CHOTENS 169 



We were anxious to procure a few curios, and 

 our host kindly helped us. 



One man brought a gilded copper model of a 

 choten. They are curious bulbous-looking erections 

 surmounted by a ball and crescent, and are supposed 

 to ensure good luck and riches to the owner. If 

 turned with the side towards the house of an 

 enemy, his luck is supposed to be dominated and 

 suppressed by the choten, which is sometimes 

 expressly built in this manner. 



When Mr. and Mrs. Christie first came to 

 Choni the Prince had the choten in his yamen 

 thus turned in order to keep down their influence. 



We saw one later on, erected on the actual 

 border of Thibet by the orders of a certain 

 " Living Buddha " to resist the influence of 

 missionaries, whom he had resolved to defy. 



The model shown to us was similar to those 

 found in every monastery and rich man's house, 

 and was supposed to contain the ashes of that para- 

 doxical personage, a dead " Living Buddha." It 

 also held the eight precious things to which I 

 have already alluded. The original price asked 

 was 30 taels, but the owner eventually came 

 down to ten taels, which was not excessive, as 

 model chotens of this description are not easily 

 obtained. 



It is curious to watch a couple of Chinamen 

 or Thibetans bargaining. When the vendor 

 mentions a price he extends his hand, which is 

 hidden by the long sleeve of his coat. In such 

 deals each finger has a particular value. The 

 buyer grasps one of them considerably lower in 

 the scale than the price named, and so the 



