
interesting "biograplnj of Gods and Goddesses", mythical personages and deified Heroes worshipped in the two provinces of Kiangsu and
Nganhwei.
practices
performed
"popular Iiistory of the Founders of the three great religions of China: Confucius, Lao-tze and Buddha".
will be a
Some account
doctrines,
ethical
This part,
Such
Dore, S.J.
is,
Though
not exhaustive,
we can
"Superstitions in China".
The book
is
The
first
volume,
now
translated
will
into in
English,
is
public.
The others
follow
all
is
those
life
and customs.
M. Kennelly, S.J.
Sicawei College, Shanghai.
May
30, 1914.
LIST OF
VII
NT1TLED
IN
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
CHINA.
WORKS WRITTEN
IE
IN
Sang-li.
ft iS
SM 3. it it ^
6
Tuh-li-t'ung-k'ao.
Wu-li t'ung-k'ao.
T'ung-tien.
^M
Peh-lu-t'ung.
Yii-chow
ta-i-i.
Sze-shu jen-wuh-k'ao.
Chu-tze yii-luh.
nil
It n
&
$*
Jeh chi-hih.
Wu-king-i-i.
Li-ki tsih-shwoh.
H
p|I
Li-ki shuh.
^
#fc
/BE "^7
"? In
ffil
Chu-tze
yii-lei.
IS ft
Yao-lu-lu-shu.
3E 5 =t
jljS
'Ira.
Fung-shen-kia li-tsih-shwoh.
Sheng-ki chuh-wen.
A S WL *
91
Sung-t'ao-knh ts'ing-i-luh.
*P
fit
& & 1 IB
ft $c
i\
Ming-ta-muh
t'ing-yii-ki-t'an.
Ml
Ml
a t? * ^
a
T'ung-suh-pien.
*&m&m
Tze-chi-t'ung-kien kang-muh.
Official
Annals.
i^
-if
Ch'eu-chen pien-wang.
Peter
Hwang,
S. J.
\chwan).
#(
m r m % be jt # oe & f#) mmm a n * is m *a*
*
if
lg
VIII
Heu-Han-shu (Ts'ai-lun-chwan).
Fung-shi wen-kien-ki.
T'ang-shu (Wang-yiX-chwan)
T'ung-kien-kang-muh.
Records
Historical
reconstructed by
Chuj
Sbeng
Sung- toh-i.
hsi.
$J it *b
Li
Tsi-wung tze-hsia-luh.
Yii
Yeh-hwoh-pien.
&
H
ft
efc
Sung
Wen-pao, ch'ui-kien-luh
wai-tsih.
Shi- with yuen-hui.
iHii $rP $*
ft
mH
Ts'ing-kia-luh.
Kien-hu pu-tsih.
Sin-chi-luh.
Meng-hwa-luh.
Hai-yii ts'ung-k'ao.
K ft * * * # * fE # ep # if ii ^
,-iV.
T'ien-hsiang-leu ngeu-teh.
Yin-hsiieh-hsien-sui-pih.
7C
Yuan-tien-chang.
Chao-king-ngan yun-luh-manTa-hsioh.
[ch'ao.
Chwang-tze.
Book
of
Odes
msm m
gist
Ta-ya.
Kang-muh-tsih-lan.
Fan-yih-ming-i.
fx
m mmvt
Wu
Man-yun kiang-hsiang-tsieh-
wuh-shi.
mm m
M
li
Shan-hai-king.
Sui-shi-ki.
H# IB
Sui-yuan-sui-pih.
Kien-hu-tsih.
it 4b ft
mm
3E ft
Yuh-hai.
&
ft
ffl
Lih-hsioh-i-wen.
ffl
||
Lih-hsioh-i-wen-pu.
IX
Kiu T'ang-shu. Sin T'ang-shu.
fa
Luh-ming-shu. Han-shu.
Sung-shu. Tso-chwan.
Lo-king-kiai.
# #
**
*
4@
&
Ma-i-siang-fah (Physiognomy).
Ts'an-sing-pi-yao-tseu-kih-pienlan.
it *P
Ming-hsioh
ing).
su-chi
(Fortune-tell-
* *i9
ft
jB(
Ta-luh-jen-sin-yuan (Divination).
Ta-Han
hsieh-t'ien
kwan-fu-tze
tsi-shi
kiu-kih-wen.
T'ai-shang san-kwan-king.
it f*
n
%k
Siao-siang i-yao-ts'iien-chwan.
Sze-ming-ti-kiin
shu.
king-tsao-ts'iien-
n
tjj
faftig
t*#
^ *f
ii
Sze-ming pao-hsiin
Kitchen).
(Hod of the
Shen-men jeh-sung
(Prayer-book
of Buddhist monks).
^^
If
tt:
Hwui-t'u
siang-meng
ts'iien-shu
(On dreams).
ItJfifiS
^ * $ ft
IE
^,
native of
Honan,
IE
later edition.
The same
s = #> a S W IE $ * ^ m he
fit
ft ft am
Bjf
*^$
BE
MfSM f
Sffl
MiE
s#
in
fi
sir
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 $s mi$
jfi
T'iao-ts'ien-king.
Lang-ya-tai-tsui-picn.
Yen-wang-king.
Luh-lun-king.
#i *&
t*
Ku Mei
chi-Aven-luh.
Meng-tze.
Tuh-shu-ki-shu-lioh.
1M IE
M*
If
Yuh-hsiah-ki-t' ung-shu
Shi-wen-lei-tsii.
Chu-tze yii-luh.
It*
Pf
ft
ixj
Wang-wei
Tsin-shu.
Sui-shu.
ts'ing-yen-ts'ung-luh.
n Ji - ii ^
mmm&
M M
$* fk
Ki-k'ang-tseh-wu-kih-hsiung-lun.
Wang-fu
ts'ien-fu-lun
Ch'en-liu-fung-suh-chwan.
T'ung-tien (Chao-hwun-tsang-i).
'
M
pp
it
Lia n g pa n-ts
-
u -y ii - n ga n
Ts'ih-siu-lei-kao.
mm n
4i >h
p
p
Leng-kiah-king.
Yung-chwang
Yoh-ki.
siao-p'in.
Shi-ming.
H&
#
$)
Jeh-chi-luh-chu.
Kung-sun-shuh-chwan.
Fan-shu.
&
IE (i SS
ii as # ? as
<i>,>
II
#^ as n &
Wang-vih
Lu-shi.
ch'u-tz'o-chang-kiu.
Chu-tze ch'u-tz'e-tsih-chu.
San-kwoh-chi.
Tsih-shwoh ts'iien-chen.
by Peter
Hwang,
S. J.
xn
L.
S.
FOREIGN WORKS.
Rudiments du Parler
Textes Historiques.
Chiriois.
Wieger,
Id.
./.
Id.
M. Chang,
J.
S. J.
N. B. Denny*.
Gowa n.
G. Miles. E. H. Parker.
Id.
J.
Chinese Buddhism.
Edkins.
Buddhism
\
in
China.
S. Beal.
Id. Id.
Catena
of
land-Book
of
E.
in
J.
Eitel.
Buddhism:
Its Historical
Three Lectures.
Id.
Buddhism.
Monier Williams.
as a Religion.
in
Buddhism
H. Hackmann.
China.
Timothy
J.
Richard,
Doolittle.
XX
Vol.)
Vol.)
J.
de Groot.
The
Li Ki or
Book
of Rites.
J. Legge.
The Shi King or Book of Poetry. Memoires concernant les Chinois (XVI
Lettres
Id.
Vol.
Jesuit Missionaries in
Edifiantes
et
Curieuses
(Vol.
IX-X1II
Peking. on China).
in
Jesuit
Missionaries
Lettres de Jersey (1880*1914).
China.
Annates
duMuse^Guimet (Vol.
Revue de I'Extreme-Orient
IL Cordier).
\y. F.
Mayers
XIII
,4.
Wylie.
Language.
Williams.
II.
Chinese-English Dictionary
A. Giles.
Id'.
De Natura Deorum
Metamorphoses.
Book
II).
Cicero.
Ovid.
Fustel de Coulangei-
La
Cite Antique.
of the
The Religions
Ancient World.
G. Rawlinson.
J.
Classical Dictionary.
Lempriere.
Mythology.
W. Smith.
CONTENTS.
FIRST PART VOLUME
^S|.*'|^H
I.
CHAPTER
Birth
Article
I.
I.
and Childhood.
Page
.
Before Birth
specially
Gods
worshipped
in
stitions
tablet of
practices
cases
of
laborious childbirth
Goddess
of
in
certain sex
ces.
child.
Exposing
to
Superas-
fortune-tellers
off
evil
influen-
Little
New-born
2
child offered to a
Article
II.
God
7.
After Birth.
first
The
arrows. The
lets
tubbing.
devil thai
preventing
made
of dog's hair.
The peach-wood Peach-wood amuravishes children. demons from approaching children. Amulet Wearing necklace copper
seven-star lamp.
a of coins.
The
cock.
animals or
of slave-girls given to
vermilion
children
Article
III.
mark on
the forehead.
The
12.
Ill-treating
corpses
of little
Wearing
The
silver collar.
string of
oil.
cash. The
shaven
pending a
The
eight
diagrams. The
Ear-rings.
crown
of
hair
habit of a
The Susshoes.
away the
diseases from
scare
off
demons
children.
Amulets
Dry
(nominal) adoption.
The
Red
ward
peach-stone padlock.
Auspicious
1325.
wood
Article IV.
XV
Page.
Crossing the
bamm
CHAPTER
II,
26
27.
Betrothal
29
31.
33.
II.
Marriage.
its
Fixing
date.
(flowers, fruit)
Article
III.
35.
Article IV.
Arrival. The
marriage ceremony before the tablet of Heaven and Earth, and the ancestral tablet. Ordeal of seeing the bride.
Burial
rite of bride
who has
36
not
39.
accomplished
this latter
ceremony
CHAPTER
III.
Before Heath.
Outfit Fetching the temple-god into the dying person's house. of the dead (Case of a man, a woman). Garters Girdle.
Buttons. Not
allowed
to
curtains
Article
II.
removed. Also
After Death.
expire
on
the
family
bed.
the pillow
Bed41 44.
streamers suspended
deity
of the
-Paper sedan-chair
Faying
some
old
shoes of the
deceased. Attaching
-Burning
45
wisps of cotton-
46.
III.
In the coffin.
Choosing
a lucky day.
Big nail used
the
for closing
XVI
Putting
Rice
a copper coin
for
the coffin.
in
mouth
of
coffin.
(doth corpse.
some
2".
hungry dugs
nether world.
Mirror
appeasing the
mouth. Nails
entwined with
Closing down
coffin.
the
wicks. Escorting the Condoling soul over the bridge bring mockanguish. the dead. Funeral repasts given money Children who leap over the -Eating an and 47 get courage egg
ed
Rice
person's
head.
--Lamp
of
with seven
visitors
for benefit of
to relatives
friends.
coffin.
to
52.
Article IV
Burial.
-At procession.
Carrying out the Order of the Coffins exposed and the grave-side. 53 57.
coffin.
off
mound
or
tumulus.
The
Preparations
his
made
him.
-Forwarding destiny.
lamp
for the ghost.
Anxiety
house
entertained about
to
paper
the "world of
shades".
I
Hfering a
in
honour
dead. Gathering
"Ts'ing-ming", or annual
the
to the dead.
festival
festival (fifteenth of
to
ceremonies
Article VI.
help
Floating Celebrating the guide wandering ghosts. the seventh month). Various other 58 62. departed souls
little
.at
Article VII.
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
a
funerals.
in
,i
lor
soul.
of
XVII
CHAPTER
IV.
Why
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
to
obtain
happy
rebirth.
Permit
passage
the cere-
Passport granting
free
on the way
mony
of the
"Lemuria"
Written charm opening the portals of Informing the ruler of Hades of the exemplary
deceased.
place).
Opening
of
the
Burning mocksafe
Article
II.
(written
Buddformula
can
this
them therefrom.
Precious
burnt
Howling purpose.
Chow
ceremony
witches at Hai
Article III.
performed by 87. 84
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.
benefit of a
who has
died in prison.
drowned person.
of
CHAPTER
V.
97
108.
XVIII
Pag
II.
"Kotowing"
to the
Dead
Dead
...109
III.
IV.
Mock-money
Buddhist Bells
V.
VI.
VII.
VIII.
Sending Paper-houses
to the
Dead
...
The Metempsychosis
Murderous Ghosts
Evocation of the Dead
IX.
X.
XI.
XIX
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
IHagrams ami "Charaels".
Page
1.
Kwan-yin presenting
offspring
child
to
mothers
praying
for
(Frontispiece)
2.
White-robed Kwan1
new-born
child.
On
car
is
seen
the
academic
2
Chang Kwo-lao
The
Celestial
offers a
descendant
to a
6.
7.
happy household The Ki-lin or Unicorn bestowing a child Written charm for hastening delivery. The charm
the
4 5
is
woman
in labour
6
for
L" S
.
Another
efficacious
charm
hastening delivery
to
8.
Bowman
Chang
scare
away
the
8
heavenly
9.
dog
the Immortal,
who
protects
children
life
10
13
14
10.
11.
12. 13.
14.
15
17
a string of cash
18
15. 16.
17.
19 20
21
monk worn
by children
known
as that of the
"hundred families"
18. 19.
The God
7
of Longevity issuing from a peach charm. May you have five male children, healthy, Luck} rich, and attaining to the highest honours
.
22
24
Wen Wang.
7
May
be a
one of them
tripos
25
34
20.
Brass mirror
XX
Page
21.
Conducting- the
slipper
bride
to
the
bridegroom's house.
The
36
37 38
Tablet of Heaven
22.
Nao
Sin-fang.
Ribald jesting
23.
24.
mouth
of a
corpse
47
of a corpse
50
63
25.
26.
Hades
ch'eh
64
21.
Lung
Pu-sah.
The God
of
the
Dragon
chariot
(hearse"),
65
28.
66
67
29.
30.
Laotze
70
Written charm
.
despatched to Ti-ts'ang
Wang,
Hades
ruler of
Hades 71
Written charm
ruler of
burnt in
honour
32. 33.
of Ti-ts'ang
Wang,
tolls
73
74
34.
35.
Lu-yin
tan-tze.
Passport
delivered
to
departed
soul
76 77
way
Hades
36. 37.
38.
.'!'.).
The
ke}'
to
the
Ruddhist paradise
to the ruler of
78
Certificate of
Hades
79 80
81
Temporary
Wrapper containing
40.
41.
42.
Mock-clothing burnt for the benefit of the dead Fire-proof safe burnt and forwarded to the dead
Fac-simile
of
82 83
the
the
precious charm
delivering
from
13.
84
benefit
of
woman
dying
in
86
44.
45.
46.
m.
delivering from Hades a person hanged delivering from Hades a person assassinated for the benefit of a soul under a spell delivering from
88
...
89
90
of
an unjust
91
lawsuit
XXI
Pag
48.
Charm
delivering
from
murdered
49. 50. 51.
for the
benefit
of
drowned persons
93
died in prison
...
who have
94 95
52.
for the
benefit
of a
prescriptions
53.
96
107 109
Ill
54.
55. 56.
"Kotowing"
before
a grave
117 124
57.
58.
Buddhist
bell
and beads
59.
60.
Paper-house burnt for the benefit of the dead Paper streamers placed on graves
128
130
The Wheel
of the
Metempsychosis
133
fish,
61-1.
61-2. 61-3.
Metamorphosed
into insects,
worms,
Metamorphosed
Metamorphosed
various
products
of the
kingdom
61-4.
136
articles,
utensils
137
form.
...
62
bis
.
deceased
in
masculine
Tz'e-shah.
Ghost
of deceased
in
female form
143
144
147
62.
63.
Sung
64.
65.
Hades 151
...
152
>>
>
>>
West
>>
Fig.
La "Koang-yng" aux
enfants.
Kwan-yin
Fig. 2
-t-tL
*ii*A*&
'/'cJie-ma"
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
II
Tan
Sheng
%J
Yin
Shi
P#
ARTICLE
I.
BEFORE BIRTH
To have
desire of
all
numerous
The
if
Chinese. Hence
!
many
to obtain children
following' are
Gods
selected
worshipped
in
First of
we
find the
;,
Pus ah
* 4*
found
in
all
temples,
This
is
who
child.
As
pledge of her
the shoe
has
this
feet
been
placed there.
connected
deposited
with
at
offering.
Elsewhere, one of
pair
of
shoes
the
is
of
the
Goddess,
is
is
expected child
born,
the
shoe
restored, and
ex-voto,
new
pair
is
bargain.
sacred
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
children),
ol
is
j\\i
M
:
~f
lne
Celestial Fairy
granting
exposed
in
several
houses of pagans.
other than
the
This Goddess,
daughter
of
the
She
is
called
Goddess,
(Jj
i$ t
all
and
is
specially
worshipped
<
Shantung
\\]
j|f,
and
the
adjoining provinces.
>ther inferior
either in
temples,
the
or
in
pictures
names
of
those
commonly
f||
1$
Mi$.
birth.
^^
^.
fl|
^^
is
i$.
Goddess
is
particularly
Southern provinces.
She
whose duty
is
to
protect children.
The
day
to
o|
festival of this
falls
on the
fifteenth
the sixth
her.
the family
honour
(1)
See T
ii
'
[\\
Q& g
t!f
5g p
g.
->;
Fig. 3
Sur un char on voit le bonnet des academiciens. Rising du haut des cieux protege le nouveau-nd. child. the God of Literature, protects from on high the new-born Kw'ei-sing, worn by scholars. On a car is seen the academic head-dress
Fig.
Tchang Kouo-lao, le pourvoyeur d'enfants. Chang Kwo-lao offers a descendant to a newly married
couple.
riding
;
on a unicorn,
or a phoenix,
in
or
her arms,
and
According
to
popular
belief,
at
HI]
least
in
many
God
of
places,
this
Yen
Wang
3E,
the
Hades, the
series
and by the
in
some previous
souls
are
existence.
It
is
she
who
decides into
to be reborn on earth.
to the
-fij:,
Holy Mother,
Queen
of
Ji fe
whose statue
as
temples known
Peh-
fang
~gf
-^
^,
or temples of the
deities,
"Hundred Children".
guardians
of
Among
other female
tutelary
children,
mention may also be made of the Goddess that guides childhood, the Goddess presiding over suckling, the Holy Mother, who grants
fecundity:
Pao-sheng Sheng-mu
deities are not alone
to
f!
d^
-0J:
etc...
Female
particularly disposed
graciously
of
them
great
for
the obtaining
in
children.
city
Thus Ngan-kung
Fan-chang
is
^
fj|
Q,
J|
has
$,
in
repute
the
district
$fr,
of
hsien
province of
Ngan-hwei -^
and
he
constantly
worshipped
order to obtain
male children.
official
Families of
sing
^[-
standing and
literati
j^, the
God
of Literature,
For offspring, who may win academic laurels at the examinations. is exposed in the the same purpose, a picture of Kwan-kimg ||j ^,
nuptial
chamber
of the
young couple,
offering
them
youthful
official
academic head-dress.
At other times, we
||
find Lit
Tung-pin
-j|?j
% and
is-
Kwan-kung
reckonIt
^,
male child.
This
an assurance
that the
new home
will be blessed
literati
and remarkable
state officials.
JfC,
indeed a well
known
fact that
Lu Tung-pin
is
-j|p]
one of the
__
Immortals honoured by the
of
literati,
title
combines
Literature.
in
his
person
the
Chang Kwo-lao
;Jj|
^,
sitting
on a
donkey,
a picture
offers
also
representing
him
is
chamber.
to secure
the
above
is
a child sitting
flight
on
it,
and wending
called
its
known
pictures
the
are
represented
all
one hundred
male
who
share
among themselves
of the world.
Fig. 5
T'ien
elle
The
Celestial
Fairy
Fig. 6
Ivi-ling song-tse,
ou
5
B).
1".
l
Exposing the
Goddess)
the
in
the house.
Ts ui~sheng Niang-niang
birth, is held in great veneration.
i$ $g.
Goddess hastening
When
childbirth
is
too
laborious,
incense
is
is
burnt
with
;
in
her
temple, vows are made, or even her tablet pomp and exposed in the house of the woman
of the latter are laid
fetched
great
in labour
the clothes
upon
this tablet, to
Goddess.
K'o-ku Niang-niang
^
all
jfc
t&-
formerly
$fc.
midwife
at
ffu-0
Chow
^p
jH"|,
in the province of
Ngan-hwei 4
and subsequently
deified,
career, is
worshipped by
the
women
of the
place,
who
in
organize
prominent position
This tablet
is
the temples
may
Talismans.
is
had
to
Taoist or
It is
who
paste
on the woman's
body
to
secure the
Many
of these
when
were
it
womb
be rent
and
split open.
mingled
order
to
administered
to
the
patient
in
Annexed herewith
charms, reputed
child.
(figures 7
and
7 bifa )
are models of
two paper
with
infallible for
women
Manner
of
woman
6
3.
Fortune-tellers.
Women
4.
to
bring forth.
Many women,
small brass mirror.
evil
keep
a
on
their
to
persons a
off
all
This
intended
affect
as
charm
ward
bear
in
influences,
which
might
the
child
they
their
womb.
Thus
protected, they
may,
without
for a
incurring
danger,
enter a
Drawing
hour
lh<>
horoscope.
The
and
day
in
which
child
may
are
be
born
affect
of
wonderfully, according to
common
belief,
the future
these,
destiny
the
new-born babe.
