The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-05
CHINESE IGNORANCE.
SuPERS-.--c-S ABOUT TEE
DEAD.
Peculiar Religion.
Peculiar Religion.
Harper's u kiV.

Harper's Weekly.
The ceremonies 80 often Observed on
occasion. Of death ALI have their origin
in the demonology OF tile Taouri-;-
Paper clothes. paper PALACES, laper
pipes, and paper money are burnt when
a man dies to provide the soul OF the
dead with means Of brbing it, way
through the devils Kingdom TO IT. rest.
and the clothes burned are often pat
termed after high officials gowns in or
der to impress more favorabiy the -pIr-
It's encountered on the mysterious
journey.
Taourist priests are called 10 consult
the soul Of the departed 10 ascertain it,
wishes. They discover the locality for
burial and indicate all details OF this
last service to the dead
The Shanghai railroad met It's doom
from this source. The priest Informed
the people that the rumbling noise of
the cars and the steam engine were
distasteful to the dead who filled the
numerous mounds along its course To
appease the wrath OF the dead, Chinese
capitalists bought the road with its
equipments, and tore up the tracks, and
stored the entire plant under sheds at
Shanghai. Thus it is seen that this re-
llgiOn stands in the way Of all innoya-
tions in that old country and the first
thing necessary in order to Introduce
railroads into China Is to dethrone the
priests and infuse little common-sense
into the people.
During the prevalence Of the great
famine in Northwestern China III 1874
rs there was an unusual flood in the
valley of the Yang-tse se-kiang. The
priests endeavored tc solve the mystery
Of this uneven distribution OF rain
The censure fell upon the royal house
hold of Peking. 1t is the duty of the
Emperor to enter the Temple OF Heaven
twice year and invoke the blessings
of Heaven upon the people. He al
ways asks for ram among other things,
and the impression obtained that the
Emperor had hurriedly asked for rain
but had not taken the pains to state
where he wanted it. The result was
that floods came in some places, while
famine from drought came in other
places of the empire. This feeling was
producing a genera! spirit Of revolt,
when in 1873, the rains came TO the
rescue in the drought-smltten prov
inces.
A few OF the more intelligent China
men at Shanghai, with whom ! have
conversed, exhibited an independence
of thought which was exceptional. 1t
showed tendency to break away from
the tyranny Of ignorance and supersti-
ton, wbicn tendency must eventually
spread sufficiently to awaken an age of
reason. And when it comes the Taour-
ist high priest must fold his tent and
silently march away.
But the dominance of ignorance and
quackery OF priests will hold China in
slavery to an unreasonlng fear and ir-
rational faith for generations yet un-
born. Yet the seeds of better intelli-
gence are being planted in this dark
corner of the earth. The people OBJ
serve that Europeans give no heed to
imaginary devils, and nevertheless pros
per without the intervention Of priests E:
and thus the realization Will eventual
ly dawn upon them OF how GENEROUSLY
their forefathers have been hoodwlnk-
ed, cheated, and robbed by the reign OF
demonology, created and perpetuated
for their own gain by the army Of Ia
ourist priests.