140 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. VIII. 



in front lay the so-called tooth, a large whitish sub- 

 stance about six inches square, and much more like a 

 stone than a tooth. Behind this was another relic 

 which appeared to me much more curious than the 

 first. It appeared to be a small piece of crystal cut 

 in the form of a little vase, with a curious-looking 

 substance inside. I was afterwards informed that 



this was only a crystal bottle, 

 with the relic suspended in 

 some way from its mouth ; 

 but being inside the bars, I 

 could not examine it very 

 minutely. " Now," said the 

 priest, " look from this side, 

 and tell me what you see in 

 the vase." I looked from 

 the side indicated, and saw 

 what appeared very like a 

 ' ! ., ,lv '"' ' I man's head with the eves 



[Crystal Vase ] StaHllg at lUC I W8S 10- 



formed, however, that this was a something which 

 had grown on Buddha's forehead ; and that, when- 

 ever the same thing was observed upon the heads of 

 mortals, it was a sign of their having arrived at a 

 very high state of perfection, approaching to the gods. 

 " Now turn to the other corner, and tell me what 

 colour the relic appears to you." I did so, and the 

 substance, whatever it was, presented a reddish hue. 

 "Ah! that is very good," said the priest, "that is a 

 good omen, — for it appears of that colour only to the 

 most favoured persons. It appears of different co- 



