REV. ARTHUR ELWIN ON ANCESTRAL WORSHIP. 



79 



away with them when they move from house to house, and are they 

 used for the purpose of divination or guidance 



The Author. — The first question I do not feel in a position to 

 answer ; it is a very deep subject. 



Certainly the Chinese take these ancestral tablets about with 

 them, for they think the souls of the departed actually inhabit 

 those tablets, " the throne of the soul " it means. Sometimes 

 the tablet is called "the wooden lord"; but it is, generally, "the 

 throne of the soul." 



There is great difficulty in colonising with regard to China. 

 A Chinaman, dying in America, cannot get the clothes or 

 offerings that he could in China. The Chinese want to be 

 buried where they are born, and the reason is that they may 

 take part in the ancestral offerings which they are offered from 

 time to time. 



Colonel Mackinlay. — Where are they placed 1 In the entrance 

 to houses ? 



The Author. — I do not think there is any special place for them. 

 The Chinese always have a reception room, and sometimes they are 

 placed in the reception room. They have in nearly every village a 

 small ancestral hall, as it is called, arranged with steps half-way 

 up and enough room for each family. 



Professor Orchard. — May I ask do the Chinese pray to their 

 ancestors 1 I suppose the Emperor prays ; but do the common 

 people pray to their ancestors ? Why do the Chinese consider that 

 amongst the necessary things of which the departed spirit is 

 supposed to have need, that food alone must be visible and cannot 

 be vapourised 1 Is the idea that the spirit has to come to this world 

 for its food, or w^hat is the explanation of that curious exception to 

 the rule 1 



The Author. — There are so many very interesting questions 

 that can be asked that I should like myself to seek to get an 

 answer to them. The difficulty in dealing with the Chinese is that 

 they cannot answer these questions themselves. So many of their 

 practices have been passed down from ancient times, some for 

 hundreds of years. You may ask a Chinaman a certain thing and all 

 he can tell you is that his father and grandfather did it. He does 

 not inquire why or wherefore, but the very fact that his grand- 

 father did it, seems to settle the whole thing. 



