The Middle Kingdom, Volume 1 (of 2): A Survey of the Geography, Government, Literature, Social Life, Arts, and History of the Chinese Empire and its InhabitantsWilliams, S. Wells (Samuel Wells)
History
The Middle Kingdom, Volume 1 (of 2): A Survey of the Geography, Government, Literature, Social Life, Arts, and History of the Chinese Empire and its Inhabitants
Williams, S. Wells (Samuel Wells)
China
Outside of the south-western angle of the Imperial City stands the
Mohammedan mosque, and a large number of Turks whose ancestors were
brought from Turkestan about a century ago live in its vicinity; this
quarter is consequently the chief resort of Moslems who come to the
capital. South-west of the mosque, near the cross-wall, stands the _Nan
Tang_, or old Portuguese church, and just west of the Forbidden City,
inside of the _Hwang Ching_, is the _Peh Tang_, or Cathedral; both are
imposing edifices, and near them are large schools and seminaries for
the education of children and neophytes. There are religious edifices
in the Chinese metropolis appropriated to many forms of religion, viz.,
the Greek, Latin, and Protestant churches, Islamism, Buddhism in its
two principal forms, Rationalism, ancestral worship, state worship, and
temples dedicated to Confucius and other deified mortals, besides a
great number in which the popular idols of the country are adored. One
of the most worthy of notice is the _Tí-Wang Miao_, lying on the avenue
leading to the west gate, a large collection of halls wherein all the
tablets of former monarchs of China from remote ages are worshipped.
The rule for admission into this Walhalla is to accept all save the
vicious and oppressive, those who were assassinated and those who lost
their kingdoms. This memorial temple was opened in 1522; the Manchus
have even admitted some of the Tartar rulers of the Kin and Liao
dynasties, raising the total number of tablets to nearly three hundred.
It is an impressive sight, these simple tablets of men who once ruled
the Middle Kingdom, standing here side by side, worshipped by their
successors that their spirits may bless the state. This selection
of the good sovereigns alone recalls to mind the custom in ancient
Jerusalem of allowing wicked princes no place in the sepulchres of the
kings. Distinguished statesmen of all ages, called by the Chinese _kwoh
chu_, or ‘pillars of state,’ are associated with their masters in this
temple, as not unworthy to receive equal honors.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account