CHINESE ARCHITECTURE BOERSCHMANN. 



565 



of the axis have lively modeled carved dragons coiled around them 

 that reach out toward the main axis with the sanctuary in the center 

 (fig. 6). 



The river flows by steep cliffs opposite the southeast of the city, 

 where it is surmounted by the pagoda of the city. It is a rule 4 in 

 China to have a tower in the southeast of the city, either on the city 

 wall or without in its outskirts, for Kueihsing, the god of literature, 

 who dwells in the sky in the constellation of the Great Bear. In 

 Shansi these detached towers are to be seen near every town and 

 village and have often a pleasing and a varied form. In Kiatingfu 

 there are many other features that are supposed to guarantee sanctity 



'te«af x / \/ \/| 



Fig. 6. — Ground plan of temple at Kiatingfu. 



and peace to the city besides the pagoda. Among these there are 

 a great many images of Buddhas carved on the cliffs opposite the 

 city, one of these standing, is 6 meters high, another gigantic image 

 sitting is 30 meters high. Besides hallowed caves, filled with gods, 

 ancient temples, and great stones carved with the holy trigrams as 

 previously described. The embalmed and gilded mummy of a high 

 priest sits in one of the temples, and there are temples for the poet 

 Su Tung-po and others. Sanctity is thus concentrated in what is 

 conceived to be the proper place southeast of the city. From the 

 opposite side the great temple of the "Ancient of the mountain " 

 looks down, while another pagoda in the city holds the balance 



