The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-09

b. c., ordering that all books not treat
ing of divination medicine OF astrology
by destroyed Under this decree thou
sands of invaluable books were destroyed.
including even those of Confucius. Many
volumes were hidden away by students,
scholars and friends of literature. how
ever, and among these are hfty-nine
books Of the original l0o volumes of the
Historical Records" These books con-
tain the earliest authentic accounts of
human events. beginning with the story
of the deluge.
According to the story in the Records.
! Nuh was warned in n vision OF the de-
struction OF the world by water. As
reason for IL the wickedness OF man
kind was assigned.
Nuh at once began work on a great
junk. which he completed and covered
with pitch, inside and outside. Into
this he retreated with his wife and
three sons just as The Noah OF the Bible
IS said to have done. As TO the birds and
beasts which followed Noah, however the
Chinese records say nothing. Nuh took
with him only rice, millet, silkworms and
a tortoise-the last being the Chinese en-
blem of time.
As to the duration of the flood the NH
Guilty In deciphering these primitive writ
ings leaves the idea OF time in doubt.
Signs for days and years IN the manu-
scripts are alike and have been used in
discriminatory, and In addition the $500
years that have elapsed since writing was
Invented have made many of the root
signs obsolete or have changed their
meanings altogether.
1t Is certain. however. that notice WAS
given to Nuh In time 10 prepare the great
junk and that the deluEe held OF until he
and his family were safely housed. After
a long period of drifting on tho wide wa
tiers a bird described as a stork came
TO the window Of the junk. with the sprig
OF a willow IN its heak. and Nun knew
that the waters were receding.
At last the junk grounded on the peak
OF high mountain and Nuh. with his
family. came out and built an altar. or
temple on the spot.
Nearly all Of this Is so closely related
to the account in Genesis as to appear
phenomenal. without tAe further mention
OF the mountains name. This name
Ay-ahr-at Is regarded as the most sig
nifcant coincidence in the whole com.
parison OF the story In Genesis with the
story OF the Book of Records Between
the Chinese name and that 81 the noun
tain In Genesis "a only 4 difference In
pronunciation and change II spelling
and % this day this peak ia eastern Tab.
e. Is regarded as the home 81 the parents
81 Asia. IL IL asserted even lhat Nuns
temple stu stands there. but the place
never has been visited by Europeans.
As 10 the Ararat In Armenia. not even
the natives call Il by that name To the
Afmeuians il Is Masls, and 10 the Turks
/ Il is Ak-Dagh In south Armenia Il has
rival claimant in Mount judi on which
peak was monastery in 1000 A. D. Ma
is as a claimant for the honor of rccelv-
ing the ark, has only IT'S notable altitude
10 recommend e 10 notice white Ay-ahr.
az has no Asiattc rival. and 70 this aav II
retains the name given to u in the Rec
ords.
Addsa 10 all Of these circumstances ans,
situations. 4 IS emphasized that other
books q the early Chinese Civilization
have spread their Influences abroad. ieav-
ing impress upon she literature % other
nations Fifteen hundred years before
Christ she "Ylh Eing." or Book of
Changes" was issued. Confacius was
50 taken with Il that he regretted not
having fifty years IN which 10 study n
As The book was supposed 70 deal with
magic 81 escaped destruction and has
c0fne down 10 the present. II L. difficult
reading. bat So admirers have found x
rae story ~ the physical universe. Wan
Wang was It's author ard scholars have
decided that the book served az a model
( for the my sticsi numbers ~ rythaEorae
Now they ask II PythaEoras knew Of
1 the Book % Changes. why might not
the author % Genesis have seen the Book
q Historical Records and It's account
81 the deluges
II has been remarked that the Chinese
% all other nations see med 10 have been
most deeply impressed BY the legend ~
the flood. To tais day the gates Of all
/ temples aye surmounted by ark-shap<d
/ Communications called ships u Heaven. 20
while on the rivers OF the empire are
vessels Of the same general lines as those
Of the ark. They are pitched within and
without with pitca." having a door set
ia ths sids thereof aad q window hixh