The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-11-18
"A Singular4lnstanssAoof Crsdulity
-" That HAAss Held! Sway ,8oo'S7s
Years.
Story of Chang TAo-ling, Com
missionad Master OF Heavsn
at Mount HoSNing.
From Father to sOn Possession Of b
CffiGs Has Descended Since Early
IL This Era.

,outhcote or Joe Smith. 1t may, however,
" safely alleged that scarcely one Euro
,ean in . million has ever heard of a most
instance Of popular credulity,
which, dating back to the first century.
mas held sway even to the present day.
Probably the earliest notice of the SO
"MasteyM Heaven Which appeYTed
In any European work is to be found in the
'.Annales de Ia Fol" or missionary 'Col-
.lectanea' Of the Jesuit priests, forwarded
in the shape of letters from various por-
tbGs, of the heather woSl Writingt in
1854, Father Bemicourt debSribed the then
living masters IN no favorable terms. AIT
was, however, reserved for the we'll known
authority on Chinese matters, MI. Chal-
nlefa, to firsta introduce the title sndSits
bearer to the notice Of the English speak
world. A few months later MI. Fl.
Kopsch gave a more detailed and extremely
interesting account of the whole subject.
AS these papers are quite inaccessible to
the general public-one public library only
in England possessing q copy-the follow
ing details will doubtless be of interest:
About "a years after the birth Of Christ
a child was, according to the legend.
m~iraculously born Of a virgin mother in
the province of Kiangsi. As with the
founder of Buddhism, his childhood was
distinguished by extraordinary precocity
and the power OF performing supernatural
feats, BY the time he had reached 20 years
of age he had attained the modest stature
of Q feet Q inches. His personal appearance
otherwise was not less unusual Triangu-
lar eyes with green pupils, and 8 crimson
scalp, arms reaching below his knees, and
with an occipital bone Of striking projec-
ton, he must have been at least note
worthy in the eyes Of his neighbors. 49,
It may, by the way, be noted that how
ever unveracious these details of his looks,
Chang Tao-ling actually existed. His career
is sketched in the annals of the province in
quite the same vein as are his physical
characteristics. A scholar of profound CRU
dition' and able to foretell coming events,
he sent in so mastery a paper on the trou-
bles then besetting the empire IA. D. CO.,
that the emperor appointed him governor
of Kiang-Choo. After holding this ap-
pointment for a few years he resigned, and
then commenced the career which secured
for him the celebrity which has lasted till
the present day.
Leaving the scene of his government, he
became a hermit in the Pei-ManR noun
tains and devoted his time to the study of
witchcraft and the discovery Of the elixir
of life. He was next heard of on the
Dragon and Tiger mountain. Here he COM
pounded the mystic pill Of immortality and
discovered the means of ruling the demons
OF. Il h air and commanding the services of
devils and bogys. Among the supernatural
.feats with which he was credited was the
slaughter of a million devils with one
stroke Of q vermilion pencil. These, at the
humble intercession of their six kings, he
restored to life upon condition that they
betook themselves to western countries
and left China alone.
1t was at Mount Ho-Ning that Chang pro-
fessed to receive in person a divine COM
mission as the Master of Heaven" Among
the insignia of his new office was a magic
seal which would impress 100 sheets of paper
at once, although only touching me-. The
seal, of course, is claimed to be over 1900
years old. r
The masters son Heng succeeded his
up into heaven after having attained the
age of 1873 years. A son has in turn sue.
ceeded until the present day. During the
Ming dynasty, which terminated in 1644.
the then master was guardian of the
heir apparent to the throne. AS an illus
tration of the duties devolving upon the
occupants of the masters post, the annals
record that in 17O7 the then master OF
heaven' was directed to offer sacrifices on
the five great mountains of China to charm
away the ghost Of the white sheep al
uwangchow and to rid the Tai-hu lake Of
the crimson monkey which haunted 1t
"Another goblin called the Iron Lock, the
dread and terror of the boat people, as i,
contained the key to the winds, was alst
commanded to be got rid Of by the subtle
arts of this magician"
The Tapping rebellion naturally induced
the superstitious ruling powers to consul
the then representative of the long defunc
Chang Tao-ling. 1t need scarcely be SAT-
that his charms and exorcisms failed to pro
duce the slightest effect, and he ignomini
DUSTY fed. The vicious lives led by the lat
er masters had already led to their beinI
regarded with Contempt by their immediat
neiyhhors, but superstition dies hard y
China. The present abode Of the wizard !
situated about "a miles south of Kiver ri
u town in kiangsa; in the DRAGON and Tige
mountain, already mentioned. The twl
animals are represented by two high peak
and between these ties the Palace Of 81
prenie Purity" as the masters temple
named. '%S'
The crate in which the mystic pill of in
mortality was first refined Is still shown
as also the ruins Of the terrace whene
Chang Tao-ling assembled to heaven.
number of monasteries surround til
palace" but they are mostly in a state
decay. Revenue accrues to the master
from two sources. The first is that d
rived from exercising ghosts from ii
houses Of the richer residents in the pr
vince, m%andarins, etc, or otherwise aver
ing i'll and inducing good luck to thel
who seek his services. The second and fl
more lucrative source il the sale of chars,
The size of Il charm as sold is | foot
inches in length by . inches in breadth, tt
paper being very common and fragile. TT
yender alleges that. however undecipl
cradle to human eyes, ghosts and goblin
can read the mystic characters, and wi
betake themselves elsewhere in doub
quick time on beholding them.
The price as6ed for one OF these charm
is a little over ST. Coughly. about Is. Sd.
and several thousands are sold annual.
the proceeds of which are, according to a
accounts, ~squandered in opium smoking
drinking and gambling on the part of IL
very human %arrogator of the title we hay
piyen,-pall Mall Gazette.
nt Y. rot Hsadacss