The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16
CELESTIAL GODS.
some Of the Deities tn whom the Heather
If San Francisco Row Down
and. W OrshiD
[gan Francisco Bulletin,l

may Judge from results, the MongolS living
In San francisco never fail In their duty, 10
the god OF thieves. He was propiated In an
appropriate manner on New Years as an oc-
sasion Of special worship, but he Is commonly
worshlped on the seventeenth OF the eighth
month. He has become very popular within
the last ten or fifteen years, especially with
travellers, traders and the sick, as well as
professional thieves. He has no special tenn
pie, even In Canton the particular province
whose mythology we are discussingl but is
worshiped In any place where reunion OF
worshipers may be conveniently had. He
dwels In mid heaven and never descends
upon earth, which Is the reason he has no
temple He was q professional thief when
on earth, and not only clever In his profess
sion, but remarkable for bis filial piety. One
night he stole kettle used In cooking rice
and brought II home to his mother; but she
upbraiding him for deprivlng people e the
means Of cooking their food, ordered Linn to
take 1t back. He objected, on the ground that
by the time he would have reached the premi-
SEES II would be daylight and he would GER
talnly be detected. But his mother assuring
him that mother" would make the heavens
dark purposely TO aid him In restoring the
stolen kettle, he returned with 1t, and, sure
enough, escaped detection. His image repre-
sents him as livery childlike and bland" and
Of quite a prepossessing appearance.
THE GOD OF SWINE
is deaf, and years ago was vender OF pork
One day poor but talented student asked
him for small piece OF pork on credit, q re-
quest the pork vendor granted, but repenting
Of his liberalty, ne pursued the unfortunate
student and took the pork from him. The
student becoming a high mandarin afterward,
put the pork vendor to death, circumstance
which ultimately resu tied In the dedication OF
the latter. He 10 worshiped by swine-owners
with feast, not 80 much to enable them to
raise hogs as to recover such Os may be stolen
or strayed. As the god Is deaf, the worship
ers tickle bis ears and pat him on the back, to
excite and attract bis att ntion, and when ct
length they succeed In arousing him, they
communicate to him the cause OF their trou-
bic, and ask him to start of In sea- CHI Of the
missing swine, promising him O feast IL he
succeeds. "The Devil Gambling for Cash"
is the god OF gamblers. He is dressed 10 d.
lapidated garments, with his queue coiled
round his head and card stuck in his hair.
He 10 worshped with incense and lighted
!, andles, the devotee kneeng before him and
y pecking his bead ON the fl ,or. On import
y bit occasiorokas when stakes are high, the
worshiDer liesy down and sleeps before the god
always found In the house Of every gam
bier In San Francsc0-and su picates him
fQ- propitiouS dreams, vowing to make him
thank-offering IL he wins.
THE GOD or DRoUTH,
or rather the god who gives rain In seasons OF
drouth, Is In miniature only In San Francisco,
like many of the other deties. He has beside
him representation OF dragons well'' on
his appropriate shelf In the temple on Dupont
street. He is prOpitiated by throwing into
this well the bones OF O. tiger or at least
min n ha hon fort no haf hn
dragon and the tiger being always at deadly
enmity, the dragon PUSHES on the tiger when
thus brought la contact with him. AS soon
as the conflict takes place the clouds descend,
and rain soon follows, when the tigers bones
are taken out Of the well as soon rs possible
"The five rulers" govern the five elements OF
nature namely, metal, wood, water fire and
earth. They also represent the five colors,
they control tbs five points Of the universe,
viz, north, south, east, west and middle. The
five rulers have therefore extraordinary pow
ers hence can ward off fevers and pestilence
and punish infidels with measles and collie.
The ruler OF the earth has three eyes, the
other four have shouts like swine, faces like
monkeys and mouths like birds. They are
worshiped by carrying boat OF bamboo
splints and paper twenty-five feet long lin
San Francisco the boat is In minlature) to the
edge OF the sea or O running stream, where
the boat, containing all the distempers that
man is heir to, Ia set adrlft, thus carrying
sickness away from the land and people. The
ceremony Is called "seDdnR the boat out to
sea" but In reality 1t Is turne at the waters
edge The five rulers are attended by two
dem0ns-the Tall White Devil and
THE SHORT BLACK DEVIL.
The tall one ID twelve feet high and is the po-
liceman OF the Internal regions the short one
Is blurred and pursy, with his tongue pro-
trudlng and covered with blood, with which
tongue he laps up whatever diseases are lurk-
ing IN the community and conveys them to
the five rulers to be DESTROYED The fl We rulers
nave sever other assistant divinities, such
rs the buffalo headed the horse-headed the
cock-faced, the duck mouthed and others too
numerous to mention. "The three PRECIOUS
ones" are a trinity Of gods, controlling the
past, present and future. They are worshiped
three times year with prOStration Renutiec-
lions and chanting, and on certain festivals
with burning incense an candles the
three pure ones" are another trinity. worship
ed almost similarly to the others and for
much the same reasons. One of the p1re
ones named the "Old Bow" was transform
ed In one breath into the trinity Of which he
Is now unit. The monkey who Is st yled s'his
excellency the holy king, and also the Great
SHIPPED with offerings Of Incense and lighted
candles, as well rs cakes and apples. He has
general control OF hohgob ms, elves and
witches and confeEs heath and prosperity On
his worshipers. Hence the sick and the IN
successful seek his divine tnterposition in
driving away evil spirits and preventing
bankruptcy.
TEE FOX
is god worshiped chiefly by randarins and
riceroys and other high officials. He has
control of the Official seals, and G room in the
house Of every high cial Is set apart for
his worship, which is performed by kneeling
and bending three times while presenting
three cups OF wine, three sticks OF incense and
three lighted candles. The god sometimes
takes human form and eRters the bodies OF
men and women, sometimes inficts diseases
on certain persons hence the sick pay him
special homage. 1.-The Flying Tiger Is wor-
SHIPPED by two classes gamblers and mothers
OF sick children. By the gambler he Is styled
His Excellency, the Gra5ping Cash Tiger,
and Is propitiated with incense and offerings
OF mock money, also fish, meat and other edi-
y pies His image IL In every gambling saloon
~ San Francisco. He is worshiped by mothers
10 connection with the goddess Of children,
VINO makes her visits to earth on the back OF
flying tiger. ssLa.ss.s