The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-08-16
A CHINESE JOSS HOUSE.
The Beautiful Temple Of the Gods
In Los Angeles.
Kwan Kung. tho God of War, and His
Exalted Position Among the Ceies-
tial Deities-Ipteresting Fes-
lures of the Worship

One Of the finest Chinese temples In
America is found in the city of Los An
geles. the metropolis of southern Cali
fornia. 1t was erected three years ago
and is the property of the Kung Chow
company. The entrance of the build
ing bears the Chinese inscription: "Pu-
rify myself by fasting and self-denial."
On the first floor, says the New York
Herald, is the assembly room, or guild
hall of the company, over the door OF
which is gilt inscription, reading:
Honesty Is the bond of association"
The proper place of worship is on the
second floor, constantly guarded by an
old gray-haired Tao priest. On the
veranda, over the door, is red tablet,
bearing the inscription: "Leet Sbing
Kung, or, pantheon of tn rloly Gods.
Worship offered at this temple is ac-
cepted by all the gods. On either side
of the door are three red tablets, with
gilt inscriptions. One chandelier and
two lanterns of enormous size hang
from the ceiling. In a corner stands the
furnace where paper money and other
sacrifices are burned.
Entering the temple from the veranda
we come to an isolated folded door,
that is never opened except when the
idol is carried forth in procession.
Over the door hangs n magnificent
monumental gateway piece of carved
and gilded woodwork. 1t is most
artistic composition of miniature tenn
pies, festooued with flowers, amid
which are throned the principal gods
and goddesses of the Chinese Pantheon.
Behind the folded doors are two affairs,
bearing the utensils of sacrifices, the
joss sticks and the five sacred imple-
ments. consisting of an urn, two can
dlesticlxs and two vases. The fronts of
the affairs are set with elaborate carved
work. representing scenes of feudal
times. the pageantry of royal courts or
figures of sages and kings. illustrious
generals and statesmen, mingled with
gorgeous peacocks and fabulous birds.
The walls are adorned with bright
colored tablets bearing eulogistic in
scriptions to the gods. One in crimson
reads: THY grace abounds like ocean
waves" A purple tablet says: THE
breath of the gods fills Heaven and
earth
A Chinese temple has no fixed time
for religious services. The worshiper
comes when he has something 10 pray
about Family sickness. adverse for
tune or some risky business under
taking drives him to the oracle. As he
enters he lights his candles and in
ceuse. kneels upon Il mat in front OF
the altar. and calls upon the god 10y
H.,
takes up two sem-oval blocks of wood
called Yum Young Puey, bows toward
the idol, says his litany and losses
them up. The success of his supplica-
tons depends upon the position in
which these blocks fall. If they both
fall in the same position the god is not
at home or is in bad mood. If the
blocks fall one with the fiat side
turned up and the other with the fiat
surface turned down. the god is sup
posed TO be ready to listen. The wor-
shipper now knocks his head three
times three upon the floor and offers
up his petitions. Tins done, the priest
takes a cylindrical bamboo pot contain
ing bamboo slips about fifteen inches
in length, each marked with IA number.
These are called sticks of fate, and are
shaken together with the ends turned
to the idol, till one is jostled out. The
priest OF temple keeper looks at the
number, consults his books, and hunts
up the answer given TO the mans
PRAYER. The drum beats and the bell
tolls
OF all the gods worshiped by the Can
tonese in America kwan Kung is the
most popular. He is the hero of their
ballads, novels and dramas, the embod-
iment of Chinese patriotism. In life he
was a distinguished general, who, dnr-
ing the reign of Emperor Lau Pey, con-
quered the various tribes then inhabit-
ing the country, and welded them into
one great Chinese empire, called the
Middle Flowery Kingdom. 1t was
not until eight hundred years after
his death, however, that he be-
came god. The occasion of his canon
ization Is said to have been the drying
up of the salt wells in the province Of
Shan ST, calamity that caused wide
spread misery. The emperor and his
ministers are said to have prepared
written prayers, which were burned
and conveyed to Heaven in the smoke.
An hour had scarcely elapsed when, as
the legend says, Kwan Kung, riding
his red charger, appeared in the mid
heaven. and informed his majesty that
his petitions could not be granted till a
temple was erected TO his honor. No
time was lost; hundreds Of masons were
set TO work, and when the top stone
was set in its place the wells once more
yielded their supplies.
II is said that during the rebellion of
1855 the hero appeared to the COM
mander in chief of the imperial forces,
directing the plan for the campaign
and assisting in the battle that led to
the overthrow of the rebelsat Marking.
Grateful for this interposition. the en-
peror, Hen Tung, placed him on the
same rank with Confucius in the ma
tional pantheon, and Kwan Kung was
henceforth known as the god of war,
whose full apotheosis title is the Faith
full, Brave and All Compassionate
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