CHINESE FAMINE BELIEF.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 439, 22 January 1890, Page 3

CHINESE FAMINE BELIEF.

A SPIRIT’S EXHORTATION. Recent papers from China contain translations from a native illustrated journal of an account given by one ‘ Ma, the Philanthropist,’ of the manner in which the native committee at Moukden, in Manchuria, has been aided by a spirit in collecting funds. The spirit in question originally lived in the Long White Mountain, in Manchuria ; bub since the Manchu dynasty came to the throne he has received Imperial honours frequently, and has in consequence paid prompt attention to the prayers offered to him by officials and people, and has proved a most beneficent spirit. Amongst other popular honours which have been paid him recently is the erection of a planchetbe table within the Moukden telegraph office, _to which he frequently descends, and on which , he signifies his advice and wishes from time fto time. The table is strewn with sand, j over which moves a pencil attached to a I rod, which is balanced lightly on the fingers of two bystanders, so that the pencil swings freely at the touch of the spirit. A censer, from which the incense smoke curls upwards, is placed in front of tho table, and, poised on the spiral smoke wreaths, the spirit is seen in flowing robes, with a straggling beard and topknot—a very tiny figure. All this and much more is reproduced pictorially in the paper referred to, the philanbhopiat of Moukden having despatched the illustration to Shanghai, so that all men may be made aware of the advice of the spirit. It * seems that even before the Manchurian floods this beneficent being threw out vague hints of what was impending, bub, * fearing lest the designs of heaven should leak out,’ lie did nob make his warnings explicit. But subsequently when two friends were consulting the oracle he suddenly started off inditing, by means of his pencil in the sand on the table, a long exhortation to charity, and this is now printed for the edification of all Chinese. Already around Moukden it has evoked numerous contributions towards a soup kitchen. It is a somewhat long sermon. The spirit begins by a compliment to his interrogators on the charity which he is sure always animates them; now, no one can show higher charity than by keeping the life in men’s bodies. For hundreds of years he received abundance of incense from the people all round, and he cannot bear now see them starving ; he therefore wants to see a system of relief on a large scale established, and he exhorts all his friends to be generous in bestowing silver, copper, grain, and clothing for the purpose. He will take charge of the accounts himself ; each donor should write the amount of his gift and the question he wants answered on a slip of paper and burn it in a brazier, at the same time sending the gift to the Moukden telegraph office, where he will get a receipt. On the 16th day of each month a list of all subscriptions will be posted outside the office as a proof of good faith, and if any one embezzles any of the gifts the spirit asseverates that he will be promptly struck by lightning. On the other hand he expressly requests all persons contemplating the presentation to him of robes, or the like, to give the money instead to the fund as the subscrip tion of ‘ the Master of the Cave,’ and ‘ all resulting happiness shall accrue to the giver, not to me.’ On the 15th of each month the spirit solemnly undertakes to audit all the accounts and to present the balance-sheets to the higher spirits, who will lay them before the Emperor of Heaven. Moreover, ‘ all who ask, whether for gain, or for fame, or for happiness, or for old age, or for sons, or for grandsons, shall without tail bbtain their desire.’ Finally, he will have nothing to do during the present distress with guilds or festivals in his honour ; but he orders a guild to be formed of his worshippers, to collect subscriptions, and to be called the Incense Tithe Guild, for the gifts to the relief fund will be equivalent to incense to him, and ‘ those who share in my incense shall take tithe in my reward.’ Persons at a distance may post their gifts and the question they wish to pub to the oracle. The reply will wibhput fail be sent in like manner. The Chinese spirits, it would appear, are as practical as the Chinese people.