Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-12-30
JAPANESE STATUS


JAPANESE sTATueA
Bsoass Are-woras TAat Raak u - -
70 8arthesar's IxbsesS
| Mr. Nikko-wa Fushikama, member
Of the suite Of Prince Kamatsu, the
uncle Of the Mikado Of Japan. is =
bright intelligent and widely travelled
little gentleman. who has been educated
at Oxford and Leipsic. In the course.
of chat with . Tines representative.
he said:
I'VE were all very much impressed
with the colossal Statue of Liberty.
which has recently been placed in the.
harbor of New York. aud read with in.
terest all about it, history. In news
paper saw an illustrated article ON
the other great bronze figures Of the.
world. which gave sketches Of i've
other statues in addition to the Barthol-
di wonder. These were the Colossus.
OF Rhodes. los feet high. but vanished
many centuries since; the Arminius, ON
the summit Of one Of the highest mount
aims Of the Teuteberg forest. near Def
mold. Germany, which Is 50 feet i'm
height and was dedicated in 1875; the
St Charles BorromeO, not far from the
shore of Lake Magglore, which is Is,
feet high and dates from 1897; the.
Virgin of Puy. set up in 1860 and 50
feet high, and the celebrated statue of
Bavaria, at Munich. which measures
81 feet. Now, of course, whoever
wrote that article did not mean to do
the Japanese an injustice, but he did
50 nevertheless, for we have in my
country two bronze statues of the
Great Lord Buddah, each of which is
prOportiona.ely far larger than either
of the last two have mentioned and
really as much SO as regards the Armin--
ius. for although its height is 80 feet.
IS feet are simply arm and sword. the
top of the hero's helmet being IS feet
above the base.
''Of the two great bronze statues in
Japan the largest is near the ancient
city OF Nara, near the beautiful Lake
Biwa, a part of Japan that compare
lively few travellers visit. 1t is inside
of temple log feet high. go feet long
and ITO feet wide, and was cast in the.
year 749 after eight unsuccessful at
tempts. The figure is that Of Buddah
and is seated cross-legged. Is he IS al.
ways shown, so that were the figure
standing it would be very nearly twice
as high. Seated in this position, with
the right baud uplifted. the palm out
wards and the finger tips on line with
the shoulders, TINS quaint bronze is So.
feet in height above its rather low and
pedestal. The figure has.
seen many accidents, such as fires and
and has lost Its head ON
.wO occasions from the former cause.
The present one being very ugly on ac--
count of the dark color of the bronze,
he broad nostrils and the swollen look
hat the designer has given the cheeks.
t is supposed to be Buddah in an atti-
ude of deep contemplation, very fa-
'orite one for showing him in. The
plates of bronze are from to 10,
inches thick. and after being soldcred
Ogether hare been chiseled smooth.
The face is Is feet long, 81 feet wide,
md the width of the shoulders is %
eet There are 936 curls on the head,
nd behind it is a huge wooden halo
eavily gilded and nearly 80 feet in di--
meter. This image weighs $50 tons,
nd the records show that 500 pounds
t gold and nearly 1000 pounds of
lercury were used. with the tin and
Upper that make the bronze of which
is constructed.
Second in Importance. so far as size
oes, but really a much better known
CURE and in most ways more import
mt than that at Nara, is the Great
uddha at Kamakura, about fifteen
tiles from Yokohama. 1t is seated i'm
re open air near small and prettily-
tuated temple, and its huge head can
3 seen for some time through the
ee-tops as one approaches. The atti--
Ide is more graceful and comfortable
ian that of the figure at Nara, and
le face wears very gentle and placid
IpressiOn. the idea of deep thought.
ing remarkably we'll attained. This
,ure is 49 feet inches high, has a.
of over 81 feet at the
lse, the face is 8 feet 9 inches long,
e nose 3 feet inches and each thumb.
3 feet around. In the center of the
rehead is 'bump of wisdom" 10
ches high. The eyes are of pure
I'D, and it is said that the records !
ow that 1000 pounds of that precious. :
etal were contributed to the smelling
is while it was being cast At pres
t beautiful temple, to cost about
1000. is being built over the figure
ere is also bronze Buddah in one
the parks at Toxic. the Japanese
pital. which is 81 feet inches in
ight. "-Philallelohia Times.
General Pickett's Widow.