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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by C. K. Edmunds 

 THE PAGODA WHICH STANDS AS A SENTINEL GUARDING THE APPROACH TO THE 

 CITY OP TA1AN, AT THE FOOT OF TAI SHAN 



ereignty in the realm of thought. He 

 wears an imperial hat of ceremony deco- 

 rated with twelve tassels of red and green 

 silk ornamented with pearls and repre- 

 senting the signs of the zodiac. 



NINE GARMENTS OF SILK FOR CONFUCIUS' 

 STATUE 



He is clothed in nine different silk gar- 

 ments, on which the twelve imperial em- 

 blems are embroidered, namely, sun, 

 moon, stars, mountains, dragons, pheas- 

 ants, altar-vessels, water-lilies, flames of 

 fire, rice, axes, and classic characters. 

 While nine of these were used for great 

 princes, as well as emperors, the first 



three were exclusively imperial insignia. 

 Thus is denoted the high rank with which 

 Confucius has long been honored. 



In front of the image of the Sage are 

 handsome lacquer tables carrying the 

 various sacrificial vessels of priceless 

 porcelain and bronze used in the rather 

 elaborate ritual. Below the richly deco- 

 rated beams supporting the temple roof 

 hang numerous inscriptions done in gold 

 on blue, black on gold, and gold on red. 



The decorations and enameling on the 

 beams and pillars of the temple are ex- 

 ceedingly fine and rival in richness the 

 decorations of the temple of the "Aus- 

 picious Year," at Peking, which is some- 



