SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS 



VOL. 142, NO. 2, PL. 17 



I. A \va\-side slirine containing the 

 image of Amitablia. He protects trav- 

 elers who pass along this road. 



2. An image of Amitabha near 

 Hsiung-chien-ssu, south of Suifu, 

 Szechwan province. It was made with 

 four heads and placed at a crossroads 

 so that the god could see in all four 

 directions and protect people on all the 

 roads. 



3- ']"he white i)ag(>da at l-jiin, .Szechwan. These pagodas (tften contain images of 

 gods that are worshiped and are believed to improve the fcin/sliiti of a locality so as to 

 cause financial prosperity and the success of its residents in becoming scholars and 

 officials. 



