1938-01-15 — Page 8

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THE HONGKONG TE LEGRAPH, SATURDAY, JANUARY · 16, 1938.

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SPIRITUALISM IN CHINA

OMMUNICATION with the unseen

spiritualistic world has always been

an intriguing subject with the majority of mankind.

Practically every branch of the human race, civilised and barbarous, has vouch-

VAUXHALL safed its firm conviction in the belief that

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The

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 1938.

ROCKY ROAD TO

REVOLUTION

the disembodied souls of quondam inhabi- tants of the earth may be brought en rapport with the living through means of the mesmeric trance.

Thus we find that certain individuals, possessing peculiar susceptibility to the influx of ideas or promptings from the spirit world, are tempted by either gain or curiosity to hold a seance for the benefit of those who would like to receive messages from the departed. These clairvoyants, or mediums, to employ the more general term, have of course abounded in every age, and have, on account of undoubted psychical power, won immense follow- ings and prestige.

Some have been seers, like the witch of Endor who materialised Samuel for the benefit of Saul, whilst others have been mere mediums, like the pythis of the Dephian oracle, who, were able to advise questioners on the course of future events.

By T. Paul Gregory

but he has been fortunate in in- A translation is given in verse, tervewing a number of Chinese although whilst it is very free women who had been present on it is yet rather accurate in one of these occasions, and who substance: have kindly supplied him with most of the facts.

the After the arrival of sheng-p'ah, or medium, at the house where she is to hold the pre-arranged seance, she is escorted bys the feminine

"Ye sisters three-ye ladies jour, O! lead me to Indes' door! What would we do in Hades?

Speak!

My kindred scek, one word to say Then quickly lead me back, 1

humbly pray."

回 回 □

Here thrice

over

each

rapport with the spirit world, and her clients may now inter- rogate her. Her answers are

portion of the family to THIS ritualistic incantation is some quiet back room.

repeated. At and who for a fee will act as a table and some low stools repetition, the medium seems to medium for the imparting of in- have been provided. Upon the go more and more into the in- telligence from the dead to the table there is sometimes placed fluence of a trance. As soon as living. In the West, spiritualis the seung-chan, or portrait of the the words have died from her tic mediums may be of either person with whom it is desired to lips the last time, a tremor her. Her borly sex, but in China, the majority communicate. Near the stool comes. of those engaging in this pro- where the medium is to sit is straightens, her limbs relax, It is such mediums as the lat- fession are elderly women. placed a small basin containing and a cold clammy sweat streams ter who have been sought after

Whilst they may he met with rice. Candles are lighted, and from her face and temples. She There is an odd similarity by the Chinese; for the Chinese everywhere in this ancient land, en- or imitation paper money appears to the beholders to be as between the two mast bitterly mind, as a general rule, is deep- it is said that those who come is burnt. Likewise, a part of the a person dead, save for convul- opposed political systems of this concerned with the belief that from Kwangtung in the South procedure requires that a nu-sive trembling of her lips, which peradventure, a prescience of the are the most proficient. In the ber of paper charins called yi-chi, now and again dribble saliva. age, · Communism. as the future may

these (paper cut-out somewhat in the vernacular,

She is now said to be en: be of incalculable Cantonese Russians know it, and Fascism, value.

mediums are termed sheng-p'ok, shape of a Chinese robe) should literally "sorceress" or "witch" be burnt as an offering to the as preached in Italy and other Consequently we find that the Sometimes, too, they are called spirits. totalitarian states. Each has people are deeply interested in sin-p'oh, which means "fairy As mentioned above, no man given in a high unnatural voice, sprung from revolution, has the idea that an individual's women," although it must be can be present, and there is also which at times shrieks with

said that the former expression a singular rule observed that no crescendo force. progressed, or evolved, through luck or personal success may is by far the most usual. It copy of any of the Chinese similar stages; a. each has ex-somehow or other be dependent may be interesting to mention Classics, especially that portion perienced the blood and suffer- upon the whims of his departed that whilst almost every Can- of the Confucian Canon known tonese sheng-p'oh is reputed to as the "Great Learning" must be ling and terror and bestiality ancestors.

be a medium of considerable left lying about in the room. ability, it is those, who hail, Indeed, it is stated that should from the countryside around any of these precautions be thing about these two systems To the Chinese, the stability of Shek-lung in the district of neglected, the medium will de-

family ties is so marked that Tung-kwoon who are considered clare that the spirits are not "It is a little lighter now. of government is that, though even-death-is-not-considered-a-by the Cantonese themselves to en rapport und will refuse to go Ai-ja, yes, I can see much better their aims have been always separation; for the spirits of the be super-eminent in their pro- on with the seance. When every- very different, they seem to have arrived at much the same

which are the hand-maidens of revolution. But the remarkable

回

fession.

回

O

As soon

"What do you see?" she may be asked. dark. I can't see anything," is "Nothing, nothing! It is so

the reply.

"Now what do you see?"

now. Yes! yes! I see houses—

departed dwelling

thing has been finally declared many, many...... P'' in the shadowy realm of Yam-kaan or

ready, the sheng-p'ok ascertains "Do you see any people?” from the onlookers their desires point, at least at this time. It Hades are continually watching LET us assume that a certain and the complete facts regarding

"No noi yet, Ai-y-yes, I see them. is, perhaps, because they have over the welfare and interests of family desires to consult one the, nature of the difficulty yes! I do now. travelled the same ugly road. all their descendants upon the of its members who has crossed under which the family labours, They look so thin and sallow earth. Hence, if a family should the great divide. He must, together with the additional looking. Ah, one is approach- The Russian revolution was be in great mental distress however, be dead at least one data as to the name, sex, dates ing me. CHATER ROAD. to have freed the serfs of that through the illness of one of its munication can take place with as she has learned all these He is the one you seek. (Here

hundred days before any com- of birth and death, etc.

