CHAPTER XXII
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THE TAOIST SACRED BOOKS AND GODS.
The Tao-te-king still remains the monument of Lao-tsze’s extraordinary power and penetration; and it gives ample reason for assigning him a place indefinitely higher than the mass of his contemporaries.--ARCHDEACON CHARLES HARDWICK.
Lao-Tsze gave to Yin-He, when he left China on his last journey, the results of his long life of meditation in a little book of 5,000 characters. On this little book the immense volumes of the Taoist religion are built up. This is called the Tao-Te-King, or Book of the Way and of Virtue. This is a metaphysical treatise, and its meaning is very obscure. There is much of materialistic speculation, magic and divination in this book. The first chapter tells us that “that which is nameless is the beginning of Heaven and earth.” “_Taou_ produced one, the first great cause; one produced two, the male and female principles of nature; from the two came three, and the three produced all things that are in Heaven and earth.”
All things endure for a set time, and then perish. Together they came into being, and to each is allotted a certain period of growth and maturity; but when the highest point of vigor has been reached, it straightway becomes old and returns home to its root. “This is said to be a reversion to destiny.” Emptiness is the only thing which endures, and this is at the same time of the highest use. The space between Heaven and earth, for example, may be likened to a pair of bellows, which, though it is empty, never collapses, and which, the more it is exercised, the more it brings forth. So also with the wheel of a carriage, or an earthen vessel, or the windows and doors of a house. In each case it is the non-existing or empty part which is useful. The spokes and nave of the wheel, the walls of the earthen vessel, and the frames of the doors and windows are advantageous, but the use of each depends on the part which is empty. “So, then, existence may be said to correspond to gain, but non-existence to use.” When a thing is to be weakened, it must first be strengthened; when it is about to be brought low, it must first be raised up; and that which is to be taken away from it must first be given to it.
[Illustration: A CENSER, FROM A TAOIST TEMPLE.]
In the superiority of non-existence over existence lies the lesson which, above all others, Lao-tsze desired to impress on man. The great concern of all men in all ages has been to take care of the things of the body, and to neglect the cultivation of the inner man; to seek after the gratification of sense, and to forget the importance of the soul. And what is the result? The five colors, which so delight the eyes, not unfrequently produce blindness. The five sounds which so enchant the ear are often the cause of deafness. A man’s palate, which at first revels in the five tastes, soon loses all sense of flavor. The pursuit of pleasure or of ambition is equally deceptive. Riding and hunting will drive a man mad, and things hard to procure bring evil upon their possessors. “Therefore, the sage makes provision for the inner man, and not for his eyes. He puts aside the one, that he may take the other in hand.” He remembers that rest is the lord of motion, and never allows himself to depart from a state of quietude and gravity.
THE BOOK OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.
The Taoists have long been in the habit of printing by subscription, and circulating as a matter of religious duty, the collection of maxims known as the _Book of Rewards and Punishments_. Each maxim is followed by a gloss or commentary, and in almost every case elucidated by appropriate tales and anecdotes. The high repute in which this volume stands is further indicated by the circumstance that the authorship has in modern times been attributed to Lao-tsze himself, in his capacity of deified and venerable Prince or incarnation of Tao. “Every wise man,” writes a commentator, “ought to be full of respect for this book: he ought to believe sincerely all the maxims it delivers, and ought to practice them faithfully, regardless of all obstacles, and without suffering the zeal he had evinced at the commencement to diminish at the close of his career. He ought every morning to read it aloud, and to meditate on every phrase with serious attention. Let him redouble his efforts to perform good works, and his anxiety and ardor to correct past failings. Then will happiness spring up within himself to recompense his merits; and his end will be advancement to the rank of the immortals.” While the general tone of this production harmonizes with the older treatise, it bears frequent witness also to the presence of a more eclectic and accommodating spirit. So highly is this book esteemed as a guide and instructor that its distribution is considered to be a religious duty. Edition after edition appears from the local presses at the demand of the charitable subscribers, who give them to the poor.
SOME SELECTIONS FROM THE BOOK OF REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS.
