ORIGINAL CONEESS
THE FRIEND OF CHINA AND HONGKONG GAZETTE-
To the Editor of the Friend of China.
Dear Sir,
propose sending you, from time to time, as leisure and health permit, sundry miscellaneous articles on China, and the Chinese, provided you may deem fit to give them some unoccupied corner in your valuable paper, and herewith I send as
No. 1.
CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS.
Tax Chinese, alike with all other idolatrous nations of the Earth, possess many absurd and foolishly supersti- tious observances indeed all nations are more or less infected with the darkness of superstition, and which is only dispelled by their advancement in civilization and Christianity. The Chinese may be justly said to be an extremely superstitious people.
A Carpenter on erecting a building when he reaches the upper beam worships it and offers up prayers that success and happiness may attend those who are to reside within. The Chinese believe that the masons can materially affect the happiness of the inmates of a dwelling, should he conceal in the wall an image or representation of some evil spirit he would by no means confer a blessing on them, but a curse. This belief in- duces them to adore and worship the Patrons of these Masons and place money under the door that the lot of happiness may be theirs.
Murder is not a rare accurrence in the celestial Em. pire. The spirit of the murdered individual is supposed to be wandering about in a restless condition, and of ferings are annually presented, and in some cases the bloody sacrifice of the murderer, when he can be arrest. ed is offered to appease the injured manes of the dead, whose wrongs they think can never be atoned for, except. by the shedding of blood. In former times, prisoners of war were frequently offered, as sacrifices to the stand ards of the army, in order to ensure success to certain military undertakings. The Generals of the hostile armies when taken, were in some instances, put to death, and their blood sprinkled on the tombs of those whom they had slain in war. These sacrifices are not presented to any deity, but to the departed and restless spirits of men.
To obtain fame, the Chinese literati worship the Northern Polar Star. Their prostrations are made before
a representation of Kwei-sing, who is considered the
god of learning. He is represented standing on one foot, holding a pencil in his right hand and is sup- posed to have been, in consequence of his great talent and erudition, translated to the Northern Polar Star.
It is fabled, that a certain bride on leaving her father's house to go to that of her husband, was met by the way and devoured by a tiger. At the present day to
alarm for fear the measure should be rejected...___With_ one or two exceptions, Lord Ellenborough has adopted, during his political career, those courses which have been of the most pacific and conciliatory nature.
YESTERDAY Nov. Srd, a Court of Directors was held at the East India House, w when the Right Hon Lord Ellenborongh was sworn in as Governor General of India
During the troubles of the three contending states, Chiang keo pasted up charms in the streets, to prevent the furth spread of sorge disease, then prevailing The custom is still adhered to by the Priests of Fuh and Taou. The charm consists of two or three charac- ters, written in such a manner as to be perfectly un- intelegible. If it can be decyphered the charm is lost,
For each year in the Chinese cycle, which compri ses 60 years, there is a particular charm pasted up as a preventive against disease.
In the evening the East India Company gave a Che-hwang-te, whose death-took place about 150 grand dinner at the London Tavern to the newly years before Christ, caused all of his domestics to be appointed Governor General. The chair was occu put to death, that they might still attend on himpied by Mr. Lyall, M. P. supported on the rig though in a future state. The practice of burning by Lord Ellenborough, the Duke of Wellingt gilt, and other kinds of paper, seems to have commenced the Earl of Lincola, Earl Delawarr the Earl immediately after his death. A vast deal of this Rosslyn, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Goulburn, and on paper is annually consumed in the present age, as well the left by the Deputy Chairman of the Hon. East as paper made into the shapes of all kinds of their India Company, Lord Wharncliffe, the Duke of garments, and representations of men, women, horses, Buckingham, the Earl of Haddington, the Earl of houses &c. &c. They use this paper on all religious Jersey, Lord Hill, Lord Fitzgerald, &c. Occasions. At the tombs of their departed relatives they burn it, foolishly believing the dead wear it in their future state, and otherwise receive some good from their so doing, The making of these various kinds of paper affords an extensive branch of trade to the Chi- nese This with many others, may prove a barrier against the promulgation of the gospel of Christ in China. Many thousands of these wretched idolators are wholly employed in making these gods, papers and other things worshipped by them. Should they embrace the gospel, this of course, must be given up, though they may have no other way of gaining a subsistence. A cry will probably ere long be heard throughout these extensive territories, not dissimilar to that of the rabble at Ephesus, who perceiving their craft in danger ex- claimed with one accord Great is Diana of the Ephesians!!"
