, 1876-11-12
THE CHINESE RELIGIONS.

| intensity OF the late election.
I
THE CHINESE RELIGIONS.
In the present muddled condition Of til
popular mind, pending the result Of tn
Presidential election, the readers of Tn
CHICAGO TRIBUNE will turn with feeling O.
! of Chinese religions, and will derive from il
| thosefeelings Of rest and composure which are
so much needed on the Sunday morning.
ga poultice to heal the blows of sound
In previous articles we have examined quite
e1haustively the three great systems Of Con-
ton to these three general systems, there
are certain national religious rites and beliefs
which may be called appendages of these
systems, and are practiced promiscuously by
the votaries Of all sects, while in point of
fact they appeal with more directness and
practical force to the average Chinaman than
either of the three general systems, since
they are part and parcel Of his daily life,
upon which he especially relies for success
and happiness.
The first Of these rites is Ancestral Wor-
ship, an outgrowth Of Confucjanism, which
is one Of the oldest forms of idolatry known
in China, and one Of the principal obstacles
in the way Of Christianity, since its obser7-
ances are regarded as tests of flial piety, and
its neglect incurs ancestral displeasure. The
visible objects Of this worship are ancestral
wooden tablets, upon which are inscribed
names, titles, time of birth and death, sur
mounted by portrait of the ancestor. The
tablet is also supposed to contain one Of the
three spirits of the deceased, the second
residing in the tomb, and the third in purea-
tory, where the residence is only temporary.
The form Of worship is similar to that of the
other idols, and is generally performed in
the family temple constructed for that pur-
pose. If all q Chinaman's ancestors were
represented by tablets it is evident that
Celestial ancestry would soon become an
embarrassment Of riches. The danger of
superauity is obviated by not allowing tab
lets to females, unmarried males, and aban-
doned characters. The temple is the most
sacred spot on earth to the Ch1naman. for
here his ancestal spirits reside and be him.
self will reside after death, which accounts
for the anxiety Of the Chinese in this coun-
try to have their bodies sent home.
The Kitchen God occupies yerv i'm
portant position in the family worship. He
has no temple or image, but is posted up on
every htchen-range in the form of IN en-
craving He is the household divinity. He
takes cognizance Of everything that goes On
in the house, and makes an annual report to
the chief of the gods. He is in reality the
JOSH whom the Chinaman adores. Although |
located IN the kitchen, and occupying an
enviable proximity to the v1ctuals, be has
nothing to do with the rats, puppies, mice.
md other small deer which arc Chinese Ink
arles, but is placed there probably because
he kitchen in China, like the kitchen in the
United States, is the fountain-head Of the
mall family gossip, the source of waste and
and the convenient meeting
3lace for "the helps" cousins. The nres-
,nce Of JOSH in the Chinese kitchen is nm
loubtedly check upon the Celestial serv.
mt, What blessed relief it would he
o the American housekeeper if the servant
'lrl knew there was JosH in her cooking
tove watching her every action, and making
minute of the -four and sugar reserved for
'utside acquaintances!
The State Worship is practiced exclusively
y the rulers, and is made binding by tha
constitution OF the Empire On the officials.
moulding the Emperor and the ImperiaI
an1ly. In carrying out this service thew
'orsh1p objects which arc divided into tI,rea
rades: First, heaven, earth, spirits of de.
eased monarchs Of the existing DYNASTY
DDS OF the lind and grim, and the snpc;o,
atrons of the dynasty; second, the snn +ba
'oon' the spirits of Emperors aud Kings of
primer dynasties, CoSFuc1us, the patrons of
sr'cultufe and si1k-weaving, and the gods of
ea'en, earsh' and Of the passing wear. In
1e third grade are included hills r;vo,.
fountains, iunumerable spirits of em;nant
ersons, and the thunder. As the Cb;noen
nc,als are continually removed from place
place by the Emperors, SO it is supnossd
'A' tne oi'1n1tles OF each city are continua1,v
hanging; accordingly, they do not have ner-
Auent names The same images answer
ON year to year, but new spirits occnrv
'en "1th each change Of administrator,
ne clearing out Of the State gods is as com.
e'e as Will be the clearing out Of Gn.xT,s {
nployes it 1nDES is elected.
1aen city IN China also contains temn7a {
~"eR cos7oc1us is worshiped in the
fn Of an extra large tablet with thu j.,
f7puon, Tho Great and Ho,v eoaa c
ae a ome'als NJ aus are also required to worship req
arly IN tie temples of the God Of Wa a1,
. aou OF Literature, one of which NAV be j
und IN every city, these coe7, ho;z i