CHAPTER XIV.

RELIGION-TAOU SECT.

Laou-keun, the Chinese Epicurus-His Sect called Doctors of ReasonDegenerated into Magicians and Alchymists-Fragment of old Romance-Illustrative Tale-The Philosopher and his Wife-Origin of the Tale of Zadig-Miscellaneous Superstitions of the ChineseFatalists-Tale in illustration-Spells and Talismans-Belief in Ghosts -Lucky and Unlucky Omens-Divination.

THE third religious or philosophic persuasion that has established itself in China is that of Taou, or of Laou-keun, which was the name, or rather title of the founder. This person appeared nearly simultaneously with Confucius, by whom he is mentioned about 560 years before the Christian era. As far as can be gathered of the real drift of his doctrines, he seems to have inculcated a contempt of riches and honours, and all worldly distinctions, and to have aimed, like Epicurus, at subduing every passion that could interfere with personal tranquillity and self-enjoyment. As death, however, was something that they could not pretend to despise, his disciples and successors set themselves to work to invent an elixir of long life, or of immortality, and thus became in time a species of alchymists. They have been alternately favoured and persecuted at different periods of Chinese history, but seem to have flourished most under the Soong dynasty, subsequent to the tenth century of our era, a period when all speculative opinions, and every species of spurious learning, were most in vogue.

The principal commentator on the works of Con

VOL. II.

H

fucius speaks of Laou-keun, or, as he is sometimes styled, Laou-tsze with little respect, and calls him 46 an ignorant good man." He is there described as a recluse, who was distinguished by his humility, uprightness, simplicity of life, and exemption from cares and passions. He taught and practised a weak inactivity and neglect of the world and its concerns, loving neither fame, nor pleasure, nor business. It is reasonable to suppose that the principal fabric of that doctrine which now distinguishes the professors of the Taou sect was the work of those who succeeded Laoukeun, and made use of his name as the foundation of their system. They call him "the original ancestor, or founder, honoured of heaven;" and the account given of him in popular books is, that he was an incarnation of some superior being, and that there is no age in which he does not come forth among men in human shape. They tell the various names under which he appeared from the highest period of fabulous antiquity down as late as the sixth century, making in all seven periods. In imitation, perhaps, of the Budhist Triad, the followers of Taou have also their own Triad, which they denominate the Three pure ones." This threefold source and supreme ruler is represented as presiding in heaven among the assembled gods, the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, and delivering his name, accompanied by many epithets of benevolence and mercy, to the "great barefooted angel," to be promulgated in the lower world, that amongst men all who see and recite that name may attain infinite happiness and complete deliverance from all evil. Their principal scripture is the Taou-te-king, a Latin version of which exists in the library of the Royal Society.

The legend says he was born with white hair, and thence called Laou-tsze," the old infant."

Morrison's Dictionary, Part I. p. 582.

Besides the practice of alchymy, to which they were led in their search of the elixir of long life, the disciples of Laou-keun have at different times professed the science of magic, and their arts of imposition were, at various periods of Chinese history, practised upon the Sovereigns of the country. Under the Tâng dynasty this superstition gained such credit that the title of Tien-sze, “Celestial doctors or teachers," was conferred on its professors: a superb temple was erected to Laou-keun, and his image placed in it. It is said that the representatives of the head of the sect have still a large establishment in the province of Keang-sy, where numbers flock from all parts to obtain cures for diseases, or to learn their destinies. The sect appears, in fact, to have degenerated very much from the character and tenets of the original founder, and many who wear the garb of the Taou-sze are at present little better than cheats and jugglers, professing to have communication with demons. The chief point of distinction in garb, between them and the rest of the Chinese, is the mode in which they dress their hair, which is fastened at the top of the head by means of a pin or skewer, somewhat after the fashion of the people of Loo-choo. It is by many degrees the least popular or predominant sect of China; its superstitions now engage only a few of the most ignorant, and the Taou-sze are but rarely seen.

In proof of the puerile nature of the superstitions which have occupied this sect, we may produce an extract from an original Chinese work, the history of the "Three States," in which are detailed the legends relating to the three brothers Chang, who professed the doctrines of the Taou sect, and at the head of an insurrection of rebels, called " Yellow caps," produced those troubles which ended in the ruin of the Hân dynasty. "Lew-pei took occasion to steal upon

Chang-paou with his whole force, to baffle which the latter mounted his horse, and, with dishevelled hair and waving sword, betook himself to magic arts. The wind arose with loud peals of thunder, and there descended from on high a black cloud, in which appeared innumerable men and horses as if engaged. Lew-pei immediately drew off his troops in confusion, and giving up the contest, retreated to consult with Choo-tsien. The latter observed, 'Let him have recourse again to magic; I will prepare the blood of swine, sheep, and dogs, and, placing a party on the heights in ambush, wait until the enemy approaches, when his magic will be all dispersed by projecting the same upon him.' Lew-pei assented to this, and directed two of his leaders, each with a thousand men, to ascend the highest part of the mountain, supplied with the blood of swine, sheep, and dogs, and other impure things.

but

"On the following day, Chang-paou, with flags displayed and drums beating, came forth to offer battle, and Lew-pei proceeded to meet him; scarcely had they joined before Chang-paou put his magic in exercise; the wind and thunder arose, and a storm of sand and stones commenced. A dark cloud obscured the sky, and troops of horsemen seemed to descend. Lew-pei upon this made a show of retreating, and Chang-paou followed him; but scarcely had they turned the hill when the ambushed troops started up and launched upon the enemy their impure stores. The air seemed immediately filled with men and horses of paper or straw, which fell to the earth in confusion; while the winds and thunder at once ceased, and the sand and stones no longer flew about. When Chang-paou saw his magic thus baffled, he would have retreated at once, but Lewpei's two leaders made their appearance on either side, while himself and his lieutenant pursued in the

rear. The rebels were defeated with great slaughter. Lew-pei, on seeing the flag inscribed Lord of Earth,' ran full speed on his horse towards Chang-paou, who took to flight, and in his retreat was wounded in the left arm with an arrow discharged at him by his enemy."

In regard to the word Taou, Reason, which serves as the denomination of the sect under consideration, and with reference to which they style themselves "doctors of reason," it would seem that the ancient term philosopher in use among ourselves had very much the same origin. Some persons have spent much time in discussing the mysterious and recondite meanings which in Chinese metaphysics have been attached to the words Taou and Ly; but it would be useless to enter upon such a discussion in a work like the present, and we shall content ourselves with the popular meaning of those terms in connection with each other, which is simply reason. One of the missionaries of the Romish church supposed that Taou corresponded to the Greek λoyos; but it has been objected to this, with some truth, that what several of the Chinese books affirm of Taou being the original source and first productive cause of all things, does not so well comport with the definition of the Logos, given in the philosophical systems which have adopted that term, and where it has been considered not as the first cause, but rather the first emanation from the Deity.

Laou-keun had four principal disciples, the chief of whom was Chuâng-tsze, concerning whom the Chinese possess an agreeable tale, which has been translated into French by Père Dentrecolles. It may be a relief to the dry dulness of Chinese philosophy, and at the same time illustrative of this sect, if we give an abstract of the story, which is the more particularly deserving of notice, as it has supplied ample