The Virginia enterprise., 1907-12-13

idols and shrines which are to be met
on every side in Japan. The idolatry
of the Chinese may almost be said to
have been exaggerated. While every
house has its Kitchen god" there is
lacking the god shelf that is found in
most Japanese homes, and the public
idols are few, except in temples.
Confucianism, which is more code
of ethics than religion, is the ma
tional creed, and Buddhism is suppos-
edly the dominant faith, but Taoism,
which makes room for an innumerable
variety of spirits, holds the greatest
sway, if any one of these three blend
ed religions may be said to dominate
The ordinary Chinese is not Confu-
cianist, or a Buddhist, or Taoist; he
is all three. In Buddhist and Taoist
temple he worships in exactly the
same way-as, indeed, he does also
before his ancestral tablets-and it is
difficult for an uninitiated person to
distinguish between the two temples.
None of them, as a matter of fact, is
over rushed with business.
On New Years day there is consid-
cradle patronage of the temples, with
the burning of unmeasured incense
and bushels of paper money and the
offering of innumerable candles, which
last the thrifty priests quickly extin-
guish and melt down, to be sold over
again. There seems to be no moral
idea connected with Chinese worship,
gambling games run in full blast in
the temple courts. A prOverb show
ing the contempt in which priests are
held, runs, Every shaveling is ras-
cal, and every rascal is shaveling."
The priests are despised lot.
FooIing the Spirits.
But the geomancer, the fortune tel
Ter, and the writer of charms, does a
thriving business. John has all the
1nveterate gamblers belief in good
luck" And he is superstitious to the
last degree. Mr.. Charles M. Alexan-
der, the famous evangelistic singer.
fell with his horse a few weeks ago,
during visit to southern China. He
lay unconscious, but none of the
coolies accompanying the party would
help pick him up. They thought they
might displease some of the spirits
who wanted Alexander's life. AS it
was, he lay helpless and unassisted
until missionary and native Chris
tian came along to pick him up, and
he was in semi-conscious condition
for several days subsequently. Sim
1larly, one Chinese will watch another
drown without stretching forth a
hand to help him.
Every imposing residence in China
has pasted on it's doors hideous images
to scare off the evil spirits. Streets
90 not run straight, in order to battle
the spirits. Inns and large residences
have stone screens in front of the
principal entrances, so that evil spirits
may not find their way in. Charms
hang over almost every doorway.
Graves can be located only after the
dispositions of the spirits of wind and
water have been consulted-and. in
the case of wealthy persons, it re-
quires a deal Of time and money to
find out what the spirits wish. Much
OF the native religion is associated
with the dead. The Chinese are fear
full lest their dear departed should re-
turn to trouble them. Therefore, the
massive coffins, the offering Of food at
the grave, and the burning of paper
images of money, houses, clothes, serv-
ants, and even, in one case wit
messed, paper jinrickishas.
The Chinese and the Grandfathers.
OF all the religious tenets Of the Chi
nese, that of ancestor worship is the
strongest, although it can hardly be
disassociated from spirit worship. 1t
is probably less matter of love for
ancestors than of fear of their spirits
which lies at the bottom of the Chi.
nese regard for the departed. The
great occasion for doing reverence to