was deified and worshipped above a thousand years, before Christ's incarnation. The account the Chinese give of this Foe is, that he was born in that part of their empire, which they call Chung tien Cho, and that he was the son of a king, that his mother while she was with child of him, dreamed that she had swallowed an elephant. As soon as he was born, he stood upright, and walked seven paces, pointing with one hand to heaven, and with the other to the earth, uttering, at the same time, the following words, There is none in heaven, or on earth, that ought to be adored but myself." When he was only turned of seventeen, he married three wives; and two years afterwards retired to a solitary place, where he put himself under the direction of four philosophers; under their tuition he learned all they could teach him, and at thirty, being divinely inspired, he considered himself as a god. He soon after began to work the most wonderful miracles, of which the Chinese relate a great number, and they have whole volumes giving an account of them. He is said to have, in the compass of a few years, gained over to his notions eighty thousand disciples, whom he sent to teach his doctrines throughout the empire of China. Ten of those disciples were of a much higher, rank than the others, and it is said, that they published upwards of five thousand volumes of their mas ter's works. Finding himself near death, he told his discipfes, that till that moment he had concealed the truth of his doctrine, but now he would make it pub lic to them," Learn then (said he) that the principle of all things is emptiness and nothing; from nothing. all things proceeded, and into nothing all will return, and this is the end of all our hopes." However, some of his disciples adhered to what he had formerly taught them, and the doctrine they now teach is directly opposite to Atheism. The rest of his disciples abode by this impostor's dying words, which laid the foundation of many of those ridiculous ceremonies which now prevail in China. Many stories were told after his death, namely, that he had been born eight thousand times, that bis soul had passed through the bodies of many different animals, and that he had appeared in the shape of an ape, an elephant, a dragon, &c. In consequence of these ridiculous stories, all those animals through which his soul was said to have passed, were afterwards worshipped as gods. In every province in China, there are temples erected on mountains, where the people go on pilgrimage to worship, and some of these are held in greater esteem than others. When these pilgrims arrive at the foot of the mountains, they kneel down, and do so at every step as they ascend. During the whole of the procession, they sing hymns in honour of Foe; but as there are two sects among them, i violent enemies to each other, so it often happens that they quarrel before they reach the temple. The first doetrine taught by Eoe, is called the exterior, and consists of some very good rules of mo rality, viz. that, there is a great, difference betweem good and evil, and that there are rewards and punishes. ments in a future state; that the god Foe was born to save the world and expiate the sins of meu; that there are five precepts to be observed, namely, that no living creature is to be killed; nor to steal any thing from another; to abstain from all sorts of im purity; the fourth prohibited lying; and the fifth forbad the drinking of wine. To these they added the doctrine of the transmigration of souls, and this is still believed by the generality of the people. With respect to the interior doctrine, very few are suffered to be made acquainted with its myste ries. It is the same as that taught by Foe, in the last moments of his life, and which some of his disciples have endeavoured to propagate. As was said before, they teach that nothing is the principle of all things. That beings differ only according to their shapes and qualities: and, that in order to become like the first quality, we must accustom our selves to do nothing, and to desire nothing, to see nothing, and to think of nothing. That all holiness consists in being reduced to one original nothing, when all the faculties of the soul shall be dissolved. They add further, that when a man has once attained to this happy state, he will be perfect without being in want of any thing Some of those who pretend to knowledge among the Chinese, have embraced this stupid, senseless system of atheism, and among others the emperor. Kao Isong resigned his crown to his son, that be might have an opportunity of studying it, in order to be like the god Foe. Another of the Chinese idols is called Chim Hoam, and always worshipped as the guardian of cities. There is an ordinance in China, that all public magistrates, when they enter upon office, shall go in procession to the temple of this idol, and sacrifice to. him candles, perfumes, wine, flowers, and the flesh. of different animals. This ceremony they are likewise to repeat twice every year, upon pain of incurring the emperor's displeasure, and being suspended from their offices. And when they take possession. of their places, they are obliged to swear, before this idol, that they will do justice to every man, otherwise they are to be severely punished. Chines, is a name given to a great number of idols in China, which are not in the shape of any living creature, but as temples built in the form of a pyramid. The Pagans have such a veneration for these idols, or rather pyramids, that when they purchase a slave, they carry him before one of them, and pray that if he shall desert the service of his master, that' he may be devoured by tigers. This keeps the poor wretches in much awe, for although they are often cruelly treated, yet they are afraid to run away. In the province of Takien, near the walls of the city of Fohieu, is one of those chines, nine stories high. It is built in the form of an octagon, and its perpendicular height is mine hundred cubits. It is adorned with