Indian Antiquary Vol 25

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 43

FEBRUARY, 1896.]
SPIRIT BASIS OF BELIEF AND CUSTOM.
39
Cambodians beat drums and shout to drive off the demon who causes eclipses. So do the Sumâtrang and the Chinese. 22 Both by day and night the Steins of Cambodia make insupportable noises to relieve the sick from evil influences.23 When the king of Cambodia has his hair cut the Brahmaņs keep up a noisy masic to scare evil influences.24 At the yearly purifying festival in Canabodia, and also in Siam and in Tonqain, all the artillery and muskets are discharged that by their most terrible noise the devils may be driven away.25 .When any one has an audience of the Chinese emperor, when the person presented salutes, music plays. The evening before the empress is to be crowned musical instruments are hung in the doors through which she has to pass. Bands play as she drives to the throne-room and as she mounts the throne 26 The Chinese put a drum in the thunder god's temple. They used to leave a drum on a hill-top with a little boy as sacrifice. The Japanese give thunder gods five drums. The Chinese and Japanese beat drams and gongs to scatter water-spirits.37 At an eclipse, to prevent the moon or sun being eaten by a dog the Chinese beat gongs and drums.28 In the leading boat at the dragon-boat procession in China, a man keeps blowing a conch-shell.29 In China, the night inspector beats an official brass drum.30 Before the Corean or North-East Chinaman goes to bed he offers prayers and music,32 Round the bed of the dying Corean no sound is allowed, apparently in case noise should frighten away the dying man's spirit. When the patient is dead wailing is allowed, but it must not be loud, for the dying man's spirit might be coming back and be scared.32 The people of Fooyn (A. D. 300), when travelling, alwaye sang.93 The gods of the Canton river are worshipped with an accompaniment of hundreds of fire crackers. When (about A. D. 1880), the new Chinese barying ground was opened in Bombay, it was cleared of evil spirits by a liberal discharge of crackers. During the whole of dinner-time at a Chinese house in Canton ear-splitting music is played. 36 In Canton, at the close of the procession in honor of Paaktaoi, a number of fire-works are let off to scare evil spirits.36 In China, in the worship of Confacius, old stringed instruments are played and old bells are rang.97 In China, if an old man dies, neighbours come to the house and beat gongs, tom-toms, and drums. At three in the morning all the decorations of the house are pulled down and burnt with howling:38 At a Chinese funeral two men walk with lanterns, two men with gongs and sixteen musicians with flags and red boards.39 In China, when a house is haunted by evil spirits, the owner loses no time in procuring the services of an exorcist. When the exorcist comes, he orders his attendants to beat gongs, drams, and tomtoms. In the midst of the appalling din he shouts :- "Evil spirits from the east I send back to the east, evil spirits from the west I send back to the west, those from the north I send back to the north, and those from the south I send back to the south, and those from the centre of the world I send back thither. Let all evil spirits return to the points of the compass to which they belong. Let them all immediately vanish."'40 When the Chinaman is put in his coffin one of the body-cleaners beats the floor with a large hammer to terrify evil spirits. The Chinese at an eclipse in April, 1688, made most hideous yellinge and horrid noises to drive off the dragon. The Chinese Lâmás in their churches blow horns and shells.43 The Chinese beat tom-toms and make noises to frighten the heavenly dogs from eating the sun and the moon on eclipse days." A queer wild plaintive song sung by women is one of the few signs of mourning in Japan.45 22 Balfour's Hindus, Vol. V. p. 53.
25 Black's Folk-Medicine, p. 18. 24 The Golden Bough, Vol. I. p. 197.
25 Op. cit. Vol. II, p. 178. 26 Kidd's China, pp. 289-241,
91 Bassett's Sea Legends, p. 83. * Kidd's China, p. 301.
2. Mrs. Gray's Fourteen Months in Canton, p. 146. 30 Huc and Gabet, Vol. I. p. 18.
51 Rose's Corea, p. 358. 39 Op. cit. p. 320.
53 Op. cit. p. 22. * Mrs. Gray's Fourteen Months in Canton, p. 120. 56 Op. cit. p. 174. * Op. cit. p. 41,
37 Op. cit. p. 258. * Gray's China, Vol. I. p. 299.
* Op. cit. Vol. I. pp. 300-303. * Op.cit. Vol. II. pp. 19, 20.
41 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 280. 42 Maurice's Inllan Antiquities, Vol. II. p. 294. 43 Gray's China, Vol. I. p. 134. Op. cit. Yol. I. p. 268.
46 St. John'. Japan, p. 220.