scious of it. It was on this account that the ancient kings set so high a value on them." (Li Ki, bk. xxiii., 9.)

Confucius, however, does not think of music as merely a human art, but also as the common speech of all intelligences of the universe; and he desires that ceremonies become and be to the eyes of men just such a delicate, graceful, and expressive mode of communication. Therefore their interrelationship with the seen and the unseen is asserted in the "Li Ki" in these terms, in no respect uncertain: "In music of the grandest style there is the same harmony that prevails between Heaven and Earth; in ceremonies of the grandest form there is the same graduation that exists between Heaven and Earth." (Bk. xvii., sect. i., v. 19.)

Yet more explicit is this language, all the more significant in that Confucius did not often discuss, or even refer to, spiritual beings: "In the visible there are ceremonies and music; in the invisible, the spiritual agencies." (Li Ki, bk. xvii., sect. i., v. 19.)

And in the same book he even asserted the psychical power of ceremonies, as of music,—of both of these, united-to summon the intelligences of the universe for communion with minds imprisoned in human bodies, in these burning phrases: "Ceremonies and music in their nature resemble Heaven and Earth, penetrate the virtues of the spiritual intelligences, bring down spirits from above and lift the souls that are abased." xvii., sect. iii., v. 2.)

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CHAPTER VII

UNIVERSAL RELATIONS

THE views of Confucius on man's relations to the universe are singularly in line with the cosmic philosophy of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Death and Immortality. "The body and the animal soul go downwards; and the intelligent spirit is on high." (Li Ki, bk. vii., sect. i., 7.)

Thus in the "Li Ki" is voiced the belief of the ancient Chinese, which was accepted by Confucius and his disciples, not as a saving article of creed, but merely as a fact. It is again stated in the "Li Ki" in this manner: "That the bones and flesh should return to earth is what is appointed. But the soul in its energy can go everywhere; it can go everywhere." (Bk. ii., sect. ii., pt. iii., 13.)

How fully this was accepted by Confucius, may be seen, not merely from the fact that by editing the "Li Ki" and permitting these apothegms to stand, he gave them his approval, but by this saying, much more explicit on this point, attributed to him by the same book: "The Master said: "The intelligent spirit is of the Shan nature

and shows that in fullest measure; the animal soul is of the Kwei nature and shows that in fullest measure. . . All who live, must die and, dying, return to the earth; this is what is called Kwei. The bones and flesh moulder below and, hidden away, become the earth of the fields. But the spirit issues forth and is displayed on high in a condition of glorious brightness. (Bk. xxi., sect. ii., I.)

That scientific investigation would show this to be true, is indicated by the "Yi King" (appendix iii., sect. i., c. iv., v. 2) thus: "He traces things to their beginning and follows them to their end; thus he knows what can be said about death and life."

His disciple, Tsang, in speaking thus of a man about to die, signified his view that death is but an awakening: "When a bird is about to die, its notes are mournful; when a man is about to die, his words are good." (Analects, bk. viii., c. iv., v. 2.)

The following account of the sanitary precautions to be taken when one is about to die, is given in the "Li Ki": "When the illness was extreme, all about the establishment was swept clean, inside and out." (Bk. xix., sect. i., I.)

And this of the precaution to assure that death has really taken place: "Fine floss was laid over to make sure that breathing had stopped." xix., sect. i., I.),

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And yet another passage exhibits the same care

which has long been taken in Occidental countries to avoid the possibility of burial alive: "Therefore when it is said that the body is not clothed in its last raiment until after three days, it signifies that it is so delayed to see if the father may not come to life." (Li Ki, bk. xxxii., 4.)

The following from the same book which devotes more attention to the subject than any other of the books upon which Confucius wrought or in which his sayings are recorded, is an apt and even illuminating statement of the peculiar horror with which the dead body has ever been regarded: "When a man dies, there arises a feeling of repugnance; the impotence of his body causes one to revolt from it." (Bk. ii., sect. ii., pt. ii., 8.)

Khang-Tsze Kâo, in the "Li Ki," is reported as saying the following upon the ethics of burial, urging that the disposition of the bodies of the dead should not interfere with the welfare of the living: "I have heard that in life we should be useful to others and in death do them no harm. Though I may not have been useful to others in life, shall I in death do them harm? When I am dead, choose a piece of barren ground and bury me there." (Bk. ii., sect. i., pt. iii.)

In the same book Confucius is credited with having inaugurated, or, if not, with having confirmed, a departure from the ancient custom of levelling the earth over the grave, so that it would become indistinguishable: "When Confucius had buried his mother in the same grave [i. e., in which

his father was interred], he said: 'I have heard that the ancients, in making graves, raised no mound over them. But I am a man who will be east, west, south, and north.' On this he raised a mound, four feet high." (Bk. ii., sect. i., pt. i., 6.)

After the fact of death is assured, however, and before any other ceremony or duty relative to the departed is performed, there is the "calling back" of the soul to reoccupy the garments he has quitted. The "Li Ki" describes it thus: "At calling back the soul... an officer of low rank performed the ceremony. All who co-operated, used court robes of the deceased. . . . In all cases they ascended the east wing to the middle of the roof, where the footing was perilous. Facing the north, they gave three loud calls for the deceased; after which they rolled up the garment they had used and cast it down in front where the wardrobe-keeper received it." (Bk. xix., sect. i., 3.)

The garments used in calling back the soul were not available to array the corpse; upon this the same book says: "The robe which was used in calling the soul back was not used to cover or to clothe the corpse." (Bk. xix., sect. i., 4.)

The appellation used in summoning the soul to return appears from this passage: "In all cases of calling back the soul, a man was called by his name and a woman by her designation." (Li Ki, bk. xix., sect. i., 4.)

The levelling of rank by the unrelenting hand of death is typified by this feature of this ancient