|6 CHINESE SECEET SOCIETIES. 



place, they treated him every way in accordance with the rites 

 -and ceremonies, offering him tea and tobacco. 



The priests addressed Kien-Chhiu as follows. " We were 

 guilty of some disrespect in not proceeding a sufficient distance 

 to meet Your Excellency, hut we humbly beg" you will pardon 

 our fault." Kien-Chhiu replied " How dare I call you disrespect- 

 ful ! On the contrary your behaviour has gratified me very much. 

 His Majesty fondly remembering your nobility of character, 

 regrets his inability to visit you in person, but to shew clearly 

 the benevolent intentions of his sacred mind, he has specially 

 deputed me to present you with this gift of Imperial Wine, 

 with which you may celebrate this feast of the new year." 



On hearing this, the priests were filled with gratitude for this 

 act of condescension on the part of His Majesty. All took 

 their proper seats in the large Hall, and taking the Imperial 

 gift, were pouring out the wine, and about to drink, when a 

 certain odour caused suspicion to all ; — so the Abbot taking in 

 his hand a magic sword bequeathed to the brethren by the founder 

 of the monastery, and dipping it in the jar of wine, immediate- 

 ly there arose a mephitic vapour which forced itself on all 

 present, and made them fall to the ground with terror. After 

 recovering themselves, the priests broke the jar of poisoned 

 wine in pieces, and cursing' the treacherous minister, cried : 

 " What ancient grudge have you against us, or what present 

 injury have we done, that you should deceive His Majesty, 

 and turn him against us to our destruction ? Truly it is without 

 cause that you have done this thing, and there is nothing 

 for us but to defend ourselves with the force we have at our 

 disposal; why await further injury ?" After again cursing him, 

 they seized Kien-Chhiu, and struck off his head, but at the same 

 moment, they saw the mountain above, and the monastery 

 within and without, illuminated by fire, which blazed up to 

 heaven ; everywhere, they were surrounded by the flames, and 

 there appeared no way of escape. The conflagration continued 

 for two hours, and it is hard to say how many perished in the 

 flames, but only eighteen priests were seen, and they carrying 1 the 

 seal and magic sword of the founder, ran into the inner-hall, 

 where they cast themselves before the Image of Buddha, and 

 piteously, with tears, implored his protection to save them. 

 Suddenly, the Celestial Spirit, Tai-lo, exercising his Buddhistic 

 powers, ordered his assistants Chu-khai and Chu-kang to open 

 out black and yellow roads, by which the eighteen brethren were 

 enabled to make their escape from the burning monastery. 



At the break of day, these priests saw afar off, Ji-hok guiding 



