DEPARTURE FROM MANILA--CHOLERA--CAPE BOLINA--CHINESE
VESSELS--PILOT--MACAO--LINTING--VILLAGE--WHAMPOA--JOS
HOUSES--SACRIFICE--ARRIVAL AT CANTON--RIVER AND BOATS--DESCRIPTION
OF CANTON--GREAT IDOL TEMPLE--LEGEND OF THE JOS HOUSE--RELIGIOUS
CEREMONIES--MINOR TEMPLES.
We had spent a fortnight most pleasantly at Manila, when the painful
intelligence was received, that the Asiatic or spasmodic cholera had
suddenly made its appearance on board the Peacock. It has been already
stated that the diarrhœa and dysentery were prevalent among the crew,
on the passage from Angier to Manila. These diseases were ascribed,
among other causes, to the want of bread and the substitution of yams,
&c. The cholera could not have arisen from any want of cleanliness,
for our ship, from her keelson to her royal truck, was kept thoroughly
clean and in the finest order, both at sea and in port. The united
causes which produced this malady were, probably, change of food,
the great quantities of fruit used by the crew, and the arrival of
the season of the year, (about the change of the monsoons in the
bay,) which is generally unhealthy. The first case was in a sailor,
named Peterson, sixty-three years old. He had made a hearty meal on
bean soup, with pork, and about an hour afterward the first symptoms
made their appearance; the evacuations became copious, coldness and
insensibility supervened; the pulse became scarcely perceptible; the
countenance livid, ghastly, and sunken; spasms attacked the lower
extremities; and the surface was covered with a cold, clammy sweat. The
surgeon administered six grains of opium, in three doses; bad symptoms
increasing, fifteen drops of cajeput oil were given in brandy and
water, and repeated in half an hour. After the last dose of opium there
were no evacuations, but the spasms had increased, extended to the
abdominal muscles, and caused such extreme distress, that it required
three or four men to hold the sufferer in his hammock; his groanings
and screamings were violent and frightful. In three or four hours
the spasms ceased. Notwithstanding the internal and external use of
the most powerful stimulants, the prostration increased, and, at four
o’clock in the morning, he was happily relieved from all the pains and
troubles of this life. Another case, was that of a seaman, named North;
he was found at eight o’clock in the evening, lying on deck, totally
unable to rise, from extreme prostration. Death had, apparently,
struck an instantaneous and a heavy blow; the victim was already
clutched in its most loathsome and terrific embraces; the evacuations
were of the usual character; in a few minutes, the pulse was scarce
perceptible; the surface, cold and covered with a viscid perspiration;
the countenance, dreadfully sunken, livid, and cadaverous; respiration
became laborious, and the sufferer was tortured with severe spasms, in
all his limbs and the abdominal muscles, which caused indescribable
distress. Notwithstanding every known remedy was applied, the spasms
became more general and severe; the respiration more difficult;
the distress more insupportable; the prostration increased until
insensibility supervened, and death finally closed the terrific scene,
eleven hours after the attack. I have selected but two, out of many
cases, which will serve to show the terrific and appalling effects
produced by one of the greatest scourges that ever visited the world.
Finding the disease fast spreading, and fearful that it might sweep
off a large portion of the crew, orders were given to get the ship
ready for sea, when sufficient provisions could be obtained, and to
seek a more salubrious air and the chances of health, in the China sea.
To be compelled to leave a comparatively healthy and pleasant abode
on shore, for a floating hospital, tainted with a highly infectious
atmosphere, was painful and dangerous, but such was our lot; for thirty
sick-hammocks were slung on the starboard side of the gun-deck, when we
weighed anchor, and a panic was visible in the countenances of nearly
the whole crew. We finally, lost seven men, but many of those who were
attacked and recovered, suffered from impaired constitutions, became
the victims to other diseases, and eventually died.
We got under way towards sunset, on the second of November, and having
passed close under the stern of his Britannic majesty’s ship Alligator,
to take leave of Captain Lambert, her amiable and worthy commander,
together with our friends, Messrs. Strachan, Sturges, and Edwards, of
Manila, who were assembled on her quarter-deck for that purpose, the
British flag being run up at our main; during this exchange of friendly
salutations, we filled away with a fine breeze, and in about three
hours, passed the island of Correjidor, and stood out to sea. For the
two following days the wind was very light; on the third, we made cape
Bolina.
[Sidenote: CHINESE VESSELS.]
