The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25
CA.WTON
ZE1NTZE0F EZTE NUVpRED GODS

representing incidents in the life of Buddha
are very skilfully wrought, and one oannot
help feeling indignation at the vandalism
Of the foreign soldiers who during the
Boxer troubles defaced this ancient monu-
ment.
WHERE TIL EMPEROR PRAYs.
BY far the most impressive and elaborate
religious structure in China is the Altar OF
Heaven, not far from the city Of Pekin.
1t was built under the Ming dynasty 500
years ago, and is still visited twice each
year by the Emperor, who here offers sac
riiccs to heaven.
The sacrifcial altar is built entirely
Of white marble. 1t is a triple circular
terrace, the base being q little more than
200 feet in diameter, the middle terrace
$50 feet and the top terrace nearly 100 feet,
each terrace being enclosed by q beautifully
carved balustrade.
1t stands about eighteen feet high, and the
Emperor, ascending to 1t alone, kneels at
midnight and as the representative of the
whole people makes his offering to heaven.
A bullock without blemish is used as the
offering or these occasions.
In architecture the altar reminds n OF
the Greek structures, while some of the
features OF the ceremony recall the rites Of
the Israelites as described in the Old Tesla
ment.
Near to this altar is a pagoda, standing
upon another triple but smaller marble ter
race; it is popularity known as the Temple
of Heaven. Hero on the first day of the
Chinese year the Emperor offers his supple
cations TO heaven for a blessing upon the
year
This is the most graceful and symmetrical
! pagoda in the empire, II not in the Orient,
and no one who visits the capital should
fail to see it. Both the altar and the temple
are surrounded by a high wall, and the en-
closed court is shaded by veteran oedars.
Tricks PLAYE ON EVIL SPIRITS.
While Buddhism has been regarded as
! the religion OF China, Taoism has also
influenced the thought Of the nation. 1t
/ teaches the existence Of spirits. but has
degenerated into superstition and the
attempted Cancellation Of evil spirits.
For instance, before each official resi-
dence and before many private residences
will be found a wall, higher and wider
than the front door, the purpose OF which
is to keep out the evil spirits, which are
supposed to travel only in a straight line.
When a building is to be made more than
two stories high punches of leaves are
often tied to the top Of the poles used for
scaffolding to deceive the evil spirits and
make them believe that it is a forest instead
Of a building, they being supposed to be
hostile to high buildings.
After the roof is on, however, the building
is safe, but the ridge pole must curve up
at the ends to keep the spirits from de-
soending.
Boys are very much at a premium in
China, because the duty of guarding the
grave devolves upon the oldest son. II a
man loses a boy or two he sometimes
dresses the next boy like a girl in order to
deceive the spirits, for a girl lie, or at least
used to be, beneath the notice OF even evil
spirits,
A very intelligent Chinaman explained
the dissemination Of the ordinary China
man to rescue a drowning man on the
ground that if the evil spirits we're trying
to drown the man they would resent and
punish any attempt to save him.
ooNfuoIus's TEACHINGS,
More potent than either Buddhism OF
Taoism has been the influence of Confu.
oius and his commentators. This great
philosopher wal born 551 B. c., and Mencius
his greatest disciple, 200 years later.
The moral principles discussed by them
were not presented as original conceptions
but rather urged as the principles Of pre-
vious Emperors whose lives were regarded
as ideal. In another article, in the dis
cussion OF China's awakening, ] shall speak
Of the ethical teachings OF Confuoius, but II
Ia worth while to note at this time that hi
u~tterances with regard to government fal
far short Of tie generally accepted doctrines
of to-day.
While he insisted that rulers owed certain
duties to their subjects and were good oil
bad in proportion as they set an example Of
virtue and governed wisely he did not init
mate that the people have either the right tc
or the capacity for self-government. His
doctrines support the idea that Glasses are
necessary, the superior people governing
and teaching, the rest doing the manua
labor.
Confuotus taught that those who were not