The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-11
CHINESE CIVILIZATION.
Methods Of Punishing Crime Are har'
barrie, But an Excuse IL Offered.

Methods Of Punishing Crime Are Bar
| barrie, But an Excuse IL Offered.
"One OF the reasons why the Chinese object
10 con version by missionaries is because tney
have already pretty good religion OF tneir
at the hotel Kensington on bis way home TO
England, after a fifteen months stay In
Pek1n and Tien Tsin. Probably more myths
have been circulated about China than about
all other countries put together, and some
day, when the powers shall have thrown
open the empire. we shall be surprised TO find
the nnp pretty o o
ruplion OF their own country. 1t Ia true their
modes of punishment and their manner of
administering justice seem to our Western
minds barbarous and brutal still, with the
French Revolution at our backs and The
Spanish bull6ghts before our faces, 1t is more
satisfactory for us not 10 Judge Cinnamon
| from our own standards Of mercy, but 10
| take them as they are, strange people from
| whom we Westerners have much TO learn
morally and otherwise.
THEIR RELIGION.
ITO begin with their religion: A large
number OF Chinese are Buddhists.. Buddha
was born 62S b. c. Chinese Buddhism en-
Ones namely, Buddha, the past Dharma, the
present and the Lord ; and Lenga, the future
and the church or the priesthood. The moral
code Of the religion contains ten prohibitions
Il killing, stealing, adultery, lying, selling
wine. speaking fa 'se OF Others, seif.praise and
backbitipg, parsimony, and scofting, un-
corrected anger, and revll!ng the three Prec.
"The Buddhist Church in ThIbet has it's
| pope, Its cardinals, It's bishops, priests, and
nuns, exactly as has the Roman Catholic
| Church. And more, II has infant baptism,
confirmation, masses for the dead. rosa ries,
chapets, sacred water, and PROFESSIONS
| "The teachings OF Buddha were reduced TO
writing 93 B. G. The entire canon Of the faith
4 SpQ N mi nj ioA In n I Ito a h.
described as coming from heaven, being born
Of q virgin. We coined by angels, received by
an old saint, presep ted IN q temple, baptized
scribed as astonishing the doctors with his
thnderstan ding, was later led into q wilder.
ness, where he was tempted by the devil, and
thereafter he went sbout doing wonders and
preaching. he was q friend TO the poor. was
trans6gured on mount, descended into hell,
and finally assembled into heaven.
l. AN ANCIENT FAITH IN CHINA.
ut seems doubtful when Buddhism was
introduced into China. 1t ~ recorded, how
ever, that In the year 63 A. D. the Emperor
Han -Ming-Ti had vision wherein he saw a
great golden Image around whose head was a
\ halo, and 1t was believed 1t meant truth.
The Emgeror's brother. Prince 1su, having
heard Of Buddhism from India said the Wis.
Ion seen was nothing but the great Buddha.
after some years, bringing back wooden
Image, counterpart OF the golden one, one
book, and Hindu priest.
1ia"The great temple 1T Pekin, called the
Yung. g.Ho. Kung or the Lama temple, is q
Mongol Buddhist monastery, In which there
are some 100 acting priests Here the dog.
| mas OF Buddhism are taught under the con.
! troll Of Gagan. or living buddha.
"The studies comprise course OF instruc-
and medicine. -,
low the teachings OF Confucins, which are the
worship of ancestors. One Of the provisions
tof this creed is that no son shall live more
tsxpensively than his fathers or mother.
CHINESE PsovERBs.
proverbs and sayings Of a people are
bAIRays indicative OF its character. Here are
teome Chinese sayings: If the blind lead the
EbIind they will both 60 to the pitt AN old
led willow sprouting! "A wife should excel
Hns four things, virtue, speech, department
land dsneedle.work.' Every day cannot be
Ie6afseter Of . Prince look at bis minister, or
1.-The disposition of man, observe his conpan.
Ion, or that OF father, mark hts son The
Ehigher rat creeps up cows horn the. mar.
while we have wine, the sorrows oftomorrow,
|nay be borne by tom orrow.' .ySt &. 80 a.
|ss There ls probably no other characaeristie
|barfans Sas have their methods gof punish.
nent.l In the Board Of Punishments tn,
FPekinS which is the prison for ministers. they
tSs racE oDs 6nsn
rings 10 suapena men up by their thumbs and
saSTbe following Is a story .ofa Chinese ex.
ecntion. as t9ld me by Sir Robert Hart, an
eye witness,
isEightl prisoners were TO be beheaded. The
mandarin, vi ho was the executioner, sat in en-
open booth, and as the eight men marched
BY him each was marked on the forehead.
Seven ofthe prisoners were 10 suffer for rob-
bling and numbering an old man. The eighth
was mandarin who had been degraded
for an offense which he declared he never
committed. Once be had been a great man
iM China, evan as Ii Hung Chang. He had
been Z, a,prisoner for many years, when sud-
denly bis e1ecutiorer ordered 5y the.
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