Returning health was very visible among the crew in this short space of
time: no new case of cholera occurred after we inhaled the invigorating
and healthy ocean air. On the fifth day our _barbarian eyes_ were
_blessed_ with a sight of the _celestial empire_, consisting of several
islands. Seventy or eighty miles from land, we fell in with a great
number of fishing junks, of clumsy construction, having the appearance
of the antediluvian vessels exhibited in the old bibles, with mat or
bamboo sails; they were always observed in pairs, having whole families
of the “celestials” in them, dressed in the ordinary garb of common,
dirty fishermen; generally without any covering to the head--but little
to the back, and that in a most filthy condition. When within two
leagues of the Lemma or Ladrone islands, a junk lowered her sails close
to us, and in about five minutes, two of the “heavenly creatures” came
on board, in a small skiff, offering themselves as pilots, being as
guiltless of any knowledge of our language as we were of theirs; they
were dressed in tan-coloured jackets and immense wide breeches, or
rather petticoat trousers, reaching just below the knee, and wearing
a greasy woollen cap--shirts have never been in fashion with them.
They were very uncleanly in their persons, stout built, and healthy.
Having stepped on board, the first words they uttered, were, “Capetany
me peloto--you wanty peloto?” “Yes,” said the captain. “How muchy, how
muchy, capetany, you gib?” taking at the same time, from the waistband
of his trousers, twenty Chinese cash, and counting them in his hand,
he said, “Dollar, dollar, so muchy, so muchy.” The captain counted out
one half the number, which was the usual pilotage to Macao roads. The
“celestial” then added three to the number, making thirteen, and the
bargain was made, he not forgetting to ask, as is usual, for a bottle
of samshew, (rum,) which he snugly stowed away in his bosom. Scarcely
had he taken half a dozen strides up and down the deck, and pointed to
steer more to port, before he asked for chow, chow, meaning something
to eat, which, to his astonished eyes, was furnished forthwith, in a
lordly dish, on a chest on the quarter-deck. He pointed occasionally
to starboard or larboard, through the labyrinths of islands. In the
course of four or five hours we anchored under the mountainous island
of Lautavee, during the night. The pilot, having received his money
next morning, with a countenance indicative of extreme happiness, and
ascertained carefully, that every dollar was good, took his leave,
having been almost useless. I went over to Macao the next morning,
passing through a fleet of sampans, (small boats,) navigated by
damsels, that one might almost deem amphibious, in which dwell whole
families, in a most miserable condition. I landed close to the quay,
leading to the Beach Hotel, kept by Markwick, an Englishman, fronting
on Pria Grande, a public walk, without trees, facing the outer harbour
and islands. The ship finally anchored at Linting, (Ling-ting,) which
is eighteen miles from Macao, and twenty-five from the Bogue, or mouth
of the river. This island was scarcely inhabited till 1814, when, in
consequence of a dispute between the British and Chinese, the company’s
ships remained here for some time. Population increasing, supplies of
vegetables and beef became plentiful, and induced American and other
ships to make it a place of rendezvous; but the importation of opium
being prohibited, both at Canton and Macao, at this time, the vessels
engaged in importing that article, repaired to this anchorage, when
they found every facility through Chinese boats, to smuggle or to
purchase it. This was the origin of the opium go-downs, as they are
technically called, or receiving ships, for this and other articles
for the Canton market. There are now, in 1832, from seven to eight
ships engaged in this illegal traffic. Among this number there is one
American vessel, the Linting, and occasionally there are two. In the
commencement of the northeast monsoon, in October, ships repair to this
place, where they usually lie to the end of April; when the southwest
monsoon commencing, they remove to the north end of the island, where
they stay six weeks, and then remove to Cap-sin-moon, (Cap-shuy-moon,)
a more secure, but less convenient anchorage.[A] There are now six
villages in Linting; in 1814, there were not more than sixty persons on
the island; in 1821, not quite two thousand, and now, the estimate is
upward of five thousand.
[A] Goods are trans-shipped from these places, without government
deriving any advantage.
