The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-12-07
MASTER OF HEAVEN.
\ SINGULAR INSTANCE OF cREpu-
LlTY HOLDING SWAY 1900 YEARS.

Enriy In .ha Christian Era-rhe sea-
which Hriue. Ia q GoodIy Revenue.
The history Of popular delusions more
especially :hose relating to religious or
quasi religious be .efs has been dealt with
by many able pens Most educated people
have some ocquaintance with the super
natural plcten@ions of people like Joanna
Southcote or joe smith. II may, however.
bee safely alleged that scarcely one Euro
peau in million has ever heard Of a most
singular iustauc. Of popular credulity,
which, dating TX to the first century,
has held sway even to- the present day.
Probably q earliest notice of the so
called "N '.ruf Heaven" which appeared
in any European Norl, is TO be found in the
"Auualc- q. la Fol" or missionary .Col.
lectan,a' OF the Jesuit priests, forwarded
in the~hape Of letters from various por-
tious Of the hcathen world Writing IN
1866, Father Dymicourt described the then
living master in no favorable terms. IL
WAS, however reserved for the well known
authority ON Chinese matters, Mr.. Chal.
mers, 20 6r,t irt, lduce the title and its
bearer 10 the notice OF the English speak
ing world \ few months later Mr.. III.
kopsch gayc q more detailed and extremely
As these papers are quite inaccessible to
the general public--one public library only
in England possessing Il copy-the follow
ing details will doubtless be Of interest:
About q years after the birth Of Christ
a child was, according to the legend
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 9 feet = inches. His personal appearance
otherwise was not less unusual Triangu-
lar eyes with green pupils, and a crimson
scalp, arms reaching below his knees, and.
with an occipital bone of striking projec-
ton, he must have been at least note
worthy Ia the eyes of his neighbors
1t may. by the way, be noted that how
ever unver cious these details of his looks,
Chang Taoliug actually existed. His career
is sketched iu the annals of the province in
quite the same vein as are his physical
\ scholar OF profound cru
ditiOn and able to foretell coming events,
he sent in so mastery paper on the trou-
Dles then besetting the empire "a. ID. d0)
that the emperor appointed him governor
pointment for 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-Mang 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 the air and commanding the services OF
devils and bogys. Among the supernatural
feats with which he was credited was the
slaughter Of million devils with one
stroke of II vermilion pencil These, at the
humble interoession OF their six kings, he
to life upon condition that they
betOok Themselves to western countries
and left China alone.
1t was at Mount Ho-Ning that Charv W
fessed to receive in persan S, divine com =.
mission as the "MasteEff Heaven" Among
the insignia Of his 9ew office was magic
seal which would IMPRESS 100 sheets Of paper
At once, although only touching one. The
seal, of course, Is claimed to he over 500
years old
The masters son Heng succeeded his
father, who Is alleged to have been taken
lp into heaven after having attained the
age OF l23 yea a son has in turn sue
,eeded until i.' present day. During the
Ming dynasty hich terminated in 1914,
.he then master was guardian OF the
leir apparent To the throne. As an illus
ration of the duties devolving upon the
Of the masters post, the annals
'ecord that in l'0' the then master OF
heaven was directed to offer sacrifices on
he hVe great mountains OF China to charm
lway the ghost OF the white sheep at
Hwangchow and to rid the Tai-hu lake N
.he crimson monkey which haunted iti
Another gobllh called the Iron Lock, the
Tread ana terror oi the boat people, as ips
the Key TO the winds, was also
commanded TO be got md OF by the subtle
arts OF this magician.
The TAPPING rebellion naturally induced
he superstltlous ruling powers tFconsult
-he then representative OF the long defunct
Shang Iao'ling, IL need scarcely be said
that bis charms and exorcisms failed To pro
luce the slightest effect, aud he ignomini-
1usly He'd. The vicious lives led by the lat
sr masters had already led To their being
regarded with contempt by their immediate
leighbors, but superstition dies hard in
China. lhe present abode OF the wizard is
situated about q miles south Of Kiyer XII.
a town IN hiangsi' IN the Dragon and Tiger
mountain already mentioned. The two
animals are represented by two high peaks,
ind between these lies the Palace of Su-
preme Purity as the masters temple is
lhe CRATE IN Whlch the mystic pill OF i'm
hortalty was hrs' rehheo Is stiii shown,
S is aso 1he ruins OF the Terrace whence
-hang l"o-hng ascended 20 heaven. A
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