THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1927.
“FIVE DRAGON TEMPLE.”
Giant Brass Image,
է:
A KOWLOON CITY PLACE OF WORSHIP.
"Five Dragon Temple" at divine and awe-inspiring. Under Kowloon City is well-worth the him peace prevailed at home and trouble of visiting as it contains abroad. All this was owing to the many objects of interest to the help of Chan Mo, who came down European. Hanging on the wall to guide the 6 Armies of the is a scroll in English which gives Emperor. To award his services, the history of the giant "Chan great repairs were made to his Mo" or "Pak Tal as it is known Temples. Then prosperity reign in the vernacular, an image overed throughout the Empire, and 500, years old reposing on the the power of the Emperor was altar of honour,
extended to the farthest country. Indeed the different temples built in honour of Chan Mo were as. numerous 'as stars in the sky." This shows that the worship of this god was more zealous in the Sung Dynasty than in the reign of Yuen, and therefore his tem pies could be found everywhere in the Empire.
Mr. Tsang Foo, the local coal merchant, is mainly responsible for the temple's. erection.. having purchased the brass idol from Canton and supervised the build ing outside his villa and school A typical example of foreign influence in Chinese life is notice: able in Mr. Tsang's house which adjoins the temple. The grounds contain buildings of strictly
Chinese type and the semi-Euro-
pean type while a Chinese pond
of
RACING THE MAIL.
SPECIAL TOURISTS SUPPLEMENT.
FEARSOME HONG KONG MONSTERS.
Deity.
Live Unicorn And Frog
SOME STRANGE LOCAL LEGENDS.
Although famed abroad chiefly for its shipping and its com- merce, Hong Kong, is also a place of supernatural wonders. Chained to the City Hall itself is b-terrible monster which would spend its freedom o' nights devouring policemen and their dogs were it but given the chance, and has, indeed, already made one such ghastly meal Crawling painfully up the Peak is a deified Frog Rock which once had its face smacked by a Goddess and is now doing terrible penance for its sine.
ANCIENT CHINESE CURRENCY
How the Market Was Worked.
Demand Drafts Nearly 2000 Years
"FLYING MONEY” OF TANG DYNASTY,
⠀ HONG KONG INCIDENTS.
recently published book the
How the Hong Kong market was||
Lecturing at the Rotary Club Dynasty, and “chi of the sometimes, manipulated by means at the Astor House Hotel re- Sung Dynasty, no sample of. faat-sailing vessels which got ahead of the Mail is described in a cently, Rotarian Mr. K. F. Hu of which can, however, at present be
found: only blome Service by Paul the Peking-Mukden Railway gave During the Sung Dynasty notes?
on were extensively printed with no King, some time, Commissioner of a most interesting address Custome in China.
Chinese Coins and Currency. adequate reserve for the issuance, "In the oki opium daye at He supplemented his remarks Paper notes were found every- Hong Kong," he writes, the with several valuable specimens where, for buying dally neces "Glengyle" left Calcutta a day of ancient coins, and photo-sities, paying taxes, and defray- after the Indian_Mail and arriv-graphic remnants of old currency ing public expenses, in fact, for ed outside Hong Kong a day or so notes. Among the latter was an all sorts of purposes until the Torrible Affair.
night to fly back when the cock before her, remaining in hiding imprint of an old draft, bearing value of notas dropped to about Visitors will laugh when told crows. Once secured with the near the Lyeemoon Pass, Hera chop signifying that it was pay-one per cent. The ill effect of the that the unicorn on the Royal chain, however, it cannot move first mate, disguised as a Chin-able on demand at Chengtu notes, however, did not become ese, landed alone, and delivered Nanking, and one other city, and serious as the, denomination was coat-of-arms outside the top of and the guardian lion is now mail advices to the firm that carrying a warning that fraudul limited to the "Kwan or one the City Hall (facing the Supreme looked upon as the benevolent owned her. When the Indian Mail ent imitation of these drafts thousand cash only. Court) can take actual animal deity with the solitary duty of had arrived and the letters were rendered the guilty party liable to During the Chin Dynasty, shape and rove about at night. preventing.further ravages..
distributed in the usual way the capital punishment, and offering about the beginning of the While on the subject of super and registered her arrival.
