White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-08-10
MISSIONARY WRITES OF
CHINESE. FIRE METHODS

/ c. P. O. No. 1884, Shanghai, China,
July 9th, 1928.
Dear Editor:
81 send a. Chinese fire-god. His
name is "Ho-zwen-bu-sah." He rules
/ FIRE. When he's dispieased with people
j he sets their houses afire. Ho-zwep
was Taoist priest: but during great
battle he changed himself into giant
with three heads Shd six arms, He
has three eyes, enc in the middle OF
his forehead. He has red hair and he
is Of fiery disposition. He rides
on fiery horse which snorts flames,
and fire flashes from his hoofs. In
the gods six hands he carries heav-
erl-wide flashing seal, a wheel OF
five fiery dragons, a gourd enclosing
| 10000 tire crows, and two swords,
and a thoEsand-nlile smoke screen
filled with swoiss of fire. No wonder
he can scatter fire everywhere and
do untold damage when on ram
page. People in whose house he
starts fire are not welcome IN
other homes lest, in so doing, they
bring Ho-zwen's wrath upon them
selves also. People where fire starts
| hurry to the temple and plead with
| Ho-zwen to leave their house at once.
When he leaves they thank him for
Furnishing them. Ho-zwen-bu-sah is
much feared, also, because of the
danger to the one in whose house
the fire starts, for if it spreads to
other houses and he is found, his
neighbors throw him into the tire tor
bringing loss to them. SO he runs "a
way and is not seen again or comes
back only after long time. When
the houses are rebuilt the old rub
Dish is put on his lot!
"You would be greatly interest
ed to see Chinese fire and the fire
fighters at work Crowds of firemen
come each with long nanle-banner.
These banners are left in line a.
near the fire. One set of men are
carriers having carrying poles with
bucket on each end OF the pole. Ahead
of each carrier runs a man with
a gong beating wildly to make way
fnr the carrier as he brings the water
from creek or canal or well near
by. He dumps the water into the tub
Of hand-pump which forces the
water up spout on the fire.
This pump working reminds one of an
old r. R. hand-car. Wealthy men
often keep hand-pump in their own
home: but lest the fire-god give the
pump work to do there is written on
it, "Be-r-pet-yong" prepared but may
l. I, se n
noisy, exciting and very prisnative
thing in it's method of extinguishing;
but fierce in its burning.
"While the fire is burning some
times theatricals are held on the
street. These are to please the god
of-fire and get him to go back home.
At other times, when people fear
troubles are coming, they buy a
paper image of the fire-god and burn
false money, incense and candles
before it and then burn the image
itself. This is sending him home with
spending money and fragrance to
keep him from starting other fires.
81 asked the Chinese if the fire-god
lit a recent fire on ship. They an
swered, eff there was fire on
the ship the fire-god must have
been there--at work" We have
towers in Shangai where men watch
for fires. When one is discovered
the fire-bell is rung. When the old
Custom House was built a large
clock was placed in it's tower. For
some weeks after this clock began to
strike the hours there were few if
any fires. The Chinese said it was be-
cause the fire-god thought that every
time the clock struck there was a
fire announced so he could rest with
cut helping. All these things seem ridi-
culous to us but are very real to
the Chinese. Chinese life and atmos-
phere is chuck full of such supersti-
items. Chinese are never free from
them and the anxiety they bring--like
superstitious man forced to pass
the night in a haunted house. When
the Gospel comes the believer goes
free. For he knows the Truth that
makes free indeed.
Yours in Christ's glad service,
(Rev.) H. G. c. HALLOCK,"