“Advance along the right way, and retreat from the evil way.”
“Do not betray the secret of the household.”
“Be humane to animals.”
“Rectify yourself and convert men.”
“Have pity for orphans, and show compassion to widows.”
“Rejoice at the success of others, and sympathize with their reverses, even as though you were in their place.”
“Do not expose the faults of others.”
“Bestow favors without expecting recompense.”
“Give willingly.”
“A man who does these things is called virtuous. All men respect him. Providence protects him. Good fortune and office attend him. The demons flee from him. The godlike spirits guard him. He succeeds in all that he lays his hand to, and to him is given the hope of immortality.”
“He who wishes to become an immortal of Heaven must do a thousand and three hundred good works. He who wishes to become an immortal of earth must do three hundred good works.”
“He who inflicts an injury in broad daylight, will be punished by men; but he who inflicts an injury in secret will be punished by demons.”
“Don’t take advantage of the ignorance of men to deceive them with lying words.”
“Never divulge the faults of your parents.”
“Don’t rank faults as crimes.”
“Don’t shoot at birds, nor hunt animals.”
“Don’t drive insects from their holes, nor frighten roosting birds.”
“Don’t buy groundless praise.”
“Don’t kill and cook domestic animals except in accordance with the rites.”
“Don’t destroy or throw away the five kinds of grain.”
“When you see others covered with glory and honor, don’t desire to see them exiled from the country.”
“A handsome figure excites the admiration of the world, but it does not deceive Heaven.”
“Don’t laugh at the deformities of others.”
“Don’t bury the effigy of a man to inflict an incubus upon him.”
[This refers to the practice of burying a wooden figure of a man to charm away his life, much in the same way that lately, in Shanghai and elsewhere, men were accused of making paper men which suffocated people in their sleep.]
“Don’t deceive the innocent and set snares for them.”
“Live in harmony with your wife.”
“Wives, respect your husbands.”
“Wives, be not wanting in your duties toward your father and mother-in-law.”
“Don’t treat with contempt the souls of your ancestors.”
“Wells and hearths are presided over by certain spirits, and if you leap over them, not only do you insult the gods, but you show that you have forgotten the two things which are the foundation of the life of men.”
“A good man is virtuous in his words, looks and actions. If each day he practices these three virtues, at the end of three years Heaven will pour down blessings upon him. The wicked man is vicious in his words, looks and actions. If each day he practices these three vices, at the end of three years Heaven will send misfortune upon him.”
[Illustration: CEREMONIES IN A TAOIST TEMPLE.]
THE BOOK OF SECRET BLESSINGS.
This book contains a number of moral injunctions, and while it is a Taoist book there is no reference to Taoist doctrines in it. It consists of 540 words. Some of its leading maxims are given below.
“Redeem the lives of animals, and abstain from shedding blood. Be careful not to tread upon insects on the road, and set not fire to the forests, lest you should destroy life. Burn a candle in your window to give light to the traveler, and keep a boat to help voyagers across rivers. Do not spread your net on the mountains to catch birds, nor poison the fish and reptiles in the waters. Never destroy paper which is written upon, and enter into no league against your neighbor. Avoid contentions, and beware not to stir up ill blood. Use not your power to discredit the good, nor your riches to persecute the poor. Love the good, and flee from the face of a wicked man, lest you fall into evil. Hide your neighbor’s faults, and speak only of their good deeds, and let your mouth utter the true sentiments of your heart. Remove stones and débris from the roadway, repair the footpaths and build bridges. Publish abroad lessons for the improvement of mankind, and devote your wealth to the good of your fellow-men. In all your actions follow the principles of Heaven, and in all your words follow the purified heart of man. Have all the sages of antiquity before your eyes, and examine carefully your conscience. What good thing will be withheld from him who practices secret benefits?”
THE GODS OF THE TAOISTS.