"Glengyle" also came into port a reward of 300 "Kwan" to those thirteenth century notes with de This brass image was manu-Well, it does. Years ago before
giving information of such for nominations such as one hundred, factured under the supervision of the era of electric and gas-lights stitions associated with Hong "Meanwhile the "Beatipoa-gery. Mr. Hu. also exhibited a four hundred, one thousand a native of Tai Hing of Shun Tin. in this island of Fragrant Kong, it is interesting to recall sidents of the latest news had form of currency made of metal "Kwan," or one million · cash,. From this we can tell that it was Streams, a European sergeant another fabin which was given been enable "intelligently to of the size and shape of an old-were lasued. Ten years later the has two foreign-style rowing made at Peking and during the was patrolling the vicinity with considerable credence when the boats in it and the garden has Dynasty of Wing Lok. The date his dog, when the ferocious mon- plague first became evident in the anticipate, market conditions, fashioned key, but minus teeth, value of the notes dropped to
This, he said, was used as a draft auch an extent that notes with. a wind-driven water condenser Kwai Mau of the Emperor Man ster came down and ate the dog nineties and is still talked about very much to her own benefit.
"She was a beautiful built ship as early as the days of Christ. aggregated face value of 120 mil made in Elinois, U.S.A.
Lik inscribed thereon is the date and then the master, after the to-day.
Our Frog Deity.
and her yacht like' nes gave This implement was engraved lion "Kwan," or 120 billion cash. There are images worked in of the erection of the Temple and latter had tried to beat it back
har what in those days was very with a number of characters, were worth only one taal of At least this i Somewhere near the top of the great speed-of course brass of a tortoise and a snake not the date of the manufacture with his stick..
she car some of them in gold, in order to aycee The modern mark and which represent the deities who of the image. The Imperial much is vouched for by a story Peak there is a rock which is ried no heavy cargo. But the prevent imitation. The draft was rouble, therefore, had nothing on carry out the god's benevolent Inspector-General Canton among the Chinese. That the claimed to personify the frog installation of telegraphic com- bought in one city and payment China orders. That the natives of Kow- Shipping and Salt, Commissioner story is given more credence than deitz, whose evil ambition it is to munication spoilt her little game, was returned on presentation in During the Yuan Dynasty, lo attach much importance to engraved on the image, was the a mere legend is evilent from the get to the top when the island is and she sank to the level of the another city. The manufacture about 1280, a certain amount of the temple is ovident, from the builder of the Temple, but unfor-fact it is not only related to devastated. Actually there are ordinary coast boat. Regrets at of this currency was very com-reserve was provided for the issue large incense containers bestowed tunately his name has been torn naughty children by their amans, only a few who can say definitely her loss were more sentimental plicated and ordinary persons of notes. Consequently the cur
off. However, during the Dynas but that even to-day there are where this big rock is, but it is than real, as she was an expen- could not do it. in the place of worship.
rency system was greatly im Below we give an interesting ty of Shan Chung many servants many Chinese, common-sense and supposed to resemble a giant sive boat to run and for her size
Mr. Hu said that in the ancient proved. Toward the end of the of the Imperial Household were business sagacity despite, who frog. Some think that the Hog's a small carrier. Still her anchor days China was essentially an Dynasty, however, owing to ex- sent out to make heavy levies on, placed implicit faith in it..
Back bears the resemblance while chains and deck fittings were a agricultural country, consequent-tensive military operations, 80 the god Chan. Me" in the Five the income of merchants, and Should arguments-backed up others: point to the mass which sight for the gods, and no wonderly the principal assets of the peo with the face value of 50 taels. many notes were issued that notes from this we can deduce that the by explanations of what the coat can be approached from that part her loss nearly broke Captain ple were farming implements. In would not buy ten the. of rice. "Mr. Tsang Shiu-wing alias image was brought to Kwong of-arms denote be attempted, of Conduit Road near the Victoria Martin's heart Peace be to her the process of bartering, imple- |
Another bones 'neath the China Sea."