All
details
relating
to
carefully noted
to
draw
On
abdomen and
When
oi
l
the child
is
born, a glance
is
quickly cast on
the
part
birth,
and
augured
(1).
In
some temples
are found
to
little
statues
representing children,
know why
little
the
when one
of
suitable
figure, she
monks
obtain
attached
to
name on
the
little
figure selected,
will
and
the
devotees
henceforth
convinced
Ch
IT. p. S.
that
thev
i.
flu
Folklore of China.
fa'i'
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.
efficace
pour activer
la
dt'livrance.
Another
efficacious
charm
children,
who
name
applied to the
little
statue.
This
means
is
offspring
in the family.
7
New-born child
other
families,
offered to a God.
In
the
following
means
is
adopted.
A vow
is
and
promise made,
to
him
in
as a
don
the
monkish garb,
grateful
acknowledgment
of the
favour received.
In
is
to the
temple,
in
money
!
or
kind.
The
practical
side
of the
bargain
never neglected
A
where
being
child-bearing
woman
reared,
and this
principle
for
two reasons.
is
Woman
to
affect
of
the
female or dark
Yin (%,
is
bound
them
are
is
womb
will
8
ARTICLE
II.
AFTER BIRTH.
1
The
first
tubbing. Si-tsao
-j
$|.
On
and
teller is
is
born,
it
is
placed
over, a
in a tub,
carefnllv
washed.
When
the
operation
is
fortune-
summoned.
and
may
pathway
of the
new-born
child.
In
word,
he casts his
horoscope.
2.
If
Jfr
j^.
must meet on
his
way the
barrier
of
is
the
seven
early
to
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
diseases, Ts'ih-chao
he
destined
prepared without delay, and are to be kept burning beside the child
^.
in all
some
evil
Peach-wood, as we shall
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.
i.
The
$&.
of the
devil
that
ravishes children
T'eu-sheng kwei
ifa
&
%.,
anxiety on
when
of the
in the
jfo
While writing
these lines,
me
be
allowed to adduce as an
illustration
town
of
11
wo Chow
^fl
j>\].
The
evil
spirit
T'eu-sheng hwei
to
^,
appeared at
first in
apparently that
of a neighbour,
and threatened
a child,
who happened
be then ailing.
The dog
are
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.
afterwards,
a
cursed
fought.
cat
peeps
in
at
the
door.
second battle
must
be
now
him
assumed by T'eu-sheng hwei f|j ^r j^. This her hand the full apparel of the child, ascends
and there,
in
the
house-top,
to
presence
to
of
all
the
neighbours
assembled
1wl
curse
T'eu-sheng-hwei
so
QiL
sorts
of
pagan abominations,
o-
preserve a remnant
is
Adam
in the
escapes death,
and she
is
congratulated by
all
her
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
the
or to
the
of
bridge,
demons
employ
children
as
propping
stones.
Soothsayers employ
day.
Assuming
10
Great
anxiety
is
that their child has been chosen to impart solidity to such or such
bridge
in
process
of
construction.
naturally
experienced.
him.
6.
first
Amulet made
of dog's hair
^pj
to
protect
the
child
until
it
Keu-mao-fu
^ $. (dog-hair charm).
During the
first
month
after
birth,
of
of
neither the
child
child's
or
its
mother may cross the threshold must be first shaved; then a lock
dog's hair, rolled
the
his
house.
hair
is
The
head
up
sewn on
to
clothes,
after
neighbours,
It
would be
family,
old.
to
new-born
child entered
their
Many
superstitions
would have
prevent impending
evil.
threshing-ground in
terrible misfortune.
dug up
to
ward
off
some
a
member
of her
own
Wearing
||!.
it
necklace
made
of copper
coins (cash).
Ts'ien-
lung U*
Moreover,
string,
in
is
and place
this
customary to hang a few coppers on a red on the neck of the god Ch'eng-hwang jjfc |$j|,
his temple.
Ch'eng-hwang j$
|g|
is
madarin.
it
When
placed
the necklace
is
off all
untoward
|.
to kill a
is
Killing a cock.
Sha-ki
In
some
places,
it
is
customary
day
This sacrifice
Foe
"Bulletin de
la
Fig. 9
re- TTJ>2
'C(L
'/
!s
~o;
Chang
the
family,
child.
ijfl^
11
in
whose
It is
lineal
descent
is
maintained
the
person
of
the
Jjl,
thank the (Goddess Sung-tze Niang-niang y ^fthe giver of children. Those who are too poor, may purchase
also to
offer
it
instead
of
cock.
If
the
fortune-teller
of
old
age,
Lao-jen-hwan
J\
||,,
there
is is
but one
means
to
which he
exposed.
An
old
man, willing
to
take mourning,
is
will
escape
all
danger of death.
9.
Names
lo
male children.
y
j]\
|jjf
name
of an animal,
;J-
as "little pussy",
Siao-mao
^\\\
"little
dog", Siao-heu
^pj
name
of a slave-girl,
Ya-teu
jpf
The following
that by using a
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.
little
is
the
name
of
an animal or of a
girl is
whom
him
called by these
one wishes to protect from their vexatious pursuits. names, they are led to believe that he
Hearing
is
indeed
a little animal, or at
of cutting short his
10.
most
girl,
and
will thus
life.
^^
Many
origin.
little
bells
to
the
feet of a child,
when
it
begins
to
walk,
has
had
superstitious
to frighten the
off.
of these bells
11.
Red
children
nose,
is
occurrences.
It
is
may
mark on
cheeks,
the
on the forehead,
on
the two
and
augurs
happiness.
12.
12
custom
It is
When
mutilating"
of horribly
body
is
frequently resorted
to.
cut
up with
be
knives, and sometimes even cruelly lacerated with the teeth, in order
to
prevent
it
molesting those
in
who may
to
subsequently born.
also
customary
some
places
hang
made
of dog's hair
to
it
returned to
once more.
Fig. 10
Le cadenas, gage d'une vie longue et heureuse. Padlock assuring a long and happy life.
13
^
III.
ARTICLE
Wearing
ff|.
Many
silver
children
the
neck with
chain.
This
intended
to
existence,
affectionate
and
prevent their
being ravished
padlocks
from
in all
their
silver-
parents.
These
may
found
and shape.
p||
or
Taoist
priests,
Tao-shi
necks
of
^,
them on with
There
are
or
also
their
the
children.
the
padlocks," Peh-kia-suo Hf
Life
f|\
those pur-
it
in his
power
enchain
person to
the present
respect those
who wear
more than
those
who
fail to
use them.
//.
14
;i
[f|j.
Wearing
The
off or
is
collar is a ring
at will,
made
of silver,
it
large
enough
to
be taken
it.
resumed
without
of a
being necessary to
piece,
is
disjoin
It
generally composed
single
easily
This ring
worn round
the.
same manner
as a dog's collar.
Would
rear
to
to sav, that
little
my
seldom ever
is in
It
Such
general the
idea
about the
education of a child.
Others, and
~J*
'(?[
1
is
up
of a little dog.
hems
so to say, in the
body
of the
much
in the
same way
as
hoops
prevent a barrel
Commonly
this ring
called
Keu-lr
ixen ^p]
[||J,
or
a dog-collar.
A
to
rings, as a
mark
of congratulation,
is
born
them.
Parents, fearing to be unable to bring up a child, lend
him
for
form sake
to a
neighbour.
This
latter,
through a figure
of
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,
silver
ring
passed
wont
to be
done with
cattle.
Fig. 11
Fig.
12
///..
15
y$
J\.
jj||
^f-.
Boys wear an ear-ring attached to one of childhood, and often even in more advanced age.
their
ears
of
during
summers and more may be found with made either of silver of gold.
The
ing.
idea, generally
this
Youths
is
the follow-
Only
ear of
little
girls
wear ear-rings.
Should
attach
one on the
my
who
for a
it
ever seek to
by this device.
it
Seeing an ear-ring, they will girl, and thus will not molest
intended to deceive the female
family, and put
him.
Some
is
death
all its
male offspring.
represents according to
hard to raise.
this
The
evil spirits
their idea something heavy and would thus be unable to snatch from
world
my
him
to the
ground
of the
existence.
Generally,
it
is
the uncle
who
If it
fixes
be necessary to take
the child's
fact,
I
own
parents would
This
spirits,
who
are
thought
to
have
name
of a girl is given
to the next
To
this
practice
must
which
be
is
generally
ascribed
the term
"slave
girl" Ya-l'eu
JM>
^
$fc
of P'i
Chow
2|$
4>|>|,
and
Ilni
Chow
(North
Kiangsui,
one
finds
,
frequently
little
boys called by
f-^.
Lik-shwan j
buckled,
or pet name, Lih-k'eu j }n These expressions denote that they have been
their
linked,
solidly
pinned
together,
after
enduring
great
16
It is
:
especially in the
parents have been long childless, or when the eldest given In almost all such cases, new-born children of a family have died.
when
if
Fig. 13
L'enfilee de sapeques.
17
IV.
Wearing
it
a string of cash.
Tai-ts'ien
^ |^.
This practice,
all
may
be
said,
is
universal.
In
some
places,
hung on
a red
J^;,
or
Sung
5jc
Among
much
Manchu
or T'sing -^ dynasty,
JSB,
or Kia-k'ing
fjL
J|, are
is
future, riches
and
is
and well-being. It supplies the absence an easier and less expensive practice.
*v\ -v /^v*i^/V
wvw\/w\
V.
18
Tai-p&h-kwa
Wearing
^ A ^
to
manner, attached
plate
cord
and
made
of copper,
silver
On one
side
are
inscribed
Fuh-hsi
.||,
commonly
called
"Puh-kwa
the
i[ \ while the
ZL
Mi
ol
cycle
of
sixty
years.
Sometimes these
a real
medal.
They bear
by
in the future.
Fig. 14
Charm
Fig.
15
Enfant portant la couronne de cheveux. Child with crown of hair shaven off.
VI.
19
hair.
Wearing
the
crown of
Liu-ku |g
ffi.
in shaving' the
summit
forehead.
of the
head,
and
but
ringlet
of hair
over the
a
On
no account
the age of
must
this
crown
be
shaved
be
till
child
to
has
attained
exposed
an untimely death.
The
following
explains
this
apprehension.
priests
According
{^,
to
the
fanciful
a
stories told
by the Taoist
"Tao.-shV jg
before
child
occurring
distinctive
along the
roadway of youth, and unless he bears this mark, the road of life is barred against him and he meets
with death
he
will
When
seems
all
may
be shaved, as there
Note.
the head
It
that in
some places
this
practice
of shaving
is
the general
fashion,
notion, which
may
In such a case,
consi<ier
to
should avoid by
all
weans,
not
only
con-
belief whatthe.]/
commit
be
crown
of hair
to
in
;=|. *
i=
VII.
20
bonze.
foj
Wearing
the habit of a
^.
who make
Jt
must
be
generally
admitted
that
parents
little
their
bonze, do so a
through custom,
is,
however,
^ |,
a child
wear
full
to
the
god
or Pu-sah
f|f,
grants
till
me
a child,
wear
Fig. 16
Forme de
Habit of Buddhist
l'habit de bonze.
monk worn
by children.
Fig. 17
families.
known
as that of the
"hundred
families'".
21
%
.
Connected with what has been just stated on wearing the habit of a bonze, is the custom of begging from door to door a piece of
cloth,
and with the various and different pieces making a dress for a
child,
upon
own,
not
whom
is
one wishes
cherished by
a
to
call
down
the
blessing
of the
gods.
their
This child
all,
and
hope,
makes him
that
present
be
how
then
the
may
people
he
will
preserved through
pj$?
special
Such
is
the reason
which
has given
rise to this
curious custom.
To the same superstition may be attached the one called "the A person $|. string of the hundred families", Peh-hia-sien "g"
goes round begging a bit of thread from door to door. various coloured threads, a kind of tassel is made, and
the dress of the child.
With
these
to
hung on
The purpose
is
the
same
as
in
the preced-
ing case.
VIII.
22
3j.
Shao-p'o-hai
^[.
'Js|
Burning
the
old shoes.
Kwa
It is
yu-vjang
^
as
$).
Suspending
fishing-net.
evil
spirits,
generally
known
"T'eu-sheng-hwei"
first
fj|j
j^f,
spirits
away
its
soul.
souls of
young
girls
who
They
human
race,
It is
ravish,
in
this
be reborn as
men
the
womb
of a
mother.
no
further
When
red days
the hundred
life
days
are
elapsed,
they
have
of a child.
Should
a child
hund-
over,
them
to
restore the
1.
which
fills
the
large fishing-net,
Wang
|pf, is
as
everybody
them more
resistance
knows, are smeared with hog's blood, and make them last longer. It
thus
f|f
who
ravish children,
T'eu-sheng-kKPi
^,
to
or
the
to
net,
will
be frightened and
child.
of
take
without venturing
of the
injure
the
Moreover,
each
of the
meshes
an eye, and
seeing so
many
3.
23
sieve, Shai-tze
T
f*-,
f$j
is
same
IX.
Chi siao-hai-ping-chi fu
j-fe
/]^
&
fft
3l ^F-
Amulets
to
Kurd
off diseases
from children.
.Numerous are the superstitious practices imagined to cure sick Taoist and Buddhist monks find here an inexhaustible children.
source of profit, and consequently have invented
all
kinds of health-
unlucky star, and practising such and such a ceremony (See in the V th and XVI th volumes of superstitions practised in China, various
prayer-formulae,
several
lucky
and unlucky
stars,
and
numerous
paper-charms composed
X.
l|
$$,
Han-Lsin.
When
may
die,
he
is
adopted
Such adoption is purely into no right to It is not guaranteed by a contract and gives nominal. The custom is based on the superstitious notion, an inheritance. that an unlucky lot has befallen the family, and that the only means
another family,
and takes
its
name.
of preserving a child,
is
to
pass
him over
fictitiously
to
more
fortunate household.
On
father a
dry adoption
life to
is
concluded,
the
natural
father, in order to
wish long
his child,
offers to the
adopting
for a
hundred years),
then placed
(copper
the latter
making
The
child'.s
milk-name
also changed.
to
A
a
blue string
is
round
his neck,
appended
which
is
number
of
cash
he has lived,
care
till
when
it
is
barriers,
which
youngsters.
(1)
24
XL.
=f-
_t
#|<
#Hfj
When
is
a child has
cloth
of a
somewhat
sign
remind Sien-ku
lao-t'ai
f[lj
jfc ~j
not to send
XII.
him again
the
same
disease.
Tao-huh-so
is
^^
|ij|\
kind of padlock
ijlff
made by
kernels of the
flat-
peach P'an-lao
f)[.
The mother
and employs
feet,
for tying
is
them
on,
is
the
string
The peach,
(1),
as
well
known,
to
the fruit
at
being
served
$fc
up
the the
gods
palace
the
Hat-peach
festival,
P'an-tao
hwei $
||\
in
of the
goddess
people
Wang-mu Niang-niang
believe
life,
3E "^
M M
(-)
The
common
bind
off
that
peach-stone
padlocks
confer
longevity,
for
children to
mysterious power
warding
evil influences.
(1)
See Mayers Chinese Reader's Manual "Tao" Sec Mayers, ibid. "Si
$fc (the
peach)
p. "213.
p. 178.
(2)
Wang-mu"
@f Zt
itiie
Fig. 19
Porte-bonheur. Puissiez-vous avoir cinq garcons vigoureux,. riches, montant de dignites en dignitds
!
Lucky charm.
rich
May
you have
to
and attaining
Fig. 19
bii
Allusion aux cents enfants de Wen-wang. Ayez cent cnfants, que Tun d'eux soit regu premier acad^micien Allusion to the numerous children of Wen Wang. J\Iay you have
!
et
many
children
be a first tripos!
25
XIII.
Chw'ang
if
j^.
The
child's cut.
The
child's cot,
made
of special
wood,
may
also contribute
to the future
The
wood most sought after, is that of the peach-tree, 'T'ao-s/iu" \j[ $$, which confers longevity; also that of the jujube-tree "T.sao-.s/iu" Ht Wfi as the word "Tsao" Jf| (jujube) is similar in sound to
"T.sao"
Jp.,
which means
early.
This
is
A
to
third kind of
wood employed
as this tree
of Longevity
Sung-sltu
sketch the
of
j$j$,
it is
customary
it
God
life.
is
a pledge
trees,
long
cot,
made
of a
wood
of
glorious future.
rm
26
IV.
ARTICLE
Every child
existence,
is
destined
to
pass,
in
of
its
through a
series of barriers,
path
of
life.
It
only
all
when
danger
over.
We
(p.
19),
how
a passport or
who molest
We
passed,
thirty
barriers
to
be
the
precautions
or
which
month
year,
when one
may have
to get
"Wan-pao-ls'ilen-shu "||J j|f Herein are found the whole collection of pictures illustrating
all
fancifully invented.
free of toll.
|st
Barrier
guarded by a maleficent
demon.
Barrier of the four pillars. Barrier of the
king). styled the devil's gate,
demon Niu-wang
3l
(the
Cow-
4 th
,,
Barrier The
guarded by a mal-
eficent
demon.
life is
5 th 6 th
,,
Barrier where
exposed.
,,
,,
8 th
,,
Barrier of insurmountable difficulty. Barrier of the golden hen falling into a well. Barrier of the private parts.
27
9 th Barrier
1
(1).
th th
\ \
one must be
licet of foot so
as to escape
1
1
9;h
> )
Barrier of the
five genii.
^them).
13 th
1
,,
/.th
15
th
,,
16"*
tb 1 7
,,
monks
IN
]
1 '
qth
20 th
unlocked).
9
1
St
opnd
23*
,,
is
broken.
24
th
05th
26 th 27 th
life is
shortened.
28 th 29 th
30* h
i
,,
Barrier of
fire
and water.
17 fa
ft
to
ii
12 5 6
7
mmm in m
3l j&
25 26
is
19
* % m n ^ w
# * II a ^ n
jft!gl]|lg
20
21
mmmm
n
fl"
28 29
13
&&
e
ffl
^
7k
7K Ii
'X
22
15
Ji
30
j&gg
23 =f 24
B
Pf
iff
16
^m
The demon that ravishes children "T'eu-sheng-kwei" (m J&, has no further over a child after he has passed this barrier; his power expires when the hundred power
days are over. See above "Superstitions concerning children"
VIII
p.
'22.
28
-z^^
CHAPTER
II.
tr
Hiiiiii'
Shi
ARTICLE
I.
BETROTHAL
In
all
(1).
marriages of Chinese,
part.
match-makers or Mei-jen
A.
a
plav a
prominent
When
making
bride,
purchase-money,
which the bridegroom will pay to secure the bride, then talking ends and a step is made to sign the written contract.
superstitions customs on betrothal and marriage which we describe in have several points in common with those mentioned by D Weiger in his work entitled "Rudiments". We have added thereto the local observances of Nganhwei
(1)
The few
this chapter,
in these
two provinces.
1.
30
j|l
First
document.
Ts'ao-pali-tze
^p
(rough draft of
Jf!
i^f,
the eight
characters),
elsewhere styled
Hoh-s\$a.n-t'ieh fe
the proposal), or also Sheng-heng J|f (comparing (card making The bridegroom writes on this card the two cyclic horoscopes). characters, indicating the year of his birth, the two indicating the
month, the two indicating the day, and the two marking the hour,
making thus
+ + + =
2 2 2
8.
Upon
receipt
reciprocates a
is
similar
one on
This card
exchanged, in order
to enable
corresponds
with that
of
whether the destiny of the bridegroom the bride. These professional jugglers
five
and earth.
They
also
have
in order to
ascertain
whether they
set
will
abide together in
rules
of the
art,
they
will
omens
of the
intended
marriage.
liking or
tiger is
disliking
of the
the sworn
enemy
of the serpent
also
on the juxtaposition
in-
to or incompatibility of
stance
fire
and water.
is fixed
When
called
lucky day
calendar,
commonly
the
marks
carefully
black (unlucky)
first
may
a
be understood, this
"Hwang-lih-t'eu" Jl jg Jjjf, which and yellow (lucky) days. As exchange of documents on age, is a
test to ascertain
happy
issue, or
whether the intended marriage may be brought to whether on the other hand there are fundamental
In case
the marriage
is
deemed
is
exchanged.
(card fixing
2.
Second document.
Ting-ts'in-t'ieh
% H
[j]^
This piece
it is
fixes the
informs
31
them that he has had the matter seriously examined bv those skilled in the art, and that according to the cyclic characters on the age of the respective parties, nothing has been found which would seem
the conclusion of the engagement. have fixed the exchange of the contract consulted,
opposed
to
Moreover, those
to
take
place
on
This
is
what
beg
to
announce
J^
tyfo
to you.
fiji
(exchanging
horoscopes).
This
is
the
real
contract,
attesting
that an
^jf"
engagement has
the
is
taken place.
contract),
It is also called
"Hsia-shu" HF
is
(counterpart of the
expres-
commonly rendered by
sion
"Kwo-li"
jjj}
(sending of presents).
the bridegroom,
to
This contract
first his
drawn
up
the
in double.
It is
who
sends
contract to
bride,
or
rather
her
parents.
An
earnest,
fixed
by the
match-makers, accompanies it. This consists in a certain sum of money, handed over to the family of the bride, also in a paraphernalia of hair-pins, ear-rings, rings, bracelets, and jewels according to
the
standing
of
the
parties.
