My Nestorian Adventure in China: A Popular Account of the Holm-Nest-Orian Expedition to Sian-fu and Its Results |
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able afternoon arrived authorities bank boat brought called Canal capital carried Chang China Chinese Christian concerning consequently couple course covered early Emperor enjoyed eventually excellent fact feet five Fong foreign four gave give half Hankow Honan honour hundred imperial important inscription interest kind later leave less living Loess looked means miles military mission missionaries Monument morning mountain Museum native nature Nestorian never night obtain official once original passed Peking present priest Professor proved province railway reached reason received remain Replica returned river seemed Shensi Show Sian-fu soldiers stand stay Stone strange Tablet taken temple things thought tion told took town transport traveller true turned usually various village visited walk wall wind yamen yellow York
Popular passages
Page 159 - TABLET EULOGIZING THE PROPAGATION OF THE ILLUSTRIOUS RELIGION IN CHINA, WITH A PREFACE ; COMPOSED BY KINGTSING, A PRIEST OF THE SYRIAN CHURCH. Behold the unchangeably true and invisible, who existed through all eternity without origin ; the far-seeing perfect intelligence, whose mysterious existence is everlasting ; operating on primordial substance he created the universe, being more excellent than all holy intelligences, inasmuch as he is the source of all that is honorable. This is our eternal...
Page 162 - Twenty-seven sacred books' have been left, which disseminate intelligence by unfolding the original transforming principles. By the rule for admission, it is the custom to apply the water of baptism, to wash away all superficial show and to cleanse and purify the neophytes. As a seal, they hold the cross, whose influence is reflected in every direction, uniting all without distinction.
Page 161 - ... hence three hundred and sixty-five sects followed each other in continuous track, inventing every species of doctrinal complexity ; while some pointed to material objects as the source of their faith, others reduced all to vacancy, even to the annihilation of the two primeval principles ; some sought to call down blessings by prayers and supplications, while others by an assumption of excellence held themselves up as superior to their fellows; their intellects and thoughts continually wavering,...
Page 179 - When Kautsung succeeded to his ancestral estate, He rebuilt the edifices of purity ; Palaces of concord, large and light, Covered the length and breadth of the land. The true doctrine was clearly announced, Overseers of the church were appointed in due form ; The people enjoyed happiness and peace, While all creatures were exempt from calamity and distress. When Hiuentsung commenced his sacred career, He applied himself to the cultivation of truth and rectitude ; His imperial tablets shot forth their...
Page 160 - ... more excellent than all holy intelligences, inasmuch as he is the source of all that is honorable. This is our eternal true lord God, triune and mysterious in substance. He appointed the cross as the means for determining the four cardinal points, he moved the original spirit, and produced the two principles of nature; the sombre void was changed, and heaven and earth were opened out ; the sun and moon revolved, and day and night commenced ; having perfected all inferior objects he then made...
Page 167 - ... Orders were then issued to the authorities to have a true portrait of the Emperor taken ; when it was transferred to the wall of the church, the dazzling splendor of the celestial visage irradiated the Illustrious portals. The sacred traces emitted a felicitous influence, and shed a perpetual splendor over the holy precincts. According to the Illustrated Memoir of the Western Regions, and the historical books of the Han and Wei dynasties, the kingdom of Syria reaches south to the Coral Sea ;...
Page 171 - Kih-ho, to perform a service of merit in the Hing-king palace. Thereupon the Emperor composed mottoes for the sides of the church, and the tablets were graced with the royal inscriptions ; the accumulated gems emitted their effulgence, while their sparkling brightness vied with the ruby clouds; the transcripts of intelligence suspended in the void shot forth their rays as reflected by the sun ; the bountiful gifts exceeded the height of the southern hills; the bedewing favors were deep as the eastern...
Page 179 - ... happiness and peace, While all creatures were exempt from calamity and distress. When Hiuentsung commenced his sacred career, He applied himself to the cultivation of truth and rectitude ; His imperial tablets shot forth their effulgence, And the celestial writings mutually reflected their splendors. The imperial domain was rich and luxuriant, While the whole land rendered exalted homage; Every business was flourishing throughout, And the people all enjoyed prosperity. Then came Suhtsung, who...
Page 164 - Better still, the lives of the propagators of the Illustrious Religion, as Nestorianism was called, were apparently consistent with their assertion, "Now without holy men principles cannot become expanded ; without principles holy men cannot become magnified ; but with holy men and right principles, united as the two parts of a signet, the world becomes civilized and enlightened.
Page 166 - ' The Way' had not, at all times and in all places, the selfsame name ; the Sage had not, at all times and in all places, the selfsame human body. (Heaven) caused a suitable religion to be instituted for every region and clime so that each one of the races of mankind might be saved. Bishop A-lo-pen of the Kingdom of Ta-ch'in, bringing with him the Sutras and Images, has come from afar and presented them at our Capital. Having carefully examined the scope of his teaching, we find it to be mysteriously...