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INTO

CHINESE
m o rCO
= =

SUPERSTITIONS
Dor6, S.J.

in

CD
in

By Henry

CO

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY

By M.

Kennelly, S.J.

First

Part

SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
Profusely illustrated

Vol.

IV

T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS


Shanghai

1917

RESE ARC
INTO

CHINESE

SUPERSTITIONS
S.J.
w<-. ><_.

By Henry Dore,
-

TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY

By M. Kennelly,

S.J.

First Part
SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES
Profusely illustrated

Vol.

IV

T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS


Shanghai

1917

2>3

in/

RAn
[

'^ITY

OF

T0*SS

10835

PREFACE.
In offering- to the public this fourth volume of "Chinese Superstitions",
it

has been deemed helpful to state briefly the various

matters which
fortune-telling-,

make up

its

contents.

divination,

The present volume deals with omens and augury, vain observances,

such as lucky and unlucky days, geomancy or terrestrial influences over man's life and acts, extending even to his subsequent sojourn
in

the

grave,

and the happiness

of

his

descendants.

All

these

occupy about two-thirds of the volume (pp. 321-416), and summed up under the general term of "divination". might The latter part is less connected, and comprises Buddhist and other
subjects

be well

practices,

which have

general hold on the people.

Among them

the Author enumerates superstitious prints and inscriptions, canny The volume winds characters and slabs for warding off bad luck.

up with some short and pithy articles on Buddhist abstinence from animal food, and the quaint vegetarian sects which flourish throughout China, and form a special branch of the Buddhist religion.
a preface,
it

In

would be practically impossible to deal adequately with all these subjects, so it has been deemed preferable to select the leading idea of the work, viz. "divination", and consider it from the
various points of view of the Chinese people

General Notions.

Divination

(1).

is practically

as

old

as

the

human

race,

and

is

religions have prevailed.

found in every age and country where ethnic "There is, says Cicero, no nation, civilized

the art, as as
it

Western writers have so far confined their studies on divination, to it was found in Greece or Rome; few have dealt with the subject existed in China from the remotest times down to the present day. The
(1)

present preface will, therefore, fulfil a much needed want. The passages and quoted are mostly from the Classics, and based on Legge's translations

Couvreur's Chinese text, whenever available.


II

or barbarian,

which does not

believe

that

there

are

signs of the

future,

and persons who can interpret them" (1). Diviners swarmed in Egypt, formed there a

special class,

and

At Babylon, were particularly skilled in interpreting dreams (2). in cases of war and other they followed the ruler, and were consulted
important State matters
(3).

The Hindus and the British Druids The ap-

pretended to foretell the future by signs and omens. The divining art was practised among the Greeks.
pearances of the

sky and heavenly phenomena, the flight of birds, the intimations drawn from the entrails of victims, were supposed to
prognosticate
events,

and according

to

these

signs,

public as well

as private actions were regulated.

No war was undertaken without

consulting

the

oracles

(4).

Augurs and soothsayers followed the

army (5). The Romans were


them
colleges of augurs

equally zealous in divining.

We

find

among
for

and aruspices, who by an adverse word could


(6).

postpone the most important affairs of State


the performance of
in Greece, no
all

Due authority

actions

was derived from the auspices.


of the people

As

war was undertaken, no colony sent out without con-

sulting the gods.

No assembly

could be held

unless

thunder was

heard in a certain quarter of the

heavens

(7).

Other

heavenly signs, the flight of birds, the appetite of the sacred fowls,
video, neque tam humanam atque doctam, immanem tamque barbaram, quae non significari futura, et a quibusdam intelligi praedicique posse censeat. On Divination. Book I. 1.
(1)

Gentem quidem nullam

aeque tam

(2)
(3)

See Hook of Genesis XLI. See Daniel D.


the
2.

8.

stood

es1

'

XXI. 21. The king of Babylon head of two ways, seeking divination. Quod helium susceptum ab ea natione (Graecia) sine consilio deorum (4) Cicero. On Divination. Book I. 1.
,

IV

4.

Ezechiel

highway,

at the

(5)
(<;)

Cicero.

On

Divination.

Book

I.

43.

The

election of every ruler, king, consul, dictator or praetor; of every

1|V|1

officer,

every

religious

functionary,

was

invalid if the

auspices were

unfavourable.
:

Chamber's Encyclopaedia. Vol. I. p. 550 (Auguries). rhundei was thi supposed voice of If the flash Jupil r
in
left,

proceded

ighl
mikI

th,

prognostic was bad

if

from

left

to

right,

it

was good,

success was assured.

in
the

appearance of the entrails of victims,


future
(1).

were

all

considered as

portents of the
there

The

art prevailed to

such a degree that

was

scarcely a natural event or even ordinary occurrence

which

did not

bear in somewise

on the

future.

Rulers,

statesmen and

generals, were guided or pretended to be guided by these intimations,

and employed them


matters of everyday
evidence of the

in State affairs as well as in the less


life.

important

Classical authors have furnished us

ample

many

impostures of the system.

Cato wondered

how

two augurs could meet without laughing at each other (2). Horace and Juvenal shot many a keen shaft at diviners and the credulity of
their deluded victims.
art in its various forms.

Cicero, in his

work on

divination, refuted the

Nature of Divination.
veil

Man has a natural curiosity

to

lift

the

and peer into the future. The divining art is an endeavour to discover hidden and future things through the intervention of Spirits
or Gods.
All divination is in reality a questioning of spiritual beings,
of

method

(3).

communication between higher intelligences and man As magic aims to do (4), divination aims to know. It was
believed

generally

that the
this

Gods

or Spirits
to

knew
(5).

the

future,

and

could

communicate

knowledge

man

Man may know


If it

The Romans divined also by the flame of vigorous and quickly consumed the victim if it was
(1)
;

the sacrifice.
clear of

was

not crackle, but ascended silently


able.

in a

smoke and did the omen was favourpyramidal form,


est,

Chamber's Encylopa?dia. Vol. III. p. 559. Vetus autem illud Catonis admodum scitum (2)

qui mirari se aiebat,

quod non rideret haruspex, haruspicem cum Book II. 51.


(3)

vidisset. Cicero.

On

Divination.

See Legge.

The Great
Chu-hsi

Plan, Hung-fan

ift

$e (a chapter in the

Book

of Becords) p. 335-336.
first

fc Jl observes that the opinions of men were taken into consideration, but as they were liable to be affected by ignor-

ance and

selfish

considerations, the views of the Spirits, above such distur-

bing influences, and intimated by divination, were considered to have greater weight in all important questions.
(4)

(5)

Call

Preface to Chinese Superstitions. divination a folly or an art

Vol.
;

III.

p. III.
it

it

is

certain that

was given by

the gods to

man, in order to impart to him On the Nature of the Gods. Book II. 65.

knowledge of the future. Cicero.

IV
Some future things with
connected with
their
certainty,
(1).

as

when they

are

necessarily

causes

Others he

may know

with less

conjectures, sound inferences, because though not necessarily connected with their causes, they happen As to future contingent things, which depend almost always (2). on free will, they cannot be foretold from their causes, but are known
certainty, or as well-founded

cannot know such things, the divinity alone can, because the future is present to the intelligence of such a Being.
in themselves.

Man

To appeal, therefore, to false gods for such knowledge, is attributing to them a prerogative of the divinity, and men who use or pretend
to use

such knowledge, are said to "divine", that

is

they ape an

attribute of the divinity.

knowledge of the future to men through oracles, dreams, signs, omens and portents. All these have been regarded by the ancient world as signs of the Gods and intitheir

The Gods communicate

mations of their
waters, animals,

will.

The starry heavens, the earth, the

air,

the

birds, even the actions of persons themselves

were

supposed
these

to

prognosticate coming events.

Soothsayers interpreted
of divination

signs,

and thus invented the various methods


in different

which we
into

find
life

nations.

These methods entered largely

the

and habits

of society,

and held immense sway over,

and people. Divination was practised \nli<|iii(y of divination in China. in China from a very I will not early time. say 5200 years B.C., but as soon as we tread the borders of credible says Legge (3),
rulers

history,

we

find

it

existing.

of China's

ureat Sages, and find

At that remote period, we get a glimpse them endeavouring to build up a

science

of the will of

shell of the tortoise


(1)
(2)

Heaven, from various indications given by the and the stalks of the milfoil The manipul(4).
eclipse.

Thus an astronomer may predict a coming Thus a physician through certain signs
a

may

prognosticate the res-

toration of
of a

patient's health; a skilful general the issue ..fa battle; a captain

(3)

ship an impcmliiiL storm; a meteorologist the approach of rain. Introduction to the Yih him, V, j, or Classic of
East.

Changes (Sacred

Books of the
'

Vol.

XVI. oxford,
PlaQ
.

1882. p. 40).

,}

'"-- The
2. p.

,in "'

Hung-fan

$ U

(The Chinese Classics. Vol.

III.

Part

33

ation of Fuhsi's f

|||

diagrams

(1)

was practised
of the

to

some extent

before

the

Chow

/]

dynasty (B.C. 1122).

In these remote ages, divination

was

a very

prominent department
officials.

over by responsible

Government, and presided Divination on behalf of rulers was


people
(2).

more important than


regard to sacrifice
(3),

for

the

common
Matters
(6).

It

took place in

military expeditions
(5).

(4),

capping, marriage,

funerals and mourning

of

inferior

importance were

also the subject of divination

In the year B.C. 2255,


(7).

Shun f$

practised

it

in the selection of a successor


j*f

During the Shane/

dynasty (B.C. 1766-1122), P'an-keng

th emperor of the dynasty, wishing to 1401-1373), XVII J= (B.C. remove the capital to Yin J$, North of the Yellow Biver, had recour-

se to divination.

The high

officers
all

the step, but the ruler overcame

and the people were opposed to by consulting the tortoise, which

gave a favourable reply (8). In the time of the Chow M] dynasty (B.C. 1122),

Wu-wcmg

^ 3,

founder of the
says
he,

dynasty,

practised the divining art.

"My

dreams,

coincide

with

my

divinations.

The auspicious

See on these mystic symbols. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. note 1. Vol. IV. p. 342. note 2.
(1)

II.

p. 223.

(2)
(3)

China Review, 1885. (The Yih-king and its Appendices, p. 314). Book. IX. p. 428. (Legge's transLi-ki H |E, or Record of Rites.
Divining preceded the Border Sacrifice.
Called

lation).

The answer was "there

will

be success in sacrificing".
(4)

external undertakings or affairs; the others were internal.

Li-ki,

or Record of Rites.

Book

1.

p. 94 (Legge's translation).

(5)

The

tortoise

was consulted
I.

for selecting

days of mourning. Li-ki, or

Record
(G)

of Rites.

Vol.

p. 94 (Legge's translation).

China Review, 1885 (The Yih-king and its Appendices, p. 314). Counsels of the Great Yii, Ta-yu-mu ^ fl (A chapter of the Book (7) "Yii said, submit the meritorious translation. of Records) p. 63. Legge's

ministers one by one to the


tions be followed.

trial

of divination, and

let

the fortunate indica(Kx-ci-

The

tortoise

and grass concurred, and the Spirits

shen

JB,

jjfti)

signified their assent".

(8)

translation.

P'an-keng % ))i (A chapter of the Book of Records) p. 222. Legge's "I have examined the matter by divination, and obtained the

reply".

VI
omen
him.
is

double.

My
ffl

attack

on Shang

]*

must succeed"

(1).

He

then took the

field

against the tyrant Chow-sin |T

^,

and defeated
believed

Cho-w-kung

&, younger

brother of

Wu-wang,
ill,

likewise in divination.

Thus, when his brother was

he offers to

die in his stead, prays to the three kings, his ancestors,

and consults

the tortoise.

The intimation
spared
(2).
/$;

tells

him he
in

is

heard and that

Wu-

wang

will be

Later

on,

the

year B.C. 1112, third

year of Ch'eng-'wang

^,

the tortoise

consulted,

informs him of

coming troubles in the West. able replv, and an expedition


In the Chuw-li
J?!)

He
is

consults again, obtains a favour-

resolved

upon

(3).
(4),

flU,

or Ritual of the
officers
jk:

Chow dynasty

we

find

the

names

of the following

connected with divination.


,

The

"Grand
shi
|>

Diviner", T'ai-puh

p; the "Master of Divination'

Puh-

fiijj;

the "Keeper of the tortoises", Kwei-jen || J{\ the "PreJ^,;

parer of the fuel", Hwa-shi Ip

and the "Observers or interpreters


These observers interpreted the

of the prognostics", Chen-jen }


results,
In

\.

and

if

two

agreed, their opinion

was
(5),

to be followed.

the Great Plan,

Hung-fan
the

-$t

practical rules, exten-

ding

to

almost every case, are laid


matters,

down

for

reaching a decision. In
five

important State

opinions

of

parties

were

to be
.

weighed

that of the

ruler, of the nobles

and high

officers, of the

common
than the

people;

that of the tortoise, and finally that of the


tortoise

stalks

of the milfoil.
milfoil,

The

was supposed to give surer indications hence when the tortoise opposed and the milfoil

(1)

lln'

Greal Declaration,

T ai-shi-chung
l

^ -g tp
}j:

(A chapter

of the

Book
of

of Records), p. 291.
(2)

Legge's translation.
Coffer.

The Metal-bound
p,

Kin-t'ang

(A Chapter

of the

Book

Records),
;{
(

355.

Legge's translation.

The Greal Announcement, Ta-hao jz f (A Chapter of the Book of "I must proceed, the divinations are Records), p 374 Legge's translation.
)

favourable.
'.)

There

is

no mistake about the decree of Heaven".


detail of the various officers

This consists of an elaborate


live duties.

under that

dynasty, with their respei


p.
'<

Wylie.

.Notes on Chinese Literature.

5)

The Greal

Plan,

Hung

fan

$g (A

Chapter of the Hook of Records),

337.

Legge's translation.

VII
approved, nothing should be undertaken
tortoise were
a
(1).

In case the ruler and

opposed

to all

other

parties, the doubt

was

settled

by

compromise.

Internal affairs (sacrifice, capping, marriage)

could

then be proceeded with, while external matters (military expeditions It is needless undertaken beyond the State) should be abandoned.
to point out the inconsistency of this

proceeding.

From

the above
early,

quotations, the reader can see

how

the divining art

commenced

and continued down


Li-ki
flfl

to the

time of the Christian era.

text of the

fE,

or

Record
:

of Rites,

attributed to Confucius,

sums up

"the Master said, the ancient and intelligent the Hsia, Shang and Chow) all kings of the three dynasties, (i-e served the spiritual intelligences, Shen-ming jji^ 0^, of heaven and
briefly the situation
:

earth,

and invariably used the


did

tortoise-shell

and divining-stalks.

They

not

presume

to

use their

own

private
(2).

judgment
the
its

in

the

service of the

Authors
divination,
it

Supreme Ruler, Shang-ti J^ ^f" As a sequel of* Divination.

to

antiquity

of

is

but natural to inquire


it

who were

authors, on

was based, and what was the purpose of those principles who invented and used it? The Ancient Classics and especially the
what
Yih-king
JJ,

$g

(Classic

of

Changes),

fl!j| fj} (Record of Rites) on the Spring and Autumn Annals) inform us that the Commentary

Records), Li-ki

Shu-king $g (Rook of and Tso-cliwan $f (Tso's

art

"The was invented by the Sages or Ancient Rulers of China. "Heaven invented and taught the practice of divination (3). Sages
1 '

produced the spirit-like things

(the tortoise

and

milfoil)

and the

Sages took advantage of them

the Sages set apart the divining plant

(1)

In the phraseology of the art, this

ness, there will be

good

fortune".
of.

By

"stillness"

was expressed thus: "using stillis meant refraining from


:

the undertaking doubted


(2)

The Chinese

text

may

be found in Couvreur, and reads as follows

Kiai-shi t'ien-ti-chi-shen-ming

-^ If

i-flr

i?_

jjjiji

$j.

Wu-fei piih-shi-chi-yung

M%
(Li-ki.

ffl-

Puh-kan

i-k'i sze-sieh-shi

shang-ti

^ &] $. $E * *
Legge's
[I.

Book XXIX.
Vol.
II.

52.

Piao-ki

ff fjL

Record of Examples.
Vol.
p. 510).

translation.
(3)

p. 349.

Couvreur.

Li-ki.

Third Appendix

to the

Yih-king

or Classic of Changes, p. 273.

Legge's translation.

VIII
and
laid

down

the laws of divination"


of

stood

the

ways
(2).

"The Sages fully under(1). and instituted divination for the use of Heaven,
likewise to the

the people"
the
origin

It is

same source that we must ascribe


the good and bad fortune

of

lucky and unlucky days,


in life
(3).

which attend men


and

These Ancient Sages were star-gazers

soothsayers at the

same time.

"they penetrated the secrets

how

the

various changes of

As the Yih-king J^ |g tells us, of heaven and earth" (4), interpreted Nature affected man's life and actions,
;

and explained signs and omens

in a

word they "read the

stars".

China's ancient rulers, in establishing divination, were guided

by the following three principles:


ged in

Man

is

a part of Nature.
it

Wed-

between heaven and earth, he forms, as

were, the connecting


of Nature, there-

link between these


fore,

two Powers.
and actions.

The phenomena
2

affect

his

life

There are in Nature fortunate

omens

of

between

coming events (5). This is based on the supposed harmony heaven and earth, and implies that the stars influence the
3

world beneath, and determine the good and bad fortune of men.

The Sages
are

interpret the changes of Nature and declare what signs


or

fortunate

unfortunate,

that

is
life

explain

how
of

the

various

movements

of the

Cosmos

affect

the

and actions

men.

This

interpretation constitutes the "so-called science of divination".

Purpose of Divination.

The

authors and inventors of divin-

(1)

(2)
(3)

Third Appendix to the Yih-king. p. 373. 74. Legge's translation. Third Appendix to the Yih-king. p. 372. Legge's translation. Lucky and unlucky days owe their origin to and the
astrology,
life

supposed influence of the heavenly bodies over the

of

man.

"The heavens

hang out its brilliant and bad fortune of


104.

figures (constellations),
all

whence the Sages fixed the good things" (Third Appendix to the Yih-king. p. 374 and

When such a constellation or planet appeared on days and seasons were considered as controlled by its influence, hence they were "lucky or Even though we have discarded unlucky-. nnd its baneful influence, we have still in the language the word "disaster", which reminds us of its original meaning "ill-starred or unforLegge's translation).
the horizon,
('

Third Appendix
See above
,l
>

to the

Yih-king.
laid

p.

360.

Legge's translation.

"'

principle

down by

Cicero:

all

nations believe

""'"' '"'

si

as

"'

""' future and persons

who

can interpret them.

IX
The diviner was not always a cunning knave and did not seek filthy gain. Divination was resorted This purpose we to in order to solve doubts and settle perplexities.
ation

must have had

purpose.

rind clearly set forth in the

the Shu-king

$f,

or

Book

Yih-king J^ $g, or Classic of Changes (1); of Records and the Li-hi f! , or


;

Record of Rites.

"If you

have

doubts about any great matter,


(2).

consult the tortoise and milfoil"

"If one has a doubt and has

consulted the shell, you need not think any longer that you will do

wrong"

(3).

"Divination settles the doubts of men"

(4).

The above

reason would seem the more obvious

when we

consider the hesitancy


life.

and indecision

of the

Chinese mind in the important events of


closely

Whosoever has observed the people


character,
will

and noticed
fit

its

vacillating
for

ending remedy and clearing up the doubts of the nation (5). Another purpose sought in divination was encouragement, and an assurance of success in difficult and important enterprises. In such circumperplexities

admit that divination was a

stances,

man

is

filled

with apprehension and anxiety, and will take


Divin-

any word or sign of encouragement as a favourable omen.


ation,

up,

by and success thus


to

a skilful reply, gives this assurance, the inquirer is


r

practicall}

assured.

third

buoyed and higher

pursued by divination in China, namely to obtain some kind of divine guidance. Divination would be thus a
groping
of of the ethnic
(the
felt it

purpose seems

be

mind
of

after

the will of Heaven.

"The Son

Heaven

Emperor

China),

his mind,
his object

necessary to obtain a decision (from above)


to take his

however intelligent might be on what

was, showing that he did not dare

own way,

(1)

See on this Classic.

Chinese Superstitions. Vol. IV.

p. 342.

(2)

Shu-king
Li-ki

$f.

The Great

Plan, Hung-fan #t fg (A chapter of the

Book

of Records), p. 337. Legge's translation.


jjj|

(3)

|g, or

Record of Rites. Book

1.

K'u-li $J

the Rules of Propriety) p. 94.


Vol.
I.

Legge's translation

Com reur.
111.

(Summary
Chinese

of

text.

p. 62.
j|,

Yih-king % Legge's translation.


(4)

or Classic of Changes.

Appendix

p.

374

74.

Wieger. Histoire des Croyances Religieuses et des Opinions Philo(5) sophiques en Chine. 1917. Lecon 8. La divination officielle sous la \V dynastic
p. 72.
II

X
and giving honour
or
to
it

Heaven, T'ien
is

(1).

In the

Shu-king f^ $,
had

Book

of Records,

stated that the

answer

to the diviner expres-

sed

"the

command

of

Heaven".

"When

the

former

kings

any important business, they reverently obeyed the commands of Heaven" (2). This approval was doubtless used in many cases to

make

divination

an instrument of government, or as a means of

breaking down

the opposition of Feudal princes, and compelling the


(3).

turbulent masses of the people to acquiesce in Imperial schemes

What
to
folly of

degree

of certainty

it

imparted

to the Imperial

mind,

is

hard

decide.

Occasionally there are doubts as to

its efficacy,

and the

expecting any revelation of the future from an old shell or a

handful of withered grass.

Many modern

writers also feel dissatisfied


it,

on the subject, but few have the courage to disown


ruin
quity.

as this

would

the veneration

for

the Sages and the reputed

wisdom

of anti-

Various melliods of Divination.


methods
and
in

The
C.

variety

of divinatory
tortoise-shell

China

is

very

great.

Divination

by
(4).

the

milfoil took place as early as

2300 B.

Divining by the

tortoise-shell

was

called

Puh

[>

(5).

This method,
life
(6).

though princi-

pally official,
(1)

was employed

also in private

The

tortoise

was

Li-ki it |E, or Record of Rites.


II.

Book XXI.

Tsi-i

of Sacrifices). Vol. Vol. II. p. 314.


(2)

p. 233.

Legge's translation.

Couvreur.

^ f|

(The Meaning Chinese text.

3E -M
ft$
/j{-.

'& It

^ &

w- Shu-kinq

# ^, or Book of Records.
of Becords.
p.

Chapter

P'an-keng
(3)

p. 222.

Legge's translation.

Wieger.
See
tlic

Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine, p. 72.

(4) Yii.

Shu-king

M,

or

Book

Counsels of the Great


18,

Ta-yu-mu
B

~k

W-

Legge's translation,

03

where divination by
to be of the

the tortoise and milfoil are mentioned.


23rd century
<

This document purports

Puh I>, to divine by looking at. to examine, to guess. This is a very (5) ancienl character, and supposed to represent the streaks on the tortoise-shell
be beal dev< loped
(6) B.(

them

827, a

woman
have
I

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. questioned the tortoise-shell as to whether her

Williams.

husband would return or not.


1

"

'

""
a1
h)

reeds

sold
i:

lation.

Vol,

"Both by the tortoisereply was yes. divined, and they unite in saving he is near. Shi-king lV J, or Book of odes. Ode T'i-tu #; ft (Legge's IV. art II. p.

The

My

266).

XI
chosen because
vault,
its

back bore a fanciful


inferior

resemblance to the heavenly


horizon
(1).

while

its flat

part

represented the

To

prepare them for their divining function, the Grand Recorder, Ta-shi had them smeared over with blood in the first month of winter j

(2).

This was a religious ceremony and a kind of consecration


tortoise-shell in his arms,

(3).

The diviner held the

with his face turned

towards the South, while the Son of Heaven (the Emperor of China) stood with his face towards the North (4). In order to secure a
reply, the outer
shell

was taken

off,

part covered with ink


lines

and

fire

applied beneath.

As the ink dried up, cracks and


for

were formed,

thus indicating" events, and portending whether they would turn out
favourably
or

unfavourably
lasted for over

the

inquirer.

Divination

by the

tortoise-shell
to

2000 years. About 300 B.C., the key the interpretation was lost, and the method abandoned for that
the

of

"Eight diagrams",

Pah-hwa

/\

j|j,

which

henceforward
(5).

acquired great vogue both at the Court and

Divination by the milfoil


of divination

was

called

Chu

The ^
(6),

among

the people

plant employed for this

method
Divina-

meaning

to manifest.

tion by its stems

was

called

Ski |g

(7), to forecast.

The plant seems

(1)

Wieger.

Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine p. 71-72.

(2)

Li-ki if IE, or Record of Rites.


I.

Book IV. Yueh-ling


p. 298.

ft <

(Monthly

proceedings of the Government). Vol. Mencius. Book 1. Parti, ch (3)

Legge's translation.
bell

7 4.

When a

was

cast, a similar

ceremony took
(4)

place.
jflf

Li-ki

|E, or

Record of Rites.

Book XXI. Vol.

II. p.

233.

Legge's

translation.
(5)
(6)

Wieger. Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine,


iff

p. 72,

and

84.

Achillea sibirica, the milfoil or yarrow.

composite herb of a
or
rose-

grayish green colour, and a foot or two high.


bipinnate and very
finely

The leaves are numerous,


white
slightly

divided.

The

flowers,

coloured, are corymbed.


are highly aromatic.
It is

Each
found

corolla has 5 petals.

The

leaves and flowers

men,

foot
s.j.,

and

Courtois,
(7)
2I,

in Shantung Jh ^, and central China (A specihas been supplied to the Translator by Father Curator of the Sicawei Museum). a half high,

Shi jg.

This character

is

composed

of

C huh

Jfy,

bamboo, and

Wu

a witch, a sorceress, a

medium, hence to divine with stems of the


Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

milfoil

or mayweed.

Williams.

XII
to

have been chosen on account of


it

its

strong aromatic
(1).
It is

smell which

protected

from the attack of insects

found at the present

day on and about the tomb of Confucius. For purposes of divination, the stalks were divided into two heaps, representing heaven and
earth. They were manipulated according to a fanciful theory of odd and even numbers, symbolizing the cosmic evolution of Nature, the

seasons
results,

and

months

of the

year

(2).

Interpreters

explained

the

and forecasted therefrom the good or bad fortune

of events.

The author
milfoil

of the Third Appendix to the Yih-king J^ |g[, calls the and tortoise "spirit-like or divine things", "heaven produced
(3),

the spirit-like things"


ful,

meaning,

it

seems, that they were wonder-

marvellous things employed for ascertaining the will of the Deity.


Divination by the "Eight diagrams", or
After the tortoise and

Pah-kwa

:r

(4)

milfoil, the "Eight diagrams",

Pah-kwa

^,

were constantly used for purposes of divination, and forecasting


issue of events.

the good or evil


triple lines,

whole and

broken are

These symbols

combination of

generally attributed to Fuhsi f

(5),

but were in reality invented by

Wen-wang

JJ

(6),

in the

early part of the

Chow

J| dynasty.

The

basis of the system is eight,

but by doubling
creased to

and combining the symbols, this number was in64. Each of the "Eight diagrams" has a special name (7),
events of
in

with a symbolical and fanciful


the various
life.

expounded

meaning, interpreted and applied to The above system of divination is fully the Yih-king Jl, Jgg, or Classic of Changes, and its

(1)
(2)

Wieger. Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine, p. 71. Third Appendix to the Yih-king $jf, or Classic of Changes, p. 365.

Legge's translation.
p. 72.

Wieger.

Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine.

(3)

Third Appendix to the Yih-king. p. 373-374.

Legge's translation.

CO
Vol.
II.

See

illustration

exhibiting these diagrams.

Chinese Superstitions.

p. 22:;.

"')

Imparl

to

Wieger holds thai his is purely legendary, and only invented to them an air of venerable antiquity. Histoire des Croyances Religit

euses in
,; (

liinc.

p.

79.

See Vol

lip.
p.

223.

note

3. Vol.

IV. p. 342.

note

2.

(7)

See Vol. IV

332-333, where these

names

are enumerated.

XIII
appendices.

This Classic originated in the early part of the


th

Chow

Jj

dynasty (12

century B.C.), and owes

its

authorship

to

Wen-wnng

This period was one of trouble (') 3 and Chow-kung }$ the text and explanations contain covert allusions and anxiety, hence to the times, and reflect the apprehensions of the writer, and his
efforts to find

guidance

for his future

conduct

(2).

be described as a
of fortune-tellers
plete

handbook

of divination,

and the

The work may standard manual


but incom-

down

to the present day.

Its primitive
its

view of Nature,
but
ill

its

quaint cosmic notions and

vague gener-

alities,

conceal the ignorance of the early Sages.


(3)

Many

of the

and injurious superstitions prevalent in It China, are based or supposed to be based on this obscure book. teaches fatalism, a vague apprehension of malignant spirits, and the

most unscientific notions

existence of lucky and unlucky


evil issue of

days,

which determine the good or


of

men's

acts.
is

The goodness
largely

human

nature

is

there in

germ.
he
is

Its

morality
if

that of success.

If a

man
above,

succeeds,

right;

he

fails,

he

is

wrong.
described
fortuneof

Besides

the

methods

of divination

telling is extensively practised

throughout the length and breadth

Our present Yih-king is entirely a book of the Chow ffl dynasty "Was it not during the troubles notes to the Great Plan. p. 336). (Legge's and the tyrant Chow-sin that the stud}' of the Yih began between Wen-wang
(1)

to flourish?"
(2)

(Appendix
2

III. p.

403.

Legge's translation).
lineal figures

The Yih-king
largely

J| g

comprises several parts. 1' the 64

due to Wen-wang. This


3
is

the explanation of these figures by the

same

(B.C. 1143).

composed

of diviner's language, adapted to the circumstances.

Another explanation by Chow-kung (B.C. 1108). This embodies ethical maxims of the Pre-Confucian times, and some common-sense observations,
:

v.g

the good upright, prudent conduct will bring prosperity:

man

prospers,

the

mean man
error.
4D

comes to grief; he

who

goes forward carefully,


6
is

will not fall into


Its

any

Ten appendices, written


This

or 7 centuries after the text.

several parts are of different dates.

important

for the

elucidation of

the so-called philosophy and pseudo- science contained in the work. The twofold soul in man: it is the firmament (not the (3)

Sun

that

causes the seasons:

winter

is

caused by the Sun moving

to the

North and

cold region (the ecliptic


to the tortoise

was then unknown): divine

intelligence is attributed

and

milfoil.

XIV
China.

The Government from

earl}-

times considered the art as an

essential part of State

worship.

Official

manuals were
to the

published

under Imperial patronage (1). people, abound and ply their trade in cities and towns, villages Some of these cunning knaves open shops and may and hamlets.
fortune-tellers

With regard

common

be consulted there, while others ramble through the streets, and announce their approach by means of a harp or a rattle (2). Physiognomists are also met with, and from the inspection of the features,

bones or the length of the arms, forecast a lucky or unlucky future for
their
sill v

customers

(3).

All

these quacks are consulted in regard

to a variety of subjects,

pursuits, in trade, in
or official
position,

important and unimportant: success in literary the investment of funds, the attainment of fame
sickness,

recovery from
will

whether one
are

will have

children, and

what

be their sex (4).

Horoscopes
of birth are

likewise
in to

drawn.
the

The hour, day,

month and year


is

handed

fortune-teller,

and therefrom he forecasts whether the future


This
is

will be

lucky or not.
a contract
cyclic

especially
off

customary before marriage,

and many

broken

because of the fanciful antagonism

between the
ful pair (5).

animals that presided over the birth of the youthto the


lot is a

Appeal

very

common

practice in China.

Bamboo

slips or

are found in

wooden blocks prepared for the purpose of divination The lots are drawn before the idol, and every temple.
answer comes from the gods,
shaping one's conduct or busiis

the people profess to believe that the

and

is

good and

sufficient reason for


(6).

ness accordingly

Divination by dissecting written characters

(1)

The

last

authorized edition

in
.

36 books was issued by the Board of

Rites A.I). 1741, under KHen-lung Pf


p.

Wylie.
p. 321.

Notes on Chinese Literature,


note
note
2.

133. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. IV. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. IV. 2) Chinese Superstitions Vol. IV. (3)
Doolittle.
If

p. 326.

2.

p. 327.

Practical

applications

of

the art, p. 338-339.


(4) (5)

Social Life of the Chinese.


in

Vol.

II.

p. 106,

and 331.
in

the bride was born

the year of the cock,

and the bridegrooi )m


Vol. IV. p. 326.

that of
(0)

th.-

dog, no

harmony can
p

prevail between thru,

See Vol. IV

349, 351. note 1; p. 353.

XV
much
in

vogue among the literary class

(1).

A pictograph

is

handed

to the diviner,
to,

who

dissects

it,

retrenches a few lines or adds there-

thus composing a new character, whence he draws a prognostic

favourable or unfavourable for the inquirer.

Such combinations are

much

appreciated by the literati, as they afford an occasion for dishelp into the bargain

playing wit, and

many

a hard-up

scholar to

eke out a scant}' livelihood.

Portents or omens exert a telling influence over Chinese every-

day

life,

and implicit

belief is placed in the effect

which

will follow

certain acts.
to

Thus the appearance or cry of certain birds is deemed forebode good or evil luck. The crow is especially a harbinger of
regard to a rookery, a contrary feeling
is,

evil; in

however,

enter-

tained

(2).

Omens
is

of personal sensations are as

commonly accepted
indicates

among
that

the Chinese as in

Western
ill

countries.

Thus sneezing

some one

talking

of you, or that a quarrel will soon break


(3).

out

among

the woman-folk of the house

belief in
all

lucky and

unlucky

days,
(4).

pervades

Chinese literature and

life

and in lucky numbers, There is luck especially


(5).

in odd numbers, 5

and

being the favourite ones

The Imperial

calendar indicates what days are lucky or unlucky

year

(6).

On

throughout the such a day and not on any other, may one start on a

(1)
(2)

See Vol. IV.


See Vol. IV.

p. 356.

Various examples,

p. 360-361.

p. 371-372.

Classical readers will

remember how

the

Greeks and
(3)
felt in
(4)

Romans augured from


p. 373-374.

the flight of birds.

See Vol. IV.


the eyes etc.

Itching of the ears, a tingling sensation

Among

the Greeks, the doctrine of the hidden properties and


also taught

harmon-

ies of

numbers was

by Pythagoras, and expounded as underlying


Vol.
sit

the whole system of the universe (Dennys. Folk-lore in China, p. 39). See cosmic and mythological elements numerically arranged. (5)
III.

p.

XIV. In
to dinner,
p. 41).

England,

it is

held lucky for an odd


13.

number

of people to

down
China,

always excepting the tabooed


p. 381.

(Dennys.

Folk-lore in

(6)

See]Vol. IV.

have been suppressed

(at

least

Under the Republic, lucky and unlucky days on paper) with reference to marriages and

burials (Varie'te's Sinologiques. no 47. p. 221).

XVI
journey,

commence building

operations, open a shop, pay a visit to

a friend, take a bath, call in a tailor or a barber.

Such a day

will

be favourable for a marriage festival or a funeral ceremony.

Accor-

ding to this

belief,

the

success or failure of an
(1).

enterprise depends

entirely on the choice of the day

Confucius and Divination.


divination, and held that

Confucius, than
had
a

whom

there

was

no greater admirer of China's hoary past,


it

strong belief in
(2).

disclosed to

man

the will of Heaven

He

also attributed to the

Sage foreknowledge of the future.

"It

is

characteristic,

says he,

of the

most

entire

sincerity

to

be able to

foreknow''

(3).

He

gives unstinted praise to the use of the milfoil

and

tortoise-shell,
of

both

purposes
great

divination.

employed from the earliest antiquity for "The shell and stalks employed by the

men

(Kings, Feudal Lords and Sages),


(4).

must be held

in

awe and

reverence"

"The Master
is

in his observations

on the Yih J^ said:


is

"to unravel what


discover what
is

confused and search out what

mysterious

to

deep and reach to what is distant (read the future), thus determining what will be fortunate or unlucky, there is nothingThe study that gave greater than the milfoil and tortoise"
(5).

Confucius

the
(6).

greatest

pleasure

was that

of the explanation of the

diagrams
"if

In the Analects,
to

Lun-yu

H fg,
I

we

find

it

said of
to the

him

some years were added


Yih"
(7).

my

life,

of the

"Is not the Yih a

would give 50 perfect book?" (8).

study

(2

Chinese Superstitions. Vol. IV p. 363. Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine Wieger.
.

p. 130. p.
at

Doctrine of the
281.

Mem, Chung-yung
is

'p Jjf.

Lcgge's translation,

This sincerity, says Legge,


i

but a figment, so

we need

not

wonder

the

stravagance of
is

its

attributes.

The foreknowledge here


Book XXIX.

attributed to the
follies.

Sage

onl\

guessing by means of augury, sorcery and other

'

Li-lti

&

or Record of Rites.
p. 350.

Piao-hi

ofExamples). Vol.
\

II.

Legge's translation.

Couvreur.
I

% %l

(Record
text.

Chinese

ol.

II

p. 512.

(.")

(6) (7)

Third App< ndix to the 174 Yih-king g @. p 17 Legge's translation. Third Appendix to the Yih-king. Legge's translation, p. 351. Confucian Analects. Book VII. 16. translation, 64.
I

p.

()

Third Appendix

to

the

Yih-king.

fcegge's translation, p. 359.

XVII
He
family,
also

believed
he,
is

in

omens and portents


about to

"when
are

a nation or

said
;

about to flourish, there are sure to be happy


it

omens

and

when

is

perish r

there

sure

to

be

unlucky prognostics"'
of his
life,

(1).

For want of auspicious omens at the end

he gave up
:

Master said

hope of the triumph of his doctrine. "The the phoenix does not come, the river sends forth no
all

map;
all

it

is

all

over with

me"

(2).

The

disciples of Confucius have

followed the example of the Master, and believe likewise in divin-

ation, portents

and omens

(3).

The Sages Ellecls of divination on the Chinese people. were the authors of divination and practised it from the earliest
times, habits

hence
of

it

is

obvious that

it

entered largely into the


a

life

and

the

people,
(4).

and exerted over them

depressing and

disturbing influence
at

Ancient sovereigns and the government


it

different

periods

employed

as an

instrument of State rule to


cases,

overcome
ministers

popular

opposition.
to

In

such

wise
office,

and

faithful

were put

death or dismissed from

and popular
It
still

opinion slighted, hence

many

internal troubles and revolts arose.

introduced the fanciful theory of lucky and unlucky days, which

holds sway over the masses, and makes them postpone acts, which

would be better and more advisedly performed


fine,
it

at

an earlier date. In
of

may
filled

be

said

that

it

kept up

a system

deception and

knavery,
led

the people with awe for the Spirits and the dead, and
'n^>

them away from Shang-ti J^

tne

Supreme Ruler.

In process

Doctrine of the Mean, Chung-yung 41 Classics. Vol. I. p. 281.


(1)

M- Ch. XXIV. Legge's Chinese

Confucian Analects, Lun-yii 8. The phoenix is a (2) to- Book IX. fabulous bird, said to appear when a Sage ascended the throne (as in the
.

days of Shun

B.C. 2255), or when right principles were going to triumph $. throughout the empire. The river and map carry us further back to the time of Fuhsi ffi. ig, the legendary founder of the Chinese monarchy, to whom a dragon-horse appeared in the waters of the Yellow river, and revealed the

plan of the diagrams.


(3)

Confucius indorses

all

these fables.

Wieger.
Legge.

Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine, p. 139.

(4)

The Great

Plan,

Hung-fan gt $e (A Chapter of the Hook of

Records), p. 335.
Ill

XVIII
of

time some methods have fallen into disuse, while others have

been introduced.
survived.
tellers

The main principle and tendency have, however, At the present day, soothsayers, diviners and fortuneabound throughout the land, and the people place implicit
this superstition is eradicated from the

faith in their vain forecasts.

When
of the
better

minds and habits


;

people,
his

the

Chinaman

will

be nearer to truth
less
;

he will use

shrewd common sense, be


on
life

given to procrastination,

and

less fatalistic in his outlook

he will consider the future


its secrets,
it,

with serenity, undesirous of penetrating


his ken, but seeking to

which are beyond

make

the best of

thereby promoting with

earnest endeavour his

own

interests

and the welfare of the Nation.

M. Kennelly,
Sicawei College, Shanghai.
October 10,
1917.

S. J.

XIX
LIST OF FOREIGN

WORKS
L. Wieger, S. J.
Id.
Id.

CONSULTED FOR THIS FOURTH VOLUME.

Rudiments du Parler Chinois.


Textes Historiques.

Folk-Lore Chinois Moderne.


Histoire des Croyances Religieuses en Chine (1917).

Id.

Synchronismes Chinois.

The Folk-Lore

of China.

M. Chang, S. J. N. B. Denny s.
J.

Chinese Folk-Lore.
Vegetarian Sects.

Gowan.

G. Miles.

China and Religion.


Studies in Chinese Religion.

E. H. Parker.
Id.
J.

Chinese Buddhism.

Edkins.

Buddhism

in

China.

S. Beal.

Catena

of

Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese


in China. of Chinese

Id.

Four Lectures on Buddhist Literature

Id.

