The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-10-11

convey.
The Gothic interior Of the finest c,ibe-
ldrals have this note. bui here Il vInratos
in the ether itself. The lowering clouds
OF the dark day seem only to bring
heaven nearer. Around are a host ~
stone lanterns like witnesses Of leb,
To the left above the Niomon r,s. no
dark gray roofs of the temple with
blazonry of gold on roof edges and roof
tree. Here is the treasury Of the shr,na
and other offices with noted carvings
all rich in color.
We cannot stay to look q, them row
for our eyes have rested on Il mail
structure, the ablutionary which remains
in memory as the gem of all. IT.. bal
dachin above the great granite basin
where pilgrims wash lips and hands is
| supported by twelve white mouu..h.c
columns encased in socke of hammered
metal with beautifully refined patterns
| White and black in every shade ugle
In the superstructure with tinted cary.
ngs of dragons under a roof p,rl,ps
the most graceful in the world. for il
shows that curve of portco front and
Complementary under decoration which
| hold to be the most striking cou,g.bu-
ton to the beautiful in architecture in
Japan; the curve of gable and the heavy
decorated roof tree being the other
| 1t is long to linger here. for may We
not return to it? So we pass the library
of the Sacred Books and ascend o. the
second plateau up twenty-five stems.
Here are the House of the Bell and the
| House OF the Drum before cryptomcrlas
| measuring twenty-five feet at the base
Here is the Yahushi-do n marvel Of
arabesque, carvings and mighty r.lded
columns with the richest colornrs and
| treasure shrines. and the curiosity OF
the crying Dragon-a pictured one on
the ceiling which emits a strange crack
Ing sound when you clap your hands
as you stand under the head.
| We mount to the third terrace and
/ md ourselves before the exquisite
iomei-mon. Who can describe the
fneness, the complication, the colorlng
Of the carving in this gate? 1t is called
the Morning till Night gate" as YOU
might study it all day and stu lind
beauties in 1t. Here Is the Kazura den.
a lovely structure where a pr!estess
dances al times, and the incense hall
with fine porch and facade and the
Palanquin house where festival Access
series are stored.
But still the cryptomerias rise and
we pass u the IOuTtn terrace and come
upon the Karamon or Chinese gate. the
daintiest and most finely carved Of all
the surprising portals. Its beauties haunt
one long after, And now on the plateau
we have reached the highest point Of
| the temple, for here is the golden Hon
den or oratory whose interior is ahlaze
with refined color among the gliding
and glory of the patterns and designs.
| The priests receive us We take off
our shoes From the outer golden hall
we are led to an inner shrine of gold,
| the Holy of Holes, il is called
priest filings a Vcstment of green brO-
cade upon my shoulders and Others on
the shoulders of those with me The
voices of chanting chorlsters are heard
informing prayers. Priests in gorgeous
vestments of white and pale Asagi blue
cross a raised platform al the back and
| one comes past us handing 10 each
small earthen cup of sacred wine.
1t was all like a dream Of heaven
ascending color and glow. and left one
at loss to separate and sift the charm
and delight and something If the awe Of
1t. II one had only an atom Of belief
in it one might we'll be swayed to any
end by its appeal. AS it was with me,
the impression remained of a great art
new to me, wonderful in its results and
its defiances and the traces of a faith
wholly national allied to a ritual Of its
own. Take my word for 1t, Nkko Is
superb and it's mountain mausol,m
temples have deep, deep art rhythm
and something of soul.
went up afterward to the Shosun'S
grave 200 steps stll higher. II was
plain for all the piled up splondorS
down below.
oil Rf
Kioto and have drunk in the SYLVAN
beauties of the temples at Nara.
have sat in thought before the giant
Buddha that stands in the open air
at Kamakura, but only at Nikko did
what | felt to be the true rhythm OF
the Nippon temples come to me. Ana
at Nara on a day of cloud and rain
1t was the rhythm of dance For
some small sum at the high temples
there one may see II. The more yon
pay the more they dance. Priests ana
| priestesses-must live.
At any rate two thin and mouldorinG
priests took their seats at the SIDE "'
the little leanto and one played on
wheeZy cracked flute and the oth'r
twanged a samisen, but they kept their
! dolorous melody in perfect time, Three
women OF the temple in richly flowing
, court dresses of Shinto, white with th'
: twelve folds Of scarlet showing the
r bottom. came with slow step from be-
: hind the screen and out on the 'tl''
l. platform of bare and worn planks inc
z first was tall and handsome and erect
@ the two others short and Otherwise In-
\ significant. After | glanced them over
$ | saw only the irst--the pricstoss w'h
y the marble face and the large, ardent
n unfathomable eyes-the eyes Of th' Id'
East fixed on some horizon whore hri
great gods sat in the twilight calm.
q The dance was hieratiC-short meas.
a ured steps forward, then backward ao"
u turning on the heel with slow, hrdu.-
i full movement of the arms Frs 81.
J. moved without any adjunct, then W.T.
J. a fan she drew from her bosom WV |
J. 1t in gestures of majesty, Lastly ."'l-
II ing forward, she knelt before "t''
he stand and took up a short staff mus
with small silver bells and from VIII.
lel hung long streams of crimson "i''
Ie white. This she held up and ram Y
I'd bells In many graceful pastures. N"'.