348 
VOYAGE OP THE POTOMAC. 
[May,; 
The traveller who does not visit that great monastery belonging 
to the sect called Fuh, or Buddha, in Chinese, Hoe-chong-sze, or 
Ho-nam-Jos-house, may be said to have scarcely seen Canton. 
The building is immense, occupying a large space of ground; 
fine gravel-walks extending from one wing to another. Our party 
passed through four or five buildings, each containing from two to 
four uncommon figures of Jos, with other good and evil spirits. ; 
Some of these figures were not less than twenty feet in height, 
gilt, or painted in the most grotesque manner ; one was repre- 
sented playing on a musical instrument; others frowning, with 
their immense eyeballs projecting from their sockets ; wJiile 
another was holding large balls between the thumb and finger, in 
a threatening attitude of throwing them. In the last of these 
buildings, which was much larger than the rest, the priests were 
performing their devotions, standing on each side of the altar, on 
which was placed an immense image of his Josship, made of 
clay, and richly gilt ; one hand was resting on a sabre, the other 
raised ready for executing vengeance. On the altar were several 
candles burning, and numerous bundles of Jos-sticks, made from the 
sandal-wood, lighted, and filling the apartment with sweet odour. 
The priests, about sixty in number, were chanting in a rapid 
manner some religious strain, and seemed constantly repeating 
the same words. In an adjoining part of the room were other 
priests, standing with their heads bowed down upon their breasts, 
and at each sound of the gong, by the high-priest, they would 
change their position, holding up their hands as in supplication, 
and chanting all the time, till the gong sounded, when they would 
again change their position. 
While our little party were standing at the porch, looking on, 
there were a number of Chinese near, who were laughing, talk- 
ing, smoking, and apparently ridiculing the ceremonies; this, 
however, we could not positively ascertain. The most of the 
images worshipped are said to be of evil spirits, and for which they 
give this single reason, — that the good spirits will not injure them ; 
and the evil, or bad ones, by this attention and devotion, may be 
prevented from doing so ; certainly, for such a people, such a 
reason is not a bad one. Religion ! it does not deserve the name ; 
as there is not a virtue held sacred among them, nor a vice they 
do not practise. * 
