Morning journal and courier., 1888-12-03
RELIGION IN CHINA.

Theory of Celestial Worship-some
 Curious Forms.
 By whatever name anyone of the Chinese religions may be called, writes the author of "The Dragon, the Image, and the Demen," not one of the three is in reality a religion; each is philosophy, cold, formal, heartless; a collection of rules and precepts for the guidance of everyday life, and having no spirit of devotion. The only real worship of fered in china is to heaven, earth, and to de- ceased parents. Heaven is the father of all; earth is the primal mother, and to these first ancestors, and to all subsequent, the worship of the Chinese is paid, and this Is the only real devotion known from one end to the other of the Chinese empire. To be sure, there is the worship of one's immediate an- cestors, but this, according to the best au- thorities on the subject, is not really worship, but is sort of 6lial respect shown after death to the parents, disobedience of whom during life constitutes the grossest sin known to the Chinese code of morality. But heaven and earth are the principal objects of devotion. The Emperor woIships at 8 gorgeous altar set upon mound built of earth taken from all parts of the empire, while the peasant, having neither altar nor mound, takes the largest clod which falls from the plough in the course of the spring ploughing, or the largest unbroken sod he can turn up with his spade, lights candles before it, and falls OOHA dAO OTsulHS Iu6 TopEOS6uGdGlf0 O1 lnc earth. The worship of earth and heaven, however, is an abstraction; but not so the worship of deceased ancestors, which is @ liv- ing reality, but as it is conducted in China, seems, as already hinted, to. be an extension of filial affection, rather than devotion paid to superior beings.
 The theory of Chinese Worship--if 1t may be called by that nane--is that the dead are dependent upon the living for food, clothing and money, and need much, in fact far more | than they needed during their lifetime. Ae- ! cording to the Chinese theory of life, every ! man is provided with three souls and six spirits, the latter at death going to the earth, | whence they, together with the body, came. The three souls separate from each other at \ the death of the body: One goes to hades, another remains in the coffin, and the third stays about the house where the deceased | lived; SO for the three souls provision must | be made for the dead, when the deceased an I cestors are worshipped in the houses arc | satisfied by an abundance of food, which | must be hot and newly prepared: the souls 1 which remain in the coffins are content, il | appears, with simply rice and 6 drink oi ! some kind, which need not be hot, whilt ! paper money, clothing and other necessaries | are provided for the souls which go to hades I and transmitted thither by burning paper representations of the articles to be trans mitted. Paper clothing for the souls ii provided in great abundance, and, according ] to the author. this is the most enterprisins
 business in Soochow, and year by year new l goods adern the counters. The trunks, witt l brass paper locks, are filled with every kini of clothing; if for 8 man, they are mandarin l robes, official hat and top boots, with al
 kind of underclothes, and paper nail boot for the rain; if for women, their garments ar painted as if of the richest embroidery, anC
 are truly very beautiful patterns. The as sortment of goods comprises chairs, tables
 beds, mosquito nets, bedspreads, pillows sedan chairs, horses, men sevants, mait
 servants, cups, teapots, writing materials
 basins, tobacco pipes, opium pipes, tans 1 musical instruments, clocks and watches
 "these last such perfect limitations, that flo
 years I thought them genuine" all thes
 articles being burned at the graves, and tn
 soul in hades being supposed, according
 to Chinese doctrine, to receive the benefi
 of them in real articles corresponding il | value and appearance to those whose coun
 terfeits have gone up into flames. At tn
 paper stores, or fsouls goods" stores,
 also to be had great abundance of pape
 money, which is also burned at ths graves
 but cheaper and better way of transmit
 ting funds to deceased relatives is provide
 by the "Bank of Hades." The priest
 sometimes give notice by gongs and placard
 that they will dispatch 8 treasure boat t
 hsdes. The old women all bring thei
 strings ot silvered paper to the boat, whic
 is placed by the canal till it is full of it
 precious freight, when, after the ampl
 rewarded priests march round and chant
 it is burned, a check on the Bank of Hade
 being handed to each one who makes a de l Dosit