Very few notes were issued: ments such as shovels, spades, Tsang Foo bought the image at Tung from Peking by one of such supporters of the fable will only Battery filter beds, Tsang Foo bought the image it servants, and was enshrined in a pour out a terrent of sarcasm chister of almost upright bould. Mr. King was agting Commis-etc., formed the principal medium during the Ming Dynasty and the Canton for a sigh, and weighs temple at Canten after the name concerning new-fangled ideas. era which are situated above sioner of the Kowloon Customs of exchange. "Tean Fl" or shovel only samples left were printed over 1,000 catties. At the left of of the manufacturer, and the date "Why." they will say, "just go Marble Hall, are also thought to for a period and has some inter-currency, was therefore the during the Hung Wu period.
There were no notes issued dur- eating observations to make on earliest type of currency known; ing the first part of the Manchu its robe. are inscribed the 13 of manufacture had been en- and look at the "horse" and you be the "Frog Rock."
Hong Kong past and present. the coin being in the shape of a Dynasty. The military operation characters, "Yam, Chai Tuk graved on it.
Alus over 500 years have
"Hong Kong was a very differ-shovel This was followed by Kwong Tung Chu Chi Shi Pok T Kim Kuh Im (Imperial Inspec-elapsed since the Wing Lok
ent-looking place to the present "Dau Pi" or knife currency, the against the Tai Ping Rebellion city. One landed from tor-General of Canton Shipping Dynasty. The image was removed
a six-coin being in the shape of a knife, during 1860 necessitated the oared gig at steps just below the another of the most commonly printing of notes both in tael and and Salt Commissioner), but the from Peking to Canton, and again part beneath this has been torn from a Taoist. Temple into
Clock Tower. The old Chub and used implements for harvesting cash. The relative values of Hway At the right corner are Buddhist Monastery and just
the old Hong Kong Hotel were grain and for general use. One the notes were so fixed that 200 found the 17 characters, "Taisome time ago it had a narrow
close by, both very comfortable end of the coin was a round end cash would be equivalent to one places if not quite so much up-to-ed handle with a hole in the centre banks at Amoy, Foochow, and Eael in notes. The Government Ming Man Lik Sam Shap Yatescape from being destroyed. Can
date as the present buildings. to facilitate tying together and Nin Shui Chi Kwai Mau Kwai it be the case that even a lifeless Chau Kat Yat Kin" (manufac-object has its time of prosperity
But deep verandahs and large the other end a knife blade. This Tientsin were first to circulate rooms at valuable adjuncts in the explains why the Chinese char
these notes. Although the notes: tured on a lucky day in the 9th and misfortune?
almost perpetual heat of South-acter "L" standing for profit, is were supposed to be legal tender, ern China and, with majestic composed of two characters knife even the Government tax bureaux slow-moving punkahs had much and grain, and also has the mean hen the Government had to fix"
were unwilling to accept them. in them to invite comparison, noting of sharpness. As time went altogether to their disadvantage, on, the cofn took the form of the amount could be paid in notes.
a percentage at which the taxed. with the blaze of electric lampe round end with the handle and the whirl of mechanical fans omitting the blade. This evolved Even for this the public did not which often fail either to soothe into the round coin with square tried to doctor the issue and mer
want to accept notes. Officials For to cool.
hole, which form has been in use "However, one must not be up to the present day. This has change of notes to get profit. The chants manipulated the ex- Laudator temporis acti, only in been called "Chuan Pi," or spring value of notes dropped. Foreign i the bustle and hustle of daily life currency, signifying the resembl- merchants on the other hand as now obtaining in the Far East, ance between the currency and bought the notes at a great dis One looks back affectionately at the spring water which is upcount to pay the percentage of the cam dignity of old time posed to flow continuously with import taxes allowed by regula-
Raffles at Singapore, and at out interruption, the quiet and spacious Interiors?
translation
History of the brass image of
Dragon Monastery.
