

218 GLORY OF BUDDHA 



weather was wet and misty. Occasionally it would 

 clear, and then often clouds could be seeii below and 

 ] to the southward, which, when they struck the face of 



,y' the precipice, would roll up and envelope the sunnnit 



/ in mist. One day only was clear enough to allow the 



great snow}^ range of mountains round Ta-tsien-lu to be 

 seen, and at the same time I saw the curiously-terraced 

 shape and flat square summit of Wa-shan to the south- 

 ward of west. 



On two occasions I saw the celebrated Glory of 

 Buddha from the precipice at the ' Golden Summit.' This- 

 extraordinary phenomenon is apparently the reflection 

 of the sun upon the upper surface of the clouds beneath, 

 and has the appearance of a golden disc surrounded by 

 radiating bars bearing all the colours of the rainbow.' 

 These are constantly moving, and scintillate and change 

 colour in a very remarkable manner. 



It is very uncertain when the Glory can be seen, as- 

 the sun shining on clouds beloW does not always pro- 

 duce it, and it may appear at any time when the sun i^ 

 over a certain height above the horizon. It is held in 

 great respect by the Buddhists, and thousandsof pilgrims^ 

 some coming from great distances, visit the mountain 

 in the hope of being able to see it. A considerable, 

 number of them are so overcome by excess of religious? 

 feeling on beholding it, that they throw themselves over 



