Chapter I: Preface

The meeting-place of the British Lion and the Chinese Dragon in northern China consists of the port and Territory of Weihaiwei. It is therefore with this district, and the history, folk-lore, religious practices and social customs of its people, that the following pages are largely occupied. But Weihaiwei is in many respects a true miniature of China, and a careful study of native life and character, as they are exhibited in this small district, may perhaps give us a clearer and truer insight into the life and character of the Chinese race than we should gain from any superficial survey of China as a whole. Its present status under the British Crown supplies European observers with a unique opportunity for the close study of sociological and other conditions in rural China. If several chapters of this book seem to be but slightly concerned with the special subject of Weihaiwei, it is because the chief interest of the place to the student lies in the fact that it is an epitomised China, and because if we wish fully to understand even this small fragment of the Empire we must make many long excursions through the wider fields of Chinese history, sociology and religion. The photographs (with certain exceptions noted in each case) have been taken by the author during his residence at Weihaiwei. From Sir James H. Stewart Lockhart, K.C.M.G., Commissioner of Weihaiwei, he has received much kind encouragement which he is glad to take this opportunity of acknowledging; and he is indebted to Captain A. Hilton-Johnson for certain information regarding the personnel of the late Chinese Regiment. His thanks are more especially due to his old friend Mr. D. P. Heatley, Lecturer in History at the University of Edinburgh, for his generous assistance in superintending the publication of the book.

R. F. JOHNSTON.

WÊN-CH'ÜAN-T'ANG,
WEIHAIWEI,
_May 1, 1910._

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE
I. INTRODUCTION 1
II. WEIHAIWEI AND THE SHANTUNG PROMONTORY 12
III. HISTORY AND LEGEND 34
IV. CHINESE CHRONICLES AND LOCAL CELEBRITIES 57
V. BRITISH RULE 77
VI. LITIGATION 102
VII. VILLAGE LIFE AND LAND TENURE 127
VIII. VILLAGE CUSTOMS, FESTIVALS AND FOLK-LORE 155
IX. THE WOMEN OF WEIHAIWEI 195
X. WIDOWS AND CHILDREN 217
XI. FAMILY GRAVEYARDS 254
XII. DEAD MEN AND GHOST-LORE 276
XIII. CONFUCIANISM--I 300
XIV. CONFUCIANISM--II 328
XV. TAOISM, LOCAL DEITIES, TREE-WORSHIP 351
XVI. THE DRAGON, MOUNTAIN-WORSHIP, BUDDHISM 385
XVII. RELIGION AND SUPERSTITION IN EAST AND WEST 408
XVIII. THE FUTURE 426
INDEX 451

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

VIEW FROM THE HUAN-TS'UI-LOU ON THE CITY WALL OF
WEIHAIWEI _Frontispiece_
FACING PAGE
THE MANG-TAO TREE 18
A HALT IN YÜ-CHIA-K'UANG DEFILE 18
THE TEMPLE AT THE SHANTUNG PROMONTORY 22
WEIHAIWEI HARBOUR, LIUKUNGTAO AND CHU-TAO LIGHTHOUSE 26
IMAGES OF "MR. AND MRS. LIU" 28
A VIEW FROM THE WALL OF WEIHAIWEI CITY 30
PART OF WEIHAIWEI CITY WALL 46
THE AUTHOR AND TOMMIE ON THE QUORK'S PEAK 46
THE HARBOUR WITH BRITISH WARSHIPS, FROM LIUKUNGTAO 80
DISTRICT OFFICER'S QUARTERS 100
THE COURT-HOUSE, WÊN-CH'ÜAN-T'ANG 100
"WE ARE THREE" 128
VILLAGE OF T'ANG HO-HSI 128
A TYPICAL THEATRICAL STAGE BELONGING TO A TEMPLE 130
VILLAGE THEATRICALS 130
A DISTRICT HEADMAN AND HIS COMPLIMENTARY TABLET 158
THREE VILLAGE HEADMEN 158
PROTECTIVE CHARMS USED IN WEIHAIWEI 174
FIRST-FULL-MOON STILT-WALKERS 182
"WALKING BOATS" AT THE FIRST-FULL-MOON FESTIVAL 182
MASQUERADERS AT FESTIVAL OF FIRST FULL MOON 184
GROUP OF VILLAGERS WATCHING FIRST-FULL-MOON MASQUERADERS 184
THREE WOMEN AND A HAYRICK 206
THREE GENERATIONS--AT THE VILLAGE GRINDSTONE 206
VILLAGE OF KU-SHAN-HOU, SHOWING HONORARY POLES IN
FRONT OF THE ANCESTRAL TEMPLE 224
MONUMENT TO FAITHFUL WIDOW, KU-SHAN-HOU 224
AN AFTERNOON SIESTA 252
WASHING CLOTHES 252
THE ANCESTRAL GRAVEYARD OF THE CHOU FAMILY 256
A PEDIGREE-SCROLL (CHIA P'U) 264
SPIRIT-TABLETS 278
A PEDIGREE SCROLL (CHIA P'U) 280
A WRECKED JUNK 288
A JUNK ASHORE 288
WEIHAIWEI VILLAGERS 314
SHEN-TZŬ (MULE-LITTER) FORDING A STREAM 314
HILLS NEAR AI-SHAN 330
HILL, WOOD AND STREAM 330
IMAGE OF KUAN TI, WEIHAIWEI 362
THE BUDDHA OF KU SHAN TEMPLE 368
THE CITY-GOD OF WEIHAIWEI 368
SHRINE TO THE GOD OF LITERATURE 372
A T'U TI SHRINE 372
YÜAN DYNASTY GRAVES 376
A T'U TI SHRINE, SHOWING RAG-POLES AND TREE 376
THE HAUNTED TREE OF LIN-CHIA-YÜAN 380
A VILLAGE 382
AT CHANG-CHIA-SHAN 382
AI-SHAN PASS AND TEMPLE 386
SHRINES TO THE MOUNTAIN-SPIRIT AND LUNG WANG 396
WORSHIP AT THE ANCESTRAL TOMBS 396
AT THE VILLAGE OF YÜ-CHIA-K'UANG 398
A MOUNTAIN STREAM AND HAMLET 398
WÊN-CH'ÜAN-T'ANG 400
SHRINE ON SUMMIT OF KU SHAN 414
VILLAGERS AT A TEMPLE DOORWAY 414
TWO BRITISH RULERS ON THE MARCH, WITH MULE-LITTER AND HORSE 434
A ROADSIDE SCENE 434
THE COMMISSIONER OF WEIHAIWEI (SIR J. H. STEWART
LOCKHART, K.C.M.G.), WITH PRIEST AND ATTENDANTS
AT THE TEMPLE OF CH'ÊNG SHAN 440

MAP
WEIHAIWEI _at the end_

LION AND DRAGON IN NORTHERN CHINA