We found here, at anchor, about thirty sail of fine English and
American ships. The next afternoon we landed on Linting, with a small
party, at a miserable filthy village. From the hills, on the back part
of the village, we obtained an extensive view of the bay, the extended
surface of which was dotted with thousands of boats. The islands around
are miserably barren, worn into deep furrows, along their broken,
hilly sides; and, excepting a few terraces, formed along their base,
on which upland rice and a few vegetables are grown, have altogether
a desolate appearance. When we entered the village, (containing about
twenty or thirty huts,) every man, woman, and child, turned out to see
the barbarian ladies and gentlemen. A more ragged, filthy assemblage
was, perhaps, never before seen. We hurried through, obliging them not
to press too closely upon us, fearful some of their old acquaintance,
apparently the rightful inheritors of their persons, might, contrary
to our wishes, transfer themselves to us. The next evening, Captain
Geisinger and myself went to Whampoa. Nothing worthy of notice took
place on our passage, excepting that sacrifice was made at every Jos
House we passed, by burning sacred paper at the bows of the boat, so
that we might be favoured with a fair wind. The same ceremony was
performed with the boats passing down, so that the god, or jos, was
completely puzzled; and therefore it was occasionally calm. The wind,
to show the impartiality of its director, would, at times, blow down
the Taho, or Tigris, against us, then die away, and give us a partially
fair wind.
As soon as the captain of the boat found it was coming aft, he placed
some oranges before a hideous painted god, in the little altar, which
all boats, ships, and shops, possess, lighted it up well, put some
odoriferous matches in a vessel of sand, and set them on fire. “Now,”
said he, “we sail hab fair win. Spose me tak care for Jos, Jos tak care
for me.” I really thought the bargain a fair one; and both parties held
honestly to their agreement, for we had a fair wind the remainder of
the passage; but Jos, having a bad appetite, we “turned to” and eat up
his supper, very much to the discomfiture of the captain.
[Sidenote: WHAMPOA ISLAND.]
It being Sunday, we attended a Bethel-meeting on board the ship
Superior; the service being performed by the Rev. Mr. Stevens, who had
just arrived from New Haven. We found, lying in Whampoa-reach, a great
number of English and American vessels, extending from two to three
miles. Whampoa, where the ships anchor, is between Dane and French
islands, and part of the island of Whampoa. Foreigners are allowed to
visit Danes’ island, but they are not allowed to visit the city of
Whampoa, the suburbs being filled with vile wretches, who endeavour,
upon every occasion, to create a quarrel, by using insulting language
and throwing stones; and when they outnumber the foreigners, a hundred
to one, they beat them with long bamboos, to the great risk of their
lives. The land on Whampoa island, is generally very low, and banked,
to keep out the tide. It is well cultivated with rice, cane, savo-root,
and other vegetables. Several pagodas are in sight from the anchorage,
and one that has been built “time out of mind,” is near the town of
Whampoa, nine stories high.
[Sidenote: CITY OF CANTON.]
At noon, we left the shipping for Canton, and in three hours arrived
at the factories, situated near the river, in the suburbs of the city
of Canton. The river was thickly covered with boats going in all
directions, from the humble sampan to the gay and splendid mandarin
boats, having streamers flying, gongs beating, and manned with a great
number of oars. Numberless boats were fishing, with every sort of
apparatus; others conveying the harvest of rice home, sculled by two
long oars, each manned by six stout fellows, the perspiration running
down their almost naked bodies in streams.
Every foot of land is cultivated or covered with buildings; boats,
without number, are moored along its banks the whole distance; but
within three or four miles of the factories, the crowd of vessels was
prodigious. Large men-of-war junks, of a most unwieldly and primitive
construction; flower-boats, kept for infamous purposes; pleasure-boats;
marriage-boats; and boats which carry bands of comedians, were lying in
all directions. Many of them have beautiful lattice-work sides, painted
green, and gilt with good taste. All the vessels on the river have one
distinguishing mark, an immense large eye on each side of the bow. “How
can you see,” say the Chinese, “spose hab no eye?” Small ferry-boats,
the residence of whole families, are constantly plying between the
city, or rather the suburbs, and Houani; also, boats laden with tea and
silk goods, from the interior or going to Whampoa; market, victualling,
and pedlars’ boats; boats of a peculiar construction, laden with oil in
bulk; others filled with coarse China ware, bamboo hats, and baskets;
umbrellas, and beautiful lanterns, covered with various devices;
and every thing that can be named, from silks and teas to fat pups,
fish-maws, and trussed rats.
The factories, or hongs, for foreign merchants, are pleasantly
situated, fronting the only open space of ground within the suburbs.
They are generally built in a neat style, but with slight pretensions
to architecture.
