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How China once received the Religion of God: A search into Chinese origin, its pictogram & tribal lore
By Dr. P. R. Palodhi Summary: Chinese pictograms are the legacies of old world which stand in sharp contrast to the alphabet scripts of the modern world. Several scholars have shown that many of the Chinese symbols/characters are unique in depicting the events of Genesis. If God revealed signs remain tacit in the Chinese pictograms - this indicate that once upon a time some ethnic faction within among Chinese has followed the Tradition of God. To comprehend how ancient China received the Words of God - this article goes back to the historical juncture of Chinese origin; its oldest continuously used system of writing which contains information for us from the very earliest time; and then focuses upon its ancient religious texts and tribal lore that tend to gravitate towards the Tradition of God. PROLOGUE Every nation has received the message of God (Quran, 16:36) which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy Prophets since the world began (Bible: Acts, 3: 21). In present world the Religion emanating from One Supreme God is found to be registered in two successive revealed scriptures i.e. the Bible and the Quran. These scriptures inform us the pre-mental truths (Arabic: Mutashaabihaat) of creation: How God created pre-human Jinn race from where Satan appeared to defy Gods Will. Then God created Adam and Eve who were being tended in a special Garden where Satan entered and beguiled them with false promises. Under Satans spell Adam and Eve committed sin by eating the fruits of the forbidden Tree. Hence they were expelled from the Garden and began to live on earth along with pre-Adamic races. From Adams children onward God began to raise humankind (Insaan) upon earth. But intermixing of Adamic and pre-Adamic races resulted in abnormal progenies which God abhorred. Hence He caused a catastrophic Flood on earth to destroy many of those aberrant races. After Flood, Adamic race spreads more profusely on earth through descendants of Prophet Noah. Successive generations of Judeo-Christians and Muslims have been enlightened by many such revealed precepts of Bible and Quran which are written in the alphabetic language of newer world. But before development of alphabets, there had been many more ancient generations of the old world who as well received the Words of God. And how did they keep records of those? Quran (26: 196) reminded us about Zubu-ril awwaliin i.e. the writings of former generations -- which implies to the pre-matured writings of very ancient people. These are the forms of various pictorial symbols in which religious records must have taken its early root. The earliest written languages like Indus, Mesopotamia, Egyptian and Chinese were various forms of ancient picture writing. Scientific linguistics affirmed that early mankind expressed through picture symbols. Symbol sanctions more free expression of imagination, while Word limits such freedom and goes typographically to explain ideas and intents with more factual information. From esoteric religious viewpoint it is apparent that in prolonged Trials of ancient generations, God has allowed more freedom of imagination and its expression via modes of Symbol. But imagination (Arabic: Zaan) alone is not enough, expression requires more grounds of proof

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(Arabic: Burhan) to translate the ideas on paper or other surface. Hence, gradually the process of enfolding began by changing the mode of expression from picture symbols to alphabetic words. We must be aware that, initially the whole earth was of one language and of one speech (Gen, 11: 1-8). And this remotely archaic world was peopled by both Adamites and pre-Adamic races i.e. Jinns (who often exalted as various pagan gods & goddesses); and their mode of symbols/picture writings continued up to early post Flood world. After Flood, God began to reshape the world through His Law bearing Prophet Noah; this religion of Noah must have come in pre-alphabetic archaic symbols and picture writings. Afterwards, the Semites originated from Shem (one of Noahs three sons), who were the primary upholders of Prophetic tradition of God. While other miscellaneous populations were mostly adherent to the old world paganism. Gradually people of the post Flood world wanted to build cities and towers. God allowed their aspirations to go unrestrained, but confounded their language into very many dialects (Genesis 11. 1-9). Thus a newer world of diverse civilizations began to emerge with different generations separated distinctly by their respective language and culture. Writing developed after 3000 BC [1]; written Chinese is dated at approximately 2500 BC (Acc. to Harvards Chinese-Japanese Yenching Library) - which correlates closely the post Flood beginning of civilizations. Eventually the development of alphabet' from pictograms took place around 1700-1500 BC in Sinaitic world (see The Guinness Book of Records). The Semitic Hebrew letter Aleph ( )is derived from pictograph is that of the Rams head ( ) found in Proto-Sinaitic inscription [2] at old Negev (incidentally, Ram is the first sign of the Zodiacal constellations); and also it has been related later to the Bulls head (the Age of Taurus, the primordial beginnings of human consciousness). According to traditional belief, the original twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet were derived from groups of stars, i.e. the starry handwriting on the wall of the heavens (see Psalm: 8:3, 19:1, 147:4). From ancient pictorial when new worlds Semites and Aryans were developing the alphabetic languages, China did not respond quite so to this linguistic change; rather they developed their own method of picture writing which, as per Bible, must have its start sometime after the construction of the tower of Babel. The majority of Bible commentators identify China with ("the land of the Sinim"), whence the deported sons of Israel shall return to their land (Isa. xlix. 12). As we turn to linguistic development of the Hebrews, in some way it is related to the ancient Chinese writing system. Like Chinese writing character the Hebrew alphabet is also read from right to left. The Semitic letter Aleph is the father of the all Aleph-Bet. Hebrew alphabet begins with Aleph or the ox also is followed by Beth or a daughter. Interestingly, Chinese lunar zodiac also contains the ox and is followed by woman, daughter. Now from religious point of view Chinese pictogram Yi-Yang demands special attention because of its intriguing similarity with Semitic Hebrew letter Aleph. There are reasons to assume that both these signs have roots in the same Tradition of God which China must have received in its bygone past.

