The world's religions : a popular account of religions ancient and modern, including those of uncivilised races, Chaldaeans, Greeks, Egyptions, Romans; Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Mohammedanism, and a sketch of the history of Judaism and Christianity / by G.T. Bettany.

  • Bettany, G. T. (George Thomas), 1850-1891.
Date:
1890
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The world's religions : a popular account of religions ancient and modern, including those of uncivilised races, Chaldaeans, Greeks, Egyptions, Romans; Confucianism, Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Mohammedanism, and a sketch of the history of Judaism and Christianity / by G.T. Bettany. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    154/926 (page 140)
    tins prayer: “ On this . , . month of this . . . year, I, the emperor, offer a sacrifice to the philosopher Kung, the ancient teacher, the perfect sage, and say, 0 teacher, in virtue, equal to Heaven and Earth, whose doctrines embrace the past times and the present, thou didst digest and transmit the six classics, and didst hand down lessons for all generations ! now in this second month of spring (or autumn), in reverent observance of the old statutes, with victims, silks, spirits, and fruits, I carefully offer sacrifice to thee. With thee are associated the philosopher Yen, continuator of thee; the philosopher Tsang, exhibitor of thy fundamental principles; the philosopher Tsze-tsze, transmitter of thee ; and the philosopher Mang (Mencius), second to thee. Mayest thou enjoy the offerings ! ” (Legge.) Adjoining the temple of Confucius is the Grreat Hall of the Classics, built by the emperor Kien-lung, a lofty building with long cloisters. Great Hall of containing the complete text of the classics, engraved on about 2CXJ the Classics, jarge stones. The hall is a very elaborate structure, in which the emperor enthrones himself once in his reign, at a solemn assembly of all the scholars of the capital, and listens to the reading of a classical essay^ nominally composed by himself. Here we may quote the sixteen maxims of the emperor Kang-hi, about the end of the seventeenth century, which sum up the principles of Con- The sixteen fucianism as promulgated among the common people. These maxims. Esteem most highly filial piety and brotherly submission, in order to give due prominence to the social relations. 2. Behave with generosity to the branches of your kindred, in order to illustrate harmony and benignity. 3. Cultivate peace and concord in your neighbourhoods, in order to prevent quarrels and litigations. 4. Recognise the importance of husbandry and the culture of the mulberr3'^-tree, in order to ensure a sufficiency of clothing and food. 5. Show that you prize moderation and economy, in order to prevent the lavish waste of your means. 6. Make much of the colleges and seminaries, in order to make correct the practice of the scholars. 7. Discountenance and banish strange doctrines, in order to exalt the correct doctrine. 8. Describe and explain the laws, in order to warn the ignorant and obstinate. 9. Exhibit clearly propriety and yielding courtesy, in order to make manners and customs good. 10. Labour diligently at your proper callings, in order to give settlement to the aims of the people. 11. Instruct sons and younger brothers, in order to prevent them from doing what is* wrong. 12. Put a stop to false accusations, in order to protect the honest and the good. 13. Warn against sheltering deserters, in order to avoid being involved in their punishments. 14. Promptly and fully pay your taxes, in order to avoid the urgent requisition of your quota, 15. Continue in hundreds and tithings, in order to put an end to thefts and robbery. 16. Study to remove resentments and angry feelings, in order to show the importance due to person and life.” The ancestral tablets vary in form and make in different parts of the country. In that we figure (p. 141), as used in the neighbourhood of Fu- chow, it is made of three blocks of wood, one forming the pedestal, the