Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-11-23
CHINESE SUPERST|T|ONs
KEEP HEATHEN POOR
Missionaries Teaching OF Christi.
anity Aids Country to Develop
Vast Resources.
NATIVES FEAR DREADED SPIRIT
medicine Doctors" Arc Dispatched
Thousands Of Miles at Great In
pcnSc to Break Evil Spells OF
FcnEhShui Devils.

Tho road TO wealth is popularity sup
posed to lie far distant from the teach
inss OF christianiiy. but The ease OF
Hhina is an eYc'pti"n. tnris',a .h1S
from one OF the most povcrty-Strickcn
countries OF the world into one OF the
riches. Much has been accomplished
already by the missionaries. there and
much Will be accomplished through the
na,ionlwihe campaign Of the Episco-
pal Church. which has an extensive
n-o.ram for expanding and cNtcnding
It's work III China as well as in other
foreign fields and right here at home.
wcal,htes; nations OF tho world. Her
wealth lies practically untouched il
hrr soil C;:.a; deposits OF coal and
iron are known 10 exist in many
and practically all ;hc other minerals
are 20 he found in quantities beyond
hat; gone 10 waste until recent years.
and even now. with the new China
awake to her opportunities of future
wealth. hu; few mines have been OPP
Grated.
The Chinese have long known that
this untouched wealth existed in the
soil. but their superstitious fear OF
what they call fcnEshui prevented them
from digging FOR IL despite their grind
IN. poverty. The fcnsshui is one Of
thira.s greatest curses. economically
as well az mentally.
Chinese Supcrstitioux
The physical world 20 the Chinese ia
not tho dead. inanimatc thing that /;
is 20 Credentials. The mountains
with a kind OF .'rairy"-vcncrahle.
cray-bcarded. wrinkled and thouehtful
who mix themselves in human affairs.
Some OF them arc benevolent spirits
who plan for human happiness; others
are demons that wander about seckin &
opportunity TO deceive and injurc man
Kind. They can transform themselves
into any kind of shape the better to
Gull their human victims.
The Chinese mind has also conceived
are certain invisible forces that exer-
cisc potent infiuence on the fortunes
and affairs OF mon They can bring
sorrow. They can atfici an entire dis
t-ict or country with disease or bless
Il with prosperity. They can send the
Hoods that bring death and destruction
in their wake or send the gentle show
erS that assure abundant crops and the
fultillment OF human needs
These invisible forces are a profound
mystery; they can't be described be-
cause they can't be seen. Their abid-
,ns place. is unknown and they move
, Sy laws ;n,s,i that are incomprehensibe to
know them as fengshuj. that most po-
tent of supernatural forces which has
zone more TO pEeven, China's growth
or even two. things.
Reduced TO y Science.
DESPITE the invisibiliiy and incom-
have reduced fengshui TO a science
There is, class OF men whom we
would call Gcoma ncers, who gain a
comfortable living by protesting 10
Understand the principles OF this
science o: fengshu! and applying them
20 the practca! considerations OF
cSerEdaE life. They are called in by
me Chinese in many matters whert
theY need advice. and are paid a GOOD
round lee for their services.
shui is not TO bless mankind hut Il
inJ9re. il is malignant. naughty
Dad ten pered force that Willy work
havoc in human life unless i; is di.
vHrted by something superior TO Il
INTO other channels. whercupon Il
turns completely about its cursinc
power van!shes and il stays to bless
Every great city. every great pla
IN CHINA has selected in self dozens,
some natural object to act as it's guard
ian against this invisible enemy Tn.
natural object has greater power tina,
the iensshui. IL the object has re.