304 



TEA DISTRICTS OF CHINA. 



Chap. XVIII. 



objections to this arrangement ; on the contrary, they 

 offered me a room in which I could lock up my lug- 

 gage during the day, and in which I could sleep at 

 night. 



The beauty of the scenery around had not been 

 exaggerated by the Chinese. It was grand and im- 

 posing. High mountains rose behind the temple, 

 while in front some glimpses were obtained through 

 the trees of a wide and fertile valley. Besides the 

 fine thickets of bamboo, there were in the vicinity of 

 the buildings some noble specimens of different species 

 of fir-trees. Amongst them, and most conspicuous, 

 was the beautiful Cryptomeria, or Japan cedar, to 

 which I have more than once alluded in these pages. 

 It is evidently in high favour with the priests of 

 Buddha, and well deserves to be so. I observed 

 also two specimens of evergreen oak ( Quercus sclero- 

 phylla, and Q. inversa), with large and glossy leaves, 

 not unlike the Portugal laurel at a distance. Amongst 

 shrubs there were Spircea callosa, S. Reevesiana, 

 Hydrangeas, Azaleas, wild roses, brambles, &c. In- 

 sects, too, were most numerous, many of which were 

 new and hitherto undescribed. 



I have remarked that these mountains appear to be 

 the strongholds of Buddhism. I will now endea- 

 vour to describe the Buddhist form of worship, which 

 I witnessed in this temple. 



Anxious to see the whole of the service, I took my 

 station at one of the passages leading to the large 

 temple a few minutes before the priests assembled. 

 I had not been there long before an old priest walked 



