Page 125 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

FABULOUS AND OTHER ANIMALS. 93

of Keynard, the keeper of the seal. Unless the fox should be
in some is asserted the common
worshipped way, it by people
that it would cause the seal to disappear, and otherwise injure
the mandarin, as setting the establishment on fire. There are
very wonderful stories in connection with the power of the fox
in mandarin establishments current in this The fox is
city.
believed also to have the power of changing at pleasure into the
human form, or of entering the bodies of men and women.
Sometimes diseases are attributed to this animal, which is
accordingly worshipped by the sick one, or on his account by
others, in order to induce it not to molest, vex, or injure the
sick individual. Its invisible in success in
agency preventing
business is much dreaded the
very by peojDie."
61 "
Mayers, p. : Hu, or hu-li, the fox. A beast whose nature
is with He has the
highly tinged supernatural qualities. power
of transformation at his command, and assumes the
frequently
human shape. At the age of fifty, the fox can take the form
of a woman ; and at a hundred, can assume the appearance
of a young and beautiful girl, or otherwise, if so minded, of a
all the of When a thousand
wizard, possessing power magic.
years old, he is admitted to the heavens, and becomes the
celestial fox. The celestial fox is of a golden colour, and
nine tails he serves in the halls of the sun and
possesses ;
moon, and is vested in all the secrets of nature. The Shwo Wen
dictionary states that the fox is the courser upon which ghostly
—
beings ride. He has three peculiar attributes in colour he par-
takes of that which is central and harmonizing, yellow ; he is
small before and behind ; and at the moment of death he
large
lifts his head One states that the fox was
upwards. authority
originally a lewd woman of old. Her name was Tsze, and for
her vices she was transformed into a fox. Hence foxes in
human call themselves a ' Tsze.' There is a
shape frequently
' caution or distrustfulness as that of a
phrase, fox,' which is said
to this in an eminent as shown in its
betray quality degree,
to the sound of the ice under its feet when a
listening crossing
frozen
expanse."
Camel. — Gutzlaff, vol. i. p. 34 : " Is indigenous in the
steppes of Tartary, and a few are also found in the northern
provinces. The fat extracted from their flesh is used in
medicine."