RUINED TEMPLE. 211 



gigens [or living Buddhas] formerly resided ; but not 

 a soul remains there now. Only some flocks of 

 rock doves, jackdaws, and swallows build their nests 

 in the ruined shrines and houses. The latter, i.e. 

 the houses, which surround the temple, are for the 

 most part uninjured ; but the chief shrine, with its 

 outbuildings within the enclosure, is burnt down ; 

 the clay idols smashed or hacked to pieces, littering 

 the ground ; a few still on their pedestals, but cut 

 and disfigured by swords and pikes ; the great 

 statue of Buddha in the principal temple with a 

 large hole in its chest, made by the Dungans in 

 their search for treasure often hidden by the lamas 

 in such places ; and leaves of the sacred book 

 Gandjur ^ strewn over the floor, together with other 

 broken fragments ; all covered with a thick layer of 

 dust. 



And yet not very long ago many thousands 

 assembled here to worship the image of their saint. 

 Here, as in other temples, everything was done to 

 attract and arrest the childish imagination of the 

 Mongols ; many of the gods are represented with 

 stern and hideous faces ; some seated on lions, 

 elephants, oxen, or horses ; others slaying serpents, 

 devils, cSic, and the walls of the temple that remain 

 standing are also decorated with pictures of the 

 same s^enre. 



' How can you put faith in gods of clay ?' I re- 

 marked to the Mongol who accompanied me over the 

 ruins of the temple. ' Our gods,' he answered, ' only 



' Sec Supplementary Note. 

 V 2 



