The Kingdom of Fu-Sang (Part 2)

In matters of marriage it is the low that the [intending] son-in-law must erect a hut before the door of the girl's house, and must sprinkle and sweep the place morning and evening for a whole year. If she then does not like him, she bids him depart; but if she is pleased with him they are married. The bridal ceremonies are for the most part like those of China. A fast of seven days is observed for parents at their death; five for grandparents; and three days for brothers, sisters, uncles, or aunts. Images to represent their spirits are set up, before which they worship and pour out libations morning and evening; but they wear no mourning or fillets. The successor of the king does not attend personally to government affairs for the first three years. In olden times they knew nothing of the Buddhist religion, but during the reign Ta-ming of the emperor Hiao Wu-ti of the Lung dynasty (A.D. 458), from Ki-piu five beggar priests went there. They travelled over the kingdom, everywhere making known the laws, canons, and images of that faith. Priests of regular ordination were set apart among the natives, and the customs of the country became reformed.

In addition to this statement, the Chinese annals contain an account of the "Kingdom of Women." of the "Great Han country," and of the "Land of Marked (or Tattooed) Bodies," all related in situation to Fu-sang. That given, however, is the most matter-of-fact of these several narratives, and appears to describe an actual country, though its details do not tally very closely with the known conditions of either Japan or Mexico, which latter country is believed by Mr. Vining to be the true Fu-sang. In his view the maguey represents the fu-sang tree, and he brings many analogies to bear in favor of his theory, though the actual location of Fu-sang, like those of Atlantis, the Fortunate Islands, and Vinland, must always remain a matter of doubt and controversy.