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^{page 799 note 2} Han Yü, Yüan tao : On the true doctrine.

^{page 799 note 3} On the introduction of the Bronze Age culture see Bishop, C. W., “The Worship of Earth in Ancient China,” Journal NCBRAS., vol. xliv, p. 24 ff. See also Waley, The Way and its Power, pp. 133–5.Google Scholar

^{page 800 note 1} Analects, bk. x, ch. x, v. 2. Three such ceremonies were held annually, the one here referred to being the most important of them.

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^{page 800 note 4} Bishop, , op. cit., p. 28Google Scholar, and Waley, op. cit., Introduction, p. 21.Google Scholar

^{page 800 note 5} Karlgren, in his Shih king Researches, finds that the rhymes in songs of the states, sung by peasants at their festivals, all conform to well defined rules, showing that the songs must therefore have been edited (e.g. by Confucius) before being included in the archives.

^{page 801 note 1} Said Confucius to Lao Tzŭ, “I have made myself thoroughly acquainted with the Odes, the Annals, the Rites and Music, the Book of Changes, and the History. I have discoursed on the way of the ancient sovereigns to seventy-two unruly princes, but none of them has listened to me or profited by my advice.” “How fortunate,” replied Lao Tzŭ, “that they did not listen. If they had done so they would have become worse. Your six treatises are rubbish, and the deeds which they record happened in circumstances which no longer exist, and would be quite inappropriate the conditions of the present day.” (Chuang Tzuŭ, chap. xiv. Cf. Wieger, , History of Religious Beliefs …, p, 195Google Scholar ff.) On Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien's legendary account of Lao Tzŭ see Waley, , op. cit., pp. 106–8.Google Scholar

^{page 801 note 2} Han Yü, opr cit.

^{page 802 note 1} e.g. Tung Chung-shu of the Former Han period; author of Ch'un ch'iu fan lu .

^{page 802 note 2} A valuable repository of the beliefs of the Later Han period is the Lun hêng of Wang Ch'ung written before Buddhism had had time to influence Chinese thought. Cf. Forke, Lun hêng.

^{page 803 note 1} Founded by Ko Hsüan T. Hsiao-hsien between A.D. 238 and 250. Cf. Wieger, History of Religious Beliefs …, L. 61.

^{page 803 note 2} Introduced by Ko Hung , T. Chih-ch'uan , grand-nephew of the above. Lived about A.D. 326. Author of the treatise Pao P'o-tzŭ . Wieger, op. cit., L. 52.

^{page 803 note 3} A.D. 317–419.

^{page 803 note 4} e.g. (1) Sou shĉn chi , by Kan Pao , about A.D. 320. With supplement dating from the Ch'ien Sung period. (2) Shih i chi , by Wang Chia , about A.D. 380. Re-edited at a later date. (3) Po wu chih , by Chang Hua , dd. A.D. 300. With a Sung period supplement.

^{page 804 note 1} Collected Reprints of the T'ang Dynasty.

^{page 804 note 2} Collected Reprints of the Han and Wei Dynasties.

^{page 804 note 3} .

^{page 804 note 4} .

^{page 804 note 5} e.g. the Huan i chih , a small collection of tales and anecdotes by Sun Wei , of the T'ang dynasty, says that Buddhist writings mention a Great Wheel Spell, used in the cure of diseases, and declares that instead of relieving the patient's sufferings, it caused him to behave wildly, so that he would scramble about on the rafters or eat crockery. Another example, also from the Huan i chih: “In a pagoda in a valley stood a statue of a Bôdhisatva which emitted light. Two sacred lamps were frequently seen at various points on the hills nearby. Crowds of pilgrims flocked to the spot, and one of them, bolder than the rest, ventured one night to follow the moving lights. Suddenly he was confronted and carried off by a tiger, whose glaring eyes were the sacred lamps.” The same work contains denunciations of Taoism. A certain Taoist, versed in magic, is accused of leading astray young men of noble family by calling up fairies and allowing glimpses of them to be seen by the by-standers. The resentment caused by this resulted in the death of the Taoist.

^{page 805 note 1} This feature is common in Confucian tales also. Belief in witchcraft, though on the decline in the T'ang period, was still widespread. Cf. Han Yü (dd. A.D. 824), On a Bone from Buddha's Body: “When the princes of old went to pay a visit of condolence, they would send on ahead a magician with a peach-wand to expel evil influences. Yet Your Majesty is about to welcome this foul remnant of an old decayed bone, and to take part personally in the ceremonies with no magician and no peach-rod.”

^{page 805 note 2} It is a comment on the nature of the times that in these popular tales philanthropic persons are often said to be immortals temporarily banished from “heaven”.

^{page 805 note 3} In a little hut on the banks of the Wei in Lo-yang lived an old hermit. He would sit in his corner and meditate on the problems of existence, reflecting that only in solitude can man follow the true path. Sitting thus one bitterly cold night, with the wind whistling through the door, he was surprised by a visitor, a stately, polished gentleman of the old school, who introduced himself as Mr. Liu (Willow). The two fell to talking of books, and the recluse, himself a great lover of the Book of Changes, was surprised to find that his guest had never heard of it, though he seemed to be well acquainted with the other classics as well as with Buddhist writings. When the visitor had gone the recluse made inquiries, but failed to identify his caller. A few days later, however, a great gale uprooted an old willow-tree that stood beside the river, exposing to view a number of books which had lain hidden in its trunk. Wet and decayed though they were, the recluse was able to examine them; the Book of Changes was not among them. (From Ling kuai lu a small collection of marvels by Niu Chiao , about A.D. 879. The Story of Hsieh Huna-chi.)

^{page 806 note 1} e.g. Miao nü chuan by Ku Fei-hsiung early ninth century. A slave-girl fell sick and dreamed that she was carried on a cloud to heaven. There she was told that she was the daughter of the King of Heaven, T'o-t'ou-lai-t'o, and that having been banished for divulging the secrets of heaven, she had already accomplished two incarnations on earth and must now be freed of all impurities and prepared for her return to her native heaven …

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^{page 806 note 3} Cf. Tuan Ch'êng-shih No kao chi p. la.

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^{page 806 note 5} Mention of quicksilver is frequent in this connection. Cf. Niu Chiao, op. cit. Lü Shêng. No doubt the nature of the material gave rise in this case to the idea that it was “alive”.

^{page 806 note 6} Cf. Hsü yu kuai lu p. 3a, The Marriage Inn: “We officials of the under-world manage the affairs of mortals, so why should we not walk among you ? Of those who walk the streets, half are mortals and half are ghosts. You do not notice the ghosts, that is all”.

^{page 807 note 1} A curious Buddhist turn is given to this superstition in the Lei min chuan Chronicles of the People of Lei-chou (lit. Thunder People), by Shen Chi-chi . Apparently thunder was so frequently heard in the district that the town was called Thunder-town (Lei-chou). Shên states that its rumblings were heard whenever certain foods such as pork or minced fish were prepared as offerings.

^{page 807 note 2} Cf. Wu Jung Yüan chaichi p. 4a. A priest who neglected his duties as guardian of a family graveyard was reincarnated as a crop of mushrooms. The debt discharged, mushrooms ceased to grow on the priest's grave.

^{page 807 note 3} Vampires are said to be embodiments of the inferior soul, which, having contrived to preserve itself over-long after the death of the body, goes about (in a variety forms) as a ferocious demon devouring men.