The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-07-24
Chinese Monasteries.

dom men get tired of life, Of society, of the
endless struggle for existence, and retire to
some retreat where they can pass their re-
naming days in quiet, study, and benefac-
ton. These retreats Mi-au) correspond
to the monasteries of Christian lands.
They are invariably long brick buildings,
one story in height, simple and solemn IN
architecture, and located either upon the
mountain or in the depths of forests.
Around the building is a windowless wall,
symbolic of the busy life forever shut out
from view. In the grounds and upon the
surrounding land nature is assisted, but
never interfered with. The flowers bloom
and die, the trees grow gnarled and crooked,
the weeds and creepers thrive until some
times it would seem as if no human being
lived in the vicinity. Closer examination
will show that every plant produces beauti-
ful flowers or wholesome food and fruit is
carefully watched and watered, and every
resource of vegetation in supplying human
wants husbanded to the last degree. This
also is a symbolism of the brotherhood who
tenant these retreats. To them the useful
flower and tree represent the good of hu-
manity; the weeds, the evil. The duty of
a true manhood is to aid and develop those
who are righteous. but not to injure the
wrong-doer, leaving to nature the task OF
eliminating the latter from her great econo-
my. These retreats do not belong to spe-
cifc orders, as in the western civilization,
but are founded by one or more persons
for the simple sake of rest. The forms and
ceremonies of admission amount to nothing.
Any person who has failed in life: who
had lost those he loved, who has sinned
and repented, who is old and unable to
work, is eligible. He presents himself,
giving his name, address, and history, trans
fers to the brotherhood all he possesses,
promises obedience to all lawful commands
of the Brother Superior, loyalty, friendship,
and sympathy to his fellow-members, and
devotion and aid to all human beings In
sickness or distress. He is then admitted,
given a new name and new costume, as
signed a room, instructed as to his duties,
and the initiation is complete. From now
on his life is fixed. Study and conversa-
ton, the cultivation of the field and garden,
or the improvement of the retreat and the
instruction of brothers who have been less
favored, are his daily duties. At times
he is sent out to obtain subscriptions for
the common fund, Or to nurse the sick or
feed the starving, but these occur infre-
quently.
The government of these brotherhoods Is
pure autocracy. A Brother Superior
governs for life. At his death he appoints
successor; if the appointment lapse or be
not made, the brothers elect one of their
own number. The regulations are about
the same as in monasteries, emitting the
element of religion. Cleanliness, sobriety,
industry, chastity, intellectually, charity,
and humanity are the seven stars of their
heaven. No woman is allowed to cross the
Threshold of the retreat; no wine, stimu-
liant, or narcotic permitted except for med
ical use; no quarrelling, loud conversation,
games of chance, indelicate or vulgar talk
is allowed. Disobedience is punished by
reprimand, suspension, temporary ostraclsm
or expulsion, according to the degree Of the
offence. Religious faith scarcely enters
into their daily life. In the same retreat
will be found the Brahma Buddhist, who
believes he will, after many ages, be alb.
sorbed into the Divine Being; the Lama
Buddhist, who knows life to be an evil and
prays for annihilation (Nirvana); the fol
lower of Khoung-foo-tsee, who worships
the spirits of his ancestor the disciple OF
Lao-tse, who believes in the Immortality ui
all forms of life.
The dress worn in the retreat is any that
NAV suit the comfort, taste, or convenience
of the brother; that used when without the
walls is generally yellow in color Chat be-
ing the emblem of repentance and right
eousness), and indicating by badge or cut
the retreat to which its wearer belongs
The number of inmates varies, The lowest
is that of Laichew, which has but two
brothers; the highest that of Tai Sin, with
roll.call of 600 names; the average, if the
imperial census may be relied upon, is
| twenty. The entire number of Mi-aus in
the empire, exclusive Of caravanseries, lam
series, and distinctively religious establish
ments, is slightly over II 900. This would
show an army of over 100000 men who
have renounced the world forever. A
quaint ceremony is the burial of a brother
The corpse is treated as he may have re
quested, or as he believed With one the
jost-sticks are lighted and kept burning
about the bier; with another incense is ig
nited in metal braziers so that his soul may
pass away through pleasant clouds; with q
third the body is laid in dark cell, where
sound, life, warmth, and light never come
On the third day after death the body is
carefully washed in alum-water and nitre
and then placed in a great earthen jar Oh
vase. This is put in the centre of large
pit, and round it built large fire Of wood
and charcoal Day and night it burns
until what was once the brother has become
but handful of grayishwhite ashes
Then, when the FIRE has died and the jal
become cold, the ashes are carefully re
moved and placed in a small cinereal urr
of dark, red clay. A tablet with the name
date, and it may be kindly sentence deep
ly engraved, is then placed beside the urn
which is then deposited in the mausoleun