Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1895-03-26
A CHINESE JOSS HOUSE.
The Be autiful Temple of the Gods
in Los Angeles.
Kwan hung. the God of War, and His
Exalted Position Among the Celes-
tial Deities--Interesting Fea-
lures of the Worship.

and is the property Of the Kung Chow
cor,rany. Tho entrance of the build
Ing bears the Chinese inscription: 'Pu
rify Myself by fasting and self-denial.'
O.. the first floor, says the New Yor':
Herald, Is tho assembly room, or guild
hall of the company, over the door OF
which is a gilt inscription, reading
'TIonesty is the bond of association.
The proper place of worship is on the
second floor, constantly guarded by an
old nay-hairca Tao priest. On the
vcranda, over the door, is red tablet,
hearing the inscription: elect Shing
HUNG, or, Pantheon Of the Holy Gods
Worship offered at this temple is ac
c-gptcd b, oil the gods. On either side
Of the doc arc three red tablets, with
gilt inscriptions. One chandelier and
two lanterns of enormous size hang
from the ceiling. In corner stands the
furnace where paper money and other
sacrifices arc burned.
Entering tho temple from the veranda
we come to sn isolated folded door,
that is never opened except when the
idol l., carried forth in procession.
Over the door hangs magnificent
monumental gateway piece OF carved
and gilded woodwork. 1t is most
artistic composition Of miniature tenn
pies, festooned with flowers, amid
which are throned the principal gods
and goddesses of the Chinese Pantheon.
Behind the folded doors are two affairs,
bearing tho utensils of sacrifices, the
Toss sticks and the five sacred nipple
ments, consisting of an urn, two can
dlesticks 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
coiorcd tablets bearing eulogistic in
scriptions to the gods. One in crimson
reads: ''Thy grace abounds like ocean
waves" A purple tablet says: 1.-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 to praJ
about Family sickness, adverse for
tune or .sosnc risky business under
taking drives him to the oracle. AS he
enters he lights his candles and in
censc, knecls upon a mat in front Of
the altar, and calls upon the god by
name three times. The priest then
takes up two semi-oval blocks Of wood
called Yum Yeung Pucy, 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 a 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. THIS done, the priest
takes a cylindrical bamboo pot contain
ing bamboo slips about fifteen inches
IN length, each marked with number
These are called sticks of fate, and are
shaken together with the ends turned
to The idol, till one is jostlod out. The
priest or 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
SC La
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-
qucred the various tribes then inhabit-
ing the country, and welded them into
one great Chinese empire, called the
Middle F'overy Kingdom. 1t was
not until eight hundred years after
. his dea,h, however, that he be-
came goh. The occasion of his canon
ization is said to have been the drying
ND of the salt wells in the province OF
Shan 81, 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 ma esty that
his petitions could not be granted till a
temple was erected to his honor Nc
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.
1t is said that during the rebellion OF
1856 the hero appeared to the com
mander in chief of the imperial forces,
direntinfr the Man for the camnairn