l^i^Si^ii^l^CSIIilS INTO
CHINESE
SUPERSTITIONS
By Henry
Dop6, S.J/
\
TRANSLATED FROM THB FRENCH AVITH NOTBS, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY
By M.
Kennelly, S, J.
First Part SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES Profusely illustrated
Vol.
n
T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS
T2.
Shanghai
1915
V.2
/
TOiiSltiA.S^CS' INTO
CHINESE
SIPERSTITIONS
By Henpy Dop6,
S.J.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH
WITH NOTES, HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY
By M. Kennelly,
S.J.
First Part SUPERSTITIOUS PRACTICES Profusely illustrated
Vol.
II
T'USEWEI PRINTING PRESS Shang'hai
1915
^-r!!*^^
SEP £6 1262 V/
^
PREFACE. This second volume of deals with charms, spells,
all
Researches into Chinese Superstitions'",
and what may be
The "characi"
gious magic'\ in
^^
or
^'reli-
generall}^ styled
charm occupies a prominent part
primitive ethnic relig^ions, and especially in those that worship
and
spirits,
instil into their followers a
Chinese people, so far as we
In the earliest times, the
spectres.
constant fear of ghosts and
can glean from historical records,
believed
in
Shangti
Supreme Ruler, and worshipped beside him, though not on of equality, the genii presiding over
mountains and
host of spirits that peopled the air
(1).
These
the
^,
J;^
a footing
and the
rivers,
were consi-
spirits
The former were deemed
dered to be some good and others bad.
to
protect man, and the latter to inflict evil, molest and injure him. The malignant influence of the bad spirits had to be checked and restrained, and the device adopted for this purpose was the charm.
The charm expelling,
thus the
is
warding
of spectres
off
her people
which
is
writers trace
it
2697 years before the christian
^ the of
era.
than her
later
and who
spirits,
all
it
belief
is as old as
it
Others attribute
kinds
no doubt,
is,
^
back to Hwangti
legendary founder of the Chinese Empire,
is it
'^,
the
said lived to Lao-tze
the old or venerable philosopher, born B.C. 604, and founder
^,
of the
much
magic
almost equivalent to saying that
Some
(3).
commanding
— Exorcising
of the cliai-m.
very old in China, and probably born not in spectres,
of
and muzzling demons, ghosts and
(2).
Aiiliqiiily
means
principal
system of philosophy and mysticism known as Taoism. Under
Chow
j^ dynasty (B.C. 1122-249)
Heaven",
(1)
beings, p.
Wieger.
petty
rulers
and high
Textes Philosophiques.
it
for the
"Son
visiting
their
was customary
officials,
when
The Supreme Being,
p.
7.
— Super-human
1.5.
De Groot. The Religious System of China, Vol. VI. p. 10'2.5 (Spells and Charms). (2) "Spells and charms are the principal expedients for commanding the Shen fif for e.xpelling and killing the Kwei ^, and for exercising influence over Heaven and Earth". ,
(S)
p. 934.
De
Groot.
The Religious System
of China.
Vol. VI.
Antiquity of Exorcism,
— — II
states, to be preceded by exorcists
rods and reeds,
order to
in
and sorcerers armed with peach-
protect
them from
spectral evils
(1).
performed against pestilence in Evil spirits were then Spring, and again in early Autumn (2). belief prevails to-day supposed to cause diseases, and the same of Confucius time In the all classes. (B.C. 551-479), we among
were
ceremonies
Exorcising^
also
have documentary evidence that the expulsion of demons and exorIn the Analects (3), cising processions took place on a large scale. stated that
it is
'Wo" f|
great
the fellow citizens of the Sage celebrated the
when
on ceremonies, he put on his court robes and stood ceremony, when the villaDuring the ''Yang''
the Eastern steps.
j^
likewise stationed gers were driving away pestilential inlluences, he
himself on the Eastern steps
In these processions, verbal spells
(4).
were chanted and used against spectres with intimidating threats
and express commands
Under the Han system
^
Tao-ling
^
charms was
of
jf
^.
to
go aw^ay.
dynasty (B.C. 206— A. D. 221), a thorough evolved. These were principally due to Chang
the
first official
head of the Taoist church, and
%
^. grand "Heavenly master" T'ien-shi the At the age of seven, he is said to have mastered all writings of Lao-tze ^, and later on to have received from him a complete
styled by his followers
^
of
knowledge the
charms and
Having
spells.
retired to
the recesses of
"Dragon and Tiger mountain", Lung-hu->ihan f|
^
llj,
in
the
province of Kiang-si yX M» he composed there a book on charms, endowed with wonderful efficacy for expelling demons and curing all
His descendants have followed the same profession down
diseases.
to the present day.
of religious
(1)
{Li-Jci
or
magic
"111 front of
Book
of Kites.
Popular Taoism for expelling
is,
in fact,
and killing
evil
a complete spirits,
system ghosts and
him
the recorders".
the king, there were the Roi-cerers, and behind
Legge's translation. Sacred Books of the East. Vol.
XXVII. Bk.
^^
VII. Li-i/HH § 1. p. -.m). Li-ki or Book of Rites. (2) (3)
10 §
2. p.
Book IV.
Len-yil or Confucian Analects.
Yuch-liiig fl ^. Legge's translation, p. 266-288. Legge's translation. London, 1872. Bk. X. Ch.
ISO.
These ceremonies were conducted with great uproar. Every house was seai"ched demons and drive away pestilence. Confucius stood on the steps to assure his own household gods disquieted, it would seem, by the noise. (4)
to expel
— — Ill
and
spectres,
Heaven and Earth, whose
influence over
exercising^
reg^ular order, Tao j^, is destroyed by these maleficent spirits (1). Buddhists have also their own system of charms or '^Yoga'' (2), which has its "D/ia7^anz" (3) or formulas for removing "Mai^a" (4)
and ensuring good
They have borrowed much from
mankind.
to
Taoists, hence the Reader will frequently find in this Volume a Taoist and Buddist charm placed beside each other, and producing an identical effect.
he
Buddha's name
employed on these charms, and world'' and the universal expeller of
called the "light of the
is
demons. initial
They
and
hum'", oh
also
bear the
final syllables of
is
name
the jewel of creation in the Lotus
!
of
rVatiire of the charm,
charnis. — To
^
of Wei-t'o
the mystic formula
(5),
^'^
or the
mani padme
"07n.'
(6).
understand thoroughly the nature
necessary to set forth briefly the cosmic notions
it is
generally entertained by the Chinese.
The
old orthodox
belief held
all
Nature
all
people the world with countless spirits, divided into two classes
"S/ie?i
jji^
to be
animated.
and Zvuei
Taoists
Confucianists,
The
^".
"S/ie?i" are the intelligent,
part of the universe, spiritual energies, influences are beneficent, the protectors of
The "A'wei" belong
to
disposed, malignant, ever prone to violate
order
of the
universe.
They are evilthe law and disturb the
They
evil.
(1)
De
(2)
Incantations accompanied by mysterious
They
of happiness.
spirits.
They generally perform
leading part in the distribution of
etherial
and breaths.
man, and the authors
low standard of
a
and Buddhists,
visit
in
the world the
man
with disease,
Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. VI. Ch. XII. p. 1025.
hands and fingers
movements and
distortions of the
magic purposes (PJitel. Sanscrit-Chinese Dictionary, p. 175). Charms and mystic formulas possessing magic powers. They are mostly cou(3) ched in unintelligible jargon, the Chinese copies being generally mere transliterations of Tibetan sounds
.Sanscrit or (4)
for
The
(Eitel. p. 31).
personification of Evil.
men. In Indian mythology he an elephant
is
He assumes
different
forms to tempt and frighten arms and riding on
often represented with one hundred
(Eitel).
Transcription of Vedaf a tulelary god borrowed from India and Tibet, and who watches over all Buddhist temples. Tutelary gods are peculiarly clever at overcoming (5)
the noxious influence of (6)
That
is
demons (Hackmann. Buddhism
the Lotus- flower
from eternal cosmic matter (Beal.
A
is
as a Religion, p. 213).
the symbol of the evolution of Buddhist worlds
Catena
.of
Buddhist scriptures from the Chinese, p. 11).
— IV — cause plagues and epidemics, produce poisonous breaths and influenthe vicissitudes of the ces, working at times in connection with of children
They even snatch away the souls
seasons.
and grown
up persons, which, however, may be restored through animistic magic.
The evil
good and protectors of man, and the ''KweV the Chinaman employs the former as allies
"S/ie7i" being
and malignant,
Charms are the and instruments in his struggle with the latter. These set to work divine powers, call ingenious device adopted. down
the "S/ien" to receive sacrifice
them, interest
command,
them
and bestow
and happiness
in the welfare
felicity, propitiate
man; they
of
also
expel and counteract the evil influences of demons, ghosts
Hence De Groot
and spectres.
describes
(1)
charms
as
"mandates,
orders, injunctions issued under seal, and painted or written with a
They are the principal means of commanding They help to catch, fetter, spectres, expelling and killing "A'wei". imprison, torture, drown, behead, kill, burn and roast all kinds of cinnabar pencil.
By burning written charms, spirits are caught, The Chinese world of spirits is largely imprisoned and tortured". modelled after man's own image. They appear in human shape,
spectres and ghosts.
have
human
passions,
may
weapons, and strange to say,
^"
dies,
terrifies
it
all
becomes a spectres
in tiiue of pestilence.
be
may
"T.sf/i
when they
caught, w^arded
pursued,
When
even be killed.
'^",
something
off
a
horrible
so
wdth
"/vwei that
it
see this character posted over a door
The charm
is
therefore a
device
of religious
magic, an instrument for reducing spectres to submission, disarming
them, counteracting their injuring
man
evil influence,
in his present
and future
and preventing them from life.
—
The system holds boundvariety of cliai'ins. less sway over all minds in China, from the man in the street to the Confucian scholar and the ruler on the throne. This explains how Powci*
iiiid
they are used on a large scale and sold in vast numbers.
wear them as amulets on their persons,
(1)
tres).
The Eeligious System
they are
of China. Vol. VI. Cli. 12, p. 1014
Thousands
posted up over
(The
War
against spec-
doors, placed under
the eaves of houses,
attached to
worn
button-hole.
They
also
are
bed-curtains,
and suspended from the
in the hair, or put into a red satchel
and the ashes mingled with a specific against bad
burnt,
wine, tea or hot water, are administered as intluences, diseases
and attacks from
The Chinese ascribe
evil spirits (1).
them an enormous power.
to
Thus, they
down gods (2) to receive sacrifice and bestow felicity they promote happines here and hereafter; they procure a blissful old age. Thev confer benefits on man, a bountiful harvest, fair weather, call
;
sunshine and rain protect buildings
;
they end snowfalls, droughts and famine.
and houses from
kinds of spirits, demons and spectres
and to,
They cure almost
pestilence.
influences.
evil ;
They expel
all
they preserve from epidemics
diseases
all
They
which the
flesh is heir
stomach-aches, headaches, dyspepsy, gastritis, diarrhoea, stitches
in the side, sore eyes.