i
A
Written by the True Retired, Scholar of Kowloon on the 15th of the 12th moon of the Yam Shut year (31.1.23),
moon of the Kwai Mau year, i.e. Now Mr. Tsang having obtain the Thirty-First year of Maned the image, has erected a tem- Lik of the Great Ming Dynasty).ple for it at Kowloon under 'the On the back of the image there name of the Five Dragon Temple, are 21 characters in 3 rows, the very original name of the which read thus: "Pak King Monastery from which it came. Shun Tin Fu Tai Hing Yuen This history is written for the Cheung Chiu Wong Tso Kun Tso advice of those who may worship Chu Chi To. Shi Tong To Chan" the god and pray him to remove (manufactured under the super- any cause of misfortune. vision of Cheung Chin and Wong Tao of the Tai Hing District of the Shun Tin Prefecture, Peking and Tong To Chan, the Priest in Charge). The image was the pro- perty of the Sze Taz Shim Lam Monastery, and that it fell into the hands of some ordinary individuals after the political change in the San Hoi year. On reference to some Tacist Authori ties, it has been found that "Chan Mo" was born in the 3rd moon of the 3rd year of the Emperor Hoi of the Tsui Dynasty. He was porn a divine sage. He took oath to remove all evil spirits, and to
Chop of Chan Pak-to.
Chop of the True Retired Scholar of Kowloon (nom-de- plume of Chan Pak-to)..
BIRD LIFE.
(Continued from Page 2.).
protect the people. He gave up close observers. Take a local in- his secular life, and took up the stance. Everybody must have study of Taoism. After pursuing noticed that about 60 per cent. of his study in Mo Tong Hill for 18the lichee crop is every year years, he succeeded in becoming injured or made useless by a an immortal He took, the North grub which develops in the fruit under his protection. He showed near the stalk. This is the larva his appearance on the solicitation of a "fly, probably a Drosophila.. of any man, and suppressed any Perhaps the best local enemy of evil spirit when asked to. He the fly is the white-eye Zosterops
came
and Sung Chan Chung, he show enemies. ed great divine prodigy on differ- Another very useful local bird
The Asiatic Building: One of the Colony's Intest and finest bulidings:
As business grew and travel-
tion. The Government bureaux had to accept. It was said that,
of a bye-gone age in Hong Kong. ling became more frequent the de- principally through these mani. The Peak Railway was still a mand for the medium of exchange pulatione, one clerk in the Minis- dream. I sealed the Rock on increased. Carrying of coins be- try of Finance, while having an foot with chair following, and came clumsy and inconvenient, official salary of 30 or 40 taels, came down the same way. A few and some substitute had to be owned property worth 50 to 60 hardy pioneers had bungalows on sought. the mountain-side. I noticed one
millions 1 It was said in one of the Cön- burgalow with roof securely fucian Classics that as early as ment had bought. back the notes
It was not until the Govern moored to the soil with stout the first part of the Chow at a fixed price that this system cables. This was to prevent Dynasty, about 1000 B.C., a kind of squeeze from these manipula- forcible, removal by a passing of currency note consisting of a tions stopped. Since the intro- typhoor."
piece of cloth two inches wide by duction of modern banking, more When Mr. King first made his two feet long, chopped with a emphasis was laid on the reserve, voyage to the East as a junior he Government Seal, was used. Pro- the printing, and issuance, With had a letter of introduction-bably this was the earliest form the exception of the panic of 1916 tickets for soup they were called of currency note ever used in the large Government Bank notes in those days to Sir Arthur China.
were seldom quoted at a discount.. Kennedy, the Governor of Hong. But the actual use of the paper Kong, and spent a pleasant after-note started from "Fei Chuan," Hu in behalf of the Club for his Rotarian Young thanked Mr. noon at Government House play-or "fying money of the Tang address. ing croquet with his daughter and out from home. a young curate, like himself, just
SHE HAD A GROWL..
Old Mrs. Higgins was renowned for the fact that she grumbled at everything and everybody.
