The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-06
DEMoNoLoGY OF THE TAouIsrs.
Religion That Has Done Much tn
Stay Chinese Progress.

gag NA4AcaE Progress.
From Harpers Weekly.
The ceremonies so often observed on
/ occasions of death all have their orizin in
the demonology Of the Taoulsts. Paper
clothes paper palaces. paper pipes. and pa
per money are burnt when a man dies TO
provide the soul of the dead with means
Of bribing its way through the devils
kingdom TO its rest. and the clothes burn
ed are often patterned after high officials
gowns in order 70 impress more favorabIy
the spirits encountered on the mysterious
journey. Taouist priests are called to con-
suit the soul of the departed to ascertain
its wishes. They discover the locality for
burial. and indicate all details OF this last
service TO the dead.
The Shanghai railroad met its 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 il is seen that
this religion stands in the way Of all in
novations in that old country, and the first
thlnS necessary in order to introduce rail-
roads into China is to dethrone the priests
and infuse a little common sense into the
people.
During the prevalence of the great fam
/ Inc in Northwestern China in Isis there
was an unusual flood in the valley of the
/ YanS-tse Kiang. The priests underworld
to solve the mystery Of this uneven distri-
button Of rain. The censure fell upon the
royal household a Pekin II is the duty
of the emperor to enter the temple of
heaven twice year and invoke the bless
ings of heaven upon the people. He al
ways asks for rain among other things,
and the impression obtained that the en-
! peror 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
drouth came in other parts of the empire
This feeling was producing a general feel
ing of revolt. when in 1878 the rain came
to the rescue of the drought-smitten PROV
inces.
A few OF the more Intelligent Cinnamon
at Shanghai with whom 1 have conversed
exhibited an independence Of thought
which was exceptional. 1t showed a ten
dency to break away from the tyranny
| of ignorance and superstition, which ten
dency must eventually spread sufficiently
10 awaken an age of reason. And when
it comes the Taouist high priest must fold
his tent and silently march away.
But the dominance Of ignorance and the
quackery OF priests will hold China in
| slavery to an unreasoning fear and ira
| tional faith for generations unborn. Yet
the seeds Of better intelligence are being
/ planted in that dark corner Of the earth
The people observe that Europeans give
no heed to ina ginary devils. and neverthe-
| less prosper without the intervention Of
| priests; and thus the realization win even
! tually dawn upon them Of how grievously
their forefathers have been hoodwinked.
cheated and robbed by the reign Of demon
| ology, created and perpetuated for their
own gain by the army of Taouist priests