A. CHINESE YIN-YANG & SEMITIC ALEPH SIGNS ARE ROOTED IN GODS TRADITION The Semitic letter Aleph is the most primordial alphabetic writing from where Gods name ensues; and the pictogram of Yin-Yang sign is fundamental to Chinese religion and to the I Ching or Book of Change. Upon examination of the letter Aleph, one cannot dismiss the intrinsic similarity of this sign with that of the Chinese Yin-Yang pictogram. If a circle is placed around the Aleph it becomes analogous to the Yin-Yang sign. Both signs are pre-eminent in its order

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and allude to the ineffable mysteries of duality (for the world cannot exist without duality) -emanating from the Oneness of God.

Yin-Yang

Aleph

The Yin-Yang pictogram represents the world in its state of harmony and in a state of interchanging opposites (good-evil; day-night; heaven-earth; Jinns-Humans etc). It has two seeds in reversed position such that if the seed of Yin placed in the side of Yang expands and grows, so the Yang will change and become Yin, and vice versa. Simplistically, through cultivation of the seed a person who is good can turn evil, and a person who is bad can turn to good; and more pertinent is that the Earth always contains a seed of Heaven and Heaven contains a seed of Earth. Likewise the Hebrew Aleph goes to convey the same. If we see the letter Aleph carefully it is actually a composite of three letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Where the letter Yod is on the upper right side and lower left side, and both are linked by the letter Vav, across the centre. Hence the pictogram of the letter Aleph represents the Yod in heaven and the Yod of the earth drawn together by a hook, or two forces that are held together by the hook. Ultimately the letter Aleph represents the world in a state of harmony and the interdependence and co-joining of the two opposites, heaven and earth through the Vav, the hook. So, although the Aleph has the value of singularity, there is already incorporated in the form of the letter the state of duality. This duality is the key to the process of creation. Our reflection to Chinese Yin-Yang and Hebrew Aleph must not ignore Arabic Alif ( ) from religious stand of Oneness of God where we find a singularity rather than duality. Here we must make a note that this world of Humans (Insaan) has come after a process of unification between the facets of two primal creations: Jinns (created from fire) and Adamites (created from clay). Hence in early Revelations duality remained the most vital issue when Anakim, Nephilim and Gibborim etc used to walk upon earth as the arch rival of the Adamites. But by the time Gods Revelation to humanity culminated in the Arabic Quran - then the duality between preAdamic and Adamic races faded away and unification had been completed in Insaan; and this perhaps reflected in the singularity of Arabic Alif !! Scientific linguistic could discern that Hebrew Aleph is derived from ancient pictograph ox, bull or strength. But as we try to know the origin of the Chinese pictogram Yin-Yang we come across one after another theses and anti-theses. There have been many attempts to date Yin-Yang to the times of the primordial period of Chinese civilisation during the Xia Dynasty (2205-1570 BC) as per the symbols found on stone carvings. But these could hardly be substantiated. Since time immemorial China has been ruled by successive Emperors who depicted themselves as sons of Heaven; ages after age different rulers invented stories to satiate their egocentric ideas - and thereby the future generations are disengaged from the roots of causality. The ancient stock like Chinese race inherited many legacies of the pre-human Jinns who used to exalt by denying the God (see Quran, surah 72). The Prophetic heritage of Adamites would remain in China only as insignificant minority.

