10 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANKOl^S COLLECTIONS VOL. 8o 



feel constrained lu huuud a warniut^ alioul tlicm. Not only are the Chinese 

 afflicted with these infections, but foreigners as well. V\''e should know how 

 to care for ourselves and be able to give advice to the Chinese on this matter.' 



Malaria spreads over commtinities, causing suffering to thousands. 

 Smallpox, typhus, typhoid, pneumonia, measles, and many other dis- 

 eases spread from district to district, filling the hearts of the people 

 with terror, and causing untold suffering and death. 



The following story illustrates the fear of sickness and death on 

 the part of the Szechuanese. It was told by a Chinese preacher. 

 In ancient times there was a great Chinese warrior named Tsang Fei. 

 He was noted for his bravery. He was unafraid of most of the 

 things that cause ordinary or even brave men to fear. All efforts to 

 inspire fear in his heart were in vain. Finally, a friend wrote the 

 word bin, meaning sickness, on the palm of his hand and showed it 

 to Tsang Fei. The great warrior was speechless. Of that he was 

 afraid. Sickness is accompanied by weakness and pain, and is often 

 followed by death, and death is dreaded by all. 



The fact that all diseases are supposed to be caused by demons 

 does not lessen, but increases the dread of disease. The demons are 

 thought to be frightful in ai:)pearance, and cruel and evil in i)urpose. 

 The sick man imagines himself to be the victim of a demon. Some- 

 times the demon is inside him, and native doctors sometnnes ]:)uncture 

 the bodies of the patients with needles to let the demon out. 



As a respite from worry and toil, the Chinese in Szechuan feels 

 the need of, keenly desires, and enjoys amusements, play, and recrea- 

 tion. This is true of men and women of all ages. With the grownups 

 it finds expression in the popularity of the theatricals, of gam1)ling, and 

 of feasts. Often this need is met by a social visit with a friend in 

 the teashop. We shall see later that this is an important element 

 in the religious festivals, and in the ordinary programs of Ruddhist 

 and Taoist temples. 



One will not be long in Szechuan before he realizes that everybody 

 is seeking happiness. In many important places he sees the word 

 fuh which means happiness. If he questions one of the many pilgrims 

 on the way to or from Mt. Omei, the conversation may run approxi- 

 mately as follows: "Where are you going?" " I am going to Mt. 

 Omei." " Why do you go there and worship the idols ? " "I am 

 seeking happiness." " \^^hat do you mean by happiness? " " That our 

 family may prosper, that wc may be protected from diseases and 

 calamities, that our cr()])s may be good, that we may grow wealthier, 



'West China Missionary News, May, 1925, p. 37. 



