RELIGION IN CHINA

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2647, 29 June 1889, Page 2 (Supplement)

RELIGION IN CHINA

By whatever name any one of the Chinese religions may be called, writes the author of "The Dragon, tho Image, and the Demon," not one of tho three is in reality a religion. Each is a philosophy, cold, formal, heartless—a collection of rules and precepts for the guidance of everyday life, and having no spirit of devotion. The only real worship offered in China is to heaven, earth, and to deceased parents. Heaven is the father of all. Earth is the primal mother, and to these first ancestors, and to all subsequent, tho worship of the Chinese is paid, and this is the only real devotion known from one ecd to the other of the Chinese empire. To be sure, there is the worship of one's immediate ancestors, but this, according to the best authorities on the subject, is not roally worship, but a sort of filial respect shown after death to the parents, disobedience of whom during life constitutes the grossost sin known to the Chinese code of morality. But heaven and earth are the principal objects of devotion. The Emperor worships at a gorgeous altar set upon a mound built of earth taken from all parts of the empire, while the peasant, having neither altar nor mound, takes the largest clod which falls from the plough in the course of spring ploughing, or the largest unbroken sod he can turn up with his spade, lights candles before it, and falls down and worships the representative of the earth. The worship of earth and heaven, however, is an abstraction ; but not so the worship of deceased ancestors, which is a living reality, but, as it is conducted in China, seems, as already hiuted, to be au extension of filial affection rather than devotion paid to superior beings.

The theory of Chinese Worship—if it may be called by that name—is that the dead are dependent upon the living for food, clothing and money, and need much—in fact, far more than they needed during their lifetime. According to the Chinese theory of life, every man is provided with three souls and six spirits, the latter at death going to the earth, whence they, together with the body, came. The three souls sepirate from each other at the death of the body. One goes to Hades, another remains in the coffin, and the third stays about the house where the deceased lived ; so for the three souls provision must be made, and six feasts every year are made for the dead, when the deceased's ancestors are worshipped in the houses of their descendants, at the graves where the

coffins repose, and in Hades, communication being had with them there by means of the priests. The souls in the house aiv satisfied by an abundance of food, which must be hot and newly prepared ; the souls which remain in the coffius aro content, it appears, with simple rice mid a drink of some kind, which need not bo hot, while paper money, clothing and other necossarics aro provided for the souls which go to Hades, and transmitted thither by burning paper representations of tho articles to be transmitted. Paper clothing for tho souls is provided in great abundanoo, and, according' to tho author, this is tho most enterprising business in Soochow, and year by year new goods adorn the counters. The trunks, with brass paper looks, aro filled with every kind of clothing; if for a man, they are mandarin robes, official hat, and top boots, with all kinds of underclothes, and paper nail boots for tho rain ; if for women, their garments are p.iinted as if of the richest embroidery, and are truly very beautiful patterns. The assortment of goods comprises chairs, tables, beds, mosquito nets, bedsteads, pillows, sedan chairs, horses, men-servants, maid servants, cups, teapots, writing materials, basins, tobacco pipes, opium pipes, fans, musical instruments, clocks and watches, " these last are such perfect imitations, that for years I thought them genuine, all these articles being burned at the graves, and tho soul in Hades being supposed, according to Chinese doctrine, to receive the benefit of them in real articles corresponding in value and appearance to those whose counterfeits have gone up into flames, At the paper stores, or " soul's goods " stores, is also to be had a great abundance of papor money, which is also burned at the graves, but a cheaper and better way of transmitting funds to deceased relatives is provided by the "Bulk of Hades." Tho priests sometimes (fives notice by gongs and placards that they will despatch a treasure boat to li.ides. The old women all bring their strings of silvered paper to the boat, which is placed by the canal till it, is full of its precious freight, when after the amply rowarded priests march round and chat, it is burned, a check on tho Bank of Hades being handed to each one to make a deposit.