Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1856-11-20
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Mistfuattenus.
Special Correspondence Of the Pennsylvania Inquirer
The Siamese..AnI interesting Let.
ter from Hong KOng..Siam and
e, its Temples-.Buddh HUI.
man Victim..GRades of Bank
1.-The People, &c.
1 e. S. STEAMER SAN JAc1sTo,
Hone KONG, Aug. sth, 1856.
Mr. Editor Among the interesting
objects which attract the attention of the
stranger in Siam, tie most prominent are
The Watts, or temples, and the Pagodas.
b The Buddhist is the prevailing and ma
tional religion. The present King, altho'
convinced &C he absurdities connected with
, the system, not only in a religious point of
view, but also in philosophical, cannot,
from his position, abjure Buddhism. He
may be styled an iinfdel Buddhist.
g The erection Of Wat is considered the
most praiseworthy act which Siamese can
perform, and as most surely securing TO
him salvation. The Pagodas are built on
the grounds attached to the temples, and
are many Of them works of imposing
grandeur. The baseis generally octagonal,
surmoulted by gracefully tapering spire,
rising to q great height by steps cut in the
side. They are built of bricks, covered
with glazed tiles, of different colors. The
bases are ornamented with figures, formed
of small pieces of the same, cenented to-
igether.
. Each King erects one during his reign.
In the grounds connected with the temples,
and which often are of large extent, are
built houses for the priests, and contain va.
rious stone figures, both of men and ami
mails, many of the most grotesque appear
ance. These are evidently of Chinese man
The doors of entrance to the temples are
most beautifully inlaid and ornamented
with mother-of-pearl. The credit of this
work l am also inclined to give to the Chi
nese workmen. The Wat Pho, which ]
visited, is the most interesting in Barykok
Hcontains an immense reclining figure Of
Buddha, one hundred and thirty five feet in
length. The idol is constructed on solid
foundation raised about four feet from the
floor Of the temple, and is reclining on his
right arm. 1t is all overlaid with gold
the soles, of his feet are ornamented with
inlsid mother-of-pearl work; and the i'm
preston produced on the mind by this gi-
gantic figure is one of admiration for the
grandeur, yastness and magnifcence Of the
design, and the manner in which it has
been carried into execution; but one Of
pity that so much time, labor and money
has been so uselessly thrown away.
o In the outer building of this temple, are
several hundred srnailer figures, all gilded,
attached to II are six hundred priests
These priests attend to the religious cere-
monies, and conduct the education of those
intended for the priesthood. The people
seldom visit the temples to perform devo-
tion; indeed the greater part of this is done
by the priests alone. They all wear yell
low robes; this is the sacred color.
bs One temple / visited was built in the
form Of Chinese junk. Another had at
tached to it altars on which are burned
the bodies of the dead. These burnings are
conducted with religious ceremonies by the
priests. The poor are thrown into large
yard, and there form food for vultures and
dogs. happened to be in this Wat one
day when the body of poor man was
pitched in. The vultures for whose ac-
commodation large racks have been erected
in the yard, made an impetuous attack, en-
masse, and soon were fighting like tigers
overthe body of the the man. They were
shortly joined by some yilianous dogs, who
also find accommodation here, and the work
Of tearing and devouring the corpse went
on with astonishing rapidity. The rapaci-
ty and voraciousness of these disgusting
birds is extraordinary. We soon turned
from the sickening scene The bones of
these persons are afterwards burned by the
priests, who are paid certain sum yearly
by the King. Such are the scenes which
almost daily come under the observation in
Siam-heathen, and unenlightened by that
great lurninary which has shone upon the
path of more favored nations.
In Siam the gradations of rank are very
numerous, and the utmost strictness is OBJ
served on all occasions in paying those out
ward marks of respect which indicate the
presence of one of superior social or polit-
ical position. This is certainly strange to
the eye of an American, as from the King
down to the lowest man in the country,
and at all times, under your hourly obser-
walton, this doing reverence is always going
on.
When any man of superior rank ap.
proaches, the inferior is obliged to 60 down
on his knees until he has passed and when
the King desires to 60 out in his boat, all
other boats must move to the opposite side
of the river, and there await until he has
departed.
The people are generally very poor,
and live in bamboo houses. They may be
said to constitute a nation Of slaves. Ev-
ery mSu is at the Kings disposal; and is
obliged yearly to give the government SO
much of his time, or pay . certain ransom.
The consequence is that the people have
made little or no advancement in arts or
ec,opno They havn ahsnlufalv npthinp so