, 1864-10-28

| fately wrought embroiGeIies in auka aRa
gold, battle axes, slaves Of Office, with huge
bearing Inscriptions in Chinese characters,
in cold, on blue. black and red grounds, and
thoussnd other articles which caDuotre-
member, ard could not describe II did, At
the end of this hall Il water color alfegortcI
picture, rtprrsenti:g age, "isdom and other
atlr}but suppcted to ta's beea possessed,
great.grandfather of all good Cinnamon,
bangs against the wall. Incense Is burning
belize fhlI. as also befure the lower shrine.
Or ascending to the upper room you come
IL to the august presence Of the genuine old
Jofh himself, in room tesplendent with
Silk embroidefies, tinse1 work ind other
novelties OF the cos,liest description.
The front room Is divided from the rear
one, in which the 6hrineis situated, BY fold
Ing doors Of glass, generally kept open.
Chandeliers Of glass and btaes metal hang in
+ the outer room; strange pictures adorn the
walls, and banners of strange device and
shapes, Of hlch Caucasian never dream
ed, Stand In the corners. One Of these ban
nefa is suspended from hoop. some three
feet in diameter, at thB top Of the staff, and
instead Of floating In the wind as ours do,
hangs down like the sides of a barrel. The
lower edge ID trimmed with deep green
silk fringe, and the whole material, which Is
Of crimson elk, is embroidered with gold
q, d high colored silks, the labor Of months
on months OF several Work-Women. The
eideB of the inner room are covered, from
floor to ceiling, with great signs, OF boards,
covered With gold leaf aud with deep sunRen
lettere In blue beach or red Bmalt, or raised
gold letters on other colored back grounds.
Looking towards the rear Of the room, the
first object that strikes you is huge table,
made like store counter. The front Of this
table down to the very floor is covered With
ar%1~r =. efF10 In
height, in all Imaginable positions-on foot,
on horseback, or prone upon the ground,
and none OF them, not one, in thoroughly
natural position-theY are all cut from wood
md richly Rilded. A glass covering pre-
gs9s sqssaa ssse 6,ef 5eeg anG By e
number of altar ornaments and vases of
some white, highly polished metal, one Of
which ia filled to the brtm with ashes, on
the top OF which long stick Of sandal wood
as thick as MY arm, suspended from above,
burns slowly lway, the smoke filling the
oppressive perfume. Hinge sticks ofsome
composition looking like puak burn with.
ont flame, like a cigar, on either side, aud
at the ends Of the counter are tall ornaments
Of gold tinsfl, shaped like young sprucs
tree 1at!ened efdeWise, covered with flow
ere, birds, and animals OF such patterns Us
we're never eeen outsiae Of China, If there,
Two Of the largest Of them cost, am told,
500 each;: the material m ainly used ia their
construction is bright metal, probably
brass, but resembling gold rolled as thin as
ordinary writing paper.
Beyond this stands a smaller altar gener-
ally similar In description and also covered
table wax cand1es. colored red ard as tall IS
man, and burning incense. In front of thIs
last altar and at the northern extremity Of
the room is the aleoye in which the image
Of Josh Of the size OF q man, sits on raized
da1s or throne, surrounded By multltudinous
haugfDgs OF scarlet and blue drapery, num-
be1less gorgeously beautiful tinsel orna-
Ments, filling the whole a1cove- The face of
the image is ename1ed in deep vermillion, aud
the expression, that OF eerene con
sciousnets Of power, with perftctness,
fs precisely the same as that on the faces or
Of the Chinese. The features are not Gau-
casian, nor yet fully Mongollan, and tue
light but Hong m0uataches, and the chin
whiskers, are Of the Tartar style. The robes
are Of yelmhlIon md blue, very elaborate,
and the gi1dle Is set with limitations Of pre-
cio1s stones. The right hand Is raised to
leyel with the ear, the paln turned toward
the spectator, the fore: finger bent 50 az to
touch With Its UP the tip Of the thumb, the
next two lLgers nearly straight, and the lit
tie finger bent about as much as the fore.
finger. The whole attitude, featnres aad ex-
preston Of the figure, is precisely the same
as those OF the figures which ST In similar
alcoves, in similar temples, to represent the
same Idea Of divine power :, 900 years aga in
the Genital Flowery Empire, AID viii, I
firmly believe, continue to occupy the same
position 5000 years hence. All other races
change, and advance or Tetrograde, but rhe
Aol gollan seems to me utterly uachangea.
Bile. The image Is not reTerencsd for itself
at all, AZ you may see By the conduct Of the
Coolies, who lounge IN and out, standing
with covered heads beslde 1t, and even han.
ding It and maklng 1ocoaely familiar re-
marks concerning 1t and its surroundings.
It Is only looked upon as representing the
reEered than any other block Of wood or
stone. a great drum, ehaped like barrel,
md rtftfng on wooden supporters, stands
On one side Of the alcoye ready to be struck
as signal Of attention, and under 1t hangs
a bell Of some four hundred pounds weight,
struck with hammer in tho hands Of q |
priest, whenever party comes In to lay rare
and curious dishes Of food fantastlcaliy nr.
ranged on the altar, and bow towards tha
image In precisely the same manner as they
bow towards each other when they meet on |
festive occasions This Is all the cereno-
mics taye the burning Of elips Of brilliant |
which I have ever seen in these temples.
The bell Ia said to be 1000 years old, ind I I
am inclined TO be11.ye the statement The
Wcrld Of gliding, red, green. blue and black
painting, brilliant embroiaerles, and high !
colors Of everything seen on i'll sides In
wonderful protusi.n in this temple, pro- t
euces strongly barbarian magnlic:nce Of |
effect, aLd you must think twice before you
csn make yourself comprehend the fact that |
you are in America, hot Asia, In the 10th, |
net the 9TH century. On the table near the |
nltar stands o costly liquor case fllen with
fine wines, and you are invited by All Wes
to take drink and cigar with him, which |
yon do, and with low bows on both sides
Jou take 5our departure; so will /.
ALTAMoET.