They
dispel sadness
and anxiety
in sickness.
They bring back departed souls, or if impossible, improve at least Stellar charms enjoy a their condition in the "world of shades". harreputation for conducing to a happy marriage, and promoting
mony between husband and All these marvellous
wife.
are briefly set forth
efl"ects
How
by the Author in the present volume.
specimens
indeed
is
marvel in
a
itself.
and
illustrated
he secured such excellent
Some he obtained from
and Buddhist priests Others have been he accosted when visiting their temples.
friends and acquaintances, from Taoist
pagan
whom
purchased in visiting shops dealing in superstitious objects. the collection thus obtained
a
selection
was necessary, and
Among it
has
been wisely made.
This second volume
the Reader a novel and added insight
aff'ords
into the psychology of the Chinese soul.
mind
peoples
the world with
spirits,
It
shows how the popular The spectres.
demons and
struggle with this spectral world constitutes chiefly the religion of
(1)
30S.
Doolittle.
Social Life of the Ctiinese. Vol.11. Ch.
— Dennys. The FolkLore (2)
Heaven, the host
of China,
Tao-ling,
13.
Charms and omens,
p.
45 (Charms, spells, amulets).
of spirits, deified empei-ors, sages, culture heroes, the spirit
presiding over the North Pole, the
Chang
j).
Buddha, Veda
etc.
Commanders
of the Celestial
Army
(Taoist), Lao-tze,
The charm has been adopted as a device to rally the the assistance of man, and help him to overcome the powers
the masses.
gods to of evil.
interest
Such a worship has fostered among the people a spirit of and fear, much more than one of genuine respect and
honour, as any one can see for himself when visiting a Chinese cityIt
temple.
much
to
has also led to the grossest poh'theism, and contributed
the neglect of Shang-ti J;^
^,
the vague and faint notion
which the pi"imitive Chinese entertained of the Godhead.
M. Kennelly, Sicawei College, Shanghai
Seplemher
8,
1915.
S. J.
— VII — LIST OF FOREIGN
WORKS
CONSULTED FOR THIS SECOND VOLUME.
Rudiments du Parlcr Chinois.
L. Wieger, S. J.
Textes Historiques.
Id.
Folk-Lore Chinois Moderne.
Id.
Synchronismes The Folk-Lore of China.
M. Chang, S. J. N. B. Dennys.
Chinese Folk-Lore.
J
Cliinois.
.
W^
GoxK^an.
Vegetarian Sects.
G. Miles.
China and Religion.
E. H. Parker.
Studies in Chinese Religion.
Id.
Chinese Buddhism.
./.
Buddhism
S. Beal.
A
in China.
Edkins.
Catena of Buddhist Scriptures from the Chinese.
Id.
Four Lectures on Buddhist Literature in China.
Hand-Book
of Chinese
Buddhism:
Its Historical
Buddhism.
Id.
E.
and Popular Aspects,
J. Eitel.
in
Three Lectures.
Id.
Buddhism.
Buddhism
Monier Williams.
H. Hackmann.^
as a Religion.
Calendar of the Gods in China.
Timothy Richard.
Social Life of the Chinese.
J. Doolittle.
Chinese Repository (Canton.
XX
Vol.)
The Chinese Recorder (Shanghai). The Religious System of China (VI. The Li Ki or Book
J. de Groot.
Vol.)
of Rites.
J.
The Shi King or Book of Poetry. Memoires concernant les Chinois (XVI
Legge. Id.
Vol.). Jesuit
Missionaries
in
Peking. Lettres
Edifiantes
et
Curieuses
(Yo\.
IX-XIII
on China).
Jesuit
Missionaries in China. Lettres de Jersey (1880-1914).
Annales du Musee Guimet
Shanghai Jesuit Mission.
(Vol. XI-Xll. 1886). De Groot Revue de I'Extreme-Orient (H. Cordier).
et
Chavannes.
— VIII — Bulletin de la Societe Beige d'Etudes Coloniales.
W.
Chinese Reader's Manual.
Notes on Chinese Literature (New Edition). of the Syllabic Dictionary
Chinese Language.
F. Mayers.
A. Wylie.
Williams. H. A. Giles.
Chinese-English Dictionary.
Id.
Chinese Biographical Dictionary.
De Natura Deorum (On the Nature
of
the Gods. Book
II).
Ovid.
Metamorphoses.
La
Fustel de Coulanges.
Cite Antique.
The Religions
of the
Cicero.
Ancient World.
G. Rawlinson.
Fred. Bouvier, S.
Magie et Magisme (Bruxelles, 1913). La Religion des Primitifs (Paris, 1909).
Le Roy.
The Golden Bough.
J.
2 Vol.
London, 1914.
G. Frazer.
Magic and Religion (London, 1901).
.4.
From
A. R. Marett.
De
Spell to Prayer (London, 1904).
Civitate Dei (Book XIX).
Si
Chinese Philosophy and Magic (London, l9ll).
//.
Classical Dictionary.
J.
Lang.
Augusline. Chatley.
Lempriere.
Smaller Classical Dictionary of Biography and
Mythology.
W.
Smith.
J.
CONTENTS.
— VOLUME
FIRST PART
CHAPTER
II.
VI.
Foreword. Page.
Healing charms, lucky charms, petition-charms Article
I.
Charms
iu general.
Origin, nature, use and division Exorcising* charms:
Article II.
Charm burnt during
158
priests,
Pi-sieh.
commanding
— Charm
maleficent
all
employed by
demons
Charms protecting from
Bearing the
five
Article IV.
to
depart
162—163
without delay Article III.
— 161
the ceremony of "thanking the gods for
the deliverance of souls out of Hades". Taoist
157
etc
five different colours,
directions of the
fire.
they are suspended towards
164
compass
Therapeutic charms.
The disease
is
transferred to a paper puppet or substitute,
and when the charm
is
burnt, the disease has vanished
165
Soul-restoring charm The 12 wonderful therapeutic charms
166
Charm Charm Charm
168
167
preserving from an epidemic similar to the preceding one
warding off contagious diseases Charm curing from cough for
Charm Charm Charm
for relieving excessive
Charm
for curing persistent
for
169 170
(Taoist)
171
172
stopping vomiting
for expelling
throbbing of the heart
typhoid fever
stomach-aches
...
173 174 175
Page. '^'^^
Charm curing from dropsy Charm
for curing: all
and
Charm
headaches,
kinds of heart trouble,
'^'^'^
••
inveterate dyspepsy
'178
similar to the preceding one
Specific relieving
179
from cough
ISO
Charm for healing sore eyes Charm curing from asthma Charm for relieving mucous
'^^'^
and
expectoration,
difficult ^'^-^
breathing
Charm
for relieving
Charm
for
weakens stopping persistent perspiration, which
the sufferer
Charm curing from Another charm
Charm
for
183
inflammation of the lungs and chest
'^^^
...
'185
fever
186
for allaying fever-heat
on dispelling sadness and anxiety which prey ^°'
sick persons
'188
Another fear-dispelling charm Anti-delirium charm
1°"
••
Charm for assuaging abdominal pains Charm curing from diarrhoea Charm for hastening delivery (Buddhist)
190
Another anti-delirivim charm
'193
Charm Charm Charm Charm
Charm Charm Charm
191
192
for
'195
curing sore eyes
protecting from malevolent ghosts curing from an extraordinary, or unknown disease
196
for stopping bleeding of the nose
198
for healing breast-sores in suckling for protecting
women
women
Taoist nostrum curing
all
all
199 200 201
...
202
...
gastritis
.
.
.
203 204
Another soul-restoring charm Buddhist nostrum curing
197
in confinement
Charm assuring a happy delivery Charm for curing stitches in the side Charm for curing aching of the stomach and
Charm
194
for reducing swelling of the limbs or body
kinds of disease
diseases
preserving from the effects of sunstroke
205
206 207
— XI — Page.
Chann Charm Article V.
for
curing diseases
for
curing porcine diseases
among
208
cattle
209
Chaniis bringing- felicity.
Five, specially delivering
Charm
for
from Hades
210
(Taoist)
211
obtaining a bountiful harvest
Buddhist charm
for
212
ending drought
Charm of universal efficacy (Taoist) Charm bestowing heavenly consolation Charm assuring protection to a new building
214
Charm expressing
216
213
215
a desire for gold
Another charm expressing a wish
217
for riches
218
Cipher representing the three blessings for obtaining
Prayer-charm
for obtaining protection at sea
Charm bestowing peace and
219
an increase of fortune
Prayer-charm
220 221
felicit}^
222
Artistic cipher representing the character "Longevity"...
The "Pah-kwa", or Eight diagrams
223
Charm known as that of the "Five Poisons" Famous charm purchased at Kiu-hwa-shan
224
Article VI.
How
Stellar
225
226
charms
the Author secured
all
these marvellous charms
...
227
_XII — LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Diagrams and charm
**Chai*acts".
161
of marvellous efficacity
66.
Exorcising^
67.
Exorcising charm burnt
during^ the ceremony
known
as
"Ta-tsiao", or rescuing souls from Hades 68. 69.
162
163 Exorcising charm employed by Taoists The character "Shui'' (water) traced with lime-water on 164
charred buildings 70.
71. 72. 73. 74. 75.
Green charm suspended towards the East Red charm suspended towards the South
,,
,,
Yellow charm suspended towards the West Blue charm suspended towards the North
charm suspended in the Centre Paper-puppet charm substituted for a
,,
,,
Violet
76.
Magic courser
77.
Charm
78.
Charmfor curing
79.
Charm
80.
Charm
81.
Charm
82.
Charm
83.
Charm
84.
Charm
85.
Charm
for
for
,,
165
living person
bringing back the soul
166
"Tze" year of the
curing a person born in the
Rat
167 a person born in the
"Ch'eu" year of the Ox the "Yin" year of the
for
curing a person born in
for
curing a person born in the
for
curing a person born
Tiger
,,
"Mao"
year of the
Hare
,,
in
the "Ch'en" year of
the Dragon
,,
for curing a person
born in the "Sze" year of the
Serpent
,,
for
curing a person born in the
"Wu"
for
curing a person born in the
"Wei"
year of the
Horse
;
year of the
Sheep for curing a
person born in the
"Shen" year
of
the
86.
Monkey Charm for curing Cock
,,
a person born in the
"Yiu" year
of the
— XIII — Page.
87.
Charm
88.
Charm
89.
Charm preserving from an epidemic, 1907 Another charm for warding off epidemics
for
curing a person born in the "Hstih" year of
167
the Dog-
90.
curing a person born in the" Hai"year of the Hog-
for
charm
Taoist
97.
Charm curing from cough Charm for stopping vomiting Charm for relieving excessive throbbing of Charm for expelling typhoid fever Charm for curing persistent stomach-aches Charm curing from dropsy
98.
Charm
93. 94. 95. 96.
for
curing
warding
all
off
169 170
contagious diseases
91. 92.
171
172 the heart
...
