Page:Ports of the world - Canton (1920).djvu/47

CANTON whereby the native priests and sorcerers could be kept from both collecting the rent and deciding the "favorable" time for regular burial. But so long as the keepers of the "City of Death" are allowed to receive the tainted "rent money" just so long will the bodies of the dead—with wealthy relatives—continue to repose undisturbed in their stalls along the narrow aisles—flanked by altars, banners, porcelain jars, and flowers—of the "City of Death."

The people of Canton are persuaded to place their dead in the "City of Death" because they believe in doing so they will please the spirits which might otherwise bring harm to the loved one who has joined the "silent multitude." And this brings us naturally to the religions of the country.

China is a land of five religions—Confucianism. Taoism. Buddhism. Mohammedanism, and also Christianity, which gained a foothold in the country over a thousand years ago and has recently made rapid progress because of the devoted, untiring labors of the missionaries of all Christian churches in China.

Confucianism. Taoism, and Buddhism, in order named, are far ahead of the others in China, however, mainly because their philosophies—at the present time—appeal most strongly to the Chinese nature, and also because they have a start of centuries over other religions in China.