150
APPENDIX
A public announcement by the faithful on a lucky occasion in the spring of the 20th year of the Republic (1931)*
A document relating to the appointment of a nunnery head, and to the service of the gods. It has happened that in our Cheung Shan nunnery, since the death of Tik Yuen, the teacher of meditation, frequent small robberies have made it that no-one dares to spend the night in the nunnery. No-one wishing to make vows to the divinities, or to make offerings, comes to the door, nor can they bear to enter there. Sighs of disappointment can be heard. Clearly, it is impossible not to have someone to look after the nunnery halls. It is impossible to leave it neglected for even one day. Now we have heard that the nun Yuet Kwan is a perpetual vegetarian, who lives in retirement from the world, worshipping the Buddha, a good woman, not scrambling for personal gain. She is worthy to be called to the position of head of this nunnery. All the people involved agree, and they have signed this public announcement in the matter. Should she at any time hereafter offend against monastic rules or the precepts of the Buddha, we the owners of the nunnery, the faithful, and others with the right to do so, will drive her out of the nunnery. And to overcome possible difficulties we have issued this unanimous announcement.
The list of those who signed is as follows:
Man Uk Pin village: Chung Shing-kwai, Chung Shing-fooi.
Tong Yuet-woh, Law King-kwong.
Loi Tung village: Tang Shue-yung, Tang Tsap-lai, Tang Kwan-hoi, Tang Tsok-san.
Lei Shin-yue, Lei Kwan-lan, Lei San-ming. [These are from Wo Hang villages]
Ping Che village: Man Kei-kwai, Man Shiu-lun.
Ping Yeung village: Chan Wan-wai, Chan Wan-sang.
* I am grateful to Mr. Chan Wing-hoi for assistance in translating this document.