Charm
174
176
kinds of heart trouble, headaches and
177
179
from cough
Specific relieving
101.
Charm for healing sore eyes Charm curing from asthma Charm for relieving mucous expectoration
103.
178
similar to the preceding one
100.
102.
173
175
dyspepsy 99.
,,
168
180 181 (chronic
among 182
the Chinese)
104.
Charm
for relieving
105.
Charm
for stopping persistent perspiration
106.
Charm curing from
107.
Another charm
108.
Charm
109.
Another moral tonic similar
110.
Anti-delirium charm
111. 112.
Charm for assuaging abdominal pains Charm curing from diarrhoea
191
113.
Buddhist charm
192
114.
Another anti-delirium charm
115.
Charm
116.
Bviddhist
117.
Charm protecting from malevolent ghosts Charm curing from an extraordinary or unknown
inflammation of the lungs and chest 183
185
for allaying fever-heat
for dispelling
...
186
sadness and anxiety which prey on
187
the sick
118.
184
fever
for
for
to the preceding one
...
hastening delivery
reducing swelling of the limbs or body
charm
for curing sore eyes
188
189 190
..193 194 195
196 disease 197
— XIV — Page.
198
from the nose
119.
Charm
for stopping bleeding
120.
Charm
for healing breast-sores in suckling
121.
Charm
for protecting
122.
Buddhist charm assuring a happy delivery
201
123.
Charm
202
124.
Charm curing aching
125.
for
women
women
199
w'hen nearing confinement.
curing stitches in the side
Another soul-restoring
of the
stomach and
203
gastritis
204
charm
205
kinds of disease
126.
Buddhist nostrum curing
all
127.
Taoist nostrum curing
diseases
128.
Charm
all
206
known
preserving from the disease
as
"Pi-lung
207
sha"
208
129.
Paper-substitute for the ox
130.
Paper-substitute for the hog
130'''^ Substitute for the
131.
The
5
felicitous
charm
Violet
209
hog and the god charms of the
of the
"Five
134. 135.
Yellow charm suspended in the Centre
136.
Charm
137.
Buddhist charm for ending drought
138.
Charm
139.
Charm bestowing heavenly Charm assuring protection
133.
140.
141.
swineherd directions'
suspended towards the East
Red charm suspended towards the South Green charm suspended towards the West Blue charm suspended towards the North
132.
...
...
.
212
of universal efficacy
213
,
214
consolation to a
new building
215
enjoy) ten thousand ounces of gold
142.
(May Another charm expressing a wish
143.
Cipher
representing
the
three
216
for riches
blessings:
...
...
217
Happiness,
218
emolument, longevity an increase
144.
Prayer-charm
for obtaining
145.
Prayer-charm
for
146.
Charm
147
Artistic cipher, repi-esenting the character
148.
The "Pah-kwa",or Eight Diagrams. The "Yin and Yang
of fortune...
obtaining protection at sea
conferring peace and felicity
219 220 221
"Show", Lon-
gevity
principles in the centre
210
211
for obtaining a bountiful harvest
I
200
222
223
— XV — Page.
149.
Chartn known as the "Five Poisons"
224
150.
225
150'^'*.
Luck- bearing charm purchased at Kiu-hwa-shan Stellar charm conducing to a happy hymen
151.
Stellar
and Elemental Gods assuring a happy marriage...
226 ,,
CHAPTER
VI.
FOREWORD. Healing- eliai>nis, lucky
charms, pelitioii-charms
Fu-luh
We charms,
collect into this
liM^a-fu
scripts, devised
Tao-shi
^
J
^,
etc.
^ H.
chapter under a general heading, written petition-charms... and all kinds of magic
by Buddhist monks,, and especially by Taoist priests, the
purpose of curing diseases,
preventing or
checking epidemics, expelling demons, counteracting
evil influences,
J^,
for
and obtaining the protection of the Gods in all human ills. As the misfortunes which befall men here below are countless, one may imagine the various devices, which these cunning folks, ever on the look out for gain, constantly invent. The drawing one of the chief pursuits of Taoist priests, Tao-shi
up
of
charms
is
^
J^ (1). They always some ready for every imaginable case, disease and condition, to which poor suffering mortals may be exposed. have
Taoism has a complete system of religious magic for expelling and killing "Kwei" gbosts and spectres), and exercising influence over Heaven and Earth, whose regular order "Tao" ^, is destroyed by these maleficent spirits. The making and use of charms and spells are inseparable from Taoist ritualism. Its so-called priests are not only wizards and magicians, but also quack-doctors, who compete strenuously with (1)
y^
(evil spirits,
the profession in China. (Spells
De
Groot.
The
Religious System of China.
Vol. VI.
p.
and Charms).
21
102.J
— 158 — ARTICLE
CHARMS
I.
GEAERAL.
IIV
Origin, nature, use and division.
the
d3'nasty,
'^, of the Eastern
jlp
^
Tung-Han
first official
Emperor Shun-ti
of the
During the reign
Han
j^ (1), Chang Tao-ling 51 ?^ 1^ (2), head of the Taoist magical church, and grand "Hea-
^
venly Master", T'ien-shi
mountain fastness
of
the
of
gjjj,
^
Lung-hu-shan f1
efficacy
for
(the
iJj
^
mountain), in the province of Kiang-si
endowed with wonderful
composed in the dragon and tiger
fraternity,
^,
expelling
book on charms,
a
demons, curing all Those who invited
and deceiving simple-minded folks. him had to give him five bushels of rice, hence his nickname of diseases,
"rice-grabber" Mi-tseli
^
^
M.
follow the
Master", T'ien-shi
Annals Revised",
^ ^
life
of
its
Chang Tao-ling
as
(3),
may
tsih-lan
Kang-muh
account of the trade and the
The descendants
^.
tJ^
of
same profession, and bear the
|^
emoluments
^^
read
be
is
Chang Tao-ling
title of
the
in
^ ^
@
"Heavenly "General
A
(4).
full
given in the H'"' Book of
^
At the present day, charms bestowed by the "Heavenly Master", These be obtained at all Taoist monasteries. gjjj, may
T'ien-shi
^
A. D. 34-1.5C.
(2)
25,
hence this part
Said to be born at T'ieu-mnh-shan
age of seven, he mastei-ed
all
^
His Court was at Loh-yang
Shuu-ti reigned A. D. 126-145.
(1)
having been removed thither since A. D. the "Eastern Han".
the writings of Lao-tze.
^
of the
@
|^, in
dynasty
UJ, in
is
Honan,
known
At the
Chekiang.
Refusing Imperial
as
offers to
go to
the Court, he retired to the mountains of Szechw'an, and subsequently to those of Kiangsi,
where he devoted himself
to the study of mysticism and alchemy, and received from Laoknowledge of charms and spells. He finally succeeded in discovering the elixir of life, and having swallowed a pill, ascended as an Immortal to the skies, being then aged 123
tze
years.
He
is
the head of the Taoist Church and his
Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual, (3)
The
ling into the
m^m
is
inscribed on
all
charms.
succession
body
of
is perpetuated by the transmigration of the soul of Chang Taosome youthful menaber of the family, whose heirship is supernatu-
rally revealed as soon as the miracle is effected. (4)
name
p. 10.
See "General Annals Revised",
7tii^
Mayers. Ibid.
Kang-muh
mm m m. y^m m '^ ^. m
ii^
^
@ ^. m- a^mm^Si.
tsih-lan IM
^^
'/I
® || J^
^^m^.
|lj,
in^
— 159 — magic writings are suspended in the principal apartment house, and are reputed efficacious
The
ence.
petitioners
for
down
kneel
off
warding
every
the
of
evil
influ-
respectfully and burn incense
before them.
Buddhist monks deal also in magic charms. These are written on white, yellow, or red paper, and bear in vermilion ink the picture of the called is
God Wei-t'o, :$
#^
|5'6
M W ^
Fan-i-ming-i
According
("0-
^
Wei-t'o
M^
|5't
work
to the
and
a charm,
is
advertised as such. it
They pretend
has the power to ward
employed in stamping
seal
coloured.
made
^
^
them
In
in
(2),
reference to
this
after the scrolls
the following terms:
them
charms are
of their
They
are
^^§^
like
worms
;
we have
or snakes
as
tp ^^ f^,
^^[5
"their cinnabar scrawling
;
the quaint
is,
like the footprints left
passage of a flock of ducks)
squirming
God
work known
the
practice,
resembles the footprints of w'andering ducks (that
meanderings
multi-
or of the
are printed on these charms.
jji^,
Man-yun kiang-hsiang tsieh-wuh-shi
describes
^
:ic
is
money, hence called "the golden revenue derived
paid for in rice or
from charms".
and
of peach-wood,
Images of Kiang T'ai-kung
of Riches, Tsai-shen
Wu
it is
The
off all evil influence.
on the dust
likewise their magic
whether people understand
and thanks
or not. they require five bushels of rice,
to
these
(1) Transcription of Veda, a tutelary God borrowed frona India and Tibet. He is General, under the Four Great Kings or Devas, who watch over every Buddhist temple. His image is found in the Entrance Hal!, behind Maitreya, the future Buddha. He is the
God Protector of Buddhism, and is represented as a warlike, fierce figure, with sword in hand, which sometimes rests crosswise above the arms folded in prayer. Tutelary Gods are peculiarly clever at overcoming the noxious influence of demons. Hackmann. Buddhism
as a Religion, p. 213
(2)
(beginning of the of the
is here,
215.
Chow dynasty V
unseen world.
spirits".
&
Chief Councillor to AVen
Wang and He
Even Sze-ma
is
his son in the llth
Ts'ien speaks of
Hence the phrase, "Kia7ig T'ai-kung often seen written
Dictionary, p. 135.
and
12*'>
century B. C.
said to have exercised authoritj- over the spirits
him
tsai-tz^e"
upon doors to frighten
away
H
as
>k
having "marshalled the
^^
evil spirits.
ifc,
Kiang T'ai-kung
Giles.
Biographical
— cunning^ devices, they can eat
—
160
a hearty meal"
many
(1).
These documents show that the origin of charms may be traced back to the times of Chung Tao-ling 51 1^ (2), ^vho used them
M
as a
means
The Taoist priesthood has ever followed them to-day to earn a livelihood.
for extorting rice.
in his footsteps,
and trade
in
Buddhist monks, ever eager for gain, seeing that the business Preparing their ink-slabs
brought in money, imitated the Taoists.
as pencils, they began to draw up their own charms, or characters intricate them and tracings caprice prompted fancy with the purpose of less or more entwined, ingeniously (letters)
and cinnibar
;
They then hawked them through towns and hamlets, distributing them to every one exhibiting the supposed efficacy of their wares.
they met, proclaiming aloud their efficacy for warding of evil
The Chinese people, credulous in seriously, and without further consi-
deration accepted their scripts and suspended
Buddhist and Taoist
argument
when they
issue
do not dare resist
representative of the reference
priests,
Tao-shi
them
^
to
The
people, seeing that
as
they
government.
charms.
from such or such
a
They
are
divinity
;
know
it
it
Ts'ing-kia luh
an
local officials
^ S tl. ^
il&
bears the
comes from
The same thing takes given
out as
A ^.
