TO THE COURT OF AYA. 
Ill 
grandfathers, and brothers succeeding brothers, 
while there were but few changes of dynasty. 
The oldest of the temples pointed out to us, 
dated in the reign of King Pyan-bya, or from 
846 to 864. Nine temples are ascribed by tra¬ 
dition to this prince; but all of them small, in 
a ruinous state, and without any interesting 
relics. The first temple which we visited had 
the appellation of Thapin-nyu, or “ the Omni¬ 
scient,” which is an epithet of Gautama. It is 
one of the finest, has been restored, and is occa¬ 
sionally used as a place of worship. A short 
account of this will suffice to convey a notion 
of the style, character, and extent of all the 
large temples, for the whole of these are upon 
the same model. They are built of brick and 
lime; and the freestone, which is so abundant 
in the country, and apparently so easily worked, 
is generally to be seen only in the pavement of 
the ground-floor and court-yard, or in the con¬ 
struction of stairs. The bricks are well burnt, 
and commonly about fourteen or fifteen inches 
long, and eight broad. The form of the temple 
is an equilateral quadrangle, having on each 
side four large wings, also of a quadrangular 
form. In these last are the entrances, and they 
contain the principal images of Gautama. Each 
side of the temple measures about two hundred 