Yours &c.
Hongkong March 28th, 1842.
A K.
EDWARD Law, Lord Ellenborough, was born in the year 1790: he is consequently now nearly fifty-two years of age. He is the son of the celebrated Lord El- lenborough, who was so well known by the high judi- cial reputation he acquired as Lord Chief Justice of the Queen's Bench.
The present
Henborough succeeded to his fa- ther's title in the month of December of the year 1818. He had been for some years previously a member of the House of Commons. He called himself a Whig for some time, and was seen to act in that though more than one of his political capacity, al doubted whether his opinions were based upon any more substantial ground than a mere whim or caprice. The moment he succeeded to the title of his father-
Confederates
provious to which he had filled the situation of chief clerk in the Court of Queen's Bench, with a salary of 69625 per annum, he went into opposition in the House of Lords. In 1828, Lord Ellenborough took office as Lord Privy. Seal, in the Tory administration, None of his friends were surprised at this circums
prevent a catastrophe so fatal, the parents of the bride. groom on similar occasions, suspend a piece of meat at their door to bribe the cruel Tiger. A common sieve||tance; and a pair chopsticks are laid at the door, over which the bride leaps on entering the house of her husband, which act is thought to promote the felicity of their future progeny. Also when the bride is going to the house of her betrothed, they scatter rice in her pathway to prevent her from being molested by the fabulous bird Kin-ke-sing, which holds its lofty habitation among
the stars.
Among the lower classes of Chinese, the prevailing pinion 1
with re to an eclipse is, that an animal, a monster of the frog kind, having one leg and two fore paws, swallows the sun or moon, in
ence of which the priests in the
ple in the
did it create any astonishment on the part of the public or the press. He shortly afterwards became President of the Board of Control, and again filled this important office in the
Peel Wellington administration in the year 1834. A remarkable fact signalized the career of the noble lord at that period which was the extraordinary letter which he addressed to the authorities in India, on the occasion of recom- mending the means by which a judge, might reduced to subjection as to be rendered the tool of any government purposes. The manner in which the ad-
Vice was given was however more. adicrous doctrine itself d
His lordship upright mau,
become.
His health having been drunk, Lord Ellenborough in acknowledging the compliment, assured them that had been counded to him. He knew too well the The felt most deeply the importance of the trust which difficulties of his situation not to feel much appre- hension, that no endeavours of his, however well intended and directed,could effect one tenth of the good he desired; but if there was any one thing which qualified him rather than any other man for the office he now held, it was, that placed at the head of the India Board thirteen years ago by his noble friend the Duke. of Wellington, he had from that time to the present constantly and confidentially communicated with him on every subject relative to the affairs of India. He felt that in going to India he went strong in the noble Duke's confidence (cheers), and that he might say was one chief support of the government he went to administer, He felt also that he was about to succeed.
man who in the office of Governor-General had, he rejoiced to have this opportunity
of declaring, exhibited united as he had been with the Earl of Auckland in great personal as well as publie satisfaction to him, former times by ties of the closest friendship, to observe the indefatigable industry, the great ability, and the extensive knowledge he had brought to the investigation, elucidation, and management of all the great questions which had come before his government. [Cheers } Yet he felt he had much to do to terminate the war in China by a peace honorable to the Crown, and dura- ble in its provisions, to restore tranquillity to both banks of the Indus; in a word, to give peace to Asia a peace giving that sense of security to the people, without which peace itself was valueless; and by means of that peace to create surplus revenue, the only true security for great public improvements-for liberal, even for honest, government by means of that surplus revenue to emulate the magnificent benevolence of Mahomedan Emperors in the great works of public improvement, and, more than all, by gradually cautiously, having regard to the prejudices and feelings of the natives, imparting to them all we knew of arts and civilization, so as at once to elevate the character, and better the condition of that gene rous and mighty people. [Cheers.]
FRONTIER TROUBLES.
Br the Levant we have intelligence direct from the United States. Sundry secret lodges, and considerable excitement prevailed on the Frontiers of Canada and state of New York
JUST previous to the sailing of the Levant, well the Great Western Steam Ship left New
York for Bristol on her forty second voyage, carrying besides. argn and letters forty
about three hundred.
one thousand dollar