Hand-Book

Buddhism.
and Popular Aspects, in

E.

J. Eitel.

Buddhism
Buddhism.

Its Historical

Three Lectures.

Id.

Monier Williams.
as a Religion.

Buddhism

H. Hackmann.

Calendar of the Gods in China.


Social Life of the Chinese (2 Vol.).

Timothy Richard.
J. Doolittle.

Chinese Repository (Canton.

XX

Vol.)

The Chinese Recorder (Shanghai). The China Review (Hongkong).

The Religious System The Li Ki or Book of

of

China (VI

Vol.).

J.
J.

de Groot.
I.egge.

Rites.

The Shu King or Book of Records. The Shi King or Book of Poetry.

Id.
Id.

The Yih King

or

Book

of

Changes.

Id.

Mernoires concernant

les

Chinois (XVI Vol.) Jesuit

Missionaries

in

Peking.
Lettres

Edifiantes et

Curieuses

(Vol.

IX-XIII

on

China).
in

Jesuit

Missionaries

China.

XX
Lettres de Jersey (1880-1914).

Annalesdu Musee Guimet


Chinese Reader's Manual.

(Vol.

Revue de lExtreme-Orient.

Shanghai Jesuit Mission. XI-XII.1886). De Groot et Chavannes. H. Cordier.

W.
A.

F. Mayers.

Notes on Chinese Literature (New Edition). Syllabic Dictionary of the Chinese Language.
Chinese-English Dictionary.

Wylie.

Williams.
II.

A. Giles.
Id.

Chinese Biographical Dictionary.

De Natura Deorum (On the Nature


De Divinatione (On Divination.
Metamorphoses. La Cite Antique.

of the Gods.

Book

II).

Cicero.

2 Books).

Id.

Ovid.

Fustel de Coulanges.

The Religions
Magie
et

of the Ancient

World.
1913).

G. Rawlinson.

Magisme

(Bruxelles,

Fred. Bouvier, S.

J.

La Religion des Primitifs (Paris, 1909). The Golden Bough (2 Vol. London, 1914).
Magic and Religion (London, 1901). Myth, Ritual and Religion (2 Vol. 1906).

Le Roy.
J.

G. Frazer.

A. Fang.
Id. Id. Id.

The Making of Religion (1909). Custom and Myth (1910).

From
De

Spell to Prayer (London, 1904).

A. F. Marett.

Civitate Dei (Book XIX).

S Augustine.
1

Chinese Philosophy and Magic (London, 1911).


Classical Dictionary.

//.

Chatley.

j.

Lempriere
Smith.

Smaller Classical Dictionary of Biography and

Mythology.

W.

ooCXXJo*-

XXI
CONTENTS.
FIRST PART

VOLUME

IV.

Pcuje.

Preface
List of Foreign

I-XVIII

Works

consulted for this Fourth

Volume

XIX-XX
XXI-XXII1

Contents
List of Illustrations

XXIV-XXV

CHAPTER

VII.

Fortune-telling, divination
Article
I.

and omens.
321-326

Fortune-telling

Article
I.

II.

Physiognomy.
in ancient times in

Physiognomy
Physiognom}'
Inspecting

327-330
331-335 336-339

II.

modern times
bones

III.

persons'

Article III.
Article IV.
I.

Divination according to the method of


Selecting fortunate or lucky days.

Wen-wang 340-343
344-345

Divination by means of six cyclic characters

...

II.

Divination by skilful arrangement of cyclic characters 345-348


Divination by casting lots

Article V. Article VI,

349-352
...

Divination by throwing bamboo-blocks

353-355
356-362

Article VII.

Divination by dissecting written characters

Article VIII. Article IX. Article X.


I.

Origin of lucky and unlucky days


Consulting chopsticks placed
(Stood

363-368

in

a bowl of water 369

or evil omens.
...

The

cry of birds

370-371

II.

Snuff on a lamp-wick

372

XXII
Page.

III.

Itching of the ears

372
felt in

IV.

Tingling sensation
Itching on the face

the eves

373 373 373


...

V.
VI.

Sneezing
Divining fortune on the linger-joints Commentary on the six mottoes

Article XI.

374-376
...

377-379

CHAPTER
lain
Article

VIII.

Observances.

I.

Things prescribed and prohibited by the Imperial 381-382 calendar

I.

Origin and compilation of prescriptions and prohibitions


in

the

imperial almanac

...

382-386

II.

Cyclic divination.
1"

Concerning birth Concerning burial

387-390
390-394 394-396
to

The

site of a

grave

Appendix.
days
III.

Errors as

lucky and unlucky

for

performing burials

396-397

Astral divination.
1

The

stars

Ku

ijjft

and

Hsii

^
of the

398-399
Moon...

2"

Influence of Heaven

and that

399
400-401

IV.

Divination by
II.

means

of the five family

names

Article

Geomancy. Nature (extends


1
i

to
.

ngs)

Antiquity Rules
.

graves,

temples,
Its

dwcl.

abuses

402-416
417-419

Refutati* o

Article

III.

The household altar

Article IV.

Worshipping the "Five characters"

Heaven,

Earth, the Emperor. Parents and Teachers

420-421

XXIII
Page.

Article V.

Forwarding dues

to

Heaven

422-424

Article VI. Article VII.

Superstitious Prints

425-427
:

The Magic Inscription

"Kiang Tze-ya
to

is

here,

there

is

nothing

fear"

428-432

Article VIII.
I.

Superstitious characters.
for happiness,

The character

Fuh fg
lon-

433-434

II.

The "Five Characters": happiness, honours,


gevity, joy, wealth

435-436
it

III.

The expression "may

always be Spring weather" 436-437

^Article

IX.

Slabs for warding off bad luck

438-439

Article X.

Abstaining from killing animals for purposes


of food

440-444

Article XI.

Sparing animal life. Giving freedom

to

living

beings.

A
4

Buddhist work
Article XII. Article XIII.

45-450

Buddhist abstinence

451-455
456-463

Vegetariau Sects

XXIV
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
Page

152.
153. 154.

Fac-simile of fortune-teller's sheet casting one's lot


Blind fortune-teller plying- his art in the street

321

322

The twelve
purposes

cyclic

animals mutually opposed for divining

326

155.

Fortune-telling by inspecting the

physiognomy
of

...

330
...

156.
157.

Fortune-telling after the

method

Wen Wang

340

Divining instrument for selecting lucky days by combining


six cyclic

characters

344
...

158.
159.

Drawing

lots before

the altar of the temple-god

352 354

Divining by means of bamboo blocks


Divination by dissecting Chinese characters

160.
161.

356 366

Table for selecting an auspicious marriage day

162.
163.

Divining by means of chopsticks placed in a bowl of water 369

Omens drawn from


.

the cry of birds

371

163

I)IS

Explanation of the six sentences written on the finger joints 378


rd Imperial calendar for the 33 year of Kwang-hsii
...

L64.

382
406

165. 166.

Chinese Geomancer's compass

Household shrine
Tablet

Kia-t'ang
"Five characters":

418
Heaven, earth.

167.

bearing

the

rulers,

parents and teachers


(so called

420
dues for

168.

Buddhist monks burning mock-money


heaven)

422
to the

169.

Magic prints (burnt and forwarded

netherworld)

426

170.

"Kiang Tze-ya

is

here" (magic sentence written on a jar

171.

Kiang Tze-ya A

of bean-sauce)

428

famous magician

th

(12

cetury B.C.)

431

172.
1

Artistic delineation of the character

Fuh (happiness)

433

73\
!

A nother artistic representation of the character for happiness 434

17:;

'.

The character

foi

dignities (Luh)

434

17:;'.

The character
The character
The

for longevity
foi

(Show)
(Hsi)

436
436

173 d
174.

felicity

and joy

three symbols tor happiness, dignities

and longevity 436

XXV
Page.

175.

Slab for warding


bridge)

off

bad luck (opposite the entrance of a

438

176.

Outline figure of a buffalo appealing to the Age to spare


its life

444

77.

178.
179.

Buddhist print exhorting folks to abstain from killing frogs 450 Buddhist monk burying the abandoned bones of the dead 454
Valuable Tibetan prayer burnt for the benefit of "vegetarian sects"

462

&<EJ

CHAPTER

VII.

FORTUNE-TELLING, DIVINATION AND OMENS.


E|-*'|5

ARTICLE

I.

FORTUXE-TELLIXG.
Suan-ming
~Note
^f.

(1).

Fortune-tellers

employ largely

for the

purposes of their
jj& |j|

art a

book in two volumes entitled Silen-tseh-pi-yao

$| ^|, select
(2).

and tabulated formulas, or a vade-mecum of the divining" art


(1)

Literally to calculate the limit of

life,

one's appointed lot: to

tell

fortune, to cast destinies. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


(2)

In 1683', being the 21 st year of K'ang-hsi $f

IBE,

the Board of Rites

published a guide to divination with the title Silen-tseh t'ung-shu j|? 4? iS # As it contained many inaccuracies and defects, a better and authorized edition

under Imperial patronage was published in 1741 (under K'ien-lung % Hr). It contains 36 books, and was considered essential to the efficiency of State
worship. Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 132 (divination).
1

322
This work contains

almost

all

formulas which these quacks

It has also several $fc. employ in the province of Nganhwei methods of divination employed in rural places, and which require only the help of the hands and fingers. The various positions occupied

by the genii of joy,

terrestrial

and

astral

influences,

lucky
rules
to

and
be

unlucky prognostics are mentioned

therein,

and the

observed in order to detect these influences.

One
Annals
is

of the first fortune-tellers

mentioned

in

China's Historical

Sze-ma hi-chu

ffj

J|

^,

a native of the Feudal State of

Ch'u *g

(1).

In the time of the Western

Han

dynasty, Si-Han

"gEf

^,
he

under the reign of the Emperor


practised his art at

Wen-ti t
-^f,

(B.C.

179-156),

Ch'ang-ngan-f^

the then Capital of the Empire.

Under the T'ang Jg dynasty (A.D. 620-907), Li Hsu-chung and the |g pf an Imperial Censor, had the "10 heavenly stems "12 earthly branches" (2) combined with the "5 elements" (3), and
11
,

from their mutual agreement or opposition, he drew the horoscope


of people, forecasting a long or short
life,

and a condition

of wealth

or poverty.

This method was followed by Six Tze-p'ing


as

^ -^

^p, also

known

Su Ku-yih

%fe

^ J^.
ft;

He

lived in the time of the "Five Dynas-

ties",

Wu-tai 3L

(A.D. 907-960),

or later,

under the Sung

rulers (A.D. 960-1127), according to others.

These two

men may

be justly considered as the pioneers of the

art in ancient times.

(1)
It

This State existed from B.C. 740-330.

under the

rule of 30 princes.
Its

occupied

Hukwang and
jplj

parts of

Honan and Kiangsu.

capital

was

Kingchow-fu
(2)

#|

$F
I.

See Vol.

(Western Hupeh). p. 142. note 1 and 2.

Where

these cyclic symbols are

enumeratedJand described.
represert genii
p. 262. (<j
"
\\

Practically they are personified

and deihed, and


III.

who

preside over the year, months, days and hours. Vol.

hsing JL \j.
fire,

These

5 primordial essences, or active principles

Nature, are water,


oi

schemi

Chinesi

wood, metal and earth. Upon them the whole osmogony and divination is based. Mayers. Chinese
See Vol.
III. p.

Reader's Manual,

p. 313.

2G0. note 2.

<a
S~
*>

<n

0} -to CO

^
ce

'S^

co V) .--

%>
>

IJ

+<

3 3

>1
BQ

323
Modern
fortune-tellers generally follow
(1).

Su Yen-sheng f

j: Jf.,

who

lived

under the Sung $z dynasty


differ in the

The two methods

following points.

Li Hsu-chung

M.

employed but six characters, denoting the year, the month,

and the day of a person's birth; while Sit Yen-sheng j#F J|. added two others, representing the hour in which a person was born.

Hence comes the combination generally known as the "eight characwhich people give to fortune-tellers in order ters", Pah-tze ^F-j

to

know

their destiny.

Two

of these characters denote the year,

two

the month, two the day, and two others the hour of one's birth.

How
elements?

is

the destiny of a

person

known through
method.

these canny

Fortune-tellers

adopt the following


fire,

Five

characters

denote the
these
five

'"five

elements": wood,

earth, metal

and water. With

elements, they combine in pairs the ten characters representing the heavenly stems, and the twelve denoting the earthly branches. Next in a series of twelve are added the cyclic characters.

These "five elements" mutually produce or destroy each other.

Thus according
produces earth

to the rules generally

adopted
;

the divining art, water produces


;

wood
;

among the votaries of wood produces fire fire


;

earth produces metal

metal produces water.

Such

are the formulas according to

which these elements agree.


as follows.

The laws

of opposition are

Metal destroys wood


;

wood
and

destroys

earth

earth

destroys water

water destroys

fire

fire

destroys metal.
as everybody can see, these fanciful laws exist only in the

Now,
ning
it

imagination of fortune-teilers,
to end.

who have
fire

invented them from

beginfire
;

Thus

if it

be true to state that water puts out

is

not equally true to say that

extinguishes water?

(1)

Comments on
on

the
a

work "Daily Jottings"


variety of subjects,

Jeh-chi-luh-chu

pj

j]

||

fj:,

being the result of 30 years It '4< fftjottings during the daily readings of the author, Ku Yen-ivu comprises 32 books, and was published about the year 1673. Wylie. Notes
a collection of notes
iffi.

on Chinese Literature,

p. 163.

Vol.

I.

p. 102

note

2.

324
It is

in

thus comparing the "eight characters", which denote the


birth,

month, day and hour of a person's their mutual agreement or opposition, that
year,

and considering
forecast

fortune-tellers

the destiny of that person.

The inferences drawn from such

fanciful

and groundless prin-

ciples are utterly destitute of any value whatsoever.

In the time of the

Sung

named Fei-kwun
follows.

^ ^,
.

dynasty (A.D. 960-1280\ a writer known also as Pu-chi fjf ; refuted them as
,

Fei was a native of

Wusih

M ^,

in the province of

Kiang)fc

su tL

ill-

an d lived during the reign of the Emperor Kwarig-tsung


of the

^N

A.D. 1190-1195

Southern Sung dynasty. Nan-Sung


person
is

$j

%.
the

"According
of the

to these people, says he. a

born every hour


;

day

1
;

in a

day there are thus twelve persons born

in

course of a year 4.320 (taking a year of 360 days), and in a cycle of


sixty years as
If

many

as 259. 200.

we consider the
The

actual population of China,

this

number

of
of

births is far below the reality,


several thousands.

and contains obviously an error


is

error

greater
in

if

we

take into consideration


see

the entire

population of the globe,

which we

that

rather

millions are born in such a long lapse of time.

However,

let

us leave aside the numerical error,

and consider
rich
folks
all

only the condition of the

persons
of

who
day,

are

born.

When

and
are

powerful persons see the light


also born.
at the

poor and humble

Why

is

their condition different, since they are

born

same hour

of the

day?

[2

The above erroneous inference


the

is

also evident

when we consider

"eight characters"

Pah-tze

persons.
(1)

Thus Ts'ai-king
The Ch'en
Jgf,

flC,

^, denoting the age of divers Prime Minister in the time of the

or Chinese hour corresponds to two hours according


.Mayers.

to

Kuropean notation.
l

Chinese Reader's Manual,

p.

M51

'

horarv

periods of the day).


(2)

Liang-k i-man-chi
<h

J jg i.

Written by Fei-kwun

&

jg at the

It contains 10 books, and is a series of notes on century. the antiquities of the Court of China and miscellaneous topics. Wvlie Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 165.

close of the 12

325
Sung

dynasty, had the same "eight characters"

eul-tze

Jf|$

jjjj,

^f-

(1),

man

of

Cheng Fenlow condition who was his conas

temporary.
T'ai-tsu
-fc
7ffH_

(2),

emperor
|^
!|,

of the
in

that at Lofr-yang-hsien : fc
called Li

Ming 0^ dynasty, learned Honan fpT j|f. a certain man


for

^,

had the same "eight characters" as himself


Hereupon, he questioned him
"I derive
I,

denoof

ting his birth.


subsistence.

as

to

his

means

beehives".

"And
my
J}fl

my

livelihood, said

the swain,
derive

from twelve

replied

the Emperor,

mine from the


rise to a

revenue of

thirteen provinces".
J$i,

This retort gave


as

comedy.
^f.

Lang-ying

also

known
-flf

Lang Jen-pao $ fz
(A.I).

who

lived in the reign of

Shi-tsung

1522- lob"), of the Ming

0^ dynasty, writes thus: "at every examination which took place for

the promotion of Metropolitan graduates, Tsin-shi


three or four hundred

}|

J-.

among
birth.

the

who

succeeded,

never

met any two having


In

the

same

identical

"eight characters'

denoting their
literati, if

such a vast and populous country teeming with


find

one cannot

two Metropolitan graduates who have exactly the same age,


of

does not that clearly prove that none must believe in the fatality
a

man's destined

lot?''

Yuen Kien-chai
Li Hsu-chung

^
rfa

^fj

^ says
it

"'the

common

people believe that


the

^ ^

can calculate

unerringly

duration

of

human

life

how then

did

happen that he had been unable to do

so for himself,

and that he ended his days by taking poison? Have


his system
is

we not here evident proof that

utterly baseless?"

(1

Other Chinese writers make similar criticisms which are marked


with sound

common

sense.

If

wealth and a venerable old age result


it

necessarily from the hour of one's birth,

must be admitted that


that he would

person born

under such favourable auspices, would never require


to secure literary degrees,

studying in order
(1)

become

Pergonal

title

containing three characters,

a fact

which seldom occurs


dynasty, more

in

Chinese names.
first

(2) Temple name of the commonly known as Hung-int


(3)

emperor of the Ming

B%

j* j^ (A.D. 1368-1399).
fft

See Ts'ih-siu-lei-kao

-fc

$f(

jgj

and Sui-yuensui-pih

[Eg

|$t

326
rich without taking

any trouble whatsoever, or win a


life.

battle

in

war

without incurring risk of his


It
is

customary before engaging in marriage, to hand to the soothsayer the "eight characters" of the two affianced (1), in order

may compare them, and forecast the good or evil fortune of As we know that the hour of one's birth exerts no the concerned. influence upon the destiny of a person, how can the hour of another's
that he
birth affect in anywise that

same man's future

life?

The superior man should

perfectly fulfil his duty, but the

hour

of his birth exerts no influence

see

upon The greater part of fortune-tellers are blind persons, who do not how then can they their own way and have to be led about
;

his destiny.

guide others?

(2).

The annexed
two

illustration exhibits the 12 cyclic animals as they

are generally arranged for divining purposes.


series according
to the

These are disposed in

mutual opposition which fortune-tellers

attribute to them.

Thus the horse


dog
the
to the cock
;

is

opposed

to the

ox

the rat to the sheep


;

the
;

the serpent to the tiger


the

the hare to the dragon


opposition,

tellers
life

monkey draw

to

hog.

From

this

fanciful

fortune-

the following practical conclusion,

which

affects the

daih

of the people.

Two

persons, for instance, wish to get married,

but the proposed bride

is

born

in the year of the cock,


it is

and the bride-

groom

in the year of the dog, so

declared that in the case no

harmony can prevail between them.


Beside the names of the
12

animals are found the characters

denoting the corresponding cycle.


(1)

See Vol.

I.

p. 30.

Exchanging the "eight characters" previous to a

betrothal.

Blind fortune-tellers are usually led about the streets by a lad. Some a kind of harp which they play occasionally as they walk slowly along the street. Others carry a rattle composed of two small pieces of wood.
(2)

of

them have

When
teller.

struck together, they indicate the approach or presence of the fortuneThis class of men never open a shop where they may be consulted,
Doolittle

but depend on incidental customers.


Vol.
II.

Social

fife

of the Chinese.

p. 332.

Fig.

154.

& *
3L

% %
'

<*
)

jV^

,,:

Jfjf

^ /'*

*"

.K

vi
$

-a

a*&
4p
i

*- N
>
i
;

ft? *>.
*t

Les douze animaux du C3 cle opposes Tun a Tautre. The twelve cyclic animals mutually opposed for divining purposes.
r

327
ARTICLE
II.

PHYSIOGNOMY.
Siang-mien
I.

^
in

"jf]

(1).

Physiognomy

ancient times.

Fortune-telling, by inspecting the physiognomy, existed in China


as far

back as the

Chow

dynasty (B.C. 1122).

Sim

(2\ famous writer, and according ki-chu j IE, ff., Grand Sacrificer

to the "Historical

h'ing ^j J|p Records" Shi-

of the Feudal State of Ts'i

(3),

under the ruler Siang-wang


his works.

3: (B.C. 282), refuted the system in

This philosopher was a native of the Feudal State of

Chao

(4).

subject:

The Yang commentary, Yang-chu jj _, says on this "physiognomy consists in the minute inspection of the
per-

structure of the bones, in order to deduce therefrom whether a


son's future will be lucky or unlucky, and whether
or

he will be rich

poor.

A'ain

practices

which impose on the ignorant,

and so

Sixn-k'ing

||j

wrote a book for the purpose of refuting such

erroneous notions".

For the thorough understanding of the passage quoted, it may prove helpful to premise a few historical notes on the two persons

whose names appear in the first lines, viz: Ku-pu Tze-h'ing jfc The following extract is from the ^- J^p, and T'ang-kiX j|f ^.
(1) Siang-mien ffl W, to look at and tell the destiny by inspecting the countenance. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

(2)

Also

known

as Siin-hw'ang '$ #, but

commonly

called Siln-tze ~%

-f-

Chao Jt (3 rd century B.C.), but who took up his abode in TVi ^, where he founded a school opposed He maintained that human nature is originally to the doctrines of Mencius.
or the Philosopher Siin.

public officer of the State of

evil,

and that

all

its

goodness

is

the result of education.

Mayers. Chinese
S. Chihli.

Readers Manual,
(3)

p. 197.
It

B.C. 1122-224.

comprised part of N. Shantung and


Lin-tze-hsien gigfg

The

capital

was Ying-ku ^jr, to-day

(Shantung). Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. An ancient Feudal State in the S. of Chihli and Shansi. (4)
Chao-ch'eng-hsien %&
tfc

Capital

W. (Shansi).

328
"Records
of Ts'ai-tseh",

Shi-hi Ts'ai-tseh-chwan

|| |
Yen
$ji

|,

where these persons' names are mentioned.


Ts'ai-teeh
travelled
of Ts'in

-]1|,

native

of

the

Principality of

(I),

from one
$g
(2),

petty State to another.

Before visiting the ruler

called

Chao-w&ng
j|f

flg

3[ (B.C. 306),

he begged the
after

physiognomist T'ang-ku
big nose, thick eyebrows,

to

examine him.

The former,

a brief inspection, began to laugh and exclaimed:

"Sir, you have a


air,

high shoulders,
it

domineering

and

the

knees weak.

have heard

said

that superior

men
I

do not

consult physiognomists,
tseh

why

don't you follow their example?'' Ts'aiI

|p replied: "wealth and honours


I

do

enjoy,

but

ignore
says?"

"Sir,

how

long

have to

live;

please,

let

me know what your


Ts'ai.-tse/i

art

you have still 43 years him, and withdrew smiling.


According
Tze-k'ing
to the

to live".

^^

thanked

j( rfj

and had

for

"Yang Commentary", Yang-chu f^, Ku-pu was called by his family name Ku-pu ]fc rfj, surname Tze-k'ing ^ He became famous on account
^p
JJpJj,

|(j||.

of his prediction concerning

Chao Siang-tze

jjjf|

J|-

^f-

Chao Kien-tze

$S

fi*)

"? h ac* assembled


jfc
;jjj

all

the physiognomists, and ordered


-fj
jfil[$,

Ku-pu
held to

Tze-k'ing

-=p

Jijij]

to

examine Mu-suh
|f|
f[fj

whom

all

be a superior man. Chao Kien-tze


is

-? said to him: "his mother


(3).

but a
is

vile

slave-woman from
first

Till

The choice made by


of esteem",

heaven

the

title
JJflj].

which renders

man worthy

replied Tze-k'ing

Chao Kien-tze |g f^ -^

rejected Peli-lu f

,j.,

and chose Chao

(1)
1

Established In
E. to

Wen-wcing
the desert

&

BE,

B.C. 1122,

it

lasted
river.

down
Its

to 265 B.C.

extended N. and
$jt

and the Sungari

capital

was

Yen-king
(2)

|, now Peking. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. Feudal State which arose with Fei tre -f-. B.C. 897, and gradu-

ally

extended over the whole of Shensi and Kansu


$fe

till

in

B.C. 221, under Shi

Hwang. ti
hed
a

'ifr,

it

defeated the last of the Choio


lived dynasty, Ts'in chao |

th]

emperors, and establis-

new but short

^, B.C. 249-206. Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. A Feudal State near the Gobi desert, (3)
the North ot Shensi.

now

Yen-nyan-f'u

|jE

Jjf,

in

Williams,

loc. cit.

329
Siang-tze

;|

^f-

as heir to the crown.

The

latter, in fact,

became

his successor on the throne.

Let us

now
is

return to Sun-h'm(i's ^j

Jj(!|i

refutation of physiogno-

my. and the word


^
Jjg||

He

writes as follows: "formerly there were no physiognomists,

not found in any


Jf|ji

books.
to

Ku-pu Tze-k'ing

jfo

and

T'ang-ku

began

examine the appearance, the

stature and the complexion of persons, in order to deduce therefrom

and whether they would live a long or short life. Ignorant folks believed such nonsense, but in ancient times the practice was quite unknown, and books make no mention
their good or evil destiny,

speak of the heart rather than examine the countenance, better still to discourse on mens' intentions rather than on the heart, for the heart is better than the countenance,
of
it.

It

would be much

better

to

and a man's intention better than the heart


is

itself.

If

the intention

upright, the heart

is

likewise good".

"Even
a

if

a man's appearance be against him, but the intention


is

of his heart is good, he

a superior

man.
if

On

the contrary, given

man
is

enjoying

all

exterior advantages,

his intentions are perverse,

he

a worthless individual.

to be a superior

There is nothing more desirable than and nothing more despicable than to be a man,

worthless person!"
"Therefore, a man's exterior, be he of high or low stature, gaunt
or stout, gifted with fine features or ugly as a toad,
exerts utterly

The Ancients never no influence upon his good or evil fortune. noticed such twaddle, and writers did not even mention it in their
books.

The emperor Yao

|=

(1)

was

of lofty

stature;
(3)

Shun
tall,

(2)

was below the average

size;

Wen-wang

t ^

was

and Duke

(1)

One

of China's ancient emperors.

He ascended

the throne B.C. 2357.

and reigned 70, some say even over 90 years. Manual, p. 272.
(2)

Mayers.

Chinese Readei-'s

Another of the legendary heroes of China's Golden Age. He succeeded


the throne and reigned, B.C. 2255-2205.

Yao on
(3)

United the principal chieftains against the misrule of the Shang


it,

ftlfi

dynasty, and succeeded in overthrowing

C. 1122.

330
Chow, Chovo'-kung
/SJ

fe

(1)

was

of

low stature.

The head

of

Con-

fucius, K'ung-tze ^L "Pi

was mucri depressed; Duke Chow, Chow-

and stood bolt upright like a piece of decayed kung jgj wood; Kao-yao Jji |^, High Minister to Yao f and Shun |$, had features like a parched melon Hung-yao (^ ^c, disciple of Kiang
stiff
;

Q, was

Tze-ya

^^%
fj,

(2),

and minister

to

Wu-wang
"T*

3^

(B.C. 1115-

1078), was

so beardy that his features were almost concealed;

Fuh-

yueh

ff:

whom Wu-ting-wang
-fjf

3E, one of the emperors of

the Yin |$ dynasty, chose as minister ^B.C. 1324-1265), resembled a

High Minister to the emperor Ch'ength and last ruler t'ang J$ ^, who subdued the tyran Kieh *gj, XVII of the Hsia J[ dynasty, was beardless and destitute of eyebrows."
fish

standing up; I-yin

^*,

"The emperors Kieh

|j|

and Chow j$

(3)

were well built and of

commanding stature: they were, notwithstanding, but tyrants. Endowed with Herculean strength, they had enemies on all sides, and
ruined themselves as well as the empire.
cruelty,

They were monsters of and their names have been handed down to posterity as
all

symbolical of

tyranny.

It

is

not.

therefore,

the

countenance

and intelligence which his misfortune. Who among the crafty and cunning folks causes of our large cities has not pleasing and well-set features? The dress
which injures
a

man, but the

lack of prudence

of

some

of these is of exquisite neatness, their gait

are

effeminate;

any

ruler,

and complexion be he ever so unimportant, would be

(1)

ranks

in

Younger brother of the first sovereign of the Chow M dynasty. He virtue, wisdom and honours, with the great rulers of antiquity.

Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 21. Counsellor to Wen-wang 3fc 3E (12 th century B.C.), (2) day while hunting, as predicted by an oracle. His family

who met him one name was Lil g.

Many

fables are narrated

that this

about him. and concerning his virtue it is related was acknowledged even by the fishes lor which he angled. Although
a

he used but
thereon.

straight

piece of iron,

they

voluntarily impaled themselves


ageel 90,

during 20 years, and died Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 81.


his prince
(3)

He served

B.C. 1120.

The two
for

last

rulers of the

conspicuous caused the dow

their

Hsia | dynasty, B.C. 1700. Both were voluptuousness, extravagance and cruelty, and thus
d\ nasty.

afall of the

Fig.

155

Highioay Robber.

Doubtful fortune. Will lead

Bankrupt. Will die on


the

Long

life.

Dissolute.

Short

life.

Wealthy but
broils,

Will meet with Poor,

childless.

Many brothers,

a swell

life.

highway, domestic

an early grave. Quarrels' with


wife.
\
(

Arched

nose.

Roman

nose.

Flat nose. Riches

Hooked

nose.

Humped

nose.

Lucky
in life.

Honours and
Dignities.

Will be a

Prominent nose. Dissolute and


unfortunate.

and honours.

Old bachelor. Buddhistmonk.

Wealthy

Untimely death. Tiger-eared. Rat-shaped ear. Robber.

Ear like an ass.


Homeless

and famous.

Unmourned.

Ill

behaviour.

Most

miserable,

and vagrant.

Fortune-telling by inspecting the physiognomy.

331
to employ them as ministers the most vulgar head of a would not have them teach his children a brother of average family intelligence would blush to acknowledge them, and any man of ordinary common sense would exclude them from his friendship."

ashamed

"When,
bound by the
fares,

after violating the


officers of justice,

laws of the State, they are seized and

thoroughthen in extreme anguish they bitterly regret their past life/'


is

and exposed

in the public

"Ask physiognomists which


or upright intentions, for
it

preferable, a pleasing countenance

is

not the features that injure a man,


(1).

but his lack of prudence and intelligence"

This refutation of physiognomy by

Sun

h'ing

JJp

is

witty and

peremptory.

II.

Physiognomy

in

modern

times.

Modern physiognomists have modified


ding
to

their weapons.

Accor-

them, the ears,

e} es,

mouth, nose, eyebrows, forehead, the


five

cheeks and the chin, correspond to the

sacred mountains, the

four great rivers, the five planets and the six stars.

The

left

cheek-bone

is

T'ai-shan

(Jj

the sacred mountain of


|Jj

the East, situated in the province of Shantung

j|f.

The right cheek-bone


of the

is

Hwa-shan

|j|

jjj

the sacred
|$j*

mountain

West, situated
is

in the province of
||f
[i|
,

Shensi

]5f

The forehead

Heng-shan

the sacred
fj$j

mountain

of the

South, situated in the province of

Hunan
(2),

The nose

is

Sung-shan

[[}

the sacred mountain of the


fpf
p|j.

Centre, situated in the province of

Honan

(1)

Works

of Siin-JeHng

Philosopher Sun. Ch. V.

$ j$|J, commonly known as Siln-tze '^\ ^-, He founded a school of ethics in opposition

or the
to the

doctrines propounded by the followers of Mencius. Mayers. Chinese Reader"s

Manual,
(2)

p. 197.

The highest

of the 5 sacred mountains, on


^rfr.

ors worshipped Shangti _b

which the ancient emperWilliams. Dictionary of the Chinese Lan^ua^t.

332
The chin
is

Heng-skan

'\b

|1|

the sacred
(Jj
[ffj.

mountain

of the North,

situated in the province of Shansi

The ears represent the Yangtze


the eyes some other water-courses
;

river,

Yang-tze-kiang

^^

the nostrils are the minor streams,

and the mouth the Hwai

river, II\vai-ho

f^

-/pj

(1).

The

left

ear represents Venus, the golden planet, Kin-sing


of the element

^ JL
wood,

The right ear represents Jupiter, the planet


Muh-sing

^H
the planet
of the

The nose represents Saturn,

element earth,

T'u-sing ^b M.-

The forehead represents Mars, the planet


Hwo-sing if*. The mouth represents Mercury, the planet
Shui-sing
7$.

of the element fire,

of the

element water,

Jl.

The

left

eye corresponds to the


,,

Sun

Jek

Q
ft
jj-

The
The

right eye
left eye-lid

Moon
Ki-tu

Yueh
|p g%

represents the star Lo-heu


,,
,,

The right eye-lid The left hand

,, ,,

ff ^P
ft

M
jj[

Yueh-puk
Tze-h'i

^:
ft;

The right hand


They discover
.">

,,

,,

j|

also

on the face the 12 signs of the zodiac; the

senses (sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch) are represented by the 10

the Three Great Powers of Nature (heaven, earth and man),

heavenly stems and the 12 earthly branches

(2

The

live

fingers of the
fire

hand represent the "five elements


or the
|jg,
\

1 '

(metal,
of the
j|.

wood, water,

and

earth),

"eight diagrams"

(3)

"Book of Changes ", Yih-king J These symbols are the following:

invented by Fuh-hsi f

K'ien

^,

the

Yang

or active

(1

The

Ifivcti-ho
j<

}{

;ii]"

runs
It

in
is

into the

Hungtseh
See Vol. Sec
Vol.

j$ hike.

Nganhnoei from S.W. to X.E., and flows subject to violent floods, which inundate
111

the surrounding country to a distance of from


(2)
1.

to 20 miles.
p. 25V.
26:-*.

p.

142, note
p.
22:5,

and

2.

Vol.

111.

II.

where the origin

of these mystic

symbols

is

desci ibed

333
principle in Nature, heaven, ether, the

N.W.
the

point of the compass

Tui
(|$|

Q,
tire,

water, fountains, ascending vapour, lightness, the


light,

W.;

^ Li

heat,

warmth,

life,

S.;

^ Chen

jj|,

thunder,

igneous exhalations, the quickening power of Nature, the E.; 5^


JS|,

Sun
jfc,

the wind, expansive energy,

flexibility,

the

S.E.;

K'an

water, the liquid elements, rigidity, cold, the N.;


tains,

Ken

J^,
'_

mounKw'-un

what sustains,

solidity,

gravity,

quiet,

the N.E.;

Yin or passive principle in Nature, compliant J^J, the S.W. on the compass-card. At last the four accord, drought, seasons Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter.
the earth, the
:

Several other fanciful inventions


this so-called science of

add endless complications


in China.

to

It is by combining physiognomy through their supposed opposition to each other, by examining the features, the long and short bones of the

these

various factors,

human

frame, that the physiognomist forecasts a happy or


life,

evil destiny,

a long or short

what year
will

will

be auspicious or inauspicious,

whether husband and wife


children or leave no heirs to
If

abide

long together or not, have


their

mourn on

tomb

(1).

one considers superficially the features of persons, all are very nearly alike but when they are examined closely, great differences
;

These help the physiognomist in discriminating individuals from each other. Physiognomists do not, however, stop at
are discovered.

these externals, but use

them
will

for forecasting

happiness or misfortune,
or soon meet

whether such a person


end.

enjoy health,

with his

Assuredly
of the soul are
his

it

has ever been remarked that the inner dispositions

mirrored forth in the exterior man, and thus by outward movements, his manner of speech, one may examining conjecture whether he is endowed with, a strong or weak character,

whether he
is

is

an upright person or a hypocrite

for the

countenance

the mirror of the soul.

However,

it

must not

be forgotten that

man

necessity or compulsion, but enjoys free-will,

does not act through and may always resist

(1)

"Miscellany of Water Classics". Shui-king-tsih

ifc

'in.

#J-

334
his evil inclinations.

One, therefore, can never judge positively from


Greater
still

external appearances.

is

the error of those wizards,


is

intimately connected with the shape of the features, or such and such a peculiarity of the

who

forecast that the good or evil destiny of a person

human

body.
facts,

Chinese writers have assembled an interesting number of

which run counter

to

the fanciful calculations of physiognomists.


r

The following are a few specimens


^f
Jj(!(|,

culled

from the work of SiXn-k'i fig

above mentioned.

Hsiang-yu
ijjfc,

Kiangsu
Jl ^p (B.C.
the ancient

~ who murdered the Emperor Eul-ski H\<ang-ti 209-206), was a man possessed of double eye-balls like emperor Shun ^fj (B.C. 2255-2205). One was a rebel
What
a
!

Jjf Jfl

(1),

a native of

P'i-chow

2|S

}>\\,

in

North
-jtf-

and an assassin, and the other a praiseworthy prince. difference between these two men
2

Yang-hwo

% f(
Lu

and Confucius, K'ung-tze

Q^
(2),

(B.C. 551-

479) resembled each other like twins.


rebels in the State of
iff.,

Yang-hwo^^

head of the
|j|

put to death Ki Hwan-tze

-^

(3)

and his whole family, and overran the Kw'ang [ee country, in Honan Confucius happening ~\$, ten miles South of Sui-chow Uf ')]]. fpj"
(1)

B.C. 201.

Noted from his }-outh by his great stature and military

prowess. He rose in rebellion against the TsHn ? dynasty (B.C. 249-206), butchered an army of 200,000 men sent against him, and finally proclaimed himself ruler of Western Ts'u, Si-Ts'u Bj (to-day Honan and N. Nganhwei).

He

also put to death

Tze-ying

^f-

rightful successor to the throne.


dec hired

the infant son of Eul-shi-wang, and Later on, Liu-pang i]f[J, Prince of Han j|',
|g,

suicide at Kai-hsia i%

war against him and defeated him. "When all was lost, he committed modern Xganhwei). Mayers. Chinese Reader's '\- (in
p. 52. Rg fi also called

Manual,
(2)

Yang-hu

\% r6

th (Tiger Yang), 6 century B.C.

An

adherent of Ki-hwan

@, one
fly

of the three ducal families

who

rebelled against

the Sage's native State (B.C. 505).

Confucius refused to see him, and he was


l

eventually compelled to
(3)
It

the country. Mayers, loc. cit. p. 266. was to him that the Prince of Ts i ^, who ruled N.
a

Shantung

and

S. Chihli, sent

present of singing-girls and horses, the acceptance of


J,
cit.

which by the Duke of Lu


official post.

caused the retirement of Confucius from his


p.

Mayers,

loc.

7S.

335
one day to pass by that way, the inhabitants took him for Yang-hwo and thereupon arrested him. Having realized their error, he V&9 ^,

was

released after three days' detention, and allowed

to

proceed on

his way.
3

Here, the one was a Sage, and the other a rascally rebel.

The high

official

Chen-sun

jjjg

||,

who

lived in the time of


25),

the

Western Han, Si-Han |f |g (B.C. 206-A.D.

had the two

characters "Heaven's son", T'ien-tze

^f- (1),

tatooed on his hand.

The Grand Minister and Generalissimo Wang-mang 3E (2), had him seized, and after examining the characters, exclaimed: "these are
the three characters
Yih-ta-tze
-^ (six)

-fc

^f-

or

Yih-luh-tze

-^

The character Lull meaning

resembles

in

sound another Luh


to death".

|J,

to kill, to slaughter.

So he must be put

And

the unfortunate
4

man was

executed forthwith.
fj?

Under the Emperor Ch'eng-ti J&


tung-Tsin ^C if'
'}\\,
^

(A.D. 326-343) of the

Eastern Tsin,

Wang-hwo

BE

^TJ,

commoner,
lived at

native of P'i-chow 2$

P rov i nce f Kiahgsu

fX. j||>
~pT,

Kiang-yin fx. Plii whose foot was tatooed with seven

an d had a daughter surnamed K'o


stars,

the sole of

to

which were attached


c

variegated ribbons seven inches in length.

become one day an empress. The Prefect of taking her for some weird apparition, had her
informed the Emperor, and
5
finally

The damsel aspired to Ch angcko\<-fu i$ ')\\}ft,


cast

into

prison,

put her to death.

Under the Emperor K'ang-ti

(A.D. 343-345), of the

This is the title given to the Emperor of China. Yew (B.C. 2357(1) 2255) decided not to pass the supreme authority to a worthless son, but to confer it upon a worthy minister. This new departure was regarded by Shun
1& (B.C. 2255-2205) as "heavenly doing'", and from that time he took the dignity of "Son of Heaven", which Chinese emperors bear down to the present

day.
ch.
I.

It

corresponds to the Western "Dei gratia". Parker. China andReligion.


B.C. 33-A.D. 23.

p. 22.

(2)
js.
.P.;

military official created Generalissimo, Ta-sze-ma

ifr

(B.C. 6), and who seized the reins of government under PHng-ti ' fij (A.D 1-6). Having placed a two-year old child on the throne, he poisoned

him, and openly usurped the Imperial authority. He governed the country 16 years amidst the greatest disorder, and was killed at Cli'ang-ngan J^ 4<c by
the Princes of

Han

(A.D. 23). Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual,

p. 241.