The city of Canton is built on a plain, encircled by a high wall, at
the foot of barren hills. I looked into the city through three of
the gates; the streets present a corresponding appearance to those
in the suburbs, being extremely narrow, and paved with hewn granite;
the tops of the houses nearly united, so that bamboo poles are laid
across from roof to roof, on which awnings are spread to protect
the inhabitants from the intense heat of the sun. The common houses
are extremely filthy; there is no circulation of air through them.
Notwithstanding the extreme narrowness of the streets, (only two
persons can conveniently pass,) fish-mongers and butchers, victuallers,
and venders of Jos paper and Jos sticks, &c., are permitted to encumber
them; so that when a lady, or lordly mandarin passes, in a sedan-chair,
or a cooly, with his burden, the cry of ly, ly, (make room, make
room,) is constantly ringing in your ears, to the great annoyance of
the passengers in the extremely thronged alleys. Oblong signs, of a
vermilion colour, with large golden letters, line both sides of the
streets, so as to hide the lower parts of the buildings: they make,
notwithstanding, a very gay appearance. The basement story of every
house, seems to have in it a shop filled with merchandise; and every
third house, I believe, has some eatables for sale: bird’s-nests,
fish-maws, shark-fins, dried oysters, muscles, deer-sinews, fish of all
kinds, pork, beef, &c.
All kinds of strange compounds are cooked in the streets and are
frequently made of vile materials, such as are never sold in any other
country. Vast numbers of shops are filled with gilt paper--paper
men, women, and beasts, of all sorts, with or without horns, and of
frightful shapes; some with moveable goggle eyes, and moveable heads,
painted of all colours, with mouths extending from ear to ear, intended
for offerings to a temple or Jos-house. A small oven is built at every
shop-door, in which to burn incense to their penates or household
gods, and in every shop, house, boat, and junk, altars are erected,
surrounded by a frightful paper Jos, ornamented with painted and gilt
paper, and having odoriferous matches burning before it.
In company with an American missionary, the highly respectable and
Reverend Mr. Bridgham, who has made great proficiency in the Chinese
language, and is extending his researches in various ways, more
especially in teaching a number of Chinese youths, &c., I paid a visit
to the great idol temple of Honam, opposite the city, on the south
side of the river, which is here about fifty rods wide.[A] This great
temple and monastery contain one hundred and seventy-four priests. The
general character given of these, by the Chinese, is, that they are
great debauchees, gamblers, and common mendicants; like the criminals,
their heads are close shaven, they not being suffered to wear the
long braided queue; and they are held in no manner of respect by the
people. The temple is said to be immensely wealthy. These priests are
of the sect of Firk, or Budha, and the temple, or rather succession
of temples, would, including the gardens, in which they raise large
quantities of vegetable and other fruits, cover an area of twelve
acres. Their diet is composed of fruits and vegetables. Meat and fowls
being expressly forbidden them.
[A] The legend of the _Jos House_, Hoe-chong-sze or Idol temple of
Honam:--
Jos is a corruption of the Portuguese word Deos, God. Every idol
temple is here called a Jos House; to worship any superior being is
expressed by, to Chin-chen-Jos. This great temple was, originally,
a garden, belonging to the family of Ko; about eight hundred years
since, a small Budha temple was built and named, Tseen-tsow-sze, “the
temple of ten thousand autumns.” It remained an obscure place till
about the year 1600, when a priest of eminent devotion raised its
character, and his disciple “Oh-tzze,” by his superior talents and
sanctity, together with a concurrence of extraordinary circumstances,
raised the temple to its present magnificence and extent. During the
reign of Kang He, the second of the reigning Tartar dynasty, in the
year 1700, Canton province was not fully subjugated; and the emperor’s
son-in-law, entitled Ping-naw-wong, “the subjugator of the south,”
reduced the whole to his father’s sway, and took up his headquarters
in the Honam temple, according to the Tartar and Chinese usage.
There were, on the island, thirteen villages which he had orders to
exterminate. Previously to carrying into effect this order, the king,
a blood-thirsty man, cast his eyes on Oh-tzze, a fat, happy, priest,
and remarked, that were he to live on a vegetable diet, he could not
be so fat--he must be a hypocrite, and should be punished with death.
