Page:Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire vol 5 (1897).djvu/543

 APPENDIX 521 The Chinese text may be divided into two parts : an exposition of the doctrines of Christianity, and an historical account of the introduction of the religion into China and its propagation there. 1. The nature of the divine Being — the admirable person of the Trinity, the absolute lord, Oloho [i.e. Eloha, Syriac for God] — is set forth ; then the work of Sa-tan in propagating heresies, whereof the tale is three hundred and sixty -five ; and then the coming of the Mi-chi-lo [Messiah I, who is the " other himself of the Trinity," ^ born of a virgin in Ta-tsin [Syria] through the influence of the Holy Spirit. 2. In the days of the Emperor Tai-tsung, there came from Ta-tsin the Most virtuous Alopen (or Olopan),'* who was clothed with the qualities of the blue clouds,'* and possessed the true sacred books. In a.d. 63.'i he arrived at Chang- ngan [i.e. Si-ngan-fu]. The Emperor sent his chief minister, Fang-Huen-Ling, who conducted the western guest into the palace. The sacred books which the missionary brought were translated in the Imperial library ; and the sovereign gave orders for the diffusion of the doctrine by which he was deeply impressed. In A. p. (i.38he issued a proclamation to the following effect : "Religion has no invariable name, religious observances have no invariable rites ; doctrines are established in accordance with the country. Alopen, of the kingdom of Ta-tsin, has brought his sacred books and images from that distant part, and has presented them at our court. Having examined the principles of this religion, we find its object to be the admirable Empyrean and its mysterious action ; investigating its original source, we find it expresses the sum of the perfect life." The Emperor then applies to the new doctrine a quotation from a Chinese classic ; and concludes with the command that a Sj'rian Church should be built in the capital, at E-Ning-fang, and be governed by twenty-one priests. Then follows a description of Ta-tsin or the Roman Empire, thus given by Hirth : s " According to the Hsi-yii-t'u-chi and the historical records of the Hun and Wei dj'nasties, the country of Ta-ts'in begins in the south at the Coral Sea [Red Sea], and extends in the north to the Chung-pan-shan [hills of precious stones] ; it looks in the west to the ' region of the immortals ' and ' the flowery groves ' ; *> in the east it boimds on ' the long winds ' and ' the weak water '.'' This country produces fire-proof cloth ; the life-restoring incense ; the ming-yiieh-chu [moonshine pearl] ; and the j-eh-kuang-pi [jewel that shines at night].^ Robberies are unknown there, and the people enjoj' peace and happiness. Only the kin;/ ['luminous' = Christian] religion is practised ; only virtuous rulers occupy the throne. This country is vast in extent ; its literature is flourishing." ^ There is a panegyric of the Roman Empire ! The Emperor Kao-tsung (6.50-683) succeeded and was still more beneficent to- wards Christianity. Everj- city was full of churches. Then "in a.d. 609 the Buddhists [the children of Che] gaining power raised their voices in the eastern metropolis " ; and in a.d. 713 there was an agitation of Confucianists against Christianity in the western capital. The religion revived under Hiwan-tsung 2 Autre lui-meme du Trine (Gueluy). S This must be a Chinese corruption of a Syrian name. Assemani thought it was for Jaballaha. Panthier explains A lo-ptiiw, " return of God ". Yule {p. xciv.) suggests Rabban, )• of course appears as / in Chinese. ■1 That is, he was a sa^e. The metaphor is Buddhistic: Buddha is the sun. and the sage is the cloud which covers the earth and makes the rain of the land fall. So Gueluy, p. 74. But Wylie, &c., translate " observing the blue clouds ". 5 China and the Roman Orient, p. 61-2. 6 La cite fleurie du pays des solitaires (Gueluy). 7 A river in Kan-su (cp. Gueluy, op. cit. p. 5). ^It is uncertain what gem is meant. Cp. Hirth, p. 242 sqq. He refers to the emeralds shining at night, which are mentioned by Herodotus, 2, 44, and Pliny, 37, 5, 66, 9 Tout y brille d'un ordre parfait (Gueluy).