Unicorn.  His labours extend over a period of eighteen thousand years.  He grew in stature at the rate of six feet every day, and when his work was finished he died.  The mountains were formed from his head, his breath produced the wind, and the moisture of his lips the clouds.  His voice is the thunder, his limbs are the four poles, his veins the rivers, his sinews the wave-like motions of the earth, his flesh the fields, his beard the stars, his skin and hair herbs and trees, his teeth bones, his marrow metals, rocks and precious stones, his sweat rain, and the insects clinging to his body become men and women.  Ah, how applicable the memorable line of Horace!

  Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.

In regard to the spirits of the dead the Chinese believe that they linger still in the places which were their homes while alive on earth, and that they can be moved to pleasure or pain by what they see or hear.  These spirits of the departed are delighted with offerings rendered to them and take umbrage at neglect.  Believing also that the spirits can help or injure men they pray to them and make offerings to them.  From this we can understand the meaning and object of ancestral rites.  In these rites they honour and assist the dead as if they were alive still.  Food, clothing and money are offered, as they believe they eat and drink and have need of the things of this life.  Even theatrical exhibitions and musical entertainments are provided on the presumption that they are gratified with what pleased them while in the body.  Now as all past generations are to be provided for, the Chinese Pantheon contains myriads of beings to be worshipped.  But think, what a burden it becomes to the poor man who tries conscientiously to do his duty to the departed!

Now this ancestral worship leads to the deduction that it is an unfilial thing not to marry and beget sons by whom the line of descendants may be continued.  Otherwise the line would cease, and the spirits would have none to care for them or worship them.

The Chinese view of rulers or Kings is also striking.  According to the belief prevalent regarding government, Heaven and Earth were without speech.  These created man who should represent them.  This man is none other than the Emperor their vicegerent.  He is constituted ruler over all people.  This accounts for three things; first, the superiority which the Chinese emperors assume over the kings and rulers of other countries; secondly, for the long-lived empire of China, it being rebellion against Heaven to lift up one’s self against the Emperor; and in the third place it explains to us why divine honours are paid to him.  He is a sacred person.  He is in a certain sense a god.  The view is similar to that entertained by the Roman Emperors, who, in inscriptions and on coins employed the term Deus, and at times exacted divine honours.  As we turn from the Joss-House and walk away from this bit of heathendom