He drew his sword to put in effect the sentence; but the limb suddenly
withered, and thus prevented its execution. That night a divine person
appeared to him in a dream, and warned him that Oh-tzze was a holy
man, and must not, unjustly, be killed. The following morning the king
presented himself before Oh-tzze, confessed his crime, and immediately
his arm was restored. He then did obeisance to the priest, took him for
his preceptor and guide, and, morning and evening, waited on him as a
servant. The thirteen villages heard of this miracle and solicited the
priest to intercede in their behalf: he complied with their request,
was successful, and the Honam villages were saved. Their gratitude to
the priest was unbounded; and estates, incense, and money, were poured
upon him. The king also persuaded his officers to make donations to the
temple, and it became affluent from that day. A hall for the celestial
kings was still wanting, and by seizing a fishpond belonging to a
wealthy man who had refused to sell it, sufficient ground was obtained
upon which to build it. The pond was filled up and built upon within
the short space of thirty days. It is sometimes called the Lok-wa-sze,
“the green temple.”
[Sidenote: GREAT IDOL TEMPLE.]
Entering under a gateway, guarded by strong wooden bars, we passed
over a paved flagging, to what is called, “Hill Gate.” It retains this
name, because the Budha priests affect to separate themselves from
the rest of mankind, and to live among hills and mountains--hence,
although a monastery be on a level plain, as it is here, the first
gate leading thereto, is always called “Hill Gate.” From “Hill Gate,”
we proceeded to the “Sea screen,” and from thence to the “Angler’s
eminence;” the origin of the latter name, I could not ascertain. We
proceeded onward to a building, having a roof similar to that seen on
China ware, and which was placed transversely across the passage. The
first objects which saluted our eyes, were two immense statues, in a
standing position, occupying each side of the passage; they are called,
“Huay Ha,” warriors; are not less than fifteen feet high, and present
a most threatening aspect, having eyes nearly the size of a hat-crown,
with a mouth of immense width, showing a long protruding fiery tongue;
these frightful objects were painted in gaudy colours and gilt; before
them were placed in white copper vessels--odoriferous matches in
sand. They are thus placed, as guards to the temple of Budha. After
passing a court-yard, similar to the first, I entered the pavilion or
palace of the great celestial kings, containing four colossal statues,
in a sitting posture, upward of twenty feet high, and gilt most
fantastically, but having placid countenances. The roof is supported
by thirty-two highly lacquered pillars. On the right and left, in two
small pavilions, are two military demi-gods, guarding, as I suppose,
the wings of the “great temple.” The principal hall or pavilion, which
I now entered, is called “The great, powerful, precious palace,” and
the “Golden coloured region;” fronting the entrance is the “Precious
Budhas,” “The past,” “present,” and “to come,” being three large gilt
images of Budha, called, in Chinese, Sam, Pow, and Fat. They are
moderate in size, compared with the monsters in the rear of them. The
artist aimed at giving them a benign aspect, and if immensely swollen
cheeks, sleepy eyes, and a drunkard’s countenance, form the true
expression of the milder virtues, it may here be seen to perfection.
On each side of the hall, eighteen disciples of Budha, are arranged;
they are kept well dressed, by the gilder and painter, and appear to
be very attentive to certain tablets placed before them, covered with
inscriptions.
Religious ceremonies are performed daily by the priests, before these
divinities, dressed, generally, in long scarlet cloaks, with hoods,
(similar in shape to those worn by the Roman Catholic priests when
saying mass,) praying and kneeling occasionally, doing reverence with
both hands, closed together flat, raised to the head, or lowered to
the breast and waist; and sometimes prostrating themselves to perform
the ko-tow or knock-head ceremony, by striking their foreheads on the
ground. During the time, incense is burning before the altar, in the
shape of economical matches, highly odoriferous, being as slender as
a knitting-needle, and are placed in white copper vessels. The roof
of this great temple is supported by forty-two red lacquered pillars,
having on them gilt inscriptions. The ceiling and rafters are so
painted as to give an agreeable effect. The hall is about a hundred
feet square. Another temple, to which we proceeded, stands in the
rear of the great hall; here is a single image of Amida Budha, in the
Chinese language, called, “Omb-to-Fat.” In the rear of the hall is a
white marble obelisk, having various idols carved upon it; in the room,
immediately behind this, is the palace of the goddess “Koon-Yan,” who
is much adored; she is considered Budha; for, as in Bengal, Budha is
of either sex, according to the statues or images. This hall or palace
has in it the same number of pillars as that possessed by the great
temple--forty-two. There are four buildings erected on the right wing
of these temples, and five on the left, but all detached. First, and on
the right, is the place of a military demi-god; the second building,
is a place for keeping alive domestic animals, pigs, fowls, ducks,
and geese, agreeably to the leading doctrine of the sect, that no
animal should be deprived of life; the devout send these animals to
the temple, when they make or pay vows, or return thanks, for favours
received. It is evident that the pious depositor of the hogs could not
have been a descendant of the ancient tribes of Israel, or he would
not have shown so much affection, as to put them out to board within
the precincts of the holy temple, and keep a number of “celestials”
in constant pay to attend to them. The third building contains the
bookroom and printing-office. In the fourth, in an upper room, are more
idols. The first, on the left, is a pavilion, containing a military
demi-god; the second is a reception-room for visiters; the third
contains the idol of “Te-song-Wang,” the king of Hades; the fourth
holds the great bell; and the fifth is the chief priests’ apartments.
