Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1911-01-31
SIAM POSSESSES
PRECIOUS BuDDHA
Is Replica Of Ancient Figure at
PitsanuIoke.
MADE OF GOLD AND BRONZE.

Late King chu'aIonskorn, Determined
That Bangkok Should 30 Equally
Honored, Called on People to Help In
Furnishing Metal and Then Gave
Magnificent Defeating Celebration.
Siam was short time ago the scene
of one of the most interesting events
of its history. The late King Chula
longkorn while touring In the north.
ern part of bis kingdom at the end OF
his reign visited the ancient town of
Pitsanuloke. which contained within
its walls a celebrated many centuries
old figure Of Buddha.
The king was so filed With enthusi'
asm BY this statue that he made vow
to place a similar figure in the royal
temple, Wat Suan Dust. In the capt.
tai of bis kingdom. He sent of some
Buddhist priests Immediately to Bang.
kok. ordering them to bring back six
old bronze cannon captured during a
war with Burma to Pitsanuloke. In
the meantime the king so pushed on
the work that by the time the cannon
arrived the process of casting could be
begun.
People Contribute Treasures.
Faithful Buddhists streamed from
far and near and threw gold and silver
into the glowing mass. Girls took of
their costly jewels and offered them as
a sacrifice. Whole families would
gladly have given their all. In order
that the sanctity Of the ancient statue
should be conveyed to the new two
consecrated silver cords were fastened
to the ears Of the old statue and given
into the charge Of the highest BONES.
who watched day and night and sang
and offered prayers necessarily.
Amid the rejoicings Of the peo-
pie, the casting was finished. and the
statue, under the guidance Of the king.
was conveyed in solemn procession
down the river to Bangkok, where the
work Of art was to be completed.
It is said that hundreds Of chisels
were broken during the work. King
Chulalongkorn gilded the face himself
and placed in the forehead an enor-
nous precious stone. Then the whole
figure was gilded and adorned with
Buddhistic rosaries Of fiery brilliants
from the kings treasury.
At last the great day came when the
new Buddha was to be brought to the
royal temple. Wat Suan Dust.
Brilliant Defeating Procession.
The scene under glowing tropical
sun was so wonderful, so gorgeous in
color, that it will remain unforgetta-
BILE by all who witnessed 1t. The gor-
geous statue Of Buddha, as If carried
by an invisible power, moved majes-
tically on the glittering waves Of the
broad river Menam. followed by the
purple and gold state barges Of the
king. the queen and the whole court.
Numberless Buddhist priests clad in
yellow garments followed in long fan
tastic boats. singing to the curiously
beautiful sounds of the Siamese mu'
steal Instruments. Then came hun
dreds of little boats filed with the
populace, who ended the strange feet
The front of the temple was left
open to receive the statue Of the new
Buddha. whose golden body glittered
in the sunlight. 1t was conducted
into the temple to the sound Of the
Siamese national hymn, the festive
ringing Of gongs and the singing OF
the BONES. Suddenly there came a
great silence. during which the king
with ringing voice bestowed upon
the Buddha the name Phra Chinerai