The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-10-30
From the Bulletin Sept. 10.

From the Bulletin Sept. 10.
The Chinese are having a great time
in their Temple, on Sacramento street,
just now. Evidently the festival is of
= religious character, though whether the
proceeds are to be devoted to cAnceling
mortgage on their church, or to sending
out pagan missionaries TO win over Chris,
tisn believers TO Buddhism, 10 more than
inquisitivehess itself has been able TO
ascertain. Th dignitaries OF their Tenn
pie are not 81 eli reticent, but display q
charming readiness 10 indulge in con.
yersation with visitors, TO which the only
drawback is that neither understands the
others language. However, they them
selves know what the celebration means
and is intended for, and they being the
principal parties concerned, no others
have a right to complain.
The first thing which strikes the vis-
itor on entering the yestibule of the Sane
tuAry is a most ancient and fish-like
smell, and ii be approaches the altar he
will discover that the breath Of the gods
smells strangely Of stale salmIn. EVI-
IDENTIFY their drink is not nectar, neither
is II possible that their vIctuAls is ann
broais. The fret object Of Chinese adore
alton that meets tue eye is nigh and
hilarious god, standing some seven r
eight feet In his stockIngs, and flourish
ing cigar in his left hand like q Mont
gomery .stIeet swell. The attitude OF
this idol is not very graceful, while his
legs widely spread apart, and the air
with which he braces back against the
wall, suggest that he is under the infu-
ence of the rosy. All together, he has
conviviAl look about him highly cheerful
to behold, and the effect 10 heightened
by two horns with serraied edges which
sprout gaily from behind his ears. His
belly Is modelled like 4 bass drum but
as nicely adjusted a. not 70 seriously in
terfere with the even tenor of his whole
contour.
Passing on and ascending q narrow
and hshy staircase, we find q balcony,
gay with flags and lanterns, and illumi-
mated with scrolls written in sinuous
characters, probably pregnant with the
wisdom OF the immortal KUAG FU-TsE,
whom the Latins named Confucius. We
may very well conclude that the books
which lie epen--but shut 20 far % our
understanding Is concerned--before US,
are the S9lide Declarito and he Concordie
Formula OF their peculiar church. Here
the sound of music is lOud-reckless dis
ciples play crashing anvil choruses upon
immense gongs, while milder hammered
musicians keep mp rafting accompanl-
ment on kettle drums, blended with q
| pymphony Of shrill notes from the lips
OF cracked flies. The gods stand it mar
velously well, however, and 80 does the
temple, though . much less noise brought
down the walls of Jericho. In the tenn
pie the gods and worshippeTs are 80 nu-
merOus that one cAlls them no longer
john but legion. You stumble over q
little god on the door, or preclp itAte your
head into the stomach OF a big ono bra
ced against the altar. The big ones
number two, And face each other IN q Cog
aad Magog style. In height they are
AnAks, each Standing q good eight feet
above the level of the floor, without
counting in a sight wrinkle In the back,
which would give them q few inches
more were IL irVned out Each has one
foot perched on Asuppoyitious rock, while
the other rests on q paper tigeT-they
seem to have been bucking against the
tiger all the night through. One holds a
golden apple IN his hand, plucked from
no one knows what HespeTides; the 9TH
o. gFAsps . golden wreath. They are
spangied like harlequin, and bearded
ana mOustaohed like bogus barons.