Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-26
BY REGINALD swEETLAND.

SHANGHAI, China.-An indictment
against what he terms "so-called Bud
dhist priests" has been made by the
greater Shanghai commissioner OF So
cial affairs as part of the current CAM
paign against superstitions in China.
The commissioner, who is a Chinese
declares that these so-calied priests
when they are invited to perform
Buddhist rites on occasions OF death,
sing BUDDHIST songs in happy tones and
play flutes and other musical mstru-
ments to please and entertain those by
whom they are invited.
Further, the indictment charges that
these shaven- head monks have opened
temples for the purpose OF making
money and not for the purpose OF
preaching. The commissioner wouIo
suppress such activities, disrope the
monks and open schools for poor people
in the, temples, PROVIDED tney are III
for such pursuits.
Not ali of them are though, for many
such temples are nothing more than
dilapidated shackS almost UNIT 1or
human habitation. With a Few lools
suuatting on pedestalS in the corners
made dark by the smoke of incense and
loss sticks provided by the worsnlperS,
and with half-clad beggars displaying
their sores at the door, they attract the
superstitious and those who are IN neeo
of some sort of spiritual guidance, out
who do not know where else to go for 1t.
The Chinese is a gambler by nature,
and one bronze god is as good as an
other provided the means OF placatlng
him are to be found. He Is willing 10
try them all.
The local Chinese press has taken up
the campaign launched by the commits
sioner and compares some o. the local
Buddhist priests with merchants VINO
are wise in the arts of money making.
one Chinese paper states that the T a.
tive priests of Shanghai are unlike those
of the interior of China, who are re-
ouired to practice asceticism and to
sit in boxes for a certain number CT
Years before they are considered true
followers of Buddha. It says they are
unlike priests in Western countries VINO
devote their time to preaching, hospital
work, teaching and other useful occu-
pations.
lust merchants who know how to make
money. They start business by renting
houses on busy streets, decorating
them. placing an arch or Signboard
over the front doors, inscribed with
characters representing God of Wealth
Temple." Goddess of Mercy Temple"
and others of their sort They then
install shrines in which they seat IDOLS
of wood or clay.
Their income comes principally from
people who invite them to perform
buddhist rites for their dead relatives.
Though educated people, the Chinese
press says, have abandoned this super
stitious practice, the ignorant. conserv-
alive, fashioned and superstltlous
still employ these priests, and the latter
| realize that their practice is dwlndling
Except for THOSE who come from large
| temples, the priests of Shanghai do not
read the Buddhist doctrines, nor nave
| they any knowledge OF them.
| X n X
Another charge against these monks
is that much of their income comes
from HWo Wei lottery gamblers, who
in order to win good fortune. go TO the
temples and buy good luck at so much
per head.
A still further source of income is
| found in the number of persons who
| come before the idols of the temple
and pray for prescriptions for sick
relatives and friends. To supply such
prescriptions the monks have been
/ charging high fees.
Not all Buddhist priests, however
/ are in this same category. There are
| many splendid Buddhist monaSterie:
and temples still existing in China
which are regulated by the most severe
discipline and have a very sane anc
strict conception of their duties. Many
persons go there and after severe
course lasting some years are ordained