Eastern Tsin dynasty,

3'3

Tung-Tsin Wi a soldier named Ch'en-tu had a daughter whose surname was T'ai jj|, and beneath |J|f -jjf, whose foot were found written the following words: "Mother of the
Universe",

T e ien-hsia-chi-mu

Ji ~f

#,

that

is

Empress

of China.

By

order of the government, she


(

was

cast into prison at Kien-k'ang


(1).

M.

novv Nanking), and died without ascending the throne

From

the above examples, one

may

see

how

utterly

worthless

are prognostics founded on the external appearance of persons.


III.

Inspecting persons' bones.


the inspection of 'persons' bones.

Physiognomy founded on

Another kind of physiognomy consists in foretelling the future

through the inspection


780-805), of the
the divining art.

of a person's bones.

blind Taoist priest,

Tao-shi jg -, who lived under the emperor Teh-tsung

H
to

9j?

(A.D.

T'ang

Jjij

dynasty, became famous

in this

branch of

He

foretold the

good or
his

evil

fortune of people, by

merely feeling the bones and joints

of those

who came

consult

him about

their destiny.
(2).

He based

predictions

principally

on

the length of the arms


case of Liu-pei
lj

$f (3),

To uphold his system he adduced the founder of the Minor Han dynasty, Shuh-

Han

%gj

v||

(A.D. 221-265), and whose hands reached

down beyond

the knees.

Against the aforesaid case,

many

others are quoted by Siln-tze

~f-.
(1)

The following
Set'

are

two instances.
'|j

"Works

of the Philosopher Siln-tze"

^-.
$..

(2)

Record of
A.I).

(3)

Happy Sayings", Kia-htua-luh 162-223. A native of Choh-chow f%


;

j| f

-I'M,

in the N. of Chihli,

and

descendanl

emperor King-ti |jc personal He was seven feet five inches in height, he could see behind extraordinary. his back, his ears reached to his shoulders, and his hands to his knees. Rising from the humble occupation of a seller of straw-shoes, he took command of
rjf\

of the

His

appearance was

body of volunteers, and fought against the usurper Tung-choh if J$.. Later on he declared against the ambitious Statesman 7Vrt-f.s'aof ^, and in A.D. 220 proclaimed himself emperor of the Minor Han dynasty, Shuh-Han V% g,
.i

considered to be the legitimate successor of the Greal Han. He is canonized under the title oi Chao Lieh-ti U M 3f!| ifr. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p
516.

337
1
~$i\

Wang-yen
was a native
5Hi-

3T fjf,

emperor
-JpT

of the

Former Shuh, Ts'ien-Shuh


for his father
r

3fj,

ol

Honan

~$],

and had

Wanga salt-

kien 3i

This

man was
dynasty,
c

a butcher, a

donke}

-stealer,

and

smuggler. He joined the army under Hsi-tsung


ot

fg.

(A.D. 874-889),
of the
gg

the

T'amj
seized

Jff

became Generalissimo
%$,
of

Imperial
J||,

troops,

Ch eng-tu

ff

capital

of

Szechw'an

and

"Prince of Szechw'an", under the honorary emperor Chao-tsung 0g 9^ (A.D. 889-905). After the demise of this emperor, he established his capital at Ch'eng-tu ffa ^ffl, and gave to His successor on the throne his dynasty the name of Shuh J|p (I).
received

the

title

was

his son,

Wang-yen
a

Iff.

He had

more commonly known as Tsung-yen square chin, a large mouth, hands extending to
3:
fjj"'

the knees, and eyes so prominent that he could see back to the ears.

He was wherewithal weak-minded,


and careless
about
the

given to pleasure and debauchery,


of

government

the

State.

The emperor
and imprisoned

Ckwang-tsung $

(A.D. 923-926) of the Posterior T'ang dynasty,

Heu-T'ang f|? Jjif, him, and finally put him


2

sent an

army against him,

seized

to death.

Liu Yuen-tsin
of

|flj

j||,

a native of YiX-hang |
foot

jfc,

in the

Chekiang $ft f., Prognosticating this as of good omen, he placed beyond the knees. himself at the head of outlaws, the riffraff of the country, seized
province
the district of

had hands a

long and reaching

Wu

^.,

and

set
[$f|

himself up as emperor.

Yang-ti

(A.D. 605-618), of the Sui

dynasty, despatched an army against


battle-field.

him, and the ambitious rebel perished on the

Do

not these historical facts give the


future

who
is

forecast the

by inspecting bones

events turn out as predicted once in

the fanciful quacks and joints? Should a hundred thousand cases, that
lie to

If an inexperienced archer sends an only through mere chance. arrow or two into the target, that is by chance, and does not prove

in

anywise that he

is a skilful

bowman.

(1)

arose after the extinction of the


in

This was one of the Three Petty Kingdoms, San-kwoh IH, which Han jfj dynasty, A.D. 221. It was situated
[70

Szechw'an

Jl|,

and had

for its capital Ch'eng-tu

Ifc #|i.

It

lasted

'

years.

338
Confucius. K'ung-tze
iJL

said

"if

we should judge people by

outward appearances, we would have lost Tze-yu -f ffi' (1). According to the work entitled "Review of the writers of the Four Classics",
Sze-shM jien-wuh-k'm
ugly
face,
ffl

Hr

A #/

^ Tze-yu

^f ^) had an extremely

but was intellectually well-endowed.


tells

For this reason,

Confucius

us not to judge

men by

their

outward appearances,

but to seek rather


in practical
life.

what

is

their virtue

and capacity, a wise counsel

IV.

Practical applications.

The
the

practical application of the art of

work
<fc

entitled:
fe>

"Easy guide

to

physiognomy is found in physiognomy", Ma-i siang-fah


various

ft

which the Author received from a votary of the art.


are
figures

Herein

bearing

the

Chinese

characters

employed
the reader

in this

branch of divination.

In the annexed illustration,

may

see

some
he
is

of these curious figures,

and

if

he wishes

to proceed further,
1.

may

consult the above-named work.

Divination

practised through

means

of the five planets

(2),

the six constellations, the five sacred mountains,


rivers of
1!.

and the four great

China.

The nine divisions


Born B.C. 513.

of

the

celestial

sphere

(3)

are

also

(I

native of Shantung

]Jj

^, and one

of the disciples

His outward appearance was so ugly that the Sage at first despised him, until further acquaintance revealed a high degree of mental After studying under Confucius, he travelled Southwards to the excellence.
of Confucius.

Yangtze, and founded a school of 300 disciples. Confucius said of him "had been guided in my choice by outward appearance, 1 should have missed
:

Tze-yii.

In

A.D. 739, his tablet was placed


p. 213.

in the

Confucian temple. Mayers.

Chinese Header's Manual,


(2) (3)

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn.

These are the Centre, East, North-East, North, North-West, West, South West, South and South-East. The above division seems also to correspond to the 9 fields of heaven of which Hioai Nan-tze jft pj -f- (an ardent
\"tar\
in
..I

the mystic researches

and

fanciful speculations of the Taoists)


Jjg ?}\

speaks

his great

work Hung lieh-chwan


,,i

\%

(History of Great Fight), which

forms one

the

treatises

the Taoisl

Canon.

Mayers. Chinese Reader's

Manual,

p.

:i'( (i.

339

employed, the 64 hexagrams of the "Book of Changes", Yih-himj J!, the "ten heavenly stems", and the "twelve earthly branches" (1). |Jg,

and nose, and the lines of the eyebrows furnish other elements, which help in determining the good or evil fortune, and the future destiny of persons.
3.

The shape

of the ears

(1)

See Vol.

I.

p. 142,

where these

cyclic

described.

Vol.

symbols are enumerated and

III. p.

262.

340
ARTICLE
III.

DIVINATION ACCORDING TO THE METHOD Ol


Wen-<wang-k
Those who
coins, hence
it
e

WEN-WANG.

~*

3E

ffc

(!)

tell

fortunes according to this


called

is

commonly
(2
.

method generally use "divining by means of cash'


1

Ts'ien-puh g

|>

The

diviner takes three coins and

puts

them

into

tortoise-

shell (3); after

ground, then
side

shaking them once or twice, examines whether they have the obverse or reverse
in

he empties them on the

upwards,

order to forecast thereby a lucky or unlucky fortune.

The

side on

which characters are written

is

the

obverse,

and
or

the other the reverse.

The former corresponds

to

the

Yang

Jl,

active principle in Nature, happiness, good fortune, luck; the latter

denotes the Yin |^, or passive principle, hence misfortune,


evil.

ill-luck,

The following are


1

the combinations wliich

may

take place:

The three coins


is

fall

the obverse side upwards.

This toss of

the coins
2
called
(

called

Kino

^, and
fall

denotes good-luck, happiness.

The three coins

the reverse side upwards.


ill-luck,

This toss

is

hung

1[,

and denotes

misfortune.

Two
called

have the obverse upwards, and one downwards.

This

toss

is

Tan ^L
to

and

is

interpreted as middling, second-rate.

o ,*

reckon, to see

what the

issue will be, to divine. Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. Puh |>, to rattle coins inside a tortoise or terrapin's shell, to divine, (2) in guess fortunes Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

Those who
ile
\

divination in

this

manner have shops, where


method
of ascertaining their kind coined during the Vol.

m.i\

be consulted by those
I

who

prefer this are a

fortunes

he cash

commonly used

certain

T'ang
II.

l,i',

dynasty

AD.

620-907). Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese.

p.

336.

Fig.

156

Tirant les sorts au

moyen de

la divination

de

Wen-wang

Fortune-telLing after the

method of

Wen Wang.

341
4

Two

have the reverse upwards, and one downwards.


Ts'eh

This

toss

is called

^,

and

is

interpreted almost bad, only a poor

chance.

Some

fortune-tellers adopt a contrary

method

to the above,

and

call the side of the

coin on which characters are written the reverse,


(1).

and the other the obverse

The coins

are tossed

down

six times,

and their

relative positions

examined and noted each time.

tolerable

good throw, Tan,

is

classed as
,, ,,

Yang
Yin

$^.
[5jJ.

An
One

almost bad one, Ts'eh,


of

good chance, Kiao, changes Yin into Yang [^ [^. One of bad chance, Chung, changes Yang into Yin [|.

Each one

of these results is then referred to

one of the corres(2),

ponding trigrams

invented

by Fuh-hsi f

and
evil

from

the

comparison, the fortune-teller forecasts the


persons.

good or

destiny of

Chinese writers

criticize

with much wit and judgment the above


are a few specimens culled

method

of fortune-telling.

The following

from their works.

"The
uppermost.

coins

fall

on

the

ground the

reverse, or

obverse side

This

is all

mere chance.

How

can a person of sound

reason logically infer from such hazard that one's destiny will be
infallibly lucky or unlucky?'
1

"Moreover,
According

some

of

these

quacks

follow

opposite

methods.

to the ones, the reverse side


it

upwards,
|S|.

denotes

Fang
to

|^:

according to the others

denotes

Yin

If

we submit
of the

the

operations of these fortune-tellers the

same

case, one will forecast a

happy destiny, the other an unhappy one. Which

two

is

right?"

"Wen-wang

~$

(3)

multiplied the eight original diagrams,

(1)

(2)

3x =# Kdi-yu-ts'ung-k'ao $% See Vol. IV. p. 333, where these trigrams are enumerated and their

various combinations described.


3)

See Vol.

I.

p.

131, note

3. Vol.

II.

p. 223.

342
Pah-kwa

if

(1),

invented by Fuh-hsi
is

ffc

%,

to sixty-four

double

ones. happy omen, and which of evil? All trigram these fanciful inventions are due to the Author of the Yih-king J^ |f

Which
it is

of

(2),

and

upon such

a sorry basis that

soothsayers forecast the


to

good or

evil

destiny of persons.

The whole comes

saying that the


assertions'".

fortune-teller speaks rashly,

and makes mere groundless

"To shake
ground
that
is

coins in a tortoise-shell, and toss

them out on the

whether they will fall on the obverse or reverse, all but childish play, and will never convince any serious person
to see

that one

may draw

therefrom a happy or

evil

horoscope".
of

The

"Historical

Annals"

say:

"in

cases

perplexity,

the

ancient emperors

reflected first of all,

consulted their ministers and

the people, and then sought the opinion of diviners".

"This shows that

in important matters of State,

these ancient
laws,

rulers pondered deeply, and before promulgating consulted with their advisers and the people;

officially their
if

the}-

suspected

opposition on the part of the latter, they pretended to have recourse


to soothsayers in
ity".

order to impart more weight to imperial author-

We
buted to

read in the "Treasure of Wisdom"', Chi-hwai

'||f,

attri-

Fung Mung-cheng
II.

$|

)jijj(,

that the renowned

Commander
Vol.

(1)

See Vol.
27(1,

p. 223, their origin

and use

in divination.

III. p.

201, 273,
(2)

284, 304, 320.

The mystic symbols

of the Yih-King. or Pah-kwct

Sj>,

are attribu-

ted to Fuh-hsi

$H

(B.C. 2952-2837).

The

text,

composed

of 04 short essays

th cen3E (12 enigmatically and symbolically expressed, is due to Wen-ivang His son Tan J3 (later known as Choiv-kung jg , the Duke of B.C.). tury (how) added observations on the strokes in each figure. The work of these

two
I

is

called the

Chow-Yih

/fl

%, or Book

of

Changes of the Chow dynasty.

he appendixes, written 600 years after the text, are said to be from Confucius.

Legge, however, rejects this opinion, and maintains the}- were written about 350. The work was intended by its Author as a book of divination. The
(.real Diviner used it at first under the Chow dynasty (B.C. 1122-240), and in subsequent times, soothsayers employed its trigrams to ascertain the future and forecasl the good or evil of events, l.egge. Introduction to the Yih-

King.

343
Ti-t$'ing

|^

(1),

who

lived
(

in
-

the

time of the Northern

Sung
attack

dynasty, Peh-Sung
the rebel

4b

A D
-

960-1127),

was ordered

to

Before engaging in battle with ~^j. $| the enemy, he took a handful of coins, somewhat about a hundred,

Nung Chi-kao

and shouted vehemently in presence of his troops: "if


fall

all

these coins
cast

the obverse side upwards,

may

victory

be ours"!

He then

them on the ground, and all had the side with the written characters On seeing this, officers and soldiers were filled on them upwards.
with joy, and rushing frantically on the enemy, won a complete The battle over, some one happened to examine the coins, victory.

and found that characters were written on both


had been carefully prepared by Ti-ts'ing
encourage his
officers
ffc

sides.

The

trick

himself in order to

and men

11

(2).

(1)

Died

AD.

1057.

native of Si-ho

MM,

hi Shansi UM

M. He entered

as many as early upon a military career, and between 1038 and 1042, fought rebels. Later on, about 1054, he entirely suppressed the 25 battles against

dangerous rebellion of Nung Chi-kao, in Kwangsi ^ W- He was always much esteemed as General, and shared the hardships and dangers of his men. He was canonized as Wu-siang jfc J| (military perfection). Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionar}'. p. 725. Historical Annals of the (2)

Sung dynasty, Sung-shi

ruled China from A.D. 960 to 1280. In 1127, the

Jfc jfe. This dynasty Kin or Golden Tartars seized

the Northern part of the country and compelled the then emperor to transfer the capital to Nanking. Later on, it was removed to Hangchow, in Chekiang.

The dynasty soon

after ended,

and was succeeded by that of the Mongols.

344
ARTICLE
IV.

SELECTING FORTUNATE OR LUCKY DAIS.


Luh-jen-k'o

(1).

I.

Divination by means of the six cyclic characters.

This method of Chinese divination

is

practised

by combining

each of the "ten heavenly stems", Shih-t'ien-kan

"twelve earthly branches", Shih-eul-ti-chi -Jifc j, taking care, Thus six however, to select but one out of every two of the latter.
of the

-f-

p, with the

"stems" joined with six of the "branches" form six combinations. Hence comes the name "divining by means of the six jen",

Luh-jen-k'o 7^ f f$, or combination of six cyclic characters. These six combinations being further repeated with each of the "heavenly stems" form a cycle of sixty (6x10), and are called Kiah-tze E|3 -^,

Hwa-kiah-tze

jfe

Ep
(2).

^f>,

Luh-shih-h'wa-kiah

-;

-J-

jfe

E|3,

or

the

sexagenary cycle

Why
formed
reason,

is

in order to

the cyclic character Jen f selected, rather than another, denominate this combination ? It is because Heaven

at first
it

"Wafer", denoted by the character Jen


the

f.
all

For this

represents

primordial

foundation
is

of

mundane

matter, the very origin of things, that

water.

The following method


wooden tub.
with

is

adopted in forecasting the future.


it,

twelve holes pierced in

is

selected.

Beside

each hole one of the twelve cyclic characters

is

written.
into

The operator
one of the

then takes a small red


holes.

ball,

and

rolls it

till

it falls

(1)

K'o

ffl,

to reckon, to calculate, to see


It is

what the issue

will be.

Jen ^,

the ninth of the ten stems.

connected with the North, and running


"Williams.

water.

is a book of magic Luh-jen /^ respecting lucky days. of the Chinese Language. Dictionary

See Vol.
;in<[

1.

p.

142, note 2,

where these

cyclic characters are

enume-

rated

described.

Fig.

457

Appareil usite pour la divination des six "Jen". instrument for selecting lucky days by combining six cyclic characters. Divining

345
The
cyclic character opposite

the hole

is

now combined with

one of the "ten heavenly stems", the two thus furnishing the elements which conduce to the desired result. By referring to a guide-book
of the art, in

which are consigned sentences corresponding


is

to

all

possible combinations, the forecast, good or bad,

finally secured.

II.

Divination by skilful arrangement of cyclic characters.

K'i-men tun-kiah-k'o

f^

j7

f^

(1).

The

skilful

arrangement

of cyclic characters, called in

Chinese

K'i-men tun-kiah-k'o ^f f"j j! ^ 1$, is performed almost in the same manner as stated in the previous paragraph, so it is needless to enter into any further description thereof.

By studying
arrangement of

the two works: "Guide to cyclic divination", Luh-

jen siXn-yuen -^ ||
cyclic

and "Complete manual for the characters", K'i-men la-ts'iien^ f^ ^

^,

skilful
i|s,

one

can see that the methods employed for foretelling the future are mere
fanciful inventions,

and utterly devoid


wish
to

of

any rational

basis.

When
building
(2),

these wizards

select

they

represent the constructor


site

an auspicious site for a by the "ten heavenly


3).

stems", and the projected


In
a

by the "twelve earthly branches

case

of

a marriage

ceremony which must take place on


is

lucky
(1)

day

(4),

the

bridegroom

represented

by

the

"ten

K'i-men tun-kiah T^fjjlf ^3,

to skilfully dispose troops in

am bush, hence

rare skill or art of a geomancer. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


(2)

purpose.

The builder of a house must always select a propitious day for this The soothsayer, applying the rules of his art, decides on the month,

day, and even the hour for laying the foundation, putting up the ridge-pole in its place, hanging the main door, digging the well, and making the fireplace in the kitchen. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.
(3)
II.

p. 346.

See Vol.

I.

p. 142. note 2,

where these

cj^clic

characters are enumerated.

In South China, no respectable heathen would think of entering upon (4) the important business of marrige without having received the decision of a fortune-teller, indicating the lucky days and hours for cutting the wedding

garments, adjusting the bridal bed in

its place,

finishing the curtains, embroi-

dering the pillows, and for the entering of the bridal sedan-chair into the
residence of the husband. Doolittle. loc.
cit. p.

345.

346
heavenly stems", and the bride by the "twelve earthly branches''.
Similarly in a case of sickness, the patient is represented by the "ten heavenly stems", and the disease or illness by the "twelve earthly branches". Who would ever sincerely believe that his destiny,

good or bad, depends on a ball sent spinning round in a wooden tub, and which happens by chance to fall into one of the twelve
holes pierced therein?
Let us suppose, against
all

possibility, that

some reason underlies


experiment.
it,

the operation.

Beg

the operator to renew

the

If

the

first result is true,

the second should agree with


fall

and the

little

ball

should

necessarily

into

the
7

same

hole.

The contrary,

however, arrives.

How

then can an}

one trust the predictions of

these cunning knaves?

Such

are

some

of the excellent

reflexions

made

occasionally by
is

Chinese writers.
quite opposed

Nevertheless, one sees every day that practice

to theory,
silly

and

all,

be they officials, literati or peasants,

consult such

methods.
a fuller study of divination,

Whosoever would make


the three volumes entitled:

may
Wi-

consult
six

"Researches into the origin of the

great cyclic characters", Ta-luli-j<>u siXn-yuen


I.

zk

M.

In the

first

twelve pages are found

figures
|J|

exhibiting the
principles;

various combinations of the


eight diagrams,
essences,
Pa/t-fcwa
^=f;

Yang
r
>

[ij|

and I'm

the

tne nve

elements or

primordial

Wu-h$ing 3

the twenty-eight constellations or stellar

mansions, Eul-shih-pah-siu
T-icn-h;ni

-f-

|g;

the ten heavenly stems,


Ti-shi
j|Jj

>=p;

the

twelve earthly

branches,

^;

twenty-four divisions of the Chinese year,


09

Eul-shih-xze-tsieh
ffJ

the
-f-

|p

(1);

and the duodenary cycle or Kiah-tze


Alter
in

^.

If.

these fundamental
of various

notions are found other figures

for the soluti

cases.

The twelve gods, Shih-eul-shen

See Vol.
to

correspond

1. p. 124, where these divisions are enumerated. They the different positions which the sun occupies with reference

to the 12 signs of the zodiac.

347
"f"

ZOjfa

^^ +"#
III.

the twelve genii of immortality, Cli'ang-sheng shik-eul-shen

The

third

volume contains figures

illustrating the influence

of about sixty gods or genii,

who

are supposed to
life.

preside

over the

various conditions and events of

human

The Genius

of of

Joy

Hsi-shen

The Genius

Good Luck

The Star-god of Literature Heavenly Favour

The Star-god of Happiness The Ruler of Heaven


The Genius
of Fidelity

Male Spectres Female Spectres

The God

of

Death
of Travellers

The Genius The Ruler The Ruler The Master

of the
of

Winds

Rain

of

Hades

The Five Empty Spaces The Genius of Lewdness

The Five Demons


The Genius
of

Wailing
Gold

The God

of

Thieving
of of

The Demon The Demon


The Genius

Heaven

of

Woe

Let the Reader imagine the endless combinations resulting from

such fanciful elements, and none will be surprised to find that the
divining art,
as

practised

in

China,

requires skilful training" (1),

Fortune-telling and this includes all kinds of divining or prognosti(1) cating the fortunes of an individual or his descendants requires a vast amount of care, skill and lore, as well as experience, to cast a reliable horoscope. Many, however, have little or no confidence in those ignorant quacks. The

literary class profess to believe, at least very

many

of them, that

when

divi-

nation
is

i!\ the method properly done by the "eight diagrams", Pah-kwct infallible. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. 11. p. 3^7.
is

348
necessitates

recurring to various guide-books

filled

with intricate

formulas, and supposes in the votary of the art a prompt and powerful memory, in order to have at one's fingers' ends the countless

combinations and deductions which are characteristic of this so-called


science.

349
ARTICLE
V.

DIVINATION BY CASTING LOTS.


Ts'ien-puh
|j
|>

(1).

hundred bamboo-slips,

all

well polished,

are prepared

(2).

These are then numbered, which


ten cyclic characters:

is

done by writing on them the

Kiah-kiah ^ ^, Kiah-yih ^ , Kiah-ping which correspond to our numeral series: 1, 2, 3, etc., Ep p^j, until the number Kwei-kwei %$, 100, is reached.

On

each

slip

are also
felicity,

written

some pithy sentences, as the

following:

"great

unbounded happiness, middling chance,


1

exceedingly good, fairly good, bad"

etc.
is

A
slips.

reference-book, containing a hundred pages,

likewise pro-

vided, each page bearing a

number corresponding with


(3),

that of the

On

each sheet

is

inscribed a short stanza

describing the

various conditions of
riches or poverty.

human life: prosperity or misfortune, honours, These verses are sometimes ambiguous, and then
how

an explanation is annexed, designed to help the applicant as to he must understand and interpret the oracular saying.

The person, who wishes to receive an answer, places the lots in bamboo tube, then shakes it gentl} with his two hands before the
T

idol (4), until a slip falls to the

ground.

He now

rises

the corresponding
(1)

from his knees, picks up the slip, and refers to number in the book prepared for the purpose.
which names

|g Ts'ien, a bamboo-slip used for drawing lots, a lot on

or characters are written. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


(2)

Each temple

in

slips, corresponding to a

China has a quantity of these lots made of bamboonumber of stanzas, and referring to them b} number.
-

Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.


(3)
It is

II.

p. 109.

said that

most of these stanzas were originally presented as

thank-offerings to the god or goddess worshipped in each particular temple.


Doolittle. loc. cit.
(4)

The

lots are

drawn before some

idol in a public
cit.

temple; never,

it is

affirmed, in a private dwelling-house. Doolittle. loc.

350
Here he reads the stanza which discloses
prognosticates a good
or evil fortune.
If

to

him the

future,

and
for

the lot has been

drawn

the purpose of finding a remedy for a sick person, the same sheet indicates the medicine, which will infallibly restore him to health (1).
Instead of bamboo-slips, copper cash are sometimes used.
of these, one of

Ten

marked with vermilion, are placed in a bamboo tube; the applicant then shakes them with the two hands,
which
is

until the coloured cash falls to the ground.

This operation

is

repeated

twice.
If

the coloured cash falls out

first in

each of the two operations,


Ep
E|3
,

this is interpreted as equivalent to


11

Kiah-kiah

or

number

1.

the coloured cash comes out second at the

first,

and third in

the second toss, then the series of the cyclic characters are consulted.

The second

of these is

Yih ,, and the third Ping

ptj.

The applicant

has therefore obtained the number 13.

By
in the

referring to the book above described, the

answer

is

found

corresponding page.
is

Such
for

the

method followed nowadays, when

a person

applies

drawing

lots (2).

as

As has been previously done, we may imagine here a discussion taking place with one who believes that by drawing lots he may
His replies will disclose to the Reader the
of divination.

ascertain the future.

whole theory that underlies this peculiar method

do you pretend to ascertain through means of these whether the future will be good or bad? The poetical bamboo-slips stanzas consigned in the reference-book, and the explanations given
therein, are
all

"'How

the

work

corresponding

slips.

of a person who has adapted them to the Moreover, these slips are cast out of the tube

(1)

The objects

in

regard to which the Chinese are accustomed to

make

inquiries arc various, such as recovery from sickness, birth of male children,

success
Doolittle.
(2)

in

trade,

literary

pursuits, and
Vol.

the attainment of fame or office.


II.
<>('

Social Life of the Chinese.

p. 106.

Ling-t8'ien-shu

'

ft

,':.

or Book

Mystic Divination.

351
:by

the application of physical force, and have no choice of remaining

inside or being" cast on the ground".

"It
The
slips

is

quite true that the slips, the stanzas, and

the

accom-

panying explanations exert little influence, but the gods speak through them, and thus disclose to men their intentions and wishes.

and reference-book are but the means whereby the divinity

reveals to us its will" (1).

"Well!
In such a case,

let

us grant what you say for the moment.

It

would

then follow that whenever you carry out the directions given, you will infallibly obtain happiness, and never meet with misfortune.

none would ever require any foresight, or taking

any means towards securing success. Everybody need but draw lots, and follow the directions indicated in the reference-book. There would be no further concern of calling in a doctor when a person
falls
ill
;

all

that

is

required

is to

give to

the patient the medicine

prescribed by the reference-book, and he will infallibly be restored


to

health.

One should even appeal

to

lots

in

all

the important
;

affairs of life (2),

and follow exactly the directions prescribed by them


all

in a word,

we should
leads

bow

to

the decisions of these cunning-

operators, and depend on them, as a blind man depends on the

person

who

him about".
not ever}r certainty about future events,

"If we have
is

we have
It

at least the hopes that in

many

cases the gods will

protect us.
follow'

the custom

of the

country to consult them, so we

the

beaten track and do as others do".

(1)

The Chinese

profess to believe that the gods will indicate the con-

dition of things in regard to the future, or their will in regard to the present, and the answer given is considered to those who employ certain methods
;

good and

sufficient reason for

shaping one's conduct and business accordingly.


II.

Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.

p. 106

(Methods of ascertaining

the will of the gods). Appeal to the lot (2)

is

a very

common
it

practice

among
Vol.
II.

the Chinese,

and

its

decisions final.

They

resort to

to decide

important as well as very


p. 384.

trivial questions.

Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese.

352
The annexed
method
illustration will

exhibit to the Reader


It is
||

how

this

of divination is practised.
lots", Ck'eu-ts'ien
J$\

commonly

called

"divining

by drawing

(1).

(1)

Ch

eu

#,

to take out

with the hand, to draw as a

lot.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

Fig.

158

,&

Tirant les fiches divinatoires.

Drawing

lots before the

altar of the temple-god.

353
ARTICLE
VI.

DIVINATION BY THROWING B \>IBOO-IU.OCKS.


Chih-kiao pei-kiao |$ $
This method
of
lots.

3t

(1).

divination

is

also

called

"Pwh-fcwa"

ih

meaning
purpose
In
halves,

to
is

draw

The kind

of hemispherical block used for the

known

as Kiao j.

ancient times,

an oyster-shell,
these

split

lengthwise
are

into

two

was used.

Nowadays

blocks

bamboo,

in close imitation of

an oyster-shell.

made of wood or Some also are made


This divining

of buffalo-horn, split for the

purpose into two halves.

instrument
because
glass
(2).
it

is

called Pei-kiao

j, a cup-shaped or concave block,

is

hollow like

an

oyster-shell

and resembles

wine-

of

The person, who wishes to make inquiries through this method divination, throws down the above utensil before the idol, and
falls
If

then examines whether the plane or oval surface of both parts

upwards or downwards. the answer is in the negative, or Yin


the answer
is in

both plane surfaces turn up


[^;
if

when thrown,
flat

both convex sides are up,


if

the affirmative, or Yang

|^|;

the

surface of

one
as

upwards, and the other downwards, the answer is regarded Sheng %fc or Sheng-kwa J$ =\>, superior, best, most propitious.
is

(1)

Chili

J!K,

to

throw down.

Kiao

g,

hemispherical blocks thrown on

the ground by worshippers to divine the answer to their prayers. They are called Kiao-ff&i l.ltf- and Kiao-kwa !J, and are now made of wood, scallop

Pei Jf, a cup, a glass, divining-blocks used before shells, or bamboo roots. the gods. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. This instrument is made of wood, if to be used in private families; (2)

and
ler

One end is smalof the root of a bamboo-tree, if to be used in temples. than the other, sometimes tapering to a point. It is 5 inches in diameter

end and 8 inches long. After being made to the desired size and shape, it is split lengthwise through the middle. Each piece has thus a flat and a round side. Doolittle. Social T.ife of the Chinese. Vol. II. p. 108.
at the largest

354
The blocks
are

thrown three times on the ground, and the prognostic,


is

favourable or unfavourable,

thus obtained.

The character Kiao


purposes,
is

$>,

pronounced

in

meaning a bamboo-block for divining the same manner as Kiao ^r, to teach,

to instruct,

hence the answers given are considered as coming from


use these means for instructing mortals.
folks generally use the root of the

the gods,

who

At the present day, common


bamboo-tree.

This

is

usually about an inch in diameter, and from

three to five inches long.

The
is

root

is

split in

two, and the divining


(1).

instrument made therefrom

called T'iao ^5"


in

It is

cast

on the
as

ground three times, and the forecast made


described above.
In a book,
specially

the same manner

prepared

for

purposes of divination, are

found the answers resulting from the various combinations of the


three characters:
will exhibit to the

Yang, Yin, Sheng

|5J^

[^ $%.

The following

table

Reader these curious combinations:


fffi

Sheng, sheng, sheng Sheng, sheng, yang


Yang,
sheng,

)Jf

ffi
|$

%
Jjf

sheng sheng
yin

jp

Sheng, yang,
Yang,
Yin,
After each of these
yin,

%
|g|
|SJ|

f
|S|

%
|S|

yang,

yang
is

%
a starts

groups

found a note, favourable or unfa-

vourable

then a poetical

stanza, accompanied by or avoided


etc.

prescribing what must be done

when one

commentary, on some

undertaking, sets out on a journey...

blocks fall with the oval side up or down, is mere chance, and the physical dexterity of the operator, in the same manner as when one throws dice on a table; how then

Whether these

due

to

This instrument (1) frequently used before the tablets of deceased ancestors, in order to ascertain the sentiments of the dead in regard to various
subjects under consideration.

Heathen families have generally one


Vol.
II.

for their

own

use, in

making inquiries before household gods and ancestral


p.

tablets.

Doolittle.

Social Life of the Chinese.

108.

Fig.

159

Jeter les sorts.

Divining by means of bamboo blocks.

355
can a person draw therefrom a favourable or unfavourable prognostic? Why then It is the gods who arrange these combinations (1).

do they constantly disagree when inquiry is made about the same matter? Have the gods two minds when declaring their will, and do

most flagrant manner? they not contradict themselves in the are unable to discover the wherefore of these things, but it
custom
(2),

We
is

the

and so we inquire no further.

(1)

The stanza

of poetry corresponding to the


If

number
is

of the lot
it is

is

con-

sidered to be the oracle of the god.

the

meaning

propitious,

judged

that the matter referred to the god will terminate favourably. Doolittle. Social
Life of the Chinese. Vol.
(2)
II.

p. 110.

nothing so important as the influence of precedent in China. The people are prejudiced against changes and reform, loving to do as they have been taught to do, and as they are accustomed to do. Custom and

There

is

precedent are there more powerful than law or right. Doolittle.

loc. cit. p. 411.

356
ARTICLE
VII.

DIVINATION BY DISSI.C -TlXCi WRITTEN CHARACTERS.


Ts'eh-tze

$ij

(1).

This method of divination consists in dissecting or writing out

composed, and with these elements making one or several new words, which have
separately the distinct parts of which a character
is

a different meaning from the original.

The work known

as "Dynastic

Lang-ya tai-sui-pien $$ gfjj f^ jf decomposing, and in somewise dissecting


through where it Chi
JJ2,

Annals of Ancient Shantung" $fjj says that the custom of (2),


,

characters,

originated

a
is

passage

of

"Tso's Commentary",

Tso-chwan
composed
of

-^

(3),
:

stated that the character

Wu

]j^ is

two parts

to halt, to stop;

and

Kwo

-\,

a spear, a lance.

We
chwan

read in the "Annals of

j$t

f$,

that

in

Kung-sun Shun", Kung-sun ShuhA.D. 23, under the Western Han

dynasty, Si-Han "g

Kung-sun Shuli proclaimed himself Emperor of Shuh !jj.


i||,

Q ^

jljc

(4) revolted,

and

Having

fixed

his Capital

(1)

Ts'eh-tze

jjjl]

^,

to dissect characters

senses, as fortune-tellers do. Williams.


(2)

for the

Lang-ya-kiin ty{ t$ ^5, Eastern part of Shantung


loc. cit.

and recombine the parts in new Dictionary of the Chinese Language. the Principality of Lang-ya, an ancient name
jfj

Jjr,

including Ts'ing-chow-fu ff

H]

)ff.

Williams,
(.'-*)

An

amplification of the "Spring and

^Tf*

(History of the State of


''{_

Lu
$J,

made by Tso K'iu-ming


or commentary.
|

Iff,

Autumn Annals", Ch'itn-ts'iu from B.C. 722-484, written by Confucius), and called Tso-chwan ^ f^ Tso's narrative
,

Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 0. "i Died A.D. 36. Son of a former (Governor of Honan, and conqueror of Shuh *, the modern Sze-chio'an J||, where he established himself under
[fC|

the

title

of the

"While Emperor",
ftp,

Peh-ti

ifr.

In

36, the

Han

Generals
sortie.

invested Ch'eng-tu dX

his Capital,
to

and he died wounded during a


<fa

His head was cut

off

and sent

Loh-yang

\%, his

family exterminated, and

the city sacked. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 395.

->

CO 01

.s
CO CO

Si

fm

-=

Yfi,J*

357
at

Ch'eng-tu

jj

^,

he saw in a dream a person

who

said
'^]

to.

him

Pah-sze tze-hsi shih-eul wei-k'i

Z* -p -^

.H 3U

(!)

"we now have riches and Upon awaking, may not our happiness vanish in a moment?" The wife replied: "He who has heard good tidings in the morning, may die in the afternoon, therefore much more after twelve days have elapsed". Kung-sun Shuh ^ ^ ^tJc interpreted these words as of good omen,
he said to his wife:

honours, but

and had himself proclaimed Emperor under the

title

of Ch'eng-kia

$ M

'2).

year of Kwang-wu ifc ffi (A.D. 25), of the Han dynasty, Tung-Han jfc ^|, Ts'ai-meu |pc j%, Prefect of Han-chow =| j'\], in Sze-chw'an. J||, had a dream, in which he
first

During the

Eastern

saw three

ripe ears of corn

upon the cross-beam

of a palace

waking

up he grasped them eagerly, but they escaped out of his hand.


asked Kwoli-ho
matter.
;f]$

He

^Jf
j||5

his assistant official,

what he thought on the

Kwoli-ho

saying:

"the palace

denote the rich


officials.

table, congratulated him, Emperor, and the ears of corn emoluments which His Majesty bestows on all his
is

^,

rising up from

that of the

These ears of corn, which you have seized, represent the Do not worry in high honours which will be conferred on you. the meaning of the character Shi the least about (to lose favour);

for this

same character
of

77\co 7}^ (grain, corn),

enters

into

the com-

position

the

word Chih

^,

official

rank and perquisites with

which you

shall be

awarded".
of Circuit, Cliao

The Intendant
Yang-liu
not

Yun-sung | ^g ^,
Kiangsu ]
jlft,

a native of

#j],

in the province of

writes;

"we do

know

exactly the time

when

divination by dissecting characters

began, but the two facts related above, concerning Kung-sun Shuh and Ts'ai-meu jr, have much helped to establish the JTJU

Q ^

(1)

The

characters

Pah
-f-

and

$?.

The

characters Tze
-+*

and Hsi j go

Shih-eul wei-h'i

JH

;H#

signifies

component parts of Kung make up Sun Jg. The phrase "after; twelve days". The whole sentence
.Sec
J.\

are the

to

means
(2)

therefore: "after twelve days Kurig'-dtini

-&

{% will be an emperor".

Annals of "Kung-sun Shuh'

Kiing-suii

Shuh-chwan

j$ 3$ f#.

358
custom.
the art".

However,

at that time,

nobody made a

special

practice of

Under the T'ang Jf dynasty (A.D. 620-907), the Taoist priest Ts'ui Wu-yih became famous in this art. Yang Teli-hwui

^M^

jj

^p, desiring to crush the rebel Li-kao

^^

(1),

proposed to

him

his

scheme and besought


characters
Jfc

his advice.

Ts'ui

^
in

requested

him

to write a few

on the dust.
^f-

He wrote down
(one thousand).
it

the two

characters Pen

(North) and Ts'ien


=f-,

The Taoist
midst of

priest took the character Ts'ien

and placed

the

the character Peh

^,
3jE

thus making the word


ft],

with "Kvcai-kioh]'

that

is,

Kwai 3jE, adding' forthrush on him head foremost, butt

him with the horns.


In

the time

of the

Sung

%
was

dynasty (A.D.
called Siang-tze

960-1280),

this

method
to.

of dissecting characters
tell

^ ^,

to select,

divine and

the destiny by

means

of characters.

During the reign of Hwei-tsung < (A.D. 1101-1126) of the Northern Sung dynasty, Peh-Swig 4b *M (2), Sieh-shih %] ft, also

known
He

as

Jun-fu f^

^,

excelled in this art.

dissected forthwith any character that


a favourable or

was presented

to

him,

and drew therefrom

unfavourable prognostic.

Ts'ien^Yuen-soli $ 7C

selected the character Ts'ing fjf,

and

according

to

its

obvious
it

interpretation, he should obtain

official

No,
!"

promotion.

"Will

be that of Imperial Censor, said he, smilingly?"


f|J-

replied Sieh-shih
all

;g\

the character Ts'ing

fpf

does not

contain
j|,

the elements which enter into the composition of Yen-tseh

meaning "Censor".
A
native of Ch'eng-chi in

(1)

Kansuh

-y* j|f.

of Ifsian-huh $( $, but his followers called

Later on, he seized


|"j,

all

the territory

West

of

He was made magistrate him Governor of Tun-hwang. the Jade-stone Gate, Yuh-men 3?

between Ngan-si

himself
(2)

ffl, in the Hami desert, and styled "Duke of Liang". Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 443. The Northern Sung 5fc ruled China A.D. 900-1127, and had its Capital
|;\"
\)\\

M
/fi'\

and Suh-choiu

at K'ai-fung-fu

iff

in

Ih.nan.
fled to

or

Kin Tartars, Hwei tsung

At the approach of the Golden Horde Nanking, and ceded Shansi and Chihli to

the conquerors.

359
In fact, the second half of the character Ts'ing

|f

that

is

fl\

has less strokes than Tseli

jlf.

During- the reign of the

Emperor Kao-tzung "^


art.

