St. Landry democrat., 1893-07-22
HOW THE CHINESE WORSHIP.
A Description of Their Temples and
Curious Customs

Curious Customs.
Every Chinese temple is a house Of
prayer or worship, but no sermon is
preached, no priest installed, no religious
instruction given and no seating accom-
modations provided, according to a re-
cent census bulletin. There is always at
least one shrine, the more frequcnted
temples having several, so that a number
of persons can perform the usual cerc-
mony. each for HIMSELF without being
obliged to take turns. The Worshipcrs
do not meet in boosy. nor is any partic-
ular time set for devotions. When about
to enter upon new enterprise or to take
a journey, or when i'll doubt concerning
any particular course Of action, the Chinese
arc careful to consult their gods and
patton saints. Every worshiper pro-
vides himself with incense sticks, can
dies and sacriiical papers, which are
generally to be had Of attendants at
small cost. Offerings of wine and meat
are added on special occasions. The
candles and incense sticks are lighted
and placed in their proper receptacles.
If wine is used it is put in minute cups
are placed in a row before the shrine.
The meat offerings may be roast chicken,
roast pig or any other table luxury.
When everything is properly placed the
genutleyions begin and the request is
presented. If the answer required is
simple affirmative or negative the wor-
shipper drops pair of lenticular pieces of
wood on the floor a number of times and
calculates the answer from the number of
times each face turns up. Another
method of obtaining responses, particu-
larly when fuller responses are desired,
is by shaking box filled with numbered
slips of bamboo, one of which will fall
out, and then consulting book con-
tanning numbered answers in Chinese
verse.
The interior of Chinese temples is Of
ten highly decorated. The walls aud
ceilings are hung with tablets having in
scrptlons in the Chinese character, and
there are often rows of lanterns and
embroidered silk umbrellas. Fine
wood carving is also to be seen.
The decorations are the gifts of wor-
shippers.
Most Chinese temples are free to all,
No register is kept OF members. OF the
four temples in New York city, one,
Chung-wa- kung saw, claims 1000 wor-
shippers; Chap Using tong, 700; lIok-san-
kung-saw, LOCO; Lung kong kung- saw,
LOCO. Chung kung saw is an organ
ization in which every Chinaman in New
York is supposed to be Interested Chap
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the other temples are supported by those
who come from Hok-san and Lung kong,
respectively. A laundrynan from the
district of IIok san may, therefore, be
member of three of the temples. For
this reason no statistics of members can
be given.
Chinese temples are usually we'll sup,
ported. The revenues are derived largely
from the privilege, sold at auction to the
highest bidder. Of selling the articles Of
worship. which every worshiper must
have. Thus the privilege of selling for
the Lung kong kung saw Of san Fran
sisco brought in 1890 $l2, 5000, and
that for the How wang new in the same
city $3,361.60.
According to the returns Of population
there are 101, 415 Chinese in the United
States, of whom 72,l12 are in California,
9,5i0 in Oregon, $3.50 in Washington,
and 1885, the next largest number, in
New York. In view of the fact that one
of the four temples in New York city
claims 1000 worshipers, while the
whole state has q Chinese population Of
less than 5000, there would seem to be a
large discrepancy. If that one temple
has 900 worshipers, the number of
visitors must be greater than the resident
Chinese population. Doubtless 1000 is
the number that worship in the temple in
the course of year. In other words.
the same individual is counted many
times. A considerable number of the
Chinese are members of Christian
churches. - Wash ngton Star.