Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-03-20
IL ooE STATUE.

THE BIGGEST STATUE.
A Rail that Has Not Been Rung In
Twelve Hundred Years.
A Kioto, Japan, correspondent, writes
a. follows to the San Francisco Bulletin:
We are now in the heart OF Japan.
This city was for many centuries the
Mikado's capital, and until ten years
ago., when the overthrow of the Shozun
left the capital of that ruler de facto
open, its greater advantages led the Mi
kado and his cabinet to occupy it. This
old capital, ut one time with a popula-
ton said to have been 100000 is now
reduced to $50, ZOO. l arose early, and
was clad to find a clear morning. l
walked out at a side door OF the inn,
and found myself in n OF the APP
proaches to a Shinto temple. was
almost under one of tho granite touli, or
monuments. This one is about SIXTY
feet high, and four stone lanterns at the
corners of the square are OF great size,
and older than any Ihave yet seen. just
as the sun was rising above the eastern
hill, | watched the men and women as
they came in front of the temple door,
and threw their offerings in. Then clap
ping their hands they fold them, bow
the head in devotion, AID go away to the
duties of the day. For a moment the
temple was deserted, and a man came out
with his face turned full to the rising
sun-the temple faced the south-he
went through the same devotional x
ercises that l had Just seen, but he re-
NAMED longer, bowed with his head to
the ground, and exhibited more fervor.
w have visited several temples situat-
ed on the hillsides, on the east side of the
plain on which the city is spread out.
The oldest and largest is known as the
Chionin, and belongs to the Joudo sect.
1t is very large, measuring in its front
over 200 feet. This sect never paint their
temples, and this one presents a dreary
aspect of weather-stained wood. Its age
is given rs 270 years only, and it occu-
pies the site of an older mi destroyed
by fire. Stone steps lead to the bell tow
er, were hangs the great bell, said to be
the largest in Japan. 1t is sounded only
on the 18th and 25th of each month. 1t
is suspended about seven feet above the
ground. The metal at it's rim is eleven
inches in thickness. W. saw another
bell a little less in size, near the site of
another temple, resting on granite sup
ports, on the ground, les where it fell.
The bridge leading to a mountain tem
pie is Of great beauty. 1t has two
arches, and each arch double; one in.
verted under the other, 70 that the
passages form circles. The whole, in.
Guiding the balustrade, is of cut granite
In strong contrast with their religion,
establishments is the architecture of the
town. These streets are narrow and un,
paved, the houses small and squalid, anC
poverty is written everywhere.
We have just returned from a visit t
Nara, one of the old capitals of the EN-
pire, distant about thirty-six miles. w,
drove at a brisk trot for a hour before
break occurred in the line of houses
when we crossed a branch of the vi
river, by a bridge about a thousand fee
long. We entered a long street Of wha
was once, a thousand years ago, a grea
city. Away up the slope of the hill it i
covered, wherever we went, with wall
and pavements as indestructible as tn
hill itself. Granite stairs lead into tn
wild forest, which now covers the site o
vast temples of wood-broad avenues
whose rocky pavement was worn smootl
by the feet Of devout pilgrims befor
Christ was born.
Here was erected, 1900 years ago, tn
largest bronze figure the world has eve
known. 1t weighs $50 tons, and tn
third temple now covers it, without az
parent injury to the immense statu,
We went around it, but could form II
estimate of it's size. Our minister. a
Toxic told me that it was sixty feet fror
the seat Of lotus leaves to the top of il
head, and that a mar could elm
through the nostlil. An officer is said t
have taken a chip of the casting, and a
analysis of it gave 500 pounds of gold i
the alloy. A great halo of gilded WOO
sets off the dark features as they are n
vealed in the shadows of the roof.
To-day we rode to Lake Bewa, distar
about seven miles, and our route la
along the great Tokaida. The road
about twenty feet wide, well macadan
lied, with the inevitable walled ditch Q
either side. 1t is the great thoroughfal
from Osaka to Toxic, and from the lal
to kiotO it wa a continuous stream
travel, many cattle, and a few hors'
laden with goods of every description,
We entered the town at the south end
the lake, were taken to a flight of stor
steps to climb to a temple that overloo
ed the lake. We assembled them, fouu
ourselves on the plateau excavated int
side of the mountain, and turned to 81
the largest lake in Japan. 1t is six,
miles in length, but narrow at the sou,
end. 1t is surrounded by rich alluvi
lands. Our guide next led us to see
bell, which, he told US, had not bet
rung in 1900 years, and pointed to
small wooden building at the head of
, flight of wide stone steps. We look,
in through wooden bars, well worn
curious visitors, and saw supported on
, strong wooden table a bell about TO
: feet high, with a bad crack, which seel
/ ed to have been caused by fire. 1t h;
! on it a few plain figures as ornamen
E Our guide Informed us that it was ~
! years old, and that it had hung in an a
cient Shinto temple that once sto
: where it now lies. For 500 years
. tones floated I've the placid lake, al
e called the people along its shores to W.
ship. Then came a catastrophe, al
I, twelve centuries have passed.
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