The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-10-19
CHINESE TIGER NOT A PoLIT-
ICAL MACHINE LIKE
TAMMANY

\
sionary, sends us another of his
communications telling OF the super
stitions that prevail in that country.
The letter will be found interest
ing reading.
The tiger sent is printed on tissue
paper, as are most of the symbols of
these superstitious people.
G. P. o. Box No l2st
Shanghai, China,
Dear Editor:
Enclosed send you tiger. Chi Z
nese speak of four tigers-the yell
low and black tiger, the black tiger,
the white tiger and the money tiger.
The latter-is made OF cash, the black
tiger is the steed of the god-of-
wealth. The white tiger is sign
Of bad luck, SO is never seen in pic
lures. From childhood the Chinese
fear the tiger. He is made a buga-
boo to brighten children. II naugh-
| ty they are told the "Lao-hu'' ttiger)
will catch them. SO tiger" is an
ever present fear to little 'chinks,"
not only, but it remains to old age.
rather as an evil spirit than as
tiger. AS one goes along the roads
he sees paper tigers pasted over the
door, that the evil spirits, seeing the
tiger, will flee away to. a tigerless
house. Chinese have great faith in
tiger bones, claws and sinews as
medicine. Since the tiger is SO
strong, medicine made of him must
make one strong. Travelling medi-
cine men with tiger skins stretched
on poles as sign-boards rarely wait
long for purchasers of their wares.
On the tiger sent rides Chang
Tao-ling, the first Taoist Pope in
China. He is said to have been born
on Tien Mob San (Heavenly-eye
Mountain) in A. D. 35. have been
on this mountain when out itinerat-
ing and slept in one OF the temples.
Chang was asked to be an official;
but he chose to mediate in silence
and cultivate virtue. He went to
dwell in China's Western Hills where
he was shown, by book given him
from above, how to find the elixir of
life and from other ancient books
how to ascend to heaven, how to fly,
and how to walk among the stars.
With such and other magic powers
he could fight demons, divide noun
Gains and seas, rule the winds and
thunder and send demons running
with fright or bring spirits covering
before him. Being the head OF the
Taoists and being in possession OF
he elixir of life and of talismans for
the cure of all diseases, not only is
he highly respected; but he has en-
abled the Taoist priests to gain great
wealth by the sale OF such things to
he people and they themselves to be
sought out as great healers.
Charms with Chang Tao-ling's
seal are purchased by rich and poor
for goodly~ sums and are pasted up
n the homes or are carried about on
heir persons You can see these
charms and seals above Changes
lead. You will see, too, that he is
dressed in fine, figured garments.
In his right hand is his gavel OF au-
.hority and in his left hand he has
cup of the elixir of everlasting life.
rhe tiger on which he rides is crush
ng with its paws the five poisonous
:reatures that represent all creatures
chat injure the health. II you look
carefully you can make out a snake,
toad, centipede, lizard and g spider.
The little tiger behind has in its
mouth Chang's own magic sword.
Chang is pasted up in the home on
he Double 9Th" 9Th of 9Th Moon,
June % this year. He's supposed
70 repress the poisonous creatures SO
% ward off calamity and sickness,
especially during the hot, trying |
months of Summer. On the Double
Fifth the children are dressed in |
heap, tiger-like suits of clothes,
also to keep off disease-causlng evil
spirits who wish to- harm children
out are afraid of tigers. The child
rem are also decorated with charms
around their necks and arms and |
have tiger stripes Of yellow paint on |
their faces.
Chang Tao-ling is also called the |
Heavenly Teacher" Chang the |
Angel "Chief Of the Wizards"
The Ideal Man. etc. suppose
80 millions OF him, such as en-
close, are pasted UP and worshipped
each year. The headquarters of his
descendants and of the Taoists has
been on the Dragon-tiger Mountain
ii klangsi Providence since A. d.
1000. From this place come mil
ons of charms, talismans, ETC.. to be
sold to credulous people all over
China. SO you see how deeply
stepped in superstition the Chinese
are and how much they need the
Precious Gospel OF our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ. With best
wishes and kindest regards.
Yours in Christ's glad service,
lRsv,) n. G. G. Hallock
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