J^ 5l
[^^ ^JT
iS
(3).
^ M t*.
official
lawful
a
place with
emanating
malignant demons and
tremble at the very sight of these divine mandates (1)
as
forth
set
which
proclamation, forbidding something or
a
it,
homes.
in their
i,
in favour of their charms, the example
expounding a point of law. seal,
kinds
influence and misfortune.
the extreme, took these offers
follow,
all
off
officially
evil
genii
Moreover, *fi Ifi
^ ^t- ^
m &.5(,ii m^^mwmn.mmmi^'j^ it m. s- # #• muim^.mt.n
^ dynasty
Charms existed as far back as the Han (2) were thoroughly in vogue in the fourth century Religious System of China. Vol. VI. p. 1035.
^.
(B.C. 20 to A. D. 221), and De Groot. The
of the christian era.
Charms are orders, mandates, injunctions, issued under seal, and (3) painted or written with a cinnabar pencil. They are the principal means of commanding spirits, expelling and killing •'Ktvei" pg. They help to catch, fetter, imprison, torture, drown, behead, kill, burn and roast, all kinds of spectres and ghosts. They call down Gods to receive sacrifices, and bestow De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. felicity. VI. p. 1044 (the war against spectres).
Fig.
66
Exorcising charm of marvellous efficacy.
— 161 — who have
they become powerless over families, tection of these
charms,
of the
we
into further details,
pro-
peach-tree, wherewith all
specific for
warding
whole family
off all evil.
may
Beneath
annexed
in the
power, and an
infallible
all-powerful efficacy, the
its
protected from every possible misfortune. The charm
is
hung up over the entrance
house, or
herewith a speci-
give
The charm represented
of one of these scripts.
illustration is of unrivalled anti-demoniacal
is
recourse to the
to flight.
Without going
men
root
has the undisputed efficacy of putting
these seals are made,
demons
the
for
the
to
apartment
principal
of
the
also be placed inside the door-way.
These protective charms are suspended in houses, placed over door- ways, attached to trees (1), and are even sometimes worn on the person, as amulets.
Foreigners their
purpose,
walls, or found
doors
probably noticed, without understanding
may have the
huge tridents drawn with lime-water on
on each side of the
and windows
of
private
city
who might
malignant demons,
near peoples' homes.
or even
city
beside the
These white tridents are
houses.
charms endowed with magic power, and all
gates,
efficacious for driving
venture into the
city,
or
away come
Such charms can even everride Nature's laws,
when during prolongued drought, or a cruel epidemic, officials have them traced on walls, thus frustrating all evil influences, and as
restoring tranquillity and happiness
Charms may be divided purpose
for
various
of
Drawings are always in the paper, upon which they are written.
In Chinese philosophy, trees and shrubs possess souls as
mals. Sheji
jjj^
force); iTit'et
according to the
kinds,
which they are employed.
harmony with the colour
(1)
into
the people they govern.
among
trees cure
^ trees
men
inflict evil.
of
much
mental and bodily infirmities
Demons house
in
some
trees
as
men and
(fortifying their
anivital
and emerge frequently;
they are subdued by charms. To this day, the belief in tree-spirits dangerous to strong in China. De Groot. The Religious System of China. Vol. V. p. 663.
man
is
— 162 — ARTICLE
II.
EXORCISIIVG CHARMS. Pi-sieh jg
These are
whom
they put
reputed
all-powerful
to flight.
Annexed
^^ against
are
ghosts
two specimens
and demons, thereof.
Exo7^cising charm.
Buddhist and Taoist
priests,
Tao-shi
^
^,
burn these charms
and the petition written on them, during the ceremony known as Ta-tsiao
Hades
;j=]"
(I),
^^, thanking the
and
also
P'ing-ngan-hsiang cific for
for
the deliverance of souls in
during the ceremony called "Begging for Peace",
^
-^
expelling from
and injure mortals.
Gods
^
It is
(2).
houses
The name
all
deemed an all-powerful
maleficent
of the person for
ceremony has been performed, as well as the date taken place, are written on the space
(1)
(2)
left
spe-
demons, who molest
whose at
benefit the
which
it
has
blank for that purpose.
See this ceremony described above. Vol. I. p. 151. Taoist priests perform this ceremony for the purpose of begging peace and felicity
upon a certain locality or family. It sometimes takes place during a pilgrimage to a famous shrine, as for instance to Kiu-hwa-shan |§ llj, in the Province of Nganhwei, where Ti-ts'ang Wang, the Ruler of Hades, is venerated.
^
S CO
o Ol
o '5
o S
g O
ll
O CO
3
*-
V -t->
o >-<
I
a
IS
g CO
u O
H
M^)^ >a
^
WW
b O
^:^ s" ;q
o 5 ==
crq fD
a
—
3
o '^
c^
^ ^
:.
':-
a'
i
*
;.
03
a^
? •
00
— 163 —
The annexed charm
^.
It is
deemed
to
^
their venerable founder, and
depart without delay. ruler at the time
it is
^
employed by Taoist priests, Tao-shi be an order emanating from Lao-tze •^, is
It
commanding
all
maleficent
demons
to
bears the date of the reigning emperor or
burnt.
I
— 164 — ARTICLE
III.
CHARMS PROTECTING FROM
FIRE.
These charms are employed by Taoist priests,
who
use them for the purpose of informing
God
of Fire (1), that
^
Tao-shi
"Yen-li"
j^
^,
J^;,
the
such a family has suffered from a conflagra-
The person whose house has been burnt must not enter the
tion.
house of others during the three days subsequent to the fire. It is only when the Taoist priests, Tao-shi j^ -J^, have completed the expiatory on
ceremony,
scene of the
the
that the
disaster,
poor sufferers
ma}' resume their usual relations with their neighbours. The
suspend the towards the
following charms,
five five
red towards the
When
priests
colours,
Green towards the East,
^
:
:^
Each sheet bears one
metal, wood, water, ylf^
^
and earth. Kin, muh,
to
pray on the scene of
±.
they frequently write on
character "water", Shui
y^.,
names
of the
fi.re
Buddhist priests are summoned
the disaster,
different
South, yellow towards the West, blue towards the
Elements
shui, hwo, t'u
bearing
directions of the compass.
North, and violet in the Centre. of the Five
five
it
enclosing
walls are generally blackened by the
the
buildings the
charred
within a
circle.
As the
smoke and flames, they employ
lime-water to trace these circles, and write out the characters.
Also styled the "Fiery Ruler of the Southern Regions".
(1)
and
feared.
propitiate
him and beg
gration, he is officiate.
is
his aid in preventing tires.
thanked either
is
Vol.
p. 2G0.
performed
When
He
is
much reverenced month to
in the fourth
a building escapes in a confla-
temple or near the place destroyed. are offered to him. The candles, however,
in his
Food, wine and tea, inauspicious, but white, yellow or green.
as this I.
In South China, an annual ceremony
'VWWWV
Taoist priests
may
not be red,
Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese.
The character "Shui" (wafer) traced with lime-water on charred buildings.
I
t^^^^^'l^Hi^^
til
CO
-^
5 2 o
o be
vH
'\>^
4^ -^
5j?
^ ^4 H'^^?
OS
C3
tfiL
^^^^1^7 m
^4
^^^
<^
CO
I
05
!^ 00
Vi(
^-^^
-fes^
^
4^ tpj:^
I a;
^^^'^•fl^^^i
as
#4
i-^-Wl^^^^^^-^'t^
V^
-V^
4^
I
^
^^
^
m!^ -rt tolC«R^;
2 o
a, CO
-\<
©H
^
^^^f^-^^i
4
\^t'$'M<^^^i^
kCTK^ ^
^^ T3
SXy'
^ 1*F
-^ ^1^
I tSL
V^^< ID
-f^"
.'^
<¥(
i^'!^
-V
^
^^
1
1 4 J
d
Fig. 75
'»^
V
=-
Talisman-substitut de
rhomme.
Paper-puppets delivering from bodily
ills.
^Av,'-
IV"
— 165 — ARTICLE
IV.
THERAPEUTIC CHARMS. This kind of charm brings also
more
all
multiplied beyond
cure diseases.
is
in
much more demand than
others,
and
monks.
For this reason, they have bounds these magic scripts, which prevent or
profit to the
Every kind of illness has almost
own
its
peculiar
specific.
^,
The annexed
illustration
representing
sick
persons.
and prayers, pretend
spells
disease
of
a
into
child
is
to
the
a
paper- puppet charm,
Buddhist
^
T'i-jen their
magic priests, by have the power of transferring the
paper manikin
;
or
into
the
picture,
male or female, printed on the paper charm. The charm is afterwards burnt, and the trick is played, the disease having thus vanished.
Hence
this
charm
paper-puppet
or
is
called
manikin
is
a substitute-charm,
substituted for
a
that living
to
is
say,
person,
a
the
disease of the latter having being transferred to the former, and the
charm burnt forthwith.
Frequently this paper-puppet
is
taken out-
doors and borne to some remote place, generally a cross-road, where
This process bears some resemblance to the ceremony of the scape-goat (1), as practised formerly among the Jews. it is
(1)
burnt.
According to the Jewish
ritual, a goat
(Azazel)
was brought
to the
door of the
where the high-priest laid his hands upon him, confessing the sins of the people, and putting them on the head of the goat. The symbolical bearer was then sent into the wilderness, carrying away the iniquities of the people, that they may never more
tabernacle,
appear (Leviticus XVI.
21).
22
— 166
Soul-restoring-
When some
dire disease
charm.
endangers the
life
of a
dear child,
and place it beneath the pillow, parents procure the annexed charm, in order to bring back the soul in all haste upon the caparisoned courser.
A
gourd-shell,
horse's saddle.
back
to its
This
is
hermetically
closed,
is
attached
stipposed to contain the soul,
rightful owner.
to
the
and bring
it
Fig. 76
Le rabatteur de rame.
Charm
(paper-racer) for bringing hack the soul.
o
»
^
o
^M-^
O o 5
— 3'
5:
cro' CD
CD-
2-
^
ffi
CO-'
to
I^^
iW ^V
^^ ^
H o 3 a -d
o c
2)
'-i
-s
^^
)^
4
C
y^
^ ^ ^ ,^ ii
ort-
3
^ )^ 3^>
03
O
05
oT
o
(T>
B Qs'
Oj
3 3
5^
6ft*
l^w
sv oo> >v
^ 3f;
\»
4
1"
'-^
ft
TO
o TO
C td
3 TO
o
-^.V
4^
^ ^^^
V%
•-1
00
^>^#:^^5^^'1^>^*^^^^I® A«
>
Sit
©
^
o S S «2
o Co
O 3 o
ft)
a o
f a
a 1
OS
a
00
o
4
1
j
^ ^ ^^^
-^^^ H
m>v
4^ ^ ^^ % -^
-7^
Ulj^
^ ^ |il TO
o P ffi"
a 3 o -.