Ai-ya-a-al I recognise him. great country, down-trodden, members, or should profess a de- his spirit; for the Chinese affirm particulare, she crouches on one the hand of the medium Mill-used, imprisoned, butchered aire to know whether an intend that the soul takes this length of the stools and humps up her stretches forth, and grasping a on occasion by the servants of ed marriage is advisable, or of time to reach the domain of back in such a way that her face handful of rice casta it in the

government. Twenty-one should seek to discover whether Yama, the king of the under- rests upon her knees. In this direction of the interlocutor). years after the upheaval, when the chosen burial spot of some men and women turned to mur- relative is propitious, or in- der to win themselves an ideal deed, upon any other of the

formation of the deceased spirit state, one is struck by the in the daily life

myriad subjects which concern

must be women; for the Can- congruity of their actual accom-the Chinese naturally desire to a scance in the presence of any of the people, tonesc sheng-p'oh refuse to hold plishment compared with their ascertain the opinion of their of the male sex. Consequently, often spoken and published forefathers.

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1

the

aims.

Was

world.

An important factor, is that those who seek the required in

it has been exceedingly difficult for the writer to obtain first-

uncomfortable posture, she com- mences to chant the following words in the modulated sem- blance of a prayer:

ㄖ

03-

THE identity of the one "Saan-kan-tre, 'số-k:c00-neung

tablished, the sheng-p'oh is Ts'ing nei yan ngoh to Yam-fong! now in a position to answer all Yap-to Yam-fony, you hoh-sz pei-manner of questions regarding

loi? Team-sok ngoh t'an-yan Ta'am such ta'an-yan kong kui-wa

chucn-loi

Sung noch truck-is'uk tso waan

young."

BULLS AND INNERS

ᄆᄆ

DO

Have they won free-: The Chinese are, however, hand information on the subject; dom? The recent Russian elec-pre-eminently a practical people, tions provide the answer. They and consultations with the de- were nothing short of farcical. parted are not accomplished so In all of Russia there were only easily. Consequently, there exist, two constituencies where there as in other lands, individuals more than one candidate, who are able to enter into com- Who would dare to oppose Stalin (munication with the spirit world, and the steam-roller

party machine which crushes with gressors and the transportation such discrimination?

to Siberia of countless thou-a fine opinion of himself that its easy instrument to play. We "Russians,” observes Time,sands of unfortunates who were stymie was called the bogey thought it had too many ins and "still have their mail tampered guilty of no more than a natural man.

At this sort of with, their telephones tapped, resentment und are still likely to be waked gover...nent.

up in the night to be carted off If Russia's road is one way to gael without warrant or duo (to froedom and democracy it is That-sort fligh time the world looked for process of law..

of thing might be excused in some other. It is remarkable states where dictators rule and that leaders of nations can be so where there is no pretence of lacking in discernment that

From the Office Butts

A certain local golfer has such The accordion is said to be an

ปี

outs.

1

ט

The Royal and Ancient Golf so, Club intends to fix a limit to the number of a player's clubs. What does it matter, so long as it is a round number?

口 The latest craze among

כי

the deceased spirit, which now begins to converge with the members of its former family through the agency

of the medium.

At length, after the curiosity of the family has been gratified, the seance may be declared over. The medium is roused from her name trance, by having her shouted three times in her ear, and she goes through all the rigmarole of rythmic convul- sions. Each limb seems to gradually recover its sensibility, and at length she sits up rub- bing her eyes and yawning as if waking from a deep sleep.

She rises to her feet, and go- ing to the table washes her eyes with some ahing-shui or "holy ashes from a burnt charm with a water" (made by mixing the

quantity of clear water). After this is done, she burns owners in Britain is the aquisi-offering to the spirits and, busi- imitation paper money as an ness-like, demands her fee (which may be any amount from

parture.

pet

Cheese is still an important item of army food. Even there are stillons left.

O B Cheer up! It's unly 344 days to Christmas.

= We overheard a newcomer say tion of freaks, such as white that he can't get a decent egg sparrows, white blackbirds etc. port a few ostriches,

owners have discovered that ច

they own white elephants.

some

freedom, but in Russia, where they should choose the hardest/in Hongkong. He should im-In Hongkong several race pony50c upwards) and takes her de-

מ . ט

Lenin and his helpers thought to way to reform. The advanced cradle world revolution, so-democracies can be pardoned for A writer in a London journali cialism and Utopia, it seems out a little self-satisfaction in hav-asserts that it's wrong to res- It is said that the Navy re- of place. Russia's recent his- ing discovered the advantages train girls too much. If they cruiting authorities find difficul- don't ndvertino themselves ty in accuring good .cooks.. tory-has-been remarkable for of-constitutional-revolution-and they're liable to be left on the Perhaps it's because nome cooks.

ahelf. its executions of political trans- orderly revolt.

feel bad at sea.

*It may be interesting to noté that the deities who are invoked In this incantation are supposed to be the tat-tre or "seven sisters," the Chinese name for the Pleiades. (See the writer's article in the Ple torial Supplement of the Saturday, August 24,-1937)JE