NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM I05 



The ttmn kung prints and sells paper charms of many kinds for 

 many purposes, exorcises demons so as to heal all manner of dis- 

 eases and to protect individuals and families from various kinds of 

 calamities, conducts funerals and opens the way of the departed 

 soul to Hades, conducts memorial ceremonies, chooses lucky days, 

 divines, performs magical ceremonies to give good crops, brings hap- 

 piness and prosperity, and chooses lucky places for graves, houses, 

 and stores. 



Some priests among the Ch'iang assert that they are of the black 

 religion, presumably having learned their arts from Chinese priests 

 of this order. 



This religion is found in many provinces of China, and the priest 

 is so common among the Chinese that it is conceivable and even likely 

 that the Wu Chiao and its practices came down from ancient times 

 in Chinese religious folkways. A significant fact is that in the cities 

 of Szechwan, when temples of other sects were very rapidly dis- 

 appearing, the titan kung could still be found carrying on, although 

 he doubtless suffered losses in customers and income. 



THE t'uNG SHAN SHE, OR SOCIETY FOR COOPERATION IN GOODNESS 



This society was organized in Peking by Yao Chi-ts'ang, a man of 

 Szechwan Province. It was really an ofifshoot of the Tao-teh-hsiieh- 

 she, whose aim is to unite all religions into one. It became very suc- 

 cessful and widespread but finally died out or was driven underground 

 by government prohibitions. 



This society also proclaimed that its main purpose was to unite 

 Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism with the other great religions, 

 including Christianity. It was believed, however, that its real aim was 

 to restore the Manchu dynasty. It is conceivable that this struck a 

 sympathetic chord in the hearts of many Chinese people, for during 

 the early days of the Republic, society in China was very much dis- 

 turbed, prices rose higher and higher, and the people became poorer 

 and poorer. 



The headquarters of this society was in Peking, and it had at least 

 400 branches throughout China. It was a secret society with i6 de- 

 grees, a person becoming a teacher after receiving 4 degrees. All in- 

 struction was given verbally in an inner shrine, and candidates were 

 advanced one degree at a time. All were under a solemn oath not to 

 reveal the secrets. 



The members were all men of the gentry and official classes. The 

 fact that it was strictly secret and had for a main object the restora- 

 tion of the Manchu dynasty is sufficient to explain why it was pro- 



