558 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1911. 



the imposing white pagoda, that is nearly 2,000 years old, as chickens 

 around the hen. This is visited by Mongolian pilgrims in winter, 

 when it is very cold. The mountain with its five symbolical peaks, 

 here reaches to a height of over 3,000 meters (pi. 6, fig. 2). 



The court of the largest temple affords a good point of view of the 

 arrangement of the temples in this mountain. Its main hall is 

 vaulted in its interior and shows traces of Indian influence on its 

 fagades. In the background similar buildings stand out with a num- 

 ber of pagodas and little temples of gilded bronze with splendid 

 details of the Ming dynasty which holds such a prominent place from 

 an artistic standpoint. 



The temple on the Omeishan Mountain in Szech'uan is much more 

 simple, the mountain being at an elevation of 3,300 meters. The 

 buildings are made of boards with wooden posts and board roofs. 

 These temples are arranged to accommodate large numbers of pil- 

 grims. Some of them can quarter several thousand pilgrims at one 

 time. The highest peak is crowned with a little house from which 

 there is but a step to the sky. 



A lifelike statue of a deceased high priest clothed in rich vest- 

 ments sits in one of the temples in this neighborhood. Probably it 

 was he who sang the praises of this most imposing sacred mountain. 



Glory now spreads around Orneishan peak, 

 Now by full autumnal moonlight I invite 

 Holy spirits to drink and rhyme. 



With bamboo cane step by step I ascend the highest peak, 



What luck pure wind now waft through every space ! 



Slowly burning incense I ascend to the holy halls in deep snow ! 



Pu-to-shan in the Chusan Archipelago, east of Ningpo, is the sacred 

 island of Kuanyin, the goddess of mercy, who in her propitious boat 

 saves all people across the stormy sea of life to the banks of happi- 

 ness. Her temple Fa-yii-szu, where " Buddha's law drops like rain," 

 contains many precious relics. A handsome stone bridge forms the 

 approach, behind which one sees the ascent to the highest summit. 

 Here is an inscription : " Clouds hang over the cliffs where they are 

 highest," and the thought that he who has acquired knowledge shall 

 first share the grace of Buddha is expressed by the proverb: Shan 

 kao ji sheng (the sun rises first on the mountain top) . 



This fine amalgamation of the reality in nature and the spiritual 

 ideals is an important characteristic of Chinese poetry and art. Life 

 is only a parable. 



The railing of the bridge is covered with sculptures. Pleasing is 

 the scene of two she goats fighting with a kid standing by, while a 

 forest sprite on the branch of a tree comfortably observes the foolish 

 struggle, indicated thereby as that of the world. 