The
bride's
family,
on
its
side,
prepares a betrothal contract, drawn up almost on the same terms as that of the bridegroom, and forwards it to his family, in reply to
the one received from them.
ed,
The betrothal
is
On
the
more
32
Hi Ki
varying- according to the place.
33
life;
Wan-nien-ts'ing
f ^f, for
wishing long
sprigs of fragrant
artemisia, to expel
all evil
Meu-tan-hwa
!\'j:
j^
or
;f,
portending
riches;
pomegranates Shih-liu
fruits contain a large
$fi,
auguring
of kernels
^f-
numerous progeny.
stones, called
These
number
(kernel), is identical in
are
also
offered,
Tsau-tze
(jujube)
same manner
Lih-tze
as Tsao Ize
similar in sound with the two |pi J-, form another word characters Lih tze jfc bran, Fu-t:e meaning to beget children
|r ^f,
is
a term
which has as
always
homonym Fu
with
Ize
g*
a rich son.
present
received
pleasure on
this
occasion
is
The
words.
zest
of
these
expressions
Tze
-^
,
results
from
the
pun on the
in
The
character
kernel,
grain,
being identical
of
the
fruits
which enter
into
the
pumpkin, the
chestnut,
the
gourd and the water-melon, the pomegranate, pear and the peach.
the
The
first
contain a large
amount
of seeds,
numerous progeny.
The chestnut and the
closely resemble Lih-tze
jyf
pear,
Lih-tze
^f-
and Li-tze
^^
to beget children.
The peach
is
the
fruit
that
confers
immortality.
All
these
34
ARTICLE
III.
man makes
and those
of
tablets
of
of his ancestors
he afterwards
bowing
to
before
his
parents,
and
all
the
neighbouring families.
thereby wishing
in
his sedan,
him
bridegroom
in
also
to
two wine-cups,
bear
up and abundance
in red paper.
of
He
is
thus deemed
family.
the
is
The Imperthis
calendar
and
other
guide-books
indicate
direction.
Sometimes,
the
bride
is
packed
up
like
bundle,
in a large
wooden
the
sedan-chair,
on the top
of
which
represented
unicorn,
holding a
male child.
reai"
At the
tze
|^j
of the bride's
a
sedan, are
suspended a
sieve,
Stial-
^f,
and
metallic
mirror,
King
^,
to
render favourable
every
evil
influence.
.ili-l'eu ||
is
|[jf,
also
a
it
as
portent
of
good
lastly,
the
bride
herself carries
she
is
seated
on the
was
is
and
The front side is polished and shining, like an ordinary looking-glass; on the back, are two embossed circles and four characters, Wu-tze #, teng h'o 3L i^
Jfl,
North Kiangsu ?X |,
Fig.
20
Miroir en cuivre.
Brass miror.
35
Which mean,
degrees
!
may your
five
children
attain
the
highest
literary
In the middle,
is
a ring, soldered
on
to the
means
of
which
it
may
Young
brides, in
North Kiangsu yX
fix it
on the abdomen, the day when the house of the bridegroom, and
when they
honour
to
of the
bride-
groom, must be born under the auspices of a cyclic animal, living in peace with the animal that presided over the birthday of the
bridegroom.
Were
these animals
of the future
at
The
mutually
following
at variance
is
table
exhibits
animals,
which are
The horse
enemy
,,
of the ox,
,,
rat,
,,
,,
do &
'
The
tiger
,,
,,
serpent.
The hare
The hog
According
chosen.
to the
,,
,,
dragon,
,,
,,
monkey.
36
ARTICLE
IV.
simply
in the sedan).
While
being performed,
man whose
new
cyclic
the
couple, tires off a string of crackers before the doorway. the bride leaves her cage, she
it
When
sieve,
is
protected by
means
of a
is
thought,
from
Some
of
pretend that only good influences penetrate through the holes of the
sieve; others explain the matter differently.
many
they
terror
stead-
on
the
evil
spirits,
that
should
with
wish
at
to
injure
the
youthful
take
to
spouse,
flight.
they
are
struck
this sight,
and
the
Frequently,
lucky
influences
are
flashed
on
young lady, by employing a mirror, which throws rays of light on to her person. Elsewhere, she carries simply on her person a brass
mirror, designed to ward previously
(p.
off
34).
In
[Jj
some
JH
(in
as
at of
II wo
Chow ^p
j>\],
and
on
Ha.n-sha.ri listen
^
the
^ff
the province
Nganhwei $
Jjjjfc),
the
arrival
of
bride,
is
the
"Hsiang-t'an"
into
vase,
^,
practised.
contact with
red-hot iron,
ceremony evaporating vinegar, The vinegar, being brought rushes up in a column from the
of fortune
of
which awaits
the
new
The
a saddle.
]$,
Saddle, in Chinese,
is
Ngan
Ngan
which
pronounced Ngan
j|,
-^,
meaning peace
or tranquillity.
For the above operation, the bride has sometimes to borrow one
of the shoes of the
bridegroom.
I.
(1)
p. 83, finds
this
custom
its
also existing
in
Southern China.
Here, the sieve "is put on the top of the sedan, over
door".
Fig. 21
Introduction de
la
fiancee dans la
to
maison du mari. Le Soulier et la selle. the bridegroom's house. The slipper and the saddle.
a beast of
37
is
ol
ffi
^,
a kind of wallet,
}f|"
this expression
fP\
meaning
to be blessed
is
customary
in places of
North Kiang-su
a
tt
to j$ti
prepare a bushel
and a string of
(peck), upon which are laid The bushel small copper coins (cash).
in
balance
or
peck,
which
grain,
is
employed
measuring
is
commerpledge
of
transactions,
in
is
success
business;
finally,
the
constitute the
monetary basis
of
China,
vividly
by
a
all.
both
wish
happiness
and
JflS^r
and
is
also
kind
of
talisman
To neglect
it
in the cere-
young
is
couple.
to the
The bride
table or altar,
conducted
the tablet of
lighted
Tablet of Heaven and Earth.
(1)
The
true Lord inscription on this tablet reads as follows: Spiritual seat of the
(ruling over) the three
regions, the ten points of direction,
of
all
and
to the
and the
the ante
chamber
to Nirvana).
The ten
ones, to
directions are the four cardinal points, together with the four intermediate
of English translator),
38
The bridegroom takes
his
place beside
the
bride,
then both
bow profoundly
kneel)
Jj. after
is
are
nuptial chamber,
holding;
on the bed.
meanwhile
her eyes
Now commences
of Nao-sin-fariQ
pffj]
0f Jf
this
that
is
coarse-
ness conveyed
by
word.
bride,
2
.
During three days and nights, all and pour out in her presence the
It
is
man may
Such
youth.
the
horrors of pagranism.
from which
it
would
seem that even the very notion of modesty has been banished.
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
is
(1)
made
of sugar
eaten,
is
partaken
s
of.
a very tryi
may
not
the public.
Ibid. p. 90.
CO CO
In several places,
to visit the ancestral
it is
39
for the
customary
or
hall
Tz'e-t'ang fU j
family,
and
this
have seen
ceremony performed
province.
of
at T'ai-p'in,
fa
-fa
^
offer
jf,
in
Nganhwei
happen
(1).
^M
tablet
to
In
all
must
her
father-in-law
and
mother-in-law,
they
be
deceased.
This
is
woman.
Should the bride die before accomplishing this ceremony, Confucius lays
down
in
the
nor
weep
chamber.
The corpse
of a
of the deceased
its
must
be taken
members,
,2).
Li-ki
|E or Look
of Rites,
=f-
$\
)]
|ffj
(ft)
ffi]
*mmm
r2i
bb
^ Vi m mmt.m m.
jj
See Li-ki
|E or JJook
wherein are
rec-
40
CHAPTER
DEATH
AND
III.
BURIAL,
Peh
Shi
ARTICLE
As soon
apparent,
I.
BEFORE DEATH.
as
the
first
symptoms
person
of
approaching death
a
become
of
should
the
dying
be
child,
the
ceremony
is
"summoning back
practised.
is
always
called back.
have seen
it
practised in regard to a
young married
of a family.
When
many have
the
person.
the
above
rite
has
been
unsuccessfully accomplished,
device,
namely
of
to
bring
temple-god
Pu-sah
is
m,
into
the
abode
ffi
the
dying
This ceremony
called
T'ai
Pu-sah
^j|.
fetching
the Pu-sah |
or god.
People proceed
to
42
four
one of the local temples, and there look for Cf It is placed on a kind Pu-sah" ^ ||?. the statue of some famous
of portable altar-chair attached to
two poles
men
bear
it
on
all
beating
gongs with
pay
their might, to
passing by and
him due
honour.
off.
It is
When
cure
the
the
is
procession reaches
the
door of the
dying man's
to gracious-
and begged
indicate
sick
person,
or
is
at
least
to
an efficacious
remedy
the
in the case.
The god
so that he
may
requirements of
Tao-shi
jf|
present
ailment.
One
or
two Taoist
$|?,
priests,
J^,
the finger
The apothecary turns round, and points out with one of the drawers containing his drugs. Should the Puremain
still,
it
sah
j||
is a
is
of
no avail
or rather
if
him
to proceed
at the
moment when
and that
that
at
cost.
Needless
add
the
to
vend at a high
The
In case of serious
illness,
is
:
last
moment draws
This outfit
haste.
In the case of
man
Boots
minus
its
made
of paper);
hard-soled foot-wear
overcoat or
a long
gown and an
Wai-
3|S.
These
latter
must not
as they
them over
to outer
would be over weight}', and the deceased could not take to the nether world. Such are the requirements in regard
garments.
43
The under- wear, trousers and waistcoat, must
in the
be padded, even
summer
season.
a
B).
veil,
In the case of
woman.
must not
new as much as possible they skins of animals, and consequently any Qannel clothes must be likewise strictly discarded, lest the deceased
be
;
garments must
be fur-lined or have
of
an animal.
of
among
people,
wear
is
made
of
white cotton-cloth.
one.
The other garments are coloured, according to the taste of each Red and yellow are, however, two colours reserved for scholars
officials.
and
Silk
Kioh-tai-lze
at the
Jjjfl
-=p,
which bind
trousers
ankle,
properly
speaking,
Tai-tze
^,
are
carefully
omitted, a simple
The reason
is
the girdle,
Tai-tze
,
^-,
similarly pronounced
Chinese as T'ai-tze \%
to
bear
away
Hence, as
fancy to carry
is
it is
feared above
all,
away
him
to
he
This custom
the words.
is
based, as
may
be seen,
it is
For the
same reason,
K'eu-tze |p
in the button-holes,
^
in
as
K'eu-tze ^p
^,
must
nowise be allowed
to
expire
on
Northern parts of
tion or
would be subsequently haunted. In the China, where the family bed is an adobe constructhis
it is
K'ang
jfc,
said that
if
he will
in the
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
it
to
Let
him
rules
it
will
be
in
accordance
Those who
assist a
to
take
away
all
the bed-curtains,
as
these,
is
thought,
resemble a fishing-net,
and
if
meshes, he
changed into a
fish in
still
more
cruel
custom consists
in
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,
hastens death in
manv
cases.
45
II.
ARTICLE
AFTER DEATH.
As soon as the dying person has given up
the
ghost,
care
r
is
Hwa.ng-lih-t eu
in
is
lucky or
is
unlucky;
case
happens
unlucky, a sieve
or a mirror
door-way.
The
good influences
to pass
through
it,
while
the mirror has the power of changing evil into real happiness.
it
is
he
is
washed, then the black strings binding A removed, and blue ones put on.
a
towel
in
face
therewith.
He
is
his
previously described
42).
that a person
Paper hangings are suspended over the door-way, to announce is dead in the family. These hangings vary in form
in
according to places;
some
localities,
they
are
dispensed
with,
and
it is
deemed
written
characters
on the
the
to
members
These preparations being carried out, as soon as night sets in, of the family light up lanterns, and weeping, proceed
j^
i|j}
^-,
that
him
member of the family has departed from to show kindness towards him, stating
was weak and
home.
life.
this
world.
They beg
his
that during
mortal
career he
of
each
one
goes
all
return,
and bearing
Lao-yeh j^
Ml $t
M>
this time for the purpose of bringing back the soul of the
deceased, which
was deemed
be found?
is
But where
is it to
In order to discover
its
whereabouts,
where
it
because
it
has
46
encountered a spider's web), there dwells the soul
of
the
departed,
which
is
When
put
a
in a
waggon, according
is
the locality.
to
departed soul
requested
take
seat
and start
set
for
The waggon
is
then
fre-
on
fire,
care
two
him
placed
order to act as a
lift
for
the departed
and help
it
to enter
Each
left
;i
attaching round
the
neck
bear
of the deceased
two wisps
may
of the
of girls.
family,
and preserve
it
from having a
Fig. 23
Han-k'eou-tsHen.
Han-k'eu-ts'ien.
la
bouche du defunt.
corpse.
the
mouth of a
47
ARTICLE
III.
IN
THE COFFIN.
on
a
the
coffin
lucky
day,
as
it
contaminate
the
neighbourhood.
Some
families
await a day or even two before putting the body into the
coffin.
in the
bier.
is
heavy, and
is
can
be
used
to
as
weapon.
his
The deceased
cannot
rendered
return
to
unable
get
away,
and
so
soul
further
For
clearness
sake,
we
shall
mention
itself,
briefly
the
ordinary
shall
after
which we
itself.
In
Lower
Yang-tze
^^
region,
every
;
coffin
is
closed
with a big
nail, called
Tze-sun-ting -^
in
]",
This
is
deemed
essential
order to obtain
numerous
j|fc-
offspring.
The custom
4
HI;,
exists little in
all
North Kiang-su yX
in
however,
the
Ngan-hwei mouth ol
the corpse.
is
wooden wedge
at other times,
pair
of cords or threads
are placed crossing each other on the open coffin, one extending from
head to
foot, the
other being
face.
mouth
of the corpse,
lies in
At the point
suspended,
drops
of intersection of the
two threads,
third
one
is
bearing at its
into the
which
down
mouth
there
some
This
called Han-k'eu-ls'ien
H>.
mouth.
he be
still
The
hangs
it
young, treasures this coin, and on his neck as an amulet'. Should he be unwilling to use
eldest son,
if
48
it,
it
is offered
as a present to
to be
worn by the
may
not be useless to
who wear
coins (cash)
hung on
i,
the
neck
by a red
string,
of a
have
corpse
in the
mouth
from
the
mouth of
Frequently
previous to
a little rice is
the
this
mouth
is
of the
corpse,
removing
.
the
wooden wedge;
the
farewell
meal
now
is
sec
how the
coffin,
of
man
in
world,
prepared.
At
the
bottom
of
it
are
placed
little
number
of years
he dies
at
must
All
these materials
are
wrapped up
in
paper "P'i-chi" fe
layer
of of
(l)
Sometimes
mattress.
cotton-wool
the
coffin
is
is
added
a
to
serve
as
At the
|
head
placed
cushion, called
Ling-kioh-chen
blance
to
7^,
This pillow
composed
of
two
parts
juxtaposited,
and must
The
upper covering
is
made
of red cloth,
the
is
of blue cloth,
a
Thev resemble
is
pair
crescents
The head
1
of
the corpse
upper crescent.
is
dressed out in
quilt
wadded
is
mortuary robes, and coveras wide as the coffin. For the last
full
rice
put
in
order that
he
may
cross on his
way
to
(1)
|j Lin^'.
is
fruit of
which
eaten.
49
This
is
Ta-heu-shih JT
Others, endowed
with
more
foresight,
add
thereto
pair
of
a
mirror
placed
in
an upright
in
order
that
his
own
death.
reflected
would
all,
he
Wealthy
silver ingots.
happiness
unalloyed,
of
on
this ancient
custom,
V. Article
\).
custom
Most well-to-do people have their dead equipped with jewels, a which provokes the cupidity of robbers, and it is highly
visits this
probable that the next step will be the violation of these rich tombs.
Chinese law
When
laid
out
in
its
grave clothes
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
called
Tsing-k'eu-pu
on.
is
-]f
rffl
or cloth
is
nailed
Care has
deceased:
lid
from
the
queue
of
the
They
that
is
are called
"Wan-ting"
nails.
]"
or also
"Cltwan-
ting
|^.
3=]",
entwined
is a
real
Wan-
to
entwine
nail,
Wan-ting
Bj
"J*-
posterity,
descendants.
Similarly, there
is a
play
Chwan-ting
ting
f|f.
ijj^
^T, to
and C/w'an-
"J",
to
propagate posterity.
an omen portend-
When
the
50
to
carpenter approaches
coffin,
drive
down
the
big
nails
of
him: "fear
going
to nail
down
the coffin!"
it
In several places,
first nail.
is
the
son
himself
who
drives
in
the
Likewise,
when
/fjj
,
as stated above, the strip of cloth called Tsingnailed on, the son has
in order to avoid
to
k'eu-pu
ffi
is
warn
his
lather to
nails.
When
two
burial.
all
placed
on
trestles, in
2.
Oi>jP(ix
placed
of the
h<>si<le
Hip coffin.
At the head
coffin,
but to
the front,
and consequently
a small table.
laid
on this table, as
is
A).
is
erected the
z^f
seat
}$.
of
the
soul,
called Ling-tso-lze g
slab).
-^
or
Hwun-p'ai-tze
^f (the ghost's
This
is a
paper tablet, a
rectangudeparted,
lar red
wrapper,
is
supposed
to
the
whose name
B).
written thereon.
left
On
the
of this
tablet
is
laid
bowl of
rice,
in
the
middle of which
is
placed a boiled or
Two
This offering
is
Tao-Veu-fan $\
in
jijf
5is
On
tablet,
large
bowl,
placed
of
the
feathers,
except
is
those
the
off,
turned towards
the coffin.
D).
in
On
is
a censer,
which incense
burninsr.
Fig. 24
E\
r>1
are
On
two
large
candlesticks,
in
>n
the
front
of
oil.
the
table,
near
the
corner,
is
small
G\
jar of wine, a
wash-hand-basin
in
for toilet
the soles of
cotton-cloth.
Under the
placed
lamp
Jfc
Jl
lamp
is
is
reflected
the
for
image
of the coffin.
to
This
some time
is
The
lamp
<\
j||.
day
the
alter
death,
wealthy families
invite
Buddhist priests
help
soul
over the
which,
the
(1).
Buddhist
in
pi iests arrive in
procession, and
at evening,
assemble
deceased.
erected,
by
means
of
upwards
At the entrance
to
the
bridge
is
placed
an elevated
platform,
on which the principal Buddhist priest ascends, wearing his livecornered cap. Standing on the platform, he recites some incantation
classics,
for
are
scrambled
is
concluded.
ill
Ynh-lib ch'ao-chw'an
3LM
&#
52
4.
Whether
house
soul,
kept
for
a
it
long
is
or
short time
seat
in
the
of the departed,
matters
little;
all
the tablet,
of the
that
customary superstitions.
must bring
is
presented
to
the
person
appointed for
The guest
will
and
offer
his
con-
who bows
his
acknowledgments
is
how profound
his grief.
full
The
tablet
series
of
funeral
repasts
is
given
and
Among
the latter,
may
be found
"mourning
on rectan-
Wan-chang
in
1(1^-,
honour
of the deceased.
While the
to leap over
it,
coffin rests
on the
trestles,
little
children
are
wont
We
of rice,
manner, how the egg placed in the bowl beside the head of the corpse, is eaten for the same purpose.
shall see in like
A pun
:
is
made on
the word
"Tan"
will
gr,
)]f?
courage.
inspire courage.
53
ARTICLE
IV.
BURIAL.
1.
geomancer
is
summoned
coffin
to inspect
His duty
be
laid.
which the
a
must
On
this
numerous
posterity.
Future happiness
site (1).
influenced by the
judicious choice of a
burial-
Generally,
site,
the
geomancer,
after
having
bill
selected
favourable
of the bird a
kind of
cross on the
ground
Wealthy
folks have a
solemn ceremony
.
Chu
invite
literary
graduate,
a
who
dressed
robes,
ascends
majestically
platform,
takes
with
solemnity in his
hand
the character
This is called dotting famous dot on the top of the character Chu 3 Chu 3; or Tien-chu lf 3. The ceremony is rather
it
The
rite
some eminent person must be also invited to perform the solemn bowings to the Farth, made on the brink of The person, who thus open grave just before lowering the coffin.
officiates, is styled
Tz'e-t'u
fpj
J- (he
who
sacrifices
to
is
the
called
of
Farth
who
character Chu
the
y,
Tiencha-
chu-kwan |^
racter).
2.
i^
who superintends
dottinu
the
coffin.
priests.
"Tao-shi"
prayers:
&
as
surround
i-
mock-mone>
(1)
(2)
JK,
fa. Ch.
I I.I
2.
Vol.
I. p.
207.
54
'This is being burnt in abundance, the coffin is at last taken out. One of the and loud lamentations break forth. a solemn moment,
kitchen-knife,
strikes the
coffin,
and
breaks
with
second
this is to
The
the
coffin,
kneels
down
on
before the
corpse: he wears
mourning
dress,
and
bears
his head
the
pe-
7^. so
called
from
its
The Buddhist
fetch
it
priests invite
him
to take
and
procession, leaning
bearers,
the
to
to
the
In a
case
they
may
this duty
a
he
is
armed with
kind of
\i'fj.
wherewith
much On
i-s
its
legs being
The word
as
cock,
"j^j,
Ki
pronounced almost
in
is
the
same manner
"Kih"
(3).
mean-
The bird
therefore of good
omen
Let us remark by
the
all
way,
that
if
the
deceased
lest
is
had
but
an
he would bear
him away
to the
world of spirits.
lad
is
When
the coffin
taken out of
little
and hoisted by
(1)
is
used
mark
(2
guide the departed spirit back to the grave. In Southern China a white cock is used. Doolittle.
