The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16

oEies to 4D a. d. we VII. ma an
account of one Hwui Shan. who il
that year returned to China with
the statement that he had co-se from
a country lying great distance to the
east. His story so excited the interest OF
the government that the imperial histor-
iographer was commanded to enter II
upon his official records. Although the
Chinese and Japanese are both thor
oughly familiar with the story Of Hwui
Shan's discovery, the celebrated Chinese
scholar. Ma Twan-lin, searched the origi-
nal records and made copy of the Inn
perial historiographer's original digest.
that II might be proved beyond the shad-
ow of doubt
Hwul Shan was a Buddhist missionary
priest With five brother missionaries he
left China. sailing north by the PENN
sula OF Kamchatka. to the Aleutian ISL
ands, eastward to Alaska. and thence to
Fusang. which Is the name of the coun-
try he tells the most about He de-
scribcs the people he encountered on his
voyage. The Aieutian islanders, he said.
were happy. joyous people. having the
custom OF tattooing their bodies. and
they received the stranger with great
show Of hospitality. East Of these Islands
was the country he called the Great Han,
whose inhabitants had no implements OF
war nor carried on a war with anyone,
but were content to live by hunting and
fishing. The description OF a people APP
plies truly to the inhabitants Of Alaska
the Eskimos. who are peaceabie peo-
pie, never having been known to have
had wars OF any kind.
Description Applies TO Mexieo.
Fusang. literally the Land OF the Null
berry Tree, Is described as being situated
twDe 10000 II to the east Of Great Han.
By a glance at the map It will be seen
that an easterly course from that part
Of Alaska nearest the Aleut!an islands
would bring the navigator to British Co
lumbia. but then the old Buddhist mis-
sionary may have been careless in regard
TO his sailing directions or the imperial
historiographer may have carelessly sub
stituted east for southeast. Twice 1000
IT. IL figured variously between 5000 and
1000 miles, and that distance In south
easterly direction from Alaska nearest
the Aleutian islands would bring the nav
igatcr on the coast OF Mexico. Now.
Hwut Shan's account OF Fusang and Its
people where he appears to have tarred
some time, applies to Mexico. His par
ticular attention was called to the fact
that the inhabitants Of the country had
no walled cities OF towns, which would
be the frst naturpl observation Ola Chit
naman arriving In a thickly populated
country from one where everything is en-
COmR034eQ with n wall ~ sl NtAltiu-
Hwui Shan describes the houses of Flu
sang a. being constructed Of adobes or
sun-dried bricks, similar TO those of the
Pueblo Indians OF the present day, and
then be gives a faithful description of
the Mexican agave, the most useful OF
all plants to the native Mexican. He said
they made cordage and paper from It's
fiber and ate the tender sprouts OF Its
young roots. He speaks of milk which
was probably none other than the ferment
juice OF the maguey. the pulque Of the
present day, and calls the tuna the fruit
OF the cactus, which we call prickly
pear, a red pear. which IL not pluckad.
remains ON the tree throughout the
season. The people had no iron. but used
copper In variety OF ways ana gold was
OF no value, Speaking OF the inhabitants,
he said the children married at very
young age. which is true of the aboriginal
tribes OF Mexico.
The religion OF Buddha was founded In
Central India about the beginning of the
Christian era No Jew. Greek, Roman or
BYahman has ever thought of converting
any one to his religion. BY them religion
was considered a private or national prop
erty, vita which no outsider had any bus
mess to interfere. But Buddha. the foun-
der OF buddhism, commanded his prose-
iytes TO e. forth with his doctrines aud
preach them In every part OF the world.
1NHA with FtlkiDn East itiuttn arts Nffu
carried into China and Buddhism was
eventually accepted as a religion by the
Chinese. who preserve In their records
accounts OF Journeys made by various
desotees OF the Buddhist religion In ss5
A y. $40 Sis and s2a. These accounts
are all written BY the Baddhists them
selves whereas the account Of Hwm shan
Is chronicled by the imperial historic
grapher
Hsf,v of ire Poyse~ 10 Fussne.
After the destructioa OF the dynasty of
Tain in go China was divided into two
empires that of the north and that Of
the south IL Yen Chen. q Chinese his
torlan, who wrote the history of these
two empires about the beginning az the
seventh century, gives an account % Fu-
sang and describes how the land Is reach
cd by sailing along kamschatka, the
Aleutian islands and tho coast Of North
America Ry this route the navigator Is
out 81 sight 90 land but once. and that
but for a distance Of ea miles The
Nuen kin Lu Hau. the great Chinese
encyclopedia. Kiyes an account % the
discovery OF F,usanE hy Buddhis, priest,
who arrived In the village OF King Cho~
on his return from a voyage 10 that king
dom The article IL illustrated With 4
picture ~ native 81 Fusang MILKING
hind with white spots, iis young stand
Ing near, also spotted The picture h
probably imaginary. hut II Is curious 70
note that this species OK deer Is found
In Mexico,
We haze q that Hwui shan returned e
China. that he was missionary priest
who had becn 20 some country FAR 20 ths
east. where he had Left his ave cempan-
tons 70 carry out the missionary worh
commanded by B0ddha, the founder N
their religion. Whatever became OF these
FIVE missionaries We can only conjecture
A thousand wears have passed since HWu
shan arrived IN the village of kiag CHOW
and related his wonderful discovery. ans
the ptpws Of the Spanish carayels pillow
the Caribbean sea ana the Mexican gulf
They and people snhahlting the main
land possessing civilization nearly equa
20 their own, The Axtecs inhabited wei
built cities. possessed written records ans
maps and made paper from nber Of IN,
agave. Their advanced state OF eIyiltEa
tlon was matrei only By their ahominaei,
sacrifices,
The Mayas OF Nueatan had attained ever
greater degree Of civilization than IN,
Astees. especially IN arts and srchitec
tural sciences, as the remains OF theh