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B. TRACES OF REVEALED AXIOMS IN CHINESE SYMBOLS / CHARACTER Chinese writing system is a unique phenomenon in the modern world of alphabet scripts. Instead of a few dozen letters, it has developed thousands of complex signs or "characters" that represent morphemes and words - which do however demonstrate a history of sign use in the Yellow River valley during the Neolithic through to the Shang period. [3] Thus while the present world turned to developing the alphabet, Chinese race continued with the modes of old world language in the form of pictograms, ideograms and rebus principles etc. Such writing in China has ensued from earlier non-linguistic symbolic systems followed by evolution from a nascent pictographic and ambiguous writing script to a standardized modern system. Chinese characters are logograms currently used in the writing of Chinese (hanzi), Japanese (kanji), Korean (hanja) and Vietnamese (ch Nm) etc. When Sir William Dawson broke the early Chinese language into its monosyllable roots, in the late nineteenth century, he found them traceable to all stocks of European speech. [4] Since Chinese characters constitute the oldest continuously used system of writing in the world, these must contain information for us from the very earliest time. There have been over 600 symbols /Chinese characters, and although some are changed by the 20th century, still most are essentially the same as they were thousands of years ago. Now scholars are finding that there are many puzzling pictorial Chinese characters which can be explained only with the help of Bible and Quran. Several scholars like C.H. Chang, Ethel R. Nelson and Will Durant etc [5] have shown how the Chinese symbols/characters inherit several precepts of Genesis whereby many aspects of God revealed signs have remained hidden in Chinese language (characters). Bibles Tree of life and Tree of knowledge of good and evil were known to China. Lan or greed is written as Woman under two Trees in vivid picture of this ancient story. The forbidden fruit is called in Chinese as Jin Fruit (and we come to know from Quran that Satan Iblis was a Jinn). Righteousness a basic precept of revealed doctrine; Prophets (Noah, Abraham etc) have sacrificed lamb to God, a sacrifice to impart righteousness on sinful people. The ancient Chinese word for righteousness is Yi which is comprised of a lamb over the symbol of I or me a picture of a person offering a lamb, also conveying the idea of the lamb of God. Let us have more insight into Chinese characters from Dr. Thiel. (China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters. www.cogwriter.com (c) 2006, 2009, 2010 0715) [6]:
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden...(Gen, 2: 8); The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden...(Gen, 2:9); Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads (Gen, 2: 10). The English term garden can be represented by the Chinese symbol shown below:

Garden
There were two famous trees in the Garden of Eden: The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9). Recall that God gave Adam one command after placing him in the garden: [Gen 2:15] Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. [16] And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; [17] but of the tree of the

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knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:15-17). It is of interest to note that a Chinese symbol for Prohibition is the combination of the symbols for two trees (m) and command:

Prohibition To Prohibit

Tree

+ (Divine) Command

It should be noted that God, while He originally prohibited one tree, later prohibited access to the second tree (see Genesis 3:22-24). In Genesis Eve stated: [2] We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:2). It is also of interest to note that the Chinese symbol for Fruit is the combination of the symbols for tree and garden:

Fruit

Tree

Garden

While Adam and Eve were in the garden, the devil decided to implement his plan to alienate humans from God. His plan was to suggest that God withheld secret information for the humans in the garden. [1] Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?" [2] And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; [3] but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'" [4] Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." (Genesis 3:1-5). Notice that the Chinese symbol for Devil is composed of the characters for secret, person, and garden:

Devil

Secret

Person

Garden

Sadly, Eve seemed to believe the devil as she desired to benefit from the fruit of the tree that was prohibited: [6] So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate (Genesis 3:6). God decided later to prohibit the second tree lest Eve and others desired it so much that they would go for it as well (see Genesis 3:22-24). Notice the symbol for the Chinese word ln for desire or greed is a combination of the symbols for woman and two trees:

Desire, Greed

Woman

Trees

After succumbing to temptation, humans noticed that they were naked: [7] Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7). Notice that the Chinese symbol for being naked has to do with clothing, one tree (the one that Adam and Eve were originally told not to eat from perhaps), and a garden with four irrigation canals:

Naked

Garden

after Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden they had children. One of their sons was Abel, who raised and sacrificed sheep: [2] Now Abel was a keeper of sheep...4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering (Genesis 4:2, 4). Notice what a Chinese character meaning righteous is made of:

Righteous(ness)

Sheep

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Interestingly, the New Testament account of Abel refers to: [35]...the blood of righteous Abel (Matthew 23:35). Notice how the Chinese symbol agrees with the New Testament account that essentially the sacrifice of sheep (by Abel, for example) was righteous. Since Christ was our Passover lamb sacrificed us, and that through Him we attain righteousness, at least one has speculated that perhaps that is why the following symbol for righteousness was somehow chosen (since the combination of the symbol for hand and lance can mean us):

