734 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. - 



Without doubt there was a celebratiou of Mi-cho, or opening of the 

 eyes, when this figure was dedicated in some such temple as that of Ye- 

 keo Hoshi, deserted by the fickle populace for more attractive fanes. 

 The ceremonies were as elaborate and solemn as that in Catholic coun- 

 tries on the dedication of a chapel. Pieces of colored paper were pasted 

 over his eyes, and at a given moment torn off, so that the image might 

 gaze on his worshipers. Not far off stood such a great incense-burner 

 as the hall of a shrine always shows. Mounting on steps, attendant 

 priests constantly replenished it with incense, the offerings of the de- 

 vout, bought at extortionate prices on the temple grounds. On either 

 side of the alcove where the Buddha sat enthroned, and well outside, 

 rose, we may be sure, two temple lanterns exquisitely cast in bronze. 

 The roof or lid, of the lantern has in high relief the dragou of the rain- 

 clouds holding the magic jewel in his claws. About the pagoda-shaped 

 lantern itself, four fishes spring outward like gargoyles ; they are mod- 

 eled in the round and are very lively looking animals out of their own 

 element. Below the lantern is a bamboo grove with ascetics in half 

 relief. Then coraes a frieze of animals representing the hours and the 

 houses of the zodiac. The dragon appears on the stem, answering with 

 that above to the " waters above and the waters below," while the basis 

 of the cosmogony shows in the foot of the lantern with tortoises and 

 conventional waves to represent the ocean. 



The whole piece symbolizes the world — water, earth, air, fire, and 

 ether — while the Buddhist saints occupy a significant position high up 

 above the reach of time (the hours and zodiac), close to the palace of 

 heaven (the pagoda), and the realms of ether (the upper dragon). 



Let us examine the incense-burners. They are large, but not of the 

 size that the great popular temples show. Elephant heads form the 

 two arms, and the survival in Japan of Hindoo ideas in religion is fur- 

 ther seen iu the frieze, which consist of Rakans or magical saints some- 

 what like the Rishis of India. The bowl into which the incense is 

 thrown is poised upon the heads of three naked wrestlers, who squat 

 under the burden, but are so gross of form, so mighty of muscle, that 

 they bear the round jar with little suggestion of discomfort. No dra- 

 gon motif is used here, for in China and Japan that fabulous beast 

 appears to have largely lost his connection with fire and the sun, in 

 order to undertake the care of rain, cloud, and moisture everywhere. 



With some plausibility the dragon is thought to be one remnant of 

 the original native religion taken up by Buddhism in China and Japan. 

 Compared with the monster as depicted in stone and colors by artists 

 of our Middle Ages, it is a graceful creature. Dragons a foot or two 

 long, made of an incredible number of pieces held together, are among 

 the marvels of Japanese workers in iron and bronze ; great prices are 

 paid when the foundry-man or iron-smith is a famous artist. They 

 sometimes have a character of their own which justifies one in placing 

 them among serious works of art. When taken in the hand their flex- 



