The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-08-31

residences of the missionaries of the
American Board. Except one lady, they
were all absent at a camp-meeting. The
native Christians in the neighboring town
had rented theatre for a day for con-
slant preaching from early morning to
late at night and had invited the Mis-
sionaries to come and take part. This is
a city OF distances as we were four miles
from the station. An interpreter was
furnished-a young theological student
who spoke English-and off we set along
the streets, about twenty or thirty feet
wide, which seemed very wide after the
Soochow streets of six or eight feet.
A river runs through the city, and it
was delightful to see water clear as crys-
tai here and in the canals, after black
and muddy canals of Soochow, often
green with scum, and proportiofiately
odoriferous. One of the chief objects for
the visitor is the castle, but 1 was not
there long enough to obtain tickets from
the magistrate, as it was necessary to
leave by the o'clock train, in order to
be on board at 6 o'clock, when the
steamer sailed. After visiting the pottery
establishments, whose wares were so cele-
brated at the Centennial, we turned into
one of the
Large Temples
Situated upon mountain side, its many
buildings reached by ascending or de-
'scending lofty flights of stone steps,
amid ancient forest trees, it made us
think of Pootoo.
Chinese and Japanese Buddhism is
precisely the same in the construction of
its temples, the lofty roof, the many pill
lars, and the square proportions. In
Japan they are implanted, and look very
much as our pine board barns, only
larger. In China, you step with your
muddy boots upon mouldy brick floor;
in japan, you take the shoes from off
your feet, and walk upon clean mating.
Several of the temples we visited were
$50 feet square, with verandah around,
the floor ten feet from the ground. The
amount of gingerbread work in Japa-
nese temple is greater; the curious cary
ing of the posts, the gilded ornaments
suspended from the beams, the fine lacquer
chambers for the idols, the beautiful clus-
tiers of mountain lilies, water lilies, roses,
vines with doves perched upon them,
and many other designs in gilded wood
carving, which form the edge of the
ceiling. These make the interior very
handsome.
1 found the chief deity to be Amitabha
Buddha, or the Buddha of the Western
Heavens. He is unknown to Southern
Buddhists. The worshippers squatted
before the idols; whereas, in China, they
make prostrations. Going up flight of
stone steps, we came to the great Bell of
Japan-about eighteen feet in height and
over ten feet in diameter. In China and
Japan they do not use an iron clapper,
but stick of hard wood, suspended
horizontally on two ropes, which is drawn
backwards and strikes on the outside.
For this bell the wooden striker is
beam foot square, and twenty feet long,
and is drawn back by machinery.
Along this mountain side there seems
to be succession of temples, play
houses and pleasure grounds. The Hot
Springs were pointed out. There was
wooden image of Buddha forty feet high,
in small temple. 1t had been shaken
down by an earthquake several times,
so was built strong. The outer half was
covered with thin plank, forming the
head and shoulders; the rest had not
risen above ground. walked on rude
scafolding high up behind his back and
saw he was built of great beams of tim
Der like railroad bridge; only the outer
half in form like man. So stupid is
idolatry. In Japan you see the wor-
shipper rub his finger on the eyes of some
little image and then on his own eyes.
Some images have their noses rubbed off
by contact with other noses seeking some
benefit.
Thirty Thousand Three Hundred.
One temple with 10000 images as
large as man. 1t was 500 feet long,
with verandah in front, and the idols
inside, standing in rank like soldiers,
one row above another, on raised plat
form. And all the same. And of whom
The Goddess of Mercy-Kuwannon of
the japanese, Kwan-yin of the Chinese,
Mary of the Romanists. The worship
pers could not go within, but prayed
through the bars over the money boxes.
The priests of Japan are more intel
ligent than those of China. They wear
a thin black silk robe with gold en-
broidered collar. They are not the
sleepy, yellow gowned BONES with whom
we have associated as the ministers of
religion. We visited several other great
temples, and near wealthy one was