several curious figures, and the whole of the outside is faced with porcelain. There is at every story a colonade of marble, surrounded by an iron balustrade, which gives the whole a most splendid appearance, and on the top is a gilt idol. J The Chinese, like the ancient Greeks and Romans, have gods whom they imagine superintended all their public affairs, each having his own department.Thus Ti-can is considered as the supreme director of their treasures, and who conducts the dispensing of their riches. His image is placed on a very high altar, with a crown on his head, and a sceptre in his hand, the whole being gilt over; so that it makes a most glorious appearance when the sun shines. Eight images, as his attendants, stand around him, all dressed and decorated in the same manner; and on the walls of the temple are displayed the punishments of the damned in hell. Above the idol is in scribed in letters of gold, "He who shall humble himself, and say his prayers a thousand times before me, shall be delivered from these torments." Ram, a god much worshipped by the people of China, is greatly esteemed by those of a lower rank. It is said, that while on earth he was a noted persecutor, and made so many converts to the doctrines of transmigration, that, after his death he was honoured as a god. It is further added, that he passed through no less than four-score thousand transmigrations, in the last of which he appeared under the shape of a white elephant, and by that symbol he is now worshipped in all his temples. It is generally in 3 believed, that he was one of the chief disciples of Foe, in the exterior form of doctrine, because all his followers profess those sentiments. His temples are for the most part in the country, and the sacri fices offered up to him consist of the fruits of the earth, milk, vegetables, and such other things as the seasons will produce. As all ancient heroes were deified among the heathens, so the Chinese tell us that Quante-Cong, their first prince and law-giver, was, for his great actions, made a god. He was the first who introduced among them the fashion of wearing decent apparel; for, before his time, they were accustomed to go almost naked. He brought them under some Bort of a regal form of government, and prevailed upon them to build towns and cities. For this reasou, in all the temples, dedicated to him, he is represented under a most gigantic form, and sitting on a table, with a taper placed before him. On the table several books are placed, and behind him stands his attendant Linchevu, in appearance equally as formidable as himself. Cang-y is worshipped among the Chinese, as the god of the lower heavens, and it is believed by them that he has the power of life and death. He has always three ministering spirits to attend him; the first of whom sends down rain to refresh and nourish the earth; the second is the god of the sea, to whom all their navigators make vows, and perform them upon their return home; and the third presides over births, and is called the god of war. It is probable that some ancient astronomer among the Chinese was, and still is, worshipped under this name, especially when we find him represented as the god of the lower heavens. The religion and philosophy of the Chinese are so blended together, that there is no such thing as separating them; they partake of each other, Bor is there any great difference, as will appear from what we are now going to relate concerning a sect among them, who seem to have been a sort of Epicureans, that did not pay much regard to moral duties. This sect is named Tao-ssee, and owes its rise to one Lao-Kuin, who, according to the account delivered to us by his disciples, was not born till forty years after his conception. He is said to have been an eminent philosopher, and there are many books of his still extant, replete with the finest maxims of morality; and yet those who pretend to be his disciples, are considered by many of the Chinese as no better than atheists or Epicureans, They boast that they can make a liquor which will make them immortal, and are persuaded, that by the assistance of spirits whom they invoke, they can ob tain all things. Some of the Chinese mandarins were so stupid as to believe that they could avoid death, and several of the emperors gave countenance, to that notion. This sect flourished many years int China: but unless it be among the vulgar, they have now fallen much into disrepute. 11 The Chinese worship a goddess whom they call Puzza, and of whom their priests give the following account. They say that three nymphs came down from heaven to wash themselves in a river, but scarce had they got into the water,, before the herb Lotos appeared on one of their garments, with its coral fruit upon it. They were surprised to think from whence it could proceed; and the nymph, upon whose garment it was, could not resist, the temptation of indulging herself in tasting it. But by thus eating some of it, she became pregnant, and was delivered of a boy, whom she brought up, and then returned to heaven. He afterwards became a great man, a conqueror, and legislator; and the nymph was afterwards worshipped under the name of Puzza. She is represented as sitting on the seventeen years of age, he made a most judicious choice of the best ancient authors, and made an extract from them of every thing that was valuable towards improving his mind. When he was about . sparted with his wife, lest she should interrupt him flower Lotos, and has sixteen hands armed with || knives,castords, halberts, books, fruits, plants, wheels, goblets, vials, and many other things needless to be mentioned,stroqua ni meil sa rinɔrze di Pheloy another of their idols, is worshipped-be-twenty, he married and had a song but soon after scause he first discovered the making salt but his Lungrateful countrymen not making him that recomspence which his merits entitled him to for so useful an invention, he left them in great indignation, and never was heard of afterwards. They