The vicar of the village church]
down among the people simplex. But the Chinese trap will see a real iron chain round! every Kang San or Kap Tsz day so many of these birds that they its neck secured to the wall. The story goes that it moved rapidly Irrespective of the position, the and every 3rd or 7th day, to are becoming more scarce. The lion opposite to it was borrowed upwards for some years till it got remove all causes of misfotune. bird breeds freely here but every It is stated in the Annals of the nest is robbed, and Chinese are from the set at the base of the perilously near the top when the Mo Tong Hill that the place constantly asking if you know of fountain outside the other side of "Heavenly Virgin" or "Kwoon where Chan Mo resided in retire any nests of the young birds. No the City Hall (since replaced by Yum" smacked its head with the ment, was the Five Dragon species could stand such a drain another one) and with the aid of result that it fell back a good dis- of the Emperors Tong Tai Chung addition to its host of natural spiritual power with which to to climb up to her preserves had determined to try to find, some Monastery. During the Dynastles on its reproductive powers in protective gods, was given the tance. For its audacity in daring
exercise a restraining influence this kindly disposed goddess is thing about which she had no com presumed to watch over the plaint. And at last he thought he over the recalcitrant horse:"
Island's destinies from a favour-had found it in the old lady's crop ent occasions, and much more in is the Wa Med. But again, this
Images That Take Huinan
able position at the Peak she of potatoes, which was the finest for the Yuen and Ming Dynasties, is a favourite cage bird of the
Shape.
cast a charm over the Frog miles rounded u When the Emperor Shai Tso of Chinese, and many are decoyed the Yuen Dynasty first establish- and ingeniously trapped by them People who have been in the so that his ascending abilities "Ah, for once you must be pleas ed his capital at Peking, he Their scarcity is largely to blame interior of China for long will were reduced to not more than ed, he said, with a beaming smalle revealed the appearance of his for the abundance of pestiferous know the purport of two awe the length of a grain of rice as he met her in the street. "Every-
body's saying how Aplendid Divine Tortoise and Snake on the insects of the grass hopper and inspiring images outside the year. So Hong Kongites can feel potatoes are this year! Your Ko Leung river in the 12th moon other families.
doors of big houses. These are relieved. Measured on that basis The old indy glowered at him as of that year, prophesying the
Even if the New Territory and the doorkeeper deities and it is it will be a matter of centuries she answered:
"They're not BO' poor.
But foundation of the Sung Dynasty, adjoining Islands were made an commonly believed that, especial before Froggy: can get anywhere
where's the bad potatoes, för the A temple was therefore built for absolute close preserve there ly in the case of those which face near the danger zone again,
pigs7e his worship. Seventy-four years would always be a certain drain East, the early morning's sun- Efforts have been made to die. later, on a "Tin Shau festival in on many species by persons who rays have, in course of time, con- trace the origin of this yarn but GOOD BUSINESS. the Yan Chung Dynasty he again skilfully evaded the clutches of verted the images into actual those who have faith In It can showed his appearance in Mo the law. "Yellow Dragon” gods which take human form at only say that they were told by After examining the window for night. Armed with a deadly wes somebody else. Others with a long time, the little girl entered pon, they are claimed to have reasonable turn of mind can only the toy shop, harmed those who would dare ap attribute it to the dislike of the "Have you's nice toy," she asked proach with ulterior motives in foreigner during the early days of to cost about eightpence? I want the dead of night.
the Colony's occupation when it for a present for my little ala. Apparently, same idea some patriot devised the story to ter exists with" "regi Tailor. "I never ask a gentleman Hall unicorn.
malevolent ahone on
THE TURNING POINT,
Toug Hill. Therefore, the Kam Luk Temple was built, and the Five Dragon Monastery was re- novated to make offerings to him every year. In the years of the Emperor Wing Lok of the Ming
Customer: "How is it that I have Dynasty, great development was not received a bull from you?
again made to this Temple and for money
Monastery In the record of theAnd what do you do if h
Mo Tong Hill by Wong To-kwan, don't part
will be found the following he doesn's pay, I conclude moon. At any quotations Powerful is Em-i tist he is not a gentleman, and then to have peror, Shing Ten.. - He is great, ~ I 'aar him.”
**
to the City scars Chinese from settling hero "Well said the benevolent shop
riven its
It is said that keeper, “here's a doll. It-repfly rconia a shilling, but vil let you have
for eightpeace.FOR TEAM AN Tro thare:
reblied the childagif ataurbenes off, evez
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