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CHINESE SUPERSTITIONS - University of Oregon

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— 406 —<br />

Tseng-cliang j^ -f^ (1), heavenly king, you<br />

called Mo Li-tsHng j|f ^ ^, and you<br />

your magic sword.<br />

Kwang-muh Jf {=} , heavenly king, you<br />

shall henceforth be<br />

shall rule the wind with<br />

shall henceforth be known<br />

as Mo Li-hai J| jjjf[ $|, and you shall raise or calm the storms with<br />

your magic guitar.<br />

To-\ven ^ ^C, heavenly king, you shall be called Mo Li-hung<br />

JH W. $X> arjd y° u shall produce thunder and rain by raising your<br />

magic umbrella.<br />

Ch'i-kwoh ^rr Hi (2), heavenly king, your name shall henceforth<br />

be Mo Li-show H ij|| ||p. You shall distribute rain to mortals,<br />

and rule the golden dragon, into which the winged elephant, Hwa-<br />

hu-tiao jfe $& |§, has been transformed.<br />

III. The 4 Great Kings in Chinese Art.<br />

The 4 Great Kings are frequently portrayed in art, and repre<br />

sented both in painting and sculpture (3). Images <strong>of</strong> them were<br />

placed on the four sides <strong>of</strong> Indian topes (4), to guard<br />

the sacred<br />

relics. The earliest known statues date from the first century B.C.<br />

In Chinese Turkestan, Sir Aurel Stein and the French explorer<br />

Pelliot, found pictures <strong>of</strong> them in rock shrines at Tun-hwang, while<br />

Herr von Le Coq discovered several frescoes representing<br />

Tnrfan (5).<br />

(1)<br />

them at<br />

All these names have been unscrupulously borrowed from Buddhism,<br />

and applied to Taoist genii. See Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. p. 396-398.<br />

(2) Ch'i-kiooh # [H. This is Dhritarctshtrct, already described above as<br />

the 3rd Buddhist king, who presides over the East and rules the Summer. He<br />

is worshipped in Japan as Jikoku. Chinese Superstitions. Vol. VII. p. 398.<br />

las).<br />

(3) Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Buddhism, p. 148 (The Four Lokapa-<br />

(4) Tapes, that is stupas,<br />

or little towers to hold relics. Monier Wil-<br />

liams Buddhism, p. 450. — Buddhist Art in India, by Grunwedel and Burgess.<br />

p. 20.<br />

(5) Getty. The Gods <strong>of</strong> Northern Buddhism, p. 148 (The Four Lokapa-<br />

las. — Pelliot. Les Grottes de Touen-houang (4 Vol. published up to 1921).

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