have a festival inchonours of his memory, in the beginning of June, yupon which occasion they adorn their houses with boughs of trees. At the same time they fit out -vessels, in which they sail round the coast, singing shymns, and calling aloud for their beloved Phelo. gou Besides the sects and gods already mentioned "there are many others in China, particularly the sect of Laotun, who is said to have been born six thundred years before Christ. This impostor boasted himself to be the offspring of heaven; and in sorder to make his disciples believe this story, he esaid that he had lain concealed in his mother's womb fourscore and one years, and that the moment sbefore she expired, he issued out of her, through a passage in her left side, made by himself. He soon gained a great number of followers, because he taught them many things agreeable to their lusts and passionsted est 7 4 9 The principal parts of his doctrines were, that God was corporeal, and that he sat at ease and peace ain heaven, governing the world by subordinate -deities. He taught that all happiness consisted in -pleasure, and was confined to this life. This notion induced his disciples to do every thing they could imagine to prevent death, by prolonging life till the latest periodam It was this that first induced them to -study chemistry, as the grand preservative of life, and for some time, they were so vain as to believe they would never die. But instead of prolonging life, they shortened it, by giving themselves up to drunkenness, uncleanness, and every sort of debauchery they could think of tog 1 -n. The morals of the people of China having been shockingly corrupted by the errors and blasphemies of these impostors, a person arose to reform all the abuses that had crept in, whether relating to government, religion, morals or philosophy. This illusitrious person was Confucius, a man, noble by birth, lof a sweet natural temper, and adorned by a liberal education. According to the best accounts, he was born about four hundred and fifty years before the incarnation of our Saviour, and we shall here relate what is said concerning himede vol 077 " In study, and in the practice of every virtue, public and private, this great man lived till he was ser venty years of age, and at last died of grief, when he beheld many corruptions that had taken place among his disciples. But although little regard was paid to his precepts when alive, yet the highest honours were shown to him after his death. The whole empire went into mourning for him. 1 He left many books behind him, which, considering the time and place, when and where he lived, and besides that he was a heathen, one will be surprised to find in them so many fine sentiments, respecting moral duties. These pieces, or extracts from them, are to be found in the first volume of Dubald's history of China. It is generally allowed that the Chinese, like all other heathens, acknowledge that there is one universal Supreme Being; but they admit that there are many demi-gods who act under him. We have already given an account of the sect of Foe, sometimes called Xekia, and we shall now proceed to describe the manner in which they offer up sacrifices to Confucius, and in general to the rest of their idols. There are several temples erected for this illustrious person, and all these temples are built in the form of obelisks or pyramids. The governor of the city where the temple stands is always the sacrificing priest, and he is assisted by all the learned men in the neighbourhood, who meet the evening before the sacrifice is performed, and provide rice and all sorts of grain, which are set on a table before the altar of Confucius. A table is placed in the court before the temple, illuminated with wax tapers, fire for the sacrifice, and rich perfumes. He then makes choice of hogs, and such other beasts as are to be sacrificed, by pouring wine on their ears, and if they shake their heads, they are deemed proper objects, but if otherwise, then they are rejected. Before the hogs and the other beasts are killed, the priest makes a reverential bow, and then they are slain in his presence. When their throats/are cut, they make a second reverence, after which the hair is scraped off, and the entrails taken out, but the blood is preserved till the ensuing day. As soon as the cock crows in the morning, a signal is given, and the priest with his assistants, light up the tapers, and throw perfumes into the censers. Then the master of the ceremonies orders the choir to sing, and the priest standing before the altar, says, "Let the hair and the blood of the dead carcase be offered up in sacrifice— Then another of the priests takes up the bason, in which the blood and hair are intermingled, and the master of the ceremonies says, "Let the blood and the hair be buried.". Immediately the priests carry it out, and bury the bason with its contents in the court before the chapel. This being done, they uncover the flesh of the sacrifice, and the master of the ceremonies says, "May the soul of Confucius "May the soul of Confucius descend upon it." The sacrificing priest then takes a chalice úlled with wine, and pours it upon the image of a man composed of straw. The image of Confucius is then placed on the altar, and the following ejaculation repeated: "O! Confucius, thy virtues are godlike and inimitable! our emperors themselves are obliged to thee; for it is by thy unerring principles that they regulate their conduct. All our obligations to thee are pure and perfect, O! let thy enlightened spirit descend upon us, and assist us by its presence."mi piece of the flesh, and the master of the ceremonies chants aloud, "Partake of the flesh of the sacrifice" This being over, The priest says, “When we offer this sacrifice, we live in expectation of receiving thereby all the comforts of this life." The renjainder of the flesh is distributed among all the people present; and consistent with the ancient and general notion of sacrifices, all those who taste it