CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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funds are requested. This approval is given in writing, and states
that such and such a monk, of such a Buddhist monastery, is
authorized to collect alms for the construction of a temple. The day
of the month and year is then added, and the official affixes his seal
on the document.
The monk shows this card to the police-inspector, Pu-t'ing |||j
Jjj! (1), and begs the gentry of the locality to help him in the pros-
ecution of his good work. When all preliminaries have been duly
complied with, he places a portable shrine of Wei-t'o ^t [>'£ on his
shoulders, and sets out on his journey. This shrine is a small box,
strapped on to the back, and bearing a rectangular tablet, upon
which is represented an image of Wei-t'o jfi |>'£. Beneath the
image is a small iron tube for burning incense to the god. On both
sides of the image are inscriptions stating the good work for which
alms are solicited.
The begging monk, contrary to Buddhist custom, allows his
hair to grow at full length (2),
head. As he proceeds along the way,
and wears a brass circlet round the
he beats on a hollow rattle.
Muh-yil yfv fa (3), suspended from his neck by a string. When
the whole population has been informed of his purpose, he requests
one of the local gentry to accompany him to the homes of well-to-do
folks and shopkeepers, and help in collecting the alms donated for
the work. The names of generous benefactors, and the amount
contributed, are written on a special register made of yellow paper,
called the "List of free and cheerful donations", Siu-yuen loh-chu
(1) Pu-t'ing tf jljjg. A police office, a superintendent of police in a sub-
district magistrate's office ; a sort of Justice of the Peace Williams. Diction-
ary of the Chinese Language.
(2) Buddhist monks, when received into the brotherhood, have the
hair of the head cut off close. In after-life, this operation is renewed every
fortnight. Monier Williams. Buddhism, p. 350.
(3) Muh-yii /f; ;8L Literally "wooden fish", a skull-shaped block or
hollow rattle, on which Buddhist monks beat time when chanting. Williams.
Dictionary of the Chinese Language.