Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-28
Poon-KOo Wohhg's Part in the Story
of the Creation.
A NATIONS WORKS And WONDERS
Records Of Her Scientists Gen.
turtles Before Christian Era.
WALLS THOUSAND YEARS OLD

III ire beSIiliiS, so CnlneSe WEltefS re-
late when all was darkness and confusion,
there came from a vast mundane egg,
which divided itself into two parts, hui
man being, who is, and always has been,
known in Chinese annals as Poon-koo
Wong.
OF the upper portion of the shell this be-
ing formed the heavens, and of the lower
part he made the earth To dispe the dark
ness by which all was enveloped he ere
ated with his right hand the sun to rule
the day, and with his left hand the moon
to rule the night. He made the stars also.
Then he called into existence the five ele-
ments of earth. water, fire, metal and wood.
The above and the information which fol-
lows was derived from a Journey IN
China" by John Henry Gray. NJ. A. LID,
archdeacon of Hong Kong, and the Middle
Kingdom by S. Wells Williams. professor
OF the Chinese language and literature at
Yale College.
Chinese writers say also that in order to
people the earth Poon-koo Wong made
cloud of vapor rise from piece of gold
and IA similar cloud from piece of wood.
By breathing on them he gave to the vapor
which arose from the gold male principle;
and to that which assembled from the wood
a female principle. From the union OF
these two clouds or spirits sprang son and
daughter, Wing Lee and Cha-noee; and the
descendants of this pair in due course of
time overSpread the whole country. Thus,
according to Chinese cosmogony, came into
being the land of Han and its vast popula-
ton in other words, the world and its in
habitants. In honor of Poon-koo Wong
there are many temples throughout China
The idol of this hero of antiquity is an al
most nude figure made of wood clay.
Around the loins is a representation of an
apron OF leaves. Such, say the Chinese
was his only covering, there being no
clothes in those earliest of days
The prlmordia of all countries are enVel-
oped in much that is obscure and fabulous,
and it is extremely difficult for the histo-
Ran to fix the period when civil history had
its beginning. China Is no exception. but
there can be no doubt of the great
tiquity of the Chinese empire. 1t is not
rash to say that it has survived period of
1000 years without having undergone any
great change either in the laws by which
it has been governed, in the speech,
manners and customs of its teeming popu-
lation.
Strong Claims to Antiquity.
1t is generally allowed that celestial OBJ
servations were made at Babylon 2234
years before the birth of Christ and such
observations are probably the strongest evil
dcnce which any nation can produce in sup
port of its claim to antiquity These were
not in any way associated with the history
of suDlunary events. Those made by the
Chinese. on the contrary, have served to
mark the events of their national history.
lity Slbtdh u dll eclipse cdlCuidte1 IN their
country 2loo years before Christ That
this ecliI'Se really took place was proved
by the calculations of the missionaries of
the Order of Jesus. who visited China in the
sixteenth century. Gaubil, one of the early
missionaries to China-a man pre-eminentiy
distinguished for his mathematical attain
ments-eXamned series of thirty-six
ecllpSeSt to which alluSion IS made in the
writings of Confucus After careful ex-
animation he concluded that of these thirty
SIX cclIpses only two were false and two
uncertain. The correctness of the remain
ing thirty-two he considered established be-
You'd all reasonable doubt.
The chronology of the Chinese, however
extends considerably beyond the first of
these eciipseS. and is subStdntiated by at
isfactory evidence as far back as the reign
of the Emperor Yaou. From the time of
this sovereign the history of China be-
gins to assume the appearance of truth
whereas the account of all the preceding
reigns is clouded with fable and uncer-
tainty.
Named for Emperor
The word China is said to be derived from
the name of an emperor of the short-lved
dynasty of Tsn. This emperor who was
named Cheng Wong, is said in Chinese
annals to have been one of the greatest
heroes of whom China or, indeed any
other land boast. He extended his
conqueSts over the countries Immediately
contiguous to the western frontier of his
Kingdom. and he drove the Tartar tribes
in the north back to their mountain fast
nesses. and completed the construction of
the great wall of China to prevent their
lncursons III future. This monarch is said
to have died about 900 years before
Christ so that the great wall of China
may be considered to be more than . 600
years old. 1t can never have been of any
great use, except in checking the preda-
tory raids of the nomadic tribes of Tar
tary. 1t is LOO miles long and so exten-
sve a line could with difficulty be protect
ed at all points. 1t is now merely regard
ed monument of great labor and an
tiquity
It's Tremendous Area
China may be regarded the greatest
compact country in the world as it in
closes of upward of l 300, 900 square
miles. OF this vast extent of surface one
side only is entirely washed by the ocean.
The seaboard, however, extends over $50
English miles. 1t includes many bays and
estuaries. so studded with islands that one
of the favorite and most appropriate titles
of the emperor is the sovereign of the ten
thousand isles. The ocean by which this
vast coast is washed is divided into four
sections called the Tonquin gulf Formosa
sea, Eastern sea and the Yellow sea AS
these seas. which form the southern and
eastern boundaries of the empire abound
with shoals and hanks-the most famous of
which are the Pratas and the Paracelles-
navigation is attended with no ordinary de-
gree of risk and danger.
Oceans Are Worshfped.
OF the oceans or seas of China what are
held to be the NORTH south, east and west
seas are regarded as objects worthy Of
alteration. They are worshiped by the
officials at each vernal and autumnal euui-
nox and sacrifices are offered on these oc-
casions. The ceremony of worshiping the
Eastern is performed at Loi-Chow a
prefectoral city in the province of Shan
tung; the western ocean is worshiped at
Wing-tsi. country or district city In the
province of Sheng-si: the southern ocean at
Polo in the province Of kwang-tung, and
the northern ocean at. Man-chow, In the
prefecture of Smuggling, which Is beyond
the great wall of China. In 1725, the sec
ond year of his reign. the emperor Yung
Ching conferred stiles and other honors
upon four dragons, which the Chinese sup
pose to nhabit these OCEANS.
Thousands of Walled Cities.
The eighteen pfovincss of China proper,
in their collectivescapacity contain upward
of 1000 walled ciaes. Pekin being the capt.
tai. and which. though p royal city and the
seat of the central government, is one Of