Barbaric Pageants [pp. 357-364]

3(34 Barbaric rageants. [April,
far all was solemn and imposing. But as nalia dispersed to their respective homes,
an adjunct to the prayers, which were mut- joss-houses, and temples. The most magtered low, like the Catholic Latin service, nificent come from Canton.
there was an accompaniment of a very reedy Out of this bewildering scene of dazzling
Swiss pipe, which shrieked shrilly enough to colors, incongruous forms, and deafening
set one's teeth on edge, and utterly destroyed sounds, we emerged in the small hours into
any feeling of devotion; and the creature, the pale moonlight under the shadow of the
supposed to be a chorister, who whistled sentinel peak looming darkly above us, while
away until the perspiration ran down him, the bay beneath twinkled with its hundreds
had, like "cutty sark," cast off most of his of lights, backed into our chairs like horses
duds and "loppit at it in his sark." This backing into shafts, and returned home, worn
was a sad come-down from the jeweled, out with our sojourn amongst the spirits from
mitre-like head.array which lay on the table limbo.
before the altar between two red candles and It might suggest a subject for philosophi~
a row of tiny teacups. The smallest of cal investigation that perambulating pageants
these, as large as a thimble, was to contain seem inherent to humanity, degrees of civilthe samshu (a spirit much like brandy); the ization making little or no difference. Each
others were for tea. Above, and reaching people laughs at processions or displays whic~
to the ceiling, were the pictures of the great differ from its own. But let an American
gods, or "The Three I)recious Ones," as they decide which he considers the most ridicuare called. Further down in the center or lous, the London Gog and Magog or the
nave of the building, which was thronged with Chinese K??z bong, or Golden Dragon, and
Chinese, male and female, not worshiping but he will say that he guesses a good deal of
quietly looking on, just like most Spanish barbarism still exists amongst the English.
church-goers, there was an enormous figure Question the Englishman as to how he comof the god made of pasteboard or bamboo, pares the American political torchlight proceswhich was to be burnt after the ceremony sions of franchised voters bedizened to look
not as intimating the destruction of the deity, like mountebanks with the Venetian carnival
but merely that any object which had served of gondolas, and he will laconically classify
in the sacred precincts could never be pol- them both as "idiots." Only a few Puritans
luted by being put to any other purpose. and Quakers are to be found in any country
This is a strong blow to the prevalent belief to resist these barbaric displays and renounce
that the Chinese actually worship these fig- the system of gorgeous disguising and emures in reality, and not as symbols. Indeed, blematic demonstration. It is a singular and
it seemed impossible td regard their quiet, pertinent fact that in the very newest of
intelligent faces and believe that they did. worlds, California, and the oldest of worlds,
The expense of this celebration was esti- China, I witnessed instances of this same pemated at fifteen thousand dollars, which is culiar feature of humanity, the same alleraised by subscription. After the ceremonies gorical procession, the same barbaric paare ended, the building is taken down, and geant, within a few weeks of each other-St.
the gods and altars, banners and parapher- Patrick's Day and the Dragon Feast.
Therese Yelverton.