328 THE BUDDHTRT PRTERTITOOD. 



ported by pillars, united, to the heiglit of four or five 

 feet, by curiously carved screens ; these latter are further 

 ornamented with stucco in fantastic patterns of red, 

 green, blue, and yellow lacquer, highly glazed. The 

 upper portion, being thus open to the roof, offers a fine 

 vista upon the surrounding country. The altar in the 

 centre supports a figure of Buddha, surrounded hy a 

 confused mass of objects in the shape of bronze vases 

 and eccentric figures ; amongst the latter a pair of 

 excellent candelabra ten feet high, each representing a 

 stork or crane, with a lotus flower in its beak, and 

 standing upon a large turtle ; also a great variety of 

 small vessels and long silk pendants of bright tints ; 

 then there were some lacquer stands holding bows and 

 arrows, whilst coloured paper-lamps hang all round. 

 Strange enough, amongst the images there were 

 several having blue and green faces, apparently in 

 imitation of the Hindu gods ; and at the back of the 

 altar there was the picture of a Trinity, three figures, 

 with a halo encircling their heads, forcibly reminding 

 one of similar early representations in the Roman 

 Church. The priests, or bonzes, in attendance at this 

 temple, were dressed more gaudily than is their habit 

 elsewhere ; the simple robe here gave way to a silken 

 gown and sort of chasuble over it, closely resembling 

 the Catholic vestments used during Mass, and their 