^
a
^%^
1^-
^^^
^v^
^ ^'
JS
^
CS3
c\v
?> .^
(\M^^
^
^
OlV
^
i2> >fy /A-
iip.
-^
J^
^
^ ;w
? 00
)^ 4; -^ cp
jto
4
|fe
1»
^-
^
^' (w> -^
>^
crq
r*
1^1 ti-4
5^ 1=^
^
:!^
^ > 4^
^
-1
b a o
4^
^
^v
^
.fb
S^
i
•:^
n?
^ ^^ H
if^
3^
as^
nl -^^
.1
^i4^^
®i>l
ii)
^, i^
^
O O so ?~
A, 05
•S
s
is!r
^^
"^
®
=
-4°
V-
4 ^5 ^
i'?
^,:e^:^-6HH<^.Hl^^=^iSi<^
I
4:^*'^
o o
13
o c a
^ Co S
2L q: ft)
o as'
3
00
4
*
1
(V
^ 1^ -^ ^
4 »^ ^
.1^
-7^ 0^*- ii;^
o o
:?^
^
4?
^
^ ^^
-#->#r^^^l^^>^^4^l^*'^
i
o c
c a 5 c
qT
o
a-
3
f25
c
n 3
b o
#>
3-
It
^s
^ ^ ^a O a-
1^
Ite
o
3~
y^
:^\
m
^
>
^
ii^
^
J^S^
la. v^> /^V
-^
^
;^
^ ^^ ^ ^^^ ^-^^ \^
'^
y^.
.^
«iV
^ ^ ^ n ^"^ ^
00 00
V
-V
V'
\^«
?
o
i;^
.V ^v
^^^
— 167 —
The 12 wonderful (herapeutie charms. The 12 following therapeutic charms form each
sheet
corresponds to
a
series,
which
one of the twelve cyclic animals, that
preside over the Chinese time-division of twelve years.
them Buddhist
of
priests write the
name
of the patient,
the animal, presiding over the year in which he
Upon
each of
and the name
of
was born. Provided
with this script, they come to the house of a sick person, and during the ceremony burn one of these charms.
Thus,
if
the patient
is
born in the year of the "EaC\ Shu
^
^,
charm, writes the name of i\\e."Rat'' in the blank space, and adds the date of the month and The charm is then burnt, and the patient must be infallibly day.
the Buddhist priest takes a
"Tze'
cured.
^/WA/VA.W. VWW\/WN/V
— 168 —
Charm Annexed
is
preserving;
from an epidemict
the fac-simile of a charm, which has been
ded over the door-way of a pagan household, at Hu-o province of
Nganhwei
^
^,
the country
(1)
of evil,
^
j'\],
purpose was to epidemic which then ravaged
in the year 1907.
preserve the inhabitants from a terrible
suspen-
Chow
Its
(1).
Demons and
spectres perform in the Universe the leading part in the distribution
mankind with disease. The medical art also acknowledges them The disastrous influence of demons is never so much felt and feared epidemics. A roai-ing trade is then di-iven in charms, amulets, and demon-
and hence
visit
as authors of illness. as in times of
expelling medicines. in Pathology).
De
Groot.
The Religious System
of
China. Vol. V.
p.
700
(Demonism
Fig.
89
Cliann preserving from an epidemic, 1907
,
M
-^
)^¥^
o
3 CO
1^
a.
— 169 —
Charm This charm
similar to (he preceding one.
fulfils
the
same purpose
hist or Taoist priests, Tao-shi petitioner, also the year,
up.
^
^,
month and
as the preceding one.
Budd-
name
of the
write
day,
when
It is afterwards affixed to a wall in the
Finally
it is
burnt, as this
is
petitions to the nether world.
out the
the general
it
has been drawn
shape of a proclamation.
means
of forwarding all
—
Charm
^
-^.
—
for wardina; off contagious diseases.
The annexed charm Tao-shi
170
is
exclusively employed by Taoist priests,
They suspend
it
in
a
house,
reciting their liturgy, with the purpose of diseases.
and burn
warding
off all
it,
while
contagious
"M^^^^^^s^^
05
o o
5
c
Fig.
Charm
92
curing from cough.
171
—
Cliarm curing from cough. This charm turnips, are
is
burnt, and the ashes, steeped in a decoction of
taken by the sufferer,
thus wonderfully relieving his
cough. All these therapeutic
charms
are fac-similes of drawings obtained
from "superstitious paper shops", Clii-ma-tien
,|g;
^
J^.
Copies
suspended over the door-ways of pagan households, or placed in their homes, have been kindly supplied to the Author, during the twenty years
that he
Several are
pursued his researches into "Chinese superstitions".
communicated only
to relatives or intimate friends, as for
instance the one for hastening the delivery of a
^A/%/X/\AA/\A ^^WW\AAA^
woman
in labour.
172
—
Charin for stopping vomiting:. After the written
charm has been burnt, the ashes
are
mixed
with some native spirits (so-called wine), and administered to the sufferer.
Fig.
Charm
93
for stopping vomiting,
I
4
Fig.
Charm
94
for relietnng excessive throbbing of the heart.
— 173
Cliarni for relieving" excessive tlirobbing of the heart. This charm
is
pasted over the chest.
It is
then burnt, and the
ashes mingled with wine or tea, are given to the suffering person.
*/\A/V\rvrt/VN. V\A^*k/V\/W>*
1
23
174
Charm The
for expelling typhoid fever.
Spirits of the "Five Directions"
in expelling^ the disease.
scare
—
Tlie
mandate
is
are
(1)
first
summoned
hung up
to
help
in order to
away the maleficent demons, who have caused the epidemic. charm has been thus published and promulgated, it is
After the
burnt, and the ashes are administered to the sick person.
(1)
The Five Points
Chinese add the Centre.
remaining continents
lie
or Directions are North, South,
China on
its
itself is
supposed
four borders.
East and West, to which the
to be the centre of the world, while the
Mayers. Chinese Reader's Manual,
p. 312.
Fig.
95
;^
.4 -^
^
-^
^
5^
#
;^
4
V2S7
^
^
^S
:^S
!** it>
1^ \b
^ J- ^ 'ft
Charm
:^
1^
for expelling typhoid fever.
Fig.
Charm
96
for curing persistent stomach-aches.
175
—
Cliarni for curing- persistent stomach-aches.
The ashes boiled
down
of the
to a
charm
are thus administered.
pulp and strained
off.
Turnips are is then
The paper-charm
burnt, and the ashes mingled with the decoction are given to the patient as a medicinal nostrum.
WWVVAA/^ •\/\/V/W\/W\*
—
Charm
curing-
The written-charm must be is
176
—
from dropsy.
first
pasted over the abdomen.
then burnt, and the ashes are administered to the sufferer.
•\/*/WVWV^v WWWi^/V>«
It
Fig.
Charm
97
curing from dropsy-
Fig.
Charm
98
curing all kinds of heart trouble, headaches and dyspepsy.
—
Charm
177
for curing' all kinds of lieart trouble,
headaches, and inveterate dyspepsy. The same method charm. pain
The
is felt.
is
resorted
script is first applied It is
to
as
in
using the preceding
on the part of the body where
then burnt and the ashes mingled with some wine
or tea are given to the poor sufferer.
178
Charm This charm
and method
is
similar lo
llic pi-ecedliig-
but a variety of
of applying
it
—
tlie
preceding one.
are also identical.
'WWVW\A<'WVW\/W\'
one.
The purpose
Fig.
Charm
99
similar to the preceding one*
d
Fig.
Specific relieving
400
from cough.
179
Specific relieving
Burnt and reduced
from cough.
to ashes, this
charm
cacy than our well known liquorice
root.
old people during^ the severe winter
months.
is
of
It is in
much more great
effi-
demand by
—
Charm
180
—
for healing sore eyes.
This charm contains various incantations purporting to conjure
up
the Drag-on
(1),
waters, and
all
refreshing sources.
be first rubbed with the marvellous charm.
the ashes steeped in
some beverage
It
is
The eyes must
then burnt, and
are administered to the sufferer.
The Dragon, Lung f|, is China's God of water and rain. The watery principle Universe is pre-eminently associated with him. He causes the winds to blow and produces rain for the benefit of mankind. A peculiar description of pearl, possessing (1)
of the
magic powers, China. Vol. V.
is
said to be carried on his forehead.
p. 497.
De
Groot.
The Religious System
of
Fig.
Charm
101
for healing sore eyes-
-sj]
N
I
i
L
I
Fig.
Charm
102
curing from asthma.
— 181 —
Charm curSng from asthma. This charm dries up the mucous membrane and reduces the excessive need of expectorating.
It is
administered in the same man-
ner as the preceding one.
This marvellous specific in
damp and marshy
is in
places.
great
demand by those who
live
Chinese of this class are constantly
expectorating.
The charm are
is
drunk by the
burnt, and the ashes mingled with native spirits sufferer.
sufferer is totally relieved
A
soothing perspiration follows, and the
from his infirmity.
^/VAA/VAAA/VVXA/VrtAAAA
24
— 182 —
Cliarin for relieving- imicovis e.vpectoratioii
and
ditliciill breathing,-.
Old people deem this charm a wonderful remedy
mucous expectoration and
difficult
stimulate the secretion of the
breathing.
It
mucous membrane
tube.
»\/\AA/V\/\/Wi
W\A/WWV*
is
for
relieving
employed
of the
to
bronchial
Fig.
Charm
103
for relieving rnucous expectoration (chronic
among
the Chinese).
Fig.
Charm
104
for relieving inflammation of the lungs
and
chest.
— 183 —
Cliarni for relieving* inflaniniatioii
of the lungs and chest. This charm
is
employed in cases
of
by the prolonged heat of the season.
mation of the lungs and chest
etc...
inflammatory diseases caused
Thus
for instance in inflam-
The written charm
is
burnt,
and the ashes steeped in an infusion of plantain are administered
to
the suff'erer.
II
— 184 —
Charm
for stopping- persistent perspiration
which weakens the This charm grains
of corn,
is
sufferer.
administered in the following manner.
already half-eaten by weevils,
The yellow-paper charm
is
are
boiled
marvellous efficacy
!
in water.
then burnt, and the ashes mingled with
the above decoction are administered to the patient. is of
Some
This remedy
Fig.
Charm
405
for stopping persistent perspiration.
I
f
i
Fig.
Charm
106
curing from fever.
— 185 —
Charm This charm
curing'
from fever.
employed in cases of persistent and acute fever, or when typhoid sets in accompanied with inflammation. The charm is burnt, and the aslies ming^led with a decoction of ten grains of is
ginger are given to the patient.
—
186
Another charm for The following ture of those
allaying' fever-heat.
a wonderful specific for lowering the tempera-
who have high
The Gods
means.
is
of the
fever.
possible.
all
It is
Recourse
Nine Great Rivers
invoked, as also the divinities that country, and
—
are begged to
cool
preside
is
had
of the
to
most potent
Universe
over the canals
(1)
are
of the
the atmosphere as quickly as
obvious that such a vast amount of fresh water must
produce a salutary reaction on the patient, tortured by the burning heat of the fever.
