The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-02-27
San .Nancisco Chrolliele.

=
San E5ancisco Chronicle.
New Years being the greatest festival
IN the Chinese calendar, The worship of
thegods and goddesses is more ostenta-
tious aud impressive on this occasion
than upon any other. Almost all the
deitiessn themythology are propitiated at
this season with various kinds of offer
ingi,, sacrifices and observances, and no
one of the many imposing and expensive
festivals throughout the year presents
better opportunity ofwitnessing Chinese
worship. For several days previous to
NeW Years the usual preparations for
the celebration were in active operation;
stores were decorated, the cooks in the
restaurants s,nd elsewhere were exercIs-
ing their culinary skill in preparing the
most acceptable and choicest yiands, and
6 China town, in fact, was Ill bustle and
Joyous expectancy. The two temples IN
San Francisco were visited during the
week By great many wosshipers who
laid offerings of artificial flowers cut cut
of tinsel paper and fastened to thin bam-
boo splints OH the shrine Of various di-
whites exposed for worship. Thedivlr,-
tiles not so exposed, for want of room,
all necessarily Id miniature-were care
filly laid away on shelves, protected toy
iron wire, some distance in front OF the
shrine in each temple. The temple
dedicated TO the worship of the Pearly.
Emperor, Supreme Rnler--the. Chinese
Jupiter on Clay street, between Kearny
and Dupont, opposite the Plaza, is kept
in excellent order, and contains, OF
course. all the sacred vessels and uten-
sis necessary for performing the cere-
monies. It's room on the third story
about twenty feet long and twelve feet
wide. with two more rooms behind it for
the nse of acolytes and servants, and 10
which the priests sometimes resort Tor
rest and smoking opium. In all Chinese
cities of any consequence the temple OF
8 this deity IS from five hundred to thou
sand feet long and several hundred feet
Eids. On entering this small temple in
San francisco the visitor stands In front
Of two altars, one behind the other, and
behind both is the shrine or recess in
which the god is seated on q throne, which
IS scarcely perceptible from The profusion
J of artificial flowers and various offerings
i .of more or less ornamental character,
which are placed at his feet,and suspen-
sed around the recess. Along the walls
eight on ono side and nine On the other
arc brpnze croziers, or what looked like
croziers. On the first altar is -lsrgs
4 bronze urn for burning license, and on
theAosher side, of the urn are three large
flower vases of composition metal, each
fhrea feet high, and Immediately behind
the nm are three large candles four feet
long, together with large stick of fra
gfans incense. Within this altar, on
"a shelf covered With iron wire, are the
numerous diyinities above mentioned.
{ The second altar in every way similar
so gthe first, with the exception that the
urn and flower vases are smaller. From
the ROOF, between the two affairs, is sus.
pended 3 chandelier. IN which one OF !
! more lights are kept constantly burning.
We now come to the shrine in which the
god Is enthroned. It is recess abou.
six feet. high, four feet wide and about
three feet deep. The god himself, as
seated on his throne, is, about three feet
high the head adorned with crown
of gold that is to say, of gold leaf. The
! faceof the god has 9, contour Of the best
type of Mongclian physiognoiny, mild
ben;gnant expression, and a Thin, long,
black beard andSmustache falling grace
7 fully over his chin and chest. Before
the shrine is an urn, In which taper is
constantly burning; on the right of it is
suspended q bell as large as one of our
small church bells, claimed to be hun
dred years old st least, and fixed in
frame over the bell is drum, both used,
in stlmmoning worshipers on due occa-
sions to the temple. Turning to leave
the temple we observe to the right of the
staircase, IN q corner, what looks like
very small bakers oven with q small
square aperture in each of its sides.
This is used Cor burning mock money
and mock clothing, etc. Neck money.
is small pieces of paper painted to look
y like silver or gold, as the case may be.
The mock money or mock clothing or
4 other mock articles is forwarded TO the
spirit In Hides by their relatives on
earth by burning it in the oven, where
Z by the potency. of O. certain formula or
prayer, it is transmitted into the pre-
cious metal it represents, and 80 received
by the spirit, whom can purchase with
{ At whatever ne wants lii the internal re-
gio1s. The second temple is on Dupont
street, and is dedicated to several gods
{ and goddesses, who have their respective
shrines, Ike that Of the Pearly Empe-
ror, Supreme Ruler Just described. Like,
the ether temple, it contains a great
number of other diyinities in miniature
who are kept on 81 shelf in the same
manner as in the temple OF the Chinese
Joge; it also contains two altars in front
pf the shrines like those IN the former
and inmany respects alike, save that the
sacred furniture end the temple itself,
and indeed the whole parephsrnalia of
sacred belongings, are of kind much