Chap. XVI. TEMPLES AND PRIESTS. 



349 



who had been submitting to voluntary confinement 

 for nearly three years. It is not unusual to find 

 devotees of this kind in many of the Buddhist 

 temples of China. Although they never come out 

 of their cells until the time of their confinement 

 expires, they have no objection to see and con- 

 verse with strangers at their little windows. The 

 person whom we visited at this time received us 

 with Chinese politeness, asked us to sit down on a 

 chair placed outside his little cell, and gave us tea, 

 on the surface of which various fragrant flowers 

 were swimming. 



