The Baptist headlight. (Topeka, Kan.) 1893-1894, 1894-01-18

| One Of t no, interesting PARTS
Of til. ton OF China 5 The city of
Chu-fu- : J. il tie DrOvinye Of Shan
/ tung, the b riA ace of C0ufuc Us,
the founder Of CunfucaniSm. says a
| letter from China to the Boston
Globe. 1t was in this city that this
much-revered philosopher began his
i teachings. and after many years spent
in various provinces o. the empire,
spreading the reig on of which he
was the founder, he ret Irned to his
native city to die, and there now his
tomb is the magnet for thousands Of
! pilgrims from all over this vast en-
pire.
In love and veneratlOn by his fol-
lowers the tomb of COnfucius is
hardly second to that Of MOhammed
at Mecca 1t is kept in excellent
preservation, disciples being annually
placed in charge Of it who regard and
keep this trust imposed upon them
with strictneSs and cOnscientiousness
probably unknown in any other por-
ton 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
makes the trip to the tomb both
pleasant and attractive.
At the northern end Of this avenue
Is the gate Of entrance to the burial
ground. Entering the gate an
other avenue shaded by tall cypress
trees, leads by large bronze bell,
FUSED in all COnfucian temples, through
/ 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, or in the sea are
carved and placed on each side.
On each side, just by tie last in
closure, stand two statues of heroic
size, mounted on lofty pedestals repre-
senting two wise men OF the past,
one on each side of the road, looking
more solemn than funeral, as if to
remind the worshipers that here was
no ground for merriment, no time for
gayety, and no place for thOughtlesS-
ness.
Underneath a finely decorated pa
vilion stands the venerated 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 itgrow huge gnarled oaks and
tall, stately cypress trees, whose
dreamy and moaning sound, caused
by the wind, lends an additional
solemnitY to the surroundings.
Before the mound is a tablet about
six feet broad and twenty feet high,
upon which are inscribed the name
and deeds of him who lies beneath.
These inscriptions, translated, mean
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
tomb Is somewhat similar mound
and tablet marking the resting place
Of COnfucian' son, HUNK li-Pal, who
was born B. @. 532, and died at the
age Of ~ years. and before his father.
The instructions that the son of
this man received from his illustrious
grand sire became fruitfully developed
by his own philosophical mind, and
took shape in the treatise entitled
"Chum Yung, the Doctrine of the
Mean" which embodies the Confu-
clan ethics in their highest form.
He is canonized as one of the Sau-
Pei, or four associates of the sage
and enjoys the title of the Philoso-
pher Tzu, or the tranSmitter
A short distance to one side of the
tomb is a spot held sacred to the
memory of loving and patient fol-
lower of the sage known as TZu
Kung, who in early life became dis
ciple of Confucius, and was one Of the
principal propagatOrS of the new re-
ligion. Upon the death of Confucius
this disciple 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, and a tablet
In the wall records his years Of
grief.
Outside the Enclosure containing
tombs above mentioned are the graves
of tens Of thousands of the latter
day followers OF Confucius, who have
desired to be brought for burial as
near as possible to the resting place
Of the founder Of their regligion.
It is the desire Of all thorough Con-
fucianists to have their ashes rest
near this sacred spot, and almost
daily one OF more followers are brought
to this already overcrowded cemetery
to have their last wish gratifed,
Effect OF Light the Skin.
Whon @hn clyir, l.