The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-08
Curious Idol Worship In China.

curious display of idol worship is be.
ing nightly enacted not far from this
city. 1t is not easy to determine to what
sect it belongs, for, though held in a
Taoist temple, no priest of either that or
any other takes part in the ceremony.
1t is entirely carried out by the people
themselves, and being in the seventh
moon, when the names of the departed
receive so much attention from their
living relatives, it may be correct to
consider it part Of ancestral worship.
At the beginning of the moon proclama-
tons were posted all over the city an
nouncing the commencement of this
strange ceremony, and calling on the
people to come up and pay their taxes
or duties to Yuh-whang Shung-ti, "lord
of the world and savior of men, as
they do to their earthly Emperor. Each
night, from the LIST to the 10Th of the
seventh moon, this parody on royalty is
carried out, and delegates from various
districts bring strings of paper sycee,
which is weighed with the greatest care,
as if it were real silver, entered in the
account books of an official, and at a
proper time in the ceremony is sent mp
to the spirits, through fire. An idea of
the quantity of paper money. consumed
may be formed from the price received
for the ashes, which realizes total for
this half month at is cSsh an OF. of not
less than $50.
The real business of the evening COM
mences after dusk. The procession,
which goes out Of the village in order to
return escorting the spirit Of the En-
perOr, begins to form. Each man car
ries lantern, with the name of his dis
trict or society painted on it. The main
temple and all the lesser ones are bril-
liantly lighted up with rows of lanterns
of red cloth, and some place large
reaectors behind candles, the effect of
which is very pleasing. Theatrical
dresses of the most gorgeous colors, and
heavy with gold lace, pass along in
groups; boys dressed in red cloth and
gold tinsel hats, men bearing swords,
spears, and battle-axes, and bands of
musicians, 60 to make up this unique
procession. The center of all this is the
Emperor's chair, carried by twelve
bearers, containing his tablet; q man on
each side, carrying large white feather
fans, shield it from the public gaze, but
waving to and fro as if tanning living
person. u...
After a long interval, the big drum
gave forth a booming sound, and the
idol .whang Shung-ti, wearing
most gorgeous dress, appeared and was
placed on q raised platform, under
rich canopy. All Immediately fell pros
trate on the ground, and for i while ST.
lence reigncd supreme; presently the
master Of ceremonies took his place, land
the bearers of cards of those gods who,
by their rank, are allowed to pay their
respects to his Majesty (as officials are
with the real Emperor) began to arrive.
A few feet from the throne they knelt
and respectfully presented their card,
which was received by an official, who
announced, in a. loud voice, the name
and rank of the sender, the court musi~
clans playing on their instruments on
the arrival Of each fresh card, of which,
that night, there were forty-eight.
A few devout worshipers were al
lowed to PROSTATE themselves in the
royal presence, and toward midnight his
Majesty proceeded to Judge the evil
spirits. 'a r
The Chinese consider all mad persons
possessed by a demon, and their friends,
in the hope that this will be cast out by
the ordeal through which they have to
pass at this court, gladly send them
there, each patient paying $50. These
nnfortunates are locked up in the hell
before mentioned as they arrive-sufli-
ciert in itself to almost upset the balance