SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



The Mongols seemed to appreciate the rehgious 

 significance of the function, and one and all went 

 into the temples to perform little acts of worship, 

 such as the tolling of a bell, the lighting of a candle, 

 which they bought from the priest at an exorbitant 

 price, or the prostrating of themselves before the 

 great Buddha, which sat, sublimely indifferent, at 

 the head of the hall. The Chinese on the other 

 hand were little more than sight-seers, only a very 

 few performing any acts of worship. 



Outside the temple there were peep-shows, 

 conjurers and quack medicine sellers, one of 

 whom advertised the efficacy of his wares by 

 cutting himself with a knife and stopping the flow 

 of blood by the application of a white powder. 

 This he subsequently sold at the rate of three 

 packets for four cents. He netted about twenty 

 cents, after having talked for an hour, and made 

 an incision in his thigh half an inch deep and three 

 inches long. How often he repeated this per- 

 formance during the day it would be interesting 

 to know. There were, besides, the usual medley 

 of food-stalls and tea-booths. 



On entering the temple a brilliant scene un- 

 folded itself before us. Hundreds of brightly 

 clad Mongols swarmed across the courts, up the 

 great flight of stone steps and into the lofty 

 prayer hall. Following the crowd, we entered the 

 hall. Here all was confusion, as the lamas were 

 busily engaged in shifting great pieces of furniture 



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