(A.D. 1127-

"1163\ of the
!fft

Sung

^
$|

dynasty, there also lived one

Chang Kiu-wan

\ ^7

another famous votary of this


fj|
(1)

Ts'in-kwei
at

had him brought

to his palace,

random the handle


il

to

of a fan, wrote on the dust the character

and taking Yih

him.

One", then asked his guest to prognosticate what would happen Kiu-wan ji "^ answered: "Your Excellency will advance
I

in

honours".

am High
replied:
it

Minister to the Emperor;

enjoy the
attain?

highest dignity in the State, what more

may

expect to
to

Kiu-wan

j^

"one stroke more added


3E> a ruler, a king" (2).

T'u j^, the

earth, will

make

Wang

Whoever may wish


yii

to see other

curious cases of this kind, can

consult the work entitled: "Collection of Collateral Records",

Kai-

ts'ung-k'ao

|5g

f$ jf :#.
at the present

The method followed


character, or writing one
prefer.

day consists in selecting a


of paper,

down on

a slip

as people
it,

may

This

is

then handed to the diviner,

who

dissects

retrenches

or adds thereto, thus composing

new

characters with these parts,

and drawing therefrom a favourable or unfavourable prognostication.

A native of Nanking j^f ^, in Kiangsu jX Ufa. Famous and Censor, he was taken prisoner by the Kin Tartars, and held by them for some years as a nominal captive. In 1134 he escaped to Hangchow, and implored the Emperor to consent to a peaceable division of
(1)

A.D. 1090-1155.

as a Statesman

The Sovereign agreed


writers.

the Empire, ceding the Northern half of China to the conquering Tartars. to what was perhaps the wisest counsel in the crisis.

For this step, Ts'in-kwei has been covered with perpetual obloqivy by patriotic Even at the present day, his name serves as an opprobrious synonym

for Chinese Ministers

who show

a disposition to deal amicably with Kuropeans.

In A.D. 1142, he

was invested with the title "Sublime Prince of the Realm", " Wei-kwoh-kung" %% [^ , and held the supreme direction of affairs till his

death.
ch'eu g|
(2)

The people
fife,

cancelled his

posthumous

title,

and changed

it

into

Miu
:#

"False and Foul". Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual,

p. 235.
fi$

"Collection of Collateral Records", Kai-yu-ts'ung-k'ao

360
The case
character Siu
of

Wei Chung-hsien |
Ming
,

,<,

ff

(1),

rebel,

who

lived at

the close of the


|A|

f^j

dynasty,
it

is

famous.

He wrote
The
latter,

out the

and handed
:

to the diviner.
is

bowing

profoundly, said to him


in a

"this

happy

prognostic, a solitary

man
As

kingdom, that cannot be any one

else

but an Emperor".

much

as to say, you shall one day reach the throne yourself.


*. JJ withdrew, whereupon the diviner said to "this character forecasts a great misfortune for him; a in space, his feet

Chung-hsien
the crowd:

man suspended

dangling in the

air,

that

means

that he will be hanged" (2).

person

whether his

came one day and father who was then


Fi'/i

selected
ill,

character,
or
is

inquiring
not.

would recover
one.

He

wrote down the character


said the diviner; Yih
(living),
life is

meaning

"This

of ill-omen,

is

the last stroke of the character

and the

lirst of
is

the character Sze ^E (death).


at the point of death".

Sheng Your father's

ended and he

now

The soothsayer

then inquired of the year in which his father was born.


belongs to the year of the ox,

"My

father
(3).

Shuh-niu

J|

".

replied he

Died A.D. 1027. A native of Suh-ning J$ ^, in Chihli. Of profligate made himself a eunuch, and managed by bribery to get into the (A.D. 1621-1628), he practically During the reign of Hsi-tsung j# palace. ruled China, expelled all loyal men from office and put his opponents to death. In 1626. temples were erected to him, he was made the equal of Confucius, and styled "nine thousand years ", Kiu-ts'ien-sui Jl -T- ^, only one thousand His virtue caused the appearance of a "uniless than the Emperor himself. corn" in Shantung. At the death of Hsi-tsung, he was dismissed, and hanged himself to escape trial. Nearly three hundred persons were executed for being connected with his crimes. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 859.
(1)

character, he

(2)

12 books

doctrinal,

"Select Extracts", Ki-yue>i Ki-so-ki


historical

and

literary

ding works. One fourth relates to with events of the Ming Bfi dynasty. Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 171.

by selections from precematters of antiquity, and the rest deals


It

formed

g|

ffi

^. A compilation

in

was completed

in

1659.

Wylie.

The meaning
ponding

(3) Every Chinaman is said to be born under a certain animal, or to belong to a certain animal. The Chinese usually express this idea by saying "his animal is the rat", or "his animal is the monkey", as the case may be.
is.

thai

lie

to the "rat" or to the

was born during the year, when the character corres"monkey", enters into the term which denotes

thai year, according to the chronological cycle of sixty. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. II. p. 342.

361
"Oh!
then that changes the case; add the stroke Yih

(one) to the

character ox,
will live
11

Niu ^, and you

shall have

Sheng

(life).

Your

father

(1).

scholar,

named Sung

7^,

proceeding to the Capital for the

purpose of passing his examination,


beforehand, and wrote
ill-omen",
said

wished

to

have his fortune told


$.

down

his

the fortune-teller;
i

own name, Sung "your name is

"This

is

of

not found on the

list of graduates, 6 iauLmuo,

grasp the exquisite niceties and intricacies of the Chinese language, reduced on account of its ideotry to

^" Xgan .^ .rye*. The Reader must here


and
syllabic

(V\
^.

graphic

character,

to

all

kinds of devices in order to

discriminate

homonyms from
-J

each other.
it

The character
different tone.
If

has two meanings, according as

bears a

read with a rising inflection, or in the ascending


-fc,
;

tone,
in

pronounced Nu combination with Shui


it

is

and means
(water)

woman,

a female; used
it is

and written },

pronounthis

ced Ju, and

means the personal pronoun thou, you.


ffi,

Now,

character Ju
i^L,

which enters into the composition

of the

word Ngan

is

not found in the character


scholar,
little

Sung ^.

Our

deterred by the above oracle, applied to an-

other fortune-teller, and handed again to


5fc,

him

his family

begging him
11
,

to foretell

therefrom his fortune.

"You will enjoy


I

name Sung

good luck

said the votary of the prophetic art, "for

find in this

character: 1
list

Muh

7J<;

(wood), classifier of the character


;

Pang

^,

of

successful

graduates
of

Mien

t*->,

which
|j|.

is

the upper part,


will
first

the

crowning piece decidedly head the list


Tripos".

the

character

Ngan

Your name
will

of all candidates,

and you

come out

This method of divination


the

is

based, as the Reader can see, on


of the Chinese characters,

component parts and meaning

whence

a favourable or unfavourable horoscope is deftly inferred.

(1)
(2)

"Collection of Collateral Records", Kai-yu ts'ung-k'ao $% f | %. Xgan |j|, an official list of graduates, affixed in a district or prefec-

tural city of China.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

362
The
as
fortune-teller dissects the character,

changes and inverts

it

he pleases,
a

and according
character
or

as

circumstances require,
(1).

therewith
afford

new

characters

composes Such combinations

opportunity to

literati

and scholars

for displaying- their wit,

and are much appreciated by the Chinese. This explains how the above kind of divination is held in high favour even among literary

men.
In these

two provinces of Kiangsu yX

jlfc

an d Nganhwei

^,

may every day the same individual going to two fortunetellers, giving them the same character, and seeking a forecast conone
see

cerning the same identical matter.


contrary things.
All
that,
is

Both predict thereon the most


is

however,

viewed with

little

concern.

The

practice goes on, and

ever esteemed by the people.

These cunning knaves overrun the country, speculating on the general credulity, and deceiving silly folks with their endless twaddle.
Nevertheless,
every body
believes
in

their fanciful forecasts.

The

Author has seen high and dignified officials, dressed in the ordinary garb of the literary class, going from one city-gate to the other, and
consulting characters, in order to ascertain whether such an under-

taking would be successful or not.

is reached, he adds strokes, by an some or all of these component parts under inspection, thereby making new words out of them, from whose meaning he draws sagacious and wonderful inferences in regard to the good or bad fortune

(1)

Oftentimes, before the conclusion

adroit use of his writing pencil, to

of the individual

who

is

consulting him. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese.

Vol.

11.

p. 33(3.

363
ARTICLE
VIII.

ORIGIN OF LUCKY \\l>


T seh-jeh }f

UNLUCKY DAYS.
(1).

We
tions

shall see in the article entitled "Prohibitions andlprescrip-

of the

Imperial Almanac", that at the

commencement

of the

New

Year,

every family in China purchases a calendar, Hwang-lift


its
is

J J, in which each day of the year has

peculiar mark, indicating

whether

it

is

lucky or unlucky.
It is

This

the "Daily Manual" of

every Chinaman.

consulted in order to ascertain whether the

day is auspicious or inauspicious for calling in the tailor, starting on a journey, taking a bath, or requiring the services of the barber.
Besides this
literati,

directory, a certain number of hard-up on the general credulity, select fortunate days, speculating

general

and ply their trade


According
to

in the streets

and

at the city gates.

them, days are either propitious or unpropitious.

The good luck

or misfortune of a person, his success or failure in

an undertaking, depends entirely on the choice of a lucky or unlucky


day.

Under the Tsin |f dynasty (A.D.


Hsu-sun
fj'jf

2(35-420), the Taoist wizard

j|

(2)

devised selecting fortunate and unfortunate days

by means of the

"ten heavenly stems

',

T'ien-kan

-^p,

and the

(1)

Tseh-jeh

:jf|

g, to choose days, especially lucky ones.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. A.D. 240-374. Just before his birth, his mother dreamt that a golden (2) phoenix dropped a pearl from its beak into her hand. In early life he devoted
himself to study and ascetic pursuits. Made Prefect of a district, he distinguished himself by great benevolence, healing diseases by means of secret preparations, and transmuting the baser metals into gold. At length, when
134 years old, he was caught up to heaven together with all his family, even the dogs and poultry of the house following him to the blissful abodes of the He is considered as one of the patriarchs and presiding genii of the genii.
Taoist srct.

Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

p. 66.

364
"twelve earthly branches",
of

Ti-shi

^ ^

(1),

which form the basis

the

Chinese sexagenary cycle or Kiah-tze


twenty-eight constellations
(2),

-^

By

skilfully
(3;,
|5

combining the
the
five

the five elements

planets, and the two great Powers

of Nature, the
for

Yang

Yin [^ principles, he evolved his system These were applied lucky and unlucky days.

and

discriminating
the

in
;

important

actions of life: marriages, the building of houses


details of domestic
tailor
;

even in the petty


cat, fetching the

life,

such as keeping a dog or a

all

these events were determined


(4).

upon

after selecting a lucky

or unlucky day

The

original

purpose which determined the choice of the "ten

heavenly stems", and the "twelve earthly branches" employed in the

computing j ears and days, in the same manner as figures are used in Western countries. The five elements, the five planets, and the twenty-eight consexagenary cycle, was
to establish a series for
T

stellations
of

are

also

employed

for designating days.

It is

method

reckoning equivalent to saying, the

the
is

first, second or third day of without any intention of determining whether the day month,

lucky or unlucky.

The high

official

Yuen Kien-chai

fjfj

^ff

writes

Ta-nao
series

^
in
142.

^,
note

minister to Hwang-ti
(1)
1.
(2)

^^
-\"

(5)

arranged the cyclic


Vol.

See on these heavenly stems and earthly branches. Vol. III. p. 262. note 2., and p. 283. note 2.

I.

p.

Eul-shih-pah-kung ZL

*g,

the 28 constellations or stellar

man-

sions, so called because the sun and their revolutions.


f\

Mention

of

them

is

moon are supposed to rest therein in first made in the Chow Ritual, Clww-li
a kind of Chinese
to the

and the Record of Rites, Li-Ki jp fg,. They form flfj, zodiac, and are applied also in regular and recurring order month. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 358.
(3)

days of the

See Vol.

III. p.

2G0, note 2.

Vol. IV. p. 322, note

3.

(4)

"Pearly Casket of General Records",

Yuh-hsiah-ki-t'ung-shu 3 Eg

IE SI

'&

of the element earth.

The Yellow Emperor, so called because he reigned under the influence One of the five legendary sovereigns who ruled at the dawn of Chinese history, B.C. 2697-2597. He is looked upon as the founder
(5)

of the Empire,

and the inventor of music and Fine Arts.


p. 72.

Mayers.

Chinese

Reader's Manual,

365
order to compute years, and serve as the numbers
1,

2, 3, 4 etc....

but never had the intention


or
evil

of

employing them

for designating'

good

fortune.

It

is

thus that individuals are given a family and

personal

name,

in order that they


to

may

reply

when

designated.

No

such names are given of understanding them.

inanimate objects, as these are incapable

Under the Emperor Wu-ti


General Yao-ch'ung
Ej3

fl

?fr,

of the

Wei | kingdom

(1),

$fc

said to the prince:

"on the day Kiah-tze


still

^f-

(that is the first)

of the sexagenary cycle, the

(2)

was defeated;

this

memorable date

is

Emperor Chow remembered in


marked the
]j

military circles".
defeat
of

Wu-ti

ife

replied:

"if this day


of

Chow f$, it marked also the victory The General made no reply, but ordering his gloriously won the battle.
Nowadays
it

Wu-wang

3".

troops to

advance, he

the

Government

fixes the date for the

examination of

provincial and metropolitan graduates, and takes no concern whether


is

lucky or unlucky.

Neither are fortune-tellers or selectors of

auspicious days consulted.

This shows that

officials

do not believe

such

silh' theories.

Do we

not

see

several persons

engaging

in

marriage the same

day, starting building enterprises and opening shops; notwithstanding,

one meets with misfortune and the other becomes rich


early
in life, of
;

one dies

the

choice

and the other reaches a green old age how then does influence the matter, and why do people consult days

those selectors of auspicious days?

These grandiloquent prophets contradict each other, and none


of

them agree

in their fanciful forecasts.

(1)

One

of the three petty

kingdoms

set

up

at the close of the

Han

g|

dynasty, A.D. 221. It comprised the Central and Northern provinces, and had for its Capital Lohyang *j& %. It lasted 59 years.
(2)
j$j

Chow

or Chow-sin *$
1122.

^, the abandoned
his vices
fled to

d}Miasty, B.C.

Among

lust.

Defeated by Wu-wang, he miserably in the flames. Mayers.

tyrant, who closed the Shang were extravagance and unbridled a tower, set it on fire, and perished
p. 22.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

366
The Emperor Wu-ti
jj

of the

Wei | kingdom
for his

(1),

once

summoned

all

the fortune-tellers into his presence, and asked


a

them
?

whether such

day would be auspicious or not

marriage

Five replied in the affirmative, and several in the negative.

The

ones

forecasted
befall

that

happiness,
Astrologers,

the others
r

that great

misfortune

would

him.

soothsa3 ers, wizards, each


;

saw

bright or dark speck on the horizon


of contradictions (2).

in fine, the result

was a Babel

In presence of such jarring,

what can any serious person

believe?

Does not the matter come


because one fancies
that
is
it

so

such a day will be unlucky, such another will turn out lucky, because
to saying:

one's persuasion.

Success or failure

is

not the outcome of

any special day, but depends principally on our personal endeavours.

Why

then consult those selectors of lucky days


In the reign of Chao-tsung Hg

^ (A.D.

889-904), of the T'ang |f

dvnasty, there lived the Hanlin doctor Ch'en-yen ]% J|f, also known as K'o-chu pf f|, a native of the district city of Wu, Wu-kiin 1%.
|J[),

and president

of the Imperial College.

This scholar composed

an essay in which he refutes those


days.

who

believe in luck}'

and unlucky

The following

is

an extract therefrom.

"We
days
for
sacrifice.

see, said he, that in ancient times, rulers selected certain

commencing hostilities against an enemy, and This was done in order to give the officials time

offering
to

make

the

necessary preparations, and rehearse the ceremonies, so as to perform them carefully and with scrupulous exactness; they did, however, believe in nowise that victory or defeat depended on selecting one day preferably to another".

Gradually, ignorant folks, without examining the reasons which

determined the wise conduct of the Ancients, selected as each one

(1)
(2)

Scr above. Vol. IV.

p.

:u\:>.
Jfe

Historical Records, Shi-ki

|,

(B.C. 163-85),
of the
11

the Herodotus of China.

?'& composed by Sze-mct Ts'ien ftj Reign of Wu-ti g ifr, fifth emperor
.',!.}

an $ dynasty.

Fig.

161

#^|L

Tableau pour trouver

le

jour favorable pour un mariage.

Table for selecting an auspicious marriage day.

367
pleased,

auspicious days
the

then through carelessness to repress this


extended

innovation,
present,
or
a
if

with astounding rapidity. At one wishes to dig a well, build a house, plant a tree any

custom

shrub, the

common
is

people will not do so without ascertaining

whether the day

auspicious or not.

and

in

Happiness or misfortune depends entirely on man's endeavours, nowise on the choice of davs.
the public
to

In

thoroughfares,

where we

see

wagons and pack;

from morning to night in the market of the five great cities (1), where wares and precious stones places are permanently exposed in our large manufacturing and trading
fro
;

animals going

and

cities,

do not disputes and quarrels occur every day, and are not

people themselves the causes of these things?

For those

who

seek to lead a virtuous

life,

misfortune
evil-minded,

itself is

changed into good,


fortunate

while

for

those
;

who
all

are

even a

event becomes a

calamity

therefore, depends on the

good or

evil

disposition of individuals.

These who do not consider that

man

holds in his hands his


evil of

own
little

destiny in

all

such cases, ascribe to the

the day whatever

misfortune befalls them.

Who
will

has ever seriously imagined that an incompetent General


a
battle
if

win

he chooses an auspicious day? Will the husa

bandman who has chosen


held

lucky day, but neglects to plough his

or sows therein bad grain, reap an

abundant harvest? In
vile

fine,

has the choice of a fortunate day ever changed any


gold, or a heap of stones into precious

metal into

gems?

(1)

These
~\*q

Cities or Capitals are

Lohyang
Jf

Jj

|^ (to-day

in

Honan

fnf):
H15

Hantan
'*f$

1H>

!p|5,

capital of the Feudal State of

[^j Jff Honan-fu Chan Jt (to-day


}BJ'

Hantan-hsien
:

hi
(Ij

South Chihli

^); Lintze

$jj

f$ (to-day Tsinan-fu
p[

MM

Jft

in
fnf

Shantung
1

Wanch'eng
-3c

f& i$ (to-day Xani/ang-f'u


ffi

i!

tff
]5f.

in

Honan

j^

Ch'ang-ngan j%
cities,

(to-day Si-ngan-fu 15 ^c

in

Shensi

|5jjj

Over each of these


governors and

the usurper

Wang-rnang

3E

(A.I). 8-23,

appointed

officials,

who superintended commerce and

decided disputes

among

traders.

368
What
people

then

is

the influence of your lucky days?

Among

our ancient rulers,

some have been

chosen

by

the

on account of their lofty virtues;

others have reached the

throne through the straightforwardness of their policy, and which of our many and famous Generals has not carried the day through
either his prudence or personal bravery?"
(1).

The annexed
fortunate

illustration

will

exhibit

to

the

Reader how a

The following method is for a marriage is selected. Should the ceremony take place during a lunar month of adopted. The thirty days (2), these are reckoned in the following manner.
day
character

Fu

5^, denotes
till

the character

Ku

j{,

denotes

2,

and so

on through the series


If

the day of the marriage

ceremony

is

attained.
is

the lunar
the

month has but twenty-nine


fixed
for

days, the reckoning

made
3^.

in
If

inverse sense,

beginning always from the character

Fu

the

day

the marriage corresponds to the character Ti,


|J,
it

Vang, ch'u, or
it

lsa<>, Jj| ig* Jgf

is felicitous.

If

on the contrary,
|f|,

corresponds to one of the two characters Weng, Ku,

j(,

then

two cases may occur. Either the father or mother of the bridegroom is still living, and in this case the day is inauspicious, and the
marriage

may

not take place

or one or other of

them

is

dead, and

so the marriage

ceremony may be celebrated.

(1)

Classified Miscellany (Cyclopoedia) Shi-wen lei-tsu

'\i

~X $$ K.

(2)

30.

Chinese month has never 28 or 31 days, but always either 2'J or month is one moon, the character for month and moon being identical.

Hence the number which indicates the age of the moon at any particular time, denotes also the day of the month. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese.
Vol.
II.

p. 14.

Fig.

162

3.

En train de planter les batonnets Divining by means of chopsticks placed in a bowl of water.

369
ARTICLE
IX.

CONSULTING CHOPSTICKS PLACED


Shu-chu jg
This superstitious
scarcely ever used
practice
is

IX

A BOWL OF WATER.

(1).

peculiar to women-folks, and

is

It consists in taking in the by any other class. hand three chopsticks, placing them perpendicularly in a bowl of water, turning them round, and wetting the upper parts until they

stand straight up of themselves.


the question
is

While performing
such a child
is
ill,

this operation

asked,

why

is

why has
(2),

he got a

headache?
his

Is it

because his deceased uncle


is in

displeased

or because
If

grandmother chopsticks remain upright


are asked,
several
it is

need of money in the nether world?...


in the

the

bowl of water while these questions


In

inferred that one has guessed right.

most cases

questions are asked until the chopsticks remain erect for a

few moments.

Mothers

of families have frequently recourse to this

vain and frivolous method of divination, whenever their children suffer

from some indisposition.


If

the three chopsticks

placed together stand upright of themto the

selves, that

must be ascribed
is

laws of equilibrium.
;

The only
the result

thing

required

to

be

lucky and balance them well

obtained has absolutely no connexion with the question asked. Even

should one guess by chance the true cause of the


chopsticks
will
fall

illness,

then

if

the

have

not

been

well

balanced in the bowl of water, they


to

down; on the contrary they are sure the laws of equilibrium have been observed.

remain upright

if

(1)

Shu

, to erect, to set

up perpendicularly

Chu ^,

a pillar, a post.

Williams.
(2)

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


the popular belief in the connection of the living and the

Remark

dead, and the influence the latter are supposed to wield over the former.

370
ARTICLE
X.

GOOD OR EVIL OMENS.


Kih-hsiung-cki-chao

|X]

$fo

(I).

Events, circumstances and animals, deemed to be of good or

evil

omen, are so numerous, that


order
to treat this

it

would require

whole volume

in

question adequately.
to a

We

must, therefore,

limit

our observations

few prominent

facts,

which

will illustrate the

nonsensical stuff offered to popular credulity by professional fortunetellers.

/.

The cry of

birds.

Niao-kiao ,%

pi}--

Let us take as example the cry of the crow

(2).

previous

remark may be made that the cry of the bird must not come from a If beyond a hundred paces, Tung Fang-shoh jf[ too great distance.
jf
f)\

(3),

an expert in the matter, says


the cry of the crow

it

need not be heeded.

1. If

When
heard

comes exactly from the South.

in this direction,
it

between the hours of three and seven


;

in the

morning,
to
1

indicates that presents will be received

if

heard

from seven
11 a.m,

eleven, there will be

wind or rain

if

heard between

and
Chew

p.m,

quarrelling will occur.


Kill

(1)
(K|,

;Jfc,

an omen, a prognostic.
evil,

^,

luck,

good fortune; Hsiung


Williams.
Dictionary

misfortune, calamity, of the Chinese Language.


(2)

the opposite of Kih

The Chinese consider


to

the cry of the crow so unlucky that


affair

when

anyone about
Dennys.
(3)

undertake an

hears

it.

he generally postpones action.

The

Folk-lore of China, p. 83.

Born 100 B.C.

Much

legend hovers round his birth,


the

among

others

the fanciful invention that he


is

was

embodiment

of the planet Venus.

He

have had the power of effecting transformation of shape in defiance of the ordinary laws of nature. During the greater part of his life, he was one of the associates and advisers of the Emperor Wu-ti g^ ifr (B.C.
also said to
l-iU-86).

He encouraged

the ruler's leaning to a belief in the supernatural and

his love for the introduction of

new and

occult religious ceremonies. Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

p. 209.

Fig.

163

v
z*z*
-

U^l;

"Hi* &\

-,*.'

*V
NnpvJE
W* N
^
. i

..

..

Le

cri

des oiseaux.
the

Omens rtrmnn fmm.

mi

of birds.

371
In

the

afternoon,

if

heard

from one
if

to five,

it

forebodes that
five to

some great misfortune will happen;


lawsuit will take place.
2.
If

heard from

seven, a

When

the cry

comes exactly from

the North.
to seven, it indicates

heard in the morning, from three


;

an

impending quarrel
heard between
11

if

heard from seven


1

to eleven, it

portends a

visit;

a.m, and

p.m,

it

forebodes the loss of a domestic


the afternoon,
it

animal;
a
lost

if

heard from one to three


will

in

foretells that
five

object
it

be found

heard

between the hours of

and

seven,
3.
If

indicates that

some one

will fall sick.

When

the cry

comes from the East.


it

heard in the morning from three to seven,

is

ominous

of

some happy event; heard from seven


of fortune; heard

to eleven, it foretells
1

an increase

between

11

a.m, and

p.m,

it

indicates an impen-

ding lawsuit
will

if

heard from one to


if

five in

the afternoon, a present


five

be

received

between the hours of

and seven,

a friend

will

pay a visit.
4.

When

the cry

comes from the West.

If

heard in the morning from three to seven, a visitor will come

for

breakfast;

heard from
if

seven

to

eleven,

it

foreshadows some

untoward event;

a present will be received


it

heard between the hours of 11 a.m, and 1 p.m, heard from one to five in the afternoon,
; ;

indicates

arrive.

There

if heard from five to seven, a stranger will good luck is no need of mentioning the intermediate positions,

N.E

N.W.,

S.E.,

S.W., each

of
at

which

is

ominous
is

of

good or
(1).

evil,

according to the

hour of the day


a bird of
ill

which the cry

heard

The crow being


misfortune,

omen, whose cry generally forebodes


neighbourhood of their

one might be led to believe that villagers are loathe to

see a colony of rooks build their nests in the

When homes, quite the contrary feeling is, however, entertained. takes up its abode in the village trees, and builds nests a rookerv
General Repertory, Shi-shi t'ung-k'ao

(1)

it:

^M

:#

Vol.

372
thereon,
this
is

considered

inhabitants

will

happy omen, and indicates that its become wealthy, hence nobody would be easily
a
kill

allowed to disturb or
77.

the birds.

Snuff on a lainp-\<ich.

Teng-lnva

jig

;f

(1).

It

frequently

lamp-wick.
is

This

is

happens that snuff forms on the summit of a It considered as ominous of good or bad luck.

above

all

important to avoid cutting the wick, and thereby causing


fall to

the snuff to

the ground, as this would bring misfortune.

When
future

the snuff splits up into two distinct parts, this denotes


;

honours and riches

should
;

it
it

bend

downwards, a long

journev will be soon undertaken wick, without there being any around
if

forms in the middle of the


this portends that a feast

it,

will

soon
it

take

place,

and that a child

will be

born to the family

should
If a

run round the whole wick, a guest


of itself,
it is

may
evil,

be soon expected.

lamp goes out

an omen of

and forebodes that

death will soon visit the family.

Should the lamp-light emit


will

little

sparks, quarrels and trouble

break out.

When

a long spell of dry

weather has taken place,


it is

and sparks burst out with a crackling


will fall

noise,

a sign that rain

after three days.

If

during the rainy season, the light of a


it

lamp appears bright and


soon arrive.
7/7.
I letting

clear,

is

a sign that fine

weather

will

of the

eai*s.

Eul-jeh J

lift-

Good
or
of

or

ill

luck

is is

connected with the hour at which a burning


felt

itching
eleven

sensation
at

in

the ears.

If felt

between the hours


will prevail

night

and one
if

in

the morning,

harmony

experienced between one and three in will soon arrive; if from three to five, a great the morning, a guest if from five to seven, a stranger may be feast will take place expected;
;

between husband and wife;

if

from seven

to nine, a

happy event

will befall the family

if

from

(1)

J'eng $,

;\

lamp, a lantern

Hwct

}, a

flower, a blossom, here the

spores or snuff' formed on the wick of a lamp.

373
nine to eleven, presents will be offered;
1

if felt

between 11

am, and

p.m, good news


stranger will

are

coming;
;

if if

from one to three from three to


five,

in the afternoon,
it

soon arrive

is

a sign of a

and a grand feast; if from five to seven, the ladies will visit each other; if from seven to nine, quarrels will break out; if from nine to eleven, it foretells that a lawsuit and trouble will
future journey

ensue.

IV

Tingling sensation

felt in

the eyes.

Yen-t'iao

fig

jj^jc.

Here, as in the case of the ears, the hour at which the sensation
is

and the eye in which it is felt, play an important part, and determine whether good or evil fortune is in store for us. If felt in the left eye between the hours of 11 p.m, and 1 a.m, a
experienced,

distinguished

guest will shortly pay us a


If felt

visit

if

in the right eye,

there will be a grand feast.

from one

to three in the

morning,
all

and

in

the right eye, a visitor

may

be expected, and so forth for

the other hours of the day or night. V.

Itching on the face.


or
irritating

Mien-jeh
felt

"jfj

!jj&.

An
good or
if

itching
evil kick,

sensation

on the
it

face, forebodes

according to the hour at which


it

happens.

Thus

felt

at

noon,

is

the harbinger of a

happy marriage and grand

rejoicing.

VI.

Sneezing.

Ta-p'en-ti

1ft

\^

(Eg

(1).

Sneezing

is
it

regarded as a good or
takes place.
it

evil

omen, according
from one

to the

hour

at

which
1

If it

happens between the hours of 11


if

p.m, and

a.m,
it

portends a grand feast;

to three in

the morning,

is

a sign that a quarrel will soon break out


(2;.

among

the women-folk of the house

(1)

In regard to sneezing the Chinese


is

have

a general

somebody
(2)

talking about me, for

have been sneezing

many
jg.

proverb which says: times j^ tT

General Repertory, Shi-shi t'ung-k'cio

tJfc

*ji

jlig

374
ARTICLE
DIVINING
XI.

FORTUNE ON THE FINGER


Ta-shi
fl-

.JOINTS.

(1).

This kind of divination


people,
village

is

much

in

vogue among" the

common

because owing to

its

simplicity, everybody, even the good

third
in

it without there being any need of a examining the mouth, day, and hour person. which an event has taken place, and prognosticating therefrom

dames, can easily use


It

consists in

whether

it

will

be attended with success or not.

There

is

no need

The inquirer of a book, and no complicated reckoning is required. merely stretches out his left hand, and neglecting the thumb and reckons on the two upper joints of the three middle little finger,
fingers of the hand.

Six joints are thus used in the order indicated


of these joints,

below.

Upon

each

or

numbers representing them

from

to 6, it is

sentences, some

customary to write one of the following pre-arranged of which prognosticate good fortune, and others bad

or doubtful luck.
1

^C ^f Ta-ngan.

Grand peace and

luck.

j
jjg

jgi
si.

Liu-lien.

A
(2).

little

patience.

3
4

Suh-hsi.

ff

P
cf

Ch'ih-k'eu

Prompt joy. Red mouth (disappointment and


quarrels).

A^

Siao-kih.

Scanty luck. Loss and death.

5 Cj K'ung-wang.

Explanations and comments on each of the above sentences, are

found in books which treat of this

common form

of divination.

The

meaning and
be

practical adaptation to the various questions that

may

made,

will

be

explained further on

meanwhile

it

will not be

needless to indicate
(1)

how

the method

is

practically applied.

fortune.
(2)

Ta-shi tT B#, inquiring about a lucky or unlucky hour; forecasting Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.
Ch'ih-k'eu-jeh

P 0, "red-mouthed days"

are those in

which the

Cantonese avoid bargaining.

Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

375
If

for
it

instance,

an object has been

lost,

the question

is

asked

whether

can

be recovered.

To

find this out, the inquirer notes

down
their
luck.

the

these data,

month, day and hour, when it was lost, and combining draws one of the above six sentences. He then seeks
evil

interpretation,

and whether they prognosticate good or As an example let us take the following: J have lost
;

my

penknife

this

happened

in

the

third
fifth

month

of the year,

on the

fourth day of the month, and at the

Chinese hour of the cycle,

Shi-ch'en

\t$

JfH (I).

The Chinese

divide the day, or rather the day


of their

and night, into 12 hours, and so one two of ours (2).

hours corresponds to

The method

is

now

applied.

The

knife

was

lost in the third

month, so the inquirer reckons on the joints


It

of his fingers 1, 2, 3.

happened on the fourth day of the month, whereupon he adds 4, At proceeding on the joints of the fingers and saying 4, 5, 6, 1.
the
7
fifth

hour, Shi-ch'en

fl^p

Jjp|,

of the Chinese day, that is


five,

between
finger's

and

9 a.m.

Hereupon, he adds
4, 5, 6.
it

and reckoning on his

joints,

says

2, 3,

He now
to

reads the sentence inscribed on


5ji?

this joint,
total
loss.

and

finds

be

K'ung-wang
good
;

t'

prognosticating

The knife

is lost for

it

has

fallen into the water.

Another
the year,
of the

person falls sick during the first month of on the second day of the month, and at the second hour
(3).

example A

day

It

is

required to

know whether he

will recover or
1

not? The inquirer reckons on the joints of the fingers, saying


the

for

month

then adds 2 for the day, saying 2, 3; furthermore 2 for

the hour, saying 4. 5.

He thus ends on

the

fifth

joint of the finger,


j\\

and reading the motto inscribed thereon, finds Siao-kih

small

(1)

time from
(2)

Ch'en JH, a Chinese hour, or one-twelfth of a day, but especially the 7 to 9 a.m. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.
See Vol. IV.
p. 324.

note 1. Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

p.

351 (horary periods of the day).

The Chinese hour corresponds to two hours according to Kuropean notation. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual.
(3)

That

is

from

to 3 a.

m.

p. 351.

376
The commentary on this sentence reads recover and live to an extreme old age.
luck.
:

the

patient

will

The above two examples amply


followed

suffice for elucidating the

method
it
till

when reckoning
is

fortune on

the joints of the fingers.

may
Thus

be remarked that one always follows the series of the joints

the last one


if

reached

the series

is

then recommenced and so forth.


14"'

an event happens on the


reckons
2. 3. 4. 5.
is
I

day of the

first

month, the
on
joy,

inquirer

for
6.
1.

the
2.

month; then completes the number 14,


3.
4. 5.

saying

6.

1.

2.

3.

On
j$C

the

joint

which

he

ends

found the sentence Suh-hsi

-,

prompt

such words auguring the speedy enjoyment of good luck.

377
Commentary on
1.

the six mottoes.

Ta-ngan
I

-fc

4%.

happy

lot,

good luck.

If

want
I

to

be rich,
to

need but look towards the South and West.


I

If

chance

lose

an object,
in

feet,

and
2.

within a circumference of thirty the direction of the South.


shall
tind
it

Liu-lien f
settled.

j|l.

Above
is

all

have patience.

The matter

is

not

easily

If

it

lawsuit,
will
in
is

one must proceed carefully,

endeavour
expected
obstacles

to

compromise, and he
not turn

thus

finally

succeed.

An
five

guest does

up

due time, he has encountered


with child for three or

on

the

way.

A woman

months; she will bring forth a male child. must pray to the gods, and will thus recover.
3.

Such

a sick

person

Suh-hsi

3||

Joy

will

soon arrive!

Seek towards the


for

you will find it in the centre. As soon as you discover that you have lost something, search for it without delay. The traveller will soon reach the end of his journey. Let not such
lost,

South, and you which has been

will

become

rich.

Are you looking

some

object

woman
The

with child repine on hearing that she will bring forth a


sick

girl.

person

will be

much exposed during


from 3
ill,

the hours Yin


1

^
and
a

Wu
7

4f-

and Hsiih

/$;,

that

is

to 5

a.m

11 a.m, to

p.m

to

9 p.m.

Such

a child is

he will recover in three days'

time.
\.

Ch'ih-k'eu

iff

p.
to

Disappointment
if

and quarrels.

Such

person must not go

court;

he does, he will lose his lawsuit.

Avoid carefully every lawsuit or quarrel.


been
lost,

Such an

object,

which has

will

not be recovered.

The

traveller will

meet with much


dog

annoyance on the way.


etc.,

All domestic animals, fowls, pigs, the

will
call

be
in

carried
a
is

off.

Such

person, suffering from delirium,


If If

should
a

male child

competent doctor, and follow his prescriptions. born, he should be adopted by another person.

such a one wants to get rich, he must endure


after all the result will be rather poor.
5.

many

a quarrel,

and

Siao-hih

;J>

^ Scanty
.

luck,

no

great

chance.

Come
S

378
what may, the matter
will be easily settled.
It is

in vain that

such
is

a person searches for an object

which has been

lost.

Such

day

a lucky one for celebrating a marriage.

The

sick person will recover

and reach a happy old age. Business will be prosperous. woman with child will bring forth a male child.
6.

Such a

out.

K ung-wang 5g This sick woman


e

;.

Loss
hardly

and death.
escape.

Impossible to hold

will

The

lost

object

has

fallen into the water.


If

The

traveller will return in the harvest season.


a day, she will bring forth a girl,

woman

will lie in
will die

on such

and the child

within eight days.


evil spirit will

Any kind
(1).

of lawsuit will

end unfavourably.

An

molest the sick person.

The

god must be begged


If a

to avert

such a danger

person has well stored in his

memory

the above commentary,

he can answer immediately almost every question proposed.


Besides the general arguments for refuting such a method of
divination, suffice
it

to

mention the following:

As
in

set

forth

in the foregoing system, everything that

happens

this world is the necessary

outcome

of

months, days, and hours,

or in

other words

it

is

pure fatalism

(2).

Thus

for instance:

ten

thousand persons and so they must


attacked

fall

sick at such an

hour and day of the month,

all

either fatally die or recover, because the illness

them

at the

same

identical time.

Who
theory
?

does not see by a moment's reflexion the falsity of such a

Moreover,
or

who

is

not aware that

many

events turn out favourably

unfavourably owing to the choice made by man's free-will, or

l-

(1)

The Home Magazine",

Wan-poo

ts'ilen-shu

f^ f
in

(literally

repertory
ts'iien-shu
(2)

of"

:# Fatalism

ten thousand precious things), and "selected excerpts", T'ung-kao

iS.
is

that theory

which holds that


It

all

events

man's

life

happen by unavoidable necessity.


and active influence
in

admits a fixed and unalterable course


It

of things, independent of the deity or

any controlling cause.

exerted a wide

pagan countries.

Among

the Greeks and

Romans,

the Stoics held this doctrine.

Fig.

163 bis

Explication des six cliches.

Explanation of the six sentences written on the finger joints.

379
through circumstances quite independent
day or hour? How often do we not see travellers starting at the same hour on a train,
of the

and

if

it

runs

off the rails,

some

are killed or injured, while others


is

escape totally unhurt?

Where

then

the fatal influence of the hour

over the events of a man's life?

380

-@>t"KG)-

B^> OOC^fr J**-

CHAPTER
VAIN
>>C<o

VIII.

OBSERVANCES.

ARTICLE

I.

THINGS PRESCRIBED AM) PROHIB1

El>

BY THE IMPERIAL CALENDAR.


Lih-chung
i-ki

H+ S

IE

(')

indicates The Imperial Chinese almanac, Hwang-lih j| (2), which days are lucky and unlucky throughout the year. On such on such another, one will meet a day, one may start on a journey
;

with misfortune

if

he does

so.

Building operations

may

be com-

(1)

I 5t, suitable, fitting,

lucky.

Ki

!,,

notes,

records.

Hence Guide
the
Jg,

to lucky
(2)

days
Lih

in the Calendar.

personal

M- This was formerly written Jff, but from the latter being name of K'ienlung | |S| (A.D. 1736-1796), it was abandoned for

originally the heavenly bodies, chiefly the sun

and moon, which divide times

and seasons; to-day it means almanac or calendar, as influenced largely by Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. astrology.

382
menced on such
a day, or a visit

may

be paid.

Such

day

will be

favourable for a marriage festival or a burial ceremony.

The present stud}


1

of this subject will

comprise four parts

Origin and compilation of the Imperial Almanac.


of the

As the prescriptions and prohibitions

almanac seem

to be
:

derived from the three following sources, the other parts will be
2
3 4

Practices founded on cyclic divination.


Practices derived from astral divination.

Divination by means of the "Five Names*'.


I.

Origin and compilation


in the

of prescriptions

and prohibitions
the
origin

Imperial Almanac.
of

The
almanac

history
is

of
set

and

compilation
entitled

the

Imperial
to the
,

well

forth in the

work

"Supplement

Introduction of the Calendar'*,


ascribed to Mei

Wen-ting $| $

Lih-hsioh-i-wen-pu jg | fq] "fjf This Author treats in a (1).

and prescriptions of the almanac, that is things which should be done or avoided on certain days. Writing on this matter, he says: "do the prescriptions of the
special chapter of the prohibitions

almanac date back

to a

remote antiquity?

They do
jf|,

not, he states,

but are of recent origin, and only began under modern dynasties.

Yao

|=j|

(2)

commanded

his

two Ministers Hsi

and

Hwo

(3),

(1)

A.D. 1032-1721.

native of Siien-ch'eng gf t$, in Ngctnhwei

Hfc.

Celebrated mathematician and author of


reign of K'anghsi
jig

*?&.