Righteous(ness) =

Sheep

I, Us

And while it is NOT likely that this was determined by the Chinese after Jesus' crucifixion, it is a fact that Abel and Noah, who the Bible calls righteous, sacrificed clean animals such as sheep. Many know that Chinese history contains an account of some type of worldwide flood. There may be a couple of aspects of it preserved in its characters. Notice a couple of statements in the Bible concerning the flood: [1] Then the LORD said to Noah, "Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. (Genesis 7:1). [20]...in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water (1 Peter 3:20). A Chinese word chun for a type of boat is:

Boat =

+ Mouth

+ Little Boat, Vessel

It may be of interest to note that one of the Chinese symbols for flood (chong) is a combination of an inverted symbol meaning "first Earthly branch" and eight (the term for eight may instead mean "person remaining""--that of itself is interesting as that the symbol for eight and "person remaining" look about the same--recall that on the ark there were only eight persons remaining alive). After the flood, humans stayed together and built a tower: [1] Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. [2] And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. [3] Then they said to one another, "Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. [4] And they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." (Genesis 11:1-4).

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But God did not care for this: [5] But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. [6] And the LORD said, "Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. [7] Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." (Genesis 11:5-7). It is highly likely that when people saw others speaking foreign languages, that they thought that somehow something at this tower affected their mouths. Notice the following Chinese symbol of a tower.

Tower

Grass

Clay

Mankind

Mouth

The tower of Babel was built with bricks (grass and clay) and humans originally had one language (or mouth). It is possible that this symbol is showing that the ancient Chinese recognized a connection to the biblical tower of Babel.

All such findings indicate that once upon a time China had received the Religion of God by virtue of their ties to the area of Babel; and those early Chinese were familiar with the Tradition of God due to exposure to some of the events as recorded in the Book of Genesis.

C. ABOUT THE CHINESE ORIGIN Biblical origin: Biblical origin is especially relevant because the ancient Chinese accounts are eloquent about the catastrophic Flood event. They recorded devastation so great that the survivors were reduced to living like beasts eating raw meat and recognizing their mothers but not their fathers. In Li-Chi (Book of Rites) [7] the ancient collection of canonical writing in Chinese Shang bronze (14-12th century BC) tradition, we find expressions in sublime languages:
And now the pillars of heaven are broken, the earth shook to its very foundation; the sun and the stars changed their motion; the earth fell into pieces, and waters enclosed within its bosom burst forth with violence; and overflowed. Man having rebelled against heaven, the system of universe was totally disordered and the grand harmony of nature destroyed. All these evils arose from mans despising the Supreme power of the Universe. Man fixed his looks upon terrestrial objects and loved them to excess until gradually he became transformed into objects he loved, and celestial reason entirely abandoned him.

The Bible, the ancient Sumerians and the Chinese all cite a chronology of ten rulers; similar legends from Egypt (ten shining ones), India (ten pitris) and Greece etc have pointed to the tradition of Adamic faction within among them and unity of these distant genealogies whose last member was the hero of a Great Flood epoch. Genesis 11:2 states that after the Flood mankind found a plain in the land of Sinar (Samaria). From Sumaria, mankind spread out across the earth and numerous archaeological remains and retained customs testify to the Sumerian and Japhetic origins of Chinese civilization. The identity of a great body of astronomical legends and astrological superstitions, the use of methods of measurement, the cycle of sixty and decimal system, the belief in interrelation and correspondence of five elements, of five colors and the

