The Tao Doctrines. — A Chinese Convent. 435 



monks, is situated close to the wall, and forms one of the 

 best points whence to obtain a view of the entire city. 



The Taouists, who follow the Tao, the '' way of knowledge," 

 and arrogate to themselves a more profound insight into the 

 mysterious powers of nature, as well as more special ac- 

 quaintance with and definite powers over good and evil 

 spirits, are disciples of the doctrines of Lao-tse,* and are 

 extensively scattered throughout the country, although at 

 present, in consequence of their losing themselves deeper and 

 deeper in a slothful, sensual mode of existence, their proselyt- 

 ism is j)roceeding at a much slower ratio than formerly. It is 

 purely accidental that there is immediately adjoining the 

 Taoui monastery a convent known as that of the " Wliite 

 nuns," a small one-storey building, kept however singularly 

 neat and clean. Here we saw six Buddhist nuns, with close- 

 shaven heads and in long white dresses, which gave them 

 quite a masculine aspect. They received us with much cour- 



* Lao-tse (Lao-tseu), born B. c. 504, in the village of Knio-schin, in the kingdom 

 of Thsu, held the post of keeper of the archives of the palace under the Tscheu 

 dynasty. In his Book of Philosophy (Tao-te-king) the following remarkable words 

 occur : " The rule of antiquity has been, not to shed light on the people, but to keep 

 them in ignorance. A people that comprehends is dilRcult to govern. On this 

 subject men say, Whoso governs a kingdom in knowledge, the same is the destroyer of 

 that kingdom ; whoso governs a kingdom assigning no reason, the same maintains 

 that kingdom. In the family, in the school, children are brought up among idols. 

 When they enter school in the morning they are taught to do honour to the image 

 of Kong-tse. This custom must be forthwith dispensed with." (Compare J. R. 

 Kaeuffer's History of Eastern Asia, for " Friends of the History of Mankind," Leipzig, 

 Brockhaus, 1859, vol. ii. p. 64, and K. F. Neumann's Eastern Asiatic History, 

 Leipzig, W. Engilmann, 1S61, p. 129. 



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