(1)
The Universe
is
China, the Ancients knowing no other country.
Rivers are those whose course was regulated by Yii |^ (B. C. 2205-2197). the Yangtze, the Han, Wei, Tsi, 141 (The Tribute of Yii).
Hwai and Loh
rivers.
The Nine Great
Among them
See Legge's Classics. Vol.
are
III. p.
Fig.
107
AnotJier charm for allaying fever-heat,.
Fig.
Charm
for dispelling sadness
108
and anxiety which prey on the
sick.
— 187
Charni for dispelling sadness and anxiety
which The annexed
is
a
i>i*e.y
charm
on sick persons.
for dispelling sadness, anxiety,
and the
moral depression which prey on sick persons, and tend to generally The charm is first suspended in the sick increase their illness. then It is room. bvirnt, and the ashes mingled with tea person's are administered to the patient.
I
— 188 —
Anolliei* lear-tlispelling
The annexed charm
is
charm.
but another form of the preceding one,
and produces the same fear-dispelling
effects
on the
sufferer.
Fig.
Another moral
109
tonic similar to the preceding one.
Fig.
no
Anti-delirium charm.
189
—
Aiiti-doliriuni
When
the patient talks at
charm.
random and the onlookers
he has lost his wits, the annexed charm
is
see that
applied on the chest, or
Should he be capable of drinking someburnt, and the ashes steeped in some beverage
pinned on
to his
clothes.
thing", the
charm
is
are administered to him.
25
190
Cliarui for
aisisiiag-ing'
The annexed charm hepatic and nephritic
had
When
all
to this
wonderful
is
—
abdominal pains.
employed in cases of abdominal pains,
colics.
other remedies have failed to afford specific.
^/v\Ayv\/\.'v/v.^/\/\/w\/v^/>'
relief,
recourse
is
Fig.
Charm
Ill
for assuaging abdoininal pains.
i
Fig.
Charm
112
curing from diarrhoea.
191
Cliai'iii eiiring'
The annexed charm
froin (liari*h«ea>
is
of unrivalled efficacy in all cases of diar-
folks, suffering
from dysentery, have frequently recourse
rhoea.
Pagan to this
means.
It is
administered to the sufferer in the same manner as other
charms previously described.
—
192
Cliarm for hastening delivery. This charm
is
renowned
for
hastening delivery when childbirth
is difficult. It is
exclusively employed by Buddhist priests,
the purpose
come
Ji'i-lai
^
Buddha, ^p
(1)
woman and
to the aid of the
f^f",,
help to
who
invoke for
and beg the Dragon to bring forth a male child
from her womb.
Pagans the Author:
believe in its marvellous efficacy. '"it is
body, the child will
mother's
womb
One
of
them said
to
but required to appl}' the charm on the woman's infallibly
brought forth, even should the
be rent asunder".
The conviction with which he
be
uttered these words seemed to be perfectly sincere.
(])The Chinese translation
Buddha calmly approaching,
of the Sanscrit
"Tata-gata", the "Thus come Buddha".
bringingjiumaiii nature_as_it trxibf is. With perfect knowledge and high intelligence, he comes and manifests himself. Edkins. Chinese
Buddhism.
Inti'oduction. p.
that
6.
is
Fig.
113
Fi^.
114
Another anti-delirium charm.
— 193
Another
When and speaks ashes
a person at
is
random,
anli-deliriiiiu eharni.
suffering from delirium, this
marvellous charm
are given to the sufferer in order to restore
ness.
'\A/WW>-/\A. \A/W/\/\/V/W
has lost his wits is
burnt, and
him
the
to conscious-
— 194
Charm
for rediieinj? swelling-
of the limbs or body.
The annexed magic
script is
employed
for
reducing swelling of
the limbs or bod}'. It
is
first
applied
on the swollen part.
The charm
is
burnt, and the ashes mingled with some beverage are given sufferer.
\^A/>^/\^/S/\» "V/V/VA/WVV^f
then to the
Fig.
Charm
115
for reducing swelling of the limhs or body.
Fig.
116
Buddhist charm for curing sore
eyes.
— 195 —
Charm The annexed charm
for curing" sore eyes. is
renowned
for its
efficacy in
curing sore
eyes.
The eyes
are first rubbed with the written charm.
burnt, and the ashes mingled with water are used to lashes.
IWWWVA^^
www
^/^A*
It is
then
wash the
eye-
— 196
Charm
prolecting;
from malevolent ghosts.
Pagans wear the annexed charm on to their clothes, in order
attacks of ghosts,
to
secure
who may happen
their persons, or
protection
sewn on
from the malevolent
to leave their
tombs
(1).
The Author was an eye-witness to one of these comical occurAbout two years ago, near the large village of 'Tsing-fsi", rences. Hanshan-hsien '^ [Jj ^,, Nganhwei province, a woman pretended that she saw a ghost leave its tomb, bearing, she The news of the apparition added, a bunch of [lowers in its hands. in the district of
spread abroad like wildfire,
and thousands
of
persons flocked
to
the spot and examined the phenomenon. A small hole was discovered Since over ten years the decaying wood had been in the coffin. falling to pieces,
and
this
was the simple cause
dhist and Taoist priests, Tao-shi j^
-j^,
and endless charms were written out
of the hole.
Bud-
were immediately summoned, in order to secure
protection
from the malevolent ghost.
(1)
has been stated in Vol.
It
rior soul,
I.
p. 136,
how Chinese
remains with the body in the grave
till
believe that the Ji«;ej_^, or infe-
corruption sets
in.
After death, the
Hicun ^, that is the superior soul may also return, re-occupy the corpse and revive it, and this may take place after months and years. Such a belief explains sufficiently to the popular mind how ghosts may leave their tombs and molest the living. Shen
De
JB^
or
Groot.
The Religious System
of China. Vol. IV. p. 123.
Fig.
Charm
protecting
117
from malevolent
ghosts-
Fig.
118
0i
^syy^Mj^
Charm
curing from mi extraordinary or
unknown
^^
disease.
— 197
Charm curing from an evtraordinary or The annexed charm or
unknown
When
unknown is
deemed
diseasei to cure
from any extraordinary
disease whatsoever.
Chinese quacks have exhausted
on a poor patient, recourse
is
had
all
their medical
at last to this
wonderful
nostrums specific.
26
— 198
Charm
for stopping- bleeding of the nose.
The annexed charm
is
famous
for
stopping bleeding from the
nose. It is
burnt in front of the sufferer, quite close
part burnt near the right foot,
right nostril
;
the other part burnt
blood that flows from the
Some
must stop the flow near the
to his toes.
of blood
left foot,
left nostril.
ashes are also introduced into the nostrils.
VAA/VNO/WV 'WWW\Ar
The
from the
must stop
the
Fig.
Charm
H9
for stopping hleeding
from
the nose.
II
Fig.
Charm
120
for healing hreast-sores in suckling
women.
— 199 —
Chai'in for healing- breast-sores in suckling
women.
The annexed charm has been invented by Taoist shi
^
^,
women
for the
Tao-
while suckling" children.
The right half
of the
the other half on the
left
charm
is
See on Lao-tze. Vol.
I.
p. 70.
Note
applied on the right breast, and
Through the mysterious power
breast.
Lao-tze (1), the sores close up, and
(1)
priests,
purpose of healing sores that affect the breasts of
1.
all
pain quite disappears.
of
— 200
Cliarni protecting' Avomeii in coiitineiiient. Child-bearing the head.
It is of
women wear
this
charm, hidden in the hair
sovereign efficacy for protecting them,
time of their confinement approaches.
1^/^A/^/v^y^•^A^ ^^A^^/s^^^
when
of
the
Fig.
Charm
for protecting
121
women when
nearing confinement.
Fig.
Buddhist charm
122
assuriiig a
happy
delivery.
— 201
Charm assuring The annexed charm priests.
It is
pasted up
is of
a happy delivery.
Buddhist origin, and is sold by their head of the bed, for the purpose of
at the
obtaining the happ}' delivery of a child-bearing
woman.
— 202 —
Chai'ui for curing- stitches in the side.
The annexed side.
It
is
is
a
Buddhist charm,
for
curing stitches in the
applied over the lungs, the sides,
spot where pain
is felt.
X/\AA/W\A/% 'V/\A^W\/W^
or placed over the
Fig.
Charm
123
for curing stitches in the side.
Fig.
Charm
124
curing aching of the stomach and
fl
gasti^itis.
— 203
Charin for curing aching of the stomach
and The annexed charm cures
gastritis. all
aching of the stomach, gastritis,
or pain felt in the centre of the chest.
The traced
spiral,
seven
which
times,
is
seen in the centre of the charm, must be
failing
which,
it
would be
dispelling the pain.
^AAAAAA/%Al'\AA/\AA^AA<
of no
efficacy
for
— 204 —
Another soul-restoring charm The annexed charm purports
(1).
to restore the soul,
which has
just
the body.
left
When just
left
when
a child is near
dj'ing,
and
seized, is compelled to
its
sovil
is
believed to have
immediately pursued, and re-enter the body it has just abandoned.
the body, the excarnated spirit
is
To accomplish this purpose, the charm is burnt, and the ashes mingled with some beverage are administered to the child.
(1)
See above,
p. 166.
Charm
for bringing
back the soul on a caparisoned courser.
-*^l-^-l^
Fiff.
125
it
Another soul-restoring charm.
Fig.
Buddhist nostrum curing
126
all
kinds of disease.
205
Buddhist iiostriim curingThe annexed charm
is
a
—
all
kinds of disease.
powerful nostrum curing
all
kinds
of disease. It is
employed by Buddhist
priests.
27
— 206
Taoist nostrum curing
The annexed
is
a Taoist nostrum,
all
diseases.
curing likewise
all
kinds of
disease.
At the top are the names of the "Three Taoist Heavens" abode of the Three Divinities, which constitute the Taoist Trinit}^
(1)
The Three Taoist
lieavens are Yuli-ts'ing 3^
^ (the
Pearly Azure),
(1), (2).
Sliang-ts'iiifj
_h iW (tl^6 Upper Azure), and T'ai-ts'ing >k j^ (the Supreme Azure). These vaults or ahodes are three parts, into which Taoists divide the primordial Cosmic space (see Hid Part. Ch. I. Art. 2). (2)
The Taoist
the Pearly
•^
(Ibid).
Trinity, or "Three Pure Ones", San-ts'ing
Emperor and
chief
God
of the Taoist
Pantheon
;
H ff, are Yiih-hwang ^ ^, ^ ^, and Lao-tze ^
Tao-kiin
Fig.
*.
m
127
^
-^
^t
''^
II
Taoist nostrum curing all diseases.
Fig.
Charm
428
preserving from the disease
known
as
"
Pi-lung -sha"
— 207 —
Charm
preserving- iroin the effects
of sunstroke.
The annexed charm
known among
the
is
sunstroke, and produces at
a
specific
preserving
from a disease
It resembles "Pi-lungsha" (1). times the most sudden effects.
