rebels swept like a deluge over China an When over forty years ago the Taiping covered the land for fifteen years, not only were temples and idols. destroyed and the whole industries of town and country utterly ruined, but the wooden blocks on which the books of China are engraved were destroyed. No sooner had order been restored, however, than the Confucianists, true to their literary instincts, began to restore the Confucian literature. The various Viceroys and Governors of the provinces memorialised the Throne for funds to recut the standard Confucian works ssu as to make them once more available. to the scholars. These were granted, and several of the provinces north and south established what somewhat resembles Western Bible Societies, for these official establishments are to sell these works at cost price for the benefit of the public at the temples wore some of the specie! places marked out for destruction by the rebels, and as Buddhist literature is mostly kept in temples, the Buddhist literature suffered still more than the Confucian at the hands of the Tuipings. The result was that many important Buddhist works could not be found anywhere for sale for many years. To remedy this evil devout Bud-diiists established three places—one in Nanking, one in Soochow and one in ting Baddbist standard works, These Hangchow—for the purpose of recut-
have been at work now for over ten years and from time to time they have published sheet catalogues of their new issues. One of their latest publications is a descriptive catalogue of Buddhist litera-tare in ten volumes, each about 200 pages. This divides Buddhist literature into four great classes, each again divided into the
schools of thought. These are: L. The Sacred shorter or primary, and the, advanced Books in 1,213 works; LI. The Canon Law in 93 works; III. Discourses in 269 works TV, Miscellaneous literature in 232 works, making a grand total of 1,807 Buddhist works in the Chinese language.
L—The Sacred Books again are subdivided into six classes viz:—1. The Hwa Yen, or fundamentals of their religion in 29 works; 2 The Fang Teng, or broad and wide (Catholic), containing 371 works on exoteric (clear) teaching; and 440-works on esoteric (secret) teaching; 3. The Pan Yo, or realisation of the unseen in 28 works; 4. The Fa Hroa, or the laying hold of the unseen in 15 works; 5. The Nie P'an, or passing on tu the eternal state (immortality) in 16 works; 6. The books of the shorter course whether secret or not, illustrating retribution, principles, conduct, position and knowledge in 314 works.
TI.—The canon law is divided. into that which applies to the advanced school in 30 works and that which belongs to those the shorter course in 63 works.
IIL.—The Discourses or Essays are subdivided into seven 1. Translation' of advanced course by Western writers in 34 works, 2. TranslatiOns of advanced coursd by Chinese writers in 38 works.
3. Works of Western authors' advanced course in 104 works.
4. Works of Chinese authors' advanced course in 14 works, 5. Discussions by Western authors in advanced course 11 works.
6. Discussions by Chinese authors' in advanced course in 21 works.
7. Shorter or Primary course in 47 works.
_IV.—Miscellaneous literature is again divided into two, the second of which is again subdivided into fifteen.
A, By Western authors 51 works, B. By Chines Prayers 16; 2,-on the Pure Land 4; 3, the Tientai 'School of Chehkiang 15; 4, the contemplative school 22; 5, the wise leaders' school 10; 6, the tender-hearted school 3; 7, the secret school 3;8, the law 5; 9, Summaries 12; 10, History and Biography; 11, Apologies 16; 12, Explanation of rode Glctionaries 37 13, "Catalogues 12; 14, [yinns; 15, other works which should be classed with' Buddhist literature 47.
By means of such a catalogue as this students of Buddhist literature will find their work greatly facilitated in many ways.
TR
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.