Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-06-28
News From The Orient.
Marking, China, May 10, 1917

Marking, China, May 10. 1917.
Dear R.
How sorry l am that must write
May 10, for it reminds me that in only
one month from this date I'll be having
final "exams" and this delightful year in
Marking will be but memory. 1t has
been wonderful year for me.
Yesterday we took lovely trip, about
which know you would like to hear. On
the seven o'clock Shanghai train in a
third class special car, fifty of us left for
Chinkiang. The ride lasted about one
and one-half hours, and just as soon as
we reached the city we climbed its high
est hill and took long look at the beau
tiful Yangtsze. Then we walked to Gold
en- Island, where there is huge monas-
terry. temple and pagoda, all very old
and very interesting. Chinkiang does
not have many foreigners, SO our landing
there caused quite a sensation. All along
our way people ceased from their labors
to see the parade 60 by. Really it re-
minded me of the way felt as young
ster when the circus parade was passing.
At one place a crowd of business men
had come out from their shops to see our
crowd, and after a majority had passed
one man thinking all had gone by ran
back into his shop; but some of US who
had fingered little too long gazing upon
the treasures in a pearl lacquer shop,
were decidedly in the rear. When they
saw US you should have heard the anxi-
Gus calls they gave their friend who had
gone inside to hurry and witness the very
end of the procession Just imagine our
disappointment, as kiddes if we had been
snatched away before that adorable
steam whistle at the end of the circus
had come.
We reached the monastery just as the
chant was beginning; we had expected
to hear the ordinary everyday chant but
were especially fortunate for this was
special day and there was special cere-
mony. In the fourth month of the old
China calendar. about the 9TH or 10th,
the Buddhists have the ceremony in
which they burn the characteristic spots
on the heads of the priests. The service
we attended was preparatory to this.
In the temple, lined up before the great
Buddha before which large candle and
incense were burned, stood three hundred
or more priests and many nuns chanting.
The great doors of the temple had been
removed and wooden bars placed across.
After the chant had continued for about
fifteen minutes, these bars were remov-
ed and the priests filed slowly out into
the great courtyard, where they then
took up the line of march, walking slow
" around and around in dizzy circles.
Within the temple food offerings were
made to Buddha and his eighteen dis
ciples. These were presented by the
head priest, who led the chant, assisted
by one of the chief officers of the city.
1t would have done you good to have
seen those priests, who are not supposed
to lift their eyelids, look about and roll
their eyes around and sideways so they
could see the pack of foreigners without
breaking the rule. After this line Of
march had kept up long enough to tire
any saint half of the priests filed into
the temple and the chant was continued
antiphonally. Later the remaining priests
passed slowly into the temple where they
lined up soldier style, only the head
priest and the official facing the big
Buddha. Whenever the priests, at in
tervals, faced the image they Frustrated
themselves on self-provided mats on the
floor. To see them turn almost as one
man and kneel so that they looked like
big round heaps of earth, was quite a
sight. l think l told you that the Budd-
hists' color is gray. However, they have
a special robe of brown linen, which is
thrown across them like the Roman toga
and fastened on the left shoulder by a
huge clasp. The head priests garment
is red and the mats on which they kneel
are brown and purple linen. There was
one young lad who ceased chanting when
he saw the onlookers, when we smiled
he returned the grin and that ended his
part in the ceremony. He spent the rest
of the time exchanging grins and having
such an amused time that the lad beside
him, who evidently wanted to do the same
but lacked courage, was at length over
come, and he, too, turned to look and
grin but kept on chanting. The first
offender was reproved by his brother
monk in the rear, but this didn't affect
him in the least, for even while slowly
passing out one by one he gave US one
last little amused smile. Some of the
priests stood stolidly chanting away with
all the vigor of their lungs, eyes half or
altogether shut; many stopped at inter-
walls to rest their threats while others
seemed entirely Indifferent to the whole
ceremony. There was one part that made
me want to do something. twas really
pathetic to see those little eight and ten
year-old boys, who will have just this as