Social
Vol.
I. p. 3
214
Si e el,.
X. Article VIII.
.1.1
means
fixed
in
cross-beam,
to
beneath
the
He
is
a).
ers or
lift
//iff
The procession opens by two men carrying a pair of streamhags, made of white paper, and called "Yin-lv. fan-tze <j|
to
its
way
to
Hades.
lie
b).
They
a
it
mock-monev.
carries
basket
with
to
plentiful
supply
of
paper-coin, and
strews
its
purchase
'1
.
way"
called
{
to the
world of shades
Two
large
paper
figures
T'ung-nan
are
j| -^, a
act
as
slaves
or
man
the
infernal regions.
d).
Two
Kin-shan
mountain,
made
Yin-shan
f<
made
of
silver-gilt
paper.
Both
are
destined to furnish
the
deceased
with
an
inexhaustible supply of
(4).
Two
Lu-kiao
i|j.
for
riders,
all
in paper,
is
needless to say.
g).
Two
'"gods opening
ftp.
the
is
way'" K'ai-lu-shen |$
to clear the road,
or Ta-lu-shen
all
:}T
]Jff
Their duty
and disperse
intruders
who might
obstruct the
way
(5).
(1)
(2)
I.
p. 200.
VII. infra.
hi 1"
(3)
ili
Doolittle mils
Two famous
}!.,
kiang JK
(5)
province
to fifteen feet
long, and,
cit.
Thej are
burnt
in Eroni of
Doolittle. loc
p.
203.
<
56
>ne of
them bears
a club,
h).
After these are borne the tablets of the spirit of the deceasf$-.
ed,
P'ai
Following
a
the
of
practice
of
high
officials,
they
are
accompanied by
host
youthful
attendants.
is
The deceased
deemed
an increase of dignity
in
accompanied
At the extremity
of
bamboos
are
carried
of
special
insignia,
such as
fn,
mav
be seen in processions in
honour
the gods:
etc...
Ts'unall
hvan-kia,
(upturned)
hands,
adzes
and hammers
in
tinfoil.
Wealthy people have these instruments carried in front of the They are carved in wood, and covered over with tinfoil. coffin.
p.
The procession
of Taoist, Tao-slii
-_[;,
or Buddhist priests,
'?
|^
(1),
and playing
murmuring some
liturgical prayers.
four
masters of ceremonies,
At the grave-side.
as the procession has left the city or
village,
all
As soon
these
to
deemed forwarded
of
to
the
deceased,
him
the
in
the land
shades
sometimes,
the
however,
they
grave-side).
Generally,
only objects
pj)
retained.
"?'
5ft j^
which
departed,
easily
flight
through the
air,
may
is
While the coffin is being lowered into the grave, mock-money burnt and music played lire-crackers are sent off in abundance,
;
all
kneel clown to
bow
(1)
From
In
ni,lr
worn
(2)
the Sanscrit Kasha ya, a coloured garment. Nowadays, a cope or outer Buddhist priests when officiating. It is made of very thin cotton or gauze. See article on Streamers, Ch. V. Article VII. infra.
the departed spirit
57
is
burned,
to be
used bv
when
(1), to
which
he
31
is
%M?
Each disembodied
has a
name
written
etc.
on
It
its
is
forehead
Tsao-kiin
his devotees,
recommending
them
mercy
One meets
fields or
the
midst of the
wild plants.
interesting to
know
The time
the
be
unlucky,
special
coffin
fortune-tellers
burial on that
may
take place.
lucky burial-place for the coffin has not yet been found.
to
obtain a
lucky spot, but the ow ner, guessing the intention of the purchaser,
raises the price.
is
laid
on
temporarv
site
resting-place, awaiting
burial
ceremony when
the
has
been purchased.
3.
Women, who
die in childbirth,
are,
as
we
shall
subseq-
uently see, most harshly treated by Buddhism. The coffin, in which their mortal i"emains are placed, must remain exposed in the open
It is
it,
mound
over
it.
It
is
thus
that this
inhuman
memory
(1)
It is
charitably supposed he would enjoy riding, instead of being obliged to walk Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. I. p. 174.
58
ARTICLE
V.
mourning
services. called
to the
burial, the
ceremony
is
"returning
fjj
(grave-side)
fish
performed.
pea-curd.
Four
pork,
fowl,
and
On
the
nine and
of
a wine-glass.
Two
ing
number
knots correspondplaced
are
on
each
They
are
called
heu-pa
graves.
@
is
On
same occasion,
and mock-
money
This ceremony
sometimes
J|.
called
"rounding
off
the
mound
or
tumulus" Yuan-fen
It
is
especially on that
same day
to its
his
eye-sight
Yen-
kwang
So
-fa),
of
which
far,
disturb anything
are
in
left
the house.
clothes
and bed-coverlets
would
not
unwashed,
lest
the deceased, on
returning,
enjoy again
of
Now,
in
what manner
way does
Some
so a
little
down through
or
the
chimney, and
against
the
made
of
bamboo
reeds
is
placed
ladder
is
him
over.
whether he has
brute.
been reborn as a
night
is a
man
or
body
the
of a
That
if
members
of
house,
and
the
59
least
noise
is
heard at
all
An egg
As
egg,
placed
in
is
most
difficult
task
to
eat
hai'd
when one
The expected
is
given
^f jz
to
;
children
a
in
la
)J
jjjf
made on
the
word Tan
the gall,
The
with furniture,
servants
and
paper,
It
is
is
made on
burnt,
or
sixty
years.
This offering
that
an
old
man
has no
surviving children, and that some of his brothers or next of kin are
already deceased.
As he
will
to
offer
him
paper-house after
for his
own
use,
to
forward
it
to
it.
in store for
may
The
offering
jqj
of this
|ft.
paper-house
is called
"Straw-tresses" or Fan-k'uen
|||j.
Who
These tresses or
circlets of
Fan-k'uen
f)^
(1)
is
also a very
'the
mourning
Doolittle,
deceased
is
discontinued
I. p.
60
pgj,
or Fan-ku-tze
ffrfi
"?
to
warm
rice.
the
These old straw-tresses are placed on the graves of children, to $), from devouring them prevent the "heavenly dog" T'ien-keu
hedged in, so to speak, in their graves, and cannot be withdrawn from them. Moreover, the heaventhe tress for a collar, and retreats in all haste, in ly dog takes
(1).
They
of the
fable,
that
had
little
The following are some of the fixed times, in the course \ ear, when certain mourning ceremonies are practised for the
T
of the
benefit
of the dead.
On
new
the
first
day of the
first
month,
they
are wished
is
happy
mock-money
placed on the
<
)n
first
month, the
first
year after
a
death, a lamp
box of
it
matches beside
it,
order
it
that
the
departed spirit
is called
may
light
went
out.
This lamp
the "ghost's
lamp" Kwei-teng fy
with
oil
f^.
Many wealthy
for
in reality
whole months.
At the
of
the
tombs
April
;
or
5,
Ts'ing-ming
all
Jpf
0^
(clear-
brightness), celebrated
about
grave-mounds must be
is
dug
of
This round
head-dress
sod of earth,
it
is
thought,
represents
are
the
ceremonial
towards the
ground.
and
offered
to
the
manes
is
of the
departed.
in a
mock-money
placed
i-emit
hamper
tresses,
to
See above
p.
61
In the country round Shanghai J^
in these
ffj,
a brisk
business
is
done
arrive
hampers
of rice-straw
tresses.
Boat-loads of them
On
graves
It
is
to
the
manes
of
the
dead.
J)^
is
god
of the city,
Ch'eng-hwang
and
offers
|$J|,
ghosts,
Ku-hwun
of
is
z$|
them
made
paper
called
(1),
in
order
to
escape their
vengeance.
l\*i
This
ceremony
(
J^|.
)n the first of
are
offered
to
to
the dead.
spirit-land.
They
It is
the
are
made
of paper.
Mock-money
is
also
The ceremony
$&.
calling
"letting
kwei
jfc
On
it is
This
is
is
still
the
minds
of the living.
[5<|
|jj,
or triof
is
the
first
the
festival
tombs Ts'ing-ming -^ 0$, the fifth of the fifth month, and the fifteenth of the eighth month, a commemorative service is held in
honour
of the dead.
On
the
fifteenth
{$
day of the
are
first
month,
at
nightfall,
guideplaced
lamps, Lu-teng
jig,
lighted.
These
little
lamps
are
on the brink of running streams, to guide the souls of those who died in early lifetime. Yen-wang fff] ^E, tlie God of Hades, has not
(1)
It is
a matter of
of these
spirits
Chinese.
206.
62
received them, so
they wander
over
the
world,
and
not knowing
to
Thanks where to go by rapine and plunder. and be reborn. lamps, they can tind their way
to, live
these
little
The
fifteenth of the
seventh
month
|p.
is
commonly
called
"the
with
ghosts' festival",
Kwei-tsieh
%
by
Little
lamps, prepared
in oil, are rush-pith wicks entwined with cotton-wool and steeped These lamps as a bowl. The rind of a water-melon serves lighted.
are set
floating,
and
wafted
the
stream
and the
cool
evening
the
rivers, with a
view to helping
be reborn.
is
souls of
drowned persons
to find their
way and
dead,
is
that of the
and
entirely
given
Buddhist and Taoist priests various expiatory ceremonies, and make processions every perform evening through towns and villages, preceded by cymbals and
helping
the
departed souls.
01
wandering
souls.
Fig. 25
0^
ft
^4 ^^^
#
^
^1
cg^
^
^ W-
w
Or
(f
^TtT^S^
k 4\v
l'esprit
Sco-chen.
by- the
funeral God.
63
ARTICLE
VI.
large
amount
of superstitious papers is
employed
at funerals,
On
these
infernal
imps
of the
who may
It
is
thus
sought
on behalf of those
who have
to
depart-
ed from this
offered merely to
whet
curiosity,
to be
for
if
we wished
be
complete,
added.
fl$
H $.
On
burnt, bearing on
it
the represen-
tation of a hearse,
Pu-sah ^
It is
##
|.
carefully lead the
he
who must
funeral
procession to the
grave.
It is
Above the hearse, Sang-ch'eh Jjj| jjf^ floats the evil star of the deceased, under its male (Hsiung $f|), and female (Tz'e lftf|) form (1).
This star
a
is
(1)
the Hwun-k'i
i|
soul), a
phantom
is
or spectre,
which assumes
body
of a cock,
Also illustration
64
2.
The
ten kings of
Hades. Ming-fu
it
Shih-Wang IE
to
Jft -f-
3:
(1).
is
customary
of the ten
paper Cki-tna $
,6|,
in
honour
name given
the
to
it.
This custom
owes
its
the
doctrine on the ten divisions of hell, over which preside ten demons,
of
whom
who
will be given in
Book
II,
of this
work.
On each
are found the
buffalo-headed Niu-t'eu
i^-
gjf,
Ma-mien
[ffl,
(1)
% W Ming-fu.
The dark
Fig. 26
Ming-fou-che-wang
Ming-fu-shih-wang
.
Charm
Fig. 27
Long-tche pou-sah, le pourvoyeur de vehicules dans Fautre monde^ Lung-cheh Pu-sah. The God of the Dragon-chariot (hearse),
65
3.
The
(jo<l
m* fl
M&M
On
is
represented,
according
a
to
the
means
ot
conveyance employed
the locality,
official
either
sedan-chair,
preceded
horses.
insignia, or a cart
drawn by
to
is
purpose being
soul,
represent
it
some means
travel
conveyance
long
the
departed
to
whereby
may
These
over
the
road
leading
the
lower regions.
conveyances are supplied by a "god undertaker", called Lung-ch'eh Hence this superstitious picture is burnt in Pu-sah ff| ipl 3& $||.
his honour, to secure his good-will towards the soul
lead to the nether world.
which he
is to
66
u \
.
^
c
The god of
the
generally
given
to
Ti-ts ang-\vang
4& ~E (U-
'
'
ne
the people
ihe
life
.
cere-
monies intended
to help
See
his
By
these
represented
of
gathering"
who have
unerringly
failed to find
the road
rebirth,
of
he
is
begged
to
its
lead
and
promptly
the
soul
the
deceased
Hence, as
the
will
be seen
of the
further
on,
of
this
god
is
It
considered
is
as
of
undisputed
lord
"Land
Shades".
therefore
is
called
''Muh-lien"
j^t.
to this
Very
frequently
also,
superstitious
is
Chi-ma
it
%fc
@|,
burnt, for
forehead
its
is
he,
must noc be
to
who
inscribes on the
of the
soul
be judged,
grave,
it
is
customary
$j
in
in
(2),
some
places
to
burn
superstitious
picture,
Chi-ma
j^,
[i|
honour
of the tutelary
who watches
violation
of
is
his
duty to
keep
watch
such misfortune as
as
is
tomb.
He
and
is
generally
represented
watching
thus the
the graveyard.
He
warden
of the deceased,
also
of
the
mound
or
tumulus raised
The ruler of Hades, and as such, much ivy. red by the people. He has under him twelve myrmidons, executioners of all horrors and pains, from which, however, if assidHackmann. Buddhism as a Religion, uously worshipped, he can deliver departed souls.
1
p. 211.
(->
In
hill
gods are
also
worshipped, as
it
is
believed they
who
Doolittle. Social
Life of the
Chinese,
Fig. 28
Kou-hoen pou-sah, le protecteur des ames abandonnees. OKu-hwun Pu-sah. The God protector of wandering ghosts.
67
ARTICLE
VII.
PURCHASING
Formerly Kao-ch'ai
magistrate of Ch'eng
his wife.
nil.
RIGHT OF WAY.
Mai-lu-l*'ien
]9j
j& .
%_.
h-<it>n
;^ |.
damaged
the crops,
when
bur}'ing
Shen-sinng
l\)
jjffi,
son of Tze-ch.nng
^
(if
jjf,
warned
him
"jfrj
him
if
to
compensate
Kno-ch'ai
way
would be setting up
According
to the
a precedent detrimental to
many
others
(1). is
custom
at present prevailing,
is
when
to
a coffin
at
borne
specially detained
march
the
head of the procession, and scatter mock-money along the road. This is called "purchasing the right of way", and is more or less
connected with the historical incident attributed to Kao-ch'ai
In
'jfFf
^.
Japan,
whenever
is
burial
takes
place,
tent
is
erected,
is
burnt
is
before
the
to
corpse.
This
called
A person
detained
and scatter copper coins along the road. This is called "purchasing The poor and beggars come and gather up the right of wav".
these coins.
It
the
from Japan
to
China
Kao-ch'ai
^ ^
to
was wrong
crops
is
in
refusing
burial day
to
make good
his
wife.
set
the
the
on
the
of
The
by
not convincing,
damage
is
to
another
the
loss.
In
line
it
not a question
reflexions
of
Such
(>)
See Li-ki
,j|[
| or Book
of Rites. Ch.
T'an-kung-hsia
A.
f$0ift^Hiflt74L!lf'HfgEl
flfi
H^
"],",
(Yuan JO edition
H'C
g $ BYS? & & & *. ft *E ff- v A IW # i & b a jg m. m ^ ^mm m~z & m. % nw^# 1. >i m i.iiixi. - a # m $ m m # * w. $s & tt ^ t % # . & ft IXS B # it A * IB .
(2)
Shi-wi yiuin-hwei
ffl
ffe
tfc
fir.
68
In regard to this Japanese custom of scattering pieces of copper
coin along the way,
give an alms to the
it
is
hard
to say
whether the
real
purpose
of
is to
poor,
or to
vagabonds
way,
who
may
the
exposing thereby
compensate
it is
it,
for the
Be that as
it
may,
along the
way
of the procession.
This
is
all
Every public or private property has a road leading to it, and may use this way free of cost. This is quite true, but pagan
feared they
refused,
it
is
\n former times, no
mock-money was
way
was
it
of the journey, or
The followers
of Confucius, to act,
~0j
^fe,
as
they say,
in
accordance
the
funeral
procession.
In
so
doing,
deceive
This custom
universal
throughout Kiang-nan
jJX.
fll
CHAPTER
IV.
ARTICLE
I.
priests,
Tao-shi jg -, whose
fertile
in
inventing
means
of getting
money, have
in
especially
for
varying
in
and helpful
the
souls
the
to
nether world.
the eye, impress the imagination, and are also well adapted
the
imagined
show
mercy to the dead. To such petitions, they add talismans or charms, which have, as they consider, the power of delivering the soul from Hades, and assuring it a happy rebirth. Variety dispels all monotony,
so their petitions
to the
god invoked,
or the
manner
of death of the
whom
one intercedes.
These petition-talismans arc printed by shops known as "superstitious paper shops" Chi-ma~tien $j j, which sell all such
articles
When
somebody
is
near
dying,
a
70
is
person
hastens
to
appear before
judgment
seat.
After
death,
it
petitions
according to the
causes which
have brought
on.
Thus,
there are
some
for
all
who
die
by
etc...
When
respective
Buddhist or Taoist
ceremonies
for
priests,
Tno-shi
of
jfr
the
benefit
the
dead,
these
petition-
may
reach
more expeditiously
whom
is
Burning
great
means
of
We
few
Nrjan-hwei
$fr.
^
the
;"
This pa pel
reads as follows
Talisman
\-
of
to
Honourable Lao-hiXn,
T'ai-shang Lao-kini
-fa
g-
/|
;|
of the dead.
g", for the benefit
I.ao-hi'i.n jj
will
even the
last
remnants
of
them
stainless,
efface in
to
the
doctrine
of the
metempsychosis).
to
Cleansed from
all
deemed worthy
(2).
be
In witness
where-
allusion is here of, we accomplish to-day this expiatory ceremony Tao-nhi jfr -|;, who must be invited to made to the Taoist priests,
and burn
this talisman,
Itc j$
-^
^^
<>v
Lao-tze
^f-,
Born B.C.
604;
time and place of death unknown. He founded the Taoist system of philosophy and mystiof the cism, improved upon by his disciples. In A fi(J(i, the emperor Kao-tsung ^j
1
>.
T'ang
jjf
title
pk
^ TG
il?.
the Great
Emperor
Dark
First Cause.
Again
in
A.J).
1013, the
title
^ ^f.
The
ruler of Ha'des.
^K^^^SSH'^
>'
^4-
-J
-Q
^
g
&^
01
O:
*
s
3 f
"^ ^N
"*?
rvrs "it\
'\^
"a -
^M$H^
If
l\\
ta^
Such
a year,...
71
priests.
|S|iT
This petition-talisman
2.
employed by Taoiot
Petition-talisman
;
P6
""
the inll
faithful
'
We, your
month (name
mi-t'o-fuh
followers, N...
all
of
month), with
Amitabha, 0ffo
|?g
$$
your
great mercifulness.
We
even venture
to
draw up
a written
engage-
as contracting parties,
and
in
so,
X...
a
(name inserted
and
here),
born
such
year...
month...
to the
up our prayers aged... (here his age), and and at such a day... and
offer
we
hour...,
How
moment
being,
!
truth,
life
lasts
but a
We
whom
our gaze.
of
Deliver
him, we
land
filled
reborn in a state
in
At
present,
such
a
for
month...
his
and on
to
srtch
day...
we
accomplish this
ceremony
benefit,
open
up
for
your unbounded mercifulness, great Amitabha, O-mi-t'o-fuh ppT 3E, we Hades, Ti-ts'ang-wang jfo ffl P6 rfr" and thou ruler ol his soul will be admitted into the abode of peace and hope that
happiness; we reckon
benefit, will deserve for
also
that
this
ceremony,
body of
jlP
man.
(2)
|?
$,
Jii-lai-fuh
?fc
>$
(3),
(lj
Amitabha (boundless
the Chinese.
Guatama.
the historical light). The celestial prototype corresponding to Also the sovereign lord of the Western heavens, and hence highly popular
among
(2)
Hackmann. Buddhism
as a Religion, p. 159.
the
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)
72
"When
when
the the lotus-flower opens, the fruit
of the
is
already in formation
;
nature of Buddha)
but
the
fruit
is
does death
state,
achieve
the
work
of
Nirvana, and
1
thanks
to
such a
man
becomes
a perfect
Buddha
We
respectfully offer to
it
you
this petition
may
is
reach you,
we burn
it.
Done
This petition
bis Fig. 31
gH>5-|gg|\
4&
&
ffitt-
4 ^mfo^tA*
Passport
to
Brule en Thonneur de Ti-ts'ang Wang. the nether world. Written charm burnt in honour of
vie.
Ti-ts'ang
Wang,
ruler of Hades.
73
in similar style.
10
oo
Petition-talisman begging
jjf
happy
rebirth.
in
J^.
order
that
may
man,
or at least into
animal.
.
It
is
printed
on yellow paper,
and
addressed to Lao-kiln j jg
f, *\
H'*
0) en
03
C
CC
> c
_c
'-t->
CC
a,
c u CC u c
S-.
c
5~
ipfri
o U o
cu
a
_C"
<o
So
P-
$*
&>
v->
#P^;
M d 4#^s#^F^^"%-"
Passe-debout pour
la
douane sur
on the
la
tolls
way
Infernal regions.
75
4.
