The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-04
sCULPTURED BUTTER.
The Chinese SsiIfuIIy Work the Pro-
duet of the Dairy

me sculpture in butter is Chinese art.
The artists festival, called the Feast of
Flowers" is held four times a year, the
most imposing spectacles being seen at
the first exhibition. held on the fifteenth
day of the first moon in the new year
The best show is 10 be seen at the La
masery of Kounbourn, whittier pilgrims
flock from all parts of the empire a La
masery is religious community of Budd-
ha, formed by huts, or small houses built
round the temples. of which there are sew
eral. Each dwelling is inhabited by
Lama, who has several disciples, who per-
form his household duties in return for
his instruction
The festival couples twenty Lamas In
preparing for it, and they work daily for
three months under the direction Of a
principal, who has planned these wonder
tul pictures, the design always varied.
The tirSt step Is to knead the butter, of
which an Immense quantity is used TIL
it becomes quite hard the workers being
obliged to keep their hands in water dur
ing the process. The mass is then divided,
each portion being intrusted to separate
artist, who makes Of it figures groups,
or scenery, as directed. This done. -the
color them.
On the eve Of the feast hundreds Of pill
grims arrive in caravans and encamp
round the Lamasery, the exhibition being
on the following night The butter pic
lures are arranged in the open air, before
the various temples, and Illuminated Va
ses of copper and brass stand on slight
frames and are filled with thick butter,
with a solid wick. arranged so as to best
display the artists work
The pictures are exquisite finish all fig
ures being of life size, in the most graceful
attitudes, and with beautiful drapery.
Furs and skins of animals are so beauti-
fully modelled that one wishes to touch
them to see If they are real. Various
scenes from the life of Buddha are so well
portrayed that one can distinguish them
at a glance.
There are a few heads of Hindoos and
negroes, while the space between the tenn
pies is lined with bas-reliefs, depicting bat
ties, hunting parties and views of the
most celebrated Lamaseries, all in butter
The frames are also of this material, and
beautifully ornamented with animals and
flowers. In front of the chief temple is u
butter theater, with actors foot high,
beautifully decorated.
These manilSins even go through some
stage movements. By sunrise the next
morning the whole has disappeared, the
Celebrations in butter having been thrown
into a deep well. The pilgrims visiting
the Lamasery have to make its circuit on
arrival, prostrating themselves at short
intervals. They must extend themselves
on the ground with their arms outspread,
and strike it with their foreheads, then
creep on hands and knees for few yards
and renew the act of devotion.
As an alternative, they may walk round,
carrying a heavy load of prayer books. so
great that they stagger under It's weight
At the end Of the circuit they are credited
with having said all the prayers contained
in the books. Or, the easiest of ALL they
may start a prayer wheel, which will con-
tinue in motion for some time without at
tention. The body of this contrivance is
a circular barrel round which are coiled
the written prayers.