Chinese
as
marvellous specific has been given to the Author by a
Tliis
^
pagan from
Hwo Chow
of the great
heat being over, and having no further fear of the dire
disease,
he took
down
')]],
in
Nganhwei
the charm,
province.
which a Buddhist
The season
priest
placed over the door- way.
(1)
Ska
%
is
the term by which the Chinese generally design cholera or gripe.
had
— 208 —
Charm
for euriiis: diseases
amongBuddhist or Taoist
priests,
cattle^
Tao-shi
^
-^, delineate an ox,
more
or less approximately, on a sheet of yellow paper. They then recite their classics, mutter incantations, and transmit the disease of the real
ox into the paper
substitute.
The surrogate
is
then
burnt,
and the disease disappears. In shops where superstitious objects are sold, images already printed may be purchased, and this facilitates the work of the othciating Buddhist priests.
>/VW\/WS/V/V \/S.A/V\/\/\/N'>»
o
3 V3
rO CO I
aOh
Substitute for the hog
and
the
god of the swineherd.
— 209 —
Charm The same
among
swine,
for curing- porcine diseases.
process, as for the ox, tliat
is
to
is
employed
in curing diseases
the disease of the living animal
say,
transmitted to the paper substitute.
This
is
is
then burnt, and the
disease disappears.
Herewith of
Swine
protect.
honour
(1).
is
a picture of a substitute
At his
feet
This latter charm of the
God
is
hog, and that of the God
one of the animals he
is
the more
is
renowned, and
deemed is
to
burnt in
of the swine-herd.
(1) Doolittle, who mentions this God in South China, says that according to some he was a successful pork-butcher. One day he refused a piece of meat on trust to a poor student, who, afterwards on becoming a high official, took vengeance on him. According
he was a swine-raiser, who, seeing his flock carried off by disease, died of grief. very deaf, worshippei-s, when pi-aying to him, rub his ears and pat him on the
to others,
As he
is
back, to
awaken
the usual way.
interest in their petition. Doolittle.
If
they are heard, a thank-offering
Social Life of the Chinese. Vol.
I.
p. 270.
is
made
in
— 210 —
ARTICLE
Charms
V.
bringing- felicity.
Five, specially delivering
from Hades.
Countless are the drawings, more or less phantastic, the meandering and squirming scrolls, invented by
^
all
who, be they
those,
Buddhists or Taoists,
Tao-ahi
minded
easily holds the record for the
China
folks.
J^,
the expense of simple-
live at
number and
absurdity of these magic nostrums.
Herewith
are
five
felicitous
employed by Taoists, Tao-shi
known
as
:
souls from
the
five
^
Ta-tsiao
Hades
(I).
directions
(2),
mony,
all
^,
They
are
exclusively
while performing the ceremony
|i, thanking the
Gods
for the
deliverance of
These paper charms are hung up towards Chinese headings prescribe. Each
as the
sheet contains a prayer to the
they are
^
charms.
Taoist Gods
(3).
burnt, in order to conve}^
During the
cere-
thus the petition
to
the proper divinity.
(1)
(2)
(3)
See this ceremony described and illustrated. Vol.
I.
p. 1-51.
See Note on the Five Chinese points or directions. Supra, p. 174. Principally to the Pearly Emperor, Supreme Euler. He is deemed to be the
Lord
of the physical world and the Saviour of men. In the Taoist Pantheon, he corresponds to the Confucian Shang-ti J; ^, though he is much more humanised; and to the Buddhist Full ^, or Sakyamuni. Edkins. Religion in China, p. 112.
'WVAA/W\AyW\A/W%/W^>
V5 f
s
V5
o
s o
CO
o
o
CO
CO
be
i
«
^
a. CO
<3
S
BbD
^iPH^^lfff^l^^
96^CS
2 o
^ s a-
n
-^ to
s u 'a
cq
10 CO
aCO
s 60
2 o
Fig.
Charm
136
for obtaining a hountiful harvest.
— 211
Cliariii foi* 4>l>laiiiiii»-
a
boiiiiliful
liarvcsl.
as
of
five
or
perform an "festival
annual ceremony,
of sprouting^
blades of corn appear.
first
The
seeds".
officiating
fields, and suspend from reeds five written different colours. These are placed at the four
to
proceed
priests
^,
"Ts'mg-miao-hwuV',
This takes place wiien the
charms,
^
Tao-shi
Taoist priests,
known
the
cardinal points, and one in the centre.
After chanting their classics,
the sheets are burnt, for the purpose of obtaining a bountiful harvest
that year.
Annexed into
is
a
specimen of one of these charms.
four parts, and
bears
phoenix and the stork
(1)
of
The dragon, Lunff
good omen and
felicity.
picture, the character Yu7i
pictures of the
It is
dragon, the
divided
horse,
the
(l).
g|, is China's
The
stork
^ cloud,
is
God is
of
water and rain.
The phoenix
the aerial courser of the Immortals.
is
a bird
In the
prefixed to each animal, in the hope that they will
specially influence the watery element.
^|.»J<.|^-
— 212
Buddhist eliarin for endingThe annexed
dt'ous,°ht<
Buddhist prayer-charm. When the country has suffered from prolonged drought, Buddhist priests offer prayer, and perform the ceremony known as "Tso-fu-sze" for rain. falls
.
is a
This
Then
the
is
similar to that called K'iu-yu
Dragon
stirs
up
^
]^, begging
the seas, and a beneficent
rain
on the parched earth. All this is graphically expressed in the
annexed picture.
The four characters: Fung-tiao-yii-shun Mi in the four corners,
mean "genial
'WWvv^.A/^<
distribution of
vwwww.
^W
i'll'
wind and
''-vritten
rain".
Fig.
137
Buddhist charm for ending drought.
l5 35}
S5
w^^^-T^
^^^^
^^c^'h
mD
— 213 j
Charm The annexed charm
charm
for peace",
(2)
(3)
called
employed by Taoist
the
souls from
(1)
is
"
Wan-ling- fu" "H
g^
(1),
or
of universal efficacy.
It is
ming
of universal efficacy.
called
ceremony Hades and ;
also
priests,
Tao shi
'Ta-isiao" ^J ||
J^,
that
(2),
while perforis
delivering
during that known as "burning incense
Shao-p'ing-ngan-lisiang j^ Z^
Wan-ling
^
^^
(3).
^ g, means literally "ten thousand virtues".
See this ceremony described Vol. I. p. 1.51. This ceremony will be fully described in Vol. V. oh. VIII.
art. 27.
28
— 214 —
Charm
calling-
The annexed charm
is
from above", Kan-lu-fu -^ It is
the sweet
(1)
deemed
dew
sip.
known
^^
is
^^'illiams.
as that
consolation. bestowing "sweet dew
(1).
draw down from the
of consolation,
Kan-lu -^ ^,
ghosts to
to
down heavenly
upon
blissful
all afflicted
abode of the Gods,
hearts.
regarded as the ambrosia of the Gods, and priests sprinkle
Chinese Dictionary
^.
WWWWV\A/\A/V\A/v^*i
it
for
i?«^^Si
o CO o Oi CO
» be
2 o CO
^
^^^^4^^'^*^ *w
II
s
:3n
-J^
\v\m'
a
o
O a jsir^
S os:
a. «5
^}^^ ^^i-yp^'^ P^mW'Y ^^t'l^'^^ iii'^
215
Charm to
—
assuring; protection
a
new
building'.
The annexed chai-m was given the text indicates, and
is
called:
Before building a house,
geomancer, he so
may
in
^
Author
it is
^
|i]
at Yun-tsao, as
j^.
customary in China,
to
invite a
order that according to the rules of his profession,
choose a favourable
important
to the
T'u-sze-hsili
in the
life
site.
On such
of a pagan,
an occasion as the above,
Buddhist and Taoist
priests,
and drew up this written charm, for the purpose of discovering the most felicitous site, assuring protection to the family from all diseases. Tao-shi
J^, lent their help,
The Author had been
interesting
document
before the day officially assigned for burning the original.
He sub-
able to copy this
sequently succeeded in obtaining the model which served to draw
up the copy used on the above occasion.
—^l-^-l^-
— 216 —
Charm
expressing- a desire for gold.
The annexed lozenge-shaped charm expresses the
possession of the yellow metal.
Such, indeed,
the four characters so gracefully entwined
Hwang
kin
:
wan Hang
M
(of)
a fervid
M
-^ 'M yellow gold ten thousand ounces.
•VVAA/\/W\A. "WWA/VAAA.
is
wish
for
the sense of
Fig.
(May I
141
enjoy) ten thousand ounces of gold.
ift
I
1
Fig.
142
Another charm expressing a wish for
riches.
— 217
Another charni expressing a wish for riches. Chao-ts'ai tsin-pao tS It ?!
Make
profit
^
C^)-
and secure wealth.
The four characters written
distinctly
above,
are
gracefully
form the cipher, which is seen in this second lozengeentwined By proceeding from right to left, and paying close shaped figure. to
attention, they can
This charm
which
(1)
is
still
is
hung up
also
a wish for
in almost every
Chao-ts'ai t'ung-tze
Wealth", worshipped in
be distinctly perceived in the cipher.
all
^M&
riches, a luck-bearing
script,
pagan house.
-f" ^^ ^^^-
Chinese shop doors.
^^^
who
causes profit, that
Williams.
is
the
Chinese Dictionary
"God
^.
of
— 218
Cipher representing the three blessing-s. Happiness,
and
emolument
longevity:
Fuh-luh-show
|g
^
annexed cipher, formed by the entwining of the three characters, may be seen emerging the bald head
At the upper part
of old
Show-sing staff of
mary
(2),
of the
the
God
an old man,
of
the upper stroke of the character
Some Chinese acters,
(1)
literati
Longevity.
Instead of the custo-
he grasps in his hand the extension of ''Slw\<.'"
^.
are very skilled in thus entwining char-
and forming auspicious emblems or luck-bearing ciphers.
Fuh
jjig.
Happiness, the felicity resulting from the protection of the Gods, good The Chinese enumerate 5 blessings: longevity, riches, health, love of
fortune, blessings.
virtue and a peaceful end.
Luh
j^. Official
or superiors.
emolument, happiness conferred by the Emperor or I'lnjoyment of salary and income.
Sliow
Williams.
ruler, state
Any award.
^. Age, longevity. Chinese Dictionary.
Much used
in congratulating persons on birthdays.
above depend on a star, or rather on a Star-god. Canopus, in the Constellation Argo. It was looked upon anciently as next to Sirius in brilliancy. It may be seen slightly above the Southern to 10 p. m. in February and March. horizon (latitude of Shanghai) (2)
Each
The Star-god
of the 3 blessings indicated of longevity is
VWW* %/\/*.A/WWV/VN/V
i
Li
Fig.
143
three
the blessings^ Cipher representing Happiness, emolument, longevity.