beligge that Confucius will be gracious unto themanovai s The last ceremony is that of reconducting home the soul of Confucius, which they imagine was present and assisted at the sacrifice. This is done by the priest's repeating the following prayer We have offered up our oblations to thee, with the utmost reverence and respect, we have implored thee to be present at our sacrifices, of a sweet smelling savour, and now we accompany thy soul to heavení.?” During this ceremony they kneel, and it islan estab lished rule, that those of the highest ranks should be presenta a 991 sd of tisemid ba When the sacrifice is over, what remains of the food is distributed among the people, and thepiare at liberty, either to carry it home, or to eat itdinahe temple. These remains of the flesh are given to the children, in hopes that the virtue they are endowed with, will one day make them celebrated persaus; and the remains of the silk offered to: Confucius, are distributed among the girls to dress babies with, imagining, that while they preserve those precious relics, they will be preserved from every dangebo On the 14th of August every year, they have a solemn sacrifice, in commemoration of theirzancestors, and it is performed in a temple imahe following manner: The priest being seated on a carpet with two of his attendants, one on each side, the middle of the squares before the temple, the easter of the ceremonies orders the sacrifices to beginteThe people then fall down on their knees, and in stantly rise up again in the most decent mannenRound the walls of the temples are many inscriptions in memory of their ancestors, & and towards these the priests, followed by the peopley approach. with decent reverence, and perfume theamwithincense. Then the master of the ceremonies orders 1. When the priest has repeated this short prayer, the people fall down on their knees, but in a few minutes rise again. When the priest washes his hands and wipes them with a towel or napkin, one of the inferior priests supplies him with a bason, a towel, and a chalice full of wine, and then the master of the ceremonies chants aloud, "Let the priests go near the throne of Confucius. Upon that the sacrificing priest kneels down, and presents a piece of silk and a cup of wine to Confucius.The silk is then burnt in a fire pan, while all the people kneel down; and then the priest addresses himself to Confucius, in the following words: "Thy virtues sur-the bread and wine of blessing andarue happiness to pass those of all the saints that ever lived before thee; our oblations are but trifles, all we beg is, that thy spirit would vouchsafe to hear usi This part of the ceremony being over, the master of the sacrifice says, in a chanting tone," Let us drink the wine of blessing and true happiness," ordering at the same time, all the people to kneel down. After this, the officer attending puts into the hands of the priest a chalice full of wine, and the master of the ceremonies chants again," Drink the wine of true happiness," and the priest drinks it. Then the officer puts into the hands of the priest a be offered up: The priest them takes up: the chalke and pours out the wines Atake same time he delivers the following speech to the peoplece Let all those who have assisted athisishcrifice be assured of receiving some particular favours from theinancestors, inereturn forball thosed grateful coulation's which youll have in this upublic manner now made unto them. You shall beilpnouredo and respected. by all men, live to algoud oklagez and enjoy all the blessings this life can afford?After this, they set fire to the sacrifice,bielt consists of the flesh of different animals and then having saluted the the highways, and when they see a traveller come up, they fall pown and knock their heads against stones. Others put some particular drugs on their beads, and set fire to them to excite compassion; for the people, imagining them to be in great pain and torture, generally give them something. These, however, are no more than the tricks of artful impostors, who by studying chemistry, can easily delude the vulgar, by making them believe they are in real torment, when in truth they feel no pain at all. Father Le Compte tells us, that one day he accidentally met with a young bonze or monk, in the market place of a country town, whose air and de portment were gracefal, sweet, and modest. He stood upright within a sedan, thick set with long sharp-pointed nails, fixed as close by one another as could be, in such a manner that it was impossible for him to turn to the one side or the other without having his body pierced. Two fellows hired for the purpose, carried him from house to house, where he begged the people would have compassion on his miserable condition: "I am (said he) confined in this chair for the benefit and advantage of your precious souls, and I am determined never to stir out, till I have sold every nail you see in it, which are ten thousand in number, and all I demand for one is only tenpence, though each is worth its weight in gold." This induced some of the people to buy as many of them as they could afford; and within a few days afterwards he sold them all. There are in China another set of vagabonds, who, in many respects, resemble our stage mountebanks in Europe; and some of them are so artful that they will get upon the backs of tigers, tamed for the purpose, and ride from town to town, without being under the least apprehension from those ferocious animals, although they are neither bridled nor muzzled. These impostors have always along with them a large retinue of beggars and penitents, that bestow on each other a considerable number of lashes, to excite the compassion of the people.They have another sort of beggars, who under pretence of devotion, live in caves in the woods and the rocks, and are supported by the contributions of the celle, who, looking upon them as saints, consult from time to time in every thing of importance, they say is considered as coming from God |