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harmony of numbers, together with a multitude of other customs on the part of both the Chinese and Chaldeans cannot be explained as merely co-incidences.[8] The Caucasian and Mongolian races have long been recognized as close genetic relatives.[9] The painted urns of one of China's earliest Neolithic cultures (the Yang Shao) have no other correspondents in China, but are strikingly like "similar painted wares" from Turkestan, the Caucasus, the Ukraine and the Balkans. In following Biblical origin of the Chinese we must be aware of the fact that last two revealed scriptures (Bible and Quran) are primarily didactic for Adamic races; while the anc ient communities were mixed up with both Adamic and pre-Adamic races and intermarriages between them were very common. But the scripture is not the chronicle of ethnic evolutions; instead its concern is only the Chinese faction arising from Adamic root. Ad ams descendant Noah had three sons, and one of them, Japheth, is believed to be the father of the oriental races, which would include the faction of Chinese. The Bible teaches: The sons of Japheth were Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. The sons of Javan were Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. From these the coastland peoples, the Gentiles (non-Hebrews) were separated into their lands, everyone according to his language, according to their families, into their nations (Gen, 10: 2-5). Prophetic tradition of Islam and other legends inform: Noah gave his eldest son Japheth a stone (called Giude Tasch and Seuk Jede, long preserved in the country of the Mogul), upon which was inscribed the name of God, and which enabled him to cause rain at pleasure. They call him Aboultierk, and ascribe to him eleven sons, among whom are Sin, father of the Biblical Chinese, Turk of the Turks, and Ros of the Russians -- nations unknown to the ancient Hebrews. They ascribe to his sons great wisdom. [10] Besides Japhetic Chinese, the Semitic Jews in Persia from early times were connected to China with the silk trade, and, as a consequence, entered into direct relations with the "silken". The Chinese everywhere call the Jews "Tiao Kiu Kiaou" (the sect which extracts the sinews, after Gen. xxxii. 33). [11] Conventional history; As the Chinese migrated away from their Mesopotamian origins into the Yellow River basin, they found themselves geographically isolated by mountain ranges, deserts, and oceans. They became isolated, free from outside influences, developed their own culture, undisturbed for 2000 years. E.T.C. Werner [12] wrote in Myths and Legends of China:
Pending the discovery of decisive evidence, the following provisional conclusion has much to recommend it - namely, that the ancestors of the Chinese people came from the west, from Akkadia or Elam (Mesopotamia or Modern Iran), or from Khotan, or (more probably) from Akkadia or Elam via Khotan, as one nomad or pastoral tribe or group of nomad or pastoral tribes, or as successive waves of immigrants, reached what is now China Proper at its north-west corner, settled round the elbow of the Yellow River, spread north-eastward, eastward and southward, conquering, absorbing, or pushing before them the aborigines into what is now South and Southwest China. These aboriginal races, who represent a wave or waves of Neolithic immigrants from Western Asia earlier than the relatively high-headed immigrants into North China (who arrived about the twenty-fifth or twenty-fourth century B.C.), and who have left so deep an impress on the Japanese, mixed and intermarried with the Chinese in the south, eventually producing the pronounced differences, in physical, mental, and emotional traits, in sentiments, ideas, languages, processes, and products, from the Northern Chinese which are so conspicuous at the present day (p. 17). Early China was a comparatively small region. This territory round the elbow of the Yellow River had an area of about 50,000 square miles, and was gradually extended to the sea-coast on the o north-east as far as longitude 119 , when its area was about doubled. It had a population of perhaps a million, increasing with the expansion to two millions. This may be called infant China.

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Its period (the Feudal Period) was in the two thousand years between the twenty-fourth and third centuries B.C. (E.T.C. Werner, p. 18).

From lore of ancient Chinese people: Now as we turn to legends of various tribes (Miao, Juili and Korean etc) it becomes apparent that the Miao race could have migrated into China prior to the Chinese. Chi- You, the third emperor, was the chieftain of the Li tribes who are part of the Miao race. Miao tradition mentioned about a Flood hero and stated that mankind grew numerous after the flood, but then dispersed after the "confusion of the tongues". Chi-You turns out to be a logical candidate for leading the post Flood migration to China, who established the Hsia dynasty after the Flood [13] and said to have casted nine caldrons which became symbolic of his dynasty. Then came the Battle of Zhuolu, the second battle in Chinese history as recorded in the ''Records of the Grand Historian'', fought in the 26th century BC between Chih Yu and Huang Ti who eventually ruled as emperor in 2697 BC throughout the Huang Ho (Yellow river) plain. Some later written Chinese mythological book ''Shan Hai Jing'' purposefully depicted Chi-You with the Giants and malevolent spirits, who rebelled against Huang Ti at Zhuolu plains. Both sides used magical powers, but Chi-You had the advantage of forged swords and halberds. Using his powers, ChiYou covered the battle field in thick fog. Only with the help of a magical compass chariot could Huang Ti's troops find their way through the mist, and he also used his daughter N Ba, the goddess of drought, to harm Chi-You's troops. Later on, Chi-You suffered more defeats and was captured. Only Yinglong, the winged dragon, being a brave servant of Huang Ti, dared to slay him. Chi-You's chains were transformed into oak trees, while Yinglong was cursed to remain on earth forever. Huang Ti's overthrow of Ch'ih Yu, must be regarded as a Miao/Chinese struggle. The victory for the Yellow Emperor Huang Ti is often credited as the establishment of the Han Chinese civilization. By calling the emperor as the "Son of Heaven" the Chinese egocentric ideas came to distort the traditional chronologies of beginnings; and almost everything from that time period is considered mythical legends. The Yellow Emperor and the Yan Emperor were often credited for allowing the Han Chinese civilization to thrive due to the battle, and many Chinese people call themselves "descendants of Yan and Huang" to this day. The Jiuli tribe, however, were chased out of the central region of China, and was split into two smaller splinter tribes, the Miao and the Li. The Miao moved southwest and the Li moved southeast as the Huaxia race expanded southwards. In other versions of post-Jiuli, the people of Jiuli fragmented in 3 different directions. It is said that ChiYou had 3 sons, and after the fall of Jiuli, his oldest son led some people south, his middle son led some people north, and his youngest son remained in Zhuolu and was assimilated into the Huaxia culture. Those who were led to the south established the Sanmiao nation. Perhaps due to this splitting into multiple groups, many far Eastern people regard Chi-You as their ancestor, and by the same token, many question the ethnicity of Chi You as exclusively Hmong or otherwise. They also acknowledge Chi-You as an ethnic ancestor. Chi-You is also regarded as one of China's forefathers alongside the ethnic Han ancestors, Huang and Yan. During the course of Chinese history, the Miao and the Li were regarded as "barbarians" by the increasingly advancing Han Chinese.