Permit
Buddhist priests
which they
it
of
which
way leading
Taoist
regions.
in
jiff
It
is
an
order
given
to
the
a
barrier-keepers
soul.
not
to
hinder
anywise the
passage of such
priests,
Tuo-slii
^, may
also
76
5.
Passport granted
is
to tho soul.
Lu-yin
*-j|.
This
ing
full
a certificate delivered by
freedom of passage
world beyond.
barriers free of
The deceased,
toll,
thanks
of
to
this
badge,
passes
the
and
is
assured
protection
throughout the
also
way.
On
bearer's
name,
as
the
year,
is
month and
This passport
burnt
Lou-yng
tan-tse.
Passe-port de Fame.
to the
departed soul.
tc
CO
Ifl
0)
b
u
<a
F*
c
p.'
i
c
I'M
<'<
rs
77
6.
(1).
n K'ai-t'an
Vi
This petition
bond
souls,
of a
who have
mother.
to find the
womb
good
spirits,
as well
deceased, whose
name
on the
print,
are
is
begged
placed
jj
protect
them
This charm
on
the
platform
ceremony
to
A festival instituted by Romulus Originally Remuria, but corrupted to Lemuria. the manes of his brother Remus. The ancient Greeks and Romans supposed appease
(1)
all
its
known by the name of were celebrated, and lasted three days and three nights. On this occasion, it was usual for the people to burn black beans, as the smell was supposed to be insupportable to the
evil spirits.
good spirits, called Lares familiares (ancestors), and evil Larvae or Lemures. To appease those latter, the Lemuria
They
also
kettles
and drums,
Lempriere's
living
(See
Lemuria).
7S
7.
Opening
the portals
of the
it
is
to
whose
benefit
it
is
it
burnt.
is
It
rescues
from
the
whom
remitted,
the
is
portals
of the
Buddhist paradise.
paper,
carefully
Above
printed
on
yellow
name
VH^>v<^^-
.C/0
%
be
-2
Si
"*-
CO
A^J^igL^S
<
^ft^S^^^
s.
/.
-.
I U
\
-
>
CO
c c
0)
to
t.j
S^^^v^ip^
79
8.
(1).
This
proclamation,
fx.
J{{i
written
monastery, in Kiang-su
f||,
Hades,
Ti-ls'ang-wang
has
deceased,
been
faithful
Buddha,
and as
such,
is
on yellow paper.
To obtain
one
may
indicates
the
name
of
his
monastery,
the year,
when
it
(1)
In Southern China, a ceremony for informing the ten rulers of Hades, of the
officiate. Doolittle. Social
182.
80
9.
Temporary
suspended from
reed or
bamboo,
his
come and
establish
and mock-
monev remitted
lower world.
Fig. 38
Fig. 39
La bourse de Tame.
Wrapper containing
the soul.
81
10.
The enoelope of
is
the soul.
folded in rectangular shape.
It
This
resembles
a tablet
or
envelope,
much one
of those large
is,
It
envelopes employed
tine,
for
sending
official letters in
China, and
in
is
designed
fixed
rice
upright on the
placed
at
table,
behind
the
the
rear of
the
(1).
This
the time
ft is
is
the
first
seat of the
soul,
or
when the
tablet will be
permanently
who may
plaintiffs
hold this
important paper.
it
in
which
have taken
to officials, as
is
their legitimate
claims.
The annexed
which has been
by
the
illustration
presented
to
the
Han-shun hsien
prove their
^
right
|Jj
the
magistrate
inheritance
the
prosecuting party, to
deceased.
It
to
of the
was considered as a
piece of evidence in
lawsuit,
which
(1)
See above,
p. 50.
coffin.
11
82
11".
In
shops dealing
upon which are printed the likeness as generally worn by the living.
are found,
and boots,
To these sheets
designed to afford
outfit will
some sentences
whose
of
or petitions,
benefit this
mortuary
filial
be
burnt.
At the approach
outfit
all
winter,
every
or
son
for
his
deceased
father
mother.
When
to the
he has provided
may J
much
(1)
first of
the tenth
month
(See
;< 1
>
>
e, p.
61
? v*#i{?
H
2SS8
*>:
0)
o
a.
J-i
a.
V)
-S
-2
Fig. 41
Coftre-fort en papier.
Fig. 41
Coffre-fort en papier.
88
12".
Sending
does
paper-safe
not
to Ihe
dead.
Property
seem
to
be
any
better
protected
by
the
so
the
present one,
In
and knavery, a good safe is indispensible, in order to secure protection from burglars. Thus, the custom arose of sending a paper-safe,
to the
departed
soul.
He would
silver.
It is
and
gleam
of civilisation, penetrating
among
were
those
"gentlemen
with
houses,
of the
lower
regions''.
Formerly,
people
contented
:
sending
horses,
of
them the
furniture
now
for-
this
fills
Truly,
Buddhism
of progress!
M
ARTICLE
II.
"BLOODY POND"
(1
).
The bloody pond, Hsueh-hu jfQ. $Jj, also called the "pool of the bloody pail", is an immense expanse filled with blood and mire,
into
which
are
plunged
those
still
unfortunate
mothers who
according
die
to
in
childbirth, and
what
is
more distressing,
the
teaching of
to a child,
modern Buddhism, every woman who has given birth is rendered thereby unclean, and must remain plunged in
therefrom.
Now,
invite
to
sectire
this
desired result,
to
it
is
absolutely
necessary to
(2).
Buddhist priests
Such
is
is
the theory
This ceremony
large annual
to secure
income
in
such ceremonies.
The
first is
petition-talisman,
classics,
is
which
differs
but
little
from
of
invented to
relieve
similar
ills
humanity.
It
burnt
during
Tao-xhi
of the
i-
It
bears
the
name
victim, as
The other
the
as
it
grants
to
them by Buddha
choly function.
patented
and
we give
it
here translated in
of the
full.
(1)
spirit of a
This ceremony is also practised in Southern China, its object being to save the deceased mother from this pretended punishment. Doolittle. Social Life of
I.
p. 196.
XI
infra.
Fig. 42
9o
85
"Muh-lien
g
ffl
jig",
j'\],
having travelled
to
Chui-yang
"pool
of
lisien
jg
|(
%.
it
in
Yu Chow
saw
hell
called
lake),
the
of
the
bloody
from
its
resembling a
and
required eight hundred and forty thousand days to cross over it. Therein are found one hundred and twenty kinds of torture: iron
beams,
of this
[n
the southern
part
pond are plunged a countless number of women, their hair dishevelled and their hands bound with shackles. The ruler of
Hades compels them thrice
a
day
to
Muh-lien
jj$.
the
ruler of
Hades
here"? ''This
their husbands.
'-Why
replied
don't
their
fUj
husbands come
3^,
is
punishment,
Yen-wang
not
for
They
they have discharged polluted blood, which offends the Spirits of the
Earth.
rivers
in
and streams, whence men and women draw this contaminated water, and make therewith tea, which they afterwards offer to the
gods.
warrior,
who
writes the
names
of the
guilty
in
the
book of good
.
and
Muh-lien
Hades,
deliver his
evil,
@
in
to undergo this punishment overwhelmed with sadness, asked the ruler of j^,
how,
order to
"by worshipping the Buddhist Trinity (1). above all by inviting the Buddhist priests to perform the ceremony of rescue, during which they must recite the (annexed) prayer. Then
honouring one's
parents,
in
The
ruler replied:
the midst
of
the
"bloody
pond"
variegated
lotus
flowers
will
appear, a skiff despatched from the flotilla of anguish will meet her,
to the
jp[
|||
(2).
reborn
That
in
blissful
Kwun-yin
by order of
Also called the
(1)
is
"Buddha, the Law (Dha'rma) and the Church (Sanga)". Eitel. Handbook of Chinese Buddhism.
The Buddhist river Styx, so called, because the soul cannot help crossing it. (2) Sixty days after death, paper boats are burnt to help the soul to cross over it. Failing
this device, the soul
(3)
may
of
JSJ,
The Goddess
Mercy.
83
Buddha, enjoined on Muh-lien
out this formula and distribute
ing
it,
g
it
j^L
write
to
women,
the
they
be
mav
escape
in
falling
into
"bloody-pond"
at
their
death,
reborn
land
glory,
of joy
all
the
guardians
Kwan-yin
j||
^, and withdrew"
(1).
means
of
This prayer
mony which
merely those
they
the
the
"'bloody pond"
and not
Thus, Muh-lien's
j|t
die in giving
him
birth,
was detained
is
in the
This ceremonv
principle,
of the
based on an absolutely
as a sin
and unnatural
the propagation
which
sets
down
deserving
human
This
is
"bloody pail".
at
An
allusion
here
made
pail
to
is
a Chinese
called
vessel
vessel or
"p'en"
^,
employed and it is
parturition.
This
this
same character
Hsueh-
(term),
which enters
jfn
of the expression
It is
p'en-ch'i
']&
or
"pond
well
known
none
j|,
j;-j{j
mentioned here,
is
Ti-ts'ang-wang
at
^
lj|
3E?
jjj
,
deified
by Budd-
and worshipped
Kiu-hwa-shan
of
in
the province
Ngan-hwei
which
^.
He was one
if
the
inspires
coffers of
Buddhist priests
g
a
jifi,
from
hell,
is,
as
may
be
understood,
repetition
the
story
(1)
(2)
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87
Maudgalyayana (1), the cherished pupil who delivered his mother from hell.
attributed to
of
Buddha, and
The Taoist
priestesses,
j'[\,
Tao Nai-nui
jjf|
^
^
ty*j.
witches inhabitbelief
jfn.
fljj.
At the
foot
of
district
of
Shuh-yang-hsien
according
to
tfc
Wi if"
may
is
be
seen
this,
these witches,
women
them
who have
from the
died
childbirth,
difficult
and
in order
to succeed,
large numbers.
invite,
Families
therefore,
interall
ested in
the
the
undertaking
offer
the
them
hearty
meal
and
then
J*f
T'ah-shan
set
which the
in the
mud
all
to
release thereis
When
the comedy
old
over.
make
handsome
offering to the
witches,
Tao-nai-nai
excellent
^fj
to ffl,
thank them
for their
One of the disciples of Sakyamuni, especially noted for his magic powers, through (1) which he transported an artist to Tuchita, to get a view of Buddha, and make a statue of him. He also went to hell and released his mother. Eitel. Handhook of Chinese Huddhism.
88
ARTICLE
III.
For the
benefit
of a
person
suicide
According
on
the
to the
in
the treatise
1W-'
Infernal
regions,
Yuh-lih-ch'ao-chw'an
suicide
in
3i
M. $t
a^
are
of
those
without
sufficient
reason,
the '"city
confined
suicide
their
death
special
:
place
3*E
called
victims",
a
Wang-sze-ch'eng ^
fj
J$.
Buddhist
priests
have invented
charm, which, according to them, has the power of from this dismal abode the soul of the person who has releasing
of a
new
The
fatal
is
solemnly execrated.
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89
2.
For
paper).
It
is
stated
in
Infernal regions,
of a
Yuh-lih-
ch'ao-chw'an 3 jg
to death, or
person
unjustly put
who
the
died as a result of
wounds
he
and
pursues
is
assassin
in
order to
avenged on him.
The
victim
torture.
It
is
womb
mother.
hasten the day
or talisman is designed
to
happy
rebirth.
The dagger
or
to pieces.
12
90
3".
For
person harassed by
evil
spirits
(printed on yellow
paper].
power
of
hastening'
the
rebirth
of those
evil spirits.
Buddhism
teaches
mortals, and that they frequently kill persons who do not protect themselves from their attacks. Chinese doctors find here a means
of evading responsibility
when
their
prescriptions
fail.
They then
magical
priests,
^,
lose
death ensues,
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91
'i.
The Chinaman
born wrangler.
worry and
protract
vexations
caused
by
court
underlings,
who
the
pleadings, and beneath a show of justice aim at the final ruin of the victims. Sometimes, in order to put an end to their existence,
these swallow a
large
quantity
of
opium,
This
and proceeding
to
the
ruin
is
him by dying
at his
other
means having
failed
paper charm
is
designed
to deliver
it
to
be
reborn
in a
92
5.
felonious
paper).
When
treatment
it
happens that
Taoist
person
has
been
waylaid,
has
fallen
ill-
wounds and
his
Tao-shi
J^, are
summoned,
soul
re-enter the
purpose of delivering
inflicted in hell,
(1).
and helping
it
to
(1)
This symbolises the ever recurring series of evanescent phenomena, all evolving The six spokes of the wheel represent the six different
may
find a
new
of ghosts
existence: the heavens, the Titanic world, the and hell. Hackmann. Buddhism as a
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93
6".
For
the
benefit
of
on
yellow
paper).
We
shall
give
further
on,
of
the ceremony which the Taoist rescue from the waters the soul
Tao-shi
af|
^,
perform
to
of a person
who
has been
drowned.
Here,
is
we
delivered from
is
and
helped
to
be
another body.
This paper
or lies
and in case his corpse still floats on the surface of the ocean waves, immersed in lakes, rivers or canals, the ruler of Hades must
all
make
endeavours
to
rescue
date
his
soul
out
the
of the
depths.
The
been
victim's
name and
the
on
which
ceremony
has
94
7.
For
person
who has
died in
prison
(written on yellow
paper).
Oftentimes, prisoners
are secretly buried,
who
is
of
China
and one
apprized
of their
afterwards.
priests
Buddhist
burn
annexed charm
during
the
ceremony performed
underworld.
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95
8.
This
charm designed
which, justice
for
delivering-
calumniated persons,
in
and thanks
world.
to
will
be
rendered them
the
nether
the
impartial
judges of Hades
for the suffer-
now
rehabilitate their
of his calumniators
and
is
designed
to procure
him
96
9.
on yellow paper).
This
is,
indeed,
wonderful charm,
With
a story
the god of
which well depicts the situation. Once upon a time, Hades fell ill, and despatched one of his attendants to the
in
You will recognize good doctor. the following manner. Examine closely the houses
to fetch
him
them
for
is
whose door you shall find the the one you must invite to come and cure me.
at
The man
to fulfil his
errand
of the
whole profession.
He began
to
when
at last he espied a
to
who came
him
to
there
seek vengeance.
with joy,
he fetched
the god of
of his mission.
when
Yes
patients
you
treat?
Only
one.
And
How ago.
did you
begin to
many
(iet
is
It
stroke of genius
priests,
Tao-shi
i,
of
to
on the part of Buddhist and Taoist have invented such a beneficent charm in
favour of so
many
unfortunate beings,
countless
to relieve
who
daily
fall
victims
to
the
insensate treatment
self-commissioned
their
souls,
quacks.
This
paper
at least is
designed
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CHAPTER
V.
ARTICLE
I.
(1).
ancient
at
times,
neither
personator was
dead.
It
employed
only
funerals
and
sacrifices
to
the
was
when
the
burial
was over
that
personator
was
chosen,
The ceremony took place in the mortuary was offered. We shall explain the essentials
and
the
these
two
ceremonies
purpose
for
which
thev
are
performed.
(1)
Literally the
"wooden
host".
The addition
as
53
;niil
though
it
j||. '"'
Dictionary
13
I.
98
1.
What
is
personator?
,
A personator, Shi J3 represents the dead person. One of the members of the family is chosen to represent the dead person, He must during the sacrifice which is offered to the departed soul.
be of the by a
same
is,
men must
to
be represented
be
personated
by
one of their
own
sex.
The
personator
of
;
a
if
dead
man
the
is
chosen
from
among
his
taken,
relative
at
least
degree
is
of consanguinity;
in
chosen
the husband's
is still
degree.
son,
whose
father
living,
cannot
fulfil
must
After the
burial
of the
per-
sonator, but only the one representing the husband appears in the
ceremony.
table
is
with
meats on
in
it
is
prepared
sits
for
the sacrifice.
his
face
The
personator
then brought
and
down with
turned
his
right.
bow
to the
personator.
offer
even
the
elders,
kneel
to
twice
him
for
drink.
He
feigns to
eat
and drink
The Emperor, high officials of State and mandarins, have alone personators youths and the common people are entitled
;
to none.
virility,
are
divided into three different classes: the first, comprising those from
sixteen to nineteen; the
second,
those from
twelve to
fifteen;
the
(1)
flf
|E, or
Book
of Rites.
=f-
# ^f
,
ffl.
The
followK'l
Eh ft
^#&%^
j$ V\
% #J
third, those
99
years.
from eight
to
eleven
Children,
are
who
have
not
in
those
below,
quite
unnoticed
The above
personator.
2.
was
the
custom
in
ancient
times
in
choosing a
Whence
'
personatoi
The origin
of this
custom
is
a disputed point.
literati.
We
(1),
will
expose
The
first
It
opinion
is
that of Tu-yiu $.
of the
fft
of the
T'ang
are the disapproves J* dynasty. words of this writer: "The ancients employed a personator. This rite deserves censure, and has been abolished by our greal Worthies.
custom.
The following
One
vied
with
the
in,
other
in
practising
silly
it.
Now
bids
that
an
era
it
of
is
and these
important not
to revive
them
common
This
refrain
from
them.
tliis
Some
half-baked
literati
of our days
is
would
fain
re-establish
"^f
ceremony
of the personator.
quite absurd."
ffl
#,
-St
^ a&
*r
b).
is
as
it
were
The chapter on
the ceremonial
fg
ft ffi ij.
Slf.ij
"the personator
is
the
image
of
the
departed
soul",
shen-siang yeh
p,
flf)
j%
4.
who
held high
:
(1)
A scholar of profound
erudition,
J).
offices of
Stab' under
Teh T-unj
Chinese
T ang
The
j* dynasty.
Mayers.
Reader's'Manual.
(2)
jj Jfe
original,
written bj
Tu
yiu
fft
$j
It is
rites. In 1717, an Imperial mandate ordered to add a supplement. This was published one hundred and forty four bonks. In 173(>, a third part was added, giving details E0.1 Notes on Chinese the Manchu dynasty. This latter has one hundred books. Wylie.
on
in
Literature, p.
(>>!.
P;ni
100
Han
no
g| dynasty,
soul
Ku
to
J'jf.
fH (1),
who
is
writes:
is
''The personator
ancestors,
offered
because
visible
emitting
loving
perceptible
filial
form,
the
sentiment of
no
to
means
of
displaying
itself,
been chosen
whom
meats are
if
offered, after
which
he
breaks the
his
own
father
had eaten
plenty.
it
The
is
the
soul
which
is
satiated".
Jjlf
# W P
fh
ftl'
#,
i,Ii:I^#^.SIII'S
,
3
It
.
**
% # M Z. & *&P M1
2
/<V
! *
must
tt>
^^#* 2
s*
words that the personator was not then considered as the agent or seat of the soul, for these two writers affirm: "the personator is the image of the soul" -"the
be inferred from these
it
is
the soul
which
is
p,
\%
P W* #
#
is,
The
considered
meaning
in
its
is
obvious.
The personator
seat
therefore,
soul,
not
this
of the
but
merely as
representative,
kind
of
living
medium, who
person,
in
was sometimes dressed up in the clothes of order to make the illusion more apparent
Third opinion.
In
the departed
3
.
c).
ancestral tablet.
|f|,
it
The personator is but the bearer the work entitled Yi'i chow ta-i-i 'jjf
of
;fc
the
|
the
is
is
employed during
tablet".
sacrifices
to
>
dead,
ft
in order
carry the
ancestral
#g
"P\
#T
*
(1)
4-
Appointed
1$
if?.
He wrote
left,
the
treatise
|=|
11. which he
unfinished.
Being involved
A.
I). 92. (2)
in the rebellion of
Jr,
p. ICG.
AnnaN
of the
fit
H.
(3)
See Wieger.
lexis sh..\v
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.
Jt is
101
the grandsons
who
fulfil
this function,
out.
then
a person
is
appointed
to
carry
tablet,
it.
The
function
there
is
of
the
personator
of
to
hence
no
is
need
not
having
erected.
tablel
vet
$k
P,
* *ftt
entitled,
The work
up
in a
rln'ii
|j|
|^ g
ifL,
sums
"the
filial
son
chooses
place
of
to be
is
the resting
therefore
His intention
manifest".
il
In
p m n & *
fine,
in
.
three
of
hj
vx
m **, * m h
opinions,
the
the
mwriters
or
the
preceding
either
his
condemn
the custom
employing
personator,
restrict
only
see
in
him
an image
d).
found
in the
The fourth opinion confutes the whole trend of thought works of the ancient literati, and maintains unhesitatis
soul,
but
must
be considered as the
of
the
dead
person.
of this
)W
^f,
^-
known
also
as
Ch'eng-i
(2).
gf{
or
Ch'eng
Ming-Lao fg
and chu-hsi
"the
-^
The
dead,
former
writes:
the
ancients,
when
the
sacrificing
to
the
vital
employed
personator,
alter
because
soul
and
the
(1)
Wholly absorbed
iu
philosophical researches,
o]
cl
he acceded
new
ru.
in
Chu-hsi ^c
>;.
Mayer's.
A.
w;ls
I).
1190-1200.
official
Born
in
Fo
kien, fg Wi
where
Ngan-hwei
W)
theu in
employ.
He
and Taoism, hut abandoned then, for became the great expounder and commentator, his opinions being followed even to the critics have igorously impugned present day. Within the last one hundred and fifty years,
\
'
devoted his early years to the study of Buddhism Confucianism and the ancient classics, of which he
.Manual,
p.
2-j,
102
an agent
of the
of the
same nature,
5J<
-^
ptf(
Ifn
1$c
all
of one farmh-
and
to
of the
requested
come and
Chu-hsi
establish
seat in one of
them as
the
in
an agent."
