ped without (it would
seem) being identified with Quan-Am.

But besides the Chua there are at least three other kinds of religious
edifices: (i) Dinh. These are municipal temples dedicated to beings
commonly called genii by Europeans, that is to say, superhuman
personages, often, but not always, departed local worthies, who for
one reason or another are supposed to protect and supervise a
particular town or village. The Dinh contains a council room as well
as a shrine and is served by laymen. The genius is often represented
by an empty chair and his name must not be pronounced within the
temple. (ii) Taoist deities are sometimes worshipped in special
temples, but the Annamites do not seem to think that such worship is
antagonistic to Buddhism or even distinct from it. (iii) Temples
dedicated to Confucius (Van mien) are to be found in the towns, but
are generally open only on certain feast days, when they are visited
by officials. Sometimes altars dedicated to the sage may be found in
natural grottoes or other picturesque situations. Besides these
numerous elements, Annamite religion also includes the veneration of
ancestors and ceremonies such as the worship of Heaven and Earth
performed in imitation of the Court of Peking. To this must be added
many local superstitions in which the worship of animals, especially
the tiger, is prominent. But a further analysis of this composite
religion does not fall within my province.

There is little to be said about the history of Buddhism in Annam, but
native tradition places its introduction as late as the tenth
century.[906] Buddhist temples usually contain a statue of Phat
To[907] who is reported to have been the first adherent of the faith
and to have built the first pagoda. He was the tutor of the Emperor
Li-Thai-To who came to the throne in 1009. Phat-To may therefore have
been active in the middle of the tenth century and this agrees with
the statement that the Emperor Dinh Tien-Hoang De (968-979) was a
fervent Buddhist who built temples and did his best to make
converts.[908] One Emperor, Li Hue-Ton, abdicated and retired to a
monastery.

The Annals of Annam[909] record a discussion which took place before
the Emperor Thai-Ton (1433-1442) between a Buddhist and a sorcerer.
Both held singularly mixed beliefs but recognized the Buddha as a
deity. The king said that he could not decide between the two sects,
but gave precedence to the Buddhists.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote