ABSTRACT
Many of the priests are engaged more or less in conducting various religious or superstitious ceremonies in the families resident in the city and suburbs, and surrounding villages. Religious discussions have entirely ceased, and the whole Chinese nation has proclaimed this famous formula, with which everybody is satisfied, ‘San-kio-y-koio,’—that is, ‘the three religions are but one.’ Both the common and the official costume of the Buddhist priests is quite different, as regards colour and fashion, from the costume of the common people. Many of their customs and ceremonies are quite similar to those practised by Buddhist priests. The corpses of the priests are burned soon after decease, instead of being buried in the manner common among other Chinese. Buddhist nuns with shaven heads are occasionally seen in the streets while passing through the place to nunneries located in adjoining prefecturates or townships.