$f.
J3r
(Yu&n-hwui 7c
school,
a
Uf|;,
head
of
the
modern
all
writes
with
no less clearness.
"In
to
ancient times
dead.
employed
personator
the
life
when
life
sacrificing
of
the
their
ancestors,
of
and the ancestor's soul descends undoubtedly upon his descendants, $1 3*E llf, and reposes therein to enjoy the sacrifice offered."
1 -
%
to
m%
|fj]
& nm
when
at
it
nk
(0-
As
this
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|
f\
^ and
Han
dynasties
it
was no longer
at the
It
is
noteworthy, however,
vigorously,
as
to
remark that
time of Confucius
nourished
may
Han
Book
of Rites, Li-hi
%.
Besides,
Pan-hu
Jjf
[i|
who
lived
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.
The Tablet.
1.
What
is
dead?
muh-chu
;fc
3i (literally
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)
Lire.
\>.
85.
collection
of
Yeri-wu
H^ff^.
It
comprises 32
books, and was published about the year 1673. Wylie. ibid.
p. 163.
In makingit,
103
the
of
the
wood
to
of
it
mulberry-tree
was employed,
tablet,
mulberry-wood
sang-chu
first
year,
sacrifice
known
as
Lien-t&i
$j
Jg,
lien-hvran
wore on
the
occasion.
buried,
called
The
sacrifice
and replaced
by
made
of
chestnut
wood,
it
and hence
in
the
chestnut-wood
^.
was elected
a place of honour.
An
Imperial tablet was one foot two inches long, while that of
of
one foot
in
length.
On
ed
;
on
According
tablet
:
to
some
writers, officials
and
literati
had no wooden
a
that of officials
was made
of silk cloth
mounted on
a
wooden
framework, shuh-poh j^
the literati
had but
tablet
made
of
^.
in
ancient
limes
the
officials
had no wooden
tablet,
is
admitted
by
following
scholars
HsiX-shen f^
jy|
(1)
and Cheng-yuan
i||$
tu,
both
of
the
Han
dynasty
(A.
J).
25-221).
fj|,
7V
it
i.i-I
ing
\ji
who
lived
Nan-liang
~\$
$fc
(2).
Kia Kung-yen
907).
J!(
)|f
dynasty
(A.
J).
620-
Sze
Ma-wen
ji\
J^
jjj^,
who
lived
'^
dynasty
(A. D. 960-1280).
(1)
jfafc
^,
A.
L>.
190-221.
Author
of the diction-
ary
Shw.oh-wen
(2)
^t, the
first
lexicon
if
This
folloAving scholars
104
to
The contrary proposition, endeavouring times officials and literati had a wooden
:
tablet,
held
bv the
Sii-miao f fg
(1),
of the Tsin
c
|f dynasty
v^j
(A.
[>.
265-290).
lived
at
Yunn-yih 7C
']'fl,
prince of Ts ing-ho
"juT.
who
(-)
the
-|t
This
of the
latter
Book
of Rites, Li hi
fE
chapter XX.
from
Wei
|)|3
those of T'ang
right to
and Sung
the
have
wooden
tablet,
muk-cliu
to
^
as
2fe,
erected
Ifiji]
to
their
tablet
only entitled
hall,
the
tz'e-p'ai
jjj^,
or
family ancestral
also
known
foot
shen-p'ai
in
jjj^
)$i,
the
spirit's tablet.
and an inch
length, four
lines thick.
it
engraved thereon
to
indicate
that
was the
the
soul
of
For
a a
For
man $l woman
: :
At the time
of
I).
960-1280),
fffi
the
Cheng
shape
/-c/nv'ar/ fj:
of
J||,
and fhv
Yu&n-hwui
chu
t|v
7l
flff,
fixed
the
the
wooden
tablet,
muh-
iofficials
Henceforth,
and
literati
It
width, and
an
inch
thick.
half an inch.
An
the upper part from the lower, leaving empty one third of an
(1)
scholar,
humorist
close of the
(2
Han
$'
Official and contemporary with Ts'ai-yung 1|| H,, famous and Bpicnrian, whose genius illumined the turbulent epoch of the dynasty. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 197.
|J|,
or
in
Shansi
|ll
[5]
and Honan
;3]"
]^j
from A. D. 3S6-536.
(3)
S#
10 .)
on the
top,
part.
In
the centre
is
inscribed
or written
and rank.
both
The
back
part
present-day
of
custom
is
to
to
write
on the
front
and
the
city,
the tablet,
parallel
the
central
inscription,
district
of the
and the ward or parish of the deceased also the name of the hill (burial place), and the direction in which the coffin of the defunct
has been placed.
tion
:
On
is
"tablet
of the
district
and of such a
of such a
or in case of a
woman
"tablet of the
soul
a title".
The two
all
rules
which hold
day
(1).
Nowadays
may
up
of the tablet.
a).
to the
filial
memory
deceased,
piety.
At the time
lit
of the
Han
is
|J|
dynasty,
wrote:
"the tablet
the
image
filial
of the soul;
having rendered
he
zfc
may
fix
ft ft
4,
3#
#
[g,
? 8E IP,
&M
ft ft,
ffc
J3l
JM
(2).
Pan-ku
another scholar,
who
lived
under the
same
has no dynasty, wrote similarly: "the soul, properly speaking, the filial son fixes his affection on the tablet, and dwelling place
;
employs
it
to
of succeeding generations",
pT *P
(3).
ft ;$
M
1
t,
# % M
See the Wu-king
i-i
, fC
fi|
*%
#, and
1)
(2)
% S. M !&
Tu-li t'ung-k'ao
'$.
W.
M#
14
tlfi
(3)
J^ Ji-
106
in
j|f-
Ch'eng Peh-yu J$ fg B^f, who lived "as the heart of the dynasty, sa} s
:
the
filial
worthy of his
of his
he bethought j^
;fr,
&m
%,
&
it ft
(i)'.
The famous
scholar, Ch'en
Kao
|fif
Fang
writes
as
follows:
to
"In
any
it
cannot be attached
to call the
iji$
material resting-place.
the soul,
is
What
#.
seat of
~}j
the living".
4te
^L>
if
&<
m
to
ft hl
#a
it 2.
5
the
(2).
According
these
ancient writers,
original
purpose in
of the of
symbol
piety
departed
soul,
affording
it
fixed
object
to
to
the
filial
the
descendants, but
make
The soul
We
now come
of thought,
which has
Jff-
Q II jH
(3)
wrote
"the tablet
ft
(4).
is
*mn&
writer
dynasty,
Ch'eng I-chw'an f|
:
ffi
J||,
a
a
"Should
tablet, their
to
dwell.
#&
yfc
|lj
ft
Tfi
#;.
According
tablet
to
Chu-hsi
was
to establish a seat,
J|F, the ancient rite concerning the wherein one desired the ancestral soul
(1)
(2)
fg J ;%.
jjif
(3)
A descendant
f %k ISof Confucius
and
a distinguished
Fig. 53
&
it
4#4
ii ^2
Figure de
la
and back
parts).
to reside.
107
Jg,
#C
fft
- 2L
f 1L
$j-
4$
$^4
results
(I).
Some modern
From
these
erroneous comments
the
popular
It is,
belief that the soul of the defunct resides really in the tablet.
Likewise,
Popular credulity
alies or contradictions.
is in
The
is
taken place,
be
explained,
when
name
Moreover,
fixed
how
explain
why
is
thought
its
to
be
seeing
name
inscribed
suddenly abandons
its first
resting-place,
and hastens
to take
up
new
broken or lost in any way, where will the poor soul henceforth
?
reside
3.
tablet.
This tablet
of
composed
of
two upright
pieces,
each,
however,
unequal length.
The
first,
which
is
is
generally inserted
The top
sometimes carved,
It
varnished.
varies
in
form,
shape
(see
annexed
figure),
pyramid.
The second
It
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.
bears the
(1)
See
Chu
hsi's Miscellanies.
Chu-tze
yii-lei
^ ^ ff
birth, death
108
of
and date
is invisible,
being-
The two
impinging on
When
both
dis-
109
II.
ARTICLE
rjj
\.
is
The kind
of
obeisance
Jjjf,
mentioned
or
here
common] v
called
"kotowing", K'o-t'eu *
full
description of
it
is
found
Book
of
Rites, Li-hi
jjjf
fg,
chapter T'an-kung |J
^.
words
to
The
"guests
who come
condole
are
first
saluted
bv
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
lasts
grief,
and
when
mourning
for
three years".
* ii
4,
mmm%n
&,
#m
4, -a
# 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
consists in kneeling, opening the hands and placing
them forward on
the ground, knocking the head on the ground, and maintaining that
The custom
of
bowing
to
the dead,
times
and knocking the head on the ground, goes back to the remotest it as he deems fitting. (Man being(1), and each one practises
dead, his soul
is
is
henceforth
but
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.
The manner,
in
(1)
& jg,
ffc
Jf
fit
UP,
Kff
ft
ffi
M ^ W, ff
fl
a, n
# b as.
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
as
if
it
were an
of the soul,
Lingprotec-
(1).
Over
it
begging- the
it
is is
called
Ling-tso
Hf
j^S,
stvled
Ling-wei
f
)$.,
fi-
This tablet
Pang-t'ieh
name
of Ling-p'ai
or
also
W
a
fMl'
little
upon which
placed on
is
written:
"tablet
of
and
is
some mock-money.
During
lifetime,
kneeling
is
not
it
practised
indiscriminately
towards everybody.
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,
then does
fearing even to be too sparing of their prostrations?
How
Should you
ask them
why
tell
will procure
in fine,
tune.
before
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
Let
him.
us
now suppose
him
to
that
two
or
three
intelligent
no
grant happiness
or
avert
misfortune,
rite of civility
towards him,
nevertheless
wise
quite
three
silly
men
of
common
be
dispel
the
of
prohibit
such honours.
(1)
Ling
fg.
The disembodied
spirit,
manifesting
itself in
Fig. 55
'
S**
-'-^^gpsSgfe '
'^?<m*0$W^ *?^^^^^^:fi?s
:
;:;;
Oblations devant
la tablette
des ancetres.
111
ARTICLE
III.
^|
A>
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
birth
and death
of. the
deceased
(1).
living.
The work
f, says:
lifetime,
sacrifice
entitled:
Fungshen-kid
litsih
shwoh
^f 5^
fiH ;KI
offered
during
why
piety,
by offering
(2).
The "Prayer-formularies for birthdays and death anniversaries", Sheng-ki chuh-wen give the congratulatory formula ,gt fft "<&;,
to be
I,
son (here name is inserted), beg to offer a petition to such a grandee (3), and say to him years flit away with wonderful rapithe
filial
:
dity; on the
annual anniversary of thy birth, I was wont to congrathou wert still living, now that thou art no more,
could
the
My
filial
I
affection is
immense
invite thee to
(1)
See
Yao
liu la
shu
#fc
W. ft
#
# % M ft M$1
(2)
#
S.-e
^,
#K
p. 56.
Hi
(3)
is
above,
112
these meats,
which with
1
my
whole heart
offer
thee,
to graciously accept'
(1).
The Ritual
of
Mourning, Sang-Ii
|jfi
fiff,
same phraseology. If we seek the reason, whence originated these offerings made to the dead in ancient times, we find it is not precisely to
departed
souls,
but
rather
to
manifest
life
filial
Such an
offering
in
is,
there-
mark
of
undying
affection,
and means
nowise that
S
Jp)
The work known as Sung-t'ao-kuh ts'ing-i-luh ^, contains the following the wooden (artificial)
:
|>|J
fjtf
fruits
placed
Chow
dynasty,
Chow
T'ai-t^u
^C
fit
(2),
were seen
to
of natural ones".
In the
work
entitled
Ming-tu-muh fing-yil
hi-t'an
0j
^jj-fl
IB f^>
we
re& d
place
on the
dead
burial day,
of a
person.
The
fruits,
indicate
was not
to
offer
them
as
food to
be
Only the
.
living,
who have
material
body,
are
capable of
is
it
need any
Buddhist doctrine has invaded the people's mind, pretending that souls in the nether world still need drink and food, that their
(1)
&
jjjfc
ft
s a, m /? %
m,
^ m m '&, #
The Posterior Chow, Heu-chou (2) which succeeded the downfall of T'ang the greatest confusion and turmoil.
^
)*.
It
at stated periods, failing
113
therewith, and oiler them meals which they become "hungry ghosts" 1).
These nonsensical ideas are so ingrafted in the popular mind that it is difficult to extirpate them. Meats and wine are offered,
because
to
it
is
in
reality
2).
In
order
the dead,
it
by
way
of objection,
is
avoided
mind
of a person,
in
Nothing which be
when an
objection
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
of food,
many
a day
ago?
As
manner
of
making these
of
offerings,
when the
still
wine
remains there
is
the
ancestors
?
so
the
sacrifice
to
manifest his
filial
piety
in
But
isn't
it
soul
to
come
and partake
(1)
its
monuments
place before
of the kind.
all
Once every
accompanied by an
offering, taki
Hackmann.
Buddhism
as
Religion, p. 229.
('-')
See Ming-tu-mub
t'ing-yii
ki-t'an
BJ]
#.
i m m % m ra & % *
ft
& m t.
$|5
1*> pf
g.
^ $; %_ %. H # %
\:>
ab
m vi &
What
would
a
for his parents,
114
who
prepared a banquet
Such
by
filial
piety,
but denote a
common
sense.
be
Reply.
a passage
Iff
The
it
implied
in
f,
a
chapter
T'an-kung
and
^7,
where we
is
"When
out
man
has given up
flesh
the
ghost,
customary
to
is
set
beside
him dry
pickled
meats.
is
When
he
victims offered
placed on
little
One would
therefore,
it
expect
here to
to
see
the
is
needless
offer
enjoys
it.
We
he
never
jjjf|
Rites, Li-hi
Here
is
what
it
says:
"From
the
in
remotest antiquity,
such
offerings
have
never
been
neglected,
some
is
in
nowise blameworthy"
it
it is
good;
is
we
practise
(3).
It is
and
the
little
with
the
drug.
in
Both
are
placed
on
table together
with
the
offerings,
deceased
may
This
rather
modern innovation.
(1)
(2)
Li-kiftfjB.
8.
and
follow
what
is
worse.
Ovid. Meta-
morp. VII.
If
we consider attentively the innermosf thoughts of pagan Chinese, we ever discover lurking at the bottom ol their heart
more pressing motive, more or
less
avowed.
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.
People of this
kind
believe
more
or
less
in
the
existence
of
in
"hungry ghosts",
for the
read in
ffl,
merely purpose of manifesting filial piety. As proof thereof, we the "Glosses to the Chow Ritual", Chow-li chu-shu
J]
jjj
and
qo1
the ministers sacrificed in their private shrines, after the sacrifice, offered the flesh of the victims to the
all
(t\ that
and
to
prince,
procure him happiness, as they fancied. Every person offering sacrifice draws down happiness on himself: should lie offer of the
part
makes him
present of happiness.
in sacrifice
are shared
who
receive
J^,
tffy;
these
it
meats
this
Kwei-shen
is
for
(2).
We
"Record
in
the
(ft
work
$|j
entitled
of
popular customs",
$%
(3):
"On
names given
of
to these meat-oblations
by those
who
offer
them:
"present
is
happiness",
Fuh-li fg
fj|,
San-fuh fr fg"
(4).
sacrifices
and
offer-
(1)
J5]
^ f
r*j j&*
gr.
Chow-li
t'ien
kwan shen-fu
/l
it
a g
(2)
m.
tfc
& &, a m
z & fg.
i,
H *I **,
(3)
(4)
m z. & m, & m #,
jjf)
fg ^ If H. ^ m a ^ *g, ^
Jnl
))*
fig
'g"
^
eat
ffi.
See T'ung-suh-pien ffi II? ft , M. J* Those who receive these offerings, after a sacrifice,
Dictionary of the Chinese Language
jjjgj.
^A
B B
Williams.
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
rite is
opposed
above,
to
sound reason.
We
in the
have
of
seen
how
scholars themselves,
brought up
midst
as tainted with
Buddhist errors.
It
is
historically
proved
that
the
custom
originated
a
in
the
fact,
History, as
(2),
matter of
Shun
invested
Chu ^, son
of
cc
of
-ft,
demesne
T;ni"
Manes
This
the
first official
record wherein
we
find
that sacrifices
were offered
to the dead.
(1)
II"
1
This document
is
It
was
not,
however, published
till
the
August following.
(2)
One
China B.
(3)
C. 2255-2205.
& i IS B.
Sfg^&^fl-J^fcjjiE.
Fig. 56
Le papier-monnaie.
Divers genres.
117
IV.
ARTICLE
MOCK-MONEY.
Chi-ts'ien
At the time
(B.C. 206
of the
A. D.
Western
or
Former
//an,
Ts'ien-han nt $|
in the coffins
jfc iff
25), wealthy money with the dead. During the reign of the Emperor Wu-ti
(B.C.
140-86),
robbers
violated
the
tomb
of
his
ancestor,
of the Eastern
or
Later
A.
I).
jj|
(2\
bethought himself
for
employing the
it
bark
is
of
trees
paperit
making, hence
at
this
use
for
writing purposes.
This document
Later
is
Han
jj|,
referring
Ts'ai-lun
^
it
jfa"
(3).
dynasties of
Wei |^ and
Tsin
that
is to
cement
of the
(A.I).
22 1-'i20),
to
instead of
money
the
(4).
Kwei-shen
Jfi
jji^,
T'ang Yuan-tsung j^- 7C tj> given to various superstitions, and a votary of all kinds of gods, established as High Master of Ceremonies
of
his
reign,
in
the the
period
7C
(A. D.
739).
This
minister,
with
(1)
Han
jijif
ji.
Ts'ieu-han-ehu Chaug-t'aiig-chwan
0ij
m # m % \%(2)
silk
and ink
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.
fc'ing-hen
Heu-han-shu Ts'ai-lun-chwan % ^ # ^ ft %. % M W %t % |g f# &f $f Si & m m, m ft m m<m m vx * m n. See Fung shi wen kien f& ft # #, M $& U & ft fc JL f $g m
(3)
{Jt-
Giles.
p. 751.
(4)
ki
frl
E.
IH,
118
approval of his Lord, began
sacrifices.
to
burn mock-money
at
the Imperial
Learned persons
of those
contrary to established
as a
rites,
days condemned this practice as and thus it was not then introduced
later on.
It
has
it
existed thenceforward
down
all
in
which we
find
practised throughout
China
with
the
dead,
if
it
did not,
removed
in the
at least
Han -^ dynasty, excite the cupidity of robbers, from circulation a valuable commodity, by hiding
)n
ground.
<
this score
to
it
deserved to be
abandoned, and
(2).
was imagined, that of making gilt paper ingots resembling silver and gold, also perforated paper, which was burnt and reduced to ashes for the benefit of the
In later times, a novel contrivance
dead.
The origin
Ave
money goes
in
back, as
of the
have seen,
to
Wang-yii 3l iH>
who
the
lived
the
time
T'ang JH dynasty.
He used
it
in
Imperial
sacrifices,
and the
In his days,
it
culty.
became general, and could not be extirpated without diffiThere were not wanting, however, men of common sense,
its
who unmasked
following
:
inanity.
Among
them,
(1)
J|f
dynasty. T'ang-shu
Wang-yub chwan
ffl
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.
m IS- T'ung-kien
{ft
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
it
possesses to-day.
of philosophy,
which
dead.
De
Groot.
of China.
Vol. II. p. 71
During the reign
of
119
^^
(A. D.
Chen-tsung
998-1023
oi
the
Sung
l'pj
5jc
official
called
Wang
Sze-tsung 3f
^,
his
surname being
H si-yuan
|i|
ft ^c, a native of
Fen-chow : fy
Skansi
g".
unorthodox
sacrifices,
and
of
the
false
gods
Later on,
Being on his
in
was promoted to the rank of death-bed, and seeing his family burning
procure happiness,
he cried out with
a
pieces of silk
order to
strong voice and ordered them to cease, saying: "if the Spirits are intelligent, how can they accept bribes"? (1
Sung
^
as
a. 1). L101-11 26 Hwei-tsung ffi dynasty, the two ministers Kao-fung ffi
of
also
\\\'f
and
Liao Yung-ckung
||
cf),
presented a
be
petition,
in
order
to
obtain
prohibited,
saying: "perforat-
ing paper, so
to
is
make
it
resemble money,
and
silly
binning
it
to
procure happiness,
Spirits are
delusion.
If
the
(2).
endowed with
really
insulting them"
While
Emperor Kao-tsung
officials
l^j
was being
the
whereupon
the
heir-apparent,
Hsiao-lsung
^^
(A. D.
:
as follows
"mock-money
;
Buddhist practice
to
deliver
(3).
the soul
from Hades
my
Chu-hsi 4c
place,
savs
"Nowadays,
whenever
burial
takes
one must
paper, silks
and other
remains
needless articles.
When
they
nothing
1)
ft
~v:
luh $ 81 M H Hg & See Li Tsi-wung tze & ^ ^C g ft <$, % 4\ m m m % m , if i; m m m, n vx m m a* jt m #, * *n m & n m m xm z m,^ ft t %. z n %, s %mv\%,m2. ft See Yeb-hwoh-pien $? $ gg. $Sg fl ft # K IWg|,*.*l- #T
(2)
ft,
m $b & g m w.
hsin
$fl,
ifJ
tit
ffl
ft,
3ti
pi 1&.
l3l
7!/
Stjfl.