Lao-tsze had nothing to say of gods and goddesses. When Buddhism came to China it taught Lao-tsze’s disciples to have gods. As the Buddhists had deified Lakya-muni, so the Taoists now deified Lao-tsze. As the Buddhists worshiped under the form of the “Three Precious Ones,” so the Taoists worshiped Lao-tsze as _San-Tsing_, or the “Three Pure Ones.” They had an image for each one of the three, and seated them side by side. The priests generally, and but rarely the common people, worship the San-Tsing. For the common people a god was introduced, called the “Pearly Emperor Supreme Ruler.” He is the chief Taoist god. He is called the producer of all things and governor of all. To him all the gods make their reports. In times of drought, the governors, the mandarins, go to his temple to burn incense and pray for rain. They carry idols with them and make thanksgiving offerings after the rain has come. The Taoist worships the mountains, valleys, streams, rivers and stars. The Great Bear is supposed to be the palace of the goddess Tow-Mu and the god Kwei-Sing. The God of Thunder is a common object of worship, and is represented as passing through many metamorphoses and filling all regions with his assumed forms. While he discourses on doctrine his foot rests on nine beautiful birds. Thirty-six generals wait on him for orders. A certain celebrated book of instruction is said to have emanated from him. His commands are swift as winds and fire. He overcomes demons by the power of his wisdom, and he is the father and teacher of all living beings. Among other like deities are “the Mother of Lightning,” “the Spirit of the Sea,” “the King of the Sea,” and “the Lord of the Tide.” The temples of the Dragon King are also favorite resorts of worshipers, who in all convulsions of nature recognize the agency of this potent and amphibious monster. Serpents are looked upon as manifestations of this deity, and in times of flood often receive worship at the hands of the educated and the uneducated alike. During the flood which overspread the country round Tient-sin, in the year 1874, a serpent sought shelter in a temple near the city, and ensconced himself beneath one of the altars. Far from desiring to get rid of the intruder, the priests welcomed it as a sacred guest of good omen, and Li-Hung-chang, the viceroy of the province, came in person to pay reverence to it as the personification _of the Dragon King_.
[Illustration: THE THREE PURE ONES.]
[Illustration: GOD OF THE KITCHEN.]
[Illustration: GOD OF THUNDER.]
[Illustration: CARRYING THE DRAGON.]
[Illustration: DRAGON BOAT-RACES, A CHINESE FESTIVAL.]
THE GOD OF LETTERS.
Apart from these more general deities are gods who preside over the different pursuits and callings of men. As the number of deities is unlimited, and as it is obviously to the interest of the priests to encourage worship of whatever kind at their temples, there has never been any difficulty in adding a god or two to the Pantheon. Thus students have chosen to appropriate to themselves a god, who is supposed to watch over the literary efforts of his votaries. _Wan-chang te-keun_, or the god of literature, is, according to legend, the disembodied spirit of Chang Chung, an official of the Chow Dynasty. Under subsequent dynasties, he appeared on earth in the persons of men renowned for their scholarship and virtue, and finally, under the Yuen Dynasty, he was deified under the title of “Supporter of the Yuen Dynasty, diffuser of renovating influences, Sze-luh of Wan-chang, God and Lord.” Such is the Chinese conception.
[Illustration: CHARM TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS FROM A BRIDE.]
[Illustration: GOD OF THIEVES.]
CHARMS.
Dr. Williams says, “the Chinese have an almost infinite variety of superstitious practices, the most of which are of a deprecatory rather than an intercessory character, growing out of their belief in demons and genii who trouble or help the people. It may be said that most of the religious acts of the Chinese, especially those performed in temples, are intended to avert misfortune rather than supplicate blessings. In order to ward off malignant influences, amulets are worn and charms hung up by persons of all rank. Among the latter are money-swords, made of coins of different monarchs strung together in the form of a dagger; and leaves of the sweet flag and Artemisia tied in a bundle, or a sprig of peach-blossoms; the first is placed near beds, the latter over the lintel, to drive away demons. Brass mirrors to cure mad people, are hung up by the rich in their halls, and figures or representations of the unicorn, of gourds, of tiger claws, etc., abound.”
[Illustration: SWORD CHARM.]
