Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1892-11-12
THE TOMB OF coNFUcIUs.
utqh Ii, uors still Paid To the Memory of
the Chinese sage.

One of the most interesting parts of
,bis sect on of China is the city of
Cbu-fu-b sien. in the province of Shan
tuug. thu birthplace of Confucius, the
tounder of Confucianism, says letter
rom China to the Boston Globe. 1t
rqs in his city that this much-reyered
philosopher began his teachings, and
after many years spent in various
nroyipces of the empire, spreading the
Terr.on of which he was the founder,
he returned to his native city to die.
and there now his tomb is the magnet
for thousands of pilgrims from all over
this vast empire.
In love and generation by his fol-
lowers the tomb Of Confucius is hard
IL second to that of Mohamrled at
Mecca. 1t is kept in excellent preser-
vation, disciples being annually placed
in charge of it who regard and keep
this trust imposed upon them with a
strictness and conscientiousnes prob
ably unknown IN any other portion of
the world The tomb lies about three
miles north of Chu-fu-hsien. A finely
laid out avenue arched over with tall
shade trees make the trip to the tomb
both pleasant and attractive
Al the northern end of this avenue
is the rate of entrance to the burial
ground Entering the gate another
avenue, shaded by tall cypress trees,
leads by large bronze bell, used in
all Confucan temples, through a large
doorway in wooden palisade, richly
carved and ornamented in Chinese
STYLE. and now we enter upon sacred
soil. Leading to the tomb on each
side are huge animals cut in stone.
Lions and tigers, elephants and horses,
animals half dog and half frog, and
beasts that have never lived on earth
in the sky, o. in the sea are carved and
placed on each side.
On each side, just by the last in
closure, stand two statues of heroic
size, mounted on lofty pedestals, rep
resenting two wise men of the past,
one on each side of the road, looking
more solemn than funeral, as if to re-
mind the worshipers that here was no
ground for merriment, no time for
gayety, and no place for thoughtless-
ness.
Underneath finely decorated pa
yilon stands the yenerated grave of
this, one of the greatest philosophers
the world has ever seen. The grave is
very simple and surmounted by a
mound about twelve feet high Around
ii grow huge gnarled oaks and TALL
stately cypress trees, whose dreamy
and moaning sound, caused by the
wind, lends an additional soemnity to
the surroundings.
Before the mound is a talhet about
six feet broad and twenty feet high
upon which are inscribed the name
and deeds of him who lies beneath.
4 These inscriptions, translated, mean
d the perfect sage, the first teacher, the
philosopher, etc, etc, and at its base
is the sacred incense burner, with
vases About thirty yards from this
u tomb is a somewhat similar mound
ii and tablet marking the resting place of
81 ContuciuS' son, Kung li-Pai, who was
III born B, C. 500, and died at the age of
Z AZ years and before his father.
@ The Instructions that the son of this
@ man received from his illustrious grand
8S% sire became fruitfully developed by
All his own philosophical mind, and took
fF shape in the treatise entitled "Chum
n fung the Doctrine of the Mean"
which embodies the Confucian ethics
4 in their highest form. lie is canon
Il lied as one of the Sau-Pei, or four as
socates of the sage and enjoys the IL
tie of the Philosopher Tzu, or the
trausmitter.
short distance to one side Of the
tomb is a spot held sacred to the
memory of loving and patient fol-
sower of the sage known as Tzu kunG,
who in early life became disciple of
C0nfucius, and was one of the princi-
PSI propagators ~ the new religion.
Upon the death of Confucius this dis
ciple is said to have sat and wept for
years over his masters grave. A
small pavilion now covers the spot
where he sat and wept, aud tablet in
the wall records his years Of grief
Outside the Enclosure containing the
tombs above mentioned are the graves
Of tens of thousands of the latter-day
followers Of Confucius, who have de-
sired to be brought for burial as near
as possible to the resting place OF the
founder of their religion.
1t is the desire of all thorough Con-
tucianists to have their ashes rest near
this sacred spot, and almost daily ono
or more followers are brought to this
already overcrowded cemetery to have
their last wish gratifed.