The Hung-miao (Red Temple) is in Nanking Road, between Shanse and Fokien Roads. Next to the main entrance is a shop which deals only in candles, incense sticks, sandalwood, paper baskets, etc. This place does a roaring trade and, it is said, makes a clear yearly profit of not less than $50,000. Entering, one notices numerous beggars, including several monks and a couple of nuns of the Buddhist religion, half a dozen fortune-tellers whose fees range from six coppers to $10, and a crowd of loafers. This place is generally crowded, especially with women—for is it not the chief idol, Kwan-yin, the women's god, the Goddess of Mercy, who is being worshipped? Indeed, it is said that many of the women who come here to worship are of the prostitute class, who ask the Goddess to cleanse them both in spirit and body and to give them success in life. The rooms are damp and stuffy and the gods are besmirched with dust and dirt. All are greatly neglected. Some of the once beautiful clothes are in a decayed condition and no attempt has been made to repair them. The place is absolutely suffocating with smoke practically all the year round—this from the incense, sandalwood and sacrificial offerings. In the side rooms are the city gods, Mi-doh and Wai-doh. On the walls are numerous scrolls and tablets, ete., sent in by worshippers who have received answers to their prayers. There is a response to every prayer." In the middle of the courtyard is a very ancient incense. burner, known as a Ting-hsiang-lu, together with a very artistic shrine.
There are gods for everybody of every age in' this temple—good
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.