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D. RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE Since the dawn of Chinese civilization, alongside Shenism and Shamanic paganism an early indigenous form of religious practice in Chinese history was known as Taoism. As we look at extant Taoism, it is found to inherit a concept of Heaven along with Xian gods that corroborate the reminders about Jinns in Quranic revelation. In every civilization, the Jinn race has invented pagan cosmology and gave rise to religiose deformities by corrupting the heavens truth.
The formal introduction of the Indo-Aryan time cosmology appears to have taken place in the reign of Shen Tsung (1068-86 CE) and was continued during the remainder of the Monarchical Period as the worship of T'ai Sui, a dangerous spirit. The Eight Trigrams of the I Ching seems to have been trivialized and with the Five Elements and Five Colours, used in conjunction with a Shamanistic tree of twelve terrestrial branches and ten celestial trunks to locate his presence in any one year (Werner, p. 197). T'ai Sui equates with Jupiter, presiding over the year and passing through the twelve sidereal mansions. The diviners gave the title "Grand Marshal" to this deity following the example of the usurper Wang Mang (9-23 CE) of the Western Han Dynasty who gave that title to the year-star (E.T.C. Werner, 1922, p. 195).[12]

Although some factions of Chinese and the Indo-Aryans are said to have descended from Prophet Noah, but both ancient Chinese Taoism and Indian Vedas were also rooted in the tradition of pre-Adamic generations that include pagan gods like xians and devas respectively. Shamanic paganism has the longest recorded history in China which is still practiced by numerous ethnic groups around China, including the Han Chinese. Chinese folk religion or Shenism comprises Chinese mythology and includes the worship of shens (, shn; "deities") which can be nature deities, clan deities, city deities, national deities, cultural heroes and demigods, dragons and ancestors. In contrast to Shamanic paganism, early Taoism tended to gravitate toward the ways of Heaven. In Chinese modes of reflection the name Tao is more an adjective than noun, a sense of ratio, the supreme Reason of the Divine, the Creator and Governor. Origin of Taoism is much more ancient than its usually acclaimed founder Lao-tzu (b. 604 BC). The keystone work of literature in Taoism is the Tao Te Ching, a compact and ambiguous book containing teachings attributed to Lao Tzu (Chinese: ). Lao-tzu wrote the Tao-Te-Ching in two parts consisting of > 5000 characters. The extant other most significant works of Taoism is Chuang Tzu. The 33 books of Chuang-Tzu are divided into 3 parts called Nei or the inner, Wai - the outer and Za - the miscellaneous. Together with the writings of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu, these texts build the philosophical foundation of Taoism. In Lao-tzus Tao-Te-Ching we could hear: The Primal Unity, testing by it everything under heaven (Tao Te Ching 22); and in Chuang Tzu: The Truth is that which is received from Heaven, by nature it is the way it is and cannot be changed (Chuang Tzu 31). Bible says: in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God who created the heaven and earth; and the creation in it from nothing. Lao-Tzu says: Tao is the beginning of heaven and earth creating from nothing. Tao means logos in Greece, which translates as the Word. In Shi Jing an ancient collection of poems, there are 421 proclamations of Hao Tian Shang Di meaning Heavenly God. Confucius observed in all 300 poems Purity as the common theme. As we turn to works of important sages like Confucius (551-479 BC), Mencius (b.372 BC) and Mo-Tzu (b. 470? BC) etc they have attempted to re-orient their inherited religion according to the demands of time. Confucius used the word Tao in obvious theistic implication which instead of personal name, is usually translated as Heaven: Heaven entrusted me with a mission. In Confucianism we come across: The superior man, taking his stance as righteousness requires, adheres firmly to

