■was a bodily infirmity, which the perfectibility o f the human
mind (fo happily commenced by the French fubverfion) would
completely eradicate 1 Let us not altogether condemn the ignorant,
perhaps defigning, priefts o f Tao-tfe, and the ftill more
ignorant multitude, when the ftrong and enlightened mind o f a
Defcartes could amufe itfelf with the fanciful hope o f being able
to difcover the fecret o f prolonging the life o f man far beyond
the ufual limits which feem to be afligned to the human fpecies.
Confident with the principle o f “ taking no thought for the
“ morrow,” the priefts o f Lao-kung devoted themfelves to a
ftate o f celibacy, as being more free from cares than the incumbrances
which neceflarily attend a family connexion; and the
better to accompliih this end, they affociated in convents.
Here they deal out to their votaries the decrees o f the oracle
agreeably to the rules prefcribed by Confucius; and they prac-
til'e alfo a number o f incantations, magic, invocations o f fpirits,
and other myftical rites that are probably as little underftood by
. themfelves as by the gazing multitude. In performing thefe
magic tricks they march in proceflion round the altar, on which
the facred flame is fuppofed to be kept perpetually burning,
being a compofition o f wax and tallow mixed up
with fandal wood lhavings and other perfumes; they chaunt
in unifon a kind o f recitative, and they bow their heads obfe-
quioufly every time they pafs before the front o f the altar.
The great Gong is ftruck at intervals, accompanied by tinkling
founds emitted b y gently ftriking fmall metal plates fufpended in
a frame as in the plate o f mufieal inftruments. Their temples are
crowded with large and monftrous figures, fome made o f
wood, fome o f ftone, and others o f baked clay daubed over
I ■ with
with paint and varnifli, and fometimes gilt. T o filch figures
however they do not feem to pay any kind o f homage. T he y
are intended merely to reprefent the good and evil genii under
the various pafiions to which human nature is liable. The
good genii, or pleafing affections, are placed on one fide o f the
temple, and their oppofites on the other. Thus the perfonifi-
cations o f mirth and melancholy, love and hatred, pleafure
and pain, are contrafted together. T he conditions o f men are
alfo reprefented, and their figures oppofed to one another. In
this light at leaft they appeared to us ; though the prieft at Tong-
tchoo informed us they were intended to pourtray the different
characters o f the monks that had belonged to the monaftery., In
fome temples alfo are met with the ftatues o f fuch Emperors or
minifters o f ftate as had fhewn themfelves favourable to any
particular convent. If, for inftance, a great man ihould occupy
the apartments o f a temple and at his departure leave a confi-
derable fum o f money, the priefts, out o f gratitude, would
place his . image in a niche o f the temple. In looking into one
o f thefe edifices a ftranger would be apt to conclude that they
were Polytheifts, which I do not underftand to be the cafe.
Like the faints o f the Catholics the,great Fo, o f whom I fhall
prefently fpeak, with Poo-fa, Shing-moo, and many others, are
confidered only in the light o f agents and interceflors, or as
emanations o f one creating, deftroying, and renovating power,
whofe good providence has divided itfelf into a number o f
attributes for the better government o f the univerfe
Next
• Th u s among the infcriptions written over the. doors o f .Temples, fome are dedicated
To the Holy Mother, Queen o f Heaven \ the Goddefs o f peace and power, defended from
the i f and o f Moui-tao, who f i l l s the waves o f ibefea, allays formsprotests the empire.
3 0 2 . A n o th e r '