He

astronomical works during the discussed and compared Chinese and Western
in the

many

methods of computing time, and corrected the section on astronomy


History of the

^ $k M l"h
his

Mings EJJj. His "Introduction to Astronomy", T'ien-hsioh i-wen was revised by the Kmperor K'anghsi himself. Later on, he wrote
to the Introduction of the Calendar", Lih-hsioh i-rven-pu

"Supplement
M. T$
(2)

%$ One

Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 587. of China's ancient emperors. He ascended the throne B.C. 2357.
Giles.

and reigned 70, some say even over 90 years Manual, p. 272.
(3)

Mayers.

Chinese Reader's

Two

astronomers, said to have been brothers. Yao

commanded them

to

observe the planetary revolutions.

Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

p. 272.

Fig.

164

i\

~f*

vac?

Modele d'almanach.
rd Imperial calendar for the 33 year of Kwang-hsu.

383
to regulate the divisions of the seasons, in order to direct

and enable them

to

sow

to

the

thepeople, East and gather in at the West.


official

The sun
quarter

rises in the East, so

he ordered the
;

placed over that

to

promote husbandry
to

the

commanded
therefore,

the presiding official to

West, so he He said, direct the harvesting.


sets
in

sun

the

these two astronomers: "the calendar


officials

is

of great

im-

portance for directing the

and enabling them

to successfully

terminate the labours of the harvest'".


Since the above purpose was that which gave rise to the calendar,

why

is

a choice

made

of certain days? This


Jj|]

custom originated towards


the various Feudal States
all

the close of the

Chow

dynasty

(I),

when

were engaged in mutual warfare, and disorder reigned on


Soothsayers were then
in

sides.

high repute, and acquired much influence.


[$j|

In the latter days of the Sui

rulers (A.D. 620),

and especially
craze
for

under the
selection

T'ang

Jjg-

dynasty

(A.D.

620-907),

the

the

of lucky

Q
and

3f

(2)

Hereupon, LiX-ts'ai days developed exceedingly. reminded the people of the ancient customs of the country,
innovation with powerful arguments
of the present
(3).

set to refute the

The prescriptions and prohibitions


almanac,
printed

day Imperial

by order of the

Government, are taken from the


-

work

entitled

"Calendar

of lucky days

',

Suen-tseh lih-shu jg

(4),

as

it

existed either in the time of the

Mongol

rule (A.D. 1280-

1368), or under the

Ming

f$ dynasty (A.D.

1368-1644).

In ancient

(1)

of great confusion, trouble, intrigues

This famous dynasty ended B.C. 24 J. Its closing years were a period and plots. The Ts'in H, one of the
(

most powerful of the Feudal


Legge.
(2)

States, succeeded
~$-

it,

but was of short duration.


History,
ffj

Introduction to the Shu-king

g, or Classic of
>'i

p. 198.

native of Ts'ing-p'ing-hsien -^ 2p f,

Shantung

^.

Under

the

Emperor T'ai-tsung
several

jz g= (A.D. 027-650), of the

T'ang fH dynasty, he was


js.

raised to the dignity of Minister of Rites,

Tai-chang Poh-shi

f t? i"
divi-

He wrote

works
to

for the

nation and geomancy.


(3)

purpose of refuting the vain practices of Wieger. Textes Historiques. Vol. 111. p. 1580.

Supplement
Mi.
j$4

the Introduction of the Calendar, Lih-hsioh i-wcn-pu

m%mw
(4)

Siien-tseh

^,

to

pick out, to select.

Williams. Dictionary of the

Chinese Language.

384
times,

no mention

is

made

of lucky days, nor of the superstition in


f]

connection with the four supplementary stars, Yueh-puh


lieu

^,

Loonly

$i

ff$*

Ki-tu

f|-

f|5

(1),

and

Tze-h'i

&.

Generally,

seven
rive

In

were mentioned, namely the sun, moon, and the Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars and Saturn. principal planets Chinese Jeh 0, Yueh ^, Kin-sing J|, Muh-sing 7J; j"|,
luminaries
:

Shui-sing

7k.

Ji,

Hwo-sing >\
Ej$

^, and
(3),
Jjl[

T'u-sing

J|

(2).
,,

Kwoh Show-king
of Hsing-t'ai

^^
Chihli
all

surnamed Joh-sze 7^

a native

j$

<j|,

in

^,
first

and who

lived in the

time of
or

Shi-tsu

-ftf;

f[_

(A.D.

1280-1295),

emperor

of the

Yuen j

Mongol dynasty, and published the work


shuh
|j
fl^r

collected

calendars

made by

private individuals,

entitled

"System

of divination",

Show-shithe

||if

(4)-

The

collection of calendars

known by

name

of "official almanacs",

Ta-t'ung

$fc

(5),

Ming
the

B^

dynasty (A.D.

1368-1644),

embodied

and published under the all that is found in

"System of divination". Such is the origin of the erroneous views and opinions prevailing at the present day, and which are,
needless to say,

much
to

to be deprecated.

The Author

whom

they
$Jj

are

ascribed,

Yuen-t'ung JC $,

surnamed Pno Choh-tze

S hens j^Hf,
i

collected into

Ch'ang-ngan -^ ^, in four volumes the work entitled "System


fl^f

^p, a native of

of divination'*,

Show-shi-shuh %

ffif.

The compilation was com-

(1)

Lo-heu and Ki-tu are two monsters called

Rahu and

Ketu,

who

are

located at the ascending and descending nodes of the moon's orbit.

The

Chinese vocabulary

is

derived

from

Hindu mvthologv.

Edkins.

Chinese

Buddhism,
(2)

p. 212.

7C

832. Physiognomy. A famous mathematician, who lived in the early part of the Yuen lie wrote the work on dynasty, chronology entitled Show-shi lih-ts'ao ]
(3)

See above. Vol. IV. p

D#

M
('1

1$.-

Wylie.

.Notes on

Chinese Literature,

p.

124

(Astronomy and ma-

thematics).

Show

shi-shuhJg$f$jjj, literally the art of giving the times oy"seasons.

in

reality a
(5)

system of chronology and divination.


jz
'

'he sa

Ta-t'ung sense as

Ift,

general
ji|i
,lj.
,

repertory, magazine, official almanac.


a

Has

iok/-n/m<

calendar, an almanac, current throughout

the country.

385
pleted

the
in

Author

towards the close of the Yuen yt dynasty, and presented by to T'ai-tsu -j^ jjj founder of the Ming B^ dynasty, (1),
th of his reign. 1385, being the 17

the year

The new work was The | J|. but its


main
official

entitled

"General

Calendar",
to

Ta-t'ung-lih
fix

purpose of the work was

popular notions,

indications have not prevented the masses from believing in the silly

nonsense contained
publications are

in

such almanacs,
in

T'ung-shu

jgj

(2).

These

numerous

China;

countless also are those pub-

lished by private individuals,

and dealing with the same subject. In


the falsehoods contained in them, that
errors

vain

would

writer
a

refute

would not put


If it

they disseminate among the such superstitious collections, people. and replace them by useful and practical notions on husbandrv, and
stop to

the

were possible

to destroy all

the

produce of the

soil

in

different

countries,

this

would

in

all

likelihood bring back to the people the prosperous days of Yao

|fe ^3),

Shun
age.

"fqL

and

Yil

fj|

(4),

the three primitive rulers of China's Golden

Helps for the better understanding of term*

employed in the Imperial Almanac "Hwang-lih"


1.

l|l

/f.

Days.

In

the

present-day

edition

of

the

"Imperial

Almanac", prescriptions are laid down as to what should be done or avoided on lucky or unlucky days. There is further a series of

(1)

Better

known under

his style of reign as

Hung-wu

jr^C

(A.D. 1368-

1399).
(2)

He

established his Capital at

Nanking

W\

T'ung-shu jifi #", a calendar, an almanac, issued with the approval of the Government, and hence in current use throughout the country. One of China's ancient emperors. He ascended the throne B.C. 2357, (3)

and reigned

70,

Chinese history as

some say even over 90 years, He stands at a model of all wisdom and sovereign virtue.
all

the

dawn

of

His govern-

ment was so beneficent that universal concord reigned on


Chinese Reader's Manual
(4)

sides.

Mayers
Yi't

272.

Two

others
#f:,

of the

legendary rulers of primitive China.


note 2

$|

succeeded Shin)
of the country.

and completed the work of controlling the water-courses


1.

See Vol.

p. 123.

386
twelve

terms denoting the

days

(1).

unlucky character of certain These are arranged in the following" table, and their meaning
lucky
or

is set

forth for the direction of the Reader.

Ch'u

It

387
and according as they are controlled by the influence of heaven, T'ien-teh ^, and that of
a
certain

planet

good

or

malignant,

the

moon,

Yueh-teh

ft

^|.

The

stars

Ku

ffi

and Hsu $[

(1)

are

ever held to be malignant.

Hsu

Ku

|1

T'ien-teji 3^

Yueh-teh

ft

Very unlucky

Very unlucky

North-East

South -West

month

month

Besides

these

general

indications,

special

remarks,

denoting

good or evil luck, are added in red ink above and below each day.

II.

Cyclic divination.

1.

Concerning birth.

Such a day
is

of the
;

Chinese month, denoted


is

by such a cyclic character,


cious.

auspicious

such another

inauspi-

person, therefore, born on a day denoted by such a cyclic


;

character, should fatally have such a destiny, previously determined

such at least
esting
to
(2),

is

the theory

summed up

in a

few words.

It

is

inter-

see

how

LiX-ts'ai

^",

whose

name was

mentioned

above

has refuted this fatalism with powerful arguments and rare

good sense.
reproduced

The principal passages of his essay have been verbally in the work entitled "Refutation of false doctrine",
Ufl

Ch'ow-chen pieh-wang

III

Hwang, Hwang Peh-to-luh |f


he,

f3

^ ^

(3)>

by the

late

Father Peter

fj^ (4).

"Here below", says


born the

"many

persons belonging

to the

same

social class, are

(1)

Hsii-sing J^

H, the
35(1.

star

Hsu

is

the eleventh
to

of the

"lunar

mansions", Header's Manual, p.


(2)

and answers
p. 383.

nearly

Aquarius.

Mayers.

twenty-eight Chinese

See Vol. IV.

note

2.

(3)

Literally "Exposition of truth

and refutation of error",

p. 45-47.

(4)

1830-KKM).
several
139.

native

of

Hai-men

&
list

|"j,

in

North

Kiangsu fr
'l''ung-pao

,0.

Author of
KJ.

"Miscellanies on China" and other works.


(Biographical notice and
of works).

i5

l'.MO. p.

388
same
the
year,

and

still

have a fate absolutely different; others born on

same day or

of the

same parents,

die earlier or later in

life.

The

following few examples will prove this abundantly".


1.

Chwang,
Yih-hai ,

Duke

of

Lu,

Lu Chwang-hung
to

^, was
"General

born
acters

in

the seventh

month

of the year denoted by the cyclic char-

^.

According
f
-pfr

the

work

entitled

horoscope", Luh-ming-shu

#
and

(1),

he was destined to have an

ugly

face, lead

an unknown

life,

live in

bad health, but to enjoy


of

a good

old age.

Now, according

to the

"Book

Odes

',

Shi-king

Duke Chwang, Chwang-huug $ ^, enjoyed graceful f^F ,f (2), was of powerful build and high stature, and died at the features,
early age of forty-five.

The

forecast of the "General horoscope",

Luh-

ming-shu
2".

|J<

'pjr

||-',

is

therefore found to be false.

Shi Hwang-ti #J Jl B.C. 24H-209), founder of the Ts'in was born in the first month of the year denoted by |jg dynasty (3), the cyclic characters Jen-yin f jp|. According to the "General
horoscope",
dignity,
ity

Luh-ming-shu $fe I&, he was never to enjoy any would commence badly and end well, and only have prosperlive to a tine old age.

in

advanced years and

Now,

if

we consult

history,

we

find

therein

that this

emperor began well and ended

badly, that in advanced years he was beset with endless misfortunes,

and

at

last

died

at

the

age of
ff
<ftf

fifty.

The
is

forecast of the "General

horoscope", Luh-ming-shu
misleading.

^,

again found to be thoroughly

(1) Literally the "Book of fortunate destiny", a kind of general horoscope, consulted at a person's birth and forecasting one's lot here below as

determined by cyclic characters, Lu Chwang-kung -|| J0E &> xvas born in the year B.C. 717, in the month denoted by the cyclic characters Kien-shen ^l Under the Chow j^ dynasty (B.C. 1122-249), this month was reckoned as the

ninth, but in the present-day reformed calendar,


(2)
(3)

it is

the seventh.
2).

Praise Odes of

Lu

(Legge's translation. Part IV. Hook

at

Shi Hwang-ti (the First Hwang-ti or divine ruler) ascended the throne the age of 13. He is famous for having swept away the Feudal system,

completing the Great Wall, and destroying all ancient literature, except books on astrology, divination and husbandry. After his death, the dynasty lived but a few years. Mayers. Chinese Header's Manual, p. 184.
his

389
3. The Emperor Wu-ti jfc ft (B.C. 140-86^ of the Former Han dynasty, Ts'ien Han ~ffi -$. (1 was born in the morning of the seventh day, and in the seventh month of the year denoted by the
1

cyclic characters

Yih-yiu Zj
jjfe
-fit

M-

vve believe

the "General horoslife

cope",

Luh-ming-shu

|&, in the early years of his

he was

to enjoy

neither dignity nor glory, but should wield great power in

his old age.

Now,

the Historic Annals of the dynasty, Ilan-shu ^|

^,

state

that he ascended the throne at the

commencement

of his
(2).

sixth year, and that in his old age he had lost half of his subjects

For the third


f!^,

time the

''General horoscope"',

Luh-ming-shu

f| fir

is

egregiously at fault.

4.

Wen-ti
in

ft (A.D.

472-500),
of

of

the

Wei | kingdom,
drawn from

was born
characters

the

eighth month

the year
to
jjfj^

denoted by the cyclic

Ting-wei ~T

^.

According

the forecast
fit

the "General horoscope ",


to ignore his

Luh-ming-shu

If, he was destined

own

father,

and would never reign.


|, IJ^,

On

the contrary,

the Annals of Wei,

Wei-shu

state that he succeeded his father

Hsien-tsu if

ffl,

and had him honoured throughout the kingdom.


",

For the fourth time the ''General horoscope ^, has been wrong.
5.

Luh-ming-shu

ijfj

fit

Kao-tsung
]fj

^^
born

(A.D.
in

1127-1163), of the Southern Sung,

Nan-Sung
I)
f[5

(3\

the third

month

of the year denoted


gij

The Western or Former Han dynasty was founded by Liu-pang


(f|i,

modern Kiangsu). Prince Han. a Feudal State on the Southern border of Shensi and Western Honan. of The Capital was at near the river Han. hence the name of the dynasty.
(originally a peasant of the district of P'ei
in

Ch'ang-ngan J| ^, in Shensi. but connected by a highroad with Lnhyang ; [^, in Hnnan. Wylie. Chinese Reader's Manual, p. 133. He waged incessant war against the Huns, and compelled one of their (2)
tribes to retire to the Oxus,

whence they subsequently

fell

upon the Roman

Empire.

When

the Chinese troops returned,

among

the booty was found a

golden statue of Buddha (B.C. 121). The Sung 5fc dynasty, worsted (3)

in

the North by the Kins or "Golden


its

Horde" Tartars,
at

fled to

the South of the Yangtze, and established

Capital

Nanking r| jfC, hence the name of Southern Sunt;. Most of its monarch* were weak and pusillanimous rulers, who finally ceded the throne to the
Mongols A.D.
1280.

390
]%, should, according to the by the cyclic characters Kwei-hai "General horoscope", Luh-ming-shu ^r ^, never enjoy any His eldest son was to reach the throne, his power or dignity.
jfjjfc

second

one

was

to

die

at

an early age,
In the

and his grandson would


His eldest son

become rich and powerful.

"History of the Sung dynasty",


fell

Sung-shu
victim
to

^
the

jf

:
,

we

find

quite the contrary.

hands

of rebels,

the second one ascended the throne

and reigned for long years, while his grandson, harassed by rebels, was almost on the point of taking flight and abandoning the throne.
This
is

the
is

fifth

time that the "General horoscope", Luh-ming-shu

t$ $t
2,

Hn

woefully untrue.

Concerning burial.
it

Suitable
of

time for burial

In ancient

times

was deemed
;

sufficient to cover over the corpse

with brush-

wood and dry grass


over the grave
(2),
(1).

no

mound was

raised nor were trees planted

The Sages

deposed the corpse therein, and buried

subsequent ages employed coffins it in order to remove it

from the eyes of the living. Under the later dynasties, superstitious practices were added to the burial rites, such as the choice of the
year and month, and the selection of a certain site for the placing of
the
coffin.

Hundreds

of families

and more bury their dead


all

all

speak
their
of

of

happiness

or misfortune,

seek some means of allaying


befall

apprehensions,
all

and
it

if

happiness or misfortune

any one

them, they

ascribe

to those silly practices.

(1)

"When
over
it,

the

Ancients

buried

their dead, they


it

covered the

body
raised

thickly with pieces of wood, having laid

in the
;

open country.

They

no

mound

nor planted trees around

nor had they any fixed period of

mourning. In subsequent ages, the Sages substituted for these practices inner and outer coffins". The Yih-king % f or Book of Changes. Appendix
III.

p. S85.

(2)

coffins:

Legge s translation. "In the time of Yushun j (B.C. 2255-2205), they used earthenware under the sovereigns of Hsia (B.C. 2205-1766), they surrounded

these with an enclosure of bricks.

The people of Yin

fix
ffl

(B.C. 1766-1122) used (B.C. 1122-249) added

wooden
of Rites.

coffins, the outer

and inner.

Those of Chow
Vol.

the surrounding curtains and the feathery ornaments".

Li-ki | IE or Record

Book

II.

T'an-kung

fj

fJ

Legge.

I.

p. 125.

391
ruler

According to "Tso's Commentary", Tso-chwan ; (1), the was buried on the seventh day of the seventh month. Feudal princes were buried on the fifth day of the fifth month. High officers
1.

were buried three months


class one

after their demise,

month

after their death.

and people of the lower Nobles and commoners were not


time was to intervene between

treated in a like

manner; more or

less

the time of their demise and the day of their burial.


that
rites,
is

We

see

then

there being a fixed and legal time for


there
first

performing the burial

was no need

of selecting a special year or

month.
and

This
it

argument

refuting the choice of

months

or days,

is

drawn from the


2.

Classics.

state that the

The "Spring and Autumn Annals", Ch'un-ts'iu burial of Duke Ting, Ting-hung 5j? ^, was
to
jfj^

^^
Q,

(2),

to take

place on the day denoted by the cyclic characters Ting-sze

~T*

but

the

day happening day

be a rainy one, the

ceremony was postponed

to the

Wou-wu
we

^p,

and

all

the Sages approved of the act.

Perusing the work entitled "Thesaurus of Mourning"', Tsang-

shu

^ If

(3),

find therein that

denoted
will

by

the

cyclic

characters
read in

ensue.

Now, we
7^.

a burial takes place on the day Yih-hai , ;>, great misfortune the "Spring and Autumn Annals",
if

Ch'un-ts'iu
on

f^(,

that

some twenty important


is

burials took place

that very

day.

This

another proof that

in

those times none

selected the

day

for carrying out a burial.

The "Spring and Autumn


knows,
written

Annals",

Ch'un-ts'iu

^,

are,

as

everybody

throughout by Confucius himself.

An amplification of the "'Spring and Autumn Annals" by one of (1) his work being named" Tso's Confucius' pupils named Tso Kii-ming Jfr> EIJ], Tso-chwan ~ \%. It dilates especially on contemporary events Commentary",

necessary to throw light on the original chronicle.


Literature, p.
2)
R.

Wylie. Notes on Chinese

One

of the

Five Classics, actually written


.||,

history of his

native State of f.n


p. 6

by Confucius, being a Notes on from B.C. 722-484. Wylie.

Chinese Literature
(3j

Tsang i$, to lay a body in the tomb, to bury with decorum. Shu book, hence "Directory or Thesaurus of Mourning". Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.
H, a

392
time of the
of Rites", Li-ki fg fB (1), states that in the dynasty (R.C. 1122-249), the mourning colour was red, and burials took place in the forenoon. Under the Yin j=j$
3.

The "Record

Chow

dynasty

(B.C.

1766-1122),
at

the

burials were performed

noon.

mourning colour was white, and The Hsia dynasty (B.C. 2205-

1766),

on

the

contrary,

adopted
(2).

black for mourning, and burials

were carried out in the evening

The "Commentaries
reference to the above,

of

Cheng", Cheng-chu

ff|$

(3),

remark

in

that burial ceremonies

and

rites

connected

therewith, depended on the peculiar taste of each dynasty; nobody selected the hour, and people were buried either in the forenoon or
the afternoon.

The Work
document
(1)

entitled

"Amplification of the Spring and

Autumn

Annals'", Ck'un-ts'iu-chwan
:

^^

fs|.,

furnishes us another important

Tze-ch'atn

^f-

(4),

Minister of the Feudal State of Cheng

Record of Rites.
,/gj

to

Choio

dynasty.

-. Kung The doctrine contained

brother of

book of very early origin, and by some attributed W'u Wang jfv; 3E, founder of the Chow
in
it

has given

rise to several

schools of

exposition and teaching. Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature, p. (5. Under the Sovereigns of Hsia M, they preferred what was black. (2)

JSI

Under the Yin %x dynasty, they preferred what was white. Under the Choiv dynasty, they preferred what was red. On occasions of mourning, they body
I.

coffined the

at

sunrise
tails,

for the business of war, they

used red horses

with black manes and


of Rites.
3)

and

their victims

were

red.

Li-ki

H
It

%^ or Record

Vol.

p.

120.

Legge's translation.

Cheng
of

f|>,

an important Feudal State B.C. 774-500.


}5f
pj,

occupied the
J||$

.Northern part of

Honan

and had

for its Capital

Cheng-chow

#|.

The

names
I

18 princes are recorded.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese

.anguage.
(4)

B.C. 584-571

Younger son of Duke Ch'eng, Ch'eng-kung }i% -, of Cheng ^|J (reigned made chief minister of that State at a time when lawlessness
,

and disorder prevailed.

ment immediately
years, so threat
articles

set

in.

His virtues and wisdom were so great that improveWhen he had governed the State during three

the change effected that doors were not locked at night were not picked up from the highway. When he died, all andjost the people were bathed in tears and women laid aside their ornaments for a space of three months. Confucius wept on hearing of his death. Mayers.
p. 22J.

W as

Chinese Reader's Manual,

393
fU$,

and

Tze T'ai-shuh
of

-fa

7^

(1),
f]

were performing the funeral

ceremony
to

dian of the
the

Duke Kien, Kien-kung tomb happened to lie

^.

The lodge
the

of the guardirect

across

way leading

burial

shortened,

ground. By and the burial could take place

removing the house, the road would be


in the forenoon
;

if left

standing,

it

would

be

necessary

to

go a long

burial could not be performed before noon.

way round, and the Tze-ch'an /i would

not have the house of the guardian removed, and preferred waiting
till

noon

to

carry out the burial.

The uncle
remark
to

of the youthful heir,

Tze T'ai-shuh
wait
till

-j^

^, made
not
to
all

him, saying:

"if

we

noon,
be

will

the Feudal Princes,


later?"

who

assist at the

ceremony,

obliged

depart
to

Tze-ch'an -^
at

^
is

replied:

"since they are

willing

assist,

even

noon, there

nothing

which can inconvenience them, or


then
the
All

in

anywise offend the people;

why
of

may

not the burial take place at that hour?"

Thus the lodge

guardian

was nut removed, and the

burial took place at noon.

the literati hold that Tze-ch'an

rfe

was thoroutrhlv versed

in

the knowledge of the rites.


burial

Now,

there

is

nothing so important as a
Chinese;
if,

ceremony,

at

least

in the eyes of the

therefore,

happiness or misfortune were attached to such a day


could
these

and hour, how

wise

people
?

have overlooked

it,

and considered only

external circumstances

Moreover, in the"Questions of Tseng-tie'' ^xeng-tze-wen^t^fvl^,


(1)

T'ai-shuh j\ $[, the senior of the younger uncles of the heir appar-

ent.

Williams.
(2)

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


^f-,

Tseng-tze $*

or
of

disciples of Confucius,

Tseng the Philosopher, B.C. 506. <>ne of the chief whose doctrines he became the expositor after his
,

master's death.
^;

A portion

of the Classic entitled the "Great Learning'

l"a-hsioh

^,

is

P3 @E,

5p !&

He ranks second among the 4 Assessors, Sze-p'ci of Confucius, and enjoys the title of "Honourable Sage", Tsung-sheng He is conspicuously noted for his filial piety, and it is related of him
attributed to him.

that

when a boy he was away from home gathering firewood on the hills wheti his mother suddenly required his presence. L'nable to make him hear
her
call,

she

bit

her finger, whereupon

announced the

fact to the
hi'

death of his parents,

a sympathetic twinge of pain at once and he hent his steps homeward. After the youth, wept whenever he heard the rites of mourning.
p.

Mayers.

Chinese Reader's Manual,

223.

10

394
we read
the bier
eclipse

that

if

an eclipse of the sun should happen during a funeral,


be laid

was

to

down on

the

left

side of the road

when

the
to

was

over, the procession should then re-start and advance


(1).

the burial
If

ground

we adopt the

view put forward in the


a burial,
in

"Thesaurus

of

Mourning',
characters

Tsang-shu
ally

^,
at

order

to

be auspicious, should gener-

take
j^.

place

the the

hours
first

denoted

bv
of

the
the

mystic

K'ien

Ken

J|,

and

third

"eight diagrams",
is

Pah-kwa

$|> (2),

invented by Fuhsi f^
to

^,

that

about the hour


according
is

of midnight, a
to

custom quite contrary

the rites.

In tine,

the

Classics,

the burial day should not be selected.


this superstition
is

This

the

third

argument whereby

thoroughly refuted.
fortune of a
life

The
family

site

of a grave.

1"

That the honour and

depend on the

site of a

grave:
or
tin'

that a long or short

here

below,

numerous descendants

extinction

of the family, are

vitally connected with the choice of the day

for a burial

and the

site

of an

ancestral

grave,

such

is

the general belief entertained by the

Chinese people.
by
the

Confucius refuted long ago this superstitious view


words,
(3).

following

found
is

in

the

"Classic of Filial
a

Piety",

Hsiao-king
that your

j|g

"It

by

leading

virtuous

life,

says he,

name will go down to posterity, and that you will reflect honour on your ancestors". We read also in the "Classic of Changes", Yih-king ^, |^: "honours are the great reward of virtuous men.
(f
)

Kites",

Li-ki

This was the opinion of Lao-tze % -^ as we find in the "Record of was : "Confucius said, formerly along with Lao-tan,
flfj
I

assisting at a

burial

in

the

village of Hsiang, and

[f. highway, the sun was eclipsed. Lao-tan said to to him in consequence of a prominent protuberance on the forehead), let the bier be stopped on the left of the road (i.e. the East),

when we had got to the the book-name me: K'ii

of Confucius, given

and then
again
Li-ki

let

us wail and wait

till

the eclipse pass away.


this

When

it

is

light

we
jjHH

will

proceed.

Me

said

that

was the
I.

rule.

Record of Rites.

?,

Questions of Tseng-tze,
II.

Vol.

339.

(2)

See Vol.

p.

223. note

I.

Their origin and use

Legge's translation. in divination and

geomancy. Vol.
(.'<

IM. p. 27;i, 276, 284, 320.


a

Said to be recorded

tze

FT ir,

by

conversation between Confucius ami his disciple TsengIt another disciple whose name is not preserved.
W'vlie.

contains 18 chapters.

Notes on Chinese Literature

p.

8.

395
progress in
all

But how can one enjoy such honours permanently ? By making daily benevolence, and bestowing favours on others, so that

may
a

be,

as

it

were,
is

deluged

therewith.
1 .

When

real virtue is

lacking, happiness that


brief

of short duration'

or

long

span

of

These words amply show prosperity and happiness depends in


site of a grave.
(1)
it

nowise on the lucky or unlucky


If

Tsang Sun-tnh $
Kendal
State of

jfc

ji
<|.,

had
is

long line of descendants

in

the

Lu

not because his ancestors were

buried

on a lucky day.
j$|j,

On

the other

hand, Joh-ngao %f

ffl (2),
it

Prince of King
advisable
additional
in to

had

no descendants; however, nobody deemed

change the site of his ancestral tombs.


to infer

We
vain
is

have thus
the belief

arguments which compel us

how
is

the lucky or unlucky influence ascribed to the site of a grave, or

other superstitions connected with burials.


of the aforesaid error.
2.

This

first

refutation

People have frequently seen persons of low extraction attain

to

the

highest

honours; others on

the contrary have fallen into a

state of poverty.

Thus, Tze-wen ^p t
one after the other his

follower of Confucius, lost three times


position.
disciple
of

official
(3),

Chan-k'in Jg -^
1

another

the

Sage,

was

also

f|.

Minister to Duke Hwan, Hwan-kung fa , of the Principality of Lu One day. he reproached the ruler with having received pecuniary presents

from rebels, which he subsequently deposited in the temple of his Ancestors. A native of the Feudal State of Ch'u %> (B.C. 740-330. It occupied (2)

He Capital fiing-chow-fu #lj tt| /ftp). Hupeh, parts of Hunan and Kiangsu reckoned among his kinsfolk a person named Yueh-tsiao jH" tfeThis man had the ferocity of a tiger or a bear, and his harsh voice resembled the howling
of a
wolf.

Tze-wen

-f-

said

Yueh-tsiao will bring ruin on the family of


started a revolt, and

Joh-ngao.
4jE,

A short time afterwards, Yueh-tsiao


$f

ruler of Ch'u

B.C. 013-590), fought against

Chwang him and exterminated all


the State of

the

members
(3)

of his family, Jeh-ngao ^f #/ being included in the massacre.


district of Lil-hsia
%|i
|>,

Governor of the
of eminent merit

in

Lu #, and

man

When

he died, his wife pronounced a funeral oration

over his body, urging that none knew his great merits as well as she. was canonised as "gracious", Hwei .4- and is now commonly known as
f
,

He
Ltt-

hsia-hwei

$|l

$E,

the

"Gracious Governor of
p. 8.

l.ii-hsia".

Giles.

Chinese

Biographical Dictionary,

396
deprived three times of his
ancestral
office of

magistrate.
;

The

site of their

tombs was

still

never changed
?

why

then had their fortune

undergone such ups and downs

Whence
influenced
refutation

it

is

evident that honour or misfortune, promotion or

loss of official position

by the
of

site

depend on persons themselves, and are in nowise of their ancestors' graves. This is another
belief,

the

above absurd

and

it

is

furnished us by

history

itself.

The Reader may see on the next page the principal extracts from the work of LiX-ts'ai g (1), "Supplement to the Introduction of the Calendar", Lih-hsioh-i-wen-pu / Jfl | fa] fjf, edited by Met

Wen-ting

tf$ ~$

^. These

extracts are extensively quoted in Father

mm%
The

Hwang's

"Refutation of
(2).

false doctrine",

Ch'ow-chen pien-wang

^\\

Appendix.

We
for

must

still

note two other errors as to lucky

and unlucky days


first

performing burial ceremonies.

holds that one must not weep for a deceased person

on the day
(3);

of the

month denoted by

the cyclic character Ch'en

when paying

a visit of

condolence, one should put on a smiling

countenance.

The second
same
cyclic

consists
as

in

believing that everybody born

on the

day
the

the

deceased,
in

should

carefully

abstain

from

approaching

coffin.

these circumstances,

one should dress

up

in

festal

attire

and avoid following the funeral procession even


by acting otherwise, a person risks seriously

of one's

own

parents;
off

being carried

by death.

(1)
life

See on Lu-ts'ai.

Vol. IV
for the

p.

383. note 2.

Biographical sketch of his

and principal works, divination and geomancy.


(2)

Page 387.

purpose of refuting the vain practices of


note
2.

See Vol. IV.


Ch'en
J.

p. 387. note. 3.
fifth

3)

The

of the 12 stems, over which the dragon rules.

A Chinese hour, or one


a.m.

twelfth of a day, but especially the time from 7 to 9

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

397
Cyclic divination concerning birth.

$t * Jfc-W ^c E H,^ # # G * #,rfff * ft !i &, ^l!H?l^ltl^ Aiiil, ^ ^,n @ * #: -^ # *,4> * # a m %M m. I ^,)fl & H ^,Jh + 3L ,jft T> - 4# #,*5 & it >-W n & ^,i ^ a je ^ .* m ^ #.* ^ t n.s Ami&G
PI
|5j

Jgfc.A

jiJS-t:

WrT

/r

ffi

ffi

ifr

-i>

&,m %

7b

,# % #

%&

til

&

ffi,

7*

*&

& **,

For selecting a burial day.

MM fillHI 5 W H,A 5 ?f H ^dr^if M ,:ft * N.ifi^ll #.>!& & & n,* * m a.* & f* ^'jfe if ^ $.* # ^ a - 4-if -fc
II
riff

,-fc

rrn

flit,

ft

sj

^n#.ja a ^ rj *ik #,A - + fl # J* 9J P * ft


ffe

w.fflf

*^i ^
!
i

For determining
"*r

the site of a grave.

* m * as,? #> n flr,p &,^ n n m ^,a # ft a, an # # ja # # ,& six *,i3 &,fnr ja^ft, - a .an ii a^ & * ft,m ^ ^ * fc,-ji v\ h ut Tk.iib # a * n ^ ixi,m * * m ffi.JS % w ft *& #* ,# ft $1,* A & If *,* IS $W n BR f # it P E >* t * *T ft,? * = * f,Jg G = IW QkW ft ^ ff.fl -dL.tt J* ?f . R HA.***
'

mij

fc

frl

H'i

IX|

I:

ftp,

'K-

See "Refutation of false doctrine", Ch'oio-chen pien-icung 0\

^4.

^f

^-

398
III.

Astral divination.

The second source, whence the prescriptions


almanac are derived,
such
rays,
is

of the Imperial

the

influence of malignant stars acting in

or

such

direction.

These

fiery

orbs dart

forth their fatal

and

penetrate

every corner of the horizon, like the powerful

beams

of an electric search-light

when Hashed
$g_,

over the landscape.


stars, against

1". fatal

The stars Jin


the

ffi

and Hsu

The

whose
as

influence one

must

be ever on the watch, are those


|j|,

known

Ku ^,
state

"Orphan", and Hsu


the

that
to

"Orphan", Ku

opposed

the star

Hsu f^
-Jfc

(1).

"Emptiness, Void". Astrologers $1, is found in the zodiacal sign It rises in the heavens four hours
has commenced
it

after Jupiter,

T'ai-sui
llsii

(2),

its

annual revolu-

tion,

and the star


In

$ precedes

by eight hours.

the

almanac,
or

months

are

denoted
first

as

influenced

by the

star

Ku
on

^R,

the star

Hsu
^&,
is

|jg.

The

month,

for instance, is

influenced by the star


j;
falls

Ku
it

if it falls

within the cycle Tze-ch'eu -^


by the star Hsu

the contrary,

influenced
^f-

(3),

if it

within the cycle Wu-\vei

^.

There are also periods of


Ilsii

five

years influenced both by

Ku

-JR

and

|g, thus the period of five


E}3

years denoted by the cyclic characters Kiah-tze

-^

Other years

are merely influenced by one or other of these malignant stars.

The

period of five years denoted by the cyclic characters


is

Hsuh-hai

^,

influenced only by the

"Orphan", Ku

ffi

likewise, the period of

(1)

Hsii

jjf.

The

star

FJsil

is

the eleventh of the twenty-eight "lunar

mansions", and answers

nearly

to

Aquarius.
p. 387. note

Manual,
(2)

p. 356.

See

Mayers.
1.

Chinese Reader's

above. Vol. IV.

planet Jupiter, which completes its revolution on its orbit in our years (exactly speaking in 11.86 of them), hence making the "Great year" T'ai-sui >k ^-. The ancient Chinese observed very early this

The

about

12 of

period of Jupiter's revolution, as well as its retrograde movement among the signs, and based their cyclic computation thereon. Jupiter's cycle began at
the head of Sagittarius.
3

T'ung-pao

ifi $||.

Vol.

XV.

1914 (Le Cycle de Jupiter).

See

Vol.

[V. p. 387.
l/sii.

Very unlucky

months, when influenced by

the stars

Km and

399
five

years denoted by the cyclic characters Ch'en-sze

^
and

g,

is influ-

enced only by Hsu J^.


2.

Influence of heaven, T'ieu-teh 3^

towards

almanac indicates for each month, moon, Yueli-teh ft what direction one must turn, in order to enjoy the genial
of

The ^.

fj

(I),

that of the

influence

heaven or that of the moon.

It

is

thus that we see

pagans,

attaching the greatest importance as to which direction the

sedan-chair should be turned, when they start on the


bride

way

to fetch a

home.

Previously,
the

it

lias

been mathematically calculated in

which
located

direction

"Genius
If
it

of
to
is

Joy",
the

Hsi-shen

si.

jffi

(2),

was

on that day.

be

South-East or North-West,

then the front of the sedan-chair


in order that

turned exactly in that direction,

when

the bride enters therein, she

may

be as

it

were,

inundated with the genial influence of the god.


"I, your

humble Minister,
days
of

said Lit-ts rai

zlf

am

of opinion,

that

in

the

Yao

and Shun
;

If:

/i),

the calendar never


to record

mentioned
the

all

these

absurdities

its

purpose was merely

movements

of the

sun and moon, the revolutions

of the stars

and planets, and furnish useful hints for the advancement of husbandry and the works of agriculture; also to indicate exactly the course
of the

seasons, and instruct the people whether the elements would


or unfavourable for the tilling of the land
fulfilled
;

be favourable
this,
it

if it
it

did

would have
its

useful

purpose.

Nowadays,

has

overstepped
its

original character, and none


(5).

of our

Sages can trust

silly

prescriptions"

virtue, power: hence the energy of heaven Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. manifesting god. Hsi 5 joy, delight, gladness. This character is frequently doubled, (2) thus |g, and placed on walls, cups etc as a wish that all joys may be
(1)

T'ien Jz heaven
itself as a

Teh

doubled.
(3)

Uoolittle.

Social Life of the Chinese.


p. 383. note
2.

Vol.

II.

p. 32(1.

See above. Vol. IV.

(4)

See Vol. IV.

p. 385.

note 3

Yao): note

(Shun

legendary rulers of

primitive China.
(5)

'Supplement
?$
ffl-

to

the Introduction of the Calendar", Lih-hsioh i-wcn


p.

pu

M%M

s -' above. Vol. IV.

382

note

I.

400
IV.

Divination by means of the "Five Names".


of horoscopes in

Drawers
entitled the

modern times invented the combination

"Five Names", Wu-sing 3[ #. These five family names are the following: Rung Shang j*j, Kioh 'p], Chi f|fc, Yil j$, to

which are referred


of

all

others, in order to

draw therefrom prognostics


are
;J|

good

or evil

omen.

Their

explanations

self-contradictory.

Thus
the

for instance, they refer the

names: Chung
the ground
refer

and

Wang

3E, to

parent-word

Shang

$],

on

that these

names

are

similarly
Yi'i
|jf,

accented;
the

likewise,

they

the

names

Wu

jj^

and

to

prototype

Yii f$.
to

These names being accented in


them, mutually help each other.
to the parent-

like

manner, should, according


not. refer

But then they should

such names as Liu ^p,

word

Hung
In

'g',

nor Chao

to that of

Kioh

f^

as these are utterly

dissimilar.

the
trace

whole range of Classical


of the

Literature,
of these

none can find a

single

so-called

influence

"Five Names" over


Formerly, family
in a

the

destiny

of mortals, be this felicitous or not.

graves
selected

were

located
fixed

to

the

North

of

the

Capital,

specially
of

and

spot;

therefore,

there

was never any question

consulting the "Five Names'", in order to select the site of Imperial

tombs.

The tombs
Kiu-yuen
(1)

of the
(2).

Feudal House of Chno

^j|

(1)

were situated
(3),
jit

at

\
Bf-

ffi

The

rulers

of

the
in

Han

f||

dynasty

were
|$ and
(||,

Chan
|i]

jijf.

An

ancient Keudal State

the South of Chihli


Jfi

Shctnsi

Its

Capital

was the present Chaoch'eng-hsien


#1 a

tf$

in

Shansi.
(2)

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


-|ff
.

At the present day Hsin Chow


jjj

department

in

the North of

Shansi
(3)

gf.

The ma usolea
to the

were situated

of the tirst four Sovereigns of the House of Han #} North-East, North, and North-West of Ch'ang-ngan J|
12

^,

at

distances of about
to the

to

25 miles.
latter

Only one was

to the

South, and

another

South-East.

died B.C. laT.

The

Han

has the corpse ol Wen-ti 'T\? &. who dynasty wasted the wealth of the nation in equipping

This

the Imperial mausolea and other abodes of the dead. One-third of the revenue

was employed
In

for this

purpose, and vast treasures were buried with the dead.


the
rebel

the year

2'i

A.I),

Fan-chung pillaged the greater part of these


The Religious System of China.
Vol.
II.

Imperial

tombs.

De

(.root.

p.

413, and 423.

