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CHINA. 



D Gui^n* ; " Aftrr pining the two gates at the en- 

 tra:n . leads to two porchet, one 



cut in stone, in a tilting 



po*i . four pavilions of two stories, 



1 idols. Arminil this court is a gallery supported 

 by pillar*, which icives as a place of cominti lication to 

 the cells of the or>: :*, which arr very small, 



at! receive the light oi.ly by the duor ; and the princi- 

 pal priest* lure their habitations, consisting of two 

 at the angles of the square. In the middle of the galle- 

 ricf, are the dining-room and kitchens on one side, and 

 the infirmary on the other. In the second inclosure is a 

 of stags, and ,on one side several large fat hogs; and 

 thcic animals having been devoted to the deity during the 

 sickness of some bonze, are allowed to go at liberty till 

 they die of old age." Another, dedicated to the god- 

 dx-ss Poosa, was particularly noticed by, Mr Barrow, in 

 the province of Canton, which bore a great resemblance 

 to the immense excavations and sculptures in the granite 

 mountains of Hindostan. In the front of a rock, about 

 700 feet above the bed of a river, was a large cavern, 

 with a terrace before it, accessible by a flight of steps ; 

 and from this cavity another flight of steps led to a spa- 

 cious apartment, in the centre of which sat the figure of 

 the idol upon a kind of altar, hewn into the shape of the 

 Lien hoa, or nclumbium plant. The sides of this place 

 were covered with inscriptions carved or painted ; and 

 the whole rendered visible by a dim light through a small 

 opening. The priests lodged in small caves, branching 

 out from this large apartment. A third flight of steps 

 conducted to a second story, with a small opening in 

 the front, which was nearly rilled with a large stalactite ; 

 and in this room was a gigantic image of a horrible as- 

 pect, with a crown on his head, a naked scymitar in one 

 hand, and a fire brand in the other, supposed to represent 

 some deified hero. 



The dragon is held in great veneration in China, 

 nd is called the spirit of the air and of the mountains. 

 He ii represented as covered with a buckler of tor- 

 toise-shells, sustaining the globe, and watching for its 

 preservation. His figure is one of the imperial insig- 

 and the emperor alone has the privilege of wear- 

 ing a dragon with five claws embroidered upon his 

 robes. 



The temples in general contain an immense number of 

 different figures, some of which are of a colossal sta- 

 ture; and these are generally placed at the entrance. 

 They represent various genii, or guardian spirits, whose 

 respective attributes are expressed by certain emblems 

 connected with their statues. Thus, a sabre announces 

 the god of war : a guitar, the god of music ; a globe, 

 the tpirit n f heaven. Some of these are frequently 30, 

 HO, 60, and even 80 feet in height, with a multitude of 

 hands and arms. One of the most stupendous in China 

 u a goddess of the class of Poosa, which signifies all-help- 

 ing, or plant-preserving, and is apparently a personifica- 

 tion of nature. She is represented sometimes with four 

 beads, and 40 or 50 arms, each of the heads being direct- 

 ed towards cne of the cardinal points, and each of the 

 arms holding some useful production of the earth ; each 

 arm also often supports a uumbtr of smaller arms, while 

 the head is coveted with a group of smaller heads. One 

 ce idols, sten by M. Van Draam was 90 feet high, 

 > (pur heads and 44 arms. The divinities in the in- 

 Hthe temples are of smaller proportions, and in 

 urci j sometimes alone, and at other times 

 by a number of inferior idols ; some with the 

 heads of ai., , !, others with horns on the forehead; some 

 g as at ust, other* seated cross-legged upon 

 lwcr or cars ; bat all of them represented in a state of 



great corpulency, which the Chinese regard as an ho. Religion, 

 nourable quality. The idol Fo is seated upon a in-lum- """, "^ 

 bium flower, a species of water-lily. The i; 

 lightning stands erect, with two circles of lire in her 

 hand, and a poignard at her girdle. The spirit of tire 

 walks upon burning wheels, and holds a hnce and circle. 

 The goddess of all things, ia:i: . ith eight 



arms, is seated in a chariot drawn by seven black hogs. 

 The goddes Shing-moo, or Holy mother, the most an- 

 cient and common of all the female ikitirs, whose cha- 

 racter implies universal understanding, or more literally, 

 " the faculty of knowing all that car has heard, or mouth 

 has uttered," was considered by the Catholic missiona- 

 ries, as a shocking resemblance of their Holy Virgin. Her 

 statue is generally represented with a glory round the 

 head, and a child in her hand or on her knee, holding a 

 flower of the Lien-hoa, (nclumbium,) or placed upon a 

 leaf of that plant. Her legend is, that, when she was 

 bathing in a river, she happened to eat a flower of the 

 nclumbium, and immediately became pregnant ; that 

 when the period of her gestation was completed, she re- 

 paired to the same spot where she had first picked up 

 the flower, where she brought forth a son, who after- 

 wards became a celebrated personage, performed mira- 

 cles, and gave laws to the whole empire. There arc di- 

 vinities, in short, of all possible shapes, and so numerous 

 that one pagoda on the lake See-hoo contained 500 of 

 them within its walls. 



Among the multitude of figures of metal, stone, wood, Deified 

 or baked clay, painted, varnished, and gilt, with which men. 

 the temples are crowded, are frequently to be seen the 

 statues of emperors, mandarins, and other great per- 

 sonages, who have been friendly to the sect in general, 

 or to that particular convent, or who have left a sum of 

 money to procure a niche for their images among the di- 

 vinities. 



Besides these places of public resort, the Chinese have Household 

 always an altar in their private dwellings, and a few small S od '- 

 idols, before which they burn gilded papers, especially 

 at the new and full moon ; and there is generally placed 

 upon their door the name or figure of the idol Men-shin, 

 who is a kind of household god, and who is represented 

 with a club in one hand, and a key in the other. 



The priests, officiating in these different temples, are Bonzet. 

 either the followers of Tao-tse, or of Fo, the latter of 

 whom are called Ho tchang ; but both are generally de- 

 nominated by the name of Bonzes; and indeed they re- 

 semble each other so nearly in their appearance and func- 

 tions, that they are scarcely distinguishable. The Bon- 

 zes of Tao-tse are generally devoted to celibacy, and as- 

 sociated in convents like the Romish monks. They wear 

 a long robe, with large sleeves, and without a neck. They 

 never shave their heads, but collect their hair upon the 

 crown. In performing their worship, they move in pro- 

 cession round the altar, or. u !.ich the sacred flame is kept 

 burning, chaunting in recitative, and bowing their bodies 

 as they come in front of the altar, while gongs and mu- 

 sical plates are sounded at certain intervals. In their 

 dresses, altars, images, incense, bells, candles, chaunting, 

 &c. they bear a striking resemblance to the Catholic ex- 

 hibitions ; and one of the missionaries, much hurt at the 

 similarity, makes the following observations on the sub- 

 ject ) " there is no country where the ilevil has eo suc- 

 .:y counterfeited the true worship of the Holy 

 Church. These priests of the infernal spirit wear long 

 loose gowns, exactly resembling those of some of the 

 fathers ; they live in temples, like so many monasteries ; 

 and chaunt in the same manner with us." They sacri- 

 fice to their idols a hog, a fowl, and a fish ; and then 

 observe a multitude of ceremonies, incantations, mystical. 



