CHINESE ARCHITECTURE BOERSCHMANN. 559 



An exceedingly lovely alabaster image of Kuanyin sits in a glass 

 case in the hall of the temple. The lips, ej^ebrows, and eyes are 

 modestly painted with pale red and gold, otherwise the countenance 

 shines out clear .and fine, while the figure is clothed with the richest 

 brocaded vestments. Here is inscribed: 



3?he goddess hears the real tones of the heart and protects the supplicant in 

 his affliction. 



Another Kuanyin sits on an elegant altar. She is diminutive, but 

 far famed on account of her costliness. A part of her face and 

 breast as well as neck is formed by a large irregular real pearl that 

 is about 10 centimeters in diameter; the rest of the face, hair, and 

 drapery is of pure gold. The beauty of the altar is like that of an 

 altar in the neighboring city of Ningpo. This is of wondeful compo- 

 sition, lavishly adorned- with sculpture, painting, and gilding, and 

 solemn in its effect. 



This elegance is also found in the dwellings. There is a narrow 

 street in Ningpo which contains exclusively modern wealthy business 

 houses. Each house is like a good type for this class of buildings. 

 The entire facade of the three stories is clearly composed. Here we 

 notice the power of the Chinese line, which, however, is dissolved into 

 endless details and carvings, due to their joy of living and the reality. 

 It is the rhythm of the imposing ideal corresponding to the elabora- 

 tion of the details, the harmony of the macrocosm and microcosm. 



The tomb of the high priest is near the summit of the highest 

 mountain on the island Pu-to-shan, an auspicious location, with a 

 beautiful outlook over the numerous islands of the Chusan Archi- 

 pelago. Here the soul of the priest hovers invisibly intangible as a 

 white cloud and hither he returned as to his home. The tomb is in- 

 scribed : " The White Cloud has returned." The Chinese have a 

 special expression for the poetry of nothingness and the state of 

 being entirely absorbed by Nature: Kung hsiang (empty thoughts). 

 Another inscription on this tomb very beautifully expresses the 

 charm of solitude: 



There is but one cloud on the mountain, 



High above the sea the moon keeps the third watch. 



There are nine mountains in all, and the number satisfies the occult 

 sense of the Chinese, who do not make any great distinction between 

 the two classes of mountains, and speak of them as wu yo sze ta ming 

 shan (the five sacred and four large famous mountains). They are 

 the foci of religious thought and its manifestation. I saw but six, and 

 sought to visit all, but my time would not permit. I must regret 

 like the Chinese traveler : 



But vet I can not visit all the mountains, 

 I must return to the mountain of mv home. 



