Sessional_Paper_1896 — Page 918

[ XLIII ]

(Enclosure in Governor Sir Richard Graves MacDonnell's ·

despatch of 19th February, 1872.)

Extract from the “ China Mail" of the 14th February, 1872.

THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE CHINESE HOSPITAL.

PRELIMINARY CEREMONY.

This interesting ceremony took place with great pomp to-day. It consisted of a ceremonial sacrifice being offered to the God of Shan Nung, one of the three mythical Emperors who are said to have attained the great age of ten thousand years. He is recognised as the discoverer of medicines, but he was not the favourite god with the medical fraternity. This deity was selected on this occasion owing to some objection baving been offered by a minority of the Committee to have any gods on the premises at all.

At an early hour, the Committee, some seventy or eighty in number, assembled at the Kung Sho (Public Meeting Hall) adjoining the Hollywood Road Joss-house, all dressed in the mandarin costume, some even with peacock's feather attached to their buttons. A little before 8 o'clock, a procession, accompanied by a band of Chinese music and a staff of paraphernalia bearers, such as is usual on these occasions of festivities, and headed by a pair of large lanterns bearing an inscription-" The formal opening of the Tung Wah Ilospital "-paraded the streets of the Chinese section of the Town and stopped in front of the Kung Sho, where it was joined by the Committee. The return trip of the procession started at the booming of three guns, and the whole body proceeded towards the Central Schools and turned into Gough Street; passing by the premises of Messrs. GIBB, LIVINGSTON & Co., the procession took the course to Bonham Strand and then up the road leading to the Hospital. Amongst those who took part in the ceremony were LEONG ON, compradore Messrs. GIBB, LIVINGSTON & Co., CHUN KUм, compradore Messrs. ARNHOLD, KARBERG & Co., NG CHOOK, Compradore JARDINE, MATHESON & Co., CHOY A-CHIP, compradore Messrs. GILMAN and SCHELLHASS & Co., WONG SUN, compradore Messrs. PUSTAU & Co., CHEONG KAI, compradore Hongkong Club, FUNG MING SHAN, compradore Messrs. A. G. HOGG & CO., CHUN TING CHI, late compradore Messrs. SMITH, KENNEDY & Co., Kwok A-CHEONG, HO A-SICK, LEE SING, LEE TUK CHEONG, CHUN KUN and others. LEONG ON, being the Chairman of the Com- mittee, took the most prominent part in the ceremony, being the bearer of three incense sticks, which he carried with him during the whole tour of the procession. Three guns announced the arrival of the procession at the Hospital, and now the grand ceremony commenced. The musicians were placed on one side at the court-yard, and the yeoman bearers of paraphernalia were arranged on two rows one on each side of the hall; further up were the Committee divided also into two rows. These arrangements

having been made and a sufficient space having been cleared, LEONG ON, as the performer of ceremonies, stepped forward immediately and placed the three joss sticks he had in his hand in an incense pot. Having done this, he stood on one side, and in obedience to the commands of the director of ceremonies, CHUN KUM, he knelt down before a sandalwood frame, having the inscription of Shan Nung and kotowed three times. He rose up and with great reverence approached the image and removed the piece of paper which screened the inscription; the frame was then handed to two assistant performers of ceremonies, who conveyed it forward and placed it into a glass case at the furthest end of the hall. The director of ceremonies called out "retire," and LEONG ON retired further out to the court-yard, and the officer ordered him to kneel down and kowtow. This form was repeated for the third time, and the performer of ceremonies stood up and knelt down again until he had made nine koutous. The prayer reader YIM TO NAM, of the Kin Nam Hong, then came forward. He made the same number of kowtows and proceeded to read the prayer, which was very brief. In