Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 204

190

seas.

Sketch of Kwanyin.

APRIL,

the world. The precious water-lily was given to her for a throne, and she became the sovereign of the isles of Pooto Yen in the southern Her father, the king Meaouchwang was allowed to become the god Shen shing seën kwan, and her mother Pibya, was made the goddess Keuenshen. Her eldest sister became the goddess Tae shen wăn choo, and sat upon a sky colored lion; and her other sister Meaou Yin was deified as the goddess Tae shen poo heen, and rode upon a white elephant.

1. The idea of the Chinese classics seems to be that

Hwang Te

is the emperor who has under his jurisdiction all the nations of earth, and

that 天帝 Teen Te, and 玉帝 Yiih Te, and上帝 Shang Te, are

only different designations of a supreme emperor who controls the heavens and the earth, and the gods.

2. Kwanyin is an exceedingly popular goddess among the Chinese, and her images and her shrines may be found in almost every temple of any note throughout the land; but Kwanyin's father, according to the published ac counts of her votaries themselves, was declared by the highest power of the universe which they acknowledge, to be a murderer at heart.

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3. The Chinese notions of female baseness and inferiority are fully de veloped in this passage. This man was denied sons because he was ‘a mur. derer at heart,' while at the same time he was deemed sufficiently worthy of daughters. Female degradation is intimately connected with all the ramifica- tions of heathenism.

4. Two other characteristics in the history of the goddess Kwanyin's origin are disobedience to parents, and angry railing! Heathenism is as inconsis. tently absurd according to the principles of true reason as it is daringly blas. phemous according to the principles of true religion.

5.

;

Yuh te, the Gem Ruler, considered as the god above all

gods, and the great director of all other deities.

6. The chwang fan are long streamers which are used in the temples of Budha. They are sometimes made of variegated silk with groups of fan- tastic figures of men, women and children wrought upon them with much tedious labor, and at great expense. The most beautiful and costly of these banners are only used on occasion of processions and feast-days in honor of the idol.

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7. There are ten of the Yen keun gods, who are denominated

閻君

kings, and who have the entire supervision of the various regions of hades, as

well as all devils and evil spirits.

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8. Kung choo is the title by which the daughters of emperors

and kings are addressed. Kwanyin being the daughter of king Meaou- chwang was consequently entitled to the epithet of kung choo. 1

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9.. PPJ Ome is an epithet of Budan. Messrs. Modhurst and Stevens visited Pooto during their missionary, tour in the brig Hurón in the latter part of 1835, and Mr. M. thus refers to this phrase. "The only thing we heard out of the mouths of these dull monks was Ometo Fuh, or Amida Budha. To every observation that was made re-echoed Ometo Fuh and the reply to every inquiry was Ometo Fuh.' Each priest was furnished with a string of beads, which he kept continually fingering, and while he

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