, 1884-04-16
THE TRADE IN IDOLS.
Buying a Chinese Joss in the City
of San Francisco
Tho M~nnurncture of Celestial Gods
ON tho Pacific Const---The so
ertt OF Joss Mysterious
Potency Discovered.


"Me no wantee you comee lounh hen- Stay
away" and a Celestial frown was bestowed
upon the unhea ling reporter from u squars
aperture in the door OF a dirty and rickety
building on Jackson street
ats all right, John; I want to buy a joss"
ACome in" said the Chinaman in modified
tones.
The rough door was pushed open and tho
reporter entered the room where the joss
maker-for such tho man ~was-plied his pc
culiar yocati IN. Here were seen u~nsubstan.
tial idols OF all descriptions ranged around
the room in e. promiscuous fashion and with
what seemed a lack of reverence on the part
Of the manufacturer. Then there was the
raw matorial-gilded and colored paper,
rough framework and other accessories
strewn about the place, odds and ends, dirt
and disorder being over where visible.
"You painte3 mani asked the ioss-maker,
as he picked up a scrap of blue paper. prob
ably intended kor the robe of a god and
which the reporter bad sa~crilogiously trodden
upon. Some painteo man buy joss; mnkee
| pictua.r
"No, Pm not an artist, but wish to price
the gods. What is this one worth" and a
blue. rod and yellow idol, with a staring
countenance aud with the conventional
Chinese hcad-drcss, together with paper
robes stuffed with cotton, was pointed out.
J 1C% F@N Nao ~
Assuming that tho price was satisfactory,
and pending an imaginary transfer OF tho
property, it was found by putting a few
questions to the Mongolian that quite a trade
in these idols is carried on in this city, though
OF course the chef buyers arc worshipers oil
joss. When finished, tho joss, if it Is one
which has been made to order for n wealthy
Celestial, or which is to take It's place in a
temple, must first BIO consecrated by "a high
! pripgt vgtnN Will lilo ,,,1y t.g gr,n. 1br,,,ub .
prolonged and apparently reconcile cere,
mouial, winding up by daubing a little red
paint in each of tho black eyes OF the joss,
who is thon enabled to see into tho nlyS
teries Of this world and the hereafter. 1t Is
the dying wish OF every Chinese who can ar.
forI 1T tlst u joss may DO burned for him
after his death, aud this proceeding forms a
part of all well-rsgulatea funeral ceremonies
another cause for tho great demand on the
etlgy manufacturer and u consequent source
Of revenue to him. The head bein. OF wool
or liable cardboard and tho body of cheap
though gauly material, there is nothing
about one of these images which may be con.
sidered OF v'lue; tho ingenious workmanship
in which such n display Of detail is mad,
may be noted ~ Of far moro consequence
than the useful or extraneous stuff which
goes to make up the potent and mystic joss.
Even the paper nnger-nails, of extraordinary
ie1stn, are nusly curved, AMI the Tuck
solcd shoes and fan are not omitted. A half
completed joss is one OF the queerest-looking
sights to be seen in tho Chinose quarter,
work being commenced from the feet, aud
the inside portion of the body being plainly
visible.
The subject OF tbs proposed purchase was
again brought up by the Mongolian, and
while he was jabberinB away regarding the
merits Of the life-sized image which the re-
porter had singled out and telling what good
luck it would bring the buyer, another
Chinaman, leading a child, entered the apart
ment. The little heather was down on his
knees and had bumped his head against the
floor before tho joss, wtilo a youthful plgtail
trailed in the dust. before the reporter knew
what to make Of tho scepo. Jerking the
youngster to his feet, his guardian snapped
out something in his native tongue, whsrSat
the child began to cry.
"Him no goodee," explained the newcomer
to the reporter, and pointing at the image,
said; @No catcnee led spot on MIN eye"
The reporter saw an opportunity to with
draw, but tho j~oss-maker followed him to the
door.
"You habbee him-ten dolla.n
@No. III call again"
uSixee dolla."
But with a "Good-day" his visitor had ned