302 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XVII. 



CHAPTER XVIIL 



A celebrated Buddhist temple — Scenery around it — Its trees and 

 shrubs — Buddhist worship — Leave the temple — Reflections on 

 Buddhism — Important station for Christian missionaries — Priva- 

 tions they would have to endure — Roman Catholics and their 

 labours — Christian charity — Protestant missionaries — Their views 

 as to the interior of China — A day-dream of China opened — 

 Bamboo paper — A mandarin on a journey — Town of Ching-hoo 

 — Engage a boat for Nechow — Return to Shanghae. 



The next day's journey was still mountainous. The 

 roads, although narrow, were excellent, and showed 

 the indefatigable industry of the Chinese. I have 

 already stated that many of these mountain passes 

 have gates, which are constructed not unlike those at 

 the entrance to a city. On the borders of Chekiang, 

 where we now were, I observed three of these gates 

 on the top of one of the mountains, each placed at 

 a short distance from the other. A long row of 

 houses, evidently built as barracks, were observed 

 between the gates, but all ruinous and unoccupied. 

 I suppose that troops are thrown into these places 

 in troubled times only, and that in times of peace 

 they prefer remaining in the towns or villages below, 

 to being perched up at a high elevation amongst the 

 barren mountains. 



When we reached the top of this mountain, the 

 Chinamen told us we should pass a celebrated temple 



