The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-12-21

Ieius in seventy-sixth Generation.
abundant yield Of wheat. corn, rice,
millet- arrowroot, vegetables and fruit
The northern plains. however, are
valueless from an agricultural stand
point because the land is saturated
with salt.
Harvest Wax With Worms
One Of the novel "crops" Of this
province is an odd variety Of wax
harvested from the wax tree with the
aid Of armies Of wax worms, which are
sent forth to forage, much as the silk
worm forces are martialed for attack
on mulberry leaves. After a summers
depredations on the wax trees the
worms exude substance which when
melted forms wax. After the little
harvesters have paid their wax tribute
the Chinese collect them and place
them indoors where they are STALL
fed until the following spring, when
the process is repeated.
Silk culture Is one Of the most i'm
portant industries Of Shantung. One
Of the varieties Of fibre produced Il
pongee, or Chi-fu silk. obtained from
worms that are fed on the leaves of
dwarfed oaks. These oak spinners are
not always treated with the same con-
sideration accorded the wax worms,
for, when the pongee cocoon Is finished,
the worm often finds its way to the
table Of wealthy native, where it Is
highly priced as delicacy.
Still another rather important In.
dustry Of Shantung affects from far
across the sea. the peace of mind Of
modern American maids with unrUly
treSses. The women Of Shantung.
young and old. busy themselves tying
into form the filmy nets of hair that
make well-groomed coiffures possible
on blustery spring days on Fifth ave
nue.. or when the lake winds swoop
down on Michigan boulevard. Hun
dreds of thousands of these airy manu-.
features, large in numbers but few in
pounds, are shipped to America an
nually.
Birthplace Of confucius.
Shantung will ever hold a place Of
supreme affection in the hearts Of
Cinnamon. for 1t was In this province
that one of the worlds greatest moral
teachers, the famous sage. Confucius.
was born. Even more important-in
ancestor reveriDg China-ConfuciuS is
buried in SharEug. This was also
the native province Of Mencius. one
Of Confucius' most distinguished fol-
lowers
The tomb of Confucius near Chowfu
Is the object Of pilgrimage TO many
but strangely enough it is not nearly
as great drawing card as is Tai
Shan. the highest Of China's five
sacred mountains. which is also In holy
Shantung. and not far from Chowfu.
At Tai Shan one finds what might be
called holy mountaineering" de luxe
Up the peak. which is $3.50 feet high.
has been constructed a broad paved
path with stone steps wherever the
declivity is steep. and in the spring
this highway is thronged with as many
as 10000 pilgrims day. On the cliffs
which the climber passes precepts are
carved. constituting huge religious
bill boards" BY the wayside at inter-
walls are temples where offerings TO
the priests are made convenient.
Taoist. Buddhist and Coafucian
shrineS are interningled. though the
itself has beeh considered
sacred place since before the latter
two cults came into existence AT the
very crest of the holy mount are
three temples Of the three faiths.
Twentieth century communication Of
a sort was opened TO the sacred places
Of Shantung when the Tien-Tsin-
Pukow railway was completed in 1912.
But it was only Of n sort. One express
train a week 10 Pukow SUfficed for SUI
perior travel. but no arrangements
were made for taking care Of religious
tourists.
One still goes to the home of Con.
fuciuS as one would have gone In the
Middle Ages. Express trains do not
pauSe AT Chowfu station. SIS miles
south Of Tsi-nan. unless great officials
are aboard. ard wish TO alight there.
Ry special stipulation of Duke Kuns, |
descendant of Confucius and head Of |
The clan. the railroad passed six miles |
rom the city, and there are no ade-
luate accommodations for large nun
,ers Of travellers.