In the last article chin-chin joss, it has been mentioned that joss (or josh) was a form derived from Portuguese deus meaning ‘God’. In the pidgin spoken in China, joss was used quite productively as it appeared in different compound words. For example, a joss house was a temple. Chinese people also used the term to refer to foreign churches or chapels. A joss house man was a priest or missionary. Joss pidgin referred to any Chinese or foreign religious ceremonies or processions. Apart from referring to a language, the word pidgin was also used in the sense of ‘business’. It is believed that “pidgin”was the way Chinese pronounced the word business. Joss sticks were incense sticks used in Chinese temples for worship. Joss paper were pieces of paper Chinese burnt for the dead, gods/goddesses, or idols. A foreigner gave a description of joss paper in his book The Englishman in China (1860: 110-111).
“In front of most of the cottage-doors, “Joss-PAPER” was burning, composed of silver tissue-paper in the shape of shoes; that is to say, not the article with which you are wont to decorate your feet, but in form similar to the ingots cast for the currency of the nation; —of these more by-and-by. These bundles of Joss-paper are sold, strung upon strings, at something like sixpence a hundred. Of course there are different qualities, some cheaper, some more expensive.”
The foreigner recounted his “boy” (i.e., male servant) requesting leave for worshipping joss in the Chinese New Year (pp. 99-100).
“Master, belong my chin-chin you. Just now my wantchee makee go that city side, makee chin-chin Joss.”
“What good will it do you, boy?”
“Good, my no sarby; belong olo custom pidgin, any man must wantchee go chin-chin Joss new year tim.”
The common language between the foreigner and the Chines “boy” was pidgin English. Let’s try to figure out what the dialogue was about. When referring to first person, pidgin English often used my but I and me were occasionally found. The meaning of chin-chin might vary in different contexts. Chin-chin in chin-chin joss referred to worship. However, my chin-chin you was a request, meaning something like ‘I beg you’. The Portuguese word saber ‘to know’ could be variously written as sabe, savvy, sarby, etc. as the Pidgin had no standardized spelling. Olo (from old) custom pidgin was a way to refer to any Chinese habits or customs.
An important joss in Hong Kong is Tin Hau (天后 tin1 hau6), who is revered by fishermen, seafarers, and sailors. Since Hong Kong was a fishing village, Tin Hau temples – big or small – can be found in various locations in the city, for example Shau Kei Wan, Wan Chai, Causeway Bay, Yau Ma Tei, and Lantau Island to name just a few. The oldest one is said to be the Tin Hau Temple located at Joss House Bay (大廟灣, literally ‘Great Temple Bay’) in Sai Kung. The temple is listed as a Grade 1 historic building. Every year, worshippers bring offerings to the temples to celebrate the birthday of Tin Hau on the 23rd day of the third lunar month.
Large number of Chinese fluxed to America, Australia, and Canada in the 19th century. Overseas Chinese maintained many traditional practices, including idol worship. Therefore, it was common to find joss houses like the one shown on the postcard in Chinatowns. In a commission report on the lives of Chinese immigrants in British Columbia, it was stated that the kind of merchandise purchased by Chinese merchants included: “Rice, tea, oil, liquors, tobacco, dry goods, chinaware, drugs, silk goods, paperware, books and stationery, matting, clothes, shoes, opium, Joss-paper and sticks.” (p. 366).1 Importation of joss paper and joss sticks alongside other ordinary consumables showed how important chin-chin joss was among the Chinese. The same commission report (Appendix D, p. 368) also described the interior of a joss house in San Francisco as follows.
“There are some fine large temples in San Francisco, besides a number of smaller ones. The “Eastern Glorious Temple” is the Joss-house we now enter. This temple is owned by Dr. Lai Po Tai, who has a large practice among the whites. In the central hall are three fierce looking idols in the midst of a lot of gilding and ornamentation, their stomachs protruding in accordance with the Chinese ideal of manly beauty. The central figure is “the Supreme Ruler of the Sombre Heavens,” and on his right is “the Military Sage,” and on the left “the Great King of the Southern Ocean.
“In the courts of the temple the priests sold candles, and little spills of timber for burning before the idols, and written prayers and charms, and there were various means of enquiry of the oracle after you had prayed, such as two pieces of timber, each with a flat and round surface, and if they fall in a certain way your desire will be granted.”
The two pieces of crescent-shaped timber are called pue (桮 or 杯) in the Southern Min (閩南) spoken in Taiwan. Throwing pue, called pua̍h-pue (跋桮 or 跋杯) in Southern Min or zhí jiǎo (擲筊) in Mandarin Chinese, is a common divination in Taiwan.
1 Report of the Royal Commission on Chinese Immigration. Report and Evidence. 1885. Ottawa: Printed by order of the Commission.