KWAN-TE, GOD OF WAR.
Soldiers worship Kwan-te, the God of War, who when on earth bore the name of Kwan-yu. In early life he carried on the trade of selling bean-curd, but having a soul above so mean a calling, and the times in which he lived being favorable to ambitious enterprise, he embarked on the career of a soldier of fortune, and won for himself both honor and renown. He lived to receive the title of Baron, but being entrapped through a crafty enemy, he was taken and beheaded. For many centuries his name remained embalmed only in history, but during the twelfth century he was made a god under the title of Chung-hun Kung, “the Patriotic and Clever Duke,” and a little later he was promoted to the rank of Prince. Thus gods are manufactured by pagan nations.
[Illustration: KWAN-TE, GOD OF WAR.]
TSAI-SHIN, THE GOD OF RICHES.
But probably no god is worshiped with greater fervor than is Tsai-shin, the God of Riches. Though the pursuit of riches and honor is discountenanced by all the leading Taoist writers, the natural desire for wealth has overcome all religious warnings and denunciations, and is as strong among the Taoists of China as among the most money-loving nation in the world. No god can boast more temples raised to his honor than Tsai-shin. Every trader who at the end of the year finds the balance of his accounts in his favor acknowledges the mercy shown him by making a votive offering to the dispenser of wealth, and he who fears a loss attempts to propitiate the god whom he believes able to help by sacrifices and gifts.
TAOIST SUPERSTITIONS.
[Illustration: TAOISTS CONSULTING THE ORACLES AT THE MAGICIANS.]
There is nothing distinctively Taoist in the worship of these gods except the gross superstition which accompanies it, and it is evidence of the present very degraded condition of Taoism that, whenever a popular deity has to be enthroned, Taoist priests are the servitors chosen to wait upon his shrine. Combined with the office of guardian, these back-sliding charlatans ply the trades of fortune-tellers, prophets and doctors. If a merchant wishes to know whether a venture will turn out profitably or the reverse, or if a mother wants to be assured whether her infant’s future is to lie among the blessings of office, wealth and long life, or to be accompanied by poverty and misfortune, they betake themselves to a Taoist priest, who, well versed in the tricks which ape superhuman knowledge, returns oracular responses, which satisfy, for the time being at least, the superstitious wants of the applicants. Nor is their medical advice based on any surer basis. Dr. Gray, in his recent work on China, gives the following description of an incident he witnessed at a temple in Canton: “Whilst I was visiting one of these temples, a father brought his son to the priests ... saying that the child was possessed of a devil. Having consulted the idol, the priests informed him that there were no fewer than five devils in the body of his son, but that they were prepared to expel them all on the payment of a certain sum. The father agreed. The child was then placed in front of the altar, and on the ground near his feet were placed five eggs, into which the priests adjured the devils to go. As soon as they were supposed to have entered the eggs, the chief of the priests covered them over with an earthenware vase, and at the same time sounded a loud blast upon a horn. When the vase was removed, the eggs, by a trick of legerdemain, were found no longer on the ground but in the vase. The priest then proceeded to uncover his arm, and made an incision with a lancet on the fleshy part. The blood which flowed from the wound was allowed to mingle with a small quantity of water in a cup. The seal of the temple, the impression of which was the name of the idol, was then dipped into the blood and stamped upon the wrists, neck, back and forehead of the poor heathen child, who was suffering from an attack of fever and ague.”
[Illustration: STONE PILLARS ERECTED BY THE CHINESE TO KEEP OFF EVIL SPIRITS.]
[Illustration: TALL WHITE DEVIL.]
[Illustration: SHORT BLACK DEVIL.]
The Chinese believe that when disease does not yield to medical treatment, the vitals of the sick and suffering one are being preyed upon by an evil spirit; the physician is cast aside, and the Taoist priests are called in, to exercise their exorcising powers. One can scarcely pass along the streets of a Chinese city, at night, without finding these priests at work. Just as in Japan, one may hear, every night, the beating of the tom-tom as some priest is _drumming_ the devil out of some poor wretch’s body.
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