The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-12-16
THE FEASTOPLITSIyG GUNG
4 rRsgSSIAL gSsrfvAi or oRgAt
IMPORTANCE ~ SHINsTOWN
weird Ceremonies Co,irs Thoussrds 81
Dollars In the tsrH-.t and Wssithiest
Heather Temple IN the tnItsd ststs..

entail temple In America 10 In san Itan,z-
COS Chinatown n IL tho o~utgroNth Of Tho
shrine that WAS established over rty yenf'
ago, when the FIRST chinese came TO calf
fornin's newly discovered gold fields From
a small beginning the Institution has de-
veio ped during the decades until now 1t
IL tho biggest aud veaIthiest Chinese re-
lisious concern outside the imperial empire
Under the name OF tho Sing Yung tociety
II has gathered 10 its support more than
1900 thlnsss and has accumulated city
property and a cash fund aegregatinR many
Thousands OF dollars ltowns real estate on
Commercial street and the fine threc-story
brick building and tho lot 1t occupies on
Wsvcriy place
Last week the society devoted fvc DAYS
and nights TO the celebration OF an import
ant ceremonial that II observed but, once
In three years FOR that one pfayeriIl iesti-
val the thri " Celostials 20 attributed about
$1,000 The result was the attainment OF
re mott ei"S9rnte and i,nP9rtan, t eTson
way, on he b%u.ine.. Door Of he s%cislys
redparer .Ilacards showing tho names and
offerings Of the various contributors. In one
high, hall were 800 Of these slips. each repre-
s%entinr a io-cent donation Two walls 81
the assembly room, where they, we're not
occup pied by huge pictures and other ornate
dollar sIIIrs Along another wall by a stair
S Sss 'sa.9 " &. !: s .a ssr ,,S Ss ,IiIEp.e chamber were
names Of the men who. had given money TO
tho cause. And all who came looked over
tho, array of apparently similar records TO
Who had been qbtio to Give more II eralfy'
This ,srooial occasion was practically, a
tTisnni1 srf" e 2son OF Trar.I f1T III. den. deqt r Tiys
One 81 them chanted tho r%ecnllar ritual.
IN a sipe-sonc tone he uttered what, his fol-
I"~fr 70 At t2o d P3ps 8 I'd an ]Iel aatTs'' 81 in the an . a.
scribers. But mono was 20 wise a. to know
the exact .rhraseology used These priests
in ve-bsl srony rom a ~. "RRaantdfopot' A:
other tlmcs tho head rnrrtiorary would sing
aresomcly While nToclei;ninc In q mgmhHnf
had ralj 70 have their dSsr ones rcmirdcd
~ the thoughts Of The llyin! Three times
. a dny n. ~ rs;9 Ella whlGlnS chan, Of tie ,t+iesJi
or croiched before the smole-soented altar
AID adire.sed. the heather gods, About 10
NOON snd about 7 in tn. everlrg we're tn.
accomrs"lmert ~ wsird TSirc,e ~rsic'
clssSedi and t'a...ersed Il" c,Tvmb'aS's. and bea.
.I.rlsd With rs ons-st-ina fddles. squeallnS
After Nvo days Of these periods Of pray
ing and plsyine tho great festival was CON
street OF ia tSonsands q ' duplIcyp,e .lp5ss
q t,hosc. Casted, on he inner walls, Hun
dreds Of litti", fr.s hlszod slonG the mar
r wore ptyyifcfi tss2TTGG'ssbSsi'Tmse. n T Tso nd .,dS'v cSms
to witness this Anal tribrt. to their dead
re- ativee back through centuries.
TO til, national resard for the "'I Shirt o,
The dsrsrted .klnsTan ia tho devotion II
inc all dobts before the ChlnSse Vew Years
aaaHHl' rraSiic. ~ :" Il" Oldest we st sii"' In tho TrsiIt
With such instructive customs forming rnrt
~ tbs frrmevord q the religion Of China
In the unprorrcsslvs old empire are satisfied
with their religion. and they generally object
20 the a%s4nwntion Of The Younger civilizations
lowers Of the tenets Of. wise cid. Coniucius
TO the Chinese. Many Of rs clements are
s1Gs as e,l., IN N all Grs.ds, T. diIsr. chiefly
ciety' Thew coutribute according TO their
Som. OF them. when departing for China,
make a moner present to the institution,
IL mi, way dhr v Con sH mSinia'n"d; In
able auxiliary Income from the sale 81 punks
and saN1alwood 70 tourists and other visit
tor. who enter the iosshouae and find them
selves confronted on the altar with a very
0cc'dental sign surgcstns tho purGh.fe
larger donation they have the privilege Of
being continuously on tho roll, Of the society
REGULATION pravers Of The priest. The punk
pnrch assrs receive but the ono PRAYER. Whom
that il offered no one knows, There Is a
strong suspicion here of acquired Western
methods aud, a copmerclql, instinct, con
sid-ring It's size and cost this temple 4. sell
f2s t rss q i2r t. .stisiIuf ju. WH SHdsd an and nq ifs
ssmi-annunl celebration In honor, OF the idol.
ouong kong are almost the only occasions
the centre Of religious interest among the
$4,000 persons composing the Oriental popu-
lation Of ChinatoTn.
temple. They are hired to como and per-
form tho ritos. There are ten. professional
engaged for this recent demonstration, Thoy
were apr. rGnt!y s5s,sted ny seven attIe boys.
Sf9 nT IN iTTbn GtSh to 9%GSlyies in the
was merely a tgurehead sttired 10 represent
the gold button men,. or certified graduates
head priest was soiemniy Chanting and sc-
conpanyiug his rhythrnio delivery with tap
pings on a lttle metallic plate the richly
the mating and mature men among the close
spectators laughed occasionally In tho half
s s.aG'f race. peF 6htg To- tho wax Su !S'SSi nad n 1q tneis
bis brow. pqckered, his ewes with a far-a~ay
tG0g tSclr Z kne "iss and IL to% U's ,fsl+p T T"rGIess Gs to tEe
mating At other times a hardly noticed
s slat tEs yaSp, TS.l' Of ,BBss Easv rbG Sf sBst1nstsi
dull SOUND. With a Mile stick and pune,
tuates them At intervals with a olashins Of
A man comes nlorg and relieves the drum
N.r; Tho moyss on to H1rIare the meal for
and cymbal .~slashipg continues. with the
m%tser,Es Of ether ths head ,S5 e priest st IT. TIE I,I,sis
iH IN thsip .,ocEii. Gee Feet ''I B et't the "'q pI lest SSy@r
hesitates. or tyrrs until no has finished his