36 HWA-SHAN, THE FLOWER MOUNTAIN 



is well, though the most terrifying aspect of the 

 climb confronts him. Shallow steps cut in the 

 rock and clanking iron chains aid him in his 

 endeavours, which indeed would otherwise be 

 useless, for the ascent at times is perpendicular. 

 Two hundred feet of narrow chimney leads to a 

 knife edge and more steps. Great merit attaches 

 to those who at last look over " The Precipice of 

 Complete Truth." One there was who did so, and 

 declared his intention forthwith of spending his 

 days on the summit, so greatly did he dread the 

 descent. A faithful servant, however, administered 

 intoxicants, popped him into a basket, and brought 

 him home in triumph. 



It seems perhaps a trivial matter on this thin 

 crust of a shell on which we hurry busily to and 

 fro, that man should ascend a few thousand feet 

 more or less ; but at the least he is so much 

 nearer to the Heavens. Whatever the religion 

 and however poor a resting-place the god may 

 find, the idea of building a shrine upon a moun- 

 tain is beautiful. Perhaps it was the thought of 

 attaining, after much toil, peace at last which set 

 the old builders toiling at the rock-cut steps ; that 

 the motive which sends a swarm of pilgrims 

 hither in the third moon. Be that as it may, the 

 peace is there. 



One hopes that the old gods, if they have any 

 sense of justice or humour, will debit the two fat 

 Chinamen whom staggering coolies were carrying 

 in chairs to the summit, and apportion much 

 virtue to the sweating atoms of humanity who 

 bore them thither with so much expenditure of 

 laborious effort. The last few hundred yards are 