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Heavens decrees (I Ching 50); and then: there is no place in the highest heavens above or in the deepest waters below where the Moral Law is not to be found (Doctrine of the Mean 12). The Analects were not compiled until after the death of Confucius. The Mores ("behavior" include an aversion for societal taboos, such as incest or pederasty) background of the Chinese people is deeply shaped by the Confucian philosophy (; Rujia) [14]. Grandson of Confucius Tzu-Ssu is an outstanding figure to whom the compilation of the Doctrine of Mean is traditionally ascribed. Mencius is said to have been a disciple of Tzu-Ssu school. Confusion scholars for centuries have opposed the use of images in the cult of the teachers of a thousand generation. During the Warring States Period which lasted 500 years, China changed for the worse. Prayers and hymns were eliminated, purity and simplicity vanished, and anarchy and bloodshed were encouraged. In the hand of philosophers Tao became as if an Impersonal deity. In other respects it resembles The Absolute of modern idealist philosophers. Ancient Taoism antedates the later Neo-Taoist superstitions of aging Chinese tradition that tended to subsist later by misinterpreting the metaphorical images of early sages. Taoism is considered a traditional Chinese religion along with Confucianism and other Chinese folk religions with a constituency of almost 400 million followers in China alone. Buddhism (called , Fojiao) was introduced from India during the Han Dynasty. In Han China (206 BC 220 AD) although Confusion ideas were popular in the beginning, towards the end of this dynasty Buddhism became more widely recognized religion. Buddhism could make inroad upon the atrophied grounds of Taoism and Confucianism which were reduced to mere fatalism. Following the ancient Shamanic pagan predecessors Buddhism again began to corrupt the base of Taoism more than anything else. The entry of Buddhism into China was marked by interaction and syncretism with Taoism in particular [15]. But Buddhism in China was never able to replace its Taoist and Confucian rivals completely; in 845 AD the emperor Wu-tsung began a major persecution, 4600 Buddhist temples and 40,000 shrines were destroyed, and 260,500 monks, and nuns were forced to return to lay life. Present restoration work in forbidden city of Beijing are unfolding more mysteries when Buddhist scriptures (In Tibetan) are found hidden inside the domes of Taoist temples. Buddhism did maintain infiltration and played a significant role in religious life of China by coalescing with the Confucian neo-Confucian, and Taoist traditions to form a complex multi-religious ethos. The last most curious Buddhist sect Zen introduced from China by an obscured half legendary teacher called Bodhidharma, where again Tao was amalgamated with Buddhism. In later empires, Buddhism would remain dominant, until the Song Empire when Taoism again became widespread, and the first Muslim and Jewish minorities could emerge as the part of its population. Some Franciscan friars found Church in China and Jesuits, Anglicans etc reformed it. The first mosque was built at Canton. It should be noted that in the 1950s China nearly decided to abolish characters and even now most Chinese are not taught the history and tradition behind their writing system. The Cultural Revolution (1966 &1967) led to a policy of elimination of religions; a massive number of places of worship were destroyed. Several times in the past Taoism had been nominated as state religion; after the 17th century, however, it fell much from favour. During the 18th century, the imperial library was constituted, but excluded virtually all Taoist books. By the beginning of the 20th century, Taoism had fallen much from favour, for example, only one complete copy of the Daozang still remained, at the White Cloud Monastery in Beijing. (Schipper. 1993, p. 19 & p.220) [16] In modern China there are five religions recognized by the state, namely Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism Schipper. 1993, p. 220).

