560 ANNUAL. REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1911. 



A Chinese regards the mountains as the fathers of things. He is 

 right even according to our conception. It is a self-evident fact that 

 the plains originated from the mountains, that the ground upon which 

 we work and live was formerly on them, and we thus derive our life 

 and powers and soul therefrom. This fact is perhaps more a reality 

 in China to-day than with us. The constant inundations of the plains, 

 the country inclosed by the mountain ranges and in the numerous val- 

 leys, raises the level of the land annually. In Shantung and Honan, 

 the Huang, the dreaded Yellow River, the constant sorrow of China, 

 still lies higher than the broad expanse of the plains; and a catas- 

 trophe which will almost equal in damage that of 60 years ago may 

 be predicted. The land is constantly in motion and demands un- 

 remitting labor on the part of the people. These geological facts and 

 the constant changes have their effect upon the disposition of the en- 

 tire people and make the stories of China's torpidity appear as fables. 



Every Chinaman is conscious of the fact that the soil of the earth 

 originally came from the mountains, to which he looks up with 

 reverence. They were the first recipients of sacrifices. Buddhism 

 personified the mysterious forces, and thousands of Buddhas are 

 carved on the rocks. During the T'ang dynasty, 620 to 907, China 

 was covered with such images. Countless Buddhas are carved on the 

 most prominent cliffs that characterize the landscape, the course of 

 a river, or a great highway. One of the finest examples of this kind 

 is seen on the projecting cliffs on the Kia-ling River at Chao-hua in 

 Szeclruan. 



This idea is very dear to the Chinese, who regard the mountains 

 as the source of life and that which animates the spiritual forces 

 which fashion our life. 



The import of these rock carvings is best recognized near the dis- 

 trict town Kuang-yiian-hsien, in the northern part of Szech'uan along 

 a river. A magnificent Buddha with his train and other representa 

 tions of the gods of colossal dimensions, are carved on the cliffs on the 

 opposite side of the river, alongside of which there is a temple. This 

 image, as something divine and enternal, looks across the river upon 

 the town that stands in his jurisdiction, and endows it with the 

 sacred forces of the mountain (pi. 7, fig. 1). 



A cave near Peking is covered with numerous small Buddhas — sur- 

 rounding the dying Buddha. The caves are inhabited by spirits and 

 saints. The Chinese written character for the word spirit is a com- 

 bination of the characters for man and mountain. Chinese history 

 is full of the sayings of famous men, sages, and priests : 



In life's evening when duty is performed 



He went to the mountains and became a spirit. 



What profound sentiments, what poetry and emotion is found 

 io prevail in the numerous temples of the mountains, that are em- 



