Ironbark Joss House, Bendigo

CHINESE JOSS HOUSE AT IRONBARK.

We paid a visit on Thursday night to the new Joss House which the Chinese at the encampment near the lower end of Ironbark Gully have just erected, in order to be present at the inauguration of the temple. It is situated just over the range, beyond the works of the Tyson's Reef Company, and about a couple of hundred yards on this side of the encampment.

The Joss House is a substantial weatherboard building, about thirty or forty feet by about half that size in breadth. The greater part of the interior, which is profusely decorated with various ornaments, of which red ochre, and what appears to be Dutch metal, gold leaf, and tinfoil are the principal articles made use of, is set apart for the public, being divided from the inner or more sacred end of the temple by a wooden rail, and within which is situated what may be termed the altar, where the tinsel and gold leaf has not been spared in giving it a very gaudy appearance, in addition to numberless little streamers of the most garish description of calico, which are stuck about the altar at various points.

The altar-piece contains the portrait of the Pagan deity or Joss, a picture of about two or three feet in length, and which, until the proper time arrived for the opening, was partially hid from the vulgar gaze by a piece of colored calico being covered over the face.

When we arrived, about midnight, the proceedings had just commenced. There were between thirty and forty of the Celestials assembled inside the temple, which was brilliantly illuminated by lamps and candles, although the rather overpowering smell from the joss sticks, which were kept burning during the whole time, rendered our taking up a position, as sailors say, to windward of the entrance all the more desirable.

In the middle of the floor, spread on some Chinese matting, were various edibles, in the shape of a cooked fowl, rice, tea, and what appeared to be to our unenlightened observation, a saucer full of some description of pickles. There was also a bundle of papers, on which were inscribed a variety of Chinese hieroglyphics, and which were, as we understood from one of the Celestials, prayers in praise of his Joss-ship, to whom all these little luxuries were being most humbly submitted for his consumption by his worshippers.

Sitting over these articles was the high priest of the temple, a middle-aged and stalwart looking Mongolian, dressed in a bright scarlet robe, which reached from his head to his heel, with head and feet uncovered. He was bending over the articles on the floor, in much such a similar position as we have seen a black gin over a corroboree fire, and in one of the most monotonous drawling tones was doubtless beseeching the god to look with favorable or hungry eyes on the meat offerings of his followers.

After this had continued for about half an hour, whether the priest did not feel satisfied that the offerings were meet for presentation, or that the continued silence of the Joss was in this instance equivalent to contempt, at all events, on a signal given by the priest, the whole of them—fowl, rice, prayers and all—were conveyed outside by one of his assistants, and, while the papers containing the prayers were sacrificed to the flames, the priest, with a pair of chopsticks, dexterously caught up the eatables, and tossed them away. By the way, we noticed that the fowl, which appeared to be nicely roasted and a delicacy in its way, was re-conveyed to the rear of the temple.

Repairing inside again, we found a table had been placed in front of the altar, and on which were placed a second collection of offerings, probably this time of a better description, including a few eggs and other slight luxuries. The high priest, now having his head covered by a highly ornamented piece of workmanship composed of cardboard apparently, advanced to the table, and facing the altar, commenced in the same sing-song tone, and drawled out for the space of about an hour and a half, either incantations, implorations, or some kind of address to the Joss, accompanying it frequently by raising the folded hands to the forehead and bowing to the altar, every time that he did so being imitated minutely and devoutly by the Chinamen present.

To give point, we suppose, to his monologue, he accompanied himself by beating on what appeared to be the half of a wooden bowl or cup with a small piece of stick, which he every now and again changed by ringing a small hand-bell. We had forgotten to mention that on one side of the temple sat the orchestra, which was composed of two individuals, with a nondescript kind of hautboy or reed, another with a Chinese drum, and a fourth with a gong, and the fifth with a pair of cracked cymbals, and as the priest would now and then drawl forth something that appeared to call forth a greater flourish than he was able to accomplish with his own musical accompaniments, the whole of the orchestra would come in with such an infernal crash of music as must have made anyone passing along the White Hills Road unaware of the occasion think that Pandemonium had been let loose.

After these operations had been carried on for about two hours, the noise being, as we subsequently found, only a mild prelude to what followed, the offerings appeared to be such as were worthy the acceptance of the god, for after more preliminary vocalism from the priest, he advanced within the rail, and raising himself, he with a wand uncovered the image of Joss.

This was the signal for a concert of the most unearthly sounds that ever made night hideous, or might cause wolves and dogs to "bay the moon." For ourselves, to save the tympanum of our ears, we rushed outside, but were met by the deafening sounds of myriads of Chinese crackers, which simultaneously with the uncovering of Joss, and the deafening crash of the band, were set fire to.

After the smoke and noise had subsided, we ventured to return, when we found the priest performing some kind of operation, which to us appeared to be letting the blood flow from the punctured neck of a live cock into a cup containing water or some other liquid. When this had been done he took it in his hand, and advanced again to the picture of Joss.

The picture itself it is almost impossible to convey much idea of. It looked like the portrait of a Chinese gentleman, or well-to-do jolly looking Mandarin, who is seated on a chair, while over either shoulder peer what we were informed are his good and evil geniuses: the former represented by a divine looking Chinese houri, who holds in her hands a casket, which she is presenting to his Joss-ship, the said casket containing probably a different and more excellent description of articles than were contained in the box of Pandora; while over his other shoulder glares the countenance of a hideous and hirsute monster, who appears to be whispering all kinds of evil suggestions into his ear, and with a drawn sword, or some kind of Chinese weapon in his hand, seems to be ready with offering him the means of carrying out the bloodthirsty intentions he is trying to instil into his mind.

The priest again elevating himself on a chair in front of Joss, provided with the cup containing the liquid alluded to, drops a sort of brush into it, and "tittivates" off the eyes, ears, and noses of the three individuals in the picture. He next goes through the whole process (without, however, coming into actual contact) of lathering, shaving, and shampooing the Joss, and finishes off by a real professional dusting with a napkin.

He then, after a few more movements in front of the altar, made a procession round the exterior, and then the interior of the temple, followed by the gong beater, who belaboured the instrument most lustily, while the priest, ringing the little hand-bell, stopped at various points, and sucking up a mouthful of what the cup contained, ejected it again over some part of the building, profusely dispersing it in such a systematic manner as we have seen the butchers in what is termed "blowing" the melted tallow over veal.

After this curious process of consecration was finished the inauguration of the Joss House was supposed to be complete; and although the worshipping was resumed by the interminable chanting of the priest, thinking we had had insight enough into the peculiar formula of Chinese devotion, and it being by this time about daybreak, we left the devotees to their meditations.

We could not help observing that, although the chief performer in this curious scene, and a few of the assistant priests, appeared to be characterised by a staid and severe behaviour, the majority of the Celestials had no such notions, and if they did not display absolute levity, they appeared very much unconcerned, several of them smoking and chatting with as much nonchalance as we saw them during the late exhibition of Chinese theatricals.

We understand that the Joss House has been erected by the Chinese belonging to what is called the "Three Districts", A'Sam having been appointed to the office of keeper.—Bendigo Advertiser.

The Age, Tuesday 26 July 1859, p.3