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TRIBAL - LORE The Karen tribes of Burma: As we turn to far descendants of ancient Chinese, Karen tribes of Burma demands a special mention. Karen legends refer to a 'river of running sand' which ancestors reputedly crossed. Many Karen think this refers to the Gobi Desert, although they have lived in Burma for centuries. Here is some selections ancient Karen lore from Don Richardsons Eternity in the Hearts [17] where author states: "The Karen story of man's falling away from God contains stunning parallels to Genesis Chapter 1: "Y'wa formed the world originally. He appointed food and drink. He appointed the "fruit of trial." He gave detailed order. Mu-kaw-lee deceived two persons. He caused them to eat the fruit of the tree of trial. They obeyed not; they believed not Y'wa ... When they ate the fruit of trial, they became subject to sickness, aging, and death ..." Don Richardson also called on their hymns that are clearly consistent with the theology of one true God and His name: "Y'wa is eternal, his life is long. One aeon - he dies not! Two aeons - he dies not! He is perfect in meritorious attributes. Aeons follow aeons - he dies not!" Such people actually refer to Him as Creator. Another hymn extolled Y'wa as Creator: "Who created the world in the beginning? Y'wa created the world in the beginning! Y'wa appointed everything. Y'wa is unsearchable!" Still another hymn conveyed deep appreciation for Y'wa's omnipotence and omniscience, combined with acknowledgment of a lack of relationship with Him: "The omnipotent is Y'wa; him have we not believed. Y'wa created men anciently; He has a perfect knowledge of all things! Y'wa created men at the beginning; He knows all things to the present time! O my children and grandchildren! The earth is the treading place of the feet of Y'wa. And heaven is the place where he sits. He sees all things, and we are manifest to him." These Karen people in the past had obstinately adhered to their own folk religion despite high pressured attempts by the Burmese to convert them to Buddhism" ... and they had, throughout their generations, from the inception of their history, expected a white brother, one who would

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bring a book authored by Y'wa the Supreme God (from: Monotheism original religion of man by Zenith Harris Merrill). The persecution of Karen tribe has been well reflected in the famous movie John Rambo. The Buddhist influence came from the Mon who were dominant in Lower Burma until the middle of the 18th century. Now many of Karens have become Theravada Buddhists who also practice animism, while approximately 25% are Christian. [18]

References: 1. Denise Schmandt-Besserat, 1992. Before writing. Vol.1 2. [In 1990 the Archaeological Survey of Israel, project of the Israel Antiquities Authority, under the direction of Yeshuayahu Lender, published a two volume series on the findings of their survey. The first Volume was titled, Map of Har Nafha (196), and Vol. 2, titled, ANCIENT ROCK INSCRIPTIONS, SUPPLEMENT TO MAP OF HAR NAFHA (196) 12-01] 3. Paul Rincon (2003-04-17). "Earliest writing' which was found in China". BBC News. 4. Arthur Custance, Time and Eternity (Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Mich, 1977), pp. 184-185 5. [Author C.H. Chang in his book Genesis and the Chinese (1950), and later in collaboration with Ethel R. Nelson The Discovery of Genesis (1979) explored the evidences of Chinese root and its relation with the Genesis accounts. Historian Will Durant in Our Oriental Heritage (1954) also investigated the Chinese beliefs in the past. Beijing Television Station spent four years to produce documentary Lou Lan unveiling its historical events.] 6. Dr. Thiel. (China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters. www.cogwriter.com (c) 2006, 2009, 2010 0715) 7. [Li-Chi or Book of rites: (Trans. The Sacred Books of the East xxvii; by Max Muller). One of the five classics (Wu-Ching) of Chinese Confucian literature, the original text of which is said to have been compiled by Confucius (551- 479 BC). Afterwards it was reworked during 1st BC by Elder Tai and his cousin Younger Tai.] 8. Kiang Kang Hsi. 1935. Chinese Civilization (Chung Hwa Book Co., Shanghai), p.5 9. Franz Boas. 1965. The Mind of Primitive Man (Free Press paperback), p. 110 10. Kitto, John; Alexander, William Lindsay., A Cyclopdia of Biblical Literature, p. 465, (3rd Edition. Black, 1876) 11. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/4338-china

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12. E.T.C. Werner was to write in 1922 in Myths and Legends of China, Graham Brash (Pte) Ltd, Singapore, 1988 reprint 13. The Shan Hai Ching cited Kiang Kung Hsi p4; Kiang Kung Hsi pp. 4 & 8; MacGowan, pp. 68; Campbell, p.383 & 391,392. 14. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China 15. Maspero, Henri. 1981.Translated by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. Taoism and Chinese Religion. pg 46. University of Massachusetts 16. Schipper, Kristopher. The Taoist Body (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1993 [original French version 1982). 17. Don Richardson. Eternity in the Hearts 18. Keenan, Paul. "Faith at a Crossroads". Karen Heritage: Volume 1 - Issue 1, Beliefs.