Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-04-06
VISIT TO A JOssNIAKER
"A Regular Trade Carried on in Idols in
San Francisco.

San francisco CAFORicGe.
'Me no wantee you Gomez lound hea.
Stay away" and a Celestial frOwn was
bestowed upon the unheeding reporter
from a square aperture in the door of a
dirty and rickety building on Jackson
street.
Its all right, John; 1 want to buy a
joss"
'|Come in, said the Chinaman, in modi-
fed tones.
The rough door was pushed open and
the reporter entered the room where the
jossmaker-for such the man was-plied
mis- peculiar vocation. Here were seen
unsubstantial idols of all descriptions,
ranged around the room in a prOmiscuous
fashion and with what seemed a lack of
| reverence on the part of the manufacturer.
Then there was the raw material-gilded
and cOlOred paper, rough framework and
other ccessOries-strewn about the
place, odds and ends, dirt and disorder be-
ing everywhere visible.
= on paintee man?" asked the loss
maker, as he picked up a scrap of blue
paper, probably intended for the robe of
god, and which the reporter had sacri-
legiOusly trodden upon. "Some paintee
man buy joss; makee pictua.''
"No, Pm not an artist, but l wish to
price the gods. What is this one worth %
and blue, yellow and red idol, with a
staring cOuntenance and with the conven-
tiOnal Chinese head-dress. together with
paper robes, stuffed with cotton, was
pointed out.
''TW ontJ-n dvllo,'' Woo tho reply.
Assuming that the price was satisfac-
tory, and pending an imaginary transfer
of the property, it was found by putting
few questions to the MOngolian that quite
a trade in these idols is carried on in this
city, though of course the chief buyers
VVOrGbinnrC n incc Wbop nj
the joss, if it is one which has been made
to order for wealthy Celestial, or which
is to take its place in a temple, must first
be consecrated by high priest, who with
his acOlytes goes through a prolonged and
apparently recondite ceremonial, wind
ing up by daubing a little red paint in
each of the black eyes of the joss, who IS
then enabled to see into the mysteries of
this world and the hereafter. 1t is the dy-
ing wish of every Chinese who can afford
it that joss may be burned for him after
his death, and this proceeding forms a
part of all well-regulated funeral cere-
mOnieS-anOther cause for the great de-
mand on the effigy manufacturer and a
consequent source of revenue to him. The
head being of wood or pliable cardboard
and the body of cheap though gaudy ma
terial, there is nothing about one of these
images which may be considered of value
the ingenious workmanship, in which
such display of detail is made, may be
noted as of far more consequence than the
! useful or eXtraneOus stuff which goes to
make up the potent and mystic joss.
| Even the paper tinger-nails, of eXtraOrdi-
nary length, are finely curved, and the
thick-sOled shoes and fan are not omitted.
half-cOmpleted joss is one of the queer
! est looking sights to be seen In the Chi
nese quarter, work being commenced
! from the feet and the inside portion of the
| body being plainly visible.
The subject of the proposed purchase
! was again brought up by the Mongolian,
! and while he was jabbing away regarding
the merits of the life-sized image which
! the reporter had singled out and telling
| what good luck it would bring the buyer,
! another Chinaman, leading a child, enter
| ed the apartment. The little heather was
| down on his knees and had bumped his
! little head against the floor before the
! joss, while youthful pigtail trailed in
| the dust, before the reporter knew what to
make of the scene. Jerking the young
ster to his feet, his guardian snapped out
| something in his native tongue, Whereat
the child began to cry.
"Hlm no goode," explained the new
! conner 10 the reporter, and pointing at
the image said: mo catchee led spot on
| him eye"
The reporter saw an opportunity to
withdraw, but the jOssmaker followed him
TO the door.
''You habbee him-1O dolla.'
''NO, I'll call again"
IsuJ With Il -OUUu-uay- III. -,isitor had
| fed the scene.