Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-28
n MERICA was discovered, not by
n Christopher Columbus in 1892
and not bv Left Ericsson in tho

~ Mbh1CA was ulSCOVSreQ, not by
N Christopher Columbus in 1892
and not by Left Ericsson in the
year 1000 A. D., but by five Buddhist
monks of Kabul in 45S A. d.
This is the testimony of Hui Shen, a
Buddhist missionary who visited
America in 499 A. D., and returning
to China made a full report of his
travels to the Emperor Wu III of the
Liang dynasty.
"Fusang," Hui Shen called the new
continent, naming it after the wonder
ful Fusang tree-probably the MeXi-
can maguey-which supplied a won
derful nectar (mescaD and a strange
ly strong fiber cloth (hemp).
Fusang, according to Hui Shen, lay
10000 ii or $500 miles to the east of
the continent of Asia. 1t was 10000 Ii
or about $3.50 miles broad. And be-
yond 1t lay great sea, which we
know now as the Atlantic.
Tho Chinese Historical Record
The record of Hui Shen's travels is
found in the imperial archives of the
Liang dynasty, handed down with the
seal of approval of the great Chinese
historian, Ma Tuan-Lin. China's civil
ization being the oldest that Left the
Lucky, who dislodged Christopher Co.
lumbus from his pedestal, should now
in turn be joggled from his place of
distinction with the searching of the
| records of the Flowery Kingdom.
Prof. John Fryer, one of the most
famous Orientalists of the world, who
held many educational posts of honor
in China before accepting the chair of
Oriental languages and literature in
the University of California, found
and translated the story of Fusang as
! related by Hui Shen. Be it known that
Doctor Fryer was at the head of three
different colleges in China during his
long residence there, was in charge of
the translation into Chinese of foreign
| scientific works under an appointment
of the court and is the author of more
than one hundred books in the Chinese
| language.
Told Marvels of "Fusang"
Probably no man of the white race
ever obtained so thorough a grasp on
| Chinese history as has Doctor Fryer.
IThe following facts have been set out
! by him, after his study of the oriental
Chinese records:
Hui Shen found on reaching Fusang
| that he had been preceded by the five
monks of Kabul forty years before.
They had established the religion of
Buddha along the Pacific coast from
| Alaska to Mexico, and at several points
| had penetrated far into the interior.
| Their course was to enlist native con-
verts in their monastic order and after
| u MISSION center
! leave it in charge of native priests and
go on to a new field. Hui Shen told the
| Chinese emperor he had found traces
of Buddistic aducation at many places,
the natives practicing the eligion of
! Buddha with the rites which marked
1t in the Orient. He found the natives
! had a knowledge of Buddhist books
! and possessed images of Buddhist or
igin, A plant which doubtless was the
spineless cactus was described by Hui
Shen, who said the people at the ten
der shoots. and he told of the cloth
woven from a fiber plant, the threads
of which also were used for embroid-
cry.
Knew About Paper Making
| He even declared that they made
paper from the fiber. and told of "red
pears" which undoubtedly were the
prickly pears known to-day. There
was copper, but no iron and no money
value was put on gold or silver. Hui
Shen described the customs of the peo-
pie, their marriage and burial rites
and their lack of military weapons or
fortresses with detail which verifies
the present day discoveries of native
civilization on the western coast of
America long before the white mans
advent. Finally. Hui Shen submitted
to the emperor samples of the wonder
ful fiber cloth he had brought with
him from Fusang, as well as a polish