^>v^a«vyv^)^M»* iB
^
^ M^
\r^t!h
^M-
i^
3;$^^^^>^^>^^^V%^4^^v\?\'^?J^C^H^r^^ ^^*^-^^^
^iVr
I
O o
5*
o
a
S
®-^C* W-^4*
^^® 'AV^i^^>«')-^^^\*^'^'2!ii»^
— 219
Prayer-charm for
oblainhig-
an increase
of fortune. This written charm tion to the Gods,
The
script,
is
burnt, in order to convey thus informa-
and beg their assistance. in the form here annexed,
used by Taoist priests, Tao-shi
^
^.
is
almost exclusively
—
220
Prayer-c liana for
ul>lainiiig-
protection
at sea. Taoist priests,
Tao-'^/ii
^
^,
have invented this prayer, with
a view to obtaining protection for sailors
Lung Wang f| ^, liappy voyage and
safe
and sea-faring men.
the Dragon-king
navigation
to
(1),
is
begged
trading-vessels,
to
grant a
thus
also
enabling ship-owners to get rich quickly.
The Dragou-kiugs or Nagas (dragons who give rain) control the seas around (1) M' Meru, the fabulous centre of the Buddhist universe. Lung-wang corresponds to the Neptune of the Romans. His palace, surrounded by precious walls and variegated gems, Thence he influences the clouds, raises is at the bottom of the ocean, North of M' Meru. propitious winds and distils fertilising showers. Beal. fi-om the Chinese (the Land of the Naga Rajahs, p. 49).
A
Catena
of
Buddhist Scriptures
<3 CO
o o
o
5-
'§r\s<{^
Fig.
Charm
446
conferring peace and felicity.
— 221 —
Charm conferring peace and The annexed
a
is
peace-conferring
felicity.
charm,
and
is
commonly
^
-^ ^. This luck-bearing script is suspended from the cross-beams of the house, especially on the fifth day of the fifth month (1), with styled P'ing-ngan-fu
the purpose of securing peace throughout the year.
On
the top
whose statue
is
may
be seen the seal of one
erected in
some famous temple
Buddhist and Taoist
priests,
business, and go from door to door,
Tao-shi
of the
of the
^
j;,
local
deities,
neighbourhood. engage in this
offering their wares, for
which
they are hansomely paid.
(1)
week
of
The
fifth daj' of
June. In China
the
it is
fifth
month corresponds roughly
to
the dragon-boat festival, celebrated in
some date
memory
in our first
of a poet
world, drowned himself in the
and
G^ who, degraded by his prince, and disgusted with the It is also an auspicious day throughSlang river (Hunan
patriot of the fourth centui'y B.
.
out the country.
^/v^^.'ws/v^. 'wvww\/v
29
— 222 —
Artislie ciplier, representing' the eharaeler
Show The character Show
^,
Longevity.
ij^,
Longevity,
is
sometimes very
delineated on a large scroll or panel,
artistically
in the
suspended guest-hall, and occupying the principal place of honour above the native divan. In such cases, it is worshipped, as if it were some kind of a God; incense
ground word,
is ;
it is
When as
a
year,
burnt
before
it,
it
to obtain
long
life
;
in a
is
sent
the object of real superstitious worship. this character
Show ^,
congratulatory present it
bowings are made towards the
and
even prayers are addressed to
expresses
to
delineated in gilt paper,
persons,
much more than
and fancies are generally involved
who
a wish,
attain
in the present.
\/WV\/WW>< "WWWVS^V
their sixtieth
and superstitious ideas
Fig.
147
Artistic cipher, representing the character
"Show", Longevity
Fig.
148
The "Pah-kwa", or Eight Diagrams, The "Yin and Yang" i^rinciples in the centre.
223
The Pali-kwa The Pah-kwa i)^
^
much
§^
(1),
^|n
or Eight Diagrams.
or eight diagrams, attributed to
^^
Wen Wang
and
(2),
A
A
Fuh-hsi
are also a powerful charm,
(3),
prized by the Chinese.
These mystic symbols are often seen above the entrance-door of The geomancer has found that the door-way was unpropihouses. tiously situated, and to a
wooden
remedy the
which
shield,
is
nailed
the
evil,
on the
Pah-hwa
lintel of
are carved on
the door.
Good
luck must follow in posthaste.
These
(1)
by Fuh-hsi
^
8
diagrams are a combination
^. The
of triple
lines— whole and broken— developed
original plan of the symbolisrli
was revealed
to
him, on the back of
a supernatural being, called a dragon-horse, that rose from the waters of the Yellow River. They served much for divination and geomancy, during the period preceding the era of
Wen Wang j^
or
^,
vI2*'^
Book
forms the
of
Yi]t
century B.
Changes
King
^ ^S,
Chinese Reader's Manual,
Transmitted
C).
of the
one
Chow
orally,
they were consigned in the Chow Yih
dvnasty, which, with the commentary of Confucius,
of the
most ancieht
Chinese
of the
classics.
Mayers.
p. 334.
The legendary founder of the Chinese empire, B. 0. 2852-2738. He succeeded to who are believed to have reigned countless ages before human society was constituted. His father was heaven, and his mother bore him 12 3'ears. He established He is ci-edited his capital in Honan province, near the present K'-ai-feng-fu p^ fl^. (J
I
the divine beings,
^
with having invented the art
which the present system (3)
by
Canonised
his son
title,
Chow Kung.
of pictographs
Mayers.
the shape of rough pictorial symbols, from
has been developed. Mayers. Ibid.
posthumously conferred on the Duke
He
is
U$
(last luler of
composing an arrangement
of the
symbols
Ibid. p. 255.
of
Chow
p. 45.
(B. C. 1231-1135),
recognized as the virtual founder of the
Chow Sin
Cast into prison by the tyrant his leisure in
of writing, in
Chow
dynastJ^
the Yin dynasty), he occupied
of the
Yih %, or Book
of
Changes.
— 224 —
Chai'in kiioAvn as that of the
"Five Poisons", AA The annexed charm
is
u-liih j£
endowed with
#.
protective
and exorcising
suspended from the cross-beams of the roof, on the efficacy. fifth day of the fifth month. This cipher is a combination of the exorcising and luck-bearing It is
charm,
generally
known
poisonous reptiles,
that of the
as
Wu-luh
3^
^
''Five
Poisons",
or
five
(I).
These 5 poisonous animals liere leferred to are the viper, centipede, scorpion, (1) toad and spider. Taken togethei, they have the power to counteract all pernicious influences. In South China, says Doolittle, images of them are procured, and worshipped by families, which have an only son. Pictures of them are made with black silk, on new red cloth pockets, It is
worn by children for the first time, on the first five days of the fifth month. charm will tend to keep the children from having the colic, and
believed that such a
from pernicious influences
Doolittle. Social Life of the Chinese. Vol. II. p. 316.
generallj'.
,
\A.«-./W>/\.
WWV\ft/^^
Fig.
Charm known
149
as the "Five Poisons''
Fig.
150
Luck-hearing charin purchased at Kiu-hwa-shan.
— 225 —
Faaious chai'in pui'chased at liiii-liwa-slian
A^
The annexed charm was purchased
lil«
at Kiu-lnva-stia7i
the famous pilgrim-resort in honour of Ti-ls'ang-wang
(1),
On
the top
may
Buddhist priests
the
be seen the seal of the God, of the temple, a fact
A.
iJj
(2).
stamped on
which imparts
^ it
by
to it the
highest value.
The
priests
drive a roaring trade in these magic
thousands of pilgrims purchase them
(1)
fu
}tfc
!''N
Situated South of the Yangtze, in fff-
The land was donated
Chinese Buddhism,
charms, and
at the shrine.
Nganbwei province, a little West of CJi'i-choivmonks by the Chinese Min-kung. Edkins.
to Kuddhisi;
p. 247.
well-known Bodhiaattvufi (illuminating and merciful beings, representing the saving principle of Buddhism), who seeks to save mankind from the punishments of Hades, over which he presides as ruler. Edkins. Ibid. p. 2-J2. (•J)
One
of the five
'\/WV\A/WV'\AA/\/\AA/\^
— 226
ARTICLE
VI.
Stellar Charnis.
According
to
Taoist teaching',
incarnation of some stellar orb.
every
human
being
Cann}' speculators in
is a
living
human
folly
discovered here a source of unparalleled profit.
Should a person
fall
entitled
there
nothing better than
is
Hence countless
begging favours,
affording protection,
work
ill,
within him.
the star incarnated
healing
"Ts'ii-hili-pi-hi^iung tsUlen-shu'
to
stellar
invoke
charms,
The Chinese
etc...
M^M
[^
^
^^
contains a valuable collection of them.
This kind of charm Clii-ma
|g;
^,
that
The annexed charms.
is
belongs to the class generally
as
paper charms, which are burnt.
illustrations
will
They are luck-bearing
happy marriage.
known
convey a general idea of such
scripts, reputed for
conducing
to a
Fig.
Stellar
150^'*
charm conducing
to
a happy hymen.
HgJ^ijig^^-n^fatrfHt^
c -< 05
s
to CO
CO
o
K:?5^^it:^&C^
— 227 — How
the Authoi* secured
all lliese
marvellous ehai'ms. 1".
friends
Pagan
and acquaintances, knowing- that he took interest him with a good number of them.
in the subject, supplied 2".
visits to
Frequent
ma-iieri" |g
,1|
shops dealing in superstitious objects,
}^, helped him
The greater part have been purchased
^
ctiow-fu
Kao-yiu-chow "^
}^,
>}\\
some very
to discover
"Chi-
rare ones.
such shops at Yang and Nanking p| ')>[\,
in
^
Kiangsu province; at Wuliu |ffi fj^, Hwo Chow 7^ f\], Hanshan-hsien Yun-tsao, and Wu-\vei-chow 4it f^ [Jj l||, ffi,
in
j]],
in
^
3°.
Nganhwei
province.
Several have been copied faithfully from
models found in Bud-
dhist or Taoist works. i°.
Some have been Tao-shi jg -^.
5°.
A
very
given to him by Buddhist and Taoist priests,
when
visiting their temples.
complete work in 4 volumes, entitled
chwen wan-fah kwei-tsung" charms, and contains a kinds of subjects,
M^M^M
fine
"Tseng-pu pi-
:
iS 11
^.
treats of
collection of them, relating to all
even some rather risky ones, such as those
exciting to unlawful love and intrigues. 6".
The work [X]
^
^,
entitled
"Ts'u-kih-pi-hsiiwg
contains
many
fine
ts'iien-
specimens of
shu"
stellar
^
"n
jflf
charms.
The purpose principally intended in this work has been to exhibit popular charms generally used by the people in the two provinces of Kiangsu and Nganhwei. The Author has been compelled to
discard
several
curious specimens.
have been required, in order in several
large albums.
A
big
very
to publish all those
now
volume would collected by
and interesting ones from each kind. may be found in the Sicawei library (Chinese
selecting only important
The
full collection
him
He has therefore contented himself with
department), and at the T'usewei Printing Press.
-^I"^-I^
.
— 228
Dore, Henri Researches into Chinese superstitions. V.2
DO NOT REMOVE FROM THIS POCKET
PLEASE SLIPS
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