In these, Lord Amherst and his suite were lodged, 1816 and 1817, on his
return from an unsuccessful embassy to the court of Peking. Three other
buildings close up the rear of the buildings, on the left wing, the
book-house, treasury, and refectory; the latter was dark and dirty, and
sent forth a compound of unpleasant smells. The kitchen, the utensils
of which, experience has taught them the inutility of cleaning, from
their after liability to dirt, resembled, in condition, the refectory,
which latter contained only long wooden tables and benches. In the
rear of the last temple, is the kitchen-garden, and a small pavilion,
erected to the memory of a deer, attached to its master. On the left is
a mausoleum, in which the ashes of burnt priests are deposited once a
year; near to which is a little shabby house, where the ashes are kept
in jars, till the time of the opening of the mausoleum. Farther on, in
the garden, is the place in which the bodies of the priests are burned,
in a small temple. Some priests, who possess a little property, direct
their remains shall be buried and not burnt. The cloisters in the
building, on the right and left of the temple, are small and gloomy;
the walls are any thing but white, having a table, with a small altar,
and a gayly-painted, ugly divinity on it; a wooden stool completed the
furniture.
In one room a great number of tailors were at work, not for the poor
and naked, but for these idle vagabonds. Passing through a small room,
we were invited by a member of the _holy_ priesthood, to take tea,
which was served up to us in the Chinese style, being made in the same
cup from which we drank it, and taken without sugar or milk. Eight or
ten sweetmeats formed the repast, the holy brotherhood standing around
us during the time, “thick as autumnal leaves in Vallambrosa,” curious,
doubtless, to know if _mortals_ and _barbarians_ ate in the same way as
the “celestials.”
[Sidenote: MINOR TEMPLES.]
There are not less than one hundred and twenty-four large and small
temples in Canton; and in the province, thirteen hundred and
twenty-seven. Public altars are here, in great number, dedicated to
the gods of the land and of grain, of the wind and clouds, of thunder
and rain, of hills, rivers, &c. At these, as in all the temples,
sacrifices and offerings, consisting of various animals, fish, fowls,
fruits, sweetmeats, cakes, and wines, are frequently presented, both
by government officers and by private citizens. Numerous attendants
are placed at the altars, within these temples of sacrifice, whose
lives are devoted to the service of the idols. On the birthday of the
gods, and at other times, processions are fitted out at the various
temples; the images are borne in state through the principal streets in
the city, attended by bands of musicians, priests, lads on horseback,
girls riding in open sedans, old men and boys, bearing lanterns,
incense, pots, flags, and other insignia; by lictors, with rattans,
and soldiers, with wooden swords. In addition to these processions,
the different streets and trades have their religious festivals, which
they celebrate with illuminations, bonfires, songs, and theatrical
exhibitions. Much extravagance is displayed on these occasions,
each company and street striving to excel all its neighbours. The
private and domestic altars, shrines crowded with household gods
and daily offerings, of gilt paper, candles, incense, &c.; together
with numberless ceremonies, occasioned by nuptials, or the burial
of the dead, complete the long catalogue of the religious rites and
institutions, which are supported by the people of Canton. The whole
number of priests and nuns, (there are said to be a thousand of the
latter,) is, probably, not less than three thousand, and the annual
expense of the one hundred and twenty-four temples, may be put down, on
a moderate estimate, at two hundred thousand dollars. An equal sum is
required to support the annual monthly and semi-monthly festivals and
daily rites, which are observed by the people, in honour of their gods.