Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1906-06-09
/ VISIT TO
LOONGHWA PAG0DA
Continued from page One

E4N@%
human beasts is beyond description.
All the way carriages had been pas
sing us. ricshas and wheelbarrows by
tbe score, accompanied us, and the by
rsth was filled with pedestrians going
inward the pagoda. We soon began
20 meet many returning, nearly all
bearing flowers in their hands.
Soon we came to a Joss house,
where the priest was ready with his
collection plate. Here we saw a
priest, who, to show his devotion to
his gods, had pushed sharp pointed
knife through his arm between the
two bones. He was covered with
blood. and seemed in terrible pain.
When Will tried to get a picture of
him he threw a dirty cloth over his
arm.
We were very tired when we finally
arrived at the pagoda, where we found
hundreds of Chinese making chinchin
loss" We learned that this was a
festival of the Chinese known as the
Peach Blossom festival and cores
ponds, in way, to the Christians
Palm Sunday.
The Loonghwa Pagoda is seven
story structure, built on the usual
plan of Chinese temples. We went
inside and found it cool, damp and
dark, and so crowded we could not go
upstairs. Priests are always ready
for "kumsha, and we were literally
besieged with invitations to buy in
cense and sticks to "chinchin joss. "
Near the entrance to the pagoda is a
tea house, where Chinese refreshments
are served. The scraps are thrown
upon the floor, under the table.
Several joss houses are near the pa
CODA and we went into one where we
were shown the 800 year god. He is
hideous old bronze giant and if he
could talk, wonder what stories he
would tell us. Upstairs was the famous
drum tower, containing an immense
drum which was struck by the wor-
shippers, l presume to wake the god
whose blessing they were asking. The
view from this tower is fine one. :
The priests or Bones wear flowing
robe of one color. They do not wear a
queue but the head is shaver and
shows the marks of self inflicted burns.
They show the attractions of their joss
houses much the same as dime mu-
scum manager shows his freaks. There
seems to be no reverence for the gods
and it is we'll known fact that in
their every day life the priests are a
vicious degenerate class of men.
A ragged Chinese boy offered .tc
carry Willis camera for few cash,
and every where we went we were fol.
lowed by curious, gaping crowd.
The children attracted a great deal OF
attention and, I fancy, many of those
following US, had never seen white
children before.
We went out some distance from
the temples, through a garden where
gardener was hoeing, along path
bordered by blossoming peach trees,
and sat down under magnificent elm
to rest. Near US a goat was brows-
ing. Even here we were not free from
the crowd, but were followed by g
number of small boys.
About four we went back to the pa
CODA and hunted up our ricshas. Car.
rlages were still arriving and there
were hundreds of them around the
temples. The horses had been un.
hltched, and the scene made me think
OF a fourth of July celebration, in &
country town, with Chinese instead Of
American participants. We saw only
TWO or three foreigners, and car
sympathize with a poor Chinamar
now, when he is one among hundreds