120
but the ashes,
practices are far
offered real
silver
useless alike
inferior
to
for
dead.
These
people
filial
those
ancient
times,
when
to
his
piety
as he pleased.
The Book
prodigality
is
of Elites, Li-I:i
jjjg
f{,
"lavish
blameworthy
as
much
stinginess;
if
sincere respect
not accompanied by
some
enligthened
person"
(1).
As may
must
be
be
seen
as
Chu-hsi
fc
Jt
prefers
presents in kind,
in
ancient
times.
Offerings
better than
nothing at
all.
As a matter
burn mock-money
in
They inveigh
life
line
pompous
to
outpourings.
Many
here
a reader
might
be pleased
advanced
expose
in
defence of such
a
strange conduct.
of
briefly
few
the
arguments
exchanged
I
between
Some
of these
have heard,
be
and others
No
better
means could
ceremonv, which
to practise
in
reality they
still
wish
to
The Missionary. Man, during his life here below, is exposed and seeks wherewith to apease it he suffers from cold, hunger,
;
to protect himself;
life, hence the necessity of having money. After the soul, being a spiritual subdeath, the body crumbles to dust
from hunger
or cold.
Had
it
a heap of gold,
is
would
be absolutely useless; Of
what
avail
then
paper-money?
li
See Sung-yii
'U
if # J|. 4" A % m m s, % % * m m t. m.
$j?
%*} Vfc gl]
^|<
The Chinaman.
a loving son
121
treat
our de-
manner
as
when
Now,
their
to help his
aged parents
in
needs, and
it
we
offer
them paper-money.
The Missionary. - You must treat your deceased parents in the same manner as when they were living. Well, during thendid you give them paper instead of lifetime, money? When there-
was no
and they requested you to procure them say. if you gave them but a bundle of paper-
The Chinaman.
ghosts,
Mock-money
is
is
the
currency
used
it;
bv
the
kwei J^.
It
forwarded
them by burning
that's the
custom.
The Missionary. Now, after burning the paper, what remains? Merely a little ashes. No intelligent person, either in this or
the ghost-world,
w ould
7
Make
at
that exper-
iment, burn a
to
little
paper, and
with
the
will
laugh
you, or perhaps
consider himself insulted by the very fact of your offering him ashes,
instead of the coin of the realm.
Do you then
The Chinaman.
warding them
little
Bv
no
in
for-
this
burnt paper-money,
to
bribe a
pre-
sents secure thereby their favour, abridge the time of their expiation,
of their sufferings.
The Missionary. In the present world, gaolers may accept bribes, and without the approval of the judges mitigate the sentence of prisoners, but in the nether world the demons cannot cheat the
supreme Ruler, all-powerful, -all-knowing, and who
favours to those
will
grant no
who have
fallen
into
his
hands.
Moreover,
who
has ever seen the ghosts, Kwei fy, come and gather up the ashes
of burnt
the remains of these ashes trodden under foot, abandoned near the
16
Hades never comes
to
122
him?
real
The Chinaman
in the
am
1
know
is
my
money,
there
is
manifest
in
nothing
piety towards my deceased parents my that but a good and noble feeling.
filial
The Missionary
noble-minded, but
a
Without
is
is
good and
it
means
quite opposed
me simply
tell
for in offering
them ashes
as real money, von deceive them, you treat them as absolute idiots,
who cannot
They
intelli-
The
piety
is
to practise
manner.
The Chinaman.
and we
piety.
it is
find that
any one
who
fails to
observe
is
lacking in
filial
The Missionary.
Since
the
at
the
to
outset
the
of
me
to
quote him do
not
who, according
of
you,
for
their
deceased
of
parents, lack
your words?
Confucius, your greatest Sage, has never burnt paper-money, for the
very good reason that the art
several
of
hundred years
after
his
This
invention
is
due
to
Ts'ai-lun
in
filial
jfa.
was lacking
Yao
piety.
your
Sages
of
ancient
times,
M
virtue.
(1),
ll
Yao
0, stands at the
dawn
of
Chinese history as
70.
model
of
all
He
23f'7,
years. Mayers.
p. 27'2.
123
Shun
^
J$
to
(1),
Yii
(3),
the
Great
-fr
f%
(4),
(2),
the
duke
of
Chow. Chow
personam
of
Kung down
Meng-tze jg
^
first
so
in in
many
the
filial
illustrious
Wnng-yii 3 3E&, who lived christian era, and all these Lacking
above Wang-yiX 3 J&,
rians
YIN
'
century
for
,
the
piety,
it
was the
who
and histohe
si
11 \
attack
his
because
by
this
absurd
invention
to the
a scholar,
who
filial
to reply to this
last
money, so
exhibits
can
well
follow
his
is
This short dialogue example. burnt for the benefit of the dead.
(1)
Another
of the
mourned
on legendary heroes of China's Golden Age. He succeeded Yao for him during three years. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual.
${r.
Successor to
Shun
He completed
oi
Mayers. Ibid.
(3)
in virtue,
Younger brother of the first sovereign of the Chow JU dynasty. He is ranked wisdom and honours, as yielding place only to the great rulers of antiquity, Sao
ffi.
% and Shun
(4)
He
110.">.
Mayers. Ibid.
Philosopher ad moralist, second only to Confucius, whose doctrines he expounded and commented. His works, collected by his disciples, form
Mencius.
B. C. 372-289.
classics.
Mayers. Ibid.
124
ARTICLE
V.
BUDDHIST BELLS.
Tolling of Buddhist
In almost
is tolled
all
IjpII*.
Chvoang-fan-chung |f
fit.
Buddhist monasteries,
may
be seen a bell,
which
by the
of the year
= 12.
2.
ing to
The twenty-four divisions of the Chinese year, correspondthe different positions which the sun occupies with reference
These 24 terms, or tsieh fp, divide the solar year into 24 periods of almost equal duration. They are the
to the 12 signs of the zodiac.
ing of
in
Summer, Small
fulness
(grain
fills),
ear),
Summer
solstice,
Slight heat,
Autumn, Stopping
dew,
Frost's
of heat,
descent,
solstice
snow. Winter
3.
= 24.
Beginning
Winter,
Slight snow,
Heavy
The 72 divisions
of the
Each
the
denominated "Hen"
|^|.
Now,
number 72
X5
the periods of
of 12
Adding up the months, the twenty-four terms or tsieh fp, and five days or "hen" j|}|, in a year, we have the total
+ 24 + 72 = 108.
It is
is
thus entirely
The manner
different places.
of ringing
these
108
strokes
varies
according to
selections.
1.
At Hang-chow
is
jfc
>}]],
Capital of Chekiang
'$f
province,
the tolling
become
a popular tune
Buddhist
bell
and beads.
Hurry on with the
125
; ;
At the beginning, strike thirty-six strokes At the end, still thirty-six again
You have
36
2.
+ 36 4-36 = 108.
M,
eighteen strokes
;
stop.
At Shao-hsing $g
Lively
toll
Repeat this series three times, And one hundred and eight you
(18
3.
will reach.
-f 18)
'}\\,
X 3= 108.
ffi
At T'ai-clww *
fr pro-
vince,
we
At the beginning,
Slowly
toll
Add
three
more thereto
Repeat
The
total will be
(7
-f 8 -f 18
X3=
it
08.
Why
differs
Although
is
the
manner
of ringing
according to
places,
fancied
to
everywhere, that
the souls tormen-
provoke
to
madness the
unconscious,
T'oh-wang
jVf;
2i,
render him
of the torturing
tread-mill,
and
also
damp
At the death
dynasty,
every
the
first
Empress Ma
J,
of
the
Ming
0^
Buddhist monastery
tolled thirty
thousand strokes
Buddhist doctrine,
It is
bell
revive.
for
this
126
reason that the tolling must be performed slowly
(1).
bells.
We
bells,
read in
the Lii-shi
jif
ch'un-is'iu
g ^ ^
^
f}
(2),
that
the
Emperor Hwang-ti
in
^f
(3),
ordered Ling-lun \
(4).
to cast twelve
order to
fix
|(j
(Memorial of Music),
1/1
ffi.
says
used as a signal" $\
to these
is
the precise
purpose for
which
are
They
rung
them
rescue
1
the
dead.
The work
"Shi-ming" fp
a
Buddhist names'
;
hollow instrument
the
larger
it
the
deeper are
its
its
sounds, but
who
large
enough
to
make
tollings
heard
in the infernal
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
(!
M *& %k
ffi
i.
kao
-t
% M Wlfj&B
Shi
wen
lei tsii
% ^C
siao p'in
;jg
l]lf
*^Ktitin8-w?A t,
'HI
Leng-kia king
$!.
Yung chw'ang
/J>
". n
* 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
*fe
,.,
ffl
-fc.
Pnl
>
i5i
0/1
(2)
A miscellaneous
treatise in 2G books,
it is
Peh-wei
p. 157.
(3)
~%. ijt,
who
element earth.
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
history, B. C. 2697-2597.
of
He
is
See Hwo-wu-yin
3l
bells
in
127
monasteries,
the
bells
monks would
this
till
toll
unceasingly
day and
days.
service
even
for several
successive
who
they
they mav
ring
soul
till
the
of
bells
burst,
It
rescue a single
toll
ou1
Hades.
matters
the
whether they
is
wooden one,
result
M *, ' M. M , %. g| ^ &, ^ m ^ & * t. m< & & 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.
fj?
fl'J
128
ARTICLE
VI.
=?
it
4 |^,
is
customary
as
at
the
the impleto
ments,
clothes
and precious
objects,
use
while living.
to the
departed soul
are
is
also
used throughout
of reed-splints,
Kiang-su
ffft
province.
The framework
made
covered over with paper of various hues. The parlour, inner passage-
resemble
as
closely
as
Tables,
divan,
tea-
The paper-house
burnt,
in
is
then
it
taken
to
to
order to
have
conveyed
nether
world
for
the
Reasoning with these folks is useless. After death, they are body crumbles to dust, and that the soul needs no
to dwell therein.
house
would
after
it
it
did, a
paper-house
rain, and
much
all
less
sides,
and nobody gathers them up, to rebuild the house shades, and thus render it serviceable to the dead.
the
world of
You
matters
is
will
ever as to
of
get
the
same answer.
It
is
the
custom
It
little
the
means
how
No
to
send
(1)
sui pih
flj
8 |f Eg *.
m.
%k f&
5E,
&
ft!
?K
B - M, # *- M
mm&m&*
& * ft
vj.
Fig. 58
Une maison
de papier.
to his
129
home, and
with
these
refuse
aged parents
neo-converts
in
the nether
to
world a full-furnished
should
Christianity
are
forthwith
comply condemned by
to
public
op
The custom
beginning
of the
making these paper-houses existed already at the Yuan j dynasty. In A.I). 12X7. in the VII th
of
the
Emperor
offi-
Shi-tsu
cially
|ti-
jji.
(1),
Hoard of Punishments
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
Imperial Edict was forthwith issued,
forbidding to
of
burning paper-houses
has been correlative with that of burning mock-money, paper-horses etc... This latter began under the T'a.ng
dynasty, A. D. 739.
^
to
it
was
sufficient
burn ingots
houses
of
paper-money
also
through the
kind
clothes,
etc...
all
necessary household
wardrobes,
chairs, tables,
in
a cooking-
Nothing
tine is
is
wanting,
stage
This
the last
modern progress.
sUblished
(1)
Better
known
tien
to foreigners as
In-
Yuan
chang 76
A #
li"
)M
M 7C "t ^, M ^ Mi * *
ffi,
&
ffi
$>
&M
17
130
VII.
ARTICLE
&
jjg
order to distinguish
it
was erected beside the grave, in from others by means of this special mark.
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
is
is
attached
a streamer, Fan-tze
f^ ^-
II
(1).
set up a flag beside the grave, in order to indicate and distinguish it from others, while at the same ownership time the name of the deceased was written on a board placed in
its
The ancients
Nowadays, people
Buddhist
priests,
who
assert that
the
departed
soul
wanders
is,
it.
in
space,
and cannot
high pole
therefore,
name
of the deceased,
who, thanks
to this device,
enabled to find
after
death,
either the
goes
to
the
Western Paradise
partments
of
(2),
or
it
eighteen de-
Hell, or return to
Now,
here
we
find these
same people
m,
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)
itb
urn.
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)
Buddhism.
p. 213.
\0
be
teaching that the soul wanders
131
in
knowing where
on
all
space, withoul
its
to
go to; that
it
name
written
Is
strip
this
of
not
sell
contradictory
In the
work
Learning" Ta-hsioh
(a
:
A
it
(1
species
it
ol
oriole)
rests
where
to rest.
Is it
possible
that
rests,
knows
to
not
be
equal
means
its
proper resting-
is
so tiny
of a
among
the
feathered
to
tribe,
landmark
to fly
the corner
mound, where
the soul
chooses to alight.
of
If really
man,
its
as
Buddhism
teaches,
wanders
in
find
out
grave,
less
intelligent
than
the
little
Formerly,
Emperor Yao
^
A
The Book
3
(3)
of Odes, Shi-ta-ya ff
;
5f|.
says:
"Wen Wang
%
in
is
on high
heaven"
# ^
place
Ja
Jibe the
The
same
as
(1)
One
It contains 11
3$|.
the 10 others
(J,
by
See Chwang-tze
jfc,
-f.
&%
mm%m
(3)
n-
in
n-&
&
mma
given
to
je,
ms
M i&
.if:
2.
A1 % m
ft
title
Si-Peb
(tbe
Western chieftain
duke
of
Chow
Jg).
He was
overthrowing B. C. 1122.
in
p. 177.
132
Tyrants
chi
like
Kieh
(1),
(2),
wicked men
like
Tao-
iS
(3),
together with
Yao
and
Wen Wang
blissful
abode of rulers.
Such
arguments whereby Chinese writers refute the above Our great Worthies dwell in a happy land, the Buddhist doctrine.
realm of rulers,
not wander
Therefore souls
do
(1)
Kieh-kwei
|j|
Nan
^^
(in
17'ifi.
Mayers.
Chow-sin
j"
5^. the
Shanj,'
$|j
dynasty.
Among
Defeated by
Wu
Wang, he
rled to a tower,
on
fire,
(3)
and perished miserably in the flames. Mayers. Ibid. leader of thieves; a sort of Robin Hood in early Chinese history.
Fig. 60
133
VIII.
ARTICLE
hi:
metempsychosis.
Lun-hwui
ijtjft
;^|.
The metempsychosis
soul alter death
is a
thai
man's
or
may
be reborn, either in
human
being
to
oi
Ckwen-lun Wang |f
their mortal
who
1
presides
lu-
o-ood
and
evil
deeds of
men during
they
life,
existence,
and accordirjo
great continents
them
reborn
to the four
in
order
that
may
be
there
as
men
or
women,
and be either
is
it
rich or poor.
to
The soul
Yeh-ch'a
it is
of great sinners
(3),
handed over
with
the demon-torturer
^%
who
slays
peach-rods.
After
its
death,
^,
saving:
is
"man
becomes
Kwei
j||,
^jf".
is
face of this
of
reborn
the the
womb
He appears
crawl
or
forenoon
may
His expia-
some
wild
country, where
and
he
is
clothed
with
animal skins.
past,
When, through
his
endeavours,
has repaired
the
he
is
(1)
Sanscrit "Scmsaru"
^
to
Jfc
must be crossed
(2)
to
reach Nirvana.
According
and West
Mem,
the sacred
mountain
continent.
Mayers. Chinese Header's Manual, p. 310. In Sanscrit "YaJcsha,". These demons air messengers
of the
of
Yam a,
Dragon King,
who guards
i$E
represented with red hair, green faces, bare legs, and carry a tripod on their shoulders,
nese citizen.
134
may
be reborn as a Chi-
Those,
who during
bliss,
meekness and
justice,
gf],
are
sent to the
para-
realm of perfect
dise of the
Kih-loh-kwoh
is
|^f
the Buddhist
feasting
and dancing
of
The realm
perfect
bliss.
Kih-loh
J$ji
|^,
lies ten
thousand
West
of China.
No
and
all
that
to
is
harmful or unpleasant
banished therefrom
a
perfect
life
According
Buddhists, those
of
who have
led
go
to this
Kih-loh
Jfy\
|^, situated
ten
thousand million
of the
Now,
earth
is
Western Paradise
of all
utmost contempt
ions of
mere mockery to and these folks deserve the away, learned persons. Such are some of the reflextherefore, so far
"Young China".
of
lh<>
arguments set forth by Chinese writer* against the existence of the Western Paradise.
Summary
According
to
this opinion,
the
if a
into
fish,
worms,
birds, or brutes.
Now,
number
all
of generations,
on this earth,
those
The population of the globe is ever increasing, and the presentday statistics show it is many thousand times greater than in the
(1)
il
- K,
l $m 3:
S[i
a &, # m % * m x s * a m, m & # m, m ^ a. 8 # it* m %. & &, % % m & f* "& m m, # m & ar, n *. w % 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.
i
*um
ti
it,
it
ts,
>t>
if.
(2)
of
jj
@!
3&. "t"
tft
I?
1 1 ~=
CO
*.
in
^
-c: er
c
C
efl
c
efl
CO
c
>
"
bC
o
en
be
c
CO
o
-c
*****
/J/fy^
CO be
135
early period of the world's history;
hists do, that this
if
immense number
as or
it
of beings
reborn,
the
then
husbands
husband
the
may have
for
own
Officials
may
common
have no servants,
own
new
superiors,
teachers or friends,
who have
death,
returned to a
Moreover,
brutes, no one
if
after
men become
fish,
birds
or
the
fields,
or
may henceforth employ water-buffaloes for ploughing may ride a horse to travel over the country.
all
Lice, mosquitoes,
kinds of insects,
may
and
annoy you
your own
world.
as they please,
kill
them,
lest
they be
parents
or
kinsfolk,
who have
social
relations,
renders
lite
sense.
-^p,
says
"the nature
of the
dog
is
the
same
Human
man may
be reborn
as a brute, then his natxire differs in nowise from that of the beasts
of the field.
vain and
fruitless
efforts
to
avoid
killing
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,
common
Compendious view of
For the sake
cise view,
of clearness,
is
considered useful
the
to
give a conof
brief
summary, outlining
general
features
the
136
Chinese
reborn
stances
is
belief
in
the
The
to
spirit
according
circumbe re-
Hwun
in
Slieu
jjj$,
or
Kwei fy
This soul
may
incarnated
1".
sundry manners.
of possession, entering into the
It
By way
man and
mouth
abiding therein.
to speak, etc...
Such
own, and that which temporarily indwells in him, as in namely cases of diabolical possession. These two souls, according to orthodox
his
According
souls
to the followers of
Chu-hsi's
^^
school, these
in
two
may
as
co-penetrate
soul,
bottle,
the
same
manner
two glasses
combine and
bottle of the
same
liquid.
Hi/
departed
soul
at
may sometimes return into the body which it has abandoned death (2), provided the corpse has remained uncorrupted (3). On
a
such
nowadays
so
common,
t
of recalling
the soul.
3.
By way
of substitution.
If
soul,
its
deprived
of its
still
own
body
for
some reason
way
the
uncorr-
(11
The universe
is
compound
of
jjfj,
and Shen
jj$,
con-
men and
later on.
Kwei
the Shen
jji$
came
The Kwei $|
It
is
the- earth,
jf$
after death.
The Shen
the superior soul, emanating from tbe ethereal part of the cosmos, the great
It is
Yang
$H
principle.
manifested by
th<- k'i
^,
or breath.
After death,
it
the SI in
(2)
body, as
Sben-ming jf$ (JJj. The hwun z$| is the energy of De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. IV. p. 5. (the soul in philosophy). During lifetime, Chinese adniii the temporary separation of the soul from the in dreams and occasionally in trance and coma. These cases are, however, hut
jjSiJI.
insensibility.
may
also return,
and
this
may
of
months
123
j
and years.
Cases of revival are even chronicled in the Standard Histories All these tales
De
soul).
Groot.
p.
own
Or
at least, in a condition
good enough
in
it.
I>e
Groot.
Ibid. p. 130.
*3*^
o
"
535
tc
>
>
o
v.
en
+j
'5
O
u
a.
yj
to
y}
-
'
"-
c
CO
XI
w o
CO
-Sf^
S
50
C e
CD
d
0>
a
(D
r-
V>
a s
c
Ft
t c
c
c
and make
it
137
it
may
enter therein,
own body.
above end, as
It
corruption
has
but
invaded a single
member
insurmountable obstacle
of T'ieh Kwai-li
shown
by the legend
g$ #}
^, whose
though already
4.
in process of corruption
By way
of rebirth.
This
is
the
ordinary
process.
The
of a
to be reborn,
womb
pregnant
woman
(2),
foetus,
which
so far
in
had but
an inferior soul.
Frequently,
foetus
the latter
generally advanced.
in
Le-
gends even
reborn
the
womb
in
of their
The same
of
theory applies
to rebirth
body
(3).
The souls
be
men may
be re-incarnated as beasts
of those
must
who
a
die
through
class
suicide, or
by
hand
of
an enemy,
constitute
special
the
"hungry ghosts"
Ku-hwun
Jg j$|,
who wander
in space,
(4).
Unable
least
in
general,
until
they
to
have
death a
his
him
to
commit
suicide,
in order that
U)
(2)
See Wieger. Folklore. N 19. This process in generally known by the term
t'eu-t'ai
j}r,
"to
make
9. p.
cue's
way
into a uterus".
