DISCOVERY 



189 



these energetic and somewhat fierce-looking individuals. 

 These worthies were original!}' soldiers, who for their 

 services to their country were canonised by a grateful 

 people. 



A very popular picture is that of the Chinese unicorn, 

 one of the four fabulous animals of this country. 

 It is depicted as having only one horn and a body 

 covered with scales. For several thousands of years 

 it has not been seen by mortals, except once by 

 Confucius in his old age. ... It is the symbol of all 

 goodness and benevolence. It is supposed to walk 

 without treading on anj' living thing, not even on 

 living grass. Its horn is covered with flesh, showing 

 that, though able to fight, it desires peace. Two 

 distinct ideas seem to be present in the popular mind 

 with regard to this animal, and they are expressed 

 in the pictures at New Year time. One idea is that 

 this famous animal brings sons to the deserving, and 

 is, therefore, popular with the women. These pictures, 

 pasted on the doors or other parts of the house, are 

 an expression of desire for sucli happiness to be 

 granted. They generally represent the unicorn in the 

 act of bringing a small child, whilst behind is seen 

 a boy carrying a banner on which is inscribed the 

 words, " The unicorn brings children," or " The 

 heavenly imicorn gives sons." The second meaning 

 of the unicorn's appearance, also expressed in the 

 pictures, is that the children brought give marks of 

 unusual talent and of future promise as scholars or 

 officials. At the feast of lanterns in the first month, 

 a kind of lantern representing a boy riding a unicorn 

 is sold in great numbers. To buy one of these and 

 present it to a friend is equivalent to saying, " May 

 you have a clever son." 



Everyone has heard of the ancestral tablets of China. 

 These are pieces of wood, on which are written the 

 names of the deceased ancestors of families, and which 

 are worshipped periodically as an expression of filial 

 love and respect. There are two kinds used, one 

 containing simply the names of the immediate ances- 

 tors, and another on which are written characters 

 that refer also to heaven, earth, the Emperor, parents 

 and teachers. In a well-to-do family the latter tablet 

 especially is an elaborate one, polished and gilded. 

 But in the homes of the common people the tablets 

 are simply slabs of painted wood, with characters 

 inscribed as stated above, and devoid of ornamentation. 

 In the poorest families, however, wood is too dear a 

 thing to buy, and so paper is used. These paper 

 " tablets " are pasted on the waUs or boarding of the 

 house, and do duty for the more substantial things 

 of the wealthy. When paper is used, one sheet is 

 sufficient for the two classes of tablets. In the 

 majority of cases, the large characters representing 

 heaven, earth, etc., are written down the centre, 



and the names of the ancestors by the side. At 

 New Year time, when the houses are cleaned and 

 decorated, it is the proper thing to paste up a new 

 paper " tablet." 



Besides the ancestral tablet, there is also to be 

 found in every home a smaller tablet to the god of 

 the kitchen. This deity is supposed to take notice 

 of the actions of every member of the family during 

 the year. During the last month he rises to the 

 jiresence of the Jewelled Emperor in the .skies and 

 acts the part of a recorder of good and evil deeds. 

 The ceremony of sending him on his journey consists 

 of worship with a feast of vegetarian diet, one of the 

 eatables being sugar or sweet soup. Some of this is 

 smeared on the lips of the god, and is supposed either 

 to stick his lips together, or to gratify his taste to 

 such an extent that he cannot or will not tell all he 

 knows about the family. 



Perhaps the most popular of Chinese gods is the 

 Ts'ai Shen, or God of Wealth. Every shopkeeper, 

 banker, and merchant has a place in his establishment 

 for an image or some representation of this deity. 

 The most common form is simply a tablet or sheet of 

 paper, on which are written the characters for the 

 " god of wealth." Incense is daily burnt before this 

 deity, and he is supposed to bring wealth to every 

 sincere worshipper. Amongst the pictures sold at 

 New Year are, of course, found those of this popular 

 god. 



Another favourite picture is used as a means of 

 driving away evil spirits. The figure is that of an 

 old man who lived in the eleventh century B.C., and 

 who became chief counsellor to Wen Wang, the first 

 Emperor of the Chou Dynasty. He is known as 

 Chiang Tai Kung, or perhaps better still as Chiang 

 Tzu Ya. Wen Wang became acquainted with him 

 in the following manner. One day, when out hunting, 

 he was told by some trick of fortune telling that his 

 quarry would be none of the usual animals but a 

 " Prince's teacher." He fell in with Chiang, then 

 eighty years old, who was fishing with a straight 

 piece of iron, instead of a hook, upon which the 

 fishes allowed themselves to be caught. Wen \\'ang 

 realised that this man was the one who should be 

 his counsellor, and so took him home in his chariot. 

 He is spoken of by Chinese historians as having 

 authority over unseen spirits. On this account a 

 picture of the old gentleman is often put up above 

 the window or door of a house with this inscription : 

 " His Excellency Chiang is here; of nothing need we 

 be afraid." Where pictures are not available, these 

 or similar words are written on red paper and pasted up. 



Some of our readers will be familiar with an octagonal 

 figure composed of small straiglit lines, in the centre 

 of which are two signs of the appearance of tadpoles 



