172 BULLETIN 14S, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



by short strings of such length that when the drum is sharply twirled 

 around the}^ strike the heads. Used by the lamas in the temple 

 service in Tibet. Height, 3 inches; diameter, 4K inches. Kumbum, 

 Tibet. (Cat. No. 130385, U.S.N.M.) 



344. Drum qf skulls (damaru). — Painted in red and blue with 

 heads of demons and skulls. The band around the wooden disk is of 

 cotton. Height, 5}4 inches; diameter, 6)2 inches. India. (Cat. No. 

 153363, U.S.N.M.) 



345. Temple drum. — Mounted on a vase-shaped wooden stand 

 carved, gilded, and studded with colored stones. Drums or bolls are- 

 put in front of Buddhist temples, on which the priests strike to an- 

 nounce the hours of prayer. The worshipers also strike them to invite- 

 the presence of the deity. Drums are likewise used in Buddhist 

 worship to accompany the chanting of the priests. Measurements: 

 Height, 2 feet 6 inches; diameters, 14K and 11 inches. Burma. (Cat. 

 No. 216142, U.S.N.M.) Bequest of S. S. Rowland. 



346. Wooden carved Jigure holding gong.— Gongs are used in Budd- 

 hist w^orship to make known the presence of the worshiper, and also- 

 as introductory to prayer. Height, 4 feet. Burma. (Cat. No. 

 216148, U.S.N.M.) Bequest of S. S. Howland. 



347-348. Pair qf temple drums. — Set on 4-legged lacquered wooden 

 stands and surmounted by cocks The circumferences of the drums, 

 are covered with red cloth. On the flattened surfaces are painted 

 three comma-shaped segments, the Japanese modification of the 

 Chinese (and Korean), tah-goolc, formed of two seginents, the com- 

 mon representation of the yang and ym, the two first causes and great 

 principles of the universe, or contrary influences, such as darkness 

 and hght, male and female, good and evil, etc. The figure also> 

 represents the Japanese magatama, or "crooked jewel," one of the 

 emblems of sovereignty in Japan. As regards the cocks perched on 

 top of the drums. Dr. John Ellerton Lodge, curator of the Freer 

 Gallery of Art, kindly offered the foUowing interesting story: 



The familiar Japanese or Chinese design of a cock on a drum is intended to> 

 suggest a well-known story of the famous Emperor Yao, who is said to have 

 ascended the throne of China in the year 2357 B. C. This enlightened monarch 

 caused a drum to be placed in front of his palace gate, with the announcement 

 that whoever had any complaint to make to the sovereign should come to the 

 gate and beat upon the drum, thereby attracting the Emperor's attention. So- 

 wisely, however, did this ruler govern his people, that none ever came to enter a. 

 complaint, and in the course of time the fowls went to roost on the silent drum. 



Height, 26 inches. Japan. (Plate 62 (lower), Cat. No. 159966^ 

 U.S.N.M.) 



349. Wooden JisJi (Japanese, moTcugio; Chinese, mo-yii). — Carved 

 and red lacquered. Used as drum in Buddhist ceremonies. The 

 shape is accounted for by the supposition that the fish is sleepless^ 

 keeping its eyes always open on accoimt of the lack of eyelids and 



