The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-12
MUkDEN IS PROTECTED
BY CHINESE RELIGION
Reasons Why Russia and Japan Do Not Care to Destroy
the Ancient Capital of the Manehus.
Treasures and Tombs.

yellow roofs are upheld by richly carved
wooden supports. while the tracery on
the stone face is rich and of high ar
tistfos merit Some distance In front of
this noble structure stand tseo aasGIsse
sizf rs. resting ON the backs OF tor
toIses. on which are carved Ia Manchu
and Chimes directions for travellers TO
disHount tom their horses lest the
ashes of the great man should be dis
turbed by The ella ak Of hoofs.
Other interesting relics In the environs
OF the city are the Temple Of Heaven
end the Temple Of Earth. both of which
were built by Tai Tsung, and the re-
mains OF which are still to be seen-
A Vast Treasure.
The peddler's pack and boots are not
| the only objects believed to be guarded
in the palace OF Mukden Enormous
wealth, accumulated BIZ the successive
emperors of the Ming dynasty. is said to
be hidden within It's walls. Should this
prove TO be the case. the robbery has
been conducted on ssupendous scale.
It has been the custom Of the court
since the inauguration OF the present
dynasty to send every year to Mukden
about 81. 500 coo to be stored. and. calcu-
latfng at tbs rate. the treasure must
have reached tne sum OF about $500, o0e, :
600 by this time, for the reign of the
present dynasty over vast territory OF
400 provinces dates back Il, 200 years
ago
Like all the cities of Name huria, Muk-
den Is laid out on regular plan, which
reminds one of the arrangements Sof
American towns. The main street runs
due north and south, and the second
best crosses it at right angles, while
no al r.
teeming with an INDUSTRIOUS population.
Almost all the houses are one-storied.
the better class constructed or gray
brick. faced and cornfced with slabs and
tiles of the same material. which are
| sometimes beautifully carved.
Flourishing Missionary Center
MancEluria has been foursshing CEN
ter OF missionary activity. and not
few evidences of 1t are afforded In Muk-
den itself The Roman Catholics, who
began their propag anda early In the
seventeenth century, have a pretty
church and an orphanage in the city.
The irish and Scotch Presbyterian mis-
sionaries Iaboring in the same field num-
Der round half dozen. There is
medical mission. which was conducted
with remarkable success by Dr. Christie,
and which combines preaching the Cos
pei WITH healing the sick.
Among other missionary establish
ments In Mukden are girls school and
a boys school, boarding school for
daughters OF members of the Presby-
terrain Church and q hospital for wo-
men. Attached TO the chapel is q book
shop where scientific works are much in
request
Muisden has also many mosques. for
large numbers OF the Manchurians are
followers of Islam and seemingly quite
devout- Their exterior is unpretentfous
and seldom marked by any architec-
turai beauty whatever The temples
are much handsomer and are of all
sorts Of designs. There are those be-
longing TO the Confucians. the Bud
dhlsts, the Taoists, and two 70 the
Sflinto sect. There is superabundanee
of gods and deTni-gods. but the Bud
dhistic preponderate much more than
farther south
The vleeroy lives in the inner city.
as do all the other high offiefais cour-
tiers, and retinue. In fact. ii may be
said that the vice regal court was al
moss as brilliant and extensive as the
courts of many European nations. There
was a heavy garrison maintained in the
place, numbering seldom less than 1900
soldiers of whom :. coo were cavalry and
the rest infantry.