401
buried
at

different

places
|f!)

descendants of Liu-pang

throughout the empire. However, the |$ (1), founder of the Former or Western
(B.C. 206

Han

dynasty, Si-Han

|tj"

and may be compared


(B.C.

to

were very numerous, those of the three ancient dynasties Hsia J[


25),
jgf

A.D.

2205-1766),

Shang

(B.C.

1766-1122) and Chow Mj (B.C.

1122-249).

The Chao | family reckoned


of the six petty

also

Feudal States:

Wei

among its descendants princes |, Han f$, Chao , Ch'u $g,


it is

Yen ^b and
to
site

Ts'i

(2).

This amply shows that


1

not necessary

have recourse to the "Five Names'


for

in order to assure a felicitous

grave,

and

if

persons bearing the same family


is

name

are

buried in the same tomb, that


for their descendants.

in

nowise a warrant of prosperity

(1) (2)

See above.

Vol. IV. p. 389. note

1.

The most
p.

of these Petty States have been mentioned above. Vol.


p.

IV

See on Wei.

365; Ch'u.

322; Yen.

p.

328;

Ts'i. p. 327.

11

402
ARTICLE
II.

GEOMAACY.
Fung-shui
Jj^ 7k.
(1).

According to the "Records of the Sayings of Chu-tze", Chu-tze


yiX-luh
^fc
-Jr

tH $1

(2),

water can control climatic influences, and

the absence of -wind can dispel them.

This system
earth"

of

geomancy, Fung-shui

JU,

7]^,

receives various

names: "Inspecting
(3).

of the ground, examining the laws of heaven and Others say that the "Genius of the Land" has drawn up
all

the plan of

places

and buildings on the surface


and also

of the earth.

The
and

Ancients always selected favourable


other cities of the empire,
dwellings,

sites for building the Capital

for constructing their private

but history makes

no mention of their selecting special

spots for the burial of the

dead in those remote ages.


(4),

Wang-ch'ung 3E
(1)

"ft}

a scholar

who

lived in the time of the

Literally

"wind and water",

climatic and atmospherical influences.

In reality, a quasi-scientific system, supposed to teach


to build graves,

men where and how

the living

may

temples and dwellings, in order that the dead, the gods and be located therein exclusively, or as far as possible, under the

auspicious influences of Nature. Vol. III. p. 935 (Fung-shui).


(2)
(3)
It

De Groot.

The Religious System

of China.

The geomantic

comprises one hundred and forty books. See Vol. I. p. 102. art is intimately connected with the movements and

the influence of the celestial sphere, and the

harmony
is

of the

ground with the

"four quadrants" of the heavens. The earth continuously poured upon of China. Vol. 111. p. 940.
(4)
it

the depository of the influences

by heaven.

De Groot.

The Religious System

A.D. 19-90.
all

A
f|f,

philosopher, perhaps the most original and judicious


In his "Critical Disquis-

among
itions".

the metaphysicians China has produced.


$fa

he exposes the exaggerations and Lun-heng inventions of Confucianists and Taoists with equal freedom, and evinces a
in

30

books,

strange superiority to the fantastic beliefs of his countrymen. The Emperor K'ienlung 'ft lj admits the truth of his attacks upon superstitious notions. His

work

is extensively quoted Reader's Manual, p. 239.

in

cyclopaedias and compilations. Mayers. Chinese

403
Han
dynasty, states that previous to the period chronicled by the "Spring and Autumn Annals*', Ch'un-ts'iu "^ (B.C. 722-484), of
||[

was never any question about these prescriptions, and no apprehension was entertained about the site of a grave.
Confucius,
there

The "Record

of Rites*',

Li-ki

|j|

J2,

Book XVI II, commencing


opinion, for enumerating"

with the words Tsah-ki

(Miscellaneous Records, principally on

Mourning

Rites),

seems

to be of a different

ancient customs concerning"


site for a grave,

burials,

it

mentions the selecting of a

which was then wont


(1)
;

the tortoise-shell
that occasion
is

to be determined by consulting and the costume which the diviner wore on

minutely described.

"When

they were divining bv

the tortoise-shell about the grave and the burial-day of a the


official

High

Officer,

superintending

the

operation

wore

an

outer

robe

of

sackcloth

(2),

with a strip of coarser cloth across the chest, and a

girdle of the same, and the usual

black material, without any fringe.


tics,

mourning shoes. His cap was of He who interpreted the prognos-

wore a skin cap"

(3).

About the year 615 B.C., under the reign


(4),

of

K'ing-wang
j$r,

tj(

*""

the

Duke

of

Chu, Chu-hung %$ Q, named Wen

consulted

the tortoise-shell, inquiring whether the transfer of his residence to

Yih H, would be felicitous or not. It is thus historically proved that at this remote period, divination was resorted to in ordr to
determine a suitable
site for a building.

During the Han

dynasty (B.C. 206

A.D. 221), people began

Divination by the use of the "eight diagrams", or the tortoise-shell, (1) regarded generally by the Chinese as the most correct of all the ways in use of prognosticating the condition of things in the future. The literary
is

class profess to

believe

at

least
is

very

many

of

them that when properly


Doolittle.

done, this

method

of divination

orthodox and

infallible.

Social

Life of the Chinese.


(2)

Vol. U. p. 337.
literally

Mci-i

Jjjrg

jfe,

hempen

cloth.

Williams,

Dictionary of the
Legge's translation.

Chinese Language.
(3)

Li-ki

ff[,

or Record of Rites.
tjf

Vol.
ffl

II.

p.

1H5.

(4)

K'ing-Wang

3, of

the

Chow

dynasty, reigned from B.C. 618-

612.

404
to

choose a
f

site for a grave,


f|$

but

it

was

especially during the lifetime

of

Kwoh-p oh

3p

(1),

under the Tsin |f dynasty (A.D. 265-420),

that this superstition

was spread throughout the country.


'wrote a book in twenty chapters, wherein he
In

Kwoh-p'oh

fjS J|*

set forth the rules to be observed in choosing a site for a grave.

the time of the Southern


1280), Ts'ai Yuen-ting

Sung dynasty, Nan-Sung


y

^^

(A.D. 1127-

(2),

a native of

]|,

in

Fokien

jjjg

@, and

disciple of

Kienyang-hsien Chu-hsi jfc ^, discarding


from

some twelve chapters, made


the above work.
All
laid

a special selection of eight others

subsequent votaries of the geomantic art followed the rules

down by Kwoh-p'oh

f||,

who may

be quoted as the patriarch

of this fanciful art.

in
j|j$

Kwoh-p'oh was a native of the district city of Wen-hsi ^ , He was taught magic by the famous Kwoh-kung Shansi |Jj "g". Q, who made him a present of nine volumes of a work, which

he carried about with him enclosed in a "green satchel".


It

was

in

this

work that he

learnt the art of divination,

and
of

the

method

for

choosing the

site of a grave,

changing the abode

the dead from a lucky to an unlucky one.

His disciple Chao-tsai ^g

(1)

A.D. 276-324.

native of Wen-hsi

Hfl

H,

in

Shansi

Jii

M- Famous

scholar and commentator, and expositor of the doctrines of Taoist transcenIt is narrated of him that when a youth, he had received from dentalism.

Kivoh-kung

"$$

a "green satchel", containing a treatise in 9 books,


in the secret mysteries of

which

indoctrinated

him

alchemy and divination.

He

is

the reputed founder of the art of geomancy, as applied to graves. He edited the dictionary of ancient terms, known as Eul-ya f$f #, the Classic of Hills

and Waters, Shan-hai-king LU $* H, and the Elegies of Ch'u, Ch'u-tz'e $t PiHe ranks amongst the highest authorities on antiquarian as well as mystical
Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 408. Celebrated among the schoolmen of the Sung %Z (2) his erudition in general, and notably for his labours in elucidating dynasty by the text of the Yih-king M, or Book of Changes. Highly revered by Chusubjects.
Giles.

A.D. 1135-1198.

hsi

and correspondent he became, and who in turn bestowed instruction on his son Ts'ai-ch'en % jft. Mayers. Chinese Reader's
j|,

whose

friend

Manual,

p. 227.

405
^
deprived

him
fire

of this

mystic treasure, but

all

the volumes were

consumed by

before he could peruse their contents.


3|f

Kwoh-p'oh
copious
unrestrained.
give him good
irregular
of his
life,

~f|)

led

life

of

dissipation,

libations

and sexual
vain
did

excesses.

His

and indulged in passions were quite

In

his

friends

remonstrate with him and

advice,
all

he ever found a thousand excuses for his


officials of

and

leading

the day despised him because

misconduct.
last,

At

involved in an intrigue with a maid-servant of one of


failing to obtain her in lawful wedlock, he

his friends,
his

and

magic

art to get her into his power,


to

employed and having oppressed her,

was sentenced
age
(1).

death,

being then in the forty-ninth year of his

The followers
?X Hf- The

of

Kwoh-p'oh
is

"fj$

divided into two schools, that of Fokien


first

and his geomantic art were and that of Kiangsi jjfg ^fj",

school

frequently styled the

"House and Mansion

Method*', Wuh-tseh-chi-fah Jg ; ^, and arose in the province of It based its theory on the influence of the "Five Fokien fg ^.

Planets

',

Fuhsi

jfc

sition (2).

and the "Eight Diagrams" Pah-kwa %[, attributed to or oppojf|, and deduced therefrom its laws of harmony This school flourished much in Chekiang '$"f jJX, but has
fallen into utter disrepute.

nowadays

The second system, known

as that of Kiangsi

fx.

15\ ai"ose at
It is

Kanchow-fu

j'l]

}ff, in the province of

Kiangsi ^]|.

based

on the direction of surrounding objects and the physical configuration The Dragon and his den, alluvial formations and of the landscape.

(1)

Historical Annals of the Tsin dynasty, Tsin-shit

^.Abridgment

Kang-kien %ft |g. The School of Fokien lays stress on the constellations, the "eight (2) diagrams", the twelve branches, and assigns a place of minor importance to
the configurations of the earth.
It is

of General History,

more attached

to the use of the

compass

than the Kiangsi School, this latter using that instrument only as a secondary
viz. to sound the influences of the country around, after its forms and The Religious contours have been pronounced to be favourable. De Groot. of China. Vol. III. p. 1008. System

aid,

406
water-courses,
are

considered

as

the

essential
(1).

groundwork

of

the

system by the votaries of this school


In
their

peculiar

phraseology,

the brink of a stream flowing


hills that

round the grave, the configuration and outlines of


the

surround
into

burial-ground,
coffin
is

are

called

the

Dragon

(2).

The grave-pit
;

which the

lowered

is called

the Dragon's den

brooks or

springs near the grave are called water-courses, and lands bordering

on these waters are called


especially

alluvial

formations.
of

This

method
jj
j($ft

is

prevalent

in

the

two provinces

Kiangsu

and

Nganhwei

^
it

$fc.

When
professor

is

required
is

to

carry out a burial or build a house, a

ofgeomancy

immediately
it

summoned
if

(3).

After examining

the site, the

he determines whether

is

favourable or unfavourable for

purpose.

His words, listened to as

they were oracles, are

admitted without the least discussion, and subsequently his directions


are punctually carried out
1

(4).

This school sounds the influences of the country around after its forms and contours have been pronounced to be favourable. The two schools
are to-day so fused together that no good expert in either neglects to practise

the methods of the other school as well as his own.

Even

in

Fohien

jjjg

Jjl,

geomancers pretend to exercise their art in strict accord with the Kiunysi yl De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. III. p. 1008 jgf methods.
(The grave).
(2)

sphere.

The geomantic art in China is intimately connected with the celestial The four quadrants influence corresponding parts of the earth, and

the spiritual energy of the four symbolical animals, representing these quad-

mountains and hills, and the streams that issue from them. Hence the configuration and situation of any mountain or hill, and the direction of water-courses, are called the Dragon. De Groot. ibid. p. 1009.
rants, settles in
(3)

Before building
in

house,

it

is

customary

in

China to invite

a geo-

mancer,

order to ascertain whether the site will

be favourable or not.

Building charms are an integral part of the Fungshui j, ^< system. They are employed at the erection and repair of houses, to counteract the influence
of

or evil,

murderous ghosts, prevent spectres from coming near, and sowing diseases and especially to pacifj- the spirits of the soil. De Groot. The
Vol. IV. p. 1058.

Religious System of China.


('i)

The masses regard geomancers as fountains of wisdom and marvels of learning, capable of fathoming all the mysteries of heaven and earth. De
Groot.

The Religious System

of China.

Vol.

III. p.

1010.

Fig.

165

Houssole des geomanciens chinois. Chinese Geomancer's compass.

407
The
experts,

who

follow the principles of forms and configurations

of the ground, pretend that

when

the burial place

is

surrounded by
all

water-courses and
buried in

hills

wherein the Dragon lurks, then

ancestors

such a spot will draw from the bowels of the earth a


to their

mysterious fecundity which will be transmitted

descendants.

These people believe that the place where their ancestors are buried
exerts
a
real

influence upon

the future prosperity or misfortune of


(1).

their children and grandchildren

Several Chinese writers of talent and sound

common

sense have

found

powerful
art.

arguments

for

refuting

the absurd claims of the

geomantic

We

shall quote here a few of them.

"When
up
or sat ever

our parents were living, they walked about, rested, rose


as the}- pleased, and wherever
to
it

down
able

suited them, without

being

extract

from the bowels

of the earth that vital

energy, which

after

their death,

they are said to transmit to their

descendants.

How
lie

then can their dry bones draw from the grave

wherein they

happiness and blessings for their offspring?"


the burial-ground be surrounded or not by hills and

"Whether
water-courses,

it

is
is

after

all

but

mere earth.
to the

Now,

poor or

abundant harvest

due entirely

good

or bad quality of the

land, without reference to its external configuration.

How

then can

the outward forms of a spot selected for a burial-ground impart to the dry bones deposited therein this so-called vital energy?

How

also

can the contours and shape of

hills, all

purely external things, influence

the happiness or misfortune of subsequent generations?"

"Where

are

the

fathers

and mothers who do not

love their

(1)

The Chinese
it

believe that

if

the good influences of Nature are concen-

trated on a grave,

will bring the

occupants happiness and comfort, and

at

same time secure the prosperity of the living in this world and the world to come. They believe that by showing filial piety towards the dead, this will render them well disposed towards their descendants, make them work vigorously as protectors of their offspring, and give sons, that most coveted
the
of
all

blessings in China.
for

These sons
come.

will
l)e

assure to the dead sacrifices and


Groot.

worship
of China.

many
Vol.

generations to
937.
.

The

Religious System

III. p.

408
offspring?
If,

therefore,

after

their

death,

they could

still

bestow

favours on them,

even were they buried in caves or hill-sides, as in ancient times, they would certainly not fail to do so; if they are
it

unable to confer such blessings,


buried
in

is

in vain that their corpses are

the Dragon's den, that will not enable

them

to influence

in the least the future happiness of their posterity".

"History

tells

us that

"Shun

of the

JH

(1),

was a wise ruler, while his brother Siang was held


to be a

Fabulous Beast", Yix-shun (2) was an

arrogant and ill-conducted man.


hsia",

The "Gracious Governor


model

of Lii-

LiX-hsia-hwei

$|j

~f ^C

(3),

of virtue

and benevolence, while his brother Chili Jj3t (4) was a leader of robbers. Sze-ma. Niu if] J|| ^- was one of the followers of Confucius, his
brother, on the contrary, Hsiang-t'ui
of outlaws,
[fi]

l|,

was the head


If

of a

and resolved

to put

Confucius

to death.

the

gang wisdom

or
for

ill-conduct of descendants depends on the site of a burial-place

happen that brothers, born of the same father and mother, are the ones good, and the others thorough
parents,

how then

does

it

rascals ?"

The

Emperor

Wen-ti

fj?

(A.D.

590-605),

of

the

Sui

|Jf

(1)

Yu U,
in the

a fabulous beast of a

appeared

Language.

days of

Wu-way^g
it is

je^

mild disposition, which is said to have 3t- Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese
ynf

Others hold

place in Honctn

$f, or in Chekictng $f f,

Shun $with these provinces. Tradition is extremely discordant with reference to his origin and descent. Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, p 189. See Vol. I. p. 123. notei. Vol. IV. p. 885.
according as they endeavour to connect
note
4.
(2)

On the death of Shun's mother, his father (the blind old man) took second wife, by whom he had a son named Siang j&. He preferred the offspring of this second union to his eldest son, and repeatedly sought to put the latter to death. Slum, however, escaped and in nowise lessened his
a

dutiful conduct

Siang.

who

despite such virtuous conduct,

towards his father and step-mother, or his fraternal regard for was ever arrogant and revengeful.
p. 189.
p. 395.

Mayers.
(3)
(-4)

Chinese Reader's Manual,


See above. Vol. IV.

note

3.

Biographical sketch.
:

sort of
$fc

Robin Hood
jfjff

in

early Chinese history, hence the phrase

Shun-chih-chi-fen

^,

as unlike as

Shun and Chih.

409
shrewd remark on this subject, saying: "I cannot think that the site chosen for my father's grave was unfavourable,
dynasty,
a

made

otherwise
I

would not have ascended the throne


it

on the other hand,


brother has been

cannot say that

was

entirely favourable, for

my

killed in the

war"

(1).

Everybody repeats constantly that


of the
chief,

Hwang-ch'ao
^M.

;fif

J|

(2),

noted insurgent leader in the time of Hsi-tsung

^
|

(A.D. 874-889),

T'ang

^
the

dynasty, and Li Tze-ch'eng


against Ch'ung-cheng

j^

(3),

the rebel

who
of

rose

the

close

|j|" (A.D. 1628-1644), at were both defeated because the Ming B^ dynasty,

ashes of their ancestors were scattered to the four winds of heaven.

This argument
Jj|

is

worthless,
fjf
,

-^,

in

Shensi (^

Generalissimo of Ch'ang-ngan had the bones of the ancestors of Kao-tsu


for the

ft

If (A.D. 620-627),

founder of the
led

T'ang

j|f

dynasty,

dug up,

when Li-yuen
Sui
p)|

|J$

(4)

the

insurrectionary troops against the


of the

dynasty.

The

desecration

ancestral

tombs did

not,

however, check in the least his victorious advance.

Annals of the Sui dynasty, Sui-shu Pf (A.D. 590-620). discontented candidate at the literary examinations, he gathered (2) together a band of rebels, ravaged the empire, captured the Imperial residence at Ch'ang-ngan -J| t, A.D. 880, and proclaimed himself ruler of China. Four
(1)

Historical

years afterwards, he was defeated by the aid of the Tartar nations adjoining the Chinese frontier, and slain by his own adherents. Mayers. Chinese
Reader's Manual,
(3)

p. 60.

A.D.

1606-1645.

native

of

Michi-hsien %:

jjg

If,

in

Shensi.

prophecy announced that he was to get the throne In early age, famine and In 1640, he overran Hupeh and excessive taxation drove him into rebellion. and in 1642, he subjugated Shensi. In 1644, he advanced against Honan,
Peking, took the city, and compelled the last emperor of the Mings hill. Pursued by Wu San-kwei hang himself on the Wan-sui
B^ to

H^

^ H

ti.

he

fled

South, and was slain by local militia


p. 472.
Pf|

in

Hupeh.

Giles.

Chinese

Biographical Dictionary,
(4)

One

of the generals of the Sui

dynasty,

who
jftft

rose in

rebellion

against Yang-ti j^ iff (A.D. 605-620), and subsequently became the founder of the T'ang jf dynasty, under the style of Kao-tsu | (A.D. 620-627).

12

410
Ts'ai-king

^ ;

(1),

High Minister

to

Hwei-tsung

$fc

(A.D.

1101-1126), last emperor of the Northern


4b
t>

Sung dynasty, Peh-Sung

was a fervent votary of the geomantic art, Fung-shui Jig, 7^.. and had his father buried in Chekiang $Jf %., twenty miles North-East river served as a waterof Hangchow jfc j>[\. The Ts'ien-t'ang

^^

course, and the Ts'in-wang

||s

hill,

about three miles South of Hang-

chow

;$

jJI],

bounded the horizon.

Everything forecasted perpetual

happiness, and notwithstanding, the whole family was exterminated.

Who
befallen

North-East of Nanking
the
last

has not seen the imposing prospect of the Ming V$ tombs, and still what a tragic end has "j^ TjC (2),
ruler
of this

now

extinct dynasty!

(3).

Pursued

like wild beasts,

seeking refuge in one place after the other, all finally

perished by violent death.

Yuen Kien-chai j
(1)

^fj

jff

(4),

a native of Ts'ien-t'ang | ||j, in


<fil|

A.D. 1046-1126.

native of Sien-yiu

}$, in Fokien.

He

rose to

power under the Emperor Hivei-tsung^ ^, and was appointed Lord Chief Chamberlain. He ruled harshly, advised aggressive frontier wars, and encouraged the vagaries in which the Emperor took delight. The appearance of a comet in 1106 led to his degradation, but he returned soon again to power. The disasters of Hwei-tsung's reign are principally attributed to him. He left

behind him a name execrated

in history as "chief of the six traitors",

Luh-

Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 748. Giles. tseh-chi-show 7^ J$ ; #. (2) j^, founder of the Ming HJ dynasty, was buried A.D. 1399. Hung-wu

to the

shan"

%&

North-East of Nanking, at the foot of "Purple Mountain", "Tze-kinFrom the terrace of the Soul-Tower the view extends over the UJ
.

walled city, formerly the metropolis of the Empire, and the vast plain beyond, now treeless, but once planted with countless sepulchral trees. De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. III. p. 1265 (The Nanking Mausoleum).
^f(, the last Emperor of the Ming Ch'ung-cheng dynasty, seeing invaded by the rebel Li Tze-ch'eng 2^ |=J Ji%, hanged himself on the Peking Wan-sui J )H hill. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 472. See

(3)

Eijj

above. Vol. IV. p. 409. note


(4)

3.

A.D. 1716-1797. At the age of nine, he evinced

keen love of poetry,

and soon became an adept at the art. Graduating as a Hanlin in 1739, he held office at Nanking, where he distinguished himself by the vigour and At the age of 40, he retired from the official justice of his administration.
arena, and led a
life

of lettered ease in his beautiful garden at

Nanking, whence
p. 970.

he obtained the nickname of the "gentleman of the leisurely kingdom", Sui-

kwoh Siensheng

ffi

H| fc

^.

Giles.

Chinese Biographical Dictionary,

411
Chehiang
ffc
r_,

highly esteemed under the reign of K'ien-lung


of
p|j

jjr|;

HI (A.D. 1736-1796). and that and who held office at Nanking

Kia-k'ing
/
,

^ J|

(A.D. 1796-1821),

said in reference to

geomancy:
believes

"the geomantic

art,

Fung-shui
it

JH, 7k.,

exerts no influence whatsoever,


;

everybody chatters about


is

as he pleases

whosoever

still

it

utterly insensate".

Several eminent schoolmen,

who

lived in the

time of the Sung

dynasty (A.D. 960-1280), placed implicit trust in the system. Chu-hsi fa JH (1) wrote as follows: "geomancy can direct the influence of the gods, Shen %fy, and modify the laws of heaven it
;

can supplement the insufficiency of


so
efficacious".

The

human

energy

there is nothing
^!|
ffi
)\\

scholar

Ch'eng

I-chw f an

(2),

expressed himself thus: "geomancy, Fung-shui

Jif^y]^,

nourishes the

fundamental roots of man,


is

and thus the leaves and branches, that

the descendants, sprout out abundantly".

Many

scholars,

who

flourished during the period of the

Sung

5|c

dynasty (A.D. 960-1280), were imbued with these absurd notions about geomancy, Fung-shui Jjl, yfc, and extolled the system beyond all rational bounds and the experimental teachings of daily life. How
in fact

can they ignore that a large number of poverty-stricken people


all

are born of well-to-do parents; and that parents, a fine old age, have given birth to children

of

whom

lived to

who

died very early. Since

these remote ancestors have been unable during their lifetime to instil

more

vital

energy into the leaves and branches of their descendants,


effect after their

how

can they accomplish any such

death?"

(3).

1)

Within the

last

one hundred and

fifty

years, critics have vigorously


1.

impugned

the doctrines of his school.

See Vol.

p. 101.

note.

2.

His criticisms on the classics opened a new era in (2) Chinese philosophy and were adopted by Chu-hsi Jfc ^- Wholly absorbed in philosophic researches he acceded only late in life to an official post. Mayers.

A.D. 1033-1107.

Chinese Reader's Manual,


(3)

p. 34.

Vol.

I.

p.

101. note

1.
[g

"Leisurely Essays of the Leisurely Garden", Sui-yuen sui-pih


fiff

|S

pi sp, probably attributed to Yuen Kicn-chcti Ht

jgf.

Also
bj
r

"Bibliographic
3E

and Collateral Records", Tsing-yen ts'ung-luh

l=f /il

$*

-S&i

Wang-wei

#,

who

lived at the

commencement
p. 168.

of the

Ming

t$

dynasty.

Wylie.

Notes on

Chinese Literature,

412
In
his

grandiloquent effusions,

Chu-hsi

J=|

maintains not-

withstanding that geomancy "can direct the influence of the gods and supplement the insufficiency of human energy", while Ch'eng I-chw'an attributes to it "the power of nourishing the -$- )\\

vital roots of

man".
of

The greater part


They
quoted above.
occasionally
general.
If

modern Chinese scholars

believe in

geomancy.

are led thereto by the authority of the two famous philosophers

This does not, however, hinder them from laughing


professors
of

at

geomancy and the geomantic

art in

Kwoh-p'oh

*j$

3|f

(1),

the patriarch of the system, according

to

them, had the power

of securing happiness

by the lucky selection


so for his

of a burial place for parents,

would he not have done

own

father, thus shielding him from the executioner's axe, which

finally

ended his days.

These wise adepts of the geomantic art, Fung-shui JUJ, y\^, are almost all a set of quacks, who, if they had been able to discover the
thrice

blessed den of the Dragon,

would doubtless have buried their

own

elders in such a

happy

spot, in order to

become

rich themselves

for, as

the proverb says:

"well ordered charity begins at home".


(2),

In a popular quatrain described:

experts in Fung-shui
tell
if

JU,

7J<.

are thus

"professors of geomancy are wont to


the

nonsense; they
they can really
dignities,

point
find

to

South,

North,

West and

East, but

places in the mountains

which produce princely

why

then do not they immediately bury their own elders there?"


Despite that the above
is

commonplace argument through


it

its

being constantly repeated,


logical force,

still

does not lose a jot of

its

powerful

and would ever

suffice to silence these

quacks.

(1)

See above. Vol. IV

p. 404.

note

1.

(2)

Herewith this interesting

text, current also in other parts of China

Ti-li Sien-sheng, kioan shicoh lucang,

Chi-nan, chi-peh

chi-si-tung,

% ^
ill
*(BI

J|
ffi
'|'

Shan-chung, je-yiu-wang-heu-ti,
Ho-puh-sun,
lai

%^ ^# ^^
|p
f*

'Jg }|f

g
]g

ffc.
flr.

3: f

ifc.

tsang nai weng

J}

&

413
What would
building
a a

man

of

common
select

sense do

when he contemplates
blasts

house? He would
sufficiently

a piece of high ground, facing

the South,

protected from the wintery

and well

exposed

for

the

season of the

summer

heat

a place

where neither

floods nor excessive moisture


It is

would injure his family.


forefathers

thus, say our

modern scholars, that our

examined

the advantages and the favourable configuration of places,

when thev

intended to erect a city or build a dwelling house.

When,

however, they come and

tell

us that with regard to the

direction of a house, one

must

carefully avoid offending the


[X]

"god

of

noxious influences", Hsiung-shah

fl& (I),

and that the happiness

or misfortune of the inhabitants depends on this, they really outstep

the bounds of reason and

common

sense.

Such dwellings, whatever

be the direction in which they are built, are purely inanimate things,
utterly devoid of
in

any personal activity; they cannot, therefore, injure


the

anywise the inhabitants, no more than the inhabitants can injure

them.

What

then

is

value of

all

the

nonsense attributed
r

to

noxious influences? In an essay written by Ki-k ang


of

J||,

a native

the Feudal
:

State

of

Wei

fj|,,

we

read the following remarkable

"build a palace for a prince, and make a peasant dwell therein, that will not make a prince of him".

words

The scholar Wang-fu 3: $?

(2),

who

lived

in the time of the

Han

^|[

dynasty, wrote in a similar strain:


of

"How
lot".

often", says he,

"have we not seen members


without enjoying for
all

the same family living together

that the

same happy

(1)

Hsiung

[><|

good

fortune, prosperity

misfortune, calamity, had luck, the opposite of Kih ^, Shah ffc, baleful, malignant, hence the "god of

noxious influences".
(2)

See Vol.

III.

p. 275.

note

4;

p. 277.

note
jjg,

4.

Second century A.D.


himself in

native of Lin-king fg

distinguished

youth

by his great learning.

Kansu, who Too honest and


in

straightforward to take office under the existing government, he spent his life He wrote a book on the vices of the age, which he published in seclusion. hence he is as "Essays of a Hermit", Ts'ien-fu-Iun $f fit),

anonymously
generally

known

as

the

"Hermit Scholar".

Giles.

Chinese

Biographical

Dictionary, p. 819.

414
The same Imperial palace was occupied by the two illustrious emperors Ch'eng-wang }fc 3E (B.C. 1115-1078), and K'ang-wang J||
3E (B.C. 1078-1052),
later

both of the

Chow

M) dynasty;

and inhabited
J||

on by the two unprincipled and depraved rulers Li-wang

3E
the

(B.C. 878-827),

and
ruin.

Yu-wang
Is

3
a

(B.C. 781-770),

who

led

dynasty

to

its

not

that

proof that

dwelling-place

confers neither happiness nor misfortune?


All these arguments advanced by the most renowned scholars most cogent, and prove beyond cavil that neither good fortune
site of a

are

nor adversity are in anywise connected with the


place.

dwelling-

The long experience of the Author himself among the Chinese people, has furnished him an opportunity of witnessing with his own eyes so many cases of injustice and glaring abuses, committed in the

name

of

he here

and beneath the cloak of geomancy, Fung-shui JUJ, 7J<., that begs to add a personal remark as a sequel to what Chinese

scholars have already set forth on the matter.

The system
but also causes
litigation (1); in a

of

geomancy, Fung-shui
disorder
it

JjU,

7k.,

is

not only false,

much

among

the people and leads to endless

word,

is

a pernicious system.

Whenever
the

neighbour
a

has

buried
a

deceased
of

member
geomancy

of
is

famiW

or erected

new house,

professor

consulted, and

should he find that the new grave or dwelling-place

disturbs the favourable influence hitherto enjoyed by other graves or

(1) Quarrels and litigation arising from geomantic changes are of daily occurrence in Chinese towns. The repairing of a house, the building of a wall or dwelling, especially if it overtops its surroundings, the planting of a

pole or cutting down of a tree, in short any change in the ordinary position of objects, may disturb the good luck of the houses and temples in the vicinity, and of the whole quarter, and cause the people to be visited by disasters,

misery and death. No wonder Chinamen do not repair their houses until De Groot. The Religious they are ready to fall and become uninhabitable. System of China. Vol. III. p. 1041.

415
words are eagerly listened to, and forthwith, trouble, contestations and lawsuits ensue, and endless hatred is sown between
dwelling's
(1),

his

families,

clans

and

villages.'

In

order to vent their personal spite


others

or

extort

money from
site

people,

maintain

that

their

good
a

geomantic
one",
are

has been unduly interfered with.

"Such and such

they

wont

to

say,

'by building

his

house in such a

direction, has destroyed the lucky influence we so far enjoyed, and henceforth only bad ruined the general prosperity of the country
;

luck will
excited, a

befall

us".

The

feelings of
is

general

accusation
a

simple-minded folks are thus drawn up and signed, and the


is

unfortunate occupant of

new house

thus ruined by a lawsuit.

Such are some


of

of the

many
JU,

disorders caused by this absurd practice

geomancy, Fung-shui

7^

(2).

Chinese scholars, as stated above, have written various works


for

the

purpose of refuting geomancy, and their arguments cannot


Readers,

be

gainsayed.

led to think that such in

who have not lived in China, may men do not believe in geomancy, nor

be thus
practise

anywise the
is

art.

Chinaman
not

illogical,

Things are, however, quite otherwise. The and two propositions of absolute certainty do

necessarily

lead

him

to

adopt

an

obvious

conclusion.
to be

The

following historical fact will


inferring the conduct of

show how cautious one ought


their spoken words.

when

men from

The Emperor Teh-tsung {g


dynasty,
is

(A.D. 780-805), of the T'ang

Jgf

on the eve of ascending the throne.

The young

ruler

1)

grave

in

off the

influence of the Dragon.

an adjacent spot ma}' injure a previous one by cutting The new occupants hold to their right of

retaining a place secured at the cost of


is

much

science and money.


is

made

to the magistrate,

and

finally the party that pays best

complaint found to be
p. 1036.

in the right.
It is

De Groot.

The Religious System

of China. Vol.

111.

which has so strenuously opposed the intro(2) duction of railways, telegraph lines, and other Western appliances in the past, or was made to do duty as an objection to them. It has not, however, proved an insuperable* obstruction, for whenever the Government made up its mind
this pseudo-science
to

introduce

necessary

invention,

the

silly

people
Ball.

were

made

to
p.

feel

that the will of the rulers had to be obeyed.

Things Chinese,

314

(Geomancy).

416
and
his

military

adviser,

the
in

famous

Kvtoh Tze-i

jf|$

^f

(1),

believed neither in

omens nor

declared

that

if

the coffin,

Geomancers, however, geomancy. the remains of his late father, bearing


to

Tai-tsung f^
situated, this

^,

were borne

the
to the

South,

where the grave was

would run counter


lay
in

fortunes of the
;

new Emperor,
be,

whose destiny
necessary
to

the

same region

it

would

therefore,

turn aside and proceed in a circuitous way.

"Never

^, "go straight South, mind", replied the youthful Teh-tsung why make my father take a roundabout way on account of me?"
Happily at
least

the
!

Emperor Teh-tsung

^^
is

did not believe

such nonsensical ideas

The following
in gold.

extract deserves attention, and

"He

buried his father in the seventh

weight month, and acted in


it

worth

its

an orthodox way, for such was the rule.

He

did

when everything
;

was ready, and moreover did not


did

call in

the geomancers

neither

he consult the tortoise-shell in order to determine the day of

the burial, but in that he was wrong, for such was the immemorial

custom"

(2).

He
wrongly

did
in

well

in

not believing in superstitions,

but

he

acted

not following the custom.

Such
!

is

the idiosyncrasy of

the Chinese

mind

in this

and similar cases

A.I). 697-78t. A native of Hwn chow ij j\\ in Shensi |$5 jlj, and one most renowned of Chinese Generals under four successive emperors of the T'ang dynasty. In early life, returning from a campaign on the borders
(1)
,

of the

,f|f

of the Gobi desert, the goddess called the

"Spinning Damsel", Chih-nil $$ (Alpha Lyrae), appeared to him. and promised him great prosperity and a long life. His long career was spent in warfare, and he was almost uniformly He was ennobled as "Prince of Fen-ymig'\ Fen-yang wring $} | successful.
3i,

&

and canonized
,",

after his death

with the

title

of "Faithful warrior", Chung-

wu

yfc.

He had
Giles.

high posts.
(2)
i.i(5

eight sons and seven sons-in-law. all of Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 'ill.

whom

occupied

^ M

"Elucidation of Historic Annals", Tze-chi t'ung-kien-kang-muh $jf II- published at the close of the Ming $| dynasty by the national
fr

historiographer Ch'en Jen-sih |^

%.

Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature.

417
ARTICLE
III.

THE HOUSEHOLD ALTAR.


Kia-t'ang

^ ^
its
;

(1).

Each family

in

China has

domestic shrine.
the idea pervades

Such
all

is

the

custom handed down from antiquity society almost in the same manner.

classes of

This family shrine sometimes assumes the form of a miniature


house,

and

is

suspended from the cross-beam of the roof


it

more

generally,

however,

is

assigned
of

house, and occupies the place

Kung-choh

-jit

jjl

found in

the principal apartment of the honour upon the long table or stand. every Chinese home.

Various divinities, changing with the locality, are placed in this


shrine.

Inscriptions

in red paper,

and suitable sentences

in accord

with the taste of the family, are set up at the two sides.
find

Thus we
all

the

following:

'"family
all

shrine
the

for

offering

incense to
at the

the

gods";
altar'"

also,
(3).

"shrine of Others
erect

gods worshipped

household

tablet
:

made

of

varnished
in

wood,

and

bearing the shrine"


(4),

following inscription
also,

"gods honoured
or briefly

the family

"heaven, earth, the emperor, parents and teachers".


Jfjj

T'ien-ti-kiun-ts'in-shi Ji

3$,

gjjj;

"household gods".

(1)

Kia

J??,

family, a household,
a

domestic T'ang ^, the

principal

room in a house, a hall, temple: hence the household altar or domestic Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. shrine.
(2)

Kung $,

to lay out, to give

C/io/i

M,

a table, stand;

hence a long
of the

table on which are placed flowers or images

Williams.

Dictionary

Chinese Language.
(3;

Kia-t'ang
to

hsiang-hwo peh-ling-sheng-chung
i.e.,

^ ^^
all

'X

WH

1^

-?c-

literally

the

hundred divine Sages,

deified

men Kia-t'ang

chung-

sheng-chi-shen-wei shipped in the family shrine"'.


(4)

% ^^M #

ft-

"spiritual seat of

the Sages wor-

Kia-t'ang
is

hsiang-hwo-chi-shen

%.

^#

>K Z.

"gods

to

whom
13

incense

offered in the family shrine".

418
Chung-liu-shen
tf ffi 1^
1

)-

some

cases,

we
.

find

the

title

, |f gods of the house comprise the ancestral tablets, Muh-chu


the god
door,
of

"tutelary gods of the house",

Kin-ki-shen

These tutelary

^;

the

hearth,
f^

Tsao-kiiXn

>)

^";

the

guardian god of the

Men-shen

$$;

and some famous exorcists, especially Kiang

Tze-ya || -$ %-, also called Kiang T'ai-kung || fc


Several
give the
(3),

&

(2).

chief place

therein

to the

Goddess

of

Mercy,
$jfc

Kwan-yin gg
Iff
(4),

Generalissimo Mung,

Mung

Tsiang-hiiXn

$f

the Five Sages,

Wu-sheng

3l

(5),

or other divinities.

(1)

Liu ff the eaves of a house. Chung-liu-shen


,
;

cp

9 Sti

an ancient god

of the earth

his shrine

skylight

in

the hall.

was placed in the inner court, but as often in a He answers nearly to the Penates of the Romans.
Vol.
III.

Williams.
(2)

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. See on these household or tutelary gods.

p. 2<>1

and 288.

where their names are found and their functions described.


(3)

first

a Chinese

Buddhist deity, symbolising ''mercifulness and compassion". At native god, upon which an Indo-Tibetan divinity (Avalokita)
grafted.
In

was afterwards
Buddhists, but

course of time, under what influence

it is

not

known, the sex even changed.


is

She

is

principally worshipped by Northern

unknown

in

Siam,

Burmah and

Ceylon.

In

some

pictures

representing her, she presents is in general the patroness of

a child to

women
171.

mothers praying for posterity. She and those engaged in perilous callings.

Edkins.
p. 210.
(4)

Chinese Buddhism,
1.

p.

Hackmann. Buddhism
2.
^ff,

as a Religion,

Vol.
A

p.

1.

Illustrations 1

and

native of the Feudal State of Chau

where he became an

official.

During them to
he
is

his tenure of office,


visit

he liberated

all

the prisoners in order to allow

their mothers,

and was hence called the "Merciful".

To-day

considered as one of the 26


of

fanciful invention

Taoism.

"Commanders of the heavenly army", a See Part II. The Chinese Pantheon. Ch. IV.

Article 41.
(5)

The
a

their later

shrines
)M

origin of these gods is most obscure. They were worshipped in phase under Hung-wu X y^". founder of the Ming BJJ dynasty, when foot and a half high were erected in their honour. Under K'ang-hsi
]

AD.

1699),

their

families with divers diseases


rine".

worship was forbidden, as they were said to visit and seduce women. '"Refutation of false doct-

Ch'ow-chen pien-ioang |f(( jjt ^f gg Also "Truth established from various texts", Tsih-shwoh ts'iien-chen j j$ f& jg, by the late father Peter

Hwang,

p. 235

Fig.

166

%.

-**

1SL

Le Sanctuaire

familial,

Household shrine

Kia-t'ang

Kia-Vang.
.

419
Indigent families,
^g*,

who have no

ancestral temple,

Tz'e-t'ang J$

place in the household shrine the tablets of their ancestors.


first

On

the
is

and

fifteenth of the
;

month, candles are lighted and incense

burnt before them

nobody would dispense with this customary

duty.
In fine, this domestic altar
is

but a miniature pagoda, wherein

the

gods

of

the family
in

are

honoured.
a

For convenience sake,

it is

generally
placed in

made

the

shape of

portable shrine,

which may be
Gener-

any gods of the family:


alissimo

part of the house.

Thereon are exposed the favourite

the Goddess of Mercy,

Kwan-yin
etc... Ipf

|j|

-|f,

Mung, Mung Tsiang-hiiXn

^^

420
ARTICLE
IV.

WORSHIPPING THE FIVE CHARACTERS.


Heaven ^, Earth
jfc,

the

Emperor
in

;f,

Parents ||, Teachers

gjjj,

This superstition consists

writing upon a strip of paper, or


in

carving on a wooden tablet, inserted

a socket, the five characters:

"heaven,
inscription

earth

(1),

the

emperor,

parents

and

teachers".

The
place,
it,

candles
it

set up in a prominent and honourable is then and incense are burned and prostrations made before to

as

embodies, so
the

say,

the duties

which man owes


teachers.

to

heaven and
should

earth,

emperor,

parents

and

The

Reader

understand that the

same notion
In

of

pagan masses in heaven as Christians do.


of

China do not entertain the

the

eyes

the

christian,,
;

heaven
to the

represents

the

living,
is

personal God, the


the
ethereal
vault,

Supreme Being
the
material
therein.

Chinaman, heaven

but

firmament,

and not the Sovereign


the true god
is
is

Lord

who

resides
of

Practically,
offered
five

therefore,

not the

object

the

worship

to this inscription,

which

generally called

the

"tablet of the

characters".

Wu-tze-p'ai 5E

%m
(1)

(2).

In Chinese philosophy, "heaven

and earth",

T'ien-ti

^citJ!.

represent the

transforming powers
of Changes":

of Nature.

Thus we

find in the

Yih-king

J , or

"Book

"when heaven and earth exert their influences, all things are transformed and vivified ". The same idea is explicitly expressed in the Li-ki
iji

"Record of Rites": "everything which exists is engendered after heaven and earth have joined together"; and again "when in the first month of the
l^,

or

vernal season, the celestial breath descends and the terrestrial breath ascends,

and
in

heaven and earth unite harmoniously, and the vegetable kingdom set in motion". Chu-hsi ^, the authoritative philosopher,

is

revived
lived

who

the 12 th century, formally subscribed to these ancient doctrines, declaring that "the two breaths by uniting and exciting each other produce and repro-

duce each other".


2)

See the character

^,

in K'ang-hsi's Dictionary.

P'cti

$$.,

a sign-board, a tablet, a flat piece of

wood

or stone, with an

inscription or

names

of gods on

it.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese

Language.

Fig.

167

Inscription des 5 caracteres,

Ou

tse pai.

Tablet bearing the "Five characters": Heaven, earth, rulers, parents and teachers.

421
The generality
only do they offer
t'ien-ti
to

Not pagan Chinese go even much further. worship to the material heaven and earth, Kingof

jfe

j5},

as they say, but they also pay reverential

homage
endowed

the characters themselves.

Each

of these characters
to

is

with spiritual energy and superhuman power


religious honour.

which they render

Before these large characters carved on the tablet,


ritual

they

accomplish
five

ceremonies, as

in

presence of "five spiritual

beings,

gods",

whom

they deem capable, of protecting or injuring

them

in their daily life (1).

The Author has met with some

families,

who had

no other

Before this inscription, incense religious symbols in their homes. and candles were burned, and at all prescribed times when religious
to be performed, as on the first and fifteenth of each month, worship was offered collectively by the family in honour

ceremonies were

of these superstitious characters,

which

all

believe to

harbour super-

human power.
The
of

(I)

inscription on the annexed illustration reads as follows

"(spiri-

parents and teachers", i.e.. they are See tablet of "heaven considered as spiritually present and abiding therein.
tual)

seat

heaven, earth,

rulers,

and earth", before which the bride and bridegroom in China pledge their troth. Vol. I. p. 37. Also the "ancestral tablet", and the teaching of the Confucianist Vol. I. p. 10(3 school, that the disembodied soul really abides in the tablet. and
107.

422
ARTICLE
V.

FORWARDING DUES TO HEAVEN.


Kiai-t'ien-hsiang (^
the keeper of the temple
for

|pJ

(1).

It

is

who

takes charge of forwarding

these so-called dues

heaven.

He

places in boxes strings of cash

and mock-money commonly called "dues for heaven".

When
of
to defray,

the crowd of worshippers offer one, ten or lifteen strings


a

mock-money, they must always add


paying these

few copper coins

in order

so to say, the cost of forwarding.


tolls,

remiss in

Should any one be too collectors are sent to his house, and
urge payment of the duty, which

there beat the


is

tamtam
first,

in order to

divided into a

second, and third instalment.


(2)

When
is

all

dues have been received, the mock-money


a

collected

heap and burned near the door of the temple, for piled up This ceremony is the purpose of begging happiness on the people. called "forwarding dues to heaven" (3).
in

Pay

is

given for providing soldiers with rations.


in its service; to

Heaven has

no soldiers

whom

Buddhist
army
called

then will the pay be distributed?

priests maintain that these rations are forwarded to the

of

demons who inhabit Hades.


for

"dues
Kiai

heaven".

Moreover, of

They should not, therefore, be what use would paper ashes


hand over or up to. Hsiang fft, Kiai-hsiang ft? fM means
Williams.
Dictionary

ffl,

to transmit, to forward, to

taxes paid to

government

in kind, duties, revenue.

generally in China to send on the duties to Peking. of the Chinese Language.


(2)

the tinfoil

Sheets of paper of various size, having tinfoil pasted upon them. If is coloured yellow, it represents gold; if uncoloured, silver. Coarse
it, represents cash. These are believed to become when idolatrous worship, gold, silver, copper or dollars, according to

paper, having holes in

burned

in

colour and shape, which


for

may

be used by the divinity or the deceased person,

whom
(3)

they are destined


I.

in the

nether world.

Doolittle.

Social Life of the

Chinese. Vol.

p. 16.

Ts'ing-kia-hih jf |g $, or "Records of

Memorable Deeds".

423
be
to

these

demons? As the
is

intelligent

Reader can now

see, the

but a cunning device on the part of the templeto get money, pretending that the Ruler of Hades (1) receives keeper
the

whole ceremony
dues

in

the

nether

world.

Such methods resemble those


These

of

underlings in

Chinese courts.

and taxes, but always with an eye to do these Ruddhist priests, for under pretence of exacting mockmoney, they seek also genuine coin of the realm, and divert it to
their

human vampires collect debts So also their own interests.

own
In

benefit.

paying these dues, there

is

no need of employing carts or

horses, a single spark is quite enough, and the pile is ablaze without

any expense of forwarding.

Rut they yearn

for real coin

and not

for

mock-money;
this.
If

it

is

not necessary to be a learned


to

Don
of

in order to see

any one resolutely refuses


apparently taken of
it,

pay the cost of forwarding, no

notice

is

and the offering


toll

mock-money
is,

is

not further urged.


fore,

This so-called

forwarded

to

heaven
nest.

there-

an ingenious device for feathering one's

own

An eminent
1723),
of called

writer, in the reign of K'ang-hsi

Jf|

EE (A.D. 1662-

Ch'u Hsioh-kia
$>|>|,

^^

|,

a native of the district city

Ch'ang-chow -^
of

in

Kiangsu

fx.

}|fc>

s& id in one of his works:

the close Ming B^ dynasty, an arrogant Taoist priest, Tao-shi jf| J^, assumed the title of "Heavenly Master", Tien-shi
'at

the

gjfj

(2),

and degraded capriciously or raised to higher dignity

all

the

(1)

Ti-tsang-wcing

iflj

'^ dE,

one of the well-known Bodhisattvas (merciful


in order to help their

beings,

who

forego entering Nirvana


of Buddhism).

fellow-beings

modern creation
of

He

is

the Ruler of Hades, and as such

much

revered by the Chinese people


all

Under him are twelve kings, the executioners

the hellish pains and tortures, from which, however, the good-natured Hackmann Bodhisattva, if assiduously worshipped, can deliver people.

Buddhism as
(2)

a Religion, p. 211.
jJJ|

Chang Tao-ling
the time of the
p.

Hi

tne

"Heavenly Master",
(2

T'ienshi Jt

ftji.

lived

in
II.

Han

dynasty

nd

century of the Christian Era)


be one of his

Vol.

158.

note

2.

The

person mentioned here must

successors.

426
Kiah-ma ^ ,^ is given to paper prints Nganhwei $fc, the name on which representations of disembodied spirits, Buddha etc... are
stamped.

made.
to to

These prints are burned whenever a thank-offering- is The disembodied spirit, or the divinity honoured, is supposed
a rider on his horse, or be attracted
(1).

accompany these pictures like them in some mysterious way


If

we now examine what

pictures of gods are

more generally

printed upon these superstitious papers,


is

Chi-ma $

,^, their

number

almost countless, and a complete

list

could hardly be given here.

Those most commonly found are the following: the Ruler of Hades,

Yen-wang
of

|]

^;
the

the

God

of Longevity,

Show-sing f| j|; the God

Riches,

Ts'ai-shen
||;

$$;

the Patron

God

of Literature,

Wenot

ch'ang
3fc

God

of Fire,

Hwo-shen >X

f$;
of

tne

God

tne

City Moat,

Ch'eng-hwang $4 |$j|; the Goddess g% the God of War, Kwan-ti |f iff etc...

Mercy, Kwan-yin

When

marriage, burial, or other important ceremony takes


it

place within the family,

is

indispensable to offer some sheets of


J||,

these superstitious prints,

Chi-ma $

as well as meats

and wine

when
with

the salutations and prayers are over, these are burned together

mock-money
As

and

paper

ingots.
ftf\l

This
(2).

ceremony

is

called

"escorting the gods", Sung-shen %


Taoists,

Tao-xhi

jf|

J^,

worship countless
%fe

stellar

gods

(3),

several superstitious prints, Chi-ma.

J^, represent these divinities.

(1)

"Memoranda

written in the heavenly incense hall", T'ien-hsiang-leu

ngeu-teh
P, in

=ff fjf

j$

%.

collection of notes written

by

Yil

Chan-lung

^fc

the latter part of the 17 th century, and gathered from a perusal of recent Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 169. publications of that period. Wylie.
(2)

Sung
incense

jg, to see

one

off,

to

bow

of the Chinese Language.

out, to escort. Williams. Dictionary

In
is

all sacrifices,

the god

is

greeted and escorted.

supposed to descend, to approach (he perceives the fragrance and approaches), and when the ceremony is over, he is escorted off by music. Medhurst. The word for God in Chinese, p. 47 and 50.
is

When

burned, he

(8)

nation

<>l

According to Taoist teaching, every human being some stellar orb. Hence, should he fall sick, there
invoke the star incarnated within him.
Vol.
II.

is

a living incar-

is

nothing better
226.
(Stellar

than

.to

p.

charms).

Fig.

169

Tche-ma Magic prints (burnt and forwarded

to the

nether world).

427
them, some are benevolent and others malignant. Hence, ceremonies are of two kinds, the ones intended to honour those stars

Among

which are held

to

be

auspicious,

supplicate them,

and beg their

protection over mortals.

different

are escorted

shown towards malignant stars. These with an apparent show of honour, or as the Chinese
attitude
is

say "they are


native music,
effigy,

shown
then

out politely",

amidst the din of fireworks and


they are burned in

on reaching

a solitary spot,

and thus prevented from injuring


is called
(!)

folks

any further.

This

ceremony
$$,

"escorting malignant stars", Sung-hwai-sing-siu


Pictures
a of

Wz M. $5

these

gods

are

made from wooden

blocks,

upon which

rough design had been previously carved.


printing
of the

Previous to the

picture,
is

there
it

existed but

common
copies
be

sheet of paper; no sooner, however,

god comes and abides therein.


printed,

printed than the Should ten, a hundred, or a thousand

these

are as

many

duplicates

of the

divinity,

who
In

is

all

thus reproduced and made present upon each printed sheet. large towns, there may be found some ten or more shops
in

engaged

making these superstitious


China reckons
at least a

prints,

Chi-ma

%fc

^.

Every

province of

good thousand of such shops.

and Hwai i|| are opposites, good; Hwai iH, evil, malignant. Hao 1) bad or depraved Siu !fg, a constellation. Sing-siu J| %s is one of the 28 stellar mansions or palaces into which the Chinese zodiac in divided. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

428
ARTICLE
VII.

THE MAGIC INSCRIPTION


"Kiang Tze-ya
Kiang Tax-hung
tsai-tz'e,
is

here, there is nothing to fear".

peh-wu hin-hi

H^C^^jltH^^^at the present day, a strip

According to the custom prevailing


of

red

paper
:

is

stuck up

over the
is

door,

and bears the following

inscription

"Kiang Tze-ya

here, there is nothing to fear",

Tze-ya

tsai-tz'e,

peh-wu hin-hi Hf

5?

itb

If

^ |r ^-

Kiang Another

inscription, couched in almost the

end of this

article.

same words, may be found at the The above custom originated in the following

manner
If

we

believe
little

some
in

historians,

Kiang

Tze-ya

|(|

-^

5ip

1
I
)

displayed
military

talent

leading troops,
evinced,

but excelled in advising

commanders.

He

moreover, a marked taste for

that special brand of sauce

known

as soy,

Tsiang-yiu
of the

frjj

(2),

and

other

native

relishes.

(B.C. 206

A.D.
%.
ffij

Hence

in the time

221), he
1

was nicknamed the

Han ^ dynasty "General who relished

the hundred sauces

',

Peh-wei-chi-tsiang " 5|
all

}|, and also the

"Commander who
laljj

regulated

relishes", Chi-ling
in

peh-wei eul hang


the
military

fH

l=f

^T

As he
Jjf

excelled
,

marshalling

leaders,

Tsiang-tsiang
bean-sauce,

$f

so

he should also prove an expert in

preparing

Tsiang-yiu

^
%

-/^.

The wit

of

the

above

(1)

Chief Counsellor to

Wen-ivang

3E (12th century B.C.),

who met

him one day while hunting,

as predicted by an oracle.

He

is

said to have

exercised authority over the spirits of the unseen world. Even Sze-ma Ts'ien speaks of him as having "marshalled the spirits". Hence the phrase "Kiang

T'ai-kung tsai-tz'e" j js S-^fclHj, Kiang T'ai-kung is here, often seen written upon doors to frighten away evil spirits. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, p. 135.
(2)

See

also Vol.

II.

p. 159.

note

2.

Vol. IV. p. 330. note

2.

Tsiang ^,

a relish

made

of salt

mixed with bean or other kinds of


cured.
It is

Hour, and water, and allowed to remain


or relish

till

used as

condiment

Yiu

yft,

grease,

fat,

oil.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese

Language.

Fig.

170

"Kianq Tze-va

is

Marinades. here" (maqic sentence written on a jar of bean-sauce).

429
double sense of the Chinese word Tsiang, which in one case means a "General", and is written thus ^, while in the

phrase

lies

in the

other

it

signifies "sauce,

condiment", and

is is

written as follows |#.

As the Reader can

see, the

whole allusion
of

based upon a pun.

Owing
to

to

this

similarity

sound on the word

"Tsiang",
never
fail
:

manufacturers
write on

who
is

prepare bean-sauce, Tsiang-yiu

^
^f-

^,
53*

the jars containing the precious relish the inscription here", Kiang Tze-ya tsai-tz'e
evil
J*|

"Kiang Tze-ya
order
to

^,

in

hinder
(1).

spirits

from injuring them by their noxious

influence

Those,
so,

who

stick

up over

their doors this


Jfc

same

inscription, do

because Kiang T'ai-kung


is

^,

having excelled in guiding

military leaders, he
of

also considered as Generalissimo of the

army

demons who inhabit Hades.


House
of

the rising

Chow

/njj

Others narrate, that when he helped against the effete Yin f$_ dynasty, the
procure them important posts in
-^ 5^ received them kindly, and

host of spirits
to

who

inhabit the four quarters of the universe, rushed


to
|j|

his

tent,

and requested him

the nether world.

Kiang Tze-ya

granted their requests.

When
dynasty
(2),

the rulers of

Chow

f$

had

finally

vanquished the Yin

fjfc

Kiang Tze-ya |j| ^f- 5fcontending armies, and raised them

canonized the Generals of the


to the dignity of gods,
is

Shen

jj}^.

Nowadays,
tsai-tz'e |j|

the
^f-

inscription
5J"
-3:
]Jfc>

"Kiang Tze-ya
is

here", Kiang Tze-ya


to

stuck

up over doors

scare

away

to take to flight,

malignant demons, who, upon perceiving it, and thus prevented from molesting honest
Peace
having
been
established,

are immediately compelled


folks.

Kiang Tze-ya

|j|

^f-

5?,

a l-so

(1)

PI 3, attributed to

See "Leisurely Essays of the Leisurely Garden". Sui-yuen sui-pih Yuen Kien-chai $t if ^. Vol. IV. p. WO. note

Pig

'.

or Yin J$ dynasty ended B.C. 1122. Its last monarchs The Shang (2) were weak and extravagant, notorious for their debauchery, and lacking in
jgjj

religious observance.

Legge.

Introduction to the Shu-king

fj>

Jjs^,

or

"Book

of History", p. 198.

^430
known
as

gave up his career of Kiang T'ai-kung (1), and became Chief Counsellor to Wu-wang military Commander, He is said to have been a model statesman, 3 (B.C. 1122-1115).
while

^ ^ ^
to

legendary lore

has

added

his

fame,

and made

of

him

demi-god.

The legend,

which

sets

him up
|f|
jjtj
,

as

an expert in the art of

making bean-sauce, Tsiang-yiu


high military leaders,
It is is

because he excelled in directing


silly

merely based on a

pun upon

a word.

the fanciful

work: "The Art

of deifying persons",

Fung-

shen yen-i
spirits

jji$

-/H

(2),

that relates

how

the host of wandering

thronged into his presence, requesting official posts in the nether world. The quaint idea that he canonized the Generals of the
in the dynastic
Jj$, is

two contending armies, who fell the Houses of Chow ffi\ and Yin

also

war waged between found in the same work.

Every one acquainted with history knows full well, that Wuwang ^E marched at the head of his ''brave Western mountaineers",

Si-k'i

]ftf

||{

(3),

and

led

them
of

Finances, and the Minister

The Superintendent of swore that they would take up War,


to

victory.

the lance and shield, and uphold the cause of their sovereign
ever

nobody
to assist

imagined summoning the

spirits of the

unseen world

in defeating the
If

enemy.

the tyrant

Chow
it

fef,

last

emperor

of the

Yin

Jj$;

dynasty, has

been

vanquished,

is

because his Generals were at variance with

(1) T'ai-kung jz , literally "Honourable Sir or Grand Duke". Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.
12)

China.

Fung-shen it #. to deify The work here mentioned


3E,

a person,
is a tale
jt]

as

is

done by the Emperors of

regarding the adventures of

Wu-

wang

the founder of the


ffi

Chow

dynasty (B.C. 1122),


jj.

in his contest
It

with Chowsin

^?, the last ruler of the

House of Shang
and
filled

contains 100

chapters, most of which are utterly fanciful


ginations.
'3)

with fabulous ima-

K'i

Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 204. Wylie The State or appanage where the ancestors \\k
to

of the Choiv

f[

dynasty lived. It corresponds South- West of Shensi Kfc Bf, not


ary of the Chinese Language.

the present Fungtsiang-fu JjJ, f\\ fff, in the far from the river Wei ?|. Williams. Diction-

Fig.

172

Le caractere Fou.
Artistic delineation of the character

Fuh

(happiness).

433
ARTICLE
VIII.

SUPERSTITIOUS CHARACTERS.
Fuh,
luh, show, ts'ai, hsi
j$a

$$ 1$

1&

l
(

)-

Happiness, honours, longevity, wealth, joy.

May

it

always be Spring weather, I-ch'un

^.

I.

The character

happiness", Full fg
lh

It

was

in the early days of the


of

Ming

Hfj

that

the

custom commenced
for

affixing
jjjg.

dynasty (14 century), on doors and walls the


that

character

"happiness",

Fuh

At

time,

the

people

delighted in riddles, and


facetious

amused themselves

in solving

them.

Some

wags bethought themselves of sketching a barefooted female,

who

clasped a huge

the joke,

pumpkin in her arms everybody laughed at and began making similar pictures, which they stuck up
;

on their doors.

During the night,


jjf

'on

the

15"' of the first

month, T'ai-tsu

-fc

(2),

disguising
pictures,

himself,

strolled

out of the palace, and seeing


following manner.

these

explained
jff
f||

them
]ftf

in the

The two
similar in

characters

"Hwai-si"

(embracing the

West) are

sound with "Hwai-si"


of the

|f, an expression

meaning

to the
feet

"West

Hwai

river".

This barefooted female with large

designates

Fuh

jjig.

Happiness, the
blessings.

gods,

good fortune,

felicity resulting

from the protection of the

Luh

jf$.

Official

emolument
:

happiness

Emperor or Ruler, and income. Show J*. Longevity, a


ting persons on birthdays.

conferred by the

State or Superior
fine old

enjoyment of salary
in congratula-

age

much used

whatever
Williams.
222.

men can
III.

use. 5jf. Joy, delight, Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


p. 265.
first

Ts'cti Hsi

l!|.

Wealth,

riches,

money, worldly goods,

good luck, merry limes. See also Vol. II. p. '-is,


dynasty, more

Vol.
(2)

Temple name of the commonly known as HTung-iou

gv.

emperoi of the Ming A I) 1368-1399).

B%

15

434
the

Empress Ma

Jj|,

native

of

Nansuh chow

~$%

^fg

j'\],

a city lying

to the

West

of the

Hwai
in

river, in the province of

Nganhwei

He-

The picture was

fact

purposely designed
a

for

quizzing the
feet.

new
Her

Empress Ma
Imperial lord

J^,

and raising

laugh

at

her huge boorish

little

relished the joke, which he considered, moreover,

as being anti-dynastic.

On
strips

returning to the palace, he ordered to write out on numerous

of

paper

the

character

Full |g,

happiness,

and had them

pasted up

during the night on the doors of those families

which did

not bear the large-footed female.

Early, the next morning, officials

were despatched and ordered


not the character

to put to death the families

which had

Fuh

|fg,

happiness, pasted on their doors.

From

that time forwards, on the 30"' evening of the twelfth month, every

family stuck up the character Full

jjfg,

happiness, on

its

doors, and

thus the custom became general throughout the land.

The

origin

of the

character
-fc
jfi.,

Fuh

jjfg,

happiness,

is,

therefore,

not superstitious.

T'ai-tsu

founder of the Ming 0^ dynasty,

by affixing
families,

it

secretly on doors, only intended to designate peaceable

and subsequently every family had the character written in large type, and stuck up on the door, in order to show its loyalty
to the

new dynasty.

This custom has been transmitted down to the

present day. The greater part of those who stick it up on their doors ignore its real origin, and by affixing it, only wish to adorn the

door or wall of their houses.


Others,

however,

consider,

that this character prosperity


(1).

Fuh
their

without any rational ground, fg, happiness, will bring them felicity and
but
eyes,

In

the character

is

endowed with some

(1)

The character
Oftentimes,
it

for

happiness,

l-'uh

jjjg,

is

considered to be very

felici-

tous

is

written with

black ink on red paper several inches

square; or on white paper with red ink. and then pasted up on the doors of houses. At other times, it is carved on wood, and after being gilded, is

suspended or nailed up over a door, inside or outside the house, or on a cross-beam or post The custom is explained by saying that happiness will
in
it.

this

manner

be always near by.

On opening
Vol.

the door, every one will see


g, 323.

Doolittle'.

Social Life of the Chinese.

II.

Fig.

173 a

Caractere Fou.

Another

artistic representation of the

character for happiness.

Fig.

c*> 47S

Caractere Lou. The character for dignities (Luh

>.

435
magic virtue which produces happiness, and they
doors for this superstitious purpose.
can
confer
it

up on their They imagine that the character


stick
it

special
off.

favours, and for aught in the world, they would

not tear

This character

is

generally written on red paper, cut in lozenge-

shaped form
II.

(1).

The

live

characters- happiness, honours, longevity, joy. wealth.

Fnh fs, Lull

jf$,

Show

f|p,

Hsi

Ts

ai It-

Strips of paper pasted up over the door, Men-t'ieh f ] j^


1

(2).

On New
strips
of

Year's

day,
strip

everybody pastes up over the door


having
written

five

paper,

each

on

it

one of the "five


of paper bear
five gifts.

characters" above mentioned.

Sometimes, these strips

them images of the gods, who confer the foregoing The names of these deities are as follows
on
:

Happiness, Full

fg
f|

T'ien-hwan sze-fuh

^
fj*

*g

$j|
(4). (5)-

jjf

(3).

Honours,
Longevity,
Joy,

Lull

Luh-shen
Show-sing
Hsi-shen
Ts'ai-shen

^
#

Show
Hsi

^
*.

W M.
3j jji^.

Wealth,

Ts'aiffi

It

at

These strips of paper are also called the "five blessings knocking the door", Wu-fuh lin-men Ji fg f"| (6).

(1)

See Vol.

II.

p. 218.

Artistic cipher representing the three blessings.


a desire for gold.

Also

p. 216.
(2)

Lozenge-shaped charm expressing

T'ieh $, to paste

up. Men H,

the door, over the door.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language. (3) Literally the "heavenly Mandarin,


(4)

who

confers happiness".

Luh-shen

jj$

jjjiji,

the god of official emoluments, honours and dignities.

In the course of time, the function


p. IV.

has been deified.

See Preface to Vol.

1.

''Chinese gods are, as with the


.

Romans,

largely

names

for the various

needs of man, "Numinct nominci"

This is generally considered to 5) Literally the "star of Longevity". be Canopus, in the constellation Argo. See Vol. II. p. 218. note 3. These 5 blessings are generally represented by "five bats", from the ((>)
similarity of

sound of the two words.

See Vol.

III.

p. 254.

436
These
inscriptions
are

generally

written
is

on

red

paper

(1).

During the

period

of

mourning, red

legally proscribed.

Other

colours are, therefore, used: white, green, blue etc... The choice is in the locality, and the taste regulated by the custom which prevails
of the head or

members

of the family.

In a

work

referring to this custom, and

known

as "Miscellaneous

Records of the Southern Sung dynasty", Nan-Sung tsah-hi ~$j %. $ recommended to change at the end of the year all it is ft} (2),
inscriptions pasted

up on posts or over doors, and


:

stick

up anew the
longevity,

following characters

happiness, Full

jjjg;

honours, Luh
Jbj\

fffc;

Show H;
It

joy,

Hsi ||; and wealth, Ts'ai

was

at this period of the

Sung
times

dynasty (A.D. 1127-1280),

that the custom originated of sticking up over doors these superstitious

characters

in

previous

they

were

used

merely

on

occasions of rejoicing and congratulation.

III.

The expression: "may


I-ch'un

it

always be Spring- weather".


(3).

% ^
hence

These two characters mean


lucky;

literally:

and Ch'un

^,

Spring;

^, fitting, prosperous, "may it always be Spring


/

weather".

As the phrase expresses good


are generally believed

luck,

the two dynasties


to be serviceable

(1)

Red things

by the Chinese

keeping away evil spirits. To mark the stops or pauses in the Classics with red ink, is thought to keep away such spirits from the one who is using the book. Parents oftentimes put a piece of red cloth upon or in the pockets
in

of their

little

have red

silk

boys, in order to prevent mutilation by evil spirits. They often thread braided in the queues of their children, in order to secure
off

them from being cut


Vol.
II.

by the

spirits.

Doolittle.

Social

T.ife

of the Chinese.

p. 308.

(2)

the Pearly Hall".

Yuh-t'ang tsah-ki 3? ^: { |E- "Miscellaneous Records written This work is by Chow Pih-ta ffi iz, A.D. 1126-1204.

in

celebrated scholar and functionar}-.


official
(3)

It

consists chiefly of

memoranda
p. 67.

of his

experience.
T-ch
l

Wylie.
^p.

Notes on Chinese Literature,


enjoy merry Williams.
times,

un

'f

May you

or ma}' genial times

betide

you;

a phrase before doors.

Dictionary of the Chinese

Language.

Fig.

173 c

Caractere Ts'ai.

The character for longevity (Show).

Fig.

173

Caractere Hi.

The character for

felicity

and joy

(Hsi).

Fig.

174

Fou lou cheou san sing: ou Bonheur, Digmtes, Longevity. The three symbols for happiness, dignities and longevity.

437
Ts'in
it

(B.C. 249-206) and


their

Han g|

(B.C.

206 A. D.
Hence

221) employed
originated
v.

for

designating

Imperial

palaces.

the
<>|

custom,

which

has

been

transmitted

writing these two characters as

down to an omen of good

the present da
luck.

We

read

in

the f^,

work
that

entitled

Kwoh-ti-chi
bearing the
to the

ffi jfe
title

the

"List of famous monuments", palace of the Ts'in || dynasty,

"Perpetual Spring", I-ch'un-kung J[


of

^,
in

lay
is

South-West
Skensi

Wan-nien-hsien
North
|jj.

^j|

(1).
{$

This place

about seventeen
province
of

miles
|$

of

Lin-t'ung-hsien

^ J^,

the

The cyclopaedia "Pearly Sea", Yuh-hai

m
a

$|

(2),

mentions that
of the
Jj[

to the

palace

House
(3).

of

West of Tu-hsien j$ ^. there was Han ^, called "Perpetual Spring", Inarrated in the Annals of the Southern

ch'un-yuen

^ ^g

It is

Liang dynasty, Nan-Liang ~$ '^ (A.D. 502-557), that at the commencement of Spring, it was customary to stick up on doors the two characters, "Perpetual Spring", l-ch'un * ^. The same

custom
of

is

also

recorded

in

the

memoranda known
??>

as

"Chronology

Peking", Peh-king sui-hwa-ki 4b

W>

ij

IE-

(1)
(2)

Kwoh-ti-chi

&m
Hi,

U-

S^IIitiSlg.
p. 184.

A cyclopoedia in 200 books, bv Wang the early part of the 12 lh century. It comprises upwards of 240 articles dealing with native literature, but requires to be read with
Yuh-hai 35
|$|,

"Pearly Sea".

Ying-lin 3E ]g

in

discrimination.
(3)

Wylie.
^Jr,

Notes on Chinese Literature,


Imperial parks,

Yuen

park,

pleasure-grounds.

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

438
ARTICLE
IX.

SLABS FOR WARDING OFF BAD MJCK.


Shih-kan-tang fi

||

(1).

Every road or bridge, which abutts in a straight


or dwelling, is a source of

line

on

house
is

danger

for that

house;

such, at least,

the vulgar belief in

China. To counteract those mysterious influences,

a stone slab, bearing the three characters:


is

Shih-kan-tang fi
it

j$r

<^,

erected

in

front of the house.

Such

a stone,

is

believed, has

the power of repressing

demons and warding

off all evil

influences

(2).

Should the road, alleyway or bridge, run parallel to the house, thev would exert no baneful influence, and it would not be required
to erect

any slab

for

warding
little

off

bad luck.

Let us reason a

with those

who

hold such quaint ideas,


silly

and endeavour
Roads,

to

dissuade them from their

belief.

streets

and bridges, are

all

for

the use of travellers.

They

are

inanimate beings, destitute of reason.


a

Whether they

be

directly

opposite
If

house or alongside

it,

is

utterly a

matter of no
parallel

consequence.
to
it,

they cannot injure a house they


influence
it

how

can
it ?

adversely

when they run when they are

directly

in front of

Let us take for instance a

bow and arrow,

or a powerful cannon.

(1)

Shih-han-tang

%fc

^*, literally

"the stone that dares to resist"

evil

influences; an invincible, scare-devil stone.


slabs to

They may Some have the characters T'ai-shan ^ )Jj prefixed, and others bear a tiger's head. The T'ai-shan, being a sacred mountain, is added to enhance the charm, while the tiger is the great enemy of spectres. China
off

ward

bad luck.

The phrase is cut on tablets and be seen erected in by-paths, alleyways,

bridges and roads.

Review.
III.

Vol.

XXV.
a

p.

170.

Researches into Chinese Superstitions.

Vol.

p. HUT. note 3 (efficacy of a tiger's head.


(2)

Such

stone

is

believed to be necessary, for the well-being of those


it

living or doing business near the entrance of the alley, opposite which Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. II. p. 313. placed.

is

c o

z
7)

>

s(/)

'_

City !-

439
All are
life.

arms
one

or

If

places

weapons which may inllict death and destroy human a bow and arrow in front of a person, without
if

shooting at him;
not
fire
it

one sets up a cannon before an object, but does

off

even should a hundred such pieces be available and

placed in a similar

manner, they would never cause the death

of

any

body, nor destroy any thing whatsoever.

Roads,

alleyways and bridges, which run directly in front of a


;

house, do not move or act

how

then can they injure good folks or

cause noxious influences?


All that
is

quite true,

it is

replied

bridges and roads have really


(1),

no activity, but upon these roads and bridges are found demons

who dash headlong


injure

before

them and never turn


which are
directly

aside, so that they

only
It

those
is

houses,

in

front

of

their

way (2). demons


in their

added that when such houses are encountered, the


all

get irritated, take vengeance on the inhabitants, and do

power

to

cause them misfortune.

(1)

everywhere,
rivers

According to the popular conception, malevolent spirits prowl about and infest streets and thoroughfares, mountains and forests,
all

and creeks, causing


It is in

sorts of
I.

mishap

to befall

men.

De Groot.

he

Religious System of China. Vol.


(2)

p. 154.

virtue of this principle that

no straight
in the

line

may

run in front
of

of a grave.

In order to avoid this,

the avenue

mausoleum

Hung-wu

t p, founder of the
in the part

which

is

describes a curve dynasty, near Nanking f% ^, lined with stone images of men and animals. De Groot.

Ming

E$

The Religious System


I

of China. Vol.

III.

p. 977.

440
ARTICLE
X.

ABSTAINING

ROM KILLING ANIMALS

FOR PURPOSES OF FOOD.


Kiai-sha

$^

(1).

Buddhists prohibit the killing of

all

living animals

(2).

Every
to

man,

as they say,

loves

life;

all

living

beings
of
life,

cling

likewise
his

existence;

how then can one

deprive

them

and

fill

mouth

and stomach with their substance"?

"There
as food.

is

a limited this

number
is

of created beings capable of serving

When
for

number

exhausted, death ensues; those


be

who
this

have eaten living animals will


give
life

changed into brutes, and thus

life;

it

is

stage of existence that

only when they have passed through they can be reborn as human beings".

The fundamental reason


is

for prohibiting the killing of living beings

based
this

on the Buddhist doctrine of metempsychosis.


theory,
all

According

to

living

beings of the present day are purely and

simply men of former generations,


form.
if,

who

are reborn under this


shall be

new

therefore,

we

kill

them, we

punished by being

changed ourselves into those same animal forms after our death.

The system
(1)

of the

metempsychosis once refuted


to

(3),

this whole

Kiai-sha }$ %,

literally

warn against

killing,

hence

to

abstain

from, to avoid killing animals.


(2)

Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language. This tenet of Buddhism has obtained a strong hold upon the Chinese

people, and

numerous men and women partly or


to

totally abstain

from animal

food

in

obedience
to

the precept "not to kill", nay to avoid everything that


It

might lead

the slaughtering of animals.

is

also

owing

to this doctrine

that a deceased

person

may

not wear

in

the coffin

leather-soled shoes, or

appear with them in tin- nether world. The violation of the precept would expose him to the fury of "Father Buffalo", Niu-ya ^ Jnf. the inseperable attendant of Yama. De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. 1. p. (Hi.
(^)

See refutation of this system

Vol.

I.

Cio.

All the

extravagances

of Buddhists,
resull

making
his false

vain and fruitless efforts to avoid killing sentient beings,

from

dod rine.

441
theory crumbles to pieces, being sapped at its very foundation. As such a system, however, has penetrated deeply into the popular mind, it is on this account implicitly believed by countless numbers.

Chinese scholars ridicule with no


doctrine.

little

wit this quaint Buddhist

Buddhists say: "whosoever kills an ox, will be changed into an ox (1); and if he kills a pig, he will be transformed into a like

animal

if

he deprives of

life

a fish or a

prawn, he shall in turn be

changed into animals of the same kind".


they should add:

To be thoroughly
shall be

logical,

"whosoever

kills a

man,
in a

changed into a

man

brigands and murderers will be reborn in their previous state

of existence,

and grasping officials shall be addicted to the same malpractices".

new phase

of existence

Buddhists are wont to say that "whosoever consumes four ounces of flesh meat, will have to refund half a pound in the nether
world". There is no need of exacting such a heavy toll, for the poor wretch cannot even pay back the capital; man, after his death, has
no further his body
;

it

has entirely returned

to dust.

Perhaps some one might say, that the very fact of his body crumbling into dust, is a proof that he pays back the flesh he has
eaten?
fall

The bodies

of little children,

who have
flesh.

never eaten any flesh,


these children,

into dust just as those of

grown up persons do;

however, are not bound to pay back any

"Whosoever
another

destroys
tenet.

Buddhist

life,

must return

life for life".

This

is

pig weighs several stone,

and some

(1)

The slaughter
is

of buffaloes for food

is

unlawful, according to the

ideas generally prevailing

among

the Chinese people, and the abstaining from

the eating of beef

regarded as very meritorious.

The

flesh of the buffalo is

not used in presenting meat-offerings to gods and spirits in general worship

by the people, nor are candles made of buffalo-tallow burnt before idols. The law, however, permits the killing of the buffalo to be used in sacrifice to "heaven and earth" by the Emperor, in sacrifice to Confucius, and a few
other deified

men

in the

Spring and
Vol.
II.

Autumn
p.

by the high mandarins. Doolittle

Social Life of the Chinese.

187.

16

442
dozen
return

persons
life for

may
life
'?

have eaten

its ilesh

must each one,

therefore,

Tigers
fishes

and wolves devour sheep and pigs


;

crocodiles devour
;

and tortoises
;

birds of prey feed on doves and sparrows

and

oysters on leeches

now, Buddhists do not impose on these animals which prey on one another, any obligation of rendering life for life,

while they pretend that


the flesh of animals
Tf
;

man

is

obliged to do so, should he live on

is

such an obligation reasonable"?


of the

we consider the habits


Shi-ki

ancient Sages,

we

find that

thev never forbade the use of animal food.


Artnals,

Do

not the Historical


(B.C.
;

fE

(1),

state

that

fh^ing-li fr $?

2697-

2597) cooked the flesh of animals for purposes of food

that Shen(2),

nung f$ ||
historical

(B.C. 2737-2697),

also

known

as Yen-ti fe $?
Is
it

the

"Fiery Ruler", drank the blood of animals.


fact

not a well-known
in

that

Yao | (B.C. 2357-2255) delighted


jfo

broth

that Cfi'eng-t'ang

eat the flesh of wild geese;

pheasant and that

Wen-wang
five
/

^C 3E

(3)

ordered each family to rear two sow-pigs and

hens? In the same venerable Becords we read that Tseng Tzp-yu


Hj(4)

H' -f

had

a special fancy for


a

minced goat

flesh,

while

Kung

Yeh-ch'ang lp :Sb partook of on the hills. Tseng-tze -f-

goat, which a tiger had abandoned

entertained his friends with choice


jfc
^f-

meats and wine

Mencius,

Meng-tze

(5)

delighted in eating

fish and bears' paws. San I-sheng ff (6), ^, Hung-yao |j and Nan Kung-kwa ~$ were contemporary jff, three Sages, who with Kiang T'ai-kung ate meat and drank wine in (7),

^ ^ ^^

(2)

See "Refutation of false doctrine" by Father Hwang. Vol. II. p. 65. See Vol. II. p. 164. note 1. Where Yen-ti, or the "Fiery Ruler of
is

the Southern Region",


(3)

honoured as the God of

Fire.

See Vol.

I.

p.

131. note 3. -- Vol. IV. p. 320.

note

3.

p.

See oh this Philosopher and chief disciple of Confucius. (4) 393. note 2.
(5)

Vol. IV.

See Vol.

I.

p.

123. note 4.

Philosopher and moralist, second only


Disciple of

to

Confucius.
(6)
(7)

See al.me. Vol. IV.

p. 380.

See Vol.

II.

p.

ir>.t.

note

2.

Vol.

Kiang Tze-ya

%
I:

-^

^.

IV. p. XM). V28. note

p.

YAO. note

p. 431.

443
order to testify their mutual friendship
ate
;

Mencius, Meng-tze
chicken-stew
received
a
;

Jj;

^f,

pork,

beef,
JfL

the

flesh

of goats

and

Confucius,

K'ung-tze

-f.

China's

great

Sage,
sent
|JJf

present of beef,

which Chao Kien-tze

H^ ^
jj$.

him.

When
^,
;

he was expelled

from the Feudal States of Given


pork
the

and Ts'ai

he delighted eating

which T:e-ln
sacrificial

-=p

1)

procured him
to

he, likewise, accepted

meats offered

the

Manes

of

Yen-yuen JK $$, and


in the "Analects",
in

enjoyed them
Lun-yi'i f^

after

having played the lute.


the
excellent

We read

^,
of

that

music,
lose

which he heard

the

Feudal

State

Ts'i ^|,

made him

his taste for good


in detail

meat
about

during three months.


the
diet.

The same work informs us

whims and
He
fish

fancies

liked to

which the Sage entertained in regard to his have his minced meat cut quite small; he did not
;

eat

or

flesh

which was overdone

when

his Prince sent


it

him
until

some
it

of the

meat

offered in sacrifice, he did not partake of

was

properly arranged on
in

the
his

table;

he refused to touch meat

which was not prepared


its

own

kitchen, or served up without

proper sauce

(2).

From

all

these

historical

quotations,
all

it

is

obvious that the

ancient Emperors and Sages have


flesh of living

eaten meat and partaken of the

animals.
therefore,

According
all

to the doctrine held

by Buddhists,
birds
or

they should,

be transformed into animals,

fishes, in order to

compensate twofold for the flesh they have eaten.


figure of a buffalo
is

The annexed outline

formed from a series

(1)

Pien

-fc,

to fetch

enrolled
of the

The temple name of Chung-yiu # &. A native of #. His family being poor, he had been accustomed hence after their death he was rice from a distance for his parents as one of the 24 examples of filial piety. For some time, he was one
B.C.

543-480.

in the State of Lit

most intimate of the disciples of Confucius, but finally entered upon a He was rash to 8 public career and became magistrate at P'u-yih j$f g,. dreaded his impetuosity, foretold he would meet fault, and Confucius, who with a violent death. At the end of his life, he was in fact killed by con-

spirators.
in

He was posthumously ennobled

as Duke, and his tablet

is

placed

Confucian temples. Giles. Chinese Biographical Dictionary, See '-Confucian Analects". Lun-yH $& fg. Hook X. ch. (2)

p. 208.
8.

Legge's

translation, p. 96-97.

444
pathetically admonishing the age against and eating its ilesh (1), and depicting in vivid language the sad and laborious life of that animal spent in ploughing and grinding, and the unthankful fate it often meets at the hands
of

Chinese

characters,

killing the

buffalo

of those

whom
in
(2).

it

has

served.
left

The

first

character

of

the

series
to

commences
words"

front

of the

horn:

"mortals, pay heed

my

The domesticated buffalo, on account of its aid in ploughing, is (1) considered in China as deserving of great praise, and as having great merits; and therefore, men who enjoy the benefit of its toil should not consume its
flesh.

The law only permits

it

to be used in sacrifice to

"heaven and earth"

by the Emperor, in sacrifice to Confucius, and a few other deified men in the Spring and Autumn by the high mandarins. Doolittle. Social Life of the
Chinese. Vol.
(2)
II. p.

187.
all

Notwithstanding

these tracts, the superstitious feelings of the

people, and the laws in regard to killing buffaloes, the consumption of beef is increasing among the Chinese, and it is found at the present day on the tables
of both the

mandarins and the

literati.

Doolittle.

Social Life of the Chinese.

Vol.

II.

p. 191.

1 & k^^m^
CO

4r& %

*%
t.

***** .*

s*^****^

i^^^fafcr |\o ********* ^


*

-toggle

445
ARTICLE
XI.

SPARING ANIMAL
Fang-sheng

LIFE.

(1).

From
live

the

doctrine

of sparing

animal

life

originated

the "let

The members of this Fang-sheng-hwei -fa -|\ association pool their funds, and employ the annual interest derived
society",

therefrom
faloes (2)...

in

maintaining old dogs,

cats,

geese, and decrepit buf-

In

order
the

to

deter

folks

from taking

animal

life,

Buddhists

employ following arguments: "animals and birds shut up in cages, suspended or attached by the feet; birds and fish caught with nets, and strung together through the gills or by tying up their
wings,
all

such animals

feel full well

that death

is

in store for

them,

but that does not extinguish their craving for existence;


at

trembling
life.

the approach

of

death,

they seem to beg us

to

spare their

By expending money for this purpose, and maintaining them as long as they live, we not only show compassion towards them, but
also bring

down upon
11
.

ourselves the favour of heaven and the blessing

of the gods

The above arguments


follows
:

are

refuted

by

the

Chinese

literati

as

From the foregoing arguments, it is make pretence of showing compassion and


creation.

evident that
love

Buddhists

towards the brute

Love,

in

fact,

prescribes

not to do unto others what we

for

(1) Fang-sheng #c , to let animals live, to give freedom to living beings, which purpose there are "let live societies", Fang-sheng-hivei j&fc $L fr

Williams.
(2)

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.


"let live societies", a
little

Shanghai residents may see one of these

outside the South gate of the native city.


in

The establishment was founded

1867, for the purpose of rescuing buffaloes


It is

by foreigners.

about

five

and dogs cruelly put to death minutes walk from S Catherine's Bridge. See
1

Catholic Missions, French Edition.

1892.

p.

163, 167

L'Hospice des Betes,

by Rev. Father Ravary,

S.J.).

446
would not wish them
to avoid

to do to ourselves (1),
to

but

it

does not

with regard

animals what we should avoid

command doing to men

Love of animals would require at most to abstain from destroying their nests, killing their little ones, or treating them with wanton
cruelty
;

it

does not forbid the killing of a bird, a quadruped, a fish

or an insect; therefore,
of

much

less does

it

prescribe the maintenance


fish,

any

class

of animals,
(2).

either birds

or

until

they die their


is

natural death

Their ilesh serves as food for man, their blood


;

serviceable for imparting a varnish to bells


their'

their skin, fur, feathers,


in various

teeth,

horns and antlers, their bones are employed

industries, and manufactured into

articles of dress, into shoes

and

other

necessaries

of

life.

If

everybody
life

followed

the

Buddhists,
of animals,

who

exhort to spare the

of birds, fish

example of and all kinds


lost for

would not such various industrial resources be


?

the use of
If

man

we now consider
above question,

the conduct of the ancient Sages with regard

to the

all

the foregoing arguments are fully corrobo-

rated.

Thus we

find that:
||| (3),

Fuh-lisi f

the

first of

the

five

legendary rulers of China


telling

It is worthy of remark that this (1) prescription is all negative, what should not be done, but does not positively inculcate any virtue

only

by inference.
(2)

Doolittle.

Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.

II.

p. 166.

Buddhism vow that they will let various kinds of some kinds of birds and fish. This includes the idea of providing the means of their support, until they die of old age or by In order to prevent them from being stolen and accident. subsequently used
votaries of

Some

animals

live,

as well as

as food, as in the case of chickens, ducks, geese and pigs, and also to save themselves trouble in taking care of them, they are placed in a monastery,

under the superintendence and care of the resident monks. In such cases, those who have made the vow, furnish food for them, or pay monthly a certain

sum

for their board.


(3)

Doolittle.

Social Life of the Chinese.


of the Chinese empire.

Vol.

II.

p. 181.

The legendary founder


beings

He succeeded

to the

divine
society
years.

was

are believed to have reigned countless ages before constituted. His father was heaven, and his mother bore

who

human
him
12

He

established his capital in

He is fung-fu pj #t Mthe eight diagrams, Pah-kwaAfr.


See also Vol.
II.

province, near the present K'aicredited with having invented the art of writing and

Honan

Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual,


p. 342. note 2.

p. 45.

p 223. Vol. IV.

447
(B.C. 3852-2737),

invented

cords

for

making

nets,

and taught

his

subjects the arts of fishing and hunting.

rivers

The emperor Yao ?& (1) of T'ang Jg, exhorted those living near and streams to have recourse to fishing, as a means of providing

food for their families.

Shun

of the

Fabulous Beast, YiX-shun

Jf|

(2),

angled in the
-jf"

streams of Lei-tseh f

^.

at the foot of the


jff
>)>[}

Show-fang
\\}

hills,

the present-day P'uchow-fu

Jfi

in

Shansi

"g.

of the

Wen-wang (3) hunted at Wei-yang ffi g, on the brink Wei river, Wei-shui This locality corresponds to the y\^.
J'pf

present-day district city of Paohi-hsien ^f K $|, in Shensi $fc jjg. In ancient times, the Emperor and his feudal vassals indulged

annually in

the

chase,

and exhorted country


the four

folks to

hunt during
life.

winter, in order to inure themselves to the hardships of military

There was big hunting Autumn and Winter.

at

seasons

of

Spring,

Summer.

We
(B.C.

read in the Historical Annals, Shi-ki { fg


ffc

[4),

that T'ang
$j-j

the Successful, Ch'eng-t'ang

^,

founder of the Shang

dynasty

1766\ took exceeding delight in hunting with nets.


iJL

Confucius, K'ung-tze
a

"?

preferred angling to

fishing with
(5).

net;

he shot at birds on the wing, but not at birds perching


jg;
^f,

The passage where Mencius. Meng-tze


the net
in

says not to abuse of

ponds teeming with

fish,

does not

mean

that one should


to

not catch fish, but that they should not be caught


as to exhaust the

such an extent

pond

of its entire stock.

(1)

See on

Yao.

Vol.

I.

p.

122.

Vol.

IV.

p.

329 and 385.

Mayors.

Chinese Reader's Manual,


(2)
(3)

p. 189.
IN',

See on Yu-shun. Vol.


See Vol.
I.

p.

385 and i08


IV.
p.

p. 131. note

3. Vol.

329. note 3.

(4)

5)

Vol I!, p 65. See "Refutation of false doctrine" by Father Hwaiig "The Master angled, but did not use a net; he shut, bul nol at birds

perching".
translation,
life

Confucian Analects, Lun-yti f| f. Book. VII. cb. 26. Legj adds in (he note Confucius ohl} destroyed wftal 67. p. L-egge
:

was neccessary

for his use,

and

this

showed

his

humanity.

448
This
reign
of

Buddhist custom

seems

to

have commenced during the


founder of the

Wu-ti f $r (A.D.
This

502-550),

Liang $

Emperor professed an ardent reverence for the dynasty (1). tenets of Buddhism, and the professors of that religion availed
themselves of the Imperial favour in order to establish their practices

throughout the State.

Wu-ti
and
entered

]j

*$?.

at

the end

of

his

reign,

abandoned

his palace,

Here he lived on scanty fare, Buddhist monastery. and particularly abstained from the use of meat or fish. He forbade
a

even

using
that

animal
in

matters

for

purposes

of

medicine.

He

also

ordered

the Confucian sacrifices


of the

only vegetables should be

used, and that figures

animals that were usually offered in

them should
departed
(2).

be

made

of Hour,
fear of

and presented

to the

Manes

of the

Through

punishment

in the nether world, he

forbade figures of animals or birds to be embroidered on any silk or


satin,
lest
(3);

they

dresses

would be injured when cutting up the cloth for even in such a trifle, he saw a lack of compassion

towards animals.

Nanking ~$ / was once became so scarce that rats and beseiged by provisions mice were eagerly sought for and devoured by the starving popula-

While

his

Capital,

the enemy,

(1)

given to superstition, the affairs of state

This short-lived dynasty existed A.D. 502-557. The emperor being were neglected, rebellions broke out

on

all

sides,

and

finally

caused the downfall of the dynasty.

This order caused an immense commotion throughout every grade of society. Whatever faith they might have had in any other form of religion,
(2)
all

believed that the spirits of their ancestors in

the fortunes of each family,

and that no

sacrifice

some way or other controlled would be acceptable to them


to fear that

that did not contain the flesh of animals.

Men began

sorrow
of the

would come upon

their

homes.

This decree

signs of speed}' decay,

and extinction of
extreme limit

was looked upon as one the dynasty. Macgowan.


the

The

Imperial History of China, p. 233.


(3)

Wu-ti carried

to its

Buddhist

tenet

that

men

should under no circumstances deprive anything of life. He imagined that the tailors in cutting up such cloth for dresses were in danger of becoming

accustomed
wis.

to

the

idea

that animal

life,

after all,

was not
in

so precious as
of

it

and

they would thus be made more cruel

their treatment

it.

Macgowan.

The Imperial History

of China, p. 233.

449
tion.

Even Wu-ti

jj

$r had to suffer with the

rest,

and

failing to

secure the usual vegetarian diet prescribed by his Buddhist vows, he

was compelled
procured him.

to

live

upon eggs, which one

of his courtiers kindly

Weighed down with


honey soon afterwards,
dynasty
(1).

sickness and worry, he begged in vain for a

little

to alleviate the bitterness of his

parched tongue

he died

and through his

folly

caused the downfall of the

could ever have shown more compassion towards animals than this eccentric emperor, since he could not even bear to see one
cutting

Who

through their figures when embroidered on


to influence

silk or satin

He hoped thereby
however,
imitated
all

heaven and bring happiness on himself; kinds of misfortune befell him. ho then should be

the

more,

Wu-ti

fj

^\

with his morbid sentimentality

in the pleasure of fishing

towards the brute creation, or the Sages of antiquity, who indulged and hunting?
Oftentimes, Imperial Edicts have been issued, ordering to exter-

minate locusts that destroy the crops, and tigers and wolves that devour human beings. According
to

Buddhist tenets, such

harmful animals should

be set free, after having been captured in obedience to the orders of


officials. They would thus continue anew their destructive ravages, and this would be, to quote the words of Mencius "handing man

the

over to become the prey of wild beasts".

Owing
vow
to

to

the prevalence of the above doctrine,

many

persons

never eat meat or touch dog's flesh, believing thereby that


(2).

they acquire merit, and will escape punishment in Hades


(1)

i2)

Compendium of Historic Annals, Kang-kien $$ 8The feeling that the eating of flesh is sensual and

sinful,

is

a very

popular one

food. population This is done for the purpose of acquiring merit, or obtaining certain definite favours from the gods male children, longevity, prosperity in business, literary
:

among the Chinese people, hence a large majority of the make some kind of vow in regard to abstaining from animal

adult

excellence and rank.

not receive

The any marked

poor,

who

necessarily live on vegetables,


life,

if

they do

blessings from the gods in this

enjoy the proper reward

of their self-denial in the world to


II.

hope ^till to come. Doolittle

Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.

p.

183.

17

450
In the
hiiKj
j^j

famous Buddhist monastery


an

at

Ilwa-shan, East of Nanare

$C,

immense number
the bell

of

rats

maintained
to the

by

the
,

monks.
the
rats

When

summons
to
five

the

community

dining-room

run out of their holes

enjoy also their daily fare.

are sleek and

plump;
catties
(1).

large chests, each containing from


rice,

They two to

three thousand

of

are specially set apart for providing

them with rations

Annexed
killing

is

Buddhist

print

exhorting folks
In the
life,

to abstain

from

frogs and other


(2),

living creatures.
to

name

of

Amitabha
animals

Buddha

they are begged

spare

and

set free all

that happen to be captured.

On
two

each side of the frog are the following sentences, embodying

of the

most important Buddhist tenets:

"Here below, the most meritorious


living creatures".

act

is

to

spare the

life

of

Here below,

to kill a sentient

being

is

one of the greatest sins"

(3).

(1) (2)

See "Lettres de Jersey", 1882. p. 27/.. A Buddha who rules over the West, and grants the requests of
to

all

those
the

who prny

him

to

admit them
in

to the

Western Paradise. He

is

by

far

most popular Buddha


Kdkins.
(3)

the Hth month.

His birthday is celebrated on the China. Chinese Buddhism, p. 208.


all

17th of

The

fivefold
:

Buddhist prohibitions for

classes, including
3.

laymen,

are the following


>\.

1.

Do not
5.

kill.

2.

Do

not steal.

Commit

Do

not speak falsely.

Abstain from strong drinks.

not adultery. All these have

reference chiefly to our neighbour, and except the last, are taken from Brah-

manism.
the

Five others of a trivial character are imposed on

monks who

join
of

brotherhood.

Monier Williams.

Buddhism,

12<>

(The

Morality

Buddhism).

Fig.

77

mtmn&fo K
ft

*
41
IS.
v-

Shift r*. ^r ^" X)


>

&M Jl4l
t

$k%ikl~

;X

'X

5L

E '--uilles

vendues p<jur

la

protection
to '''-tain

uilles

Buddhist print exhorting folks

from

hilling fn

451
ARTICLE
XII.

BUDDHIST ABSTINENCE.
Ch'ih-su
Pf

(1).

Abstinence

from

animal food,

present day, differs totally


times.
It is

observed by Buddhists at the from that practised by Chinese in ancient


follows in

described

as
fjif

the "Records of memorable

deeds", Ts'ing-kia-luli

J|

^.
Buddhism reckon
as

"Nowadays
of

the adherents of
fish,

meats the

flesh

birds

and animals,
mussels...
scallions
taste.
;

such as the tortoise, crabs,

shrimps,

oysters,

seeds
their

(2),

Among- the vegetables, garlic, rape, coriander and onions are also prohibited on account of
In
fine,

strong
be eaten

meat,

fish,

not

wine (though made from

rice or grain) is also

and rank vegetables may on the

interdicted list".

also

The weeks and days prescribed for abstaining from animal food vary, as well as the names given to these kinds of abstinence.
are a few specimens.

The following

1JJ

Abstinence in honour of the "Three Principles", San-kwan j which is observed from the I st to the 15 th day of the first, (3),

seventh and tenth month.

(1)

Ch'ih R^, to absorb, to swallow.

The Chinese employ


j^f,

the term either Ch'ih-fan (^


jlS,

for eating or drinking.

Thus

Ch'ih-tsiu R^

to drink

wine

to eat, to take a meal.


to live
(2)

Su

on vegetable

diet.

Hence Ch'ih-su Pj| 3$f. simple, plain, coarse. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

^,

seeds of the cultivated or garden coriander (Coriandrum sativum) The leaves are pleasantly aromatic, and used for flavouring curry, pastry...

The

have a strong smell. The three primitive Great Rulers. Also known as San-yuen 7C(3) were originally vast periods of time, like a geological epoch, but were They

subsequently personified and deified. They form to-day triad. Williams. Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

peculiar Taoist

Researches into
3.

Chinese Superstitions.

Vol.

111.

p. 254.

note

2.

p. 293.

note

p. 299.

452
Abstinence for congratulating the "Three Principles", observed on the 1 st 7 th and 10 th day of each month.
,

This abstinence

is

founded on the
15
th

belief that these three

gods

ascend to heaven on the


times,

of each

month, or
(1)

at various other

and report

to

the higher deities

on the delinquencies or

good works of mortals.


Abstinence in

honour

of the
1
st

"Goddess
to

of

Mercy", Kwan-yin

H^
sixth

(2),

observed from the

the 19 th day of the second and

month.

Bodhisattva on the
the

Popular custom places the birthday of this fabulous 19 th of the second month. She was deified on

19 th day of the sixth month, hence on these two anniversaries

Buddhists are wont to keep abstinence.


Abstinence in honour of the "God of Fire", //wo-s/ipn
>)^
jjj^

(3),

the 23 rd day of the sixth month, this being his reputed birthday.

Abstinence in honour of the "God of Thunder"


the

(4),

observed on
be his

24 th day

of

the

sixth

month.
is

This

is

considered to

reputed
days.

birthday,

and as such

preceded by an abstinence of 24

Abstinence

in

honour

of the "first claps of thunder".

When
for the

thunder

is

heard for the

first

time

in the year,

some,

if

eating meat

immediately stop eating, and go without eating animal food whole day.

(1) Principally to the "Pearly Emperor", Yuh-hwang 3 Jl, the chief god of the Taoist pantheon. See Vol. II. p 206. note 2. p. 210. note 3. He is deemed to be the Lord of the physical world and the Saviour of men.

Edkins.
(2)

Religion in China, p. 112. See on this Goddess. Vol.

IN*,

p. 418.

note

3.

Where
a

her origin,

worship, and principal characteristics are described.


(3)

See Vol.

II.

p.

164.

When

building escapes in

conflagration,

he

is

thanked either

in his

officiate.

Food, wine and not be red, as this is inauspicious, but white, yellow, or green. All Nature is influenced (4) by thunder-gods, of whom a great variety have been invented by Taoists. See Vol. III. p. 229. notes 2 and 3. p. 230,

temple or near the place destroyed. Taoist priests tea, are offered to him. The candles, however, may

231, 237, 246, note 2.

Where

the thunder-god

is

described.

453
Abstinence in honour of the birthday of the "heavenly genius"
Sin'^fc,

who
on
of

presides

observed
others

the

over the "Ministry of the Thunderbolt 25 th day of the sixth month. This date, and all

the

constitute

what

month designated by the cyclic character Sin ^r, is known as the "abstinence of the genius Sin"

Sin-chai

^.
in

Abstinence
>)

honour

of the

"god

of the kitchen

',

Tsao-kiun

on the 3 rd of the eighth month, this being considered the day on which he was born.
^3
(I),

Abstinence in honour of "heaven and earth"


the
1
st

(2),

observed on

and 15 th

of each

month.

4fc

Abstinence in honour of the "god of the North Pole", Peh-teu observed on the 3 rd and 7 th day of each month. if-,
Abstinence observed on the nine
first

days of the
(3).

first

month,

in

honour

of the

"nine heavenly emperors"


"filial

Abstinence known as that of

piety"
It

(4),

which a pious
be kept for a

son observes after the death of his father.

may
lasts
it

or

month, or forty-nine days, and in some cases A few persons extend twenty-five months.

even thirteen
three
entire

to

(1)

7'soo

-J-jv

This

is

the contracted form of the character.

furnace,
ij:
;$".

place for cooking, a kitchen.


fct

Hence Tsoo-shen

'J;i

jji$,

or Tsao-kiun

or Tsao-ivang

3E.

the

"god of the kitchen", regarded as the

arbiter of the

family prosperity, whence the phrase "Ning-mei iiii-tsan" &l $f J^tt, you had better flatter, or not fail to propitiate the kitchen god. Williams. Dictionary
of the Chinese Language.
(2)

In Chinese philosophy

"heaven and earth".

T'ien-ti

3*:

Hi,

represent

the transforming powers


entertain the
p. 420.
(3)

of

Nature.

The pagan masses

in

China do not
\ ol.

same notions

of heaven as christians do.

See above.

IN

note

1.

These seem
This

to be the nine divisions of the heavenly sphere personi-

fied

and
(4)

deified. Kiu-t'ien
is

^-

Set" Vol.
a

III.

Preface, p. XVII.

time-honoured religious rite connected "Because pain and affliction with mourning and demanded by filial piety.
"ritual" fasting,
filled

the heart of the

filial

son. his

Li-ki j& f, or Record of Rites. Book

mouth could not relish an\ savoury XXXII. Wen^ang ?% $.

food

454
years, in

which case

it

is

called the "abstinence of thanksgiving".


to
all

Various are the names given

these kinds of abstinence.

Those who observe them,

that

is

abstain
five

from

meat and wine,

generally do so in obedience to the

precepts of

Buddhism, which

prohibit the killing of living beings and forbid drinking intoxicating


liquors.

The following are the as laid down by Buddhism


not.
3

five
:

fundamental rules
Kill

of

moral conduct
2 Steal

not any living thing.


not speak falsely.
5

Commit

not adultery.
(1).

Do

Drink no

intoxicating liquors
It

is

also

prohibited
a

to

eat

garlic,

onions...

because

these

vegetables have
as

strong taste, a rank smell,

and are thus reckoned

meat and

fish.

Such

a deduction

is,

indeed, far fetched and quite

opposed
All

to the letter of the law.

who vow
to

to

live

on a vegetable

diet,

vow,

have the same


recover

purpose.

They hope thereby


enjoy

and carry out this to beget male


in

children,
attain

from sickness,

prosperity

business,

literary

excellence and rank,

obtain certain favours from the

gods,

or from

the particular god or goddess in


(2).

have made their vow


folks
feel

whose honour they Such are the motives for which Chinese
(3).

generally adopt

vegetable diet

Buddha, Fuh

fijjj,

they

convinced, will be pleased, and shall confer happiness on them,


all

and deliver them from

misfortune.

1)

These

five

precepts oblige

all

classes, including
It

laymen.

They are

taken from Brahmanism. except the

was Buddhism probably that first interdicted strong drink. It prohibited too what the Brahmans allowed killing for sacrificial purposes. Monier Williams. Buddhism, p. 126. Barren married women frequently take this method of interesting (2)
fifth.

the

gods

in

their

behalf,

in

the hope that they


Vol.
II.

may have male


181.

children.

Doolittle.
(3)

Social Life of the Chinese.

p.

The main and professed object of vegetarians is the obtaining of It is in nowise sanitary, and does not relate to the temporal blessings.
health of the individuals concerned, except in general.
of the Chinese.
Vol.
11.

Doolittle.

Social Lite

p. 184.

Fig.

178

ft

5r*r **
^*3

^r>

-1*1.1',. ",,..

N-

c..

=?'

rf^"
"CEuvre bouddhique"
il se pour Bonze tenant en main sa beche rcAa* foe dont sa route. enfouir les ossements trouves sur the abandoned bones of the dead. Buddhist monk buruinq

sert

455
In the early period of the language, the term Chat ^f
to
(\)

meant

purify,

to

regulate.

The Ancients wished


;

to regulate

whatever

was excessive
animal food

or irregular

nobody had the idea

of abstaining from

for the

purpose of obtaining favours

from Buddha.

(1)

Chai

jSf,

to purify, as

Shih-chai J
table food.

ffi,

to fast

by fasting or penance. Hence the expressions on vegetables; Ts'ing-chai jf| J|f, he has only vegeDictionary of the Chinese Language.

Williams.

456
ARTICLE
XIII.

VEGETARIAN SECTS.
Ch'ih-su-kiao
l$g

|fc

(1).

Every member of
food,

vegetarian society vows never to eat animal


a vegetable diet

and subsist only on


of

while he
(2).

lives,

hence the
is

name given them


enrolled
in

"perpetual

vegetarians"

A member
is

a district or local branch,

and the whole

of these petty

associations form the "vegetarian society", which

governed by a
officers,

Supreme Head, having under him various subordinate


of

some

whom

control large districts, while others preach the doctrine and

introduce candidates into the society.

The founders
in the

of the

sect

time of the T'ang

j|f

two Buddhist monks, who lived dynasty (A.D. 620-907), and were called
are

Chow Hung-jen

%r

$?,,

and Lu Hwei-neng

^U
The

f.

According to the work entitled "Abridged Reader's Manual",

Tuh-shu-ki shu-lioh
six

ff|

jf pj,

Chinese

Buddhism reckons

Tah-mo Fuh-kia luh-tsu f^ first, -f^ jjj. jH J (3), who came from the West under the reign of Wu-ti jf dynasty (A.D. 502-557); the second, Hwei-k'o $f, of the Liang
patriarchs,

(1)

Kiao

f&.

Doctrine, tenets, opinions; the people

who

hold them,

religious sect.
(2)

Williams.

Dictionary of the Chinese Language.

They comprise poor and and learned persons. Comparatively man}' females, and but rich, ignorant few males make this vow. Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. II. p.

They

are also called "vegetable Buddhas".

185.
(3)

Bodhidharma

The

28th Indian

and

1st

Chinese patriarch. He reach-

ed China A.D. 520 (21 st day of the 9th month), and after a short stay at Canton, proceeded to Nanking j^j ^, where the Emperor Wu-ti ffc ifr (A.D.

Later on, he went to Loh-yang ffr |j, and there sat a wall for nine years, hence the Chinese have called him the "wall-gazing Brahman". He represents the
502-550) held his court.
in

silent

meditation with his face turned to

A.D. 529.

contemplative and mystic school of Buddhism. The date of his death is about Eitel. Handbook of Chinese Buddhism, p. 28. Edkins. Chinese

Buddhism,

p.

100-102.

457
H
Pf;

the third,

fifth,

Hung-jen

Hung-jen
Hwpe/i
f$,
in

% % jQ
of

Seng-ts'an ff g| the fourth, Tao-sin *g }&; and the sixth, Hwei-neng | flfc.
;

|,e

was

a native of

4fc

Hwei-neng

& f

Kwangtung

the (A.D. 627-650), Jg- dynasty, Hung-jen the Eastern Buddhist monastery, Tung-shen-sze ||

%. Tang
;

Hwangmei-hsien #| |. was born at Sinhsing-hsien $f Under the reign of Tai-tsung

in

H
the

district of

Hwangmei

^ $|

% J& ^

lived in
j,,

(1),

there

Hwei-neng jg |g

visited

him, and
into

placed himself under his direction, in order to be initiated

the

true doctrine at the hands of such a famous teacher.

Hung-jen }&, one day, ordered all his disciples to write some verses. The monk Shen-siv wrote on the wall the following lines: "man's body resembles the P'u-li his heart 3f | tree
jjity

(2),

an unsullied mirror; it must be constantly cleansed, to remove the dust which tarnishes it".
is like

in

order

Hwei-neng f|
ll

f{

animadverted upon these verses as follows

P'u-ti^

%,

said he, is not a tree, but the true doctrine.


it
;

well-

polished mirror has no dust upon


to be cleansed".

it

does not, therefore, require

Hung-jen
bowl.

jg% declared that

Hwei-neng

f understood the

true doctrine, and hence could receive the Buddhist habit and alms-

According
in

to the

work "Fan-shu" ^ If
to

(3),

it

is

the general

custom

Buddhist monasteries,

give a dress

of

yellow cloth

To sit abstractedly in Sze ^f. A Buddhist monastery. Skem flif (1) contemplation; fixed contemplation or Dhyana, intended to destroy all attach ment to existence in the thought or wish whence this word has become a
.

term for Buddhist monks.

Williams.

In Sanscrit Bodhi. The (2) Buddha acquired knowledge and enlightenment i.e. an ultra pessimistic view of life and its miseries, while he ignored its joys), and spent seven years in

Dictionary of the Chinese Language sacred fig-tree or Pippala, beneath which

doing penitential works. Cuttings carried to China are objects erf reverence, as the tree is considered to be a symbol of the spread and growth <>t the

Buddhist church.
(3)

Eitel.

Handbook

of Chinese

Buddhism,

p. 2r>
oi th(

This

is

the Vinaya Pitaka, one of the three -rand division-

Buddhist scriptures, embracing all rules of organisation and monastic discrp line. Wylie. Notes on Chinese Literature, p. 20<i (Buddhism
18

458
with large sleeves, to the candidate
is

who

joins the brotherhood.

This

worn over the


They
followed in

left

shoulder

(1),

and

called in Chinese Hai-ts'ing #|

fl\
is

also receive an alms-bowl, called


all

Poh

fr (2).

The above

ritual

large monasteries at the reception of a junior

monk.
and

Ilung-jen

]Q ordered him to assemble


R$J

all

the disciples
ffc,

found the

"vegetarian sect", Ch'ih-su-kiao

which from

that time has been maintained


of

down

to the present day.

The Heads
*.

the

society

are

called
to

"Venerable
the

Elders",

Lao-hwan j

Whosoever wishes

sect, must previously make some join to him presents to the "Venerable Elder", who thereupon discloses "Renthe secret password "Amitabha", O-mi-t'o-fuh PpJ? PS IPfe-

ounce

all

worldly vanity

with thy whole heart invoke Buddha, and

aspire to the blissful land (the


(the craving for existence),

Western Paradise);

cast off thy fetters


life

and escape from the endless wheel of

and death (transmigration)".


Several prominent writers have endeavoured to explain the

name

"Amitabha", which
it

is

constantly uttered by Buddhists.

represents the "eternal" or the "infinitely

Some state that glorious" Buddha (3).


(4).

In China,

Buddha

is

generally transliterated by the character Fuhjfc

(1)

The admission ceremony

of a

novice

is

extremely simple,

and

confined to certain acts and words on the part of the candidate, witnessed by

any competent monk. The novice first cuts off his hair, puts on the yellow garments, adjusts the upper robe so as to leave the right shoulder bare, and then before a monk repeats the three-refuge formula: "I go for refuge to Buddha, the Law and the Sangha". Monier Williams. Buddhism, p. 78.
(2)

In Sanscrit Pdtra (Patera).

The alms-bowl
to Persia,

of Buddhist mendicants.

The one which Buddha used was taken


Tuchita heavens, and
of Maitreya, the future
finally
fell

Ceylon and China, to the into the ocean, where it awaits the arrival
believed that

Buddha.
in

the religion of Buddha will perish. Eitel.


(3)

Beal.

Buddhism

when this bowl disappears, Handbook of Chinese Buddhism, p. 92. China. Ch. XIV. p. 159 (Amitabha).
It is

The word Buddha is derived from the Sanscrit Bodhi, meaning know(4) wisdom; hence Buddha means "the Perceiver, the Sage". The syllable ledge, Bud has been transliterated into Chinese by the character -$}, anciently pronounced But, and
lated fourteen
at the present

day Fuh. Sanscrit books having been trans-

centuries ago, the phonetic powers of the Chinese characters have changed in the meantime. Rdkins. Chinese Buddhism, p. 413.

459
"Amitabha",
O-mi-t'o-fuh
|JpT

$g

|?g

f;,

would, therefore,
(1).

be

the

transliteration of the Sanscrit

word "Amitabha"

Adherents

of the sect are required to recite this invocation and

make

it

the

constant object of their meditation.

Private

members

not receive any candidates into the sect under penalty of being tortured in the nether world moreover, every adherent must have

may

absolute faith

in

"Amitabha"

(2),

the

Western Paradise, and the

reward deserved by individual good works.

The

father of a family

may

not transmit his religious tenets

to

his son, nor a

husband

to his wife.
in the sect,
all

There are twelve hierarchical ranks or dignities

corresponding to the amount of presents offered by the new candidate (3). Should the son offer more than his father, he enjoys a
higher dignity
of the
;

and likewise, when the wife surpasses the generositv


is

husband, she

placed above her lord.


to live their

This Buddhist sect exhorts people

whole

life

on

Amitabha (boundless light, diffusing great light). A Dhyani Buddha, (1) invented by the Mahayana School about A.D. 300. Southern Buddhism knows no Amita or Amitaya. Originally conceived of as impersonal, he acquired
prominence especially
evolution that the
for
in the 5 th century. It was at this period of Buddhist Western Paradise (a substitution for Nirvana, too abstruse the common people to grasp) was invented. Amitabha is to-day the ruler

of this so-called blissful land,


Eitel.

Handbook
p.

of Chinese

Buddhism,

and hence highly popular among the Chines Getty. The Gods of Northern p. 6.
Amitabha).
Oxford.
flu-

Buddhism,
Press, 1914.
(2)

38.

(Dhyani Buddhas.

Clarendon

The name Amitabha


with
the

is

repeated incessantly, and the beads counted


until

in

connection

repetition,

the sound

becomes wearisome
in
all

Regarding
fruitless".
(3)

this kind of worship,


If a

himself a believing heart.


Beal.

"every person should first of all excite man has no faith, his exercises will he
p.

Huddhism
is

in

China,

129 (Amitabha).
fe<

by no means a cheap religion. The entrance is very high, presents have to be constantly made to officials, as well contributions for various purposes: allowing animals to live, printing tra<

Vegetarianism

.is

ts

propagating the doctrine, and providing food


Vegetarian Sects (Recorder. 1902. p.
8).

foi

the u<nls in sacrifice

Miles

460
vegetable
diet,

in

order to
of the

enjoy peace and happiness here below,


after their death, or at

and the blessings

Western Paradise

least to be reborn in a

Such
which
its

is,

in

general, the

in reality is

abounding in wealth main purpose of this quaint religious sect, divided into various minor branches each following

new phase

of existence

own
The

peculiar by-laws.
principal
tenet of the sect is to abstain from animal food.

Now, according to the work Liang-pan-ts'iu-yu-ngan we see that the god himself (1) enjoys three kinds "j|,
meat
:

)^

|l;

(|

of unsullied

that of animals offered to


;

him without

his seeing

them

killed

by anybody
killed;

that of

animals which nobody informed him had been


kinds of meats the flesh of animals
or been killed by wild beasts and

and
If

lastly that of animals which he believes not to have been

killed.

one adds
died
a

to these three

that

have

natural
find

death,

birds of prey,

we
(2).

that

the god

may
an

enjoy on the whole

five

kinds of meats

The same work contains


Buddhist monk, called Teh-sin
eggs were
occasion,
offered,

also
ffi

anecdote
to

of

famous

old

jfr,

whom

a large quantity of

which he

ate with the greatest delight.

On
is

this

he even wrote a few verses, of which the following


still

the

translation: "Little chick, while

enclosed like heaven and earth

within the primitive chaos (the white of the egg and the yellow yolk before thou hadst any skin, bones or represent heaven and earth)
;

wings;

I.

venerable old monk, will bear thee to the Western Paradise,

(1)

One
#

of the vegetarian gods.


Siien-tao-fcing m\

A
"^

vegetarian hall

is

called Tscti-kung-

The gods principally worshipped are the Goddess of Mercy, Kwan-yin Bodhidharma, {<%,: -^-; Tah-mo ^ 0: the Pearly Emperor, Yuh-hwang 35 ft; the kitchen god, also called Tsao-kiun j;i :g": the Western Royal Mother, Si-wang-mu |g 3 the "Golden Mother", Kin-inu 4&W- Worship always commences at Jl p.m.,
t'ang

M, or Buddha, Fuh
5lf

j|J

-fij",

and consists

in

repeating prayers, burning written prayers

in offering to

the

god, and presenting vegetarian dishes, grape wine and cups of tea. Worship takes place generally on the birthday of the gods, and is conducted by the Miles. highest official present. Vegetarian Sects. Recorder. 11)02. p. 5.
(2)

gmh
.%

r*j,fi

* a % n m,* m % & ,* % 8 n

& s

z.

\>x

&,@ %.&%.

461
and thus rescue thee from the
deprive thee of existence"
(1).

cruel

knife which

one day would

In the time of the T'ang

J||

monk, who was


flesh,

particularly

dynasty (A.D. 620-907), a Buddhist fond of the legs of geese and tortoise
legs,

exclaimed:

"would

to

heaven that geese had four

and

two lumps of fat each". (The dainty the lump of fat which adheres to the shell).
tortoises

bit of a tortoise is

a statue of Kia-lan jfa J (2), for the purpose of cooking some dog's flesh (3), making thus a pun upon Buddha's name. Kia-lan f| is a Chinese name for Buddha, while

Another monk broke up

a similar expression, also


fuel

pronounced Kia-lan j}\\ -J||, means "to add and cook thoroughly". The dog's flesh was not yet sufficiently
Kia-lan
fjjj
j)\}

cooked.

<J||,

cried

the

monk,
That
is

piling

the

wood

of the
fuel,

statue Kia-lan

|g on the

fire.

say by adding more


it

the meat will be well cooked


*an
ijU

let

us have

thoroughly done, Kia-

Jfg.

The foregoing examples show that Buddhist monks themselves


have not always abstained from animal food.

Buddhist monks of the present day, who pride themselves

in

being faithful disciples of their founder, make great display of not

touching any meat when itinerating outside their monastery, and if perchance they find a few bits of onion in cakes purcdased along

(1)

nn&
n.
(2)
(

*&

#* -

-k *n -ft\#

is -!,&

& '>f.A!IKif # &ft * & m& m & # in m ^,% te#wBc**.#*Ai8jg<C


ffl
I

I,

A
a

Chinese name for Buddha, so-called from

park or

bamboo grove

Kcdantct Venuvana),

which Bimbisara
for the

offered to

he built

Vihara ('monastery)
p. 52.

monks.

Sakyamuni, and upon which Eitel. Handbook of Chinese

Buddhism,
(3)

From ancient
first

times, the flesh of the dog


table.

was highly
is

priced in China,
*}}
|fi

and even found on the Emperor's


"In the

Thus we read

in the Li-ki

month

of

Autumn
flesh ".

the Son of Heaven


Li-ki f@

clothed in whit.-

Be
IN

eats hemp-seeds

and dog's
I.

M,

or Record of Elites.
in

Book

Yueh-ling

ft

(The Proceedings of Government


p. 284.

the different

months

Legge's translation. Vol.

462
the way, immediately these are rejected with great disdain lest such
a prohibited thing
Is
it

would enter their mouths.

not a well-known fact that they close the doors of their

monasteries, and enjoy in private


fish

many

a hearty meal, in

which meat

and wine abound?

(1).

Vegetarian sects are


to
kill

founded on the two following tenets: "not

any living being, and abstain from animal food" (2). The purpose in so doing is to draw down blessings upon themselves, and escape being transformed into animals in a future state of existence
(Buddhist abstinence and the belief in metempsychosis).

round piece of yellow-coloured paper, bearing a prayer transliterated from the Tibetan. Every deceased member of a vegetarian sect, for whose benefit one of these
a

The annexed print represents

round pieces of paper


receive
in

is

burnt immediately

after

his death, will

the

nether world an equivalent value in the shape of a

piece of pure gold.


If

burnt for the benefit of any Buddhist, while

still

living,

it

entitles

him
in

to eight

hundred copper coins


world
entitles
;

(cash), placed to his


a

account

for use

the future

if

one
to

is

"perpetual

vegetarian",

Chai-kung

Qt,

it

him

one thousand coins to be used

as in the previous case.

The following
acters

is

the regular order in which the Chinese charFirst, the four in the centre;

may

be read.

then the others,

proceeding regularly from the outside to the centre.


(1)
'It

Doolittle, writing

from South China, quite agrees with the Author.

is

generally believed, says he,


eat animal food

the

monks

among the common people, that many when they can do it unobserved. Most, or all

of of

the travelling monks, probably indulge in eating meat quite often". Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. I. p. 243.
(2)

Persons

who become members


:

of this sect

must promise
to

to give

up

keeping fowls and pigs. should take a rat's life


silkworm's
the other.
life

They are not even allowed nor must they wear silk or
buffalo, horse, or

keep

cat, lest it

leather shoes, as the

has been taken to procure the one, and that of the ox to procure

Should their ploughing


is

dog

die,

they must not

usually the case, but be buried, to prevent the possibility of their flesh being eaten. Miles. Vegetarian Sects (Recorder. 1902. p. 5).

be sold or eaten, as

Fig.

179

*
m

fc

Priere figuree de l'indou a l'aide des caracteres chin 018 a 1'usage de la secte des 'mangeurs d'herbes".
;

Valuable Tibetan prayer burnt for the benefit of "vegetarian

sects".

463
mm h
psr PPT

sfi

#m% M % 31 ^.^ n i ^ ^^ M # im,ppl gt,$ it $ s.ro w n ^s i #m

f
\

464

-X'KGT

<

DS

721 D613
v.4.

Dore, Henri Researches into Chinese superstitions. v.4

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