208 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I42 



To summarize our findings: In 89 temples (42.4 percent of the 

 total) there was absolutely no worship. In 93 temples (44.3 percent 

 of the total) there was very little worship. These temples were ob- 

 viously on their way out as places of worship. Only 11 temples 

 (5.3 percent) were used for worship only, and most of these were 

 small. Seventeen temples (8.1 percent) were occupied and used for 

 other purposes, but in them there was still much worship. A total 

 of only 28 temples (or 13.4 percent) were used primarily for wor- 

 ship. Something very serious had happened to the temples of Chengtu. 



SURVEYS OF TEMPLES IN OTHER CITIES OF WEST CHINA 



No exact figures can be given for the number of temples in the 

 cities of Szechwan in 1911, at the beginning of the Chinese Republic. 

 Every important city had at least one history or gazetteer, but we 

 found that the lists of temples in those gazetteers were incomplete. 

 In the cities that we studied, we found that at least half the temples 

 had changed their names, or else they had ceased to exist and other 

 temples had been erected in their places. 



Suifu, in 1928, before the destruction of its temples began, had a 

 population of 100,000 and 83 temples within a radius of 4 miles. Chio- 

 ch'i, 120 li up the Min River from Suifu, with a population of 5,000 

 and surrounded by a rich farming district, had 15 temples. Li-chuang, 

 60 li down the Yangtse from Suifu, had a population of 20,000 and 

 20 temples. Chengtu, with about 500,000 people, had at least 210 

 temples. These were typical cities and towns and can be used to 

 estimate the original number of temples. Where the proportion of 

 temples is considerably less, it is because a goodly number of them 

 have been destroyed or changed into buildings to be used for other 

 purposes. 



Chungking, the commercial capital of Szechwan, is situated at 

 the juncture of the Chia-ling and the Yangtse Rivers. Before 

 World War II it had a population of at least 500,000. During the 

 war with Japan the capital of free China was moved to Chungking, 

 and in time the population was reported to be at least i million. Dur- 

 ing the war it was bombed by Japanese airplanes nearly 300 times 

 and was reported to have been the most bombed city in the world. 

 Through explosive and incendiary bombs a large part of the city was 

 destroyed, including homes, shops, and temples. Many homes and 

 shops were crudely and hastily rebuilt, but only one of the temples. 

 Practically all the temples were confiscated and occupied and used 

 for other purposes. Because of the great increase in population and 



