The herald., 1896-10-29
THE Chinese FAIR IS OPEN
Curious Sights to Be Seen in
Niger Alley"
THE TRIENNIAL FESTIVAL
Big Devils, Little Imps and Hades Pic
torially Presented
Opening of the Three-day Feast-All
Can Eat Free of Charge, But Must
Abstain FROM Meat.

The Chinese triennial Precipitation OF
the devils or feast of Du Gong Ok OPEN
ed yesterday evening in the brick build
ing at the southerly end of Niger al
ley and is now on in full blast. The
purpose of the celebration or fair was
fully explained in last Mondays issue
and need not be further elaborated
upon.
In front of the two storerooms, cover
ing the sidewalk and extending into the
street, a wooden shed has been erected
where the images of the devils are dis
played. The store rooms themselves are
occupied one by restaurant, the other
by the affairs to the deities and SYM
bolieal pictures representing the tor
lures of the damned in hell. The shed
built over the sidewalk has an opening
only in the north side. On either side
of the wide doorway are the mammoth
figures of the big devils of the universe,
the Shon Di Low. These are some six
teen feet high. Above the doorway is
relief picture of a Chinese temple or
joss house done in silver and gold paper.
IIllSllIS Tue IOOlll OH lHt llSHl III
cclosed by railings are the devils Com
Joi, the striped faced devil of gluttony,
the white robed and tear stained faced
mourning devil, Toy Sin, and Con Foo.
the judge, with his attendant servitors
or policeman. The glutton devil is placed
so that he can look straight into the
restaurant or eating room and sea all
that takes place. Further along is a
huge altar of fancifully carved and
gilded wood, upon which is a man.
moth brass urn in which large stick
of sandalwood shoulders and clouds
of incense arise. Behind the altar are
the figures of twenty of more devils with
the heads of dogs, bats, cats and all
corts of creatures on their bodies.
Over in another corner, also inclosed
with a railing, stands Ma No, the cap
tain of the horse guards, with his white
tissue paper steed by his side, the devils S
messenger ready to fly anywhere to do
their bidding. ung up on the walls are
large frames a foot or two deep which
contain each from ten to 80 figures richly
costumed, representing scenes from
historical plays on the Chinese stage.
Along the wall are stacked curious
lances, pixies and old-fashioned battle
axes, such as were used, and are still
carried in some parts of China today,
as weapons of warfare.
Hanging in the center of the room is a
huge lantern of exquisite yet gaudy
decoration which is a marvel in it's way.
1t is composed of a central hexagonal
hollow pillar covered with white silk
and larger top and bottom from which
small supporting braces are run. Around
the circumference of the bottom run o
procession of ballet dancers, jugglers,
horsemen, dragon fighters, etc, in a
never ceasing whrl. On each of the six
faces of the central pillar is also NOV
ing scene. One represents a cockfight,
another fowler with a gun endeavor-
ing to shoot a bird lodging about in a
treetop. the third a juggler standing on
his head in chair, his legs waving in
the air as he maintains his balance;
fourth, man rowing a boat and a wo-
man standing on shore tanning herself,
the fifth, fisherman trying to catch a
crab, and the last a man beating off a
dog which is attacking him, with stick.
All these figures move in lifeilke man
ner and are worked solely by heat wind
mills. turned by the hot air rising from
the lamp inside.
The south storeroom is devoted to al
tars reared to the sods and pictures of
the deities adorn the walls h every
hand. There are ten banners which
represent the tortures of the damned in
hell and which show that the Chinese
idea of hades is not unlike the old Or
thodox Christian belief. There are poor
coolies being roasted in huge cauldrons
while the devils poke them up with
pitchforks; others who are thrown on
beds of spikes; another who has been
lashed between two planks and is being
sawn in two lengthwise by devils with
a crosscut saw: another who was liar
in life having his tongue cut out; others
being gored by bulls, eaten by tigers,
thrown into dens of poisonous snakes,
ETC., etc. The Chinese name for hell is
Sip Wong In and if it is anything like
1T is pictured it must be good place to
keep out of.
On the several affairs and before each
of the devils supplies Of punks are kept
burning and the choicest feed is set
before them. During the three days of
the festival no we'll disposed Chinese
will eat any flesh or anything which has
had life. Nothing but vegetables are
eaten. In the storeroom occupied by the
restaurant everything is free to the Chi
nese. Everyone may come and order
what he wants, eat, drink and be merry
at no cost to himself-only no meat is
served. This will continue all through
the celebration.
Over on the west side of the alley
along the back end of a row of buildings
which face on Los Angeles street a huge
billboard has been erected, on which will
be posted in huge characters on red pa
per the names of the various donors to
the funds for the celebration and the
amount given by each. The big dragon
has been taken out of his packing cases
and put together in the loft over All
Los Angeles street ready for the big
parade on Saturday afternoon when he
will make his first appearance. The
dragon is about 200 feet long and much
finer than the one which was shown
here during the last Fiesta. The fair
will be all in ship shape today and
those who do not visit it between now
and Saturday night will miss a rare