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| THE CHINESE JOSS-HOUSE - The engraving presents a
scene in the exhibit of the Wah Mee Exposition Company at the west
end of Midway Plaisance. The company built a theatre, temple, and
bazaar, which was kept open during the continuance of the Fair, but
went into the hands of a receiver before the summer was half over.
It is probable that, if the Ferris Wheel had been placed further
westward on the Plaisance, the Chinese exhibit and the panorama of
the Hawaiian volcano would have fared better, for both were
instructive, entirely novel to most people, and rarely to be seen
with safety in the ordinary course of living. The Chinese are so
little known to Americans that an attempt to describe their theology,
iconography, or ecclesiasticism must nearly always descend to the
ridiculous. It is, however, believed to be established that, in the
operation of their religion in American cities like New York and
Chicago, the right to be priest or sexton is sold at auction each
year at a sum less than one thousand dollars. The sexton obtains a
certain monopoly of joss candles, incense-sticks, paper, oil, tea and
punk. He also makes a weekly call at the laundries and stores of his
people, collecting small joss-sums, usually twenty-five cents. In
addition, when a worshipper changes his religion, the sexton gives
him a personally-conducted tour in the joss-house, for which perhaps
a dollar is exacted. It is understood by Americans, at least, that
the idols are often reviled and scourged, in cases where they have
not obviously changed the luck of their devotees. |
