100 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I42 



of which is subbase and carries for miles. A bugle is shaped like a 

 ram's horn, and a horn is made of a human thigh bone. There are 

 brass gongs and cymbals. A small drum is held in the hand, and a 

 large drum stands erect on a wooden support about 3 feet long. A 

 small brass bell has as a handle a ceremonial thunderbolt. There is an 

 occasional chanting or singing by the lamas, large numbers of whom 

 sing together in powerful, subbase voices. 



In some of these festivals past events in Buddhist history are en- 

 acted, which entertains the onlookers and at the same time instructs 

 them. During almost all of the time the lamas are dancing, singly, by 

 twos, or in larger numbers. It has been said that the Tibetans dance 

 their religion. The lay people watch, but do not participate, and while 

 they watch, they often prostrate themselves in worship. 



A prominent part of these ceremonies is the exorcism of demons, 

 for belief in demons and ways of exorcising them are very imoprtant 

 in the lives of the Tibetans. 



4. Belief in and fear of demons. — Demons are believed to be the 

 cause of diseases, and practically all other calamities are believed to 

 be caused by evil spirits. Priests and lay magicians make use of magic, 

 charms, and incantations to exorcise these evil creatures and protect 

 from them. Sacred instruments are regarded as possessing super- 

 human power, so that they increase the priests' efficiency. The con- 

 trolling and exorcising of demons plays a prominent part in religious 

 ceremonies and festivals. This is not restricted to Lamaism, for it is 

 common to all native religions of West China excepting Confucian- 

 ism and Mohammedanism. 



5. "Prayer" flags and "prayer" wheels. — Any person who has read 

 much about Tibet is familiar with the objects commonly called 

 "prayer" flags and "prayer" wheels, although neither the Tibetans 

 nor the Chinese call them by these names, nor do they think of their 

 use as praying. The Tibetan name for the cylinder is mani khorlo, or 

 jewel wheel. It is so called because the magic phrase, Om mani padme 

 hum, oh jewel in the lotus, is written on many of the strips of paper 

 inside. The cylinders vary in size from a few inches to several feet in 

 diameter and in height. The smallest are held in the hand and turned 

 by hand. Larger ones are stationary and are generally turned either 

 by hand or by animal power, although some are turned by wind power 

 or water power. 



Besides the magic phrase "Om mani padme hum," quotations from 

 the Tibetan sacred books are written on strips of paper and placed in- 

 side these cylinders. Whole sacred books are placed in the larger 