De
men may
De
lie
re-incarnated as
bi
asts, as a
punishas a
ment
reversely,
souls of animals
may
pass into
men
and conduct.
Groot. Ibid.
p. 153.
little after
death,
if
a
|
warm
the longest, one'may devine what the character of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese, p. 41.
(i)
birth
will
be.
Beal.ACatena
of famishiui; ghosts.
Some
live
night.
They
comprise 36 classes.
All persons
Others
disacquired an evil '"Karma" by tlicii covetous, m-uavd as Pretas. They are tormented bj an unappeasable hunger. Beal. Ibid. position, are reborn
continent.
who have
p. 67.
IS
soul
138
When
It
may
of
substitute, they
may
some
enemies,
may
be re-incar-
nated earlier.
The souls
of persons
who have
died
by
hanging,
or
assassin-
When
they
are
re-incarnated
before
new
existence.
The annexed
1
'
on the Budd-
hist hell
Yuh-lih cli'ao-ch.w'a.n 3
j$
fijj,
th divirepresents the 10
a fish, or
an insect, according
to
one's
merits
or demerits
in
previous
life.
139
IX.
ARTICLE
MURDEROUS GHOSTS.
Pi-shah jg f*.
It is
commonly
believed
among
and
the people,
kill
that
the
soul after
death
may
the
survivors.
Hence
ori-
ming
a special
ceremony
to
when
it
returns,
so
that
it
may
The serious
la
Historic Annals:
(1),
Tze-chi-L'ung-kien kang-muh
i|f
im
S|
eJ
a
(2),
member
of
the
family
then
ruling
the
principality of
Cheng
ffj$
who was
Men-
name
of a
of
Yiu
^
to
cross the
diately
mind
person
to
everybody took
flight.
Now,
penal
it
happened
in
the second
that
in
month
time the
code was
modified,
somebody saw
He was arrayed
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
with
fear, that
/r
officially
ordered Liang-chi
his
father.
j^ jh> Yiu's
to sacrifice to the
evil,
Manes
of
This
(3).
prevented
all
further
and the
was allayed"
(1)
of the a
historiographer.
Ming HI) dynasty bj Cli'eii Jen sih [$ -fc t$r, national new edition, comprising !1 books, was issued in 17<S.
p. 26.
An important
Chow
of
jg)
of K'ai fung-fu
Jff\
in
Honan,
which province
occupied aboui
Williams. Dictionary
of the
Chinese Language
..
^ j M g M @. MB A * 3 M YX i& * H id * m . m % . * *n m #. m m 2. m. - n< m m m # w. <f. s * isffi!!.ii!ifiS,^x)i?asifc^i f-s*.aAa if- s ^ ft #. n a $ it. # w n. f- * a & & it. m , 7> it.
See Tze-chi-t'ung-kien kang-muh
ft
:
140
The work
llh
entitled:
T'an-t'ai-ch'ang poh-shi Lu
,i
Ts'ai peh-ki-
-k
If
i S ^ W
lied
M, which
treats
of superstitious
practices at the
dynasty,
from returning murderous ghosts. The soul of a person who dies on a Sze g, day of the calendar, is a It returns to the house on the murderous masculine ghost. forty"in these days people
seventh day after death, and
kills little girls of thirteen
the South,
returns
twice
to
the
house
On such
Sung
5Jc
days, those
Yi'i
who
are
afraid,
dynasty,
person,
ghost
the
who
such
or
such days.
(1).
Even
most
the
North
to
of the
Those
living
the South,
ghost,
Tao-shi
^ff
-j^,
to
come and
off all
receive the
and
ward
danger.
kill
day, on the day of his return after the burial, directions that render
places particularly dangerous,
to
his
malevolence.
To corroborate
their
predictions,
f=l
$!
who saw
person,
(2),
passing
through the
to
return
therefrom
molest
(1)
pft l]
ft
fl.
%.
M&M
-t
&
m m ft m #. in e n
e #.
m m #. m ra +
ii3.
%.
%m
-i-
That
is
the eight hot hells, the eight freezing ones, and the eight of utter darklast
ness. Life
may
hundreds
of
Eitel.
Sanscrit-Chinese
Dictionary, p. 82,
the living.
1
VI
evil
that
may
then
six
befall
trans-
Luh-lun-king >'- i^ |t. According work, if the deceased has departed from this world, on the days marked in the Wei ^, HsiXh /, the calendar by the cyclic characters Ch'eu ^ft:
,
to this
murderous ghost
Sze f^,
will appear in
feminine
form.
If
Tze
Yin
a
jpf,
Wu
^p,
Shen ^,
assume
mascu-
line form.
racters
Should the deceased die on the days corresponding to the chaMao ^p, Ch'en j|p|, Yin ]|f, Ilni ^. the returning ghost will
be hermaphrodite.
of
person
deceased on
forty
;
Tze
^
has
day,
died
is
if
person
its
-^
day,
the
corpse
the
year Sin-ch'eu
returns on
$.
The
spectral visitor
the eighteenth
Persons deceased on
is
when
ch'eu
the corpse
~~f
entombed,
is
all
those born
J.
The phantom
jJ:
day,
his
girls
returning
ghost will
murder
and
young
aged between
twenty
thirtv.
Should one
die on a Yih-ch'eu
is
^ day,
cncoffined,
is
all
Q.
his
all
The
spectre
At
-y
:g.
dav,
returning
ghost
will
murder,
when
the
coffin
is
entombed,
^.
The phanafter
tom
is
fourteen feet
death.
Should a person die on other, days than the above, a similar reckoning is made, based on the combination of the "ten celestial
stems", Shih-kan
<'l } i
142
-f- -^ (1), and the "twelve earthly branches", Tiand thence soothsayers foretell what kind of people (2l, ^lil may be attacked, the direction from which the ghost will come, his
The
following-
is
the
method
employed
to escape
of a returning ghost.
j$j[
On
to return,
J^,
draw up written charms, which those The priests must be numerous persons.
and incantation
classics.
sons [exposed
to
danger be of the
poorer class,
remedy
is
At the present day, the above are the practices generally followed
(3).
Ask
a Taoist priest,
Tao-shi
jj
-J-,
how
tell
ghost?
He
will
(1)
J',
These
cL.
Kiali
^. Yih
,.
Ping
JS],
TingT,
Wn
Ki
Keng
|j
Kwei^. They
to the
(2)
Yang
and Yin
The
0[J,
12
H, Mao
J-,
Wn
T- Wei , Shen
and designed
of these
p,
Yiu
j.
Hsiih
binations of the 10 stems with the 12 branches, form the sexagenary cycle or Kiah-tze
invented
to the
it is
to give
names
to years.
Other combinations,
owing
supposed connection
groundwork
the elements, the symbolical Chinese divination, and furnish the in forecasting the destiny of mortals. Mongols, Ko-
characters with
in
Annamese,
all
$fa
M.
ii 3t A< $Z
% #, m m &. fSB^f* b n #, m m #. w u m % h jb m, m mm #. B *e#,^fii**H + w m + vi t it m f ^ f e ft #, & n# 4k & n -f a % #, $ m # ft $ 3i % m a, ^ ; - * a x, t + a b ^ S + * B & 0. HlBJEt, t#-t Ti^i4iA,^S-*>NJi, W _h H + T * * f a H #, B$ ^ ft Ei ^ #f ; A, # Hi - * * K, g + * B ^ 0. T ft B % #, $ "# & 41 51 * 4 2 A, & - 5t # A, M B fs 0. & % ^ 4& B #, Ig * T 5 #, SO /*, M + T ot H, g fi H ^ 0. * SM S, JK B# W ft H ft, IR % , # 3 ^ mm i^mm m k. % l % z m, mnmm mm, m b *$ & S &. ; a &
h
;i =r
isi.
\>X
SSt
Jff
ffl
ffl
gfc
ffl
-fnj
ffi
*i>
iii
$s
ffi
&.
Fig. 62
bis
mm
Hiong-cha.
La mauvaise
dtoile
dtoile
feminine du
in
mc
female form
be as
143
of
many
feet
high, as the
number
Thus,
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).
the head
of a
woman
hen
man and
For this reason, during the ceremony, which takes place on the
day of the ghost's expected return,
a
rough sketch
is
is
made,
called
to
also
attached
the
the trouble-
some
visitor,
that
all
taken
to protect
the
How
is it
known
Hupeh
(3)',
$$
4fc,
Shang-liang
J^,
grandson
of the prince of
Ch'u $
extraor-
returning ghosts.
On
when
was
to return
il)
The Chinese
are
haunted with
departed soul
class.
a malicious ghost.
killing",
The
Shall
i& belong
its
to this latter
dangerous character.
the Yin
$.
It is a
It
(evil influence) of
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 Relip. 777.
A hook
them
It
as
bird-shaped.
of
One
of
these birds
five
was caught
Ibid. p. 770.
(3)
glf.
was
it
a blue colour
and over
was
it
when
Groot
A large
Feudal State
in
the
Chow
B.C.
74n:i:'o.
It
of
Iff]
ii
(in
144
ghost shape)
to
the
house,
Shang-liang
fpj"
sat
down
at
quaff wine
till
the mid-
night-hour.
He then beheld
house; the
air
numerous band
of
sudden, a hen as
and
alighted on the
coffin.
Shang-liang
his right
'fpj
it
with
his
left
hand,
meanwhile holding
"You
returning ghost,
why
me?"
were so alarmed that their knees quaked, and head to foot. Shan-liang showed the fj^
'jpj'
they trembled
L;host
from
out,
without
receiving the least harm, and lived afterwards to a ripe old age.
Another extraordinary
ern
fact,
T'ai-tsu
\^
jjj_,
Sung
chanced
who
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
4fc
5|c
to enter
it
lire
to be
cooked,
but he was
compelled
to leave
without enjoying
When
saw
in
the cooking-
man.
It
was
thus
ascertained
that
(1).
returning
man and
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
in
the
cooking-pan,
there were
(1)
See Kien-hu-tsib $*
% ^, & ^ jg $
m,
B#,
ffi
AA
m.
ii
m, m m
#.
*& m
% & % %. * a
% KM &#*
VI
ffi,
Fig. 62
Song T'ai-tsou
et le
revenant.
Sung
T'ai-tsu
and
the Ghost.
these ghosts, and on the days
stay quietly at
145
are
when they
announced
to
return,
home and
them
is
if
the
answer given.
Who
Pek-hoh
transmigrations", Luh-lun-hing
;$&$, which
down
the rules
it
governing the return of these ghosts, indicating the day when will take place, and what persons will be killed by them?
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,
We
still
we sometimes make
Such is the practical dialogue, which may be imagined as havtaken place between a Taoist priest, Tao-shi ing -, and any one who wishes to understand thoroughly these vain practices. How
explain
to do so
it
why
is
unable
on others?
Why
doesn't
it
What makes
they must be
the
Evil
One,
whose
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.
\[\
a scholar
of
Chekiang
it
ffi
yX pro-
was borne
and said
escape from
his
malevolent influence?
his
And
admissible
alone
harm
own
son, even
till
if
morning
pfc glj
night?'' (1).
$L %I .
See Ch'ui-kien-luh-wai-tsih
# ^ ft. ti
Sfc
&
&#
mmm.
19
146
This sorry custom has taken a general hold on the
people,
common
and only those who belong to the enlightened class can have courage enough to break off with a state of things so universally
admitted.
The work
entitled
E^
j||
S
for
j|
fl?
manner.
Its
author, Ku-mei
$g,
population of Kiangsu jj
(ifo
has ended
nonsense.
by believing in them.
As
1
me,
believe in no such
When my
fulfil
mother died,
sat her,
up
all
my
duties towards
1
and
Hence
(1).
conclude
that
N. B.
among
a
the
common
strewn on the
home.
see
minute examination
is
made,
to
whether there are any footprints or other marks found thereon, Sometimes a ladder made of indicating that the soul has returned.
reeds, is placed against the garden-wall, to enable the ghost to climb
over
it
easily.
it
is
forthwith
to
immediately the
into a
From
is
the
is enabled to
conjecture
what
ill
m n m. -? m * m.
gfc IB1
liti^";
4 'iiA'vV
mvtiAi
$M
V'i
'
"**
147
ARTICLE
X.
;.
The evocation
in
all
of
the
dead
is
practised as
general
custom
pagan
localities.
Whenever
dium, who
member
of
family dies,
his
relatives
go and
known
soul,
is
in the
country as a meit
wont
to conjure
up the
This
and question
as to
its
we
see
it
practised in
little
many
other parts
world,
the method
only being a
stances.
different
owing
to
it is
an old
woman
or sora pure
who
This
is
in the
main only
One
Whosoever
soul,
must
do so through a living
T
medium.
is
the ceremon}
is to
placed offerings
for
the soul
even meats.
A lamp
darkness,
placed some
lance
is laid.
is
realm of
whence
rice in a
Beside the table is is requested to return. bushel or other vessel, and over the rice a baarticles generally
may
vary according
of the place.
The
whom
inarticulate
visits
to
the
"land of
shades".
The only
requisite
conditions to be a
reputed
medium
is
148
thorough grasp of the erroneous opinions which prevail in the locality, and ability to turn them to account in a clever manner. The following are some of the questions generally addressed to the deceased,
whose soul
nicate for a
is
mouth
of the
medium,
welfare.
to
commu-
moment with
those interested in
its
Do you
long?
world?
last
When
you
leave
Hades?
official
What
your
state
in
the un-
derworld?
Do you
fulfil
any
function?
money, clothes?
are
What may we
we
do to help you?
dertaking, in which
succeed or not?
When
we going
to die ourselves?
see
what
a vast field
is
open to inquiry.
either
Satan
of error,
by allowing
medium
to
descant as he pleases,
All the errors
hell is
misleading replies.
sitting of a few
minutes:
not eternal;
the
dead
eat,
drink,
in
men, animals,
blind,
in
which the
as
to
medium
deceives those
It is
simple folks,
a trade, a
who
are
so
silly
have
recourse to him.
more mysterious.
"Father
of lies",
who
seeks to
excite
the
admiration of his
deluded victims.
Some
|i,
few
]f
-^
died at Yun-ls'ao
know how he
in the provin-
Wuhu
fiiE
$JJ,
an old sorceress highly reputed ^, in the neighbourhood. To make some return, at least in kind words,
Nganhwei
to
consult
for the
widow
world, "the land of shades but rejoice over his happy
11
,
149
official
Yin-kien |^
f ^,
lot.
a youth
(I),
from 12
25 years of age.
expert,
some
who
adding thereto various gestures and hand-signs made over the head.
All persons are not equally capable of being hypnotised
;
the
better
(2),
whose
life
has been
the
rather
disorderly.
When
the
hypnotised,
sorceress
replies
through his
;$j,
I
mouth.
the Open
practised at
Wuhu
Jim
one of
Jjfjfc.
have had
In
after
the
ceremony was
set
to
widow
who had
to
medium on
in
so doing
a neighbouring
house.
In
some
places of
ploy
little
fulfil
images
of idols or
Kiangsu yX province, these magicians emPu-sahs | j|. They must pray long
before rendering their
and
(3).
manv ceremonies
image
efficacious
When
at last
it is it
H,
as
medium, placing
it
on their bosom.
(1)
fil ],
that
is
tze,
jf -J-,
young
jjjf
diviners.
When
Shen-t'ung
jf,
De
Groot.
of
China.
They must be
and mentally weak, and th: ivfore easily stirred cannot be borne for many years, and hence they
a nervous, impressionable, hysterical kind of people, physically The strain on their nerves to ecstasy.
all die
young.
De
Grcot.
The Religious
It
is
System
(3;.
of
1269 (possessed mediums). In Southern China, this image is made of the wood of the willow-tree
p.
exposed to the dew for 49 nights, after which it is believed to have the power of speaking. The holder professes to send it into the world of spirits, to find the person about whom
intelligence
is
sought.
150
begging
to
it
to find
whom
all
one wishes
statue
if
replies
to
questions add-
image.
may
triloquism,
which completely delude the beholders (1). There however, cases in which it is difficult to hazard an opinion.
is
'}\\
Jft,
and elsewhere.
to
When
woman
wishes to become
to her, her
evoking power.
The
The
appli-
and the imprisoned soul of the dead person escapes into the body of the novice, and henceforth abides within her.
its
indwelling presence
it
is
apparent to her;
she
is
fully
conscious
that
of such or
accompanies her everywhere, and can inform her on the state such a soul, which has departed to the underworld.
illustration exhibits the
The annexed
The
the
may
be seen
to
(1)
;
dium the
loquism employed.
The
medium doubtless helps to delude". Social mediums between the living and the dead).
115
(Female
Fig. 64
La ceremonie du
Tso-tchai.
151
XI.
ARTICLE
% Ta-tsiao
fl*
!
perfor-
to place,
priest or another.
his
own
generally called
Tso-chai
f$[
j|f,
styled Ta-tsiao
:jT |$|,
for deliverances.
;ffj.
f[Jj
The disembodied
a long
Buddhists,
a
and dangerous bridge (I), which spans and obstructs the road towards a new existence.
Demons
the dangerous points, and cast into the surging waters beneath, the
To help
to pass over
it,
Buddhist priests have imagined to construct a mock-bridge made out of tables and boards, erected in front of. the deceased person's house (2).
The
feet
from each
suspended a lantern
pieces of cloth
bam-
At nightfall the bridge is lighted up, and a procession of Buddhist priests arrives, beating wooden clappers and playing on
various instruments.
on to the
artificial bridge,
imps
;
(3).
(1)
it
safely
the wicked
Doolittle.
are believed to fall over its sides into the waters beneath
where they
the bridge
perish.
The ceremony
is
more
feasable and
safe.
(3)
In Southern China these imps have their faces painted, and are dressed in green-
They generally ish or striped clothing, as the Chinese thus imagine spirits to dress. or a female. Doolittle. comprise a tall white devil, short black devil, and sometimes a beggar
Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. II. p. 105.
The
filial
152
parents
over this
son,
who wishes
to see his
bridge
sets
hands the
tablet of the
deceased, and
He is stopped by a Buddhist priest, personan infernal imp, who opposes his passage the filial son falls ating on his knees, begs and entreats, but all to no purpose. In order
out to cross the bridge.
;
to proceed, he
a certain
amount.
ther on another
imp
gesticulates frantically;
money must
money
is
again
his
disbursed, otherwise he will hurl over the railing the son and
tablet.
After
much
parleying, a bulk
sum
of
agreed upon
And
so on till\the end.
told heavily
the
as
monks.
All is a regular
comedy,
every
but a
P'o-ti-yuhffiffcffi.
vie
J^,
with
one an-
departed souls
all kinds of cunning devices, designed to deliver from the hands of Yen-wang ff*] 3E> the- ruler of
is
that
known
as
"rescuing
of the
$$f
;
f|jj
$^
(1).
The images
made,
ten
offerings are
departments of the lower world. When they have been duly informed and propitiated, the soul is deemed rescued from hell or rather from purgatory, as
superintendents of the ten
this place of expiation is of but
temporary duration
five
(2).
different
sheets
of
paper,
1 '
ceremony
of "releasing
from
purgatory
P'o-
abode
Ti-yuk Jft Jfft Earth-prison, corresponding to the Sanscrit "Naraka", that is the wicked men. It contains 8 large hot departments, 8 cold ones, and 8 of utter darkness, with minor small ones. The torments and length of life differ in each. Yama
(1)
of
and his
sister
lictors rule
over the unhappy wretches, and the various degrees of torture. His Eitel. Sanscrit-Chinese
Dictionary.
six
The Buddhist hell or purgatory is not a place of final retribution, but one of the (2) phases of transmigration, or conditions in which sentient beings may find a new
0>
CO
p-
CO
(MO
<u
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- X
c
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"c
fe
%j
V^-b
">^CZ
-*r
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^^ ^Kfj
Ci
(J
10 CO
be
i1
3
^T
M4r^
4'
be
3 o
c
0)
3
In
a
-=
f\$+4*
^9
#fc#3i**H&^
4&*i firt*
so
:_
a K
ti-yuh $
-jfe
15:5
the
|R,
which
is
especially by Buddhist
priests.
are
hung up facing
the
four
fifth
points
compass
in
in
the
order
oJ
one
is
suspended
is
the middle
the
When
for
whose
^,
is
income
3.
jjfl.
$J].
to be
plunged into
women who
die in childbirth,
to
women who
subsequent
their
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
till
the
The
Tin
list
only remedy
priests,
available
|f|
is
to
have recourse to
their
Buddhist and
Tao-shi
-j^,
who by
to deliver
them.
of
rough sketch
the
deceased
woman
is
sometimes made,
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,
may
be gradually
res-
mud and
priests
blood in which
it is
plunged.
burn paper-boats,
called "life-boats",
see above.
text of the
(1)
Buddhist or Taoist
priests, Tao-shi *|
of
this
ahode of suffering.
(2)
See above,
hell.
how
the souls in
20
154
prayer, designed to rescue
ren,
all
women who
from the bloody pond into which they are plunged, as well as
invented by the
Buddhist priest
efforts (1).
Muh-lien
when
hist
Pagan women have a terrible fear of this "bloody pond", and the mother of a family dies, no expense is spared (2), and Buddpriests, Tao-shi
and Taoist
in order to rescue her soul without delay from the "bloody pond".
(1)
("2)
See
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
scale, before the conclusion
I.
least
once on a grand
of their public
